Chapter 28
“It’s good to see you recovering. At this rate, Brother will soon return to the inner sect.”
Li Mo praised him, without a hint of doubt.
Old Xiao must have activated the Qixing Gupei (Seven Stars Ancient Pendant).
But what exactly is inside? A legacy, a powerful relic, or perhaps... the very essence of a strong warrior?
Regardless, no matter which it is, Xiao Qin’s future achievements will undoubtedly be remarkable.
Just as he was lost in thought, Li Mo suddenly felt a strange sensation.
Someone... was watching him?
His mind quickly shifted, and he realized.
Could it be... Xiao Qin’s grandfather?
“I truly don’t know how to repay the kindness you’ve shown me, Junior Brother.”
“I recently had a fortuitous encounter and received a protective talisman from an old senior.”
Xiao Qin pulled out a golden silk pouch from his sleeve.
Its design was clearly not of this era, and the material was not ordinary gold thread; even from a distance, one could feel a gentle warmth emanating from it.
Well, the only downside was that the pouch was strung together with a rough hemp rope.
“Inside is a feather from a powerful auspicious beast, capable of warding off evil and nurturing the body.”
“Such a treasure is just what you need, Brother Xiao!”
Li Mo had a good idea of who the old senior Xiao Qin mentioned was.
It seemed he really had encountered his grandfather.
No wonder he could produce such a fine protective artifact.
“It’s not of much use to me anymore.”
“Please, Junior Brother, don’t refuse.”
Seeing Li Mo hesitate, Xiao Qin spoke urgently.
Li Mo understood but didn’t show it on his face. He smiled and took the pouch:
“Then I’ll graciously accept it. Thank you, Brother Xiao.”
Protective treasures are always welcome, no matter how many one has.
Currently, he was training in the Extreme Weapon Body, and his physical defenses would be formidable in the future.
In short, his physical defense would be extremely high.
But when it came to those ‘magical attacks,’ it might not hold up.
The pouch perfectly compensated for this shortcoming, at least he wouldn’t have to worry about being ambushed by all sorts of underhanded tactics.
An investment with double the return.
What a bargain.
“Just use it well, Junior Brother.”
Xiao Qin seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, smiling.
He was worried that Li Mo would refuse.
“Brother, I’ll take my leave now. I have some matters to attend to.”
Xiao Qin waved his hand.
His master was still very weak and urgently needed medicinal herbs and treasures to restore his spirit.
He had to find a way to gather them.
Although he knew those items were quite expensive, he still needed to inquire about where to obtain them.
“Safe travels, Brother.”
Li Mo nodded.
He fastened the pouch and immediately felt a wave of warmth.
Suddenly—
A sound came from behind; Ying Bing had opened the window for ventilation.
The ice that had formed on the window shattered as it hit the ground.
...
On the way down the mountain.
Xiao Qin’s steps felt much lighter.
But before long, a voice echoed in his mind, that of the Qianxing Wuzun (Thousand Forms Martial Sovereign).
“What talent... such talent... simply unparalleled throughout history!”
The tone was filled with astonishment, even a hint of disbelief.
This was the same person who once dismissed the master of Ziyang as nothing more than an ant, and now he seemed somewhat unhinged.
“Master?”
Xiao Qin couldn’t help but pause, instinctively asking:
“Are you saying that Junior Brother Li’s talent is exceptional?”
“No, no, it’s not him; it’s that little girl!”
The old man’s voice seemed to struggle to maintain its composure.
“Little girl?”
Xiao Qin thought for a moment and nodded:
“Oh, you must be talking about Sister Ying Bing. I heard she and Junior Brother Li are childhood friends, growing up together and both being true disciples.”
“They should progress together in the future; perhaps they’ll create a beautiful story together...”
Old Xiao revealed a hint of a motherly smile, mixed with envy.
“Progress together?”
The Qianxing Wuzun sighed softly, saying, “Disciple, you have no idea what she carries within her. People like her are born to fulfill great destinies.”
“Your Junior Brother Li has sufficient innate talent, and in a small place like Ziyang, he stands out, but that’s only within Ziyang.”
“That little girl may shine brightly in the future across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.”
“Who would have thought that after my time, I would be fortunate enough to witness such a being in her infancy...”
Xiao Qin was left bewildered.
Just yesterday, his master had exuded an air of superiority, and now this sudden shift in attitude felt a bit too abrupt.
It was quite surprising.
“But Master, you just told me not to underestimate myself.”
“Hmm, if you could reach the realm I once attained, perhaps you would be fortunate enough to witness her soaring through the Nine Heavens.”
The Qianxing Wuzun said with a hint of nostalgia.
It seemed that even being a mere witness to such greatness was a privilege.
The fire phoenix feather that he had given to Xiao Qin, which was then passed on to Li Mo, came from one of his close acquaintances.
If he weren’t familiar with it, he wouldn’t have sensed its significance so clearly.
“???”
Xiao Qin felt a bit dazed.
He hadn’t even left Ziyang, let alone ventured into the Eastern Wasteland or the vast Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
He had no idea what that concept entailed.
The Qianxing Wuzun continued:
“To Ziyang, Qingyuan Sect is a colossal entity, but in the Eastern Wasteland, it’s nothing significant. What I can do for you is to grant you the opportunity to broaden your horizons.”
“That girl may one day have a place in the legends of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.”
“You will understand the gap between you in the future.”
The old man’s voice paused for a moment before adding:
“When one person ascends, even their chickens and dogs rise with them.”
“Since Li Mo has a childhood bond with Ying Bing, his future achievements will surely be remarkable. He won’t be inferior to you, so maintain your connections.”
In an invisible way, the Qianxing Wuzun’s attitude had shifted.
From mentoring to encouraging more interactions.
And this change was solely because of Sister Ying Bing?
“I resonate with Junior Brother Li; he is my first true friend.”
Xiao Qin’s smile was carefree.
Since they were friends, why overthink it?
“You have a good heart.”
“I hope you can keep that initial spirit. Hahaha.”
The old man couldn’t help but be affected by his smile.
But soon, it seemed that due to speaking too much, his voice became somewhat ethereal.
“I hope to find something beneficial for the soul today.”
Xiao Qin quickened his pace down the mountain.
---
**Chapter 25: The Accumulation of Small Investments by the Returnee**
On the way from Qiushui Pavilion to Shenbing Mountain.
After walking for about a stick of incense, he could already see the mountain gate ahead.
At this moment, a long line had formed in front of the gate.
An outer sect steward sat there, welcoming and sending off disciples, with a pile of identity tokens stacked in front of him.
“Li Zhenchuan.”
The old woman, upon seeing Li Mo, took the initiative to bow.
As a true disciple, although he held no real power within the sect, his status was undoubtedly higher than that of the outer sect stewards.
Li Mo recognized the old woman; she had once read his fortune and determined his talent to be of the third tier.
The outer sect disciples around, seeing his white cloud-patterned robe, were filled with envy and admiration.
Yet, no one hesitated; one by one, they handed their tokens to the old woman, shouldered their bags, and walked out of the mountain gate.
“What’s going on with them?”
Li Mo couldn’t help but be curious.
It shouldn’t be time for the outer sect disciples to be dismissed yet.
Why were so many people lining up to hand in their tokens, looking like they were leaving Qingyuan Sect?
“Because the sect’s trial is approaching. Since it’s called a trial, it inherently carries a certain level of danger.”
The old woman opened her left hand, revealing three fingers remaining.
“Ah, I see.”
Li Mo thought for a moment and understood the old woman’s meaning.
Not everyone had the confidence to compete for a place in the inner sect.
To stay meant they had to participate in the sect’s trial.
If they were to suffer injuries and fail to enter the inner sect, they could end up being expelled from the sect, making even survival a challenge.
Dying in the trial was not out of the question.
“Many people, once they enter the sect, never consider entering the inner sect.”
The old woman shook her head, casually placing the tokens she had just collected aside.
For many, learning some skills in the outer sect and returning home to open a martial arts school or becoming a constable was seen as a great future.
Li Mo couldn’t help but feel a sense of melancholy.
The martial path is a river flowing against the current; most people aren’t even the fish swimming upstream, but rather the sand swept along by the water.
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