"...And here's the Hehuan Pavilion, Senior," Mo Shen cupped his hands before Qing Yue, lowering his head slighly.
After an hour or so, Mo Shen was finally done with guiding Qing Yue throughout the whole sect.
He also made sure to inform the other elders under the orders of the Sect Master about Qing Yue's arrival, and explained briefly that she was going to be a new elder of the Hehuan Pavilion.
Of course, the Hehuan Pavilion Master already knew about Qing Yue since she was going to become an Elder of her pavilion, so Mo Shen didn't think it was necessary to show around the Hehuan Pavilion itself.
At his words, Qing Yue turned to the Hehuan Pavilion with a calm gaze.
"...It reeks of Yang Qi," she mumbled with a hint of disgust.
Mo Shen frowned at those words. After all, she was supposed to become an elder of the Hehuan Pavilion, so she should be familiar with Yang Qi, maybe even enjoy its scent.
'...Well, it's probably because of the low quality of Yang Qi. After all, the men inside the Hehuan Pavilion have either cut their roots or have been sucked dry.'
Then, Qing Yue turned to Mo Shen and reached out to her spatial ring before throwing him something.
Mo Shen awkwardly caught it before looking at whatever she had thrown.
"This...?" His eyes widened in complete surprise.
What she had thrown at him was actually a Soul Beast Manual! It wasn't something very precious, but it was extremely rare and expensive!
With this manual, Mo Shen would be able to tame a single beast and make it his partner for the rest of his life.
There were many downsides to cultivating, such as unlike other Beast Taming Manuals, cultivating this one meant that Mo Shen could only have a single bond beast.
However, of course, it had its own advantages: when the beast grows stronger, you'll also gain benefits from its evolution.
It's like having an extra and automatic dantian!
For someone with an above-average talent like Mo Shen, this was beyond priceless!
Besides, this is completely aligned with Gu Cultivation since the bond beast has the ability to nurture Gu Worms!
This way, Mo Shen didn't have to spend money on high-quality Gu food to nurture them himself.
"....."
Mo Shen stared at the manual in his hands for a few breaths, as if he was not fully sure it was real.
Then, almost at once, his entire posture changed.
He straightened, his grip on the manual tightening slightly, before he cupped his hands deeply toward Qing Yue, his head lowering far more than before.
"This junior… sincerely thanks Senior for this gift!"
His voice carried a level of respect that had not been there earlier, and when he raised his head again...
He was honestly smiling.
Not the faint, polite expression he used to please her, but a genuine, open smile, one that reached his eyes, one that carried clear, unhidden happiness.
It was the kind of expression that did not belong in a place like the Myriad Demon Sect.
For a brief moment, Qing Yue's gaze paused on him.
Her brows lifted slightly.
"…Oh?"
She looked at him more carefully now, her half-lidded eyes narrowing just a fraction, as if she was trying to understand what she was seeing.
A smile like that…
In a place like this…
It was strange.
In an unorthodox sect, such expressions usually appeared only when someone was enjoying slaughter, when blood was still fresh on their hands, and their mind had yet to calm down.
Yet Mo Shen stood there, holding a manual most would consider limited, even flawed, and he looked…
Genuinely pleased.
No greed twisted in his face... just simple, and clear satisfaction.
"You are… easy to please," Qing Yue said slowly, her tone carrying a faint trace of curiosity.
Mo Shen shook his head lightly, still holding that smile.
"It is not that this junior is easy to please," he replied. "It is that Senior's gift suits me perfectly."
He lowered his gaze briefly toward the manual.
"For others, this may not be of much use," he continued in a calm tone, "but for me… it is worth more than most treasures."
His fingers brushed lightly over its surface, as if treating it like a priceless treasure.
"With this, I will not need to struggle alone."
Qing Yue watched him in silence.
The faint smoke from her pipe drifted between them once more as her gaze lingered on his face, on that expression that did not quite fit the world around them.
After a moment, she let out a quiet breath.
"…Interesting."
She did not say anything more than that before turning around and strolling towards the Hehuan Pavilion.
Mo Shen bowed in her direction, letting her back disappear from his sight before finally turning around.
'...It seemed like my expression was honest enough.'
The instant he turned around, his expression turned colder than ice. To survive in this terrible world, he spent a lot of time training his expressions.
Even if this was a Demonic Sect, the thing that these demons valued was actually honesty, and so, Mo Shen played that to his advantage.
After all, being in the goodwill of a strong being like Qing Yue could potentially benefit him in the near future.
'Someone who is almost equally strong as my Master... being in her favor could really bring me some pleasant surprises.'
Fengwu Yao, his master, could be considered the strongest master of the entire Northern Region.
Among all the regions, the Northern Region was second only to the central. And someone who is almost equally as strong at his own Master...
"...Then, I'll need to look for a beast to bond with," Mo Shen mumbled, shaking off his other thoughts as he looked at the Soul Beast Manual.
"Maybe I should go and attend the Beast Festival since it began a week ago, but it still goes on until next week."
Mo Shen threw the manual onto his spatial ring before turning around directly and heading towards the Sect's Gates.
"There should be plenty of beasts there since it's a Festival created by the Beast Taming Sect."
The Beast Festival.
It was not a small gathering, nor was it something limited to a single sect.
The Beast Taming Sect, one of the major powers of the Northern Region, held this festival every few years, opening it to cultivators, merchants, and wanderers alike.
During this time, countless beasts were brought in, some captured from deep mountains, others bred carefully over generations, each one displayed, traded, or auctioned depending on its value.
For cultivators, it was a rare chance.
Some came to find mounts.
Some came to buy materials.
And others, like Mo Shen, came in search of a companion.
Of course, not every beast there was worth anything.
Many were weak, unstable, or difficult to control, and without proper methods, even taming one could lead to backlash.
But that was also why the festival attracted so many people.
Among the countless ordinary beasts, there were always a few hidden gems.
Creatures with rare bloodlines.
Beasts with strange mutations.
Or even ones that had unknowingly developed spiritual intelligence.
Those were the ones everyone fought over.
The festival itself was held in a large city known as Blackstone City.
The city stood at the edge of a vast mountain range, rich in spiritual resources and filled with wild beasts, making it the perfect location for such an event.
Although many forces passed through it, the city itself was firmly under the control of the Beast Taming Sect, and during the festival, their influence became even more absolute.
No one dared to cause trouble there.
At least, not openly.
"...Alright, Blackstone City isn't too far away. If I get a carriage, I should arrive in two to three days."
Mo Shen thought it through for a moment, then gave a small nod to himself.
"I should inform Master first."
He changed direction at once and headed toward one of the outer halls near the base of the peak, where disciples handled travel records and entry permissions.
The process was simple, though never careless.
A disciple handed him a small token carved from dark wood, with faint markings that carried the aura of the sect.
This token served as proof of identity and permission, allowing him to pass through the formation at the sect gates without being stopped or attacked.
Mo Shen accepted it with both hands, gave a brief nod, and turned away without wasting time.
With the token secured, he made his way back up the Thousand Chittering Peak once again.
The climb was no shorter the second time.
By the time he reached the cave boudoir, his breathing had grown heavier, though he forced it to steady before stepping into position outside the entrance.
He cupped his hands and lowered his head.
"Master, this disciple requests an audience."
A brief silence followed.
"Enter."
The same soft voice drifted out.
Mo Shen stepped inside.
The warm air wrapped around him again, carrying that faint, heavy scent that made the mind slow if one did not stay alert.
Fengwu Yao sat in the same place as before, her posture relaxed, her red eyes resting on him as if she had not moved at all.
"This disciple greets Master," Mo Shen said, bowing slightly.
"I wish to leave the sect for a few days to visit Blackstone City."
Fengwu Yao listened without interrupting.
For a moment, she said nothing.
"Come closer."
Mo Shen's heart sank slightly.
He stepped forward, stopping at the same distance as before, careful not to go too far, nor too near.
Fengwu Yao observed him quietly.
"Mhm… you seem quite pleased," she said slowly.
Her eyes narrowed, the warmth in the room turning colder in an instant.
The faint trace of happiness that had lingered in Mo Shen's chest faded at once, replaced by a familiar tension.
"…Did guiding your new Martial Aunt bring you such joy?"
Her lips curved faintly, though there was no warmth in them.
Mo Shen felt his back stiffen.
'Am I not even allowed to feel happy now…?'
He suppressed the thought immediately.
Lowering his head slightly, he spoke in a respectful tone.
"This disciple merely received a small reward from Martial Aunt for fulfilling his duty. Such kindness naturally brings some gratitude, which may have shown on this disciple's face."
Fengwu Yao tilted her head slightly.
"Oh?"
"And what reward did she give you?" she asked, resting her cheek lightly against her fist, her gaze fixed on him.
Mo Shen hesitated for the briefest moment before answering.
"A Soul Beast Manual."
At those words, Fengwu Yao let out a faint scoff.
"How generous."
Her expression eased slightly, though her eyes still held a quiet sharpness.
"No wonder you wish to leave the sect. You intend to attend the Beast Festival, do you not?"
"Yes, Master."
Her gaze lingered on him for another moment.
"I almost thought you were eager to experience the pleasures of dual cultivation," she added, her tone turning colder again.
Mo Shen's body froze slightly.
He lowered his head further.
"This disciple walks the Gu Path and has no intention of diverting his focus. Matters such as dual cultivation… would only be considered with a proper dao companion."
His voice remained steady, though he chose his words with care.
Fengwu Yao hummed softly.
"Mhm…"
"I do not object to you finding a dao companion," she calmly stated.
A brief pause followed.
THRUUUM!
A crushing force descended without warning.
Mo Shen's body slammed flat against the ground, his chest pressed tightly as if a mountain had fallen on him.
The air was forced out of his lungs, and even lifting a finger became difficult.
A thin trace of killing intent filled the room.
"However…"
Fengwu Yao's cold voice came down from above.
"Do not make contact with anyone from the Hehuan Pavilion."
Her eyes stared down at him without emotion.
"Am I clear?"
Mo Shen gritted his teeth, forcing his head to lift slightly despite the pressure.
"Y-yes… Master!"
The pressure vanished at once.
"Good."
Fengwu Yao waved her hand lightly.
"You may go, I'll grant your permission to leave the sect."
Before Mo Shen could even react, his vision blurred.
In the next instant, he was already outside the cave, standing unsteadily on his feet.
"Ugh…"
He let out a low breath, rolling his shoulders as he slowly straightened his back.
The lingering pressure still made his body feel heavy.
His expression darkened slightly.
'That fucking bitch… does she have some kind of unhealthy obsession with the people from the Hehuan Pavilion!?'
He clicked his tongue softly, though his eyes quickly returned to calm.
Complaints were one thing.
Survival was another.
Without wasting more time, he tightened his grip on the token and began making his way down the mountain once again.