Mo Xiaoxing couldn’t really say that she found using every attribute to be roughly the same.
“Eldest Senior Brother, I will think about it carefully.”
“Eldest Senior Brother, what kind of person is… the Master?”
Nanshan Lü asked, “Why do you ask?”
Mo Xiaoxing said, “Ever since I entered the Everlasting Sect, I haven’t seen the Master. If I have the chance to meet him, I wonder if the Master will pass on any techniques to me.”
Nanshan Lü smiled. “Why would you say that? Since you are the Master’s disciple, the Master will naturally pass on techniques to you.”
Mo Xiaoxing said, “But, I have caused so much trouble in the sect. Didn’t you also say that the Master would deal with me?”
Nanshan Lü was silent for a moment. He walked to the window and stood quietly, not knowing how to speak to his Junior Sister.
The trouble she had caused in the sect was one thing, but collusion with the Demonic Sect was unforgivable. The Master would certainly have to provide the sect with an explanation.
Truth be told, he did not know how the Master would deal with her.
If it were a few days ago, he wouldn’t have been too worried, but now… seeing her sincere repentance, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pity.
After a long while, Nanshan Lü sighed.
“Junior Sister, if the Master holds you accountable, just say that Qi Qiang, the Crown Prince of the Blood Dragon Sect, bewitched you and that you did not willingly commit acts harmful to the sect. You must take responsibility for this matter and admit your wrongdoing voluntarily; perhaps the Master will be able to protect you.”
Mo Xiaoxing said, “This…”
Nanshan Lü suddenly turned back, his gentle eyes flashing with sharpness. “What are you hesitating about? Could it be that, even now, you are still infatuated with Qi Qiang?”
Mo Xiaoxing looked at Nanshan Lü’s expression; it seemed that if she were to nod, he would purge her from the sect right there and then!
She quickly shook her head and waved her hands. “No, no, no, of course not. Eldest Senior Brother, don’t misunderstand. I just feel that since we are to investigate, we should get to the bottom of it. Not to mention that it was indeed Qi Qiang who bewitched me.
Besides, the protection scroll for the Ruian City city-protecting formation was kept on the third floor of the Library Pavilion, guarded by specialists. Yet, when I went to retrieve it that day, no one stopped me. Isn’t it possible someone was helping me?”
Nanshan Lü asked, “Who would help you?”
Mo Xiaoxing said, “Oh, Eldest Senior Brother, why have you become so slow-witted? I’m not confessing about accomplices; I’m saying this feels like a trap—someone led me into it! Even if I hadn’t taken the scroll, someone else would have! To invade Ruian City, the Blood Dragon Sect might not have just bewitched me; perhaps there were other internal moles!”
Mo Xiaoxing had actually thought about this long ago. Although Qin Yu was truly “love-brained,” the fact that she had “betrayed” the sect so smoothly made many parts of the story not add up.
Mo Xiaoxing was indeed responsible for what Qin Yu had done, but she would not be a scapegoat.
Nanshan Lü was stunned for a moment. Everyone in the sect was highly respectful toward him, and apart from the Master, no one had ever called him “slow-witted.”
However, it seemed the Junior Sister had said it unintentionally…
Nanshan Lü quickly pondered Mo Xiaoxing’s words and frowned. “Are you saying there is a spy from the Blood Dragon Sect within the Everlasting Sect?”
Mo Xiaoxing nodded. “Yes!”
Nanshan Lü said gravely, “This matter should not be spread. I will investigate it thoroughly before taking action.”
Mo Xiaoxing said, “Then I will trouble you, Eldest Senior Brother!”
Over the next six or seven days, Mo Xiaoxing’s pavilion was rebuilt. During this time, she didn’t see the Eldest Senior Brother again; she had gone to find him once, but he happened to be away—she didn’t know if he was still investigating the spy.
Instead, she practiced spells diligently every day, testing the five elements—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—until she became gradually proficient in applying them.
When she used fire, it was still Earth Core Fire, though she could now control it.
She also tried to test Ice, Darkness, and Thunder-attribute spells, but she did not succeed.
A cultivator might spend their entire life trying to master a single technique, let alone several!
Therefore, Mo Xiaoxing knew she had to specialize, but she felt the five elements were equally matched and she couldn’t decide which to discard.
On this day, Mo Xiaoxing stood on the bridge corridor, looking at the fields by the lake, and suddenly ordered the guards: “Hire some people to level these fields so we can plant spiritual vegetation, and plant fruit trees on the hillside.”
There were hundreds of acres of fertile land on this mountain, which had always been home to nothing but weeds and wildflowers. The guards hired many commoners, offering generous wages, and within ten days, it had been transformed into thriving fields.
And Mo Xiaoxing finally decided to go down the mountain herself!
On the bustling street, Mo Xiaoxing looked up at the hanging plaque—Ten Thousand Treasure Pavilion.
Whether it was medicinal pills, magical tools, demonic beasts, or gathering information, everything could be traded here.
Backed by the Everlasting Sect, Ruian City was naturally very prosperous, attracting a large number of cultivators, and the business at the Ten Thousand Treasure Pavilion was booming.
Mo Xiaoxing wore a hooded cloak today, covering her face and figure.
Because Qin Yu usually acted in a “high-profile” manner, many people inside and outside the sect had seen her. Now, countless people resented her for colluding with the Demonic Sect; if they recognized her, it would undoubtedly lead to trouble!
Mo Xiaoxing had been busy cultivating and avoiding attention recently, so she had to be cautious when going out today.
“Customer, what would you like to buy?”
The shopkeeper didn’t find it strange; after all, he saw all sorts of odd people every day.
Mo Xiaoxing said, “I want seeds.”
“Please come this way, customer. What kind of seeds do you want? Ordinary spiritual plant seeds, low-grade spirit herbs, high-grade spirit herbs—we have them all. Look around Ruian City; our Ten Thousand Treasure Pavilion is surely the most comprehensive.”
Mo Xiaoxing said, “I want all of them. Pack up some of everything for me.”
The shopkeeper’s face beamed with joy. “All right! Customer, please wait a moment, I will have it packed for you right away.”
He called two assistants to help, and they were very efficient.
Ordinary spiritual plants were not worth much, but spirit herbs all had medicinal properties. Whether low-grade or high-grade, there were many varieties, and taking some of each was no small transaction!
“Customer, it’s all packed. That will be two hundred and three low-grade spirit stones. I’ll waive the remainder for you; just two hundred spirit stones will do.”
Mo Xiaoxing said, “That much.”
The shopkeeper replied, “This is the lowest price. The prices at the Ten Thousand Treasure Pavilion are fair to all.”
Mo Xiaoxing added, “I meant that is a lot of seeds.”
She handed over the spirit stones and left the Ten Thousand Treasure Pavilion without delay.
On the way back, she couldn’t help but mutter, “Spirit herb seeds are indeed very expensive! Fortunately, I brought enough spirit stones, or it would have been embarrassing.”
Although Qin Yu’s living expenses were quite generous, they couldn’t withstand such spending!
Moreover, if she ran out of spirit stones, she would be too embarrassed to write home and ask for more…
She had to earn her own money!
In the world of cultivators, gold and silver were not used; transactions were made with spirit stones, which were mineral deposits formed over thousands or tens of thousands of years.
The most commonly used were low-grade spirit stones; there were also middle-grade and high-grade ones, though they were rare.
Fortunately, she had bought these seeds; she could plant the spirit herbs in her “Ink Disaster” space, and after harvesting them, they would be money!
Not only could she recover her costs, but earning five or six times the investment would be no problem.
Thinking this, Mo Xiaoxing felt a bit gleeful and couldn’t help but hum a little tune.
Suddenly, a fierce-looking cultivator blocked her path, holding a large saber.
“The fellow daoist seems very happy. Why not share some of your spirit stones with me, so I can be happy too?”