Chapter 381 I Established a Sect in the Cultivation World (10)
"We'll send our own people out."
A rational glint appeared in Zhao Sizhe's eyes: "Form an elite scout team to go out into the world and bring back the first real intelligence for the Xuantian Sect."
The two hit it off immediately and returned to the makeshift meeting hut.
A map of the valley, drawn with magic, floats in the center of the wooden house.
"Who should we send?"
Cheng Gan first raised the most crucial question: "This mission is not about combat, but about infiltration and observation, which places extremely high demands on mental fortitude and adaptability."
"Chen Mo."
Zhao Sizhe said a name without hesitation.
A hint of approval flashed in Cheng Gan's eyes: "He can do it. He used to be a narcotics officer on Blue Star. He has a lot of undercover experience and his mental fortitude is the best among all of them."
"A top-grade earth elemental root, at the first level of the Golden Core stage, is enough to protect oneself and also enough to keep a low profile."
Zhao Sizhe added, "But one person is not enough; we need a partner, someone who can be responsible for recording and analysis."
"Lin Qingqian".
Cheng Gan chimed in, "She's meticulous, a top student, has keen observation skills, and a photographic memory. She has a top-grade water spiritual root, is at the second level of the Golden Core stage, and her cultivation is slightly higher than Chen Mo's. The two of them working together would be perfect."
"They're the ones."
Zhao Sizhe nodded and then called the two of them over.
Chen Mo and Lin Qingqian arrived quickly.
Chen Mo was of medium height and had an ordinary appearance; he was the kind of person who would be easily lost in a crowd. However, his eyes were calm and serene.
Lin Qingqian, on the other hand, was quiet and refined, wearing frameless glasses and exuding a scholarly air.
"The sect needs a scout team to go out and explore."
Zhao Sizhe got straight to the point: "Mission objective: towns on the outskirts of the Ten Thousand Mountains. Requirements: ascertain all basic information such as the distribution of local power, price levels, and the strength of cultivators."
"The two of us?" Chen Mo asked, his voice steady.
"right."
Zhao Sizhe nodded: "This mission is very dangerous, and you have the right to refuse."
Chen Mo and Lin Qingqian exchanged a glance, without the slightest hesitation.
"Let's go."
"very good."
Cheng Gan smiled slightly: "Before we set off, there's one thing we need to clarify."
She looked around and then at the two of them: "What do you think? After we get out, should we suppress our cultivation and pretend to be ordinary people or low-level cultivators?"
"I think it's necessary."
Lin Qingqian adjusted her glasses and answered first: "We know nothing about the outside world. Too high a cultivation level may attract unnecessary attention and trouble. It is safer to keep a low profile."
Zhao Sizhe looked at Chen Mo.
Chen Mo was silent for a moment before speaking: "I agree with Qingqian's opinion, but I also think that being too low-key might make us seem like an easy target. In a dog-eat-dog world, weakness itself is a sin."
After listening, Zhao Sizhe shook his head.
“What you’re saying makes sense, but your thinking is still stuck in the Earth’s way.”
He held up one finger.
"Remember, this is the world of cultivation. Here, strength is the best passport."
“Your Golden Core stage cultivation is not a problem, but a protective charm.”
“A Golden Core cultivator will receive due respect wherever he goes, which can save you 99% of the trouble.”
"Therefore, you don't need to deliberately hide or show off; just act normally."
After Zhao Sizhe finished speaking, he took out a thick stack of talismans and divided them into two portions.
"These are attack talismans, defense talismans, and teleportation talismans. If you encounter a Nascent Soul cultivator you can't defeat, activate them immediately to randomly teleport to a place a hundred miles away."
He handed the talismans to the two men, his tone more serious than ever before.
"Remember, gathering information is secondary; your safety is the top priority."
"In any situation, survival comes first. I don't want to hear any news about any of you getting into trouble."
Chen Mo and Lin Qingqian gripped the talismans tightly in their hands; the weight of the talismans conveyed the sect's profound care and concern.
"yes!"
The two accepted the order and quietly left the area protected by the mountain array, posing as "traveling senior and junior brothers and sisters".
Passing through the dense forest on the outskirts of the valley, the two concealed their presence, avoided the monsters, and cautiously moved forward.
The further you go, the sparser the trees become, and the scent of the Ten Thousand Mountains gradually fades from the air.
After an unknown amount of time, faint voices and the sounds of roosters crowing and dogs barking drifted on the wind and reached their ears.
Chen Mo raised his hand, signaling Lin Qingqian to stop.
The two hid behind a boulder and looked ahead.
At the foot of the mountain, a rather large town appeared on the horizon.
The streets are paved with bluestone, the houses are lined up one after another, smoke rises from the chimneys, and people come and go.
"Linyuan Town," Lin Qingqian said softly.
The two exchanged a glance, straightened their robes, put away their wariness, and adopted a curious look as if they were newcomers, as they slowly walked towards the town.
There were no guards at the entrance to the town, and people could freely come and go.
Ordinary people were dressed in coarse linen clothes and hurried along; cultivators, on the other hand, were mostly dressed in robes of various colors, either flying low on swords or walking by, with faint fluctuations of spiritual energy on their bodies.
As the two entered the town, they immediately felt its noisy and vibrant atmosphere.
Instead of rushing to the market, they found the most bustling-looking teahouse and sat down by the window on the second floor.
Chen Mo's gaze swept across the entire teahouse without making a sound.
His divine sense quietly spread out, taking in the cultivation levels of everyone around him.
"How is it?" Lin Qingqian picked up her teacup and asked softly.
“Most of them are in the Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment stages. On our level, there are also two Golden Core cultivators, who are all very discreet,” Chen Mo replied calmly.
"It seems that Peak Master Zhao was right. A Golden Core cultivator here is indeed considered a master." Lin Qingqian breathed a sigh of relief.
"After all, this is just a remote mountainous area."
The two sat in the teahouse for about half an hour, listening to most of the conversations of the surrounding cultivators, and gained a preliminary understanding of Lin Yuan Town.
Afterwards, they left the teahouse and entered the town's most bustling market area.
The streets were lined with all sorts of stalls.
"A top-grade magic weapon, the Azure Edge Sword! Don't miss it!"
"Newly made 'Qi Gathering Powder,' ten low-grade spirit stones per bottle!"
"The hide of the third-tier demonic beast 'Ironclad Rhinoceros' has amazing defensive capabilities!"
The cries of vendors rose and fell in waves.
Lin Qingqian's gaze fell on a flying sword at a magic artifact stall.
She glanced at it and shook her head inwardly.
The flying sword had a dim spiritual light, a rough structure, and mixed materials. It was not even as good as the swords that sects used for disciples to practice on.
I don't know if this is just their skill level, or if they're just trying to fool people.
Chen Mo then walked to a pill shop and spent ten low-grade spirit stones to buy a so-called "Qi Gathering Powder," intending to take it back for Peak Master Li to study.
As the two walked and observed, their understanding of the Xuan Tian Sect's advantages became increasingly clear.
They also learned that the area around Lin Yuan Town was jointly controlled by three small sects: the "Qingye Sect," which was good at cultivating spiritual herbs; the "Tiejian Sect," which focused on swordsmanship; and the "Luoxing Valley," which was famous for refining weapons.
Most of the town's high-end resources come from these three companies.
Having grasped the general situation, the two returned to the teahouse to organize the intelligence and plan their next move.
Just then, the conversation of several Foundation Establishment cultivators at the next table caught their attention.
"Hey, have you heard? Things seem to be getting a bit unsettled deep in the Hundred Thousand Mountains these past few days!" a burly man with a thick beard said in a low voice.
"What's wrong?"
"A friend of mine who works as a steward in a sect sent me a message saying that there are strange phenomena deep within! Lightning flashes and thunder roars, and demonic energy soars into the sky, as if some great demon is undergoing tribulation!"
"Hiss—a great demon undergoing tribulation?"
A person nearby gasped: "That must be a terrifying existence at the sixth or seventh rank, right?"
The burly man with a thick beard said mysteriously, "It's more than that! The commotion is huge. It's said that it has already alarmed several Nascent Soul elders! They're all rushing in that direction! This is an incredible opportunity. If we could snag a bargain..."
Chen Mo's hand, which was holding the teacup, suddenly stopped in mid-air.
The two suddenly turned their heads, their eyes meeting in mid-air, and they both saw the same shock in each other's eyes.
Deep in the mountains of the Ten Thousand Mountains...
The great demon overcomes the tribulation...
This time and place...
Besides the sect leader and Jing Bai, who else could it be?!
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