After leaving Purple Heaven Palace, Shen Mo didn't head straight back to his Inner Door cave mansion. Instead, he headed directly to the Alchemy Zone.
Along the way, Shen Mo distinctly felt the atmosphere within the Riverside Sect changing. Passing disciples hurried by, a sense of urgency etched on their faces. Their conversations revolved around topics such as the Heavenly Demon, the merit of slaying demon, and how to rapidly increase their combat strength.
Upon arriving at the Alchemy Zone, there were noticeably fewer Alchemists out and about. Most Alchemists were secluded in their cave mansions, diligently refining various Elixirs to counter the demonic catastrophe. The entire Alchemy Zone was saturated with the fragrance of various medicinal herbs.
As Shen Mo passed by the Cuizhu Elixir Room, he noticed many new Alchemists coming and going, making the place unusually bustling. It was a stark contrast to its previous quiet and serene atmosphere.
With the outbreak of war, the entire Riverside Sect, the Five Great Sects, and indeed the entire cultivation world of the Red Flame Country, began to operate like an immense and complex Formation, whirring frantically. Every cultivator, from the Golden Core Realm Patriarchs down to the Body Tempering Realm novices, was a part of this Formation—be it a rune, a Spirit Stone, or a grain of piled Gold Sand—each striving to support the grand array's operation. At the same time, they were swept along by the grand array, their actions no longer entirely their own.
「Spirit Gathering Peak.」
Zhao Lingyin's place of cultivation. This was Shen Mo's first time visiting; previously, he had always met her at the Cuizhu Elixir Room.
The mountains and waters surrounding this peak were suffused with rich Spiritual Qi. The high mountains were majestic, and the streams gurgled merrily. In terms of being a place where spiritual energy gathered and nurtured talent, it was second only to the three Main Peaks.
The scenery around my cave mansion isn't bad, but compared to this place, it pales in comparison!
Shen Mo landed his sword on a cliffside platform. Looking up, he saw the towering peak, which pierced the clouds, covered in pristine white snow. Meltwater from the snow formed mountain streams that meandered downwards, converging into the Heaven Pool located above the mountainside. The Lake Heart Cottage was situated in the center of Heaven Pool, though it was faintly veiled by a Formation. Aside from the glimmering lake and mist, the pavilions and terraces at the lake's heart were not visible.
Shen Mo took out a Sound Transmission Talisman and, with a stir of his Divine Sense, sent a message to Zhao Lingyin.
After a short while, a graceful figure, treading on the sparkling water, slowly emerged from the hazy mist.
Seeing this beautiful sight, Shen Mo's heart skipped a beat, and he was momentarily lost in a daze. Only when the faint, fresh scent of spiritual medicine wafted over did he return to his senses. Smiling, he took Zhao Lingyin's delicate hand.
Zhao Lingyin, though somewhat bashful, didn't pull away, her eyes filled with joy. "I didn't even know you were coming back! Have you accumulated enough merit of slaying demon?"
Though miles apart, the two had always maintained contact through communication Talismans. However, Shen Mo hadn't informed Zhao Lingyin in advance of his return to the sect.
"One can never have enough merit. I've been fighting for several months and wanted to return to the mountain to rest and recuperate for a while."
Shen Mo toyed with her slender, jade-like fingers. He found them exceptionally beautiful, like intricately carved ivory, flawless, with the lingering scent of the Taixu Pill at their tips. This made Zhao Lingyin slightly flustered. Only then did Shen Mo interlace his fingers with hers, holding her hand firmly as he led her on a stroll amidst the mountains and waters.
"Are the sect's Alchemy assignments too burdensome? You look a bit thinner than you did two months ago."
"It's not too tiring..."
Much had already been said via Sound Transmission Talismans. Yet, recounting these things now didn't feel tedious or boring; instead, it was incredibly relaxing and pleasant. Their conversation was no longer confined to Alchemy and cultivation; they spoke about whatever came to mind. The situation on the Tianshan Mountain battlefield, changes within the Riverside Sect, fluctuating Elixir prices, difficulties with cultivation methods, peculiar people and strange events they had encountered—even the trivial matters of their daily lives could fill half a day's conversation.
Before they knew it, the sky darkened. Shen Mo and Zhao Lingyin had stopped at a west-facing cliffside platform. Seeing a large, flat boulder on the cliff, Shen Mo invited Zhao Lingyin to sit down and rest with him.
The setting sun descended in the west, its magnificent afterglow painting half the sky crimson. Reflected in the lake, it dyed the water red as well. A light breeze rippled the surface, creating blushing eddies like the scales of a Red Carp.
By now, Shen Mo was telling Zhao Lingyin about his expedition to the Underground Palace. He spoke of Senior Sister Yao Ting, from whom he hoped to buy more Elixirs; of Senior Brother Li Zhong brazenly charging into enemy formations; of using the gold and silver ingots spat out by the Gold Piercing Ghost to break the Prohibition within the main hall; and of the Spirit Storage Rat greedily collecting treasures.
Zhao Lingyin poked the Spirit Storage Rat's belly with a slender finger, her eyes curving into crescents with amusement. "You've gotten so plump, you don't look like a Class II demonic beast at all."
The Spirit Storage Rat, which had been resting comfortably in its Spirit Pet Bag, was suddenly released and looked utterly bewildered. It blinked its small, beady eyes, looking first at Shen Mo, then at Zhao Lingyin. Soon, a sly glint appeared in its eyes. It nudged its head affectionately against Zhao Lingyin's palm. Then, quick as a flash, it darted back into the Spirit Pet Bag.
When it reappeared, it was holding a sparkling, soybean-sized piece of colorful gold in its paws, which it solicitously placed onto Zhao Lingyin's hand. It wasn't worth many Spirit Stones, but its charm lay in its pretty appearance.
This amused Zhao Lingyin greatly, her face breaking into a wide smile. She gave the Spirit Storage Rat's round belly a few hearty rubs.
The Spirit Storage Rat usually collected small trinkets to decorate its little nest. Shen Mo knew this and didn't pay it much mind. He just hadn't expected the little fellow to pull a stunt !
However, seeing this reminded Shen Mo of something important. He took out a spirit feather fan from his Universe Bag and handed it to Zhao Lingyin.
"This is..." Zhao Lingyin's eyes lit up as she took the feather fan and examined it carefully. Official source ıs 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝✶𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮✶𝓷𝓮𝓽
"The Colorful Phoenix Fan."
"It's a decent magic artifact I found in the Underground Palace."
"This fan was crafted from the tail feathers of a Fire Bathing Colorful Phoenix."
"After you refine it, you just need to infuse it with unique spirit flames, and you can fan out powerful fire blasts..."
"It's very suitable for you!"
Zhao Lingyin let a drop of crimson blood fall from her fingertip onto the feather fan and began the refining process right in front of Shen Mo.
A moment later, she gently waved the feather fan, looking directly at Shen Mo with smiling eyes. Her eyes sparkled. "The Fire Bathing Colorful Phoenix uses its beautiful tail feathers to attract female phoenixes, doesn't it?"
Shen Mo was momentarily speechless. He had only been thinking that this Spirit Feather Fan was very suitable for Zhao Lingyin to use. After all, her mastery of magic wasn't profound and her combat strength wasn't high, but she possessed abundant Earthly Fire, which could allow this Spirit Feather Fan to unleash twelvefold its usual power. If she infused more spirit flames, it might even be able to threaten Spirit Sea Realm experts!
Yet, what she was thinking of was how the Colored Phoenix's tail feathers were used for ostentatious display to attract a mate.
Shen Mo quickly understood. Whether in his past life or this one, there were always some differences in how men and women thought. This was true even for women in the cultivation world.
In his view, he and Zhao Lingyin had naturally, slowly grown closer. There was no need to deliberately pursue an even more intimate relationship. Simply having someone to walk hand-in-hand with on the long path of cultivation was enough to fill him with joy and contentment.
Shen Mo smiled and nodded, his grip on Zhao Lingyin's delicate hand tightening. His gaze, however, was fixed on the distant horizon.
Although no words were spoken, Zhao Lingyin somehow understood his meaning.