Time flowed by, bit by bit, and the Spiritual Root test for the Seven Profound Sect's new recruits continued, with the light on the Spirit Testing Platform flickering constantly, each flash of spiritual light accompanied by gasps of surprise and continuous heated discussions.
“High Grade Wood Spiritual Root, good Aptitude!”
“Medium Grade Earth Spiritual Root, solid Foundation; in the past, it wouldn't have been a problem to become a Disciple of this Sect, but now, it’s probably hard to be chosen.”
...
The Golden Core cultivator presiding over the Spiritual Root test recorded each young Cultivator’s Spiritual Root attribute and Aptitude evaluation one by one, occasionally showing a relieved smile on his face, and sometimes a slight frown, clearly considering the overall quality of this recruitment.
As the Spiritual Root test concluded, some Disciples with excellent Aptitude and solid Cultivation Foundation were admitted into the Seven Profound Sect; however, most young Cultivators, after the Spiritual Root test, failed to become a member of the Seven Profound Sect as they wished.
They either lowered their heads in silence or had tears in their eyes, their faces filled with disappointment.
The next moment, several Foundation Establishment Cultivators stepped forward and led them away.
Next, the recruited Disciples were led into the Outer Sect for unified Cultivation, and the Seven Profound Sect Outer Sect Disciple Grand Competition subsequently began.
Above the Sect Square, it was already bustling with people and exceptionally lively; Seven Profound Sect Outer Sect Disciples came from all directions, riding their swords.
They wore unified uniforms, were full of vigor, and their faces were filled with expressions that were both nervous and excited; some gathered in groups of three or five, whispering to each other; others stood alone, closing their eyes in concentration, adjusting to their optimal state.
As a melodious bell rang, the Seven Profound Sect Outer Sect Disciple Grand Competition officially commenced.
First was the opening ceremony, where Lin Maoshan, as the acting Sect Master of the Seven Profound Sect, encouraged all the Disciples.
“Fellow Disciples, today we gather here to partake in the grand event of our Sect’s Disciple Grand Competition; this competition is a stage for you to showcase your individual strength and skills.” Lin Maoshan’s voice was deep and powerful, piercing through the clamor and echoing in every corner of the Sect Square.
“The path of Cultivation is long and full of challenges.
From the moment you stepped into the Seven Profound Sect, it meant you chose this extraordinary path.
Regardless of your results today, please remember that Aptitude does not determine everything; Acquired effort and perseverance are the cornerstones to reaching the Peak.” Lin Maoshan’s gaze swept over every Outer Sect Disciple as he encouraged them.
“Elder Qiu, begin!”
Lin Maoshan looked at a Nascent Soul cultivator and gestured.
“As Sect Master commands!”
Elder Qiu responded in a deep voice, then lightly waved a token; a dazzling spiritual light shot out from the token, instantly covering the entire Sect Square.
The spiritual light interwove in the air, forming intricate patterns, and finally transformed into a light screen, suspended above the square, clearly displaying the competition rules, groupings, and upcoming match list.
“Fellow Disciples, please pay attention to the information on the light screen; your opponents and match order have been determined.” Elder Qiu’s voice, amplified by Spiritual Power, clearly reached everyone’s ears, “The competition is divided into three stages: preliminary, semi-final, and final.
Each stage will eliminate some Disciples until the final winner is determined.
During the competition, you must abide by Sect rules, stopping at the right moment and not harming the lives of fellow Disciples.”
It was also not good to ask Master to open the Cave Heaven Spirit Treasure, and as Elder Qiu’s words fell, the atmosphere in the Sect Square suddenly became tense.
In the preliminary stage, Disciples were randomly assigned to different arenas for one-on-one matches.
Soon, many spectating Disciples gathered around the eighteen arenas, discussing animatedly.
On the various arenas, sword shadows flew and Spells were dazzling; some Disciples excelled in close combat, their sword moves sharp; others were proficient in long-range attacks, with a single thought of a Spell, lightning flashed and wind swept, forcing their opponents to retreat repeatedly, ….
Lin Maoshan, seated in the main position, watched the Disciple Grand Competition, which resembled children fighting, but his thoughts drifted far away.
He worried about his current Cultivation progress and deeply missed the time he Cultivated within Master’s Cave Heaven Spirit Treasure.
Along with Zhao Tianchen, Su Hongxiu, and Liu Yuqian, he became a Disciple under Li Mu; however, due to differences in their Cultivation Technique and Spiritual Root Aptitude, they had all advanced to the Soul Transformation Realm, yet he himself, due to Cultivating all Five Elements and practicing the Five Elements Treasure Tome given by Master, had been stuck at the Late Stage Nascent Soul and found it difficult to advance further, which made him feel a bit anxious.
If he could enter Master’s Cave Heaven Spirit Treasure again, perhaps he could use the abundant Five Elements Spiritual Power there to break through the shackles on his Cultivation path.
Master’s Cave Heaven Spirit Treasure was extremely rich in Five Elements Spiritual Power, storing the purest elemental essence between heaven and earth, and it even had a Five Elements Spirit Formation personally arranged by him, capable of automatically drawing Five Elements Spiritual Power from heaven and earth, making Cultivation twice as effective with half the effort.
Lin Maoshan thought to himself, hesitating on how to approach Master.
However, Master Li Mu was now in perennial seclusion, difficult to find, and he didn’t want to disturb Master’s peaceful seclusion.
When Lin Maoshan thought of this, a bitter feeling arose in his heart.
...
The Grand Competition concluded, with the final battle marking a Perfection end to the fierce competition among the Seven Profound Sect’s Outer Sect Disciples.
On the Sect Square, cheers intertwined, and Elders from various Peaks began to select suitable Outer Sect Disciples to become Disciples of their respective Peaks.
Just at this bustling moment, a gentle breeze swept by, bringing an unexpected guest—Liu Yalan.
When Liu Yalan’s familiar figure appeared in his sight, Lin Maoshan’s face immediately broke into a genuine smile, and he strode forward to greet her.
“Sect Master Lin, I apologize for being late.” Liu Yalan quickly apologized.
Lin Maoshan quickly waved his hand and smiled, “Shopkeeper Liu, you exaggerate; your presence is a pleasant surprise!”
“Shopkeeper Liu, are you here to see Master? I’ll take you there right away!” Lin Maoshan looked at Liu Yalan with delight, eagerly suggesting.
Liu Yalan had a very good relationship with Master’s wife and also managed a Treasure Pavilion for Master.
After many years of development, it enjoyed a high reputation throughout the Central Province Spirit Domain, collecting countless High Grade spiritual items and rare spiritual materials for Master, and was also one of the indispensable external aids to the Seven Profound Sect.
The Spiritual Artifacts and Spirit Pills refined by the Elders and Disciples of the Seven Profound Sect were often circulated to the outside world through Liu Yalan’s Treasure Pavilion, in exchange for the resources needed by the Sect.
She was not only Master’s close friend but also a bridge for the Seven Profound Sect’s communication with the outside world.
“No need to trouble Sect Master Lin, I can go by myself!” Liu Yalan chuckled, gesturing to Lin Maoshan.
“This, Shopkeeper Liu, actually, I also want to see Master, but I don’t dare to disturb his peaceful Cultivation, so…” Lin Maoshan said halfway, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Seeing this, Liu Yalan smiled slightly, instantly understanding Lin Maoshan’s thoughts.
“Understood, in that case, then I’ll trouble Sect Master Lin; let’s go together!” Liu Yalan smiled and nodded, agreeing.
Lin Maoshan was overjoyed and quickly led the way; the two walked through the bustling Sect Square and flew towards the back mountain where Li Mu Cultivated.
Soon, the two landed on a mountain Peak; amidst the mountains, occasional bird calls and the gurgling sound of a distant stream added a touch of vitality to the quiet environment.
Lin Maoshan took a Formation token from his waist, infused a small amount of true essence, and gently waved it.
A ripple appeared in the Void Realm ahead, and a hidden path gradually emerged before them.
On both sides of the path, spiritual mist swirled, and exotic flowers and plants bloomed, emitting a faint fragrance, as if they had stepped into a secluded immortal realm.
Lin Maoshan led Liu Yalan into the Formation, walking along the winding path; occasionally, they could see Spirit Beasts moving through, but they all ignored them, clearly protected by the Formation and undisturbed by the outside world.
As they went deeper, the surrounding Spiritual Qi became increasingly dense, almost solidifying, making one involuntarily take a deep breath, feeling refreshed and invigorated.
Finally, the two stopped in front of a mountain courtyard.
At this moment, the half-closed wooden door opened, and a mischievous little girl poked her head out.
The little girl had a pair of pigtails sticking up, looked about seven or eight years old, her eyes sparkled with intelligence, and she wore a small green palace dress, with two shallow dimples on her face, looking adorable and charming.
Seeing the two, the little girl showed a brilliant smile and sweetly said, “Hello, Shopkeeper Liu, Master invites you into the courtyard for Spirit Tea.”
Saying that, the little girl skipped to Liu Yalan’s front, welcoming Liu Yalan and leading her into the courtyard; that pure and innocent intimacy made Liu Yalan involuntarily show a gentle smile.
“What about me! Good Mingyue, does Master not want to see me?” Lin Maoshan couldn’t help but become anxious and quickly asked, he still wanted to discuss with Master about entering his Cave Heaven Spirit Treasure to Cultivate for a period, so he could Breakthrough his current bottleneck!
This little girl in front of him was a Spiritual Puppet that Master didn't know where he got it from; she was full of spirituality and her appearance was indistinguishable from a human.
Upon hearing this, Mingyue turned her head, blinked at Lin Maoshan, and mischievously smiled, “Don’t worry! Master knows you’re here, but he didn’t say he wanted to see you.
Today, he probably has something special to discuss with Shopkeeper Liu.
Wait until Shopkeeper Liu and Master finish talking, then we’ll see; you wait here for now!”
Then, Mingyue led Liu Yalan into the courtyard; before leaving, she didn't forget to close the door, leaving Lin Maoshan alone outside, looking at the closed wooden door, feeling both anticipation and apprehension.
Under Mingyue’s guidance, Liu Yalan passed through fields filled with exotic flowers and plants and arrived at the tea pavilion in the center of the courtyard.
In the center, there was a tea table made of agarwood, on which a pot of fragrant Spirit Tea had already been brewed, clearly prepared for her arrival.
In another quiet room of the courtyard, Li Mu finished his Epiphany, slowly got up, and walked out.
Li Mu lightly stepped into the tea pavilion and saw Liu Yalan already seated by the tea table, having tasted a cup of Spirit Tea, her face radiating tranquility, eyes closed in concentration, as if she had entered an Epiphany.
By the time Li Mu walked in front of her, Liu Yalan happened to awaken from her Epiphany state.
“Shopkeeper Liu, how is it? Has my Dao enlightenment tea been helpful to your Cultivation?” Li Mu asked with a smile, his eyes full of amusement; Liu Yalan’s progress in Cultivation seemed to be unable to hide from him at all.
“Thank you, Pavilion Master for the gift; after taking this cup of Spirit Tea, I will be able to advance to Soul Transformation after my seclusion.” Liu Yalan stood up excitedly, bowed deeply to Li Mu, and thanked him with immense gratitude, “Pavilion Master’s great kindness, Yalan will never forget!”
“Haha, Shopkeeper Liu, you exaggerate.” Li Mu gently waved his hand, and a gentle force lifted Liu Yalan, indicating that she didn’t need to be so polite.
“Under your management, the Treasure Pavilion has become increasingly prosperous, collecting many High Grade resources for me; you have made indispensable contributions.
It’s just a cup of Spirit Tea, no need to be like this.” Li Mu said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Liu Yalan quickly waved her hand and humbly said, “Pavilion Master, you flatter me; all of this is Pavilion Master’s credit.
If it weren’t for Pavilion Master’s unparalleled Artifact Refining skills, providing massive High Grade resources and connections, how could Yalan achieve such results? I merely did my humble part.”
“Sit down and talk! There’s no need for us to be so formal!” Li Mu smiled and gestured, sitting down directly.
Liu Yalan nodded, and after sitting down, she took out a storage ring from her bosom, presented it to Li Mu, and reported, “Pavilion Master, this is a summary of some rare resources and intelligence recently collected by the Treasure Pavilion.
Please take a look, Pavilion Master.”
After speaking, Liu Yalan took out another jade token and respectfully handed it to Li Mu, reporting, “Pavilion Master, there’s also this; by chance, we also found this Sky Puppet Spirit Token.”
“Not bad, Shopkeeper Liu, you’ve made a great contribution this time!”
Li Mu first accepted the storage ring, then took the jade token, swept his Divine Sense over it, and a happy smile bloomed on his face as he praised her.
Under the Heavenly Talent - Identifying Myriad Spirits Divine Ability, the attributes and functions of the ‘Sky Puppet Spirit Token’ were all displayed before Li Mu.
【Sky Puppet Spirit Token (One-Eighth)】
【Rank: seven-rank dao tool Spirit Treasure】
【Properties: Manipulate Sky Puppets, Puppet Space, Sky Puppet Heart Palace, Myriad Puppet Deception, Control Puppet Spirits, Thousandfold Divine Puppets】
【Status: Incomplete artifact, missing artifact spirit, closed Puppet palace.】
【A Seven-Rank Sky Puppet Dao Artifact—the eight-faced suppressing puppet token—refined from numerous destiny and life-and-death spiritual materials such as Seven-Rank Spirit Rhinoceros Jade Crystal, Seven-Rank Chaos Beast Emperor Bone, Seven-Rank Reincarnation Spirit Spring, and Eight-Rank Salo Soul.
This spirit token contains the Sky Puppet Heart Palace; by fully passing the Heart Palace - Divine Sense refinement, one can obtain the sacred-tier Puppet Dao Legacy Cultivation Technique within—The Heavenly Puppet Crafting Dao Scripture.
Consuming Divine Sense power allows one to control thousands of Puppets with this artifact.
However, this artifact is a Puppet-controlling artifact, its Dao principles are Weird, and prolonged dormancy carries a certain risk of mental confusion; use with caution.】
Seventy years ago, Liu Yalan had already collected a Sky Puppet Spirit Token for him; now, the last Sky Puppet Spirit Token was also in hand, and the eight Sky Puppet Spirit Tokens were finally complete.
Li Mu smiled slightly, took out the other seven Sky Puppet Spirit Tokens from the storage compartment, and placed them together.
The eight Sky Puppet Spirit Tokens converged in Li Mu’s palm; an ancient and profound aura suddenly permeated, and the entire courtyard was enveloped by an invisible force.
Between the spirit tokens, the faint spiritual lights they originally emitted began to intertwine and entangle, forming complex and mysterious spiritual Texture trajectories.
Li Mu’s eyes were solemn, his hands slowly formed seals, and the Spiritual Power within his body surged, transforming into pure torrents of Spiritual Power that flowed into these spirit tokens.
The eight spirit tokens began to tremble violently, their spiritual Texture activated, releasing dazzling light.
“Combine!” Li Mu uttered a low shout, and his hands suddenly clapped together.
The eight Sky Puppet Spirit Tokens rotated and fused in the air, finally transforming into a brilliant light, condensing into a jade token emitting a strong Spiritual Pressure, crystal clear throughout, with complex Puppet patterns flowing on its surface; it was the complete “eight-faced suppressing puppet token.”
【eight-faced suppressing puppet token】
【Rank: Eight-Rank Dao Artifact】
【Properties: Manipulate Myriad Puppets, Puppet Space, Sky Puppet Heart Palace, Myriad Puppet Deception, Thousandfold Divine Puppets, Puppet Dao Legacy】
【Status: Complete artifact, artifact spirit revived, Puppet palace open】
...
As the eight-faced suppressing puppet token took shape, a vast Puppet power surged from the token, instantly filling Li Mu’s Sea of Consciousness.
Li Mu smiled slightly, closed his eyes, and silently accepted the Legacy of The Heavenly Puppet Crafting Dao Scripture. (End of Chapter)
