Fairy, don't go! I have a mod.

Li Xizhao rolled her eyes, too lazy to waste words with him.

She was already planning something else. Although this method seemed complete and logically sound, there were no obvious flaws.

But after all, it came from the hand of an ancient monster from 100,000 years ago, and it involved the unheard-of unorthodox practice of corrupting cultivation.

Logically speaking, someone with cultivation at Hong Ji's level would disdain tampering with cultivation techniques to deceive others; that would be too degrading.

However, one should always be wary of others, so she decided to first use her spiritual clone to test the authenticity of this technique and confirm that there were no hidden traps before handing it over to Mu Tianmiao for cultivation.

Having made up her mind, her divine avatar vanished directly from the realm of souls, and her moon-white figure transformed into streaks of light, returning to her original body in the bedchamber.

Seeing that his master had left, Mu Tianmiao also prepared to leave.

He had just turned around when he heard Hong Ji's voice behind him.

"Wait a minute."

Hong Ji remained seated at the stone table, her fingers casually twirling the teacup, her golden phoenix eyes slightly raised.

His tone was much more casual than when he was talking about cultivation methods, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

"I can also make a deal with you privately."

"If you ever encounter an enemy you can't defeat, I can temporarily lend you my soul power."

"As for the condition, I want your soul power in exchange!"

"Alright, you can go now."

She didn't explain the specifics of how to borrow, how to repay, or how much to borrow, as if it were just a casual remark, and whether he agreed or not was up to him.

Mu Tianmiao scratched his head, then nodded, said nothing, and left...

Mu Tianmiao's consciousness withdrew from the realm of the soul and opened her eyes.

He found himself lying on his master's soft couch, his head resting on a soft pillow embroidered with crane patterns.

Li Xizhao was sitting next to him, with one hand still on his forehead. When she saw that he was awake, she withdrew her hand and was about to ask him how he was feeling.

Mu Tianmiao didn't give her a chance to speak. Her master was right in front of her, her black hair flowing freely, her white dress making her look like a fairy descended from heaven under the moon, her beauty beyond compare.

He rolled over and tried to hug her, his hand already outstretched, but Li Xizhao's gaze froze him in mid-air.

That look in his eyes was extremely subtle.

It was as if, while she was looking at him, she was also glancing at some unseen third person out of the corner of her eye.

Li Xizhao gently brushed his hand away, her tone calm yet unquestionable.

"Go back and rest. There will be a second round of recruitment tomorrow."

She paused, then added in a very low voice, as if she were squeezing it out between her teeth.

"She's watching!"

Mu Tianmiao instantly understood who "she" referred to.

Just imagining Hong Ji comfortably sitting on the throne in the Realm of Souls, legs crossed, munching on sunflower seeds and waiting to see the show...

He immediately felt uncomfortable, and the little thought that had just popped up was instantly extinguished.

But actually... Lin Yanmeng, Qin Shuxin, Chen Zisu... have been secretly passing over their divine senses.

The three people's worries were self-evident.

The proud and aloof Lin Yanluo, the silent Qin Shuxin, and the highly noticeable Chen Zisu...

The three people immediately stopped spying when they discovered that Mu Tianmiao was about to get intimate with Li Xizhao.

Li Xizhao then noticed them...

The next morning, news spread like wildfire throughout the Immortal Shadow Sect.

Chu Cheng, the master of Wanren Qianshan Mountain, led all his disciples away from Xianying Sect.

This news was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples.

Representatives from various factions who came to observe the ceremony discussed the matter extensively, and various speculations emerged.

Some say that an emergency occurred inside the Wanren Qianshan Mountain, forcing the mountain lord to rush back overnight.

Some say that Chu Cheng and the sect leader of the Immortal Shadow Sect couldn't agree on anything, and Chu Cheng stormed off in a huff.

Even more imaginative rogue cultivators fabricated rumors that the Ten Thousand Mountains and the Immortal Shadow Sect were about to go to war, describing it in great detail and even specifying the location of the battle.

The viewing seats amidst the towering mountains were empty, with only a few cold, impersonal chairs remaining, like a silent declaration.

Even the disciples of the Immortal Shadow Sect themselves were privately inquiring about what exactly happened at the medicine garden last night.

Why was that area blocked off this morning, and why were there still disciples repairing the damaged courtyard?

Only a few people know the truth.

Li Xizhao went to the Sect Master's Hall early in the morning to handle affairs, and did not mention this at all.

Lin Yanluo was busy tidying up the destroyed spiritual plants in the herb garden, while Chen Zisu helped her. The two exchanged a glance, but neither of them said anything.

Qin Shuxin was still in charge of wrapping up the recruitment fair, with a bandage wrapped around her shoulder, and she just shook her head at any questions.

As for Mu Tianmiao, he was yawning as he walked towards the training ground, ignoring all the speculation and discussion.

Last night was filled with soul possession and a battle to become a god; he didn't even get a good night's sleep and had no energy to care what others were guessing.

The flying boat, piercing through the clouds amidst towering mountains, sped northward in the morning light.

The massive ship was covered with dark gold flight array patterns, which swirled with spiritual light and cut the surrounding clouds into streaks of white silk.

On the deck, several disciples in black were meditating and adjusting their breathing, occasionally exchanging a few words in hushed tones.

The topics of conversation were nothing more than why they had suddenly evacuated last night and what had happened between the mountain lord and the sect leader of the Immortal Shadow Sect, but no one dared to discuss it loudly.

They dared not ask the person standing at the bow of the boat.

Chu Cheng stood at the very front of the flying boat, his black clothes fluttering in the wind high above.

His hands were behind his back, his gaze piercing through layers of clouds, seemingly looking in some unknown direction.

His expression was as indifferent as ever, his lips were flat, and there was no ripple between his eyebrows and eyes, as if everything that happened at the Immortal Shadow Sect last night had nothing to do with him.

The Soul of Pollution, the confrontation with Li Xixu, and that unfinished deal never existed.

Ye Jianling walked behind him, clasped his sword and bowed, his clear voice carrying a hint of long-suppressed confusion.

"Master, why are you leaving in such a hurry? The recruitment conference is still two days away, and all the sects are still observing the ceremony. We, Wanren Qianshan, are the first to leave."

She paused, pursed her lips, and finally asked the question that was on her mind.

"Did something happen last night?"

Chu Cheng didn't turn around. He remained silent for a long time, so long that Ye Jianling thought he wouldn't answer, before finally speaking softly.

"The objective has been achieved; whether or not we attend this conference is now meaningless."

He tilted his head slightly, his profile still bearing that unchanging indifferent expression. His gaze seemed to sweep over the two swords at her waist before he looked away and turned back to gaze into the distance.

"Focus on practicing your sword."

"Yes……"

Ye Jianling returned to his cabin, closed the door, and casually set up a soundproof barrier.

The cabin of the flying boat was small and the furnishings were extremely simple: a hard couch, a low table, a lamp, and a painting of swordsmanship depicting towering mountains hanging on the wall.

A heart as still as water, a sword as cold as frost.

She stood in front of the low table for a moment, then took something out of her storage ring.

She slowly opened a simple wooden box, inside which was the fairy robe that Mu Tianmiao had given her.

The ink-wash gradient fairy robe was folded neatly, with the snow-white upper garment overlapping the dark gray hem.

The fluffy white feathers on the shoulders were carefully pressed down on top, without creating any wrinkles.

Chapter 111 Ye Jianling's Transformation

Ye Jianling held the clothes and stood in the center of the cabin, looking at them from left to right for a long time, as if he were examining a high-grade spiritual weapon that had just been borrowed from the Hidden Sword Pavilion.

Her gaze swept over the embroidered crane patterns and the fine engravings on the silver-patterned jade belt.

She glanced at the tattered silver bells hanging from the bright red silk ribbon at her side, then placed her clothes on the couch and began to remove the black robes worn by Wanren Qianshan.

With nimble movements, they folded each item neatly and placed them aside.

If Mu Tianmiao were to see that graceful, slender, and well-proportioned figure, he probably wouldn't be able to sleep.

Unfortunately, no one appreciates it, not even the owner of this body.

Then she picked up the ink-wash fairy robe and started putting it on, layer by layer, beginning with the dark black inner garment.

While tying her belt, her fingers accidentally caught on the red ribbon, causing the silver bell to jingle. She paused for a moment, then continued.

Finally, he put on the wide-sleeved fairy robe, adjusted the position of the feathers on his shoulders, and turned around in front of the palm-sized bronze mirror in the cabin.

The woman in the mirror is dressed in black with a white cloak, her figure rendered in ink wash style, with feathers drooping lightly.

It was exactly the same as what she saw in the dressing mirror at Xianyi Tower yesterday, but the mirror only reflected her upper body; she couldn't see her whole body.

She tried to imagine the cold yet sharp words Mu Tianmiao had said.

Then, looking in the mirror, she pursed her lips and curved them into a very faint upward arc.

The curve lingered in the bronze mirror for a moment before slowly, little by little, receding back into place.

She looked at her cold face and stiff, fake smile in the mirror and remained silent for a long while.

Then she took off her clothes one by one, reversed them in the order she had put them on, and carefully folded them.

Every wrinkle was smoothed out, every tie was straightened, and finally the ink-wash fairy robe was neatly folded into a square and placed back into the deepest part of the storage ring.

The limited space in her storage ring was mostly taken up by the outfit. She pushed it further in, making sure it wouldn't be crushed by other items, before finally closing the storage ring.

This shows how precious it is...

The second phase of recruitment for the Immortal Shadow Sect has finally begun.

More than one hundred candidate disciples who passed the first round of spiritual root testing were taken to a mountain range on the west side of the sect.

Stretching for hundreds of miles, with overlapping peaks and dense forests, it is a temporary site specially used by the Immortal Shadow Sect for its introductory trials.

According to the rules, all candidate disciples will survive in this mountain range for seven days.

During this time, alliances can be formed, individuals can go it alone, and they can spar with each other, but killing is not allowed.

Seven days later, the elders of the Immortal Shadow Sect will assess each disciple's rank based on their performance.

Whether you become an outer disciple, an inner disciple, or a personal disciple, it all depends on your performance in these seven days.

Before the trial began, representatives from various sects had already taken their seats on the viewing platform outside the mountain range, where a huge projection of spiritual light floated above the mountain range.

The screen constantly switches between different areas.

The disciples of the Immortal Shadow Sect also found their spots on the surrounding mountain peaks, ready to watch the performance of this year's newcomers.

Mu Tianmiao stood on the highest mountain peak, the mountain wind making his robes flutter.

Today he changed into a silver-gray disciple's uniform, with a safety lock that Lin Yanluo had insisted on giving him hanging from his waist. He looked to be in good spirits.

But there was a person standing on each of his left and right sides: Lin Yanluo on his left and Qin Shuxin on his right.

From the moment the two people stood next to him, their eyes never left him.

Lin Yanluo managed to cover it up, occasionally pretending to lower her head to tidy the refining tools in her sleeves, but the corner of her eye was fixed on him like a nail.

Qin Shuxin made no attempt to hide her true feelings. Her indifferent eyes stared at him intently, her expressionless face conveying a level of focus comparable to someone studying an ancient sealing array manual.

Mu Tianmiao felt uneasy under their gazes and couldn't help but turn her head and say:

"Can you two stop staring at me like that? I'm not some alchemy furnace that's about to explode."

Lin Yanluo rolled her eyes and said, "Who's looking at you? Stop being so presumptuous, you nobody!"

But his eyes remained fixed, unblinking.

Qin Shuxin didn't say a word, but simply tilted her head slightly and continued to stare at him.

Mu Tianmiao felt a chill run down her spine from their stares and couldn't help but repeat herself.