"What scene haven't I witnessed?"

What scene haven't I witnessed? Wang Mu thought. Raising his head, he proceeded with a calm and collected demeanor.

Wang Mu stopped about fifty feet away.

"Come closer."

Elder Yan's voice was cold and icy, yet it carried a faint, inherent magnetism, not a deliberate affectation. Initially, it sounded aloof, but a more careful listen revealed subtle modulations, lending it a distinct, captivating charm.

Wang Mu stepped forward and bowed. "Elder Yan, may I know why you have summoned me?"

"It was my directive to have you join Heavenly Sword Peak," Yan Qingwu said, her back to Wang Mu. Only a graceful silhouette was visible, her abundant black hair obscuring most of his view.

"Are you perhaps dissatisfied with this?"

"So that's how it is!" Wang Mu feigned sudden realization. "How could I be dissatisfied? I lack a Spirit Root; just being able to join the Sword Sect for cultivation is satisfying enough. If it were any other sect, a disciple without a Spirit Root probably wouldn't even qualify for the entrance examination."

This was indeed what Wang Mu truly felt.

His original thought upon arriving was simply to join a sect. For Wang Mu, who possessed action points, having a powerful master wasn't crucial.

"Your Hundred Refinement Body Technique... how far have you cultivated it?" Yan Qingwu began.

"I'm already at the eightieth layer," Wang Mu replied.

"..."

At that moment, Wang Mu distinctly felt the air grow utterly still, as if water had frozen solid.

This wasn't anything to hide, he thought. With her cultivation level, she should be able to sense it easily anyway.

"This spell hasn't been cultivated beyond the sixtieth layer for many years," Yan Qingwu said, her tone casual despite the gentle sigh that followed. "Although you lack a Spirit Root, you possess exceptional talent and aptitude for Body Cultivation, as well as... a truly surprising stroke of good fortune."

"The final twenty layers are more difficult. However, I observe that you've already gathered the Five Element Spiritual Energy in your body. You only need the Yin and Yang Qi to condense the Mixed Element Spirit Aperture. I haven't practiced this spell myself, but I know this step is considerably more difficult..."

"The reason I had you join Heavenly Sword Peak is that the other Peak Leaders are not familiar with this spell. I'm the one who imparted this spell to you, so if there's anything you don't understand in the future, you can ask me."

Is that so? Wang Mu found this a bit subtle.

"Furthermore, if you wish to learn secret skills from other Sword Peaks, you may take my token and go borrow their cultivation manuals to study," Yan Qingwu added, a hint of instruction in her voice. "The secret skills of the Sword Sect's seven Peak Masters each have their own characteristics; there's no inherent superiority of one over another."

"If you wish to begin formal cultivation, reaching the eighty-first layer of the Hundred Refinement Body Technique and opening one or two Spiritual Acupoints will suffice. You don't need many."

"When you truly cultivate to the one hundredth layer, I will then impart to you further methods of cultivation. To enter the Dao through body refining is not unheard of in our Sword Sect; it's just very rare. The other Peak Leaders lack experience in this."

Wang Mu nodded repeatedly.

If it's just about these matters, then all is well, Wang Mu thought with relief.

"Heavenly Sword Peak currently has only Su Yu. Though he is somewhat dull-witted…" Yan Qingwu mused for a few seconds, "his cultivation is quite solid, and his foundation is firm. At your current stage, he should be able to help you with any cultivation problems you encounter."

Wang Mu was speechless.

Senior Brother Su Yu doesn't seem to have high innate talent, Wang Mu mused.

As she spoke, Yan Qingwu waved her hand. A streak of crimson light flashed and floated before Wang Mu.

It was an exquisite token. The front was inscribed with an ancient character for 'Yan,' and the back depicted a sword.

"With this token, you can access the other Peaks for cultivation. But do not use it for nefarious purposes. I've imbued it with a strand of my Divine Sense; if I detect any misuse, I will reclaim it instantly."

Upon hearing this, Wang Mu felt the token turn into a hot potato in his hand.

"Then you should take it back now," Wang Mu said. "I have just entered the Sword Sect and have no use for this item…"

"..."

Su Yu, watching this from inside the bamboo house, nearly charged out, desperately wishing he could take Wang Mu's place.

Accepting Elder Yan's token, even if not as an official disciple, means becoming a Registered Disciple! Elder Yan hasn't accepted a disciple in hundreds of years, not even a Registered Disciple! In the Sword Sect, a Registered Disciple, putting other benefits aside, receives a significantly larger monthly allocation of cultivation resources... Such an incredible opportunity... and he wants to refuse it?

"He's so clueless!" Su Yu lamented repeatedly. "Absolutely clueless! Junior Brother Wang truly doesn't grasp the hardships of cultivation!"

Yan Qingwu remained silent.

"Take it," she said indifferently.

Wang Mu could only accept it.

"Mm," Yan Qingwu nodded faintly. "Now, I have a question for you."

Upon hearing this, Wang Mu suddenly felt the token in his hand burn even hotter.

"Please ask, Elder Yan."

"In the Ancient Saint's Secret Treasure, a woman abducted you. She mentioned a type of Divine Fish called the Bimodal Exquisite Fish. This individual has never had any quarrels with our Sword Sect, yet this time she infiltrated our Ancient Saint's Secret Treasure specifically to take you..."

Yan Qingwu turned around, her eyes, which seemed to contain a myriad of Divine Swords, suddenly fixing on Wang Mu. "Does this have something to do with you? Tell me the truth!"

"Uh... yes." Wang Mu remained calm and slowly, briefly explained his encounter with Little Jiao Huo. However, he only said that he had caught the fish himself and traded it with that Little Jiao Huo. As for his speculations about Nanrong Biyou and the private conversation he had with her in the Holy Land, he chose not to mention them for the time being.

"I see..." Yan Qingwu squinted. "I believe I understand why she wanted to abduct you now."

Wang Mu was taken aback.

From the sound of it, after Yan Qingwu and Mu Lanxue pursued Nanrong Biyou, they apparently didn't get any information from her. It's even less likely they know that the person Nanrong Biyou transformed into after using the Divine Fish's pearl was me, right?

"Are you good at fishing?" Yan Qingwu asked.

"Ah?" Wang Mu's heart skipped a beat. As if sensing something, his scalp began to tingle. "Uh, not really. Just a tiny bit."

"Very well," Yan Qingwu nodded. "A little bit will do. In a few days, I will personally take you to Linglong Love at Yunlai Creek. You are to catch another Bimodal Exquisite Fish."

Wang Mu was aghast.

Damn it! I knew it!

A chill ran down Wang Mu's spine. If he caught another one, he would be truly doomed. With just Nanrong Biyou, it might have been dismissed as an accident, something he could perhaps find an excuse for. But if Yan Qingwu were to use this Divine Fish and then transform into his likeness... the outcome was unthinkable...

"That Divine Fish can only be caught if fate wills it," Wang Mu said. "It has little to do with actual fishing skill."

"It doesn't matter. Just go and try to fish for it," Yan Qingwu said slowly. "If you truly cannot catch one, then so be it."

This matters a great deal! Wang Mu recalled how he caught the Bimodal Exquisite Fish last time. That stupid fish practically impaled itself on the hook and flew right to him!

"Are you finding this difficult?" Yan Qingwu looked at Wang Mu.

"Well... not exactly..." Wang Mu said, struggling to maintain his composure. "It's just... this fish you want me to catch... is it for your own use?"

"A friend of mine requires this item."

"…"

Watching Yan Qingwu tilt her head up slightly, her voice calm and unruffled as she spoke, Wang Mu was momentarily speechless.

Wang Mu suddenly felt a pang of regret.

He regretted his Fishing Skill being so high!

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