"You didn't ask me either!" A slight smile touched Zhao Lingyin's lips, and her voice held a playful, happy tone.

"Oh..."

"Some days ago, the Alchemists Alliance branch in Zhong State invited my Master to study an ancient formula."

While paying her respects to Peak Master Zhou Shili and the others, Zhao Lingyin explained to Shen Mo via voice transmission.

"Coincidentally, you all were also going to the Tianshan Grand Ceremony, so my Master thought about teleporting there together. This would not only spare one the arduous journey but also be somewhat safer."

Indeed, a Grade IV Alchemist like Wu Gong is highly coveted wherever he goes. If he didn't use a Teleportation Array and flew directly to Zhong State, other smaller immortal sects, awed by the might of the Riverside Sect, would naturally not dare to make a move against him. However, rogue cultivators, and even evil cultivators, wouldn't have such scruples. To control a Grade IV Alchemist, they would stop at nothing. If they learned of Wu Gong's whereabouts, they would undoubtedly strike, abducting him to be exploited like a beast of burden for their alchemy and wealth accumulation. Still, not everyone possessed such strength!

"What about you? Are you also going to study the ancient formula?"

"The Alchemists Alliance only invited my Master, not me."

There was a hint of regret in Zhao Lingyin's voice. For her, being unable to discuss and delve into ancient formulas with many highly accomplished Alchemists was akin to a connoisseur facing a delectable feast but being unable to partake.

"However, once my Master makes some progress, he will pass his findings on to me. Then, I can study them with you."

In the course of their conversation, Shen Mo also learned about Zhao Lingyin's and her Master's itinerary.

After teleporting to Zhong State, Alien Minister Wu would go to the Alchemists Alliance branch to study the ancient formula. If things progressed smoothly, he would rendezvous with everyone at the end of the Tianshan Grand Ceremony to return to the Riverside Sect together.

If progress was slow, he would naturally continue to stay at the Alchemists Alliance. He would wait until the research concluded and the Teleportation Array opened again before returning to the sect.

It wasn't that Alien Minister Wu was stingy, nor that he couldn't afford the Spirit Stones to activate the Teleportation Array. His invitation to the Alchemists Alliance branch was a personal matter. According to Riverside Sect regulations, the Teleportation Array would not be activated easily unless it was for a sect mission. Not even Alien Minister Wu was an exception!

Of course, other Teleportation Arrays elsewhere in the Riverside Sect might allow for more flexibility. The Teleportation Array before the Purple Heaven Palace, however, was located at the very heart of the sect. Scrutiny was extremely strict, with virtually no room for leniency.

Zhao Lingyin, on the other hand, had not been invited by the Alchemists Alliance and hadn't initially planned to go to Zhong State. It was only later that she changed her mind, prompting Alien Minister Wu to bring her along. As for whether she would wait at the Alchemists Alliance branch or attend the Grand Ceremony at Tianshan Mountain, that was entirely up to her. After all, the two places were not far apart. With Zhao Lingyin's cultivation, she could make a round trip by sword flight in very little time.

"So, Senior Sister Lingyin, you came specifically to cheer me on?" Shen Mo teased via voice transmission.

Zhao Lingyin just rolled her eyes at him and didn't respond further.

"Everyone is here. Elder Huang, please activate the Teleportation Array," Peak Master Zhou Shili said calmly. He then walked into the large array.

Shen Mo and the others dared not delay, quickly following him into the large array on the stone altar.

Seeing this, Elder Huang Changqing nodded, took out Spirit Stones, and embedded them one by one into the Teleportation Array.

"BUZZ!"

The intricate patterns carved on the stone altar array all lit up, emitting strands of brilliant golden light. Spatial power surged forth, sweeping over the cultivators in the array like ripples on a lake.

...

After a brief, disorienting flash of phantasmagorical images, Shen Mo quickly regained his clarity.

Looking around, he was no longer in the Riverside Sect but within a city. It should be one of the major cities in the Red Flame Country's Zhong State, Tianshan City.

Gazing into the distance, he could faintly make out a mountain peak soaring into the clouds. It was different from other peaks. The clouds near this mountain looked as if they had been slashed by myriad giant swords, appearing utterly fragmented. Such a spectacular sight was not to be seen elsewhere.

The Carefree Sword Intent that Shen Mo had comprehended began to stir within him. It seemed to incessantly urge Shen Mo to ascend the mountain and vie with that immense Sword Qi!

Peak Master Zhou Shili seemed to sense something, his gaze sweeping over Shen Mo for a moment. However, he didn't say much, instead turning to Wu Gong, Zhao Lingyin's Master, to discuss matters concerning the Teleportation Array.

From the way the Peak Master, Elders, and others treated Wu Gong, Shen Mo gained a rough understanding of this Grade IV Alchemist's status within the Riverside Sect. His standing was even higher than that of ordinary Elders, likely comparable to the Peak Masters of the three Main Peaks. Although he possessed Spirit Sea Realm cultivation, his actual combat strength wasn't particularly formidable. To have achieved such a high standing in the sect as an Alien Minister was almost entirely reliant on his Grade IV attainments in the Alchemy Path.

"Thank you for informing me about this matter, Peak Master Zhou. Then I shall..."

Wu Gong paused briefly, as if Zhao Lingyin had communicated something to him via Divine Sense. He then nodded and continued, "This disciple of mine wishes to go to Tianshan Mountain to have a look. I hope Peak Master Zhou and the esteemed Elders will look after her."

Peak Master Zhou Shili, Elder Huang, and the others naturally nodded in agreement. The Tianshan Grand Ceremony would gather numerous Spirit Sea Realm experts from the Five Great Sects; how could there possibly be any danger? Besides, they were all quite envious of Zhao Lingyin, this prodigy of the Alchemy Zone. Strictly speaking, Zhao Lingyin was merely an inner disciple and did not belong to any of the three Main Peaks. If they could entice her to their Main Peak, it was quite possible their lineage might gain an additional Grade IV Alchemist in the future.

Afterward, Wu Gong gave Zhao Lingyin a few more words of instruction. Then, he rose into the air and flew off in the direction of the Alchemists Alliance branch.

"Let's go! The other immortal sects should have arrived by now," Zhou Shili commanded, then transformed into a streak of light and flew towards Tianshan Mountain.

Huang Changqing and the other three Spirit Sea Realm Elders followed closely behind him. Further behind were Shen Mo and the other Qi Gathering Realm disciples, who all summoned their Flying Swords and rode them in pursuit.

From a distance, it hadn't seemed so. But the closer he got to Tianshan Mountain, the more acutely Shen Mo perceived how terrifying the Sword Qi lingering on this mountain was! It even exuded a pressure comparable to The Big Dipper Array at its full might. And this was merely a strand of Sword Qi left behind by that Divine Bridge Realm Heavenly Monarch, who knew how many eons ago. At Shen Mo's current realm, he couldn't even begin to fathom the depths of the Divine Bridge Realm!

"Junior Brother Shen, when you compete for rankings, do you have to climb all the stone steps to the summit?" Zhao Lingyin had evidently also sensed the terrifying Sword Qi at the mountain's summit. When she spoke to him via Divine Sense, her tone held a trace of concern.

"How could that be possible?" Shen Mo chuckled. "Forget us Qi Gathering Realm disciples; even the Peak Masters and Elders probably couldn't ascend the final stone step. When the nine hundred and ninety-nine stone steps were first carved, it was the Golden Core Realm patriarchs of the Five Great Sects who personally undertook the task. Even Spirit Sea Realm experts wouldn't have dared to brave the terrifying pressure of the Sword Qi at the summit to carve out those last few dozen steps."

"During the mountain ascent, we just need to knock down the disciples from other immortal sects."

"If you're strong enough, even if you only climb ten stone steps and then block the path, preventing others from advancing an inch, that's perfectly fine."

"However, no one should be arrogant enough to act so brazenly!"

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