He extended his palm, on which there were five crystals emitting a special glow.

"That's Yu Tianshu from the Tianji Sect," someone recognized.

Wang Mu glanced at it, somewhat surprised.

Tianji Sect.

This was a sect with a resounding reputation in the Nine Provinces Cultivation World.

The Great Elder said with a slight smile,

"Indeed. I've heard that your Tianji Sect's Divine Machine Heart Casting Technique can cultivate a Taoist Heart as impeccable as that of a Mechanical Man. Being able to slay so many Evil Beasts in the Illusion Realm, it's truly remarkable for the Tianji Sect to have you, Yu Tianshu."

"However," the Great Elder continued, "our Supreme Master has said that your Tianji Sect has offended her. If you wish to seek an affinity, the difficulty will have to be increased."

"Therefore, you must present eight or more Sha Crystals."

"..." The crowd was silent.

"..." Yu Tianshu was silent as well.

The smile on his face vanished.

"Great Elder, when has my Tianji Sect ever offended your Supreme Master?" Yu Tianshu asked, his face solemn. "Even if the Tianji Sect had ten thousand times its current courage, we still wouldn't dare!"

After all, that is an Ascension Realm powerhouse, isn't it?

Yu Tianshu wondered how his sect could have ever found the audacity to offend such a person.

"That, you'll have to go back and ask your Sect Master," the Great Elder said with a smile. "I won't say more."

However, Wang Mu's heart stirred. He remembered that in the Sword Sect Holy Land, there was a puppet of Mu Hongyuan, which Yan Qingwu had personally gone to the Tianji Sect to commission. It was specifically placed in the Holy Land to train Sword Sect disciples in their Taoist Heart State…

Could it be because of this?

"Ladies and gentlemen, if any among you have collected more Sha Crystals, you may enter the grand hall and take this opportunity to present them to our sect's disciples to forge a favorable bond. If a disciple also takes an interest in you, they will gift you a token of affection," the Great Elder announced, waving her hand. "This will be related to the next test. Otherwise, for the next challenge, you will have to proceed alone."

Many cultivators began to understand and entered the grand hall one after another. Some cultivators seemed to have someone in mind, their steps firm and resolute.

Others were simply curious and wanted to see the Little Demon Girls of the Fengyue Sect, so they too went inside.

After a few seconds of contemplation, Wang Mu said,

"May I present these Sha Crystals to the Elders?"

As soon as these words were spoken, many cultivators immediately froze.

They all looked at the source of the voice with astonishment.

"Good grief, his aim is straight for the Elders of the Fengyue Sect. How dare he?"

"These Great Elders are all at the Divinity Transformation realm. Isn't his courage a bit too great?"

"I recall that these Elders all have Taoist couples… What is this young man trying to do?"

...

Everyone looked on, dumbfounded, at Wang Mu.

Even the Elders were stunned. The four of them exchanged glances, unsure what to say for a moment.

Wang Mu said with a smile,

"Please don't misunderstand. The Sha Crystals are merely a small gesture of respect from this junior to my Elders. There's no other meaning behind it."

"I came here not to seek connections, but merely to temper myself," Wang Mu added, looking towards the grand hall. "If I were to give the Sha Crystals to disciples of the Fengyue Sect, it could cause misunderstandings. If it were to hinder them, that would be a sin. These items are not very useful to me, so I thought to offer them to the Elders, if that is acceptable."

Upon these words, all discussion ceased.

Everyone looked at Wang Mu thoughtfully.

Yu Tianshu was extremely astonished. This young man has a grand perspective! He isn't seeking connections, not even showing interest in Gu Fairy. To offer the crystals directly to the Elders—isn't that just a pure attempt to make an impression? And he's making an impression on several Elders at once! Instantly, he's made himself memorable. After this, even if he doesn't want to seek a connection, if he performs well, they might even insist on introducing him to a few disciples. It would even be easier to get a chance to meet Gu Fairy!

In an instant, many cultivators began to grasp the situation.

He wasn't disinterested in forming connections; he was just using a more clever approach. He must have much grander ambitions!

The Great Elder said with a beaming smile,

"Certainly. Sha Crystals are a special cultivation resource for us; we can never have too many."

The Second Elder giggled behind her hand and said,

"This junior of yours is quite interesting. It's a pity, though, as I already have a Taoist couple. I'd like a Sha Crystal too. If you could gift one to my elder sister and one to me, that would be lovely."

The Third Elder spoke with a sweep of her sleeve,

"You're quite audacious, young one. But there are four of us. Do you have that many Sha Crystals? One for each? Don't think about fooling us; it won't end well for you, hmm?"

The Fourth Elder chuckled.

"Such a handsome young fellow, and with such a sharp, clear mind too! If you can give me two Sha Crystals, I might just tell you a little secret you're dying to know."

These Elders, each with their own distinct charm, were clearly not easy to deal with.

The onlookers wondered. How many Sha Crystals will he give the four Elders? If he only gives one to each, that certainly won't suffice. If he were to give more to some and less to others, that would surely be a misstep. Earning the Elders' favor clearly isn't an easy task. Even just making a good impression wouldn't be simple.

Wang Mu, his expression calm, directly took out eight Sha Crystals. He tossed them to the four Elders, saying:

"That works out perfectly. As it happens, I have exactly eight Sha Crystals here. Since you Elders are as close as sisters, it's perfect for each to receive two."

The eight Sha Crystals, sparkling brightly, flew out, splitting into four streams before landing in front of the four Elders.

Gazing at the eight Sha Crystals, the entire place fell quiet.

Even the four Elders were taken aback, especially the Great Elder.

She recognized him at a glance. He was the little Foundation Establishment cultivator whom, just three days ago, they had noticed making rapid progress in the Illusion Realm.

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