Chapter 72: Promotion to Outer Sect Disciple
"I will not disappoint Elder!"
Gu Mo respectfully accepted the token. It didn't appear to be a token from Qinglu Sect's elders but rather a wooden one inscribed with three characters: Shennong Valley. On the reverse side, it bore the name Qi Chunde.
Considering Elder Qi Chunde's status as a guest elder and spiritual plant master, Gu Mo could roughly guess that this Shennong Valley was likely Elder Qi's original sect. Bearing the name of Shennong, this sect was unlikely to be weak.
The names of cultivation sects are not chosen lightly. If you arbitrarily name your sect Number One Under Heaven Sect, see if trouble doesn't come knocking—unless you truly are the number one sect, with strength so formidable that no one dares challenge you. Only then does the name fit.
Shennong Valley—this name suggested that the sect had likely inherited teachings from the legendary Shennong. It's said Shennong was the ancestor of all spiritual plant masters. To inherit even a fraction of his legacy would be enough to establish a powerful sect specializing in spiritual plants.
"Ahem!"
Gao Yunrui suddenly cleared his throat softly. The situation seemed to have veered beyond his expectations. He had only intended for Qi Chunde to take Gu Mo as a nominal disciple, to leave behind some of Shennong Valley's legacy. After all, a sect that inherited teachings from the ancestor of spiritual plant masters surely held top-tier knowledge.
But Gao Yunrui hadn't anticipated Gu Mo's sudden, remarkable performance, which had astonished Qi Chunde to the point of promising to take Gu Mo as a personal disciple once he reached the Foundation Establishment stage.
Achieving Foundation Establishment with inferior spiritual roots was an extraordinary challenge unless supported by a Golden Core elder. But judging from Qi Chunde's demeanor, he clearly had no plans to assist Gu Mo; the burden would fall entirely on Gu Mo's own efforts.
As the Sect Master of Qinglu Sect and a cultivator at the peak of the Golden Core stage, Gao Yunrui certainly had the means to push Gu Mo into Foundation Establishment. It would only require allocating tenfold the usual resources.
But therein lay the problem: once Gu Mo reached Foundation Establishment, he would become Qi Chunde's personal disciple and no longer belong to Qinglu Sect. Should Qi Chunde one day leave Qinglu Sect to return to Shennong Valley, Gu Mo would be obliged to follow.
Conversely, if Gu Mo never reached Foundation Establishment, Qi Chunde clearly had no intention of imparting any advanced spiritual plant techniques to him. Either way, it seemed impossible for Qi Chunde to leave any substantial legacy behind.
"Senior Brother Sect Master, is something troubling you?"
Qi Chunde asked knowingly, fully aware of Gao Yunrui's thoughts. However, the legacy of a sect could not be casually shared. The techniques he was currently teaching, though not involving the core secrets of his sect, were already quite advanced—superior, perhaps, to what some sects offered as their own legacies.
Such was the foundation of a top-tier spiritual plant sect.
"Nothing much. Junior Brother Qi, I'll leave the matter of spiritual plants in your capable hands." Gao Yunrui waved dismissively. Since Qi Chunde was unwilling to pass down his sect's legacy, Gao Yunrui wouldn't press the issue.
With that, Gao Yunrui drifted away gracefully. He needed to begin preparations for refining the Nascent Soul Pill—currently the most critical matter for Qinglu Sect.
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"Junior Brother Gu Mo, this way please!"
After leaving the peak of the Spiritual Peak, Song Xing and Li Jinmei quickly approached, escorting Gu Mo down the mountain. They had been the ones to lead him up earlier as well.
"Junior Brother Gu Mo, to be summoned by an elder—your future prospects are limitless!" Song Xing couldn't help but sigh on the way down. When he and Li Jinmei became spiritual plant masters, they had received no such treatment. Gu Mo was the only exception.
Of course, Gu Mo had successfully comprehended the elder's teachings and became an official spiritual plant master in just over a month—such talent was beyond their reach. At this moment, both were eager to know whether the elder had accepted Gu Mo as a disciple.
If Gu Mo had indeed become a disciple of a Golden Core elder, they would have to start addressing him as Senior Brother Gu.
Faced with their probing questions, Gu Mo didn't give a direct answer, leaving them to speculate. All he needed was for others to know he had been summoned by a Golden Core elder and had even met the Sect Master—that was sufficient.
Sure enough, Gu Mo's ambiguous responses filled Song Xing's eyes with both suspicion and awe. In his view, Gu Mo's talent, demonstrated by becoming a spiritual plant master in just over a month, would surely have earned him the elder's favor. Yet, remembering Gu Mo's status as a menial disciple with inferior spiritual roots gave him pause.
Receiving no clear answer, Song Xing and Li Jinmei decided to continue addressing Gu Mo as Junior Brother. Whether or not he had been accepted as an elder's disciple, time would tell. Their priority was not to offend him.
Upon returning to the Spiritual Plant Hall, before Gu Mo could even reach his own small hut by the spiritual fields, he was summoned to the Steward Hall.
"So? Did the elder take you as a disciple?" Unlike Song Xing, Zhao Qiancheng was much more straightforward.
"Elder Qi said he would accept me as a personal disciple once I reach Foundation Establishment." Gu Mo didn't hide the truth from Zhao Qiancheng.
"Sigh!"
Hearing this, Zhao Qiancheng let out a soft sigh. Clearly, he thought this was just a way for the elder to placate Gu Mo. With inferior spiritual roots, reaching Foundation Establishment would be incredibly difficult.
However, even if Gu Mo couldn't become an elder's disciple, his current achievements had already surpassed all the menial disciples. Therefore, his status as a menial disciple was no longer appropriate.
"Here!"
Zhao Qiancheng handed Gu Mo a brand-new identity token and a new robe.
"Your application to become an outer sect disciple has been approved. Starting today, you are officially an outer sect disciple of our Spiritual Plant Hall." Seeing Gu Mo's slight daze, Zhao Qiancheng chuckled.
"Thank you for your guidance, Steward!"
Gu Mo bowed deeply. Although this Steward Zhao was known to be somewhat stingy (according to other disciples), he was quite supportive of talented disciples within the hall.
Becoming an outer sect disciple didn't change much in Gu Mo's daily life, as he had already been enjoying the treatment of one.
However, there were still some differences between receiving the benefits of an outer sect disciple and actually becoming one. For instance, Gu Mo could now recruit menial disciples to help him cultivate his spiritual fields.
But glancing at his Water Spirit Rice fields, Gu Mo shook his head. Forget menial disciples—even most outer sect disciples wouldn't be capable of cultivating Water Spirit Rice.
Moreover, with so many secrets hidden within his fields, there was no way he could allow outsiders in.
As for applying for a plot of spiritual land in the valley, Gu Mo had no interest. The spiritual fields within the valley had long been divided among the outer sect disciples of the Spiritual Plant Hall. If Gu Mo applied, he would have to request fields from others, which could easily offend people.
Besides, the valley was crowded with prying eyes, making it difficult for Gu Mo to conceal his Sunflower. As long as he cultivated his Water Spirit Rice well, no one would question his status as an outer sect disciple.
Additionally, Gu Mo now held the title of spiritual plant master. In the coming days, he would take on exclusive spiritual plant tasks. Through these tasks, he could earn significant sect contributions. After all, only three people could currently accept these tasks, and the rewards were exceptionally generous.
The news of Gu Mo's promotion to outer sect disciple quickly spread throughout Qinglu Sect. The speed of this news was partly due to the sect's own efforts.
The sect wanted to show all the menial disciples that with enough effort, they too could become outer sect disciples.
On the main peak of the sect, when Yao Shifeng learned that Gu Mo had advanced to an outer sect disciple, he remained silent for a long time.
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