After the spiritual qi dissipated, Ziwei Sanren also vanished. He had likely used some secret technique to rest, waiting to be awakened by them in two hundred years, or perhaps by another group who might enter the cave abode.
At the moment the spiritual qi completely dispersed, several items fell from mid-air, each landing in their hands.
Mo Tiange caught hers: a jade slip and a Sunlight Stone. Taking the jade slip, she immersed her divine sense into it. The four characters, "Xuanji Formation Book," immediately imprinted themselves in her mind. Looking at Daoist Fangzheng, he held a jade vial. He opened it to verify its contents, then was overcome with ecstasy—clearly, it was the Longevity Pill promised by Ziwei Sanren.
Even with just these few items, their trip here had already been immensely profitable. The Longevity Pill went without saying. If Daoist Fangzheng didn't use it himself and sold it instead, it would certainly be enough to exchange for a Wu-Chen Pill. It remained to be seen what choice Fangzheng would make.
As for Mo Tiange herself, Daoist Fangzheng had long since explained the value of the Sunlight Stone. Although this item wasn't as priceless and hard to find as the Longevity Pill, when combined with the Xuanji Formation Book, its worth surpassed that of the Longevity Pill. Furthermore, she had also obtained two Late-Stage Foundation Establishment puppets.
Thinking of this, Mo Tiange smiled faintly. Looking at the two stone puppet sculptures before her, the method of control rose in her mind. She formed a hand seal with both hands, pointed at the center of her brow, and slowly guided her divine sense out, probing into the puppets' ears.
These puppets required only a tiny wisp of the master's divine sense to be bound. Unless someone far exceeding her cultivation realm intervened, they could not be forcibly unbound. In other words, after binding these two puppets, only a Core Formation cultivator or above could erase her divine sense. However, rebinding them required another specific method. Without knowing it, these would merely be two useless objects.
When Ziwei Sanren repaired these puppets earlier, he had already withdrawn his own divine sense from them. Now, she only needed to perform the binding steps.
Her divine sense shot into the puppets' ears. With two soft "click" sounds, the two puppets standing beside her moved their hands and feet, brandishing their stone swords.
Mo Tiange was overjoyed. They could now be controlled.
However, her divine sense wasn't strong enough to achieve what Ziwei Sanren could—allowing the puppets autonomous action even while he slept. She needed to devote some of her attention to controlling them.
"Fellow… Daoist Ye," Daoist Fangzheng called out hesitantly from the side. Hearing Mo Tiange report her sect to Ziwei Sanren, he already knew that the name Ye Xiaotian was indeed fake, and that she was a disciple of the Xuanqing Sect, the second-ranked sect in Tianji. As a loose cultivator who had wandered the mortal world for centuries, he had seen many arrogant disciples from major sects. Now that he knew Mo Tiange's sect, he felt somewhat respectful yet distant.
Mo Tiange didn't know his thoughts, and even if she did, she couldn't be bothered to care. She and Daoist Fangzheng were merely chance acquaintances. Even if he somewhat resembled her Second Uncle, he was still a stranger. Once they left this place and went their separate ways, they might never meet again.
"Ah, Fellow Daoist Fangzheng." Hearing his voice, Mo Tiange first put away the stone puppets. In the current cultivation world, a Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator walking around with two Late-Stage Foundation Establishment puppets was a recipe for envy. It was best not to bring them out unnecessarily.
Daoist Fangzheng had already felt a pang of envy, but since Ziwei Sanren had explicitly forbidden them from harming each other, he could only suppress his thoughts. Pointing at the stone table, he said to Mo Tiange politely, "Since our business is concluded, shall we divide these items?"
Ziwei Sanren had clearly stated they could split the items on the stone table. Mo Tiange replied, "Good."
Daoist Fangzheng didn't move, instead looking at Mo Tiange nervously. "Fellow Daoist Ye, before this, you promised me that if there were further items, I would get first pick. Does that still hold?" Although Mo Tiange's displayed skills surpassed those of cultivators at her level, Daoist Fangzheng felt that in pure combat, the difference wasn't vast. But now that she had just obtained two Late-Stage Foundation Establishment puppets, if she went back on her word, Fangzheng reckoned he was no match for her and would have to accept it.
Mo Tiange smiled. "Naturally it holds. Fellow Daoist, please choose first. There are… five items here. You take three, I take two. How about that?"
Daoist Fangzheng was delighted upon hearing this. He bowed to her, then stepped towards the stone table to slowly select the treasures.
Mo Tiange shook her head slightly and began studying the Xuanji Formation Book nearby.
She wasn't a cultivator native to Kunwu and couldn't bring herself to learn that craft of betraying trust for profit. Her mother was an ordinary, kind mortal woman who had taught her loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness from childhood. After arriving in Kunwu, she had learned from her Second Uncle how to survive in the cultivation world and how to look out for herself, but she had no desire to become the kind of person her mother would dislike.
Besides, she wasn't one of those short-sighted cultivators. Both Core Formation and Nascent Soul formation involved facing inner demons. Committing evil deeds recklessly would only shackle oneself, leading to inner demons plaguing one's advancement. When that happened, crying wouldn't help.
"Fellow Daoist Ye, I've chosen. Please take a look." Daoist Fangzheng said cheerfully.
Mo Tiange withdrew her divine sense and stepped forward.
On the table were several items: a bell, a pair of boots, a vial of pills, an unknown ore, and a spiritual herb stored in a jade box.
The bell and the boots were both magical treasures, and their extraordinary grade was evident at a glance. They were indeed worthy of being collected by a Peak-Nascent Soul cultivator. However, the boots were very short, adorned with orchid patterns along the edges—clearly women's boots. Additionally, she recognized the spiritual herb as Revival Grass. When they escaped from Cloud Mist Mountain, her Second Uncle had been severely injured. She had seen Qin Xi take out this herb to temporarily suppress his injuries. This herb, when refined into pills, was said to have the power to revive the dead. Even unrefined, its healing properties were exceptional. She didn't recognize the ore. She hadn't opened the pill vial to check, but since it was placed alongside these other items, it was surely a treasure.
Daoist Fangzheng had selected three items: the bell, the spiritual herb, and the pills. Seeing Mo Tiange's expression, he added, "If Fellow Daoist Ye wants something specific, shall we discuss it?"
Mo Tiange, however, said nothing, merely shaking her head.
Seeing she had no objections and was putting away the boots and the ore, Daoist Fangzheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Among the three items he chose, the bell was an active attack-type magical treasure, while the boots were a passive-type treasure. Active treasures were generally more valuable than passive ones, but the boots were women's style, so it couldn't be helped. For cultivators, spiritual herbs and pills were more important than ore, so he had been worried that picking all the good items might be a bit excessive.
Actually, for Mo Tiange, this distribution was just right. She wasn't lacking in pills or spiritual herbs. Although there was no Revival Grass in the Void Heaven Realm, there were spiritual herbs of even better quality with much higher maturity. With the pills, she certainly wasn't lacking in magical treasures either. Choosing those two would have been a loss for her. As for magical treasures like the bell, the Flying Shuttle was a top-tier magical tool she was quite accustomed to and didn't need to replace for now. Once she formed her Core, she would begin refining her life-bound magical treasure. An attack-type treasure would merely be icing on the cake.
Moreover, the boots weren't bad either. Just looking at their spiritual qi-filled appearance and the fact that Ziwei Sanren had placed them here, they were undoubtedly a high-grade magical treasure. She picked up the boots and examined them, discovering the characters "Cloud-Treading Boots" embroidered on the vamp near the heel. Cloud-Treading… presumably they could increase flying speed?
"Fellow Daoist Ye, there's also this." Daoist Fangzheng crouched down, retrieved two jade slips from a hidden compartment beneath the table, and handed one to her.
Mo Tiange glanced over and noticed there were several more identical jade slips inside. Presumably, Ziwei Sanren had prepared them before his death, though it was unknown how many would actually be used.
Afterwards, the two put away their respective items, studied the jade slips, and searched for a way out.
According to the markings on the jade slip, there was a teleportation formation within this stone chamber that could directly transport them out.
Mo Tiange thought of Shang Ruwan, still outside on the stone platform within the illusion formation, and pondered whether to take her along. However, after reading the entire jade slip, there was no method to directly open the stone door from inside. In the end, helpless, she could only give up. Although she found Shang Ruwan agreeable, she wasn't worth risking the cave abode again. She hoped Shang Ruwan was lucky enough to awaken on her own. Given her temperament, she would surely pass the trial and escape this calamity.
Once all matters were settled, Mo Tiange and Daoist Fangzheng followed the instructions on the jade slip, activated the teleportation formation, and embedded the spirit stones. Then, light erupted from the formation, and the surroundings shifted—
The light dissipated. Mo Tiange opened her eyes, looking around in confusion.
The sound of howling winds filled her ears. Towering glaciers stood before her. Snow swirled heavily overhead. They stood upon a glacier, with an endless expanse in all directions. They had no idea where they were!
Daoist Fangzheng beside her gasped in shock. "Huh!"
Mo Tiange quickly asked, "Fellow Daoist Fangzheng, do you recognize this place?"
Daoist Fangzheng nodded, looking at her. "This is the Extreme North Glacier!"
The Extreme North Glacier! Hearing this, Mo Tiange was also greatly shocked. The geography of Tianji: the east and southeast were the towering Kunwu Mountain Range; the northeast was the demonic path, separated from the Tiandao Sect by a mountain; the west was the uninhabited desert; and the extreme north was the glacier.
Ziwei Sanren's cave abode was in Wind-Rest Valley of Nine Spirits Mountain in the Jin Kingdom, located in the central region. It was tens of thousands of miles from here! The teleportation formation had actually sent them this far!
Mo Tiange took out that jade slip but found it didn't mention the teleportation formation's destination at all. Was it a random teleportation? This question could only be answered if they completed Ziwei Sanren's request and returned to Wind-Rest Valley.
Standing atop this glacier, buffeted by the fierce wind and heavy snow, the two actually felt somewhat cold. It must be known that once a cultivator reached Foundation Establishment, they were impervious to heat and cold. This wind actually made two Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivators feel cold, indicating it was no ordinary wind.
Mo Tiange clapped her hands together, circulated her spiritual qi, and dispelled the chill from her body. Turning to Daoist Fangzheng, she asked, "Fellow Daoist Fangzheng, now that we've arrived here, what are your plans?"
Hearing this, Daoist Fangzheng pondered for a moment before replying, "I originally planned to return to Kunwu, just passing through the mortal world to search for some special spiritual herbs. Since there's nothing urgent now, I'll head back first." Pausing, he asked Mo Tiange in turn, "What about you, Fellow Daoist Ye? What are your thoughts on this matter?"
Mo Tiange said calmly, "Given our current abilities, this matter is rather difficult. Not to mention that the information left by Senior Ziwei is five thousand years old and hard to verify now, just considering that Senior Xiao's burial site is bound to be dangerous. If she passed away within her sect, given that their Xuanji Sect excelled in formation arts, a Nascent Soul cultivator's resting place would surely be full of traps. If she met her demise outside, that's even more perilous. If even a Nascent Soul cultivator could encounter danger, wouldn't we be seeking death by going? Besides, whether we can even find it is a question."
Daoist Fangzheng fell silent for a long time. "…I think the same. Fellow Daoist Ye, so you're not planning to search for it now?"
"Let's investigate slowly and confirm the information first."
Hearing her words, Daoist Fangzheng's face showed a trace of envy. "Fellow Daoist Ye is a disciple of a renowned sect. Searching for anything is much more convenient for you than for a loose cultivator like me."
Mo Tiange merely smiled without answering.
In this matter, she had a greater advantage. Daoist Fangzheng had probably initially considered cooperating with her, but then thought better of suggesting it. After all, being part of a major sect made investigating matters much easier, and she could easily find high-level companions. Unlike him, who had to search laboriously on his own, and even if he found a lead, it would be hard to find someone to share the risk. Since one person could handle the task, why split the rewards with another? Thus, Daoist Fangzheng swallowed his words, consoling himself optimistically: even if he didn't accomplish this task, he hadn't lost anything.
Mo Tiange didn't invite him for the same reason. When she clearly had a high chance of obtaining everything, why share it with others? While she wasn't ruthlessly profit-driven, she also wasn't benevolent enough to give away something already within her grasp.
The two tacitly understood and didn't discuss the matter further, instead turning to the immediate situation. "Fellow Daoist Fangzheng wants to leave this place immediately and return to Kunwu?"
"Yes. What about you, Fellow Daoist Ye?"
"I'm not in a hurry to return. It's fine to wander around a bit."
Hearing this, Daoist Fangzheng guessed she was a disciple from a renowned sect out on a training journey.
Looking at the endless expanse of glaciers and snow, the two spoke simultaneously: "Then let's bid farewell…"
Reaching this point, they shared a smile. Mo Tiange bowed. "In that case, Fellow Daoist Fangzheng, farewell."
Daoist Fangzheng returned the bow. "I'll head directly south. Fellow Daoist Ye, the Zhengfa Sect is not far from here. You can travel a bit further north."
Mo Tiange nodded. "Thank you."
The two waved farewell without further words, one heading south, the other north.
Amidst the swirling snow, Mo Tiange pondered briefly before summoning her White Silk Handkerchief and flying north.
Among the seven major sects of Tianji, the Zhengfa Sect was the only one not located in Kunwu. It was situated in the Extreme North Glacier region, exclusively recruiting water spiritual root cultivators to practice ice-based arts. For some reason, residents here, if they possessed spiritual roots, generally had water spiritual roots. Hence, the Zhengfa Sect dominated the north alone and could contend with the several major sects in Kunwu.
However, this unique geographical location was both its strength and its downfall.
The glacier was bitterly cold after all, and the northern mortal population was sparse. Mortals were the foundation for cultivators, so the Zhengfa Sect couldn't expand further and had to establish a branch in Kunwu. Yet, the Extreme North Glacier was most advantageous for practicing ice-based arts, so their main headquarters had to remain here.
For all these reasons, a peculiar phenomenon existed. The entire Tianji cultivation world didn't dare look down on the Zhengfa Sect, yet no one was optimistic about its development prospects, because its advantages and weaknesses were bound together—unable to expand, yet difficult to eradicate.
Since fate had brought her to the Extreme North Glacier, Mo Tiange thought she might as well see what it had to offer.
The fact that a sect focusing on a single elemental art could become one of Tianji's seven major sects indicated the Zhengfa Sect must have its unique strengths. Learning more about it would benefit her.
In the current cultivation world, aside from demonic cultivators, so-called sword cultivators, talisman cultivators, martial cultivators, and medical cultivators were all cultivating the Dao. The Dao was vast and profound. Aside from observing, listening, contemplating, discussing, and broadening one's horizons, there was no other way to deepen one's understanding. Therefore, a person could only go into seclusion to advance after their mental state reached a certain level. One couldn't fantasize about seclude themselves from Qi Refining all the way to Nascent Soul. Cultivation had never been just about cultivation.
The further north she flew, the greater the pressure from the cold wind. After flying for half a day, Mo Tiange actually felt her entire body stiffening. She was puzzled. She was now at the peak of Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment, yet she couldn't withstand this wind? What about the low-level disciples of the Zhengfa Sect? Did they never leave their sect? Or was she unaware of some secret?
Unable to figure out the reason, Mo Tiange shook her head and found a crevice between two icebergs to hide in. It was a narrow gap between two glaciers. Fortunately, she was small-framed and could squeeze inside.
Finally, free from the wind, Mo Tiange felt her body warm up instantly. The ice here, the low temperature—none of it affected her. Only that wind, blowing against her body, felt like a cultivator's spell. Mo Tiange regretted not asking Daoist Fangzheng for details earlier. Since he had been here before, he probably knew what this wind was about.
Sitting cross-legged within the ice crevice, circulating her spiritual breath, after one minor cycle, Mo Tiange already felt her whole body warming up. Perhaps… she needed to continuously circulate her spiritual qi?
Thinking this, she stood up, preparing to continue flying. But upon standing, she discovered her boots were wet.
Before coming out, she had specifically made two sets of robes not bearing the Xuanqing Sect insignia, though using the same materials, tempered by her Innate True Fire, they could be considered spiritual tools. They weren't affected by the cold wind. However, she hadn't remembered to make boots. Only after leaving did she notice her boots had the Xuanqing Sect's Taiji and auspicious cloud emblem. So, while at the Ye family, she had casually taken a pair of boots to wear.
Just as she was about to take out new boots to change into, Mo Tiange paused. Hadn't she just obtained a pair of boots in Ziwei's cave abode?
After a moment's thought, she took out those Cloud-Treading Boots and put them on. The moment the Cloud-Treading Boots touched her feet, Mo Tiange felt the boots seemed to measuring the size of her feet, then automatically adjusting to fit her feet snugly. Subsequently, a stream of spiritual qi emanated from the boots, infusing her feet—she stepped in the new boots, feeling as if her feet had grown wings. With a thought, without using the White Silk Handkerchief, her body soared into the air. In an instant, she had flown several dozen zhang.
Discovering this, Mo Tiange was pleasantly surprised. She had originally only guessed the boots could increase flying speed, but unexpectedly, they were a flying magical treasure themselves! From now on, she could fly without relying on the White Silk Handkerchief.
Although the White Silk Handkerchief also had flight capabilities, Zhong Muling had explicitly stated that this item was originally a defensive treasure; the flight function was a later modification by him, so it was slightly inferior to dedicated flying treasures—of course, that was from his perspective as a Deity Transformation cultivator. Among Core Formation and even Nascent Soul cultivators, the White Silk Handkerchief's flight speed wasn't bad.
As for these Cloud-Treading Boots, they were a Peak-Nascent Soul cultivator's magical treasure and a dedicated flying treasure, so they probably wouldn't be inferior to the White Silk Handkerchief. Previously, she had to use the White Silk Handkerchief for both flight and defense, sometimes leading to frantic moments during combat. With these boots, wouldn't things be much more convenient in battle?
Thinking this, Mo Tiange's spirits rose. She immediately poured her full power into the Cloud-Treading Boots and sped forward.
If anyone were watching from below at that moment, they would have seen a streak of white light shooting across the sky. Although its aura wasn't particularly strong, its speed far surpassed that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, almost rivaling that of a Core Formation cultivator!