Facing Mo Tianjun's earnest gaze, Mo Tiange sighed softly and shook her head.
After half a day of testing, none of the over four hundred people in Mo Village possessed a Spirit Root, including the newborn infants and the elderly on the verge of death.
This was also perfectly normal. Among mortals, those with Spirit Roots were less than one in ten thousand, even though the ancestors of the Mo family were cultivators themselves. Back then, the child of Mo Yaoqing and Zhong Muliang—both Nascent Soul cultivators—also lacked a Spirit Root, let alone after so many generations where the hereditary factors had long been diluted by other bloodlines. Someone like her, possessing both a Pure Yin Constitution and a Spirit Root, was probably the only one in several thousand years.
Mo Tianjun's face was filled with disappointment as he murmured, "So there really isn't one after all..."
Mo Tiange comforted him, "Spirit Roots are inherently one in ten thousand; it's normal not to have any. Even if someone had a Spirit Root, if their aptitude was poor, treading the Immortal Path would be even more difficult. It might be better to live a carefree life in the mortal world."
But such comfort could hardly ease Mo Tianjun's heart. Ever since Tian Ge was taken away by an immortal and his younger sister left home with her cultivator husband, he had yearned for that world. If he couldn't go himself, having descendants who could would be good enough.
Seeing this, Mo Tiange pondered for a moment, then took out a Five Elements Plate from her Qiankun Bag and placed it on the offering table in the ancestral hall. She then severed a wisp of her Divine Sense and cast a spell upon it.
"My ability to walk the Immortal Path was originally a grace left by our ancestors. Today, I also leave this item here. Any descendant of the Mo family, regardless of gender, may come here to test for Spirit Roots. If someone possesses a Spirit Root, even if they are ten thousand miles away, I will be able to sense it and will come to fetch them."
Upon hearing this, Mo Tianjun was overjoyed again. "Tian Ge, thank you."
Mo Tiange smiled. "I am also a descendant of the Mo family. Why thank me?" She paused, then brought up another purpose. "Tianjun, I've returned also to move my mother's grave."
Mo Tianjun was taken aback. "This... why is that?"
"I have found my father's remains and wish to bury them together."
Mo Tianjun said, "Then bury them here. Isn't it the same?"
Mo Tiange sighed. "There is a distinction between immortals and mortals. After I leave this time, I likely will not set foot in the mortal world again. So, I want them to be closer to me."
"..." Mo Tianjun fell silent. Having lived a hundred years, he had met a few cultivators and learned some things about the cultivation world from them. He knew that for cultivators, clan and family ties were not that important. What bound them together, besides blood, was more importantly, interest. Among them, few were like Tian Ge, who specifically returned for her parents' graves. Now that Tian Ge wanted to move her mother's remains out of the ancestral grave, he had no reason to stop her. Over the years, Fourth Aunt's grave had been neglected, with only him occasionally remembering to have his grandchildren clear the weeds.
"That... is also good," he nodded heavily after a long while. "Fourth Uncle was not a mortal. Fourth Aunt suffered her whole life; being buried together after death is always a good thing. Besides, you are family. If you want to move it, I have no reason to stop you."
The day passed quickly. By evening, the able-bodied men of the Mo family, following Mo Tianjun's instructions, delivered the jar containing the remains to Mo Tiange.
Mo Tiange carefully stored the remains and stood up. "Alright, I should be going now."
Mo Tianjun rose shakily. "Let me see you off." This farewell would likely be eternal.
Mo Tiange gently supported him, a stream of spiritual energy flowing from her fingertips into Mo Tianjun's body. Mo Tianjun stiffened for a moment, then felt a profound comfort throughout his body, as if he had become decades younger. "This is..."
Mo Tiange smiled. "Although I am a cultivator, the mortal cycle of life and death is still not something I can change. However, with this spiritual energy protecting your body, when your time comes, you will certainly be healthy and free from illness or disaster."
Then, she glanced around and waved her hand lightly. The doors of the ancestral hall closed without wind. She took out a jade box from her robes and handed it to Mo Tianjun. "Inside this is a spirit talisman, a basic cultivation manual, and some miscellaneous items. If a descendant of the Mo family tests positive for a Spirit Root and I have not returned, burn this talisman. If there is still no one, it means I have passed away and my legacy is severed. At that time, give the contents to someone with a Spirit Root and let them seek the Immortal Path on their own."
Mo Tianjun accepted it excitedly. "Good, good..."
"I have placed a restriction on this jade box. Only descendants of the Mo family can open it. You must keep this item safe and never let it leak out. Otherwise, it could bring disaster upon you. Remember this."
Mo Tianjun solemnly agreed and carefully stored the item away.
Afterwards, Mo Tiange bid farewell to Mo Tianjun. Under the gaze of the Mo family members, clouds formed beneath her feet as she rose into the air. She took one last look at the small village from the sky, then finally transformed into a streak of light and vanished into the horizon.
The villagers of Mo Village still stared dazedly at the sky.
"An Immortal! That's an Immortal!"
"Father, I want to become an Immortal too!"
"You, a girl, become an Immortal? Go tend the fire!"
"Why can't I become an Immortal? Great-Grandaunt was a woman too! Great-Grandfather said that from now on, girls can also enter the ancestral hall!"
"Great-Grandaunt is Great-Grandaunt. Do you think anyone can become an Immortal? Be obedient..."
Mo Tiange could no longer hear these words. On her Cloud-Stepping Boots, she took out that jade slip and infused it with her Divine Sense.
A moment later, she withdrew her Divine Sense and smiled slightly.
Her premonition was correct. Mo Yaoqing had indeed left information about her meditation site in Mo Village. In this jade slip, she said that knowing her lifespan was nearly exhausted, she returned to Mo Village to leave an opportunity for the Mo descendants to step onto the Immortal Path. She also left this jade slip within the jade token, explaining her intentions.
Afterwards, she planned to return to Linhai to settle her affairs. However, the prepared meditation site was not within the Bixuan Pavilion, but a secret place she had unintentionally discovered in the past.
Apart from her, the Bixuan Pavilion had never produced another Nascent Soul cultivator. Mo Yaoqing was a genius of her generation, possessing many powerful and astonishing magic treasures. Worried that leaving so many treasures behind would bring misfortune rather than fortune, she deliberated for a long time and decided to leave a portion of her treasures to her disciples and another portion of her accumulated hoard at her meditation site. Then, she left clues to her former cave abode. Whether it was a descendant of the Mo family or a disciple of the Bixuan Pavilion, if someone reached the Nascent Soul stage, they could see through her restrictions and discover the message.
Thousands of years later, things still turned out differently than Mo Yaoqing expected. Mo Tiange was only at the Core Formation stage, yet relying on the powerful Divine Sense honed by the Refining Spirit Art and her mastery of formations and restrictions, she discovered this jade slip.
What Mo Tiange valued was that within this jade slip were recorded some things not found in the Journal. For example, Mo Yaoqing mentioned that she had a detailed cultivation journal, which not only recorded her insights from over a thousand years of cultivating the Plain Maiden Art but also documented some secret places she had visited and her own detailed experiences. These were all precious pieces of information, all stored at her meditation site.
This made Mo Tiange's heart stir. It must be known that the Journal of Mo Yaoqing she had obtained previously was merely some things she casually recorded, such as spell cultivation, pill recipe modifications, and some immature ideas. From that, she had refined the Heaven-Earth Fan and gained immense benefits.
According to this jade slip, Mo Yaoqing's cultivation journal was meticulously compiled after her lifespan was nearly exhausted. Therefore, many of the ideas within it would be completely mature! Its value far exceeded that of the Journal. Moreover, that cultivation journal also recorded the entry and exit methods for many secret places she had visited, which might come in handy someday.
Mo Tiange didn't ponder for long before making a decision. Since she had discovered the clue, she would go and see. Mo Yaoqing had left clues; as long as she followed the trail, there shouldn't be much danger.
Thus, this trip to Linhai was now a must.
Returning to Kunzhong City, Mo Tiange informed the manager of the Xuanqing Sect's local branch and set off with Tang Shen.
Regarding the pills needed for Core Formation, she pretended that the branch manager had already procured them and handed over the Dustless Pills, Taiping Pills, and others she had refined to Tang Shen.
Tang Shen, discovering the exceptional quality of these pills, was overjoyed, thinking Mo Tiange had obtained them through some special means and was immensely grateful.
Mo Tiange, of course, did not reveal the truth, letting him believe what he would.
With a Core Formation cultivator escorting him, Tang Shen safely reached the vicinity of Yuheng Mountain in East Kunwu—Core Formation and above cultivators rarely appeared in the mortal world. When he came to Kunwu, it happened to coincide with the opening of Tianmo Mountain, with high-level cultivators emerging one after another, which was why he had the misfortune of running into a Nascent Soul cultivator.
Regarding this, Mo Tiange also advised Tang Shen that sometimes when acting, one must consider not only oneself but also the events happening around. If he hadn't come to Kunwu at such a coincidental time when Tianmo Mountain opened, he wouldn't have been so unlucky.
Tang Shen listened obediently. Although he was not younger than Mo Tiange, his experience and understanding of principles were far inferior, something he himself knew.
The Bixuan Pavilion's Guild Hall was located near Yuheng Mountain. This small guild hall with only a dozen or so people was inconspicuous on Yuheng Mountain. Those unaware would think it was just a small shop. This shop sold some specialties from the East Sea, which were considered unique on Yuheng Mountain, so business was not bad.
However, Tang Shen told Mo Tiange that this small shop only sold ordinary items. The truly valuable materials were sold directly to nearby sects and major families, which, for the Bixuan Pavilion, was also a considerable source of income.
Hearing this, Mo Tiange felt somewhat tempted. The East Sea produced something Kunwu did not have: the Demon Cores of sea Demon Beasts. These Demon Cores, different from those of the southern forest Demon Beasts, could be refined into special pills. If she could facilitate a Demon Core trade between the Bixuan Pavilion and the Xuanqing Sect, it would be a good thing. After all, with her presence, the Xuanqing Sect wouldn't press the price too low, while other sects would inevitably use their influence to bully. The Xuanqing Sect would also gain another channel for collecting materials.
However, this matter was not urgent at the moment. Demon Cores were not something low-level Demon Beasts possessed. According to news from the guild hall, the Bixuan Pavilion still had no Core Formation cultivators and lacked the ability to hunt sea Demon Beasts for their Demon Cores.
After arriving at the Bixuan Pavilion's Guild Hall, under the respectful send-off of the hall manager, the two stepped into the teleportation formation, heading for Linhai.