Chapter 1070: Pill City

Jing Yingli smiled awkwardly. She felt impolite revealing his trump card—the ability to remove soul marks—so readily. Yet, she sensed Ye Mo was extraordinary. She’d encountered many prodigious cultivators, considering herself a prodigy among prodigies, but none possessed Ye Mo's immeasurable depth.

Jing Yingli led Ye Mo to a remote location where a small Hollow Seed Fruit tree stood. Ye Mo counted approximately twenty fruits, golden specks adorning the branches—a breathtaking sight. He knew that when ripe, these level 7 spirit fruits were yellow on the outside and red within, incredibly delicious. Though he'd never tasted one, the Thing described them in detail. Only a madman would consume such a rare fruit—worth tens of millions of spirit stones—as casually as an ordinary one. Yet, Ye Mo considered planting the tree in his Golden Page World as a snack for Yimo.

“There are about twenty Hollow Seed Fruits. Let’s take ten each,” Jing Yingli suggested, a request she wouldn't have made before battle, but necessary now.

Ye Mo nodded. “Excellent. You pick first; I’ll take the rest.”

“Okay.” Jing Yingli swiftly gathered ten fruits.

As Ye Mo reached for his share, his spirit sense detected a rapidly approaching cultivator, clearly eyeing the Hollow Seed Fruits. Ye Mo sneered, summoned his flying sword, and uprooted the entire tree.

“Wait!” a voice called.

Ignoring the plea, Ye Mo deposited the tree into the Golden Page World. Why wait? Was the other cultivator's head rusty?

Jing Yingli heard the interruption but remained unconcerned. Unless the newcomer was a Hollow Spirit state cultivator, they had nothing to fear. She hadn't anticipated Ye Mo's drastic action, however; leaving something behind would have been prudent.

“Martial Sister Yingli…” a male cultivator approached, his face grim.

Jing Yingli recognized him. “Martial Brother Qilin of God Wind Valley. Are you alone?”

Qilin’s expression remained sour. He briefly eyed Ye Mo before replying, “Yes. I became separated from my martial sister, but I spotted the Hollow Seed Fruit tree. You simply arrived first.”

Ye Mo noted Qilin's almost feminine beauty but scorned his audacity. Qilin clearly knew about the division of fruits with Jing Yingli yet still pressed the issue; did he expect Ye Mo to relinquish them? A fool’s dream. Jing Yingli's subtle warning about Qilin's affiliation with the 9-star sect God Wind Valley registered with him.

Jing Yingli, aware of Qilin’s intentions, politely replied, “Martial Brother Qi, we must be going.”

Qilin quickly intervened, “Wait, Martial Sister Yingli. Who is this?”

Jing Yingli quickly fabricated a story, “This is an inner sect member of our Abstruse Sound Sect… one of three my father sent to protect me in the Truth Fall Palace. He is the only one remaining…” Her sorrowful expression was convincingly real, even Ye Mo conceded.

With Jing Yingli’s explanation, Qilin couldn't press the issue. After all, they, too, were from a 9-star sect and had acquired the fruit first. Had Ye Mo not been from Abstruse Sound Sect, Qilin might have tried coercion.

Qilin watched Ye Mo and Jing Yingli depart, his gaze lingering on Ye Mo with ill intent. In his mind, even as Jing Yingli’s follower, Ye Mo, a core disciple of a 9-star sect, should have shared the Hollow Seed Fruits.

Much later, Ye Mo asked, “Martial Sister Jing, did your sect truly send protectors, all of whom perished?”

Jing Yingli replied dejectedly, “Yes, my father dispatched them, but since entering the Truth Fall Palace forbidden grounds, they’ve vanished… I wanted to tell you: if you lack an identity upon leaving, you can use one of theirs. I will vouch for you.”

Ye Mo detected less sorrow over the deaths than concern for her father’s involvement. He shook his head, recognizing the political complexities of large sects, but thanked her for providing an identity.

“From now on, your name is Xi Pei. Once outside, change your name. I’ll claim you disobeyed me and died,” Jing Yingli stated indifferently.

Ye Mo understood the guards’ purpose extended beyond mere protection. He nodded, not inquiring further; it wasn't his concern.

After a lengthy silence, Jing Yingli revealed, “That Qi Lin is a core disciple of God Wind Valley, a Nascent Soul state level nine cultivator, ranked 17th on the Nascent Soul state trial tablet. Be wary.”

Ye Mo nodded; he wasn't yet a match for someone ranked that high. Cultivators differed from spirit beasts; the Lightning Leopard, despite being level seven, lacked intelligence. An intelligent level nine spirit beast could defeat even primary Hollow Spirit state cultivators; thus, ordinary Cauldron Filling state cultivators rarely bested level nine spirit beasts.

“After leaving the Truth Fall Palace, what are your plans?” Jing Yingli asked. Ye Mo’s display of power had prompted her to move beyond mere utilization; she saw potential for mutual benefit. Her intelligence recognized Ye Mo's vast potential.

Ye Mo paused. He intended to return to Mo Yue City, entrusting it to Xu Changjie, find a forgery grandmaster to craft armor from the Lightning Leopard’s hide, and prepare for his Hollow Spirit state breakthrough.

“I want to find a forgery grandmaster to create armor from the Lightning Leopard’s skin,” he replied, omitting Mo Yue City; she wasn't yet a confidante.

Jing Yingli responded, “I know a grandmaster. I’ll give you his location. Also…” She hesitated, “Though news of you killing Yuan Guannan and Tian Aofeng hasn’t surfaced, seeking support is wise. 9-star sects like the Lightning Cloud Sect and the Infinity Sect wield immense power; a minor incident could trigger an investigation. Prepare yourself.”

Ye Mo knew this; two 9-star sects versus a Nascent Soul state level four cultivator presented an insurmountable challenge.

As if reading his thoughts, Jing Yingli continued, “The All Formation Sect, though an 8-star sect, is formidable. Even typical 9-star sects hesitate to provoke them. As a level five formation grandmaster, you're a talent they desire. Joining them would make even 9-star sects think twice before attacking…”

Ye Mo understood the implication: they would still attack if deemed necessary. Jing Yingli shook her head; the All Formation Sect, powerful as it was, wouldn't provide absolute protection.

Ye Mo smiled. “Martial Sister Jing, thank you. Let a 9-star sect come. We cultivators pursue the Dao; what is death to fear?”

Jing Yingli smiled, “I know you aren't afraid to die, but your words reveal attachments. If you were truly detached, I wouldn’t offer suggestions.” She sighed, “If only you were a pill master, you could join the Pill City…”

“Pill City?” Ye Mo asked immediately.