Chapter 723: See Yun Ziyi

Ye Mo quickly grasped the situation. The moment he heard mention of the Jia Lan Flower, his expression shifted subtly, and he realized Yun Ziyi was observing him. He immediately extended his spirit sense, locating Yun Ziyi 150 meters away in a room, holding a telescope.

Ye Mo sneered. She had clearly acquired advanced technology from the outside world. His initial unease at her mentioning the Jia Lan Flower stemmed from his understanding that she was testing him. A man with the auction's big-bearded man's profile would be keenly interested in the flower.

While Ye Mo didn't understand its precise application in the ancient martial arts world, he knew its importance. Otherwise, Yun Ziyi wouldn't use it as a test. He concluded that this series of events had led her to suspect him as the auction's big-bearded man, prompting this test with the precious herb.

Reviewing the events, Ye Mo found no errors. He should be the least likely suspect. Why, then, did Yun Ziyi suspect him, going so far as to test his knowledge of the Jia Lan Flower, one of the three primary ingredients for the foundation establishment pill? How did she know he desperately needed it?

Seeing Ye Mo pause and frown, the green-clothed girl said, "Young Master Mo—"

"Lead the way," Ye Mo replied flatly.

Since Yun Ziyi already suspected him, he might as well confront her, choosing where and how to reveal himself. Furthermore, he had another compelling reason to go—he truly desired the Jia Lan Flower. Obtaining it was crucial for their future cultivation; without it, he couldn't create the foundation establishment pill, the recipe for which he knew required the flower.

Upon seeing Ye Mo arrive with Xiao Ling, Yun Ziyi smiled, her resolve evident.

"If I'm not mistaken, it's him. I'm certain he harbors many secrets," she murmured, putting away the telescope.

"Young Miss, Young Master Mo is here," the green-clothed girl announced from the doorway.

Yun Ziyi opened the door, her smile sweet as she said politely, "Young Master Mo, it's an honor to have you. Please, come in. Xiao Ling, pour a cup of tea for Young Master Mo."

"Yes, Miss," the girl quickly responded, departing.

"Young Master Mo, I apologize for the abrupt invitation. Please, have a seat." Yun Ziyi treated Ye Mo with the deference typically reserved for a powerful Qianbei.

Ye Mo surveyed the room; its design was high-class yet understated. He studied Yun Ziyi, admitting she was a beauty comparable to Mu Xiaoyun—tall, with beautiful hair cascading over her shoulders. Her makeup was minimal, yet clearly applied. Her unrestrained posture highlighted her figure, making her appear both natural and elegant. Her constant smile created an amiable demeanor.

But Ye Mo sensed something amiss; her amiability felt contrived.

Xiao Ling returned with two cups of green tea, then left.

"Yun Du Mountain, Mist Peak's mist tea. Young Master Mo, please try it," Yun Ziyi said, her cheeks faintly flushed from Ye Mo's prolonged gaze. Unable to express her irritation, she raised her cup. "Yun Du Mountain belongs to the Du Yun sect; Mist Peak is its highest peak. Although I manage affairs for the Magical Merchant Association, I am a member of the Du Yun sect."

Ye Mo already knew Yun Ziyi's connection to the Du Tian sect; it was no secret.

Ye Mo nodded and sipped the tea. "It is indeed refreshing."

While not imbued with spirit chi, the tea possessed a unique flavor. In the cultivation realm, a high-quality spirit chi tea could cost hundreds of spirit stones—a price Ye Mo couldn't previously afford.

Yun Ziyi, momentarily speechless, soon recovered, smiling sweetly. "Mr. Mo's assessment is quite discerning."

She continued, "Mr. Mo's wife is truly exceptional. You are a fortunate man."

Deciding to feign ignorance, given Yun Ziyi's lack of directness, Ye Mo smiled. "You're not bad yourself."

Yun Ziyi's eyes flashed with anger, quickly masked by another sweet smile. "I heard Mr. Mo was deemed talentless after testing, but I sense your temperament is extraordinary. How could you lack talent?"

When Ye Mo remained silent, Yun Ziyi added, "Mr. Mo, I have a testing device here. If you're willing, I can test you again. Mine is more accurate than those commonly available."

Intrigued, Ye Mo considered the offer. He was curious about his talent and the slow pace of his cultivation.

Seeing his interest, Yun Ziyi retrieved a device from a closet. Ye Mo was astonished upon seeing it on the table; it closely resembled devices used in the cultivation realm, featuring eight orbs.

"Our founder's initial test results, using the old devices, indicated no talent, yet he reached the highest state on the magical continent. Thus, believing the device unreliable, he searched for alternatives, discovering this one in an ancient cultivation realm. Our founder retested and discovered he possessed level one talent," Yun Ziyi explained.

Ye Mo pondered this. If the Du Tian sect possessed such a device, why didn't other sects?

Yun Ziyi clarified, "It's significantly more useful than external devices because individuals with such talent as our founder are extremely rare, almost nonexistent."

Ye Mo nodded; the rarity of mutant spirit roots made sense.

"If you possess inner qi, place your hand on the device and insert it," Yun Ziyi instructed, her certainty that Ye Mo possessed inner qi evident.