24: Chapter 24: First Encounter with the Ink Jade Pearl!

"I should head back first!"

Zhao Changsheng muttered to himself. His preparations and plans to eliminate the Black Fiend Cult were all finalized, but he was in no hurry to set off. Instead, he had the idea of turning back—there were two matters weighing on his mind that he couldn't let go of.

First was Han Li's thousand-year spirit medicine.

After all this time, with Han Li's skill in nurturing Spirit Medicine, he must have accumulated quite a lot of the medicinal herbs he needed.

The stock he had previously obtained from Han Li had long since run dry. Now, to deal with the Black Fiend Cult and plan for his future cultivation, he couldn't manage without the support of Spirit Medicine. On this trip back, he had to get his hands on those herbs.

Second was Zhang Tie and Han Li. He had long planned to bring Zhang Tie into the Cultivation World. As for Han Li... someone who could continuously Cultivate Spirit Medicine, such a "good little brother" had to be well-nurtured. Only by obtaining enough heaven and earth spiritual medicine could his cultivation achieve a Breakthrough faster and his strength become more formidable.

Only after truly entering the Cultivation World did Zhao Changsheng understand the weight of the word "strength." It was the thing that decided everything. With enough strength, what could one not obtain? Although he now possessed a Wood Attribute Heavenly Spiritual Root, had successful Foundation Establishment, and had even taken a Core Formation Stage master, none of that was as reliable as the power held in his own hands.

He couldn't help but think that if he had already achieved Core Formation by now, why would he need such elaborate schemes to deal with the Black Fiend Cult?

With just a single palm strike, he could crush the entire Black Fiend Cult and pry the specific location of the Ancient Teleportation Array from the cult leader's mouth, heading straight to the Chaotic Star Sea to Cultivate.

He was well aware of the shifts in the Tiannan Cultivation World—there would surely be great chaos within a hundred years, whereas the Chaotic Star Sea would be much more stable.

Even if the Void Heaven Palace opened and the Reverse Star Alliance emerged a hundred years later, would his strength have stagnated by then? At the very least, he should be a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator. When he returned to Tiannan then, who could possibly stop him?

But all of this depended on things going "smoothly." If something went wrong along the way, it would all be for naught.

With this thought, Zhao Changsheng no longer hesitated—this trip back was imperative... Jian Prefecture and Jing Prefecture were separated by several provinces, making for a long journey. On his way back, Zhao Changsheng intentionally detoured through Lanzhou.

He knew this was the territory of Spirit Beast Mountain and had nothing to do with Yellow Maple Valley, but he never cared about such things. What he cared about was Jiayuan City in Lanzhou, specifically the female family members in the Mo Residence.

Regardless, Mo Juren had shown him the kindness of mentorship, and he remembered this debt of gratitude.

Moreover, when he read the book in his past life, he had been curious about the elegance of the mothers and daughters of the Mo Residence. Now that he had achieved Foundation Establishment and had the confidence, he naturally had to go take a look—he couldn't leave behind any regrets.

He hadn't gone last time because he was in a hurry to join Yellow Maple Valley. Now that the dust had settled, it was the perfect time to fulfill this whim... As soon as he stepped into Jiayuan City, the bustling atmosphere of daily life washed over him. This largest city in Lanzhou was one of the wealthiest places in the entire State of Yue—the Xianglu Grand Canal, which branched out in all directions, ran through the city. With busy water transport and rows of shops, the entire city appeared exceptionally prosperous.

But none of this caught Zhao Changsheng's eye. He walked straight through the crowd to the Xiang Family Restaurant opposite the Mo Residence and chose a seat by the window.

Just as the waiter filled his wine cup, his gaze crossed the street and landed on the main gate of the Mo Residence.

At this moment, several burly men in black stood at the entrance of the Mo Residence. Each was powerfully built with steady breathing, clearly trained martial artists and obviously skilled Martial Forest experts responsible for guarding the courtyard.

Zhao Changsheng glanced at them and withdrew his gaze, slowly sipping his wine. However, his eyes remained fixed on the vermilion gates of the Mo Residence as he waited patiently.

Suddenly, a rapid clatter of hooves came from the end of the street—approaching from afar, growing louder. The originally orderly pedestrians scrambled to get out of the way, and the street instantly fell into chaos.

Zhao Changsheng's eyes lit up, and he set down his wine cup—he knew that Mo Yuzhu had returned.

Counting it out, this girl was his Junior Sister, but her temperament was not at all like an ordinary woman's. She preferred brandishing spears and clubs, avoided needlework like the plague, and was especially obsessed with hunting, heading to the woods outside the city every two or three days to stir things up.

Combined with her charming and moving face, the Young Masters of Jiayuan City frequently swarmed around her, following her daily in hopes of gaining her favor and a chance at intimacy, yet so far, not a single person had succeeded.

Before long, a group of riders galloped to the front of the restaurant. The leading woman wore a fiery red, tight-fitting hunting outfit that outlined her lithe figure. A purple cloak covered her head, hiding most of her features, yet it couldn't conceal her spirited and heroic aura.

As the steed galloped past, the corner of her cloak was blown up by the wind, and Zhao Changsheng happened to catch a glimpse of the half of her face that was exposed—brows like distant mountains, eyes like autumn waters. Even just a fleeting glance was enough to leave a lasting impression.

He thought to himself that such looks would be rare even in the Cultivation World, where beauties were as common as clouds.

Mo Yuzhu pulled the reins at the entrance of the Mo Residence, and the horse reared up, letting out a soft neigh.

She nimbly flipped off the horse and raised her hand to remove her cloak, fully revealing a bright and moving face—skin like cream, lips like crimson drops. When she smiled, a hint of wildness was hidden in her eyes, making the surrounding air seem to come alive.

"Hand the prey over to the kitchen to be processed. Be careful not to ruin the pelts," she instructed the servants behind her, her voice crisp and decisive.

Once the servants complied, she turned and walked toward the residence gate. The gazes of the crowd of followers behind her were glued to her back, full of reluctance to let go. Only after that fiery red figure disappeared behind the vermilion gates did they reluctantly disperse.

Watching this scene, Zhao Changsheng shook his head slightly, picked up his wine cup, and drained the remaining wine in one gulp.

After paying for the wine, he carried the wine pot and leisurely walked out of the restaurant.

He looked somewhat dashing, but no one on the street paid him any mind—everyone was still discussing Mo Yuzhu.

Zhao Changsheng looked up at the sky.

He decided to slip into the Mo Residence once night fell. He didn't intend to be a common thief; he simply wanted to give the Mo family a relatively decent conclusion—following Mo Juren's last wishes, it would be enough to ensure the mother and daughters lived in wealth and without worry.

As for the Mo family's current status and power, he couldn't guarantee that—he knew the Fivese Sect was backed by Spirit Beast Mountain. With his current strength, it wasn't worth provoking people from Spirit Beast Mountain for the sake of the Mo family, lest he bring trouble upon himself.

The last glow of the setting sun faded below the horizon, and the sky gradually darkened.

Leaning against an old locust tree at the street corner, Zhao Changsheng finished the last drop of wine in the bottle just as a bright moon quietly hung in the night sky. The cold moonlight spilled onto the bluestone road, coating the night in a layer of hazy silver radiance.

It allowed lovers meeting under the moon to see each other's features clearly by the moonlight. That light happened to hide the small flaws on their faces and added a touch of tenderness, making the fluttering in their hearts grow even deeper.

Zhao Changsheng looked toward the Mo Residence. When the moonlight grew thicker, it would be time for him to act.

"The time has come!"