The sun rises.

Su Xin, the senior sister of Danxia Peak, and the steward disciple Lin Qingchou led a team to Zhenlian City and brought an exciting piece of news.

The human cultivators from Eastern Cultivator, West Imperial, and South Demon have slain multiple high-grade demonic beasts, and the beast tide is showing signs of retreat.

This time, the confrontation between the Human Race and demonic beasts will still end in victory for the Human Race.

The citizens of Zhenlian City cheered at the news, and in the evening, City Lord Xu Jiangxing hosted a grand banquet to welcome the Zhenyang Sect disciples who came to aid.

Inside the City Lord’s Mansion.

In the spacious and bright banquet hall, the scene was resplendent with lights and colors, with cups and goblets interweaving, an atmosphere filled with song and dance.

Elder Zheng Shengmo and Jian Yue sat in the main seats alongside Xu Jiangxing, with Zhou Shinen and other patriarchs, Wei Wan, and Chun Ningzhi, the commanding disciples, flanking them. Below them were Lin Qingchou and several other steward disciples.

Then came the inner sect disciples and outer sect disciples.

However, Qin Gengyun, Qiu Zhihe, Mo Xiaolan, and Liu Su were already in the Golden Core Realm and contributed significantly to the slaying of the Beast King, thus they were seated with the inner sect disciples.

There were dance performances during the banquet, and everyone cheered, with Xu Jiangxing and Zhou Shinen frequently toasting, making the atmosphere very lively.

With the threat of the beast tide gone, everyone fully relaxed, and the sorrow of fellow disciples perishing the day before seemed to have faded considerably.

At this time, Chun Ningzhi was holding up his wine glass and walking to Jian Yue, his eyes full of admiration:

"Junior Sister Ye, I toast to you!"

Jian Yue gracefully stood up, picked up her wine glass, and clinked it with his, a smile appearing on her cold face:

"Thank you Senior Brother Chun, you’ve worked hard."

"It’s nothing, it’s nothing!"

Chun Ningzhi was excited to see his beloved Junior Sister Ye smile at him, so much so that his hands holding the glass trembled, and he downed it in one go.

Sitting below, Lin Qingchou watched this scene, her gaze dimming briefly, yet she immediately thought of how she now possessed a Top-grade Spirit Root and had capital to compete with Ye Xiyue, which lightened her mood somewhat.

Lin Qingchou was looking at Chun Ningzhi, unaware that Senior Brother Chun’s master was also watching her.

After the outer sect competition, Zheng Shengmo had originally agreed with Lin Qingchou to have her come to Forgetful Peak the next night.

He had said it was to assist in matchmaking Lin Qingchou with his eldest disciple Chun Ningzhi, but Zheng Shengmo’s true aim was Lin Qingchou’s Top-grade Spirit Root.

Zheng Shengmo had been stuck at the Nascent Soul Peak for years, with his cultivation reaching a bottleneck.

Only by dual-cultivating with a woman with a Top-grade Spirit Root and absorbing her spiritual energy could he have a chance to break through.

Zheng Shengmo’s original targets were Ye Xiyue or Si Minglan, but Ye Xiyue had already been defiled, and the spiritual energy within her was no longer pure.

Si Minglan had disappeared without a trace, and Zheng Shengmo had thought he no longer had any hope of breaking through, unexpectedly discovering that Lin Qingchou also possessed a Top-grade Spirit Root.

On that day, Zheng Shengmo had investigated and found that Lin Qingchou seemed to have undergone some fortuitous encounter, transforming her original Upper Grade Spirit Root into a Top-grade Spirit Root.

Though such a post-natal Top-grade Spirit Root cannot compare to innate ones, it is more than sufficient for dual cultivation to break through.

Indeed, heaven never seals off all paths!

Moreover, Lin Qingchou’s appearance and figure are also excellent, making it quite an enjoyable experience.

After all, Ningzhi has no feelings for this Lin Qingchou, he shouldn’t mind letting her be for the master?

Zheng Shengmo felt increasingly content, and coincidently Chun Ningzhi toasted him, Zheng Shengmo laughed heartily, raised his glass, and said to his good disciple:

"Ningzhi, seldom do you show such filial piety, this master is very gratified!"

Chun Ningzhi, having received a smile from Junior Sister Ye and now praised by his master, excitedly replied;

"Thank you, master. Your disciple will surely dedicate himself to Forgetful Peak and the sect in the future!"

"Hahaha, good, good, good!"

Beside him, Jian Yue’s eyes twinkled as she suddenly said, "Junior Martial Uncle Zheng slew two seventh-grade demonic beasts, and his cultivation is peerless. Could you tell us about the situation at that time?"

Zheng Shengmo chuckled, "Such a trivial matter, not worth mentioning. Fellow disciples resisted the beast tide valiantly, why not share your encounters in battle with the demonic beasts?"

Xu Jiangxing’s eyes flickered, and he raised his glass to Zheng Shengmo, saying:

"Elder Zheng, having slain two seventh-grade demonic beasts, Zhenlian City cherishes your benevolence, believing the battle to be extremely dangerous. We are all very curious and wish to hear of the master’s exploits!"

Patriarchs from Zhenlian City’s noble families echoed, one after another praising him.

Zheng Shengmo drank another cup, his face slightly flushed, and hearing the praises, he couldn’t help but laugh heartily:

"Since you insist, I shall recount it. That day, when I reached less than a few miles from Qilian Mountain, I sensed two unusual energies."

"After several searches, I finally found the two lurking brutes!"

"One was the Moon-devouring Python, the other a Red Flame Fox!"

At once, everyone exclaimed, "It was actually the Moon-devouring Python and Red Flame Fox?!"

"It’s said the Moon-devouring Python can swallow mountains and seas, and the Red Flame Fox spews Li Fire that can incinerate everything!"

"Elder Zheng facing both, indeed peerless in cultivation!"

Zheng Shengmo became even more pleased and narrated his battle with the two demonic beasts in eloquent detail, eliciting constant cheers and applause.

"Young Master, Miss, I can’t stand it anymore. This old thing is too shameless!"

While pretending to listen attentively, Liu Su murmured to Qin Gengyun and Qiu Zhihe.

Qin Gengyun frowned while Qiu Zhihe lightly glared at Liu Su to make her stop.

An hour later, nightfall, the banquet ended.

Everyone left their seats, Lin Qingchou was about to return to her room when Zheng Shengmo’s voice suddenly sounded in her ear:

"Niece Lin, come with me."

She suddenly turned back, seeing Junior Martial Uncle Zheng smiling kindly at her, her heart instantly started pounding.

After the outer sect competition ended, Junior Martial Uncle Zheng had originally promised to help match her with Senior Brother Chun, but the beast tide suddenly struck, and the matter was left hanging.

Lin Qingchou was anxious, thinking Junior Martial Uncle Zheng had forgotten about it.

Unexpectedly, Junior Martial Uncle Zheng suddenly called her alone.

Could it be that he intends to fulfill his promise, and match me with Senior Brother Chun?

"Yes."

Lin Qingchou responded joyously and respectfully, following Zheng Shengmo out of the City Lord’s Mansion.

By this time it was late, with few pedestrians on the city’s streets, the two swiftly used their body technique and left through the city gates without anyone noticing.

Lin Qingchou followed Zheng Shengmo over Qilian Mountain, running for half a two-hour period, already tens of miles away from Zhenlian City, finding it odd.

"Junior Martial Uncle Zheng, where are we going?"

Zheng Shengmo turned back, smiling, "Just now I told Ningzhi about your matter, Ningzhi was very pleasantly surprised to hear you have a Top-grade Spirit Root. However, since he always favored Ye Xiyue, he feared being mocked for suddenly shifting affection, hence chose a place with no one to meet you."

Lin Qingchou felt shy yet happy, "Senior Brother Chun truly wishes to be with me..."

Zheng Shengmo nodded, "Rest assured, Ningzhi listens to me most. When I ask him to marry you, he wouldn’t dare disobey."

Lin Qingchou was overjoyed, "Thank you Junior Martial Uncle Zheng, your disciple will surely repay you!"

"Haha, no hurry, you will soon be able to repay me."