Fortunately, Shen Mo now consumed only Elixirs of Grade II or higher. Their quality was perfect or excellent, offering potent medicinal effects with relatively weak pill's poison. When the pill's poison accumulated enough to hinder his cultivation, he would take a Grade III Exorcism Origin Pill, which mitigated the impact.

Of course, even the best Elixirs couldn't compare to the Nine Holes Stone Marrow.

However, such Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures were exceptionally rare and not easily found. Even the Riverside Sect's Treasure Hall held only a limited supply. The Law Master, the Three Peaks' Peak Masters, and the various Hall Masters also had need of them. It was already remarkable that Shen Mo had managed to obtain one portion. He might only obtain another portion of such a precious medicine if he continued to make outstanding contributions to the Riverside Sect.

These three major expenditures, combined with various smaller miscellaneous costs—such as purchasing demonic beast flesh and blood for the Spirit Storage Rat, using "Insight into All Beings", and stocking different Elixirs and talismans—brought his regular monthly expenses to between thirty and fifty middle-grade Spirit Stones. This didn't even include extraordinary expenses. Upgrading magic artifacts, exchanging cultivation methods, or purchasing elixir recipes and talisman scrolls could cost a fortune.

Fortunately, Shen Mo currently possessed plenty of magic treasures and had no plans to acquire more. The Demon Slaying Sword only needed careful nurturing. Whether it could advance to become a spiritual level Flying Sword ultimately depended on fortune. After integrating the remaining four Big Dipper Swords with the Thunder Killing Pearl and Red Heaven Gold, they had finally advanced to high-grade profound level.

As a result, the power of the Sword Array, formed by seven high-grade profound level Dao swords, had surged once more. This also validated Shen Mo's earlier hypothesis. Under identical conditions, the current Sword Array's power was thirty-four times greater than when it was formed by seven sword embryos, not the seventeen times he had initially imagined. Once the Sword Array fully formed, its power multiplied exponentially due to the mutual resonance of the swords' auras. Furthermore, with amplifications from Shen Mo himself—the cultivator deploying the array—such as his own Mana, soul and body, cultivation level, and Skills, the array was far more formidable than its primitive form. It was likely dozens, if not hundreds, of times more powerful.

As for spiritual level cultivation methods, his Sect Merit Points were insufficient; he still needed to save up. He didn't need to worry about elixir recipes, but talisman scrolls depended on chance.

After cataloging his recent gains, Shen Mo was about to forge some magic artifacts when his Sound Transmission Talisman suddenly vibrated with a HUM.

Shen Mo's expression flickered with confusion. Senior Sister Chen… She has full authority over all affairs of the Defense Division. Why would she contact me now?

He picked up the talisman, and upon inspecting it, realization dawned.

About a month ago, Shopkeeper Qian had mentioned wanting to send his son and daughter to serve in Hongye City's Defense Division. However, because his eldest son, Qian Xiaohu, was on the verge of advancing to the Qi Gathering Realm, the matter had been delayed, and Shen Mo had nearly forgotten about it.

He retracted the Nether Fire, and with a surge of Mana, shook the rust and dust from his clothes. Then, he strode towards the main hall of the Defense Division.

In the main hall, Chen Mengze and Xu Tong were seated in the lower principal seats. Further down were Qi Gathering Realm Elders from the Gold Toad Tower and the Thriving Gold Sect, along with powerful individuals from small immortal sects, minor families, and rogue cultivators. Even the weakest among them was at Layer VI of the Qi Gathering Realm.

Usually, the Defense Division didn't have so many cultivators on duty. After all, they each had their own affairs to manage and cultivation to pursue, so they seldom gathered all at once. Today was an exception. Some cultivators under her command had reported sightings of several powerful demon heads in Wolf Howling Ridge, one hundred fifty miles northwest of Hongye City. Consequently, Chen Mengze had assembled a team, preparing to go and jointly deal with the Heavenly Demon. This happened to coincide with the arrival of Qian Xiaohu and Qian Xiaofeng, the siblings who had come to register with the Defense Division.

Facing a room full of late-stage Qi Gathering Realm experts, Qian Xiaohu appeared quite reserved, standing ramrod straight and not daring to glance around. In contrast, Qian Xiaofeng, despite her weaker cultivation, possessed a young girl's lively and active nature. It wasn't long before she had warmed up to Chen Mengze.

"Sister Mengze, you're so beautiful, and you're Senior Shen's Senior Sister from the same sect, right?"

"Living and working together, hasn't Senior Shen… ever thought about a relationship like a matched pair of stringed instruments with you?"

"In Green Sheep City, many scions of Immortal families flock around me. But I don't care for them and can't be bothered!"

"My father says Senior Shen has a refined and detached temperament and appearance, and he's incredibly capable—far better than those rich heirs."

Qian Xiaofeng hovered around Chen Mengze, chattering incessantly. With anyone else, Chen Mengze would have certainly grown impatient. But seeing Qian Xiaofeng's innocent and vivacious nature, she couldn't bring herself to be annoyed.

She lightly flicked Qian Xiaofeng's forehead and said, feigning displeasure, "Your father must be romanticizing things. My Junior Brother is undoubtedly highly skilled, but 'refined and detached'... where did that idea come from?"

"I just arrived and I already hear you speaking ill of me!"

Shen Mo entered from outside, a smile on his face. "And why, pray tell, am I not worthy of being called 'refined and detached'?"

"I believe you've been around 'fragrance' for so long, you no longer notice it!"

His Basic Destiny for Appearance was already 'Dignified'. While aesthetic preferences varied, the panel wouldn't deceive him. It was hardly surprising that Shopkeeper Qian had praised his 'refined and detached' temperament and appearance. Chen Mengze, however, had witnessed him at his lowest point, and her perception of him likely hadn't shifted much since then.

"Greetings, Senior Shen!"

Seeing the man himself, Qian Xiaohu and Qian Xiaofeng quickly bowed in respect. Aside from Chen Mengze, the other cultivators in the hall, including Xu Tong, also rose to pay their respects to Shen Mo. Shen Mo returned their salutations.

He then took the seat of honor above Chen Mengze and asked in a gentle tone, "Are you two Qian Xiaohu and Qian Xiaofeng, Qian Xingji's children?"

The siblings nodded obediently. Then, Qian Xiaohu spoke up, "Senior, our father asked us to join the Hongye City Defense Division. Would that be possible?"

Shen Mo observed them carefully before replying, "Seeing as your cultivation has reached the Qi Gathering Realm, naturally, it is possible. As for Qian Xiaofeng, although her foundation seems a bit unstable, she has reached Layer VII of the Body Tempering Realm. Registering her name should pose no problem. Just be extra cautious when you go out to exorcise demons and eliminate evil. Additionally, your monthly stipends will be determined based on your capabilities after an assessment. For the Body Tempering Realm, the monthly stipend is between twenty and forty Spirit Stones. For the Qi Gathering Realm, it's between fifty and one hundred Spirit Stones..."

As he spoke, Shen Mo glanced at Chen Mengze. Understanding his unspoken question, she shook her head. "You should assess these two siblings yourself. I must go with a few fellow daoists to Wolf Howling Ridge to deal with the demon heads there!"

"Alright. In that case, be careful, and don't let the demon heads injure you."

He had just finished speaking when he noticed the other Defense Division cultivators looking at him intently. Shen Mo offered an awkward smile and added, "Fellow daoists, please exercise caution as well. Your safety is paramount. If you encounter overwhelming odds, send word to me."

"We shall obey the Commander's orders!"

Xu Tong and the other Qi Gathering Realm cultivators acknowledged their tasks and departed in an orderly fashion. Together with Chen Mengze, they transformed into streaks of light, braving the heavy snowfall as they flew northwest towards Wolf Howling Ridge.

Just as Shen Mo was about to assess the capabilities of Qian Xiaohu and Qian Xiaofeng, his expression suddenly shifted. He felt the ambient Qi of heaven and earth tremble violently, causing even the main hall of the Defense Division to sway slightly.

Gazing towards the northwest, he witnessed a pillar of murky Demonic Qi erupting into the sky!

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