Lu Guijiu felt this version of Zhang Jingmo was very unfamiliar. He said, "Master... what's wrong with you?"

Zhang Jingmo paused, the lazy aura around him turning sharp. He said, "Guijiu, do you still remember what your master instructed you to do in the Dark Cavern?"

How could Lu Guijiu forget? Wasn't the reason Zhang Jingmo took him away from Lingxu Sect to cultivate in the Dark Cavern precisely for the upcoming Xuanwu Conference? He nodded and said, "I remember."

Zhang Jingmo said, "Don't disappoint your master."

Lu Guijiu said, "Yes, Master."

Zhang Jingmo waved his hand, dismissing Lu Guijiu. With the Xuanwu Conference approaching, he couldn't let Lu Guijiu be distracted by these small matters.

As the Xuanwu Conference drew near, the atmosphere in Lingxu Sect also grew tense.

In recent years, Lingxu Sect had produced many talented disciples. After asking around, Zhang Jingmo learned that among the new disciples participating in the Xuanwu Conference this year, there were three at the fifth level of Qi Refining, not even counting Lu Guijiu.

In previous years, having just one would have been enough to determine who would win first place at the Xuanwu Conference, but this year it was indeed uncertain.

Among these three, one was Daoist Cen's disciple.

Zhang Jingmo indeed could no longer clearly remember what achievements Daoist Cen's disciple would have in the future, but he also didn't need to waste effort recalling the future of a dead man.

After Lu Guijiu returned to the sect, Zhang Jingmo refined some more medicinal pills to aid in his cultivation. Coupled with the "Blood Hell Heaven Scripture", Lu Guijiu's cultivation speed was simply advancing by leaps and bounds.

The "Blood Hell Heaven Scripture" that Lu Guijiu cultivated was filled with extremely aggressive techniques, unlike the gentle "Water Extension Scripture" Zhang Jingmo had taught him.

Zhang Jingmo sparred with Lu Guijiu daily. Occasionally when he was careless, he would even be injured by Lu Guijiu. And in order to defeat Zhang Jingmo, Lu Guijiu racked his brains for ideas. The endless stream of ideas in his mind made Zhang Jingmo click his tongue in amazement, thinking that Lu Guijiu was indeed an excellent seedling.

A few months before the Xuanwu Conference, Daoist Cen came to find Zhang Jingmo again. This time, he purposely brought his disciple, seemingly wanting to show off in front of Zhang Jingmo.

But Zhang Jingmo was too lazy to say much to him. Using the excuse of being in seclusion to refine pills, he activated the restrictions on his cave abode and didn't even let Daoist Cen in.

Daoist Cen was somewhat irritated and ridiculed Zhang Jingmo extensively outside his door. Zhang Jingmo directly cast a soundproofing spell and paid it no mind.

However, although Zhang Jingmo felt it didn't matter, the others in Lingxu Sect took Zhang Jingmo's closed-door response as a sign of weakness. Lu Guijiu had been in the sect for eleven years, but very few people in the entire Lingxu Sect knew of him. Besides Zhang Jingmo himself, only Bai Lingxiao and Yu Fen had some understanding.

Now, with Bai Lingxiao in seclusion and Yu Fen unable to see through the true cultivation level that Zhang Jingmo had concealed for Lu Guijiu, Yu Fen was a bit worried about his good friend. He came to the door several times to ask if any help was needed.

Zhang Jingmo didn't want his good friend to worry too much. Besides, Lu Guijiu would reveal his true cultivation level at the Xuanwu Conference anyway, so he simply told Yu Fen that Lu Guijiu had already reached the mid-stage of the fifth level of Qi Refining.

At first, Yu Fen thought Zhang Jingmo was joking. After Zhang Jingmo removed the restriction, and he saw Lu Guijiu's true cultivation level, he was completely stunned. He said, "Qingyuan... where did you pick up this treasure?"

Zhang Jingmo clapped his hands and laughed, "When I first picked him up, you even advised me against it."

Yu Fen shook his head and sighed, "This luck..." He could also see that Lu Guijiu had good roots back then, but that appearance of Lu Guijiu made him lose all interest.

Who would have thought that in the end, these good roots turned out to be extremely outstanding. A fifteen-year-old at the mid-stage of the fifth layer of Qi Refining realm - in the past five hundred years on this continent, there definitely wouldn't be a second one.

Seeing Yu Fen's shocked expression, Zhang Jingmo's smile deepened. He said, "How about we make a bet?"

Yu Fen asked, "Bet on what?"

Zhang Jingmo said, "I bet with you that within a hundred years, my disciple will be able to establish his foundation."

Yu Fen waved his hand, "This joke is too much. Although reaching the fifth layer of Qi Refining at the age of fifteen is already heaven-defying, I have never even heard of establishing a foundation within a hundred years."

Zhang Jingmo fiddled with the wine cup on the table, "Are you betting or not?"

Yu Fen asked, "What are the stakes?"

Zhang Jingmo took out a fiery red pill from his sleeve. Yu Fen's eyes widened as soon as he saw it, "Molten Fire Pill? You actually have one more?" Initially, Zhang Jingmo had always claimed to the outside world that he had only refined one and had given it to Bai Lingxiao. Yu Fen didn't expect that Zhang Jingmo still had some in stock.

Zhang Jingmo said, "If you win, this pill will be yours."

Yu Fen asked, "If you win?"

Zhang Jingmo said, "You will agree to one request of mine."

Yu Fen thought for a moment, feeling that he wouldn't lose either way. His entire fortune was not even worth a fraction of the Molten Fire Pill in Zhang Jingmo's hand, so he readily agreed.

Zhang Jingmo smiled again seeing Yu Fen fall into the trap. He didn't dare say it to others, but he was extremely confident that without his help, Lu Guijiu would still successfully build his foundation at the age of a hundred years old, although he didn't know what level of spiritual platform he would build.

As for the request Zhang Jingmo planned to make to Yu Fen, it was also very simple. He wanted Yu Fen to not take a single step out of Lingxu Sect for a hundred years.

Not leaving Lingxu Sect meant he wouldn't encounter that demon who was entangled with Yu Fen for a lifetime - at least that was Zhang Jingmo's current plan. Whether there would be any changes in the future, he didn't know.

Having put Yu Fen's mind at ease, Zhang Jingmo was preparing to close his doors and no longer receive guests. What he didn't expect was that on the second day of his seclusion, the Sect Master came to find him.

The Sect Master didn't beat around the bush. His first sentence was, "Do you really want to let your disciple participate in the Xuanwu Conference?"

Zhang Jingmo said, "Yes."

The Sect Master said, "In these past few hundred years, you have only accepted one disciple..." He deliberated on his wording for a moment before continuing, "If something unexpected happens..."

Zhang Jingmo didn't expect the Sect Master to be so concerned about him. For a moment, he was even a little overwhelmed by the favor. He said, "I naturally know this."

The Sect Master looked at him thoughtfully, "Have you really thought it through?"

Zhang Jingmo said, "I have." The Sect Master's character had always been upright and selfless. It was an ironclad rule, set by Lingxu Sect many years ago, that new disciples must participate in the Xuanwu Conference. However, he didn't expect the Sect Master to personally come to Zhang Jingmo's door to give him a way out.

Seeing that Zhang Jingmo had already decided, the Sect Master nodded. He said, "If you have thought it through, then you must bear the consequences. That disciple of Daoist Cen..."

Zhang Jingmo asked, "What about him?"

The Sect Master shook his head, "Good talent, but unfortunately followed the wrong master."

Zhang Jingmo agreed with this point.

The Sect Master glanced at Zhang Jingmo and said, "If he had followed you, it wouldn't be bad."

Zhang Jingmo: "..." Wait, this development seems a bit... off...?

The Sect Master's next sentence left Zhang Jingmo a little dumbfounded. He said, "Qingyuan, have you ever thought about accepting another disciple?"

Zhang Jingmo: "..." How dare he?

Seeing Zhang Jingmo not speaking, the Sect Master thought he had a deep bond with his disciple Lu Guijiu, so he said, "I've seen the disciple you accepted. Although his roots are superior, his fate is not very good."

Zhang Jingmo said, "...Sect Master, I appreciate your kind intentions."

Seeing Zhang Jingmo's resolute expression, the Sect Master sighed. That look in his eyes was clearly telling Zhang Jingmo... if something happened to Lu Guijiu at the Xuanwu Conference, don't be too heartbroken.

Zhang Jingmo thought to himself, what could happen to Lu Guijiu? If something were to happen, it would be to the disciples of others.