Zhang Jingmo actually didn't mind at all if Lu Guijiu practiced dual cultivation with someone else.

In fact, you could say he was hoping Lu Guijiu would find a female disciple to practice dual cultivation with, but that person absolutely could not be Su Yu. In this life, Zhang Jingmo not killing Su Yu was already giving her a lot of face. Asking him to accept Su Yu getting close to Lu Guijiu was simply impossible.

However, the sect leader's question did give Zhang Jingmo a new line of thought.

Actually, up until now, Zhang Jingmo had never figured out why Lu Guijiu would be interested in him. He was just a hard, stiff man, not gentle, graceful and understanding like a woman.

Zhang Jingmo thought about it seriously again, and felt that maybe it was because there were too few female disciples in Lingxu Sect, so Lu Guijiu saw too few of them, leading to him growing up crooked later on...

But what the sect leader asked him suddenly gave him an idea.

After leaving the sect leader, Zhang Jingmo went straight to find Lu Guijiu. Lu Guijiu didn't know why Zhang Jingmo came to find him, and still had a face full of joy.

However, Zhang Jingmo's next sentence made the smile on his face fade, because Zhang Jingmo said, "Guijiu, have you ever thought about finding a woman to practice dual cultivation with?"

The smile froze on Lu Guijiu's face. His eyes showed a hint of disbelief and confusion as he said, "Why is Master suddenly asking this?"

Zhang Jingmo had been observing Lu Guijiu's expression the whole time. Seeing Lu Guijiu's smile stiffen a bit now, he frowned and said, "You don't want to find someone?"

Lu Guijiu shook his head. "It's not that Guijiu is unwilling, it's just that Guijiu's cultivation method is too strange. If others found out..." He sighed. "Or has Master already found someone who can practice dual cultivation with me?"

Hearing Lu Guijiu say this, Zhang Jingmo finally remembered this issue. He suddenly realized there were too many secrets between him and Lu Guijiu. It was best not to let others get involved. Otherwise, if the secrets leaked, not only Lu Guijiu, but even he would be in danger.

Zhang Jingmo pondered for a moment, then agreed with Lu Guijiu's thinking.

After finishing discussing this matter, he suddenly smelled a hint of medicinal fragrance and said, "You're injured?"

Lu Guijiu smiled and rolled up his sleeve, saying, "I accidentally got cut." A sword wound could be seen there, smeared with white spiritual medicine. It didn't look too serious.

Zhang Jingmo said, "Be careful. If there's anything you don't understand, you must come ask me."

Lu Guijiu nodded in assent.

Zhang Jingmo then said, "In a few days, a formation grandmaster from Lingxu Sect will come help me reset the restrictions. Do you still remember the words you promised me in front of the bone formation of the Dark Cavern?"

Lu Guijiu naturally remembered. He remembered every word he promised Zhang Jingmo.

Seeing Lu Guijiu nod again, Zhang Jingmo's expression softened even more. He said, "When Shuying comes tomorrow, I will make a deal with her."

Lu Guijiu quietly listened to Zhang Jingmo speak.

Zhang Jingmo said, "She is most skilled in the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, the most renowned formation grandmaster in Lingxu Sect. After you build your foundation, I will hand you over to her."

Lu Guijiu only lightly pursed his lips.

Seeing this, Zhang Jingmo wanted to reach out and pat Lu Guijiu's head, but when he stretched out his hand, he found that Lu Guijiu was even a bit taller than him. Feeling awkward, he could only change to patting Lu Guijiu's shoulder. "I'm not asking you to learn it as deeply as her, but you must learn the ordinary Eight Trigrams formations."

Even if Lu Guijiu was unwilling, he couldn't say no. Fortunately, his foundation building was still far off, so he didn't need to worry too much.

Zhang Jingmo then said, "The reason I sent you to my senior brother Bai Lingxiao is so you can learn his swordsmanship. Having one more skill is equivalent to having one more life."

He could actually see the unwillingness in Lu Guijiu's expression, but he didn't point it out. Lu Guijiu also didn't plan to say it.

The older they got, the more things stood between them. As Zhang Jingmo watched Lu Guijiu gradually approach the youth in his memories, he sometimes couldn't help but feel a sense of discomfort.

Fortunately, perhaps due to cultivating the Water Extension Scripture, this life's Lu Guijiu had a much gentler temperament compared to the first life's Lu Guijiu. The way he handled matters and treated others was also not as extreme.

You could even say that he already knew how to play dumb and be soft. To Zhang Jingmo, it was hard to say if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

The next day, Shuying came to reset the formation for Zhang Jingmo's cave residence. She was at the late Golden Core stage, her cultivation a bit higher than Zhang Jingmo's. Perhaps on the sect leader's instructions, the formation she set up for Zhang Jingmo this time was the best grand formation in Lingxu Sect. As long as Zhang Jingmo was unwilling, probably even a Nascent Soul cultivator wouldn't be able to enter.

Not to mention forcibly taking Zhang Jingmo away.

It took Shuying a full two months to set up the formation, consuming quite a few high-grade spirit stones in the process. Seeing this, Zhang Jingmo said, "I don't have to pay for these spirit stones, right?" Seeing such a generous amount, even he felt some heartache.

Shuying laughed, "Of course you don't need to pay. You're now Lingxu Sect's treasure."

Hearing this, Zhang Jingmo also laughed and said, "Then thank you very much, Shuying."

Shuying tossed Zhang Jingmo a small copper bell and said, "This is the formation's eye. Keep it safe."

Zhang Jingmo tucked the bell into his sleeve. Seeing Shuying about to leave, he called out, "Shuying."

Shuying turned her head and asked what else Zhang Jingmo needed.

Zhang Jingmo said, "If I remember correctly, one of your disciples is also about to establish their foundation, right?"

Shuying smiled and said, "What do you want?"

Zhang Jingmo said, "I want my disciple to follow you and learn formations for ten years after establishing his foundation."

Shuying said, "Lu Guijiu?"

Zhang Jingmo nodded.

Shuying's eyes flashed and she held up five fingers.

Zhang Jingmo shook his head and held up three fingers. Seeing this, Shuying said, "Then let's both take a step back and take the middle number, how about that?"

Zhang Jingmo agreed.

Shuying said, "But I have to tell you first, although I won't secretly hold back anything, I can't guarantee how much your disciple will be able to learn."

Zhang Jingmo said, "Of course." He was very confident in Lu Guijiu's comprehension ability. Lu Guijiu had only followed Bai Lingxiao for a few years but had already grasped the essence of Bai Lingxiao's swordsmanship. Although he still had a long way to go to catch up to Bai Lingxiao, he had already laid a solid foundation.

Zhang Jingmo could have taught Lu Guijiu about formations, but the things he learned were all unorthodox methods. Besides, with the great formation master present, there was no need for him to waste his own energy.

Shuying said with a smile, "Everyone in the sect is saying that having you as a master is truly a great fortune for Lu Guijiu."

Zhang Jingmo only smiled without answering. Shuying didn't know that in a few years, this sentence would change to having Lu Guijiu as a disciple being Zhang Jingmo's great fortune.

The wheel of fate turns, who knows what the future holds.

After Shuying set up the formation, she left. Zhang Jingmo took the formation's eye and tested the power of this great formation, realizing that he truly owed the sect leader a big favor this time.

He had originally planned to go out and explore spiritual veins, but because of that masked person, Zhang Jingmo didn't want to gamble with his life. So he simply decided to go into seclusion within the sect.

Ever since Zhang Jingmo took in Lu Guijiu, he had devoted himself wholeheartedly to Lu Guijiu, and his own cultivation had been somewhat neglected. After being reminded by the sect leader, he realized that even if he placed his hopes on Lu Guijiu, he must not let his own cultivation fall behind.

Perhaps it was because he had let go of certain burdens in his heart, Zhang Jingmo's cultivation this year was twice as effective compared to before, truly giving the impression of progressing by leaps and bounds.

This goes to show that the saying "cultivation relies on the heart" is not unfounded.

There were two spiritual caves in Zhang Jingmo's residence. Previously, when Ji Jinglun went out traveling, he and Lu Guijiu each occupied one. Now that Ji Jinglun had returned, Zhang Jingmo didn't let Lu Guijiu give up that spiritual cave. Instead, he himself began sharing one with Ji Jinglun.

Fortunately, Ji Jinglun had just established his foundation, and the most important thing was to stabilize his spiritual platform. He didn't need to use too much of the spiritual cave. When he learned about this, he was very surprised by Zhang Jingmo's actions but didn't know how to react.

Seeing Ji Jinglun's conflicted face, Zhang Jingmo deliberately withheld an explanation, waiting until Ji Jinglun found a time when Lu Guijiu wasn't around to ask.

Ji Jinglun said, "Master, you treat junior brother so well, I'm getting jealous." Indeed, before Lu Guijiu came, Zhang Jingmo's greatest attention was on Ji Jinglun.

And this disciple indeed did not disappoint him. Back when he was taken away by Lu Guijiu, Ji Jinglun, who was far overseas, tried his best to rescue him. Unfortunately, at that time, Lu Guijiu had already reached an invincible level, and even Ji Jinglun was powerless to change the situation.

In these more than 120 lifetimes, Ji Jinglun had never done anything to harm Zhang Jingmo. At most, if Zhang Jingmo neglected him in that lifetime, his relationship with Zhang Jingmo would become more distant.

Because of this, Zhang Jingmo always had a very good impression of his senior disciple.