Chapter 224 - - 222 Random Response_1

—————✧✧✧✧—————

Six days later.

The group arrived at the Medical Immortal Sect.

The Medical Immortal Sect was remote and desolate, with dense forests and towering mountains along the way, making it extremely difficult for cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Stage who couldn’t fly to traverse the terrain.

Having finally arrived at the foot of the mountain, Duge looked up at the half-hidden sect gates on the mountainside and became even more determined to elevate the cultivation of the sect’s cultivators to the Golden Core Stage.

Those in the Golden Core Stage could use sword flight, and it was feasible to carry one or two people, but not ten. Fortunately, the lowest cultivation level among the group was the peak of the Foundation Establishment Stage. With all their might in rushing the journey, they only took this short amount of time.

If they were all in the Qi Refinement Realm, just rushing the journey would have taken more than half a month.

Wasting time on the road was the most grievous loss.

…

“The spiritual energy of a prestigious sect really is rich!” Standing at the foot of the mountain, Xu Heming’s eyes were filled with envy, “We haven’t even entered the gate, and the density of spiritual energy is already far superior to that of my Sky Mist Valley. I can’t begin to imagine what it must be like further up the mountain!”

Xu Heming could feel it, and naturally, so could Duge. Looking at the gate above, his heart was filled with emotion. This was truly a sect for cultivation. The spiritual energy was abundant here.

Compared to Seven Star Mountain, this place was nothing but trash.

However.

If he had taken possession of such a sect back then, the allocation between plundering and nobility would definitely not have developed this quickly!

In such a remote sect, whom could he have robbed?

The sick?

Unless he attained the Golden Core, he might not even be able to leave the sect…

Indeed.

It was right not to take possession of a prestigious sect; there were too few people to stir up much of a storm within it.

But now?

Duge suddenly looked at the Dean and asked, “Dean, how do these sects usually recruit disciples?”

“Under normal circumstances, prestigious sects will send people into the populace at regular intervals, searching for talented children in various towns to take as disciples,” the Dean said, “Disciples who have achieved some skill in the sect would travel the world to broaden their horizons and if they find good seedlings, they would also bring them back to the sect.”

“Are there no self-recommendations?” Duge asked.

“Very few. Most sects are hidden in remote mountains and dense forests where ordinary people simply cannot reach. Even if by some fluke they find the sect, it’s rare for them to be accepted,” the Dean explained, “Sects favor talent when taking disciples. Ordinary people, even if they are determined, without the talent and physique for cultivation, won’t be accepted by the sect. Those of clear background might still be kept on as handymen. If it’s discovered that they are spies sent by other sects, in eight or nine cases out of ten, they would be killed.”

“How do they detect if someone’s a spy?” Duge asked, “With the Soul Searching Technique?”

The Dean’s heart turned cold as he recalled the incident with Wang Chong, possibly being possessed. Subconsciously lowering his voice, he explained, “Sect Leader, I have been in the Supervisory Academy for many years, and I have never heard of any spells like the Soul Searching Technique. The Demon Sect, however, has evil skills that can confuse the mind, but those make people voluntarily reveal the truth; they can’t read thoughts directly from someone’s mind.

To determine if one is possessed, the usual way is to verify if the divine soul matches the body. Those who take possession of others’ bodies will always show various kinds of incompatibilities. Their foundations are unstable, and spiritual power invades the Upper Dantian, which can easily force the divine soul out of the body. This is a common method used to identify possession.”

The seventh junior brother subconsciously glanced at his own Sect Head Senior Brother.

“Seventh junior brother, little junior sister, Old Xu, from now on, you are people of the Supervision General Institute and have no relation to me. We just happened to meet on the road, understand?” Duge pondered for a moment and suddenly spoke to the others.

“Sect Head Senior Brother, what are you planning to do?” the little junior sister asked.

“Sect Leader, do you intend to take a disciple from the Medical Immortal Sect?” The Dean, recalling Duge’s recent inquiry, asked in astonishment.

“Correct,” Duge smiled, “There’s a definite difference in difficulty between conquering a sect from the outside and infiltrating from within. The Medical Immortal Valley has individuals who have transformed into divinity. Facing them directly would be too challenging…”

“…” The Dean was shocked and took a step back, “Sect Leader, you… you can’t be thinking of bringing the Medical Immortal Valley under your control, can you?”

“What else?” Duge looked at the Dean and said, “My cultivation technique invariably causes the severing of limbs. I can’t always return to ask for help from the Medical Immortal Sect to mend them, right? It might be fine once or twice, but over time, it would inevitably raise suspicion. It’s better to make them our own, which also makes it more convenient to do things.”

“But you are already a Golden Core, and no sect would take in a Golden Core True Man with an unknown background…” the Dean stammered.

“How will we know if we don’t try?” Duge smiled, “Besides, it’s not like other sects could plant a Golden Core True Man as a spy. Remember, from now on, I am the independent cultivator Gao Ming, and we met on the road. Let’s go, up the mountain.”

“Sect Leader, shouldn’t we discuss this at length?” the Dean wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead and said, “We could easily first find a Nascent Soul Cultivator and plan slowly. There’s no need to scheme against an entire intact sect.”

He paused for a moment. “I must not hide from the Sect Leader that I had already decided before coming that once my arm was successfully reattached, I would send a letter to my master, Liao Shicheng. He is an elder of the Supervision General Institute of Yan Country and a Nascent Soul Cultivator. By luring him here, we would have a great chance of capturing him without any loss. There is no need to take such a big risk…”

Xu Heming and the others looked at the Dean with somewhat odd expressions. Was he really willing to betray his own master just for the sake of his own power?

The Dean looked at Xu Heming and others anxiously and said, “Why are you looking at me? Persuade the Sect Leader!”

Xu Heming and the others looked at each other in dismay, but no one spoke.

They understood Duge better than the Dean did.

In the Qi Refinement Realm, a handful of people dared to force their way into Sky Mist Valley. When he was at the Foundation Establishment Stage, he took down the Supervisory Academy under the guise of borrowing spirit stones.

This time, coming to the Medical Immortal Sect and considering taking a detour to become an apprentice was already very tactful.

Xu Heming cleared his throat and said, “Dean, let’s just go with what the Sect Leader said. Becoming an apprentice is much better than a direct assault…”

“…” The Dean hesitated for a moment, then remembered Duge’s many feats. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he swallowed all the words he had wanted to say, replacing them with, “Sect Leader, please be very careful. Don’t try to be too strong. If things turn sour, escape in time. My Nascent Soul master is still waiting for you…”

…

A group of people ascended the mountain gate.

The Medical Immortal Sect was different from other sects; it often saw cultivators who got hurt in battles or during cultivation or who were poisoned come seeking their healing services.

This was their main source of income, so when it came to these patients, they refused none and always had people waiting at the mountain gate to receive them.

But this time…

When a dozen people with severed hands and feet appeared all at once, especially with most of them being bald, it left several Mountain Guarding Disciples completely stunned. What sort of Evil Demon with peculiar tastes had they encountered?

Otherwise…

Anyone beaten to this extent would have had their heads cut off long ago. How could there possibly be a chance for healing?

The Dean, seeing the dumbstruck Mountain Guarding Disciples, helplessly jumped down from his flying sword with one leg and said, “Several medics, I am Xiang Cang, the Dean of Danyang City’s Supervisory Academy, and I’ve come with my people to seek medical treatment.”

One of the Mountain Guarding Disciples suddenly snapped back to reality and said hesitantly, “Dean Xiang, the Medical Immortal Valley does not possess a technique for regenerating severed limbs.”

“We have brought the severed limbs with us, not a single one missing,” the Dean said with an awkward gesture towards Qian Dajin.

Seventh Brother and Qian Dajin then placed two large boxes they had been carrying on the ground, opened the lids, and revealed neatly arranged arms and thighs, each labeled with a name.

The disciple responsible for reception swallowed hard and took another look at the Dean and his group. “Since you have preserved the severed limbs, there should be no problem.”

He walked forward to inspect the severed arms and legs in the boxes. “The limbs are well preserved; there is almost no sign of damage. It should not be a problem to reattach them…” Suddenly his expression changed. “Wait, what kind of weapon was used to sever these limbs? How could they be cut so precisely, almost as if a medic with excellent skills dissected them meticulously while the person could not resist…”

Whoosh!

The other Mountain Guarding Disciples also gathered around. Some picked up arms, some picked up legs, and someone even picked up the Dean’s thumb, closely examining the breaks and marveling among themselves.

“Even the separation on this thumb has been cut so precisely, with the blood vessels and meridians clearly visible. This person’s medical skill is no less than that of our master!”

“If I had such medical skills, I’d already be regarded as a renowned doctor.”

“Dean, who injured you? Can you tell us? This person must be a saint of surgery in the current world, fit to join our Medical Immortal Sect…”

“Dean, tell us who hurt you, and we might offer you free medical treatment,” the first Mountain Guarding Disciple looked at the Dean and his group with an eager gaze, his eyes filled with sincerity.

“…”

The Dean and others certainly hadn’t anticipated this situation, all of them awkwardly at a loss for how to respond to the people of the Medical Immortal Sect.

The Sect Leader had just considered taking a disciple position at the Medical Immortal Sect.

Giving him away could spoil his plan, right?

“It was me!” Duge’s voice suddenly rang out beside everyone. He flashed in front of Qian Dajin, snatched his right hand, and with a beaming smile, handed it to the Mountain Guarding Disciple, “Wang Chong has come on this trip to the Medical Immortal Sect to exchange medical skills…”

✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦