Chapter 58: Taking Root in the Nether Abyss

"Very well, you may all rise."
"Thank you, Master." At this, everyone got to their feet.

Gongsun Qingyang looked at Chen Mu with interest and said, "So you are Chen Mu? Not bad—so young and already so courageous, saving my daughter from danger time and again. For this, I, Gongsun Qingyang, am deeply indebted, for my daughter's life is beyond price. You just recited the phrase of commitment, which means you already have the intent to join our sect. In that case, how about I appoint you as Deputy Leader of the Nightshade Division? Since you’ve just joined, this position suits your current status, and later, I’ll consider promoting you further within the sect. If you have any other requests, don't hesitate to bring them to me. As long as it's within my power, I will grant them."

Chen Mu did not stand on ceremony and said directly, "I need a great deal of cultivation resources—I want to raise my strength as quickly as possible. If possible, I’d also like to learn some dark arts and techniques. And I’d like to inquire about any news regarding the ‘Path of Immortals and Mortals.’"

Gongsun Qingyang raised an eyebrow. "Is that all?"

"That’s all. Right now, all I want is to become stronger," Chen Mu replied firmly.

"Very well. For the cultivation resources, go straight to the Materials Office—they’ll be notified shortly. As for spell techniques, you’re free to enter the Hall of Dark Arts and study. Regarding the Path of Immortals and Mortals, I’ll have our intelligence network keep an eye out for news." Gongsun Qingyang nodded.

"Thank you, Master," Chen Mu replied with a respectful bow.

Gongsun Qingyang then turned to Xu Changye. "Xu Changye, for your service in protecting the Young Mistress, you are rewarded with three Devil Essence Pills. Take them to fortify your cultivation."

Xu Changye cupped his fists in excitement. "Thank you for your generosity, Master!"

Once the remaining few had been rewarded according to their merits, Gongsun Qingyang dismissed the assembly. He gazed affectionately at Gongsun Lin. "The Seven-Dream Salora Flower has been gathered, yes? Let’s go see how your mother is faring."

With that, Gongsun Qingyang led Gongsun Lin out of the main hall.

After leaving the main hall, Xu Changye began introducing Chen Mu to the layout, regional divisions, and local customs of the Jiuyou Sacred Land.

They were now in the core area, where the Main Hall and the Elder Halls were located. The middle ring housed important institutions like the Hall of Dark Arts and the Hall of War, along with the Nightshade Division. The outer layer was where the general followers gathered—towns, marketplaces, residential districts, and places of worship.

The folkways of Jiuyou Sacred Land were straightforward and direct, with strength being revered above all. The residents were bold and admired those of great power; the stronger you were, the further you could go here.

Having absorbed all this, Chen Mu nodded and followed Xu Changye toward the Hall of Dark Arts.

Earlier, Gongsun Qingyang had handed Chen Mu a special identification token, which granted him unrestricted access to the archives of the Hall of Dark Arts.

Upon arrival, Xu Changye said, "Go ahead and browse the archives. I’ll wait for you outside, then take you to the Materials Office."

"Alright, I’ll head in first," Chen Mu replied.

Inside the Hall of Dark Arts, he entered the reception room. An old man, drowsy and grizzled, sat in a rocking chair. "Do you have an access token? No entry without one."

Chen Mu lightly stroked the token Gongsun Qingyang had given him and handed it over. "Will this do? The Master said to present this token to the steward here."

"Let me see." The old man took the token, and his sleepy eyes instantly sharpened.

He gave Chen Mu a curious look. "Who exactly are you, young man? For the Master to grant you such high-level access? Excluding Nascent Soul-level texts, you’re free to read anything else. You know, even the core members of the sect must exchange Jiuyou credits for every text they consult, in addition to having the proper access. Only core members are exempt. Well, it’s not my place to question further. Since the Master has issued a special token, I must comply. Return all texts to their places when you’re done. No books may be taken from the Hall—violation will be dealt with according to sect rules."

"Thank you, elder." Chen Mu breathed a sigh of relief.

Entering the grand archive hall, Chen Mu found ranks of bookshelves stretching deep into the room, the more advanced texts placed further within.

He naturally sought out spell tomes suitable from the Foundation Establishment to Core Formation stage, ignoring the shelves at the front and heading straight for the middle sections.

His old "Starfire Manipulation" spell was still effective against early- to mid-stage Foundation Establishment opponents, but its power waned against stronger foes. He needed a potent ranged attack to fill this gap.

He browsed many spell introductions, shaking his head in dissatisfaction—most were sinister or poisonous, and their attributes did not suit him. Impressive though their might might be, he ultimately passed them by.

After sifting through many volumes and jade slips, he finally found a ranged attack spell that seemed well-suited to him.

It was called the "Sha Yuan Energy Sphere." Usable from the Foundation Establishment stage, it could be cultivated to Core Formation mastery. The technique focused malefic energy and one’s own vital force into an energy sphere, which could not only attack in a straight line, but could also shift direction mid-flight. With skill, it could even track and pursue enemies.

Having chosen this spell, Chen Mu took his time, reading the introductions of others as well. Since reading descriptions cost little time, he silently committed any suitable spells to memory for future study.

After a long while, he found a second technique of interest—though it was more of a movement art than a spell. His "Meteor Step" did have a Foundation Establishment-level method, but it always felt a bit lacking, leaving him helpless on several occasions when pursuing or escaping.

So this time, he picked the "Nine Shadows Dustless Step." As the name suggested, this footwork allowed one to move without so much as stirring a speck of dust—light, swift, and unpredictable, all at once.

With these two techniques selected, Chen Mu did not bother with the rest; he could return whenever he liked. He meticulously memorized the contents of both, then replaced the tomes where he found them.

Exiting the Hall of Dark Arts, he tapped the absent-minded Xu Changye, signaling that they could move on.

Xu Changye snapped out of his daze. "Let’s go to the Materials Office and get you what you need."

Arriving at the Materials Office, Chen Mu stated his purpose. The steward, a Core Formation cultivator, sized him up. He had indeed received the order earlier and was curious about the favored newcomer who merited such generous resources.

Yet before him stood a mere beginner, barely entering the Foundation Establishment stage. Was this youth truly worth such exceptional treatment?

"What do you need? Give me a list," the steward asked.

Chen Mu pondered. "I need alchemical materials, and do you have any rare herbs that enhance vitality and blood?"

He wanted to practice the "Ancient Nine Tribulations Scripture." The last session had left him severely depleted. He had tried using life force to restore his energy, but life force seemed only to heal and regenerate, not to replenish blood and vitality—perhaps he’d not yet grasped the correct method. No matter how he tried, he couldn’t restore his essence.

"You know how to refine pills?" the steward asked, puzzled.

"A little," Chen Mu replied coolly.

"List the ingredients," the steward said without further ado.

Chen Mu reported the ingredients needed for "Essence Consolidation Pills" at the Foundation Establishment stage—these he’d learned from Rou’er via voice transmission.

But when Chen Mu boldly requested fifty sets, the steward finally understood what the Master meant by "a large amount" of resources.

He’d thought some standard supplies would suffice, but Chen Mu had come to devour them wholesale.

"Do you really need so much? Can you even use it all?" the steward asked, incredulous.

"My cultivation requires these resources. Didn’t the Master already inform you? Or is there a problem?" Chen Mu frowned.

"No, no problem. The Master did say you could have whatever you wanted. How many blood-tonifying herbs do you need?"

"Give me a dozen or two for now. If that's not enough, I'll ask again."

"A dozen or two? Do you think these herbs grow like cabbage?" the steward exclaimed.

"My cultivation method demands it—are you going to give them or not? Or does the Master’s word count for nothing?"

"Wait, I need to report to the Master." The steward hurriedly sent someone to inform Gongsun Qingyang, receiving approval and instruction that such matters need not be reported again in future.

Watching all these treasures being packed into Chen Mu’s bag, the steward could only watch with envy and resignation.

Xu Changye said nothing throughout, but was inwardly stunned. Did Chen Mu’s cultivation really require such vast resources? No wonder his strength was so formidable. Especially upon learning he could refine pills—it was clear recruiting Chen Mu to Jiuyou Sacred Land had been the right decision.

Thus, Xu Changye escorted Chen Mu to the residence Gongsun Qingyang had arranged for him, complete with a steward and four maids. Protected by formation, the residence was secure against all but late-stage Core Formation cultivators.

Upon entering, the staff greeted Chen Mu in unison, making him slightly embarrassed. In the end, he sent them off to their own tasks.

After settling him in, Xu Changye took his leave, reminding Chen Mu to report to the Nightshade Division the next day.

Chen Mu agreed, then released Rou’er and had her modify the formation. He didn’t entirely trust the current defenses—what if a Nascent Soul-level cultivator barged in while he was cultivating, or tried to sneak in and uncover his secrets while he was out?

All sorts of troubling scenarios played through his mind, leaving him uneasy.

Rou’er reinforced the formation and added a barrier to block all surveillance—now, no matter what he did inside, no one could pry into his affairs.