Xiao Yin did not wish to press her advantage, turning instead to say, "Live, for as long as you live, there is hope."
Murong Yanran understood what she meant by hope. With a sigh, she turned and entered the inner chamber, closing the door.
Mo Qi and Cang Shan entered the Southern Continent from the Nine God Realm's barrier, then flew through the air, traversing the Nine God Realm.
In a moment of looking down, he saw a dense forest below with a surge of light emanating from it.
Curiosity piqued, he turned to Cang Shan and said, "Let's go down and take a look."
Cang Shan nodded, and the two descended, landing in the dense forest.
As they neared the ground, he saw the surrounding terrain clearly, and a sense of familiarity washed over him.
This was the Blackwood Forest!
The place where the Lingxiao Sect selected its disciples.
Was that surge of light caused by the入门 testers encountering a powerful demonic beast?
With this question in mind, Mo Qi sped towards the location where the light flickered.
From afar, he saw a group of people being chased by a demonic beast.
The beast was likely a low-level demonic beast, shaped like a caterpillar, but hundreds of times larger. Its body was as long as a python's, and it occasionally spat out red light. Once hit by the red light, one would be torn to shreds.
The group of people were ordinary individuals, devoid of any spiritual energy. Facing this terrifying beast, they were utterly defenseless, fleeing in utter panic.
Fortunately, the long worm crawled slowly. Even when it spat out red light, the distance was sufficient, allowing most to dodge haphazardly.
A few who were too slow to dodge were obliterated on the spot, then devoured by the worm.
Two of them were particularly brave. They moved in a serpentine manner while shooting arrows back at the worm. Several arrows struck its body, but they did not penetrate deeply enough. They only made it howl in pain, but could not kill it.
Cang Shan, not understanding what was happening, thought it was a demonic beast attacking passersby and prepared to intervene.
Mo Qi raised his hand to stop him, then paused and lowered it.
Cang Shan pointed his hand, and a surge of black energy erupted, instantly engulfing the worm.
With a series of explosions, colorful matter sprayed out from the black smoke, falling to the ground.
As the black smoke dissipated, the worm was gone, leaving only a pile of colorful matter.
The young people, still shaken, looked up and saw two figures rapidly flying away.
"They're immortals!" one of them exclaimed, kneeling and bowing towards Mo Qi and the other from a distance.
Seeing this, the others also knelt and paid homage.
However, as soon as they disappeared from the sight of those people, Mo Qi stopped, standing on a treetop, gazing at the clearing below.
Cang Shan also stopped and looked in the direction Mo Qi was pointing.
Below, two people were running for their lives. One looked like he was in his teens, a bit youthful, while the other had a goatee and appeared to be in his early thirties.
The man with the goatee was speaking to the youth as they ran, "You're right to follow me. If you slow down, you'll lose your life. I've participated in many such competitions, and I've always survived safely. What's my secret? Keen observation and rich experience."
The youth nodded with great admiration, "You're amazing."
The man with the goatee continued, "As long as the green hills remain, there will be firewood to burn. At worst, we can come back next year. There's no need to risk our lives!"
The youth agreed wholeheartedly, "Yes, yes, living is the most important thing! As long as we live, there is hope!"
The man with the goatee was none other than Shen Xiao, who had participated in the selection with Mo Qi back then. He had withdrawn midway due to encountering a soul beast. They were all around the same age then, but today, Mo Qi returned as a youth, while Shen Xiao had clearly entered middle age.
Mo Qi really didn't want to disturb his escape, but after a moment of hesitation, he decided to greet him.
"Shen Xiao!" Mo Qi called out in a deep voice.
At the same time, he floated down.
Shen Xiao and the youth both started, stopped in surprise, and turned their heads to see two people drifting towards them.
Although Mo Qi's appearance had not changed, Shen Xiao was stunned for a moment, looking confused, "Are, are you calling me? You, you are..."
"Mo Qi," Mo Qi smiled slightly, "the one who participated in the test with you back then. You withdrew after encountering the soul beast."
Shen Xiao's eyes lit up, and a smile spread across his face, "It's you! I remember now. In that batch, there was someone named Baili Bing, and another named Zhou Hongbo."
Although his smile was bright, it lacked the innocence of those years, replaced by a face weathered by hardship and eyes filled with worldly wisdom.
Mo Qi smiled and nodded, "Yes."
Shen Xiao's mind raced. He hadn't turned back then, and he was still alive now. Did that mean he had passed the test and successfully entered the sect?
Moreover, the way he had just floated down from the sky, that strange movement technique, was not something an ordinary person could do, right?
"Brother Mo, you've been in the Lingxiao Sect for over ten years. You must be an inner disciple by now, right?" Shen Xiao said, winking.
Mo Qi coughed dryly and rubbed his nose, "I have been for a long time."
"You've been in the sect for so many years, you must know some people who have influence. Can you help us smooth things over and see if we can get in without a test?" Shen Xiao said, overjoyed. "Look, I participate in the Lingxiao Sect's entrance test every year. My dedication to the Lingxiao Sect is unwavering and persistent. In consideration of my loyalty, they should accept me."
Mo Qi knew the reason why Shen Xiao couldn't get in. Every time danger approached, he would retreat promptly.
It was the same when facing the soul beast back then, and the same when facing the worm today.
And the Lingxiao Sect's assessment was precisely to weed out such people!
The Lingxiao Sect needed people with resilience and courage, not those who shied away from trouble.
Even if he passed today, he would still falter in the face of the devilish cultivation ahead.
However, it was also possible that the reason he was still alive today was precisely because he had retreated promptly whenever danger arose.
Furthermore, he still had the determination to enter the Lingxiao Sect and cultivate immortality!
If he maintained this determination, perhaps one day he might undergo a transformation.
Therefore, he couldn't dampen his enthusiasm.
For example, telling him to go back, that this place wasn't suitable for him!
After a moment of contemplation, Mo Qi slowly said, "Let me tell you this: I can get you into the sect with just one sentence. But the path must be walked by yourself. The path you choose, you must walk to the end, even with tears. Back then, our group was divided into three different lives from the moment we encountered the demonic beasts. One was not to retreat when facing the demonic beasts and passed the test, like me. Another was not to retreat but died along the way, like Ma Xiaolin. And the third was to retreat directly, like you. Looking at the results, your withdrawal might not have been a mistake. At least you kept the green hills, and there's still firewood to burn. But how you burn that firewood in the future is up to you. Whether it's bitter or sweet, whether you cry or laugh, only you know."
After speaking, he vanished in a streak of green light.
Cang Shan was still savoring his words when he looked up and saw that Mo Qi was gone. He immediately shook his body and followed.
Shen Xiao and the youth were left standing there, dumbfounded.
"Has he become so powerful?" After a moment, Shen Xiao stared blankly at the empty sky.
The youth, after a moment of thought, resolutely turned and walked towards Silver Dragon Snow Mountain.
Shen Xiao, after a moment of hesitation, also followed.
Mo Qi and Cang Shan went to the Lingdu Sect.
Mo Qi had already decided that the debt should be settled by the debtor. He would only trouble the Nangong family.
Going to the Lingdu Sect would allow him to find Nangong Zhenbei. After killing Nangong Zhenbei, he would then find Nangong Zhendong.
He heard from Cang Shan that the Li family was also involved. After killing Nangong Zhendong, he would go to the Li family to kill people.
At the gate of the Lingdu Sect, Mo Qi politely said to the gatekeepers, "Please call Nangong Zhenbei out. If he doesn't come out, I'll go in."
The two gatekeepers exchanged glances and couldn't help but chuckle, "You must be dreaming. Why are you looking for Sect Master Nangong at the Lingdu Sect? But your tone is quite aggressive. The Li family is in charge of the Lingdu Sect now, and they are allies with the Nangong family, in close alliance. If you dare to be so arrogant and call out the Sect Master Nangong's name directly, you are seeking your own death."
After speaking, the two glared fiercely at Mo Qi, flexing their fists, as if ready to attack.
Mo Qi thought, since he was already here, he might as well start with the Li family. It was all the same, no difference.
"Oh, the Li family," Mo Qi said calmly, "then call out your Li family's manager, so I don't have to kill my way in and cause a river of blood."
The two were stunned. After a few breaths of silence, they burst into laughter, unable to contain themselves.
After a long time, one of them wiped away tears of laughter, "Why don't I just kill your Sect Master Li Xinghe for you and give you his head?"
Mo Qi chuckled, "That would be best."
"Madman, get out," the man shouted sternly and struck out at Mo Qi with his palm.
The palm wind carried spiritual energy, and light flickered as it struck Mo Qi fiercely.
Mo Qi did not dodge. He met the palm with a punch, simultaneously channeling the Thunder God Technique into it.
A crackling sound was heard, and streaks of dazzling lightning coiled around his fist, like demons blinking.
The man's punch was halfway there when he felt something was wrong. Before the opponent's fist even reached him, the aura was already pressing down like a mountain.
As immense pressure descended, he felt his body about to explode, his bones creaking as if slowly shattering.
The man was greatly alarmed and immediately channeled his spiritual energy, reinforcing his protective divine light.
With a roar, Mo Qi's fist collided with the man's fist.
The man's fist caved in with destructive force, caving in rapidly from the fist to the wrist, then the elbow, and finally the shoulder.
With a splash, the protective light shattered, and the man's entire body rapidly caved in.
From the shoulder, it caved in rapidly towards the head and chest.
Simultaneously, fragments of flesh and blood flew out, and the man's body visibly withered.
In the blink of an eye, a pair of charred legs flew backward, hitting the wall with a thud, then bouncing back to the ground.
The other person was scared stiff!