Seeing the eager expression on Mo Yuanjiao's face, how could they refuse? Madam Mo, smiling, supported the old Madam as they headed towards the nearest restaurant.
The three of them sat down and ordered some dishes.
It was already afternoon, well past the regular opening hours of the restaurant, so they couldn't taste the culinary skills of Liu Shengsheng, Jiang Youfu's apprentice.
However, perhaps because of the unique charm of dining in a countryside restaurant, the old Madam and Madam Mo, who had tasted all kinds of delicacies, still found the meal quite enjoyable.
After a satisfying meal, Mo Yuanjiao took them on a tour around the other parts of the village, not even skipping the Lingxian Food Court, which was closed that day.
Although Jiang Youfu was not in the sect at the moment, he had previously prepared a variety of dishes and stored them in the preservation area of the sect's storeroom to keep the Lingxian Food Court running. Before leaving for the capital, Liu Yunai had handed the storeroom keys to her mother, Yang Jinshu.
At mealtimes, Yang Jinshu would take charge of serving the food, so the Lingxian Food Court remained the most popular spot in Xiushui Village during the ten-day period.
Even now, despite the food court being closed, many visitors were lingering around it.
After touring Xiushui Village, they finally arrived at the foot of North Mountain.
Looking at the Path of Heart Examination and the nearby private school, both the old Madam and Madam Mo felt a sense of calm wash over them.
Gazing at the ethereal path lined with peach blossoms, exuding a naturally serene and peaceful aura, the old Madam couldn't help but smile warmly and say, "Jiao Jiao, your sect is truly wonderful."
Although she had not yet ascended the mountain and officially entered Lingxian Sect, the sights along the way assured her that this was indeed an excellent sect.
Proud of his grandmother's praise, Mo Yuanjiao beamed with joy.
"Grandmother, if you like it, that's great! In the future, I'll bring you here to live, and we can explore the fascinating world of cultivation together!"
Hearing this, the old Madam's smile deepened, her eyes crinkling with laughter.
"Good, good! Grandmother looks forward to learning new things with Jiao Jiao."
Madam Mo, meanwhile, continued to support the old Madam, smiling as she admired the scenery.
After the tour, Mo Yuanjiao didn't rush to take his grandmother and mother into the Path of Heart Examination.
After all, the difficulty of the path had recently increased, and since his grandmother and mother had not yet begun cultivating and still had mortal bodies, it could be troublesome if they were delayed for ten days or even half a month on the path.
Therefore, Mo Yuanjiao planned to first accept his grandmother and mother as his disciples and teach them cultivation outside before attempting the path once their bodies were strong enough.
Since Lin Xiao had granted them permission to take in disciples, Mo Yuanjiao had no problem doing this.
However, both the old Madam and Madam Mo were slightly taken aback.
They hadn't expected that Mo Yuanjiao's talk of accepting them as disciples back when they were at home was actually serious.
But according to Mo Yuanjiao, if they didn't become his disciples and learn cultivation under him, they wouldn't be able to pass the Path of Heart Examination.
So, the old Madam and Madam Mo found themselves in a dilemma.
It felt odd to join the sect and have to acknowledge their son (or grandson) as their master, as it disrupted the traditional hierarchy.
But if they didn't join, they would be going back on their word to Jiao Jiao, and they had already come this far.
In the end, under Mo Yuanjiao's expectant gaze, both the old Madam and Madam Mo awkwardly performed a very simple disciple acceptance ceremony.
Mo Yuanjiao's long-standing wish to become his family's master was finally fulfilled.
He contentedly led his mother and grandmother to stay temporarily in the Lin family's old house in Xiushui Village. They chose to stay in the village rather than returning to Cuifeng Town because it was closer to Lingxian Sect. The spiritual energy here, while not as concentrated as within the sect, was still much richer than outside, making it more convenient for cultivation.
Moreover, being close to the sect, he could frequently go up the mountain to continue his work on the formations.
As for Sun Yigao's private school, while Mo Yuanjiao was away from Xiushui Village, Sun Yigao had temporarily taken over his martial arts classes.
Now that he had returned, it was only natural for him to resume teaching his students!
Although many people had recently left Lingxian Sect, Mo Yuanjiao's youthful energy and lively personality quickly brought the sect back to life after it had become a bit too quiet.
It wasn't until fifteen days later that the spirit boat carrying Lin Xiao and the others arrived at Banshang City, the site of the Fu Master Conference.
During this time, the spirit boat had passed through more than ten cities, picking up many passengers along the way.
But Lin Xiao and his companions, wanting to avoid trouble, rarely left their room, only occasionally going next door to check on Yuan Qing, lest something happen in the other room and they remain unaware until disembarking.
After spending so many days confined in their small cabin, the moment Lin Xiao and his companions stepped off the spirit boat, they felt an unprecedented sense of relief.
After disembarking, the three of them quickly left the area, following the crowd toward Banshang City.
Though it was called a city, Banshang City didn't actually have a city lord, nor did it have the protective arrays covering the entire city like other places.
The origin of Banshang City was entirely tied to the Fu Master Conference.
Usually, the city was nearly deserted, only bustling with activity when the Fu Master Conference approached every hundred years, drawing a large number of cultivators.
As a result, Banshang City had no city lord and did not charge an entry fee.
Entry into Banshang City was free.
This was because the city was jointly managed by the major powers of the southern and northern spiritual regions, who were also the organizers of the Fu Master Conference.
Within the city, only the Lianying Hall, managed by representatives from these powers, maintained order.
Unless someone was willing to openly challenge and provoke these powers, no one would dare cause trouble in Banshang City.
Banshang City's construction differed from that of conventional cities.
Apart from a few official buildings, the city had very few normal structures.
Moreover, Banshang City had many mountain peaks.
The cultivators who came here generally stayed in these mountain areas.
There were specially constructed cave dwellings in these mountains—basically large caves carved into the mountainsides with nothing inside. Yet, despite their simplicity, the rental prices for these caves were not cheap.
Depending on the size and quality of the cave, the daily rental fees ranged from fifteen to fifty spirit stones.
Since the Fu Master Conference lasted more than a few days, staying in Banshang City could become quite expensive for those who participated.
Many cultivators who were short on funds would choose not to stay in these caves.
After all, they didn't need much sleep and could make do anywhere.
However, while some cultivators were strapped for spirit stones, others were more than willing to spend for comfort.
With so many people coming to participate in the Fu Master Conference, and even more coming to spectate or for other reasons, these caves were always in high demand.
At this moment, Lin Xiao was frowning as he heard the rental prices, conflicted over whether or not to stay.