World’s End: My Keyword is One More Than Others

Chapter 222: Random adaptation

Six days later.

The group arrived at the Medical Immortal Sect.

The Medical Immortal Sect was far from human habitation, surrounded by towering mountains and dense forests, making it extremely difficult for those at the Foundation Establishment phase who couldn't fly to traverse.

After a tough journey to the foot of the mountain, Du Ge looked up at the partially hidden gate halfway up the mountain and became even more determined to advance his sect's cultivators to the Golden Elixir phase.

A Golden Elixir cultivator could fly with a sword and carry one or two people, but not ten. It was fortunate that everyone was at the peak of the Foundation Establishment phase and could travel at full speed, which is why they had arrived in such a short time.

If they were all at the Qi Refining phase, just traveling would take over half a month.

Wasting time on travel was the most regrettable thing.

...

"The spiritual energy of a prestigious sect is indeed 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 spiritual energy here already far surpasses that of my Tianlan Valley. I can't even imagine how dense it must be further up!"

What Xu Heming could feel, Du Ge could feel as well. Looking at the gate above, he also felt emotional. This was what a cultivation sect should be like; the spiritual energy was incredibly abundant.

Compared to this place, the Seven Stars Mountain was nothing.

However.

If he had chosen to Body Possess such a sect in the beginning, given the choice between plundering and nobility, he wouldn't have developed so quickly!

In such a secluded sect, who could he plunder?

Plunder the sick?

Unless he reached the Golden Elixir phase, he might not even be able to leave the sect...

Indeed.

Not Body Possessing a prestigious sect was the right choice; there were too few people, and it was hard to stir up much trouble inside.

But now?

Du Ge suddenly turned to the Sect Leader and asked, "Sect Leader, how do these sects usually recruit disciples?"

"Under normal circumstances, prestigious sects will send people into the populace at regular intervals to find talented children in various towns and take them as disciples," the Sect Leader explained. "Disciples who have learned well in the sect will travel the world to broaden their horizons, and if they find promising candidates, they will also bring them back to the sect."

"Are there no self-recommendations?" Du Ge asked.

"Rarely. Most sects are hidden in remote mountains and dense forests, beyond the reach of ordinary people. Even if they are lucky enough to find a sect, they are seldom admitted," the Sect Leader said. "Sects value talent above all. Ordinary people, no matter how determined, without the talent and constitution for cultivation, won't be taken in by the sect. If they have a clear background, they might be kept to do menial work. If they are found to be spies from other sects, they are likely to be killed."

"How do they identify spies?" Du Ge asked. "Soul searching?"

The Sect Leader's heart tightened, reminded of the suspicion that Wang Chong might have been Body Possessed, and he lowered his voice subconsciously to explain, "Sect Leader, I've been in the Supervisory Institute for many years and have never heard of any soul searching techniques. The Demon Sects have evil techniques that bewilder the mind, but that makes people reveal the truth voluntarily; it can't directly read thoughts from someone's mind.

To identify if someone has been Body Possessed, they usually verify if the soul is compatible with the body. A Body Possessor takes over another's body and the soul will always show signs of discomfort and instability. When spiritual energy invades the upper dantian, it can easily force the soul out of the body, which is a common method to identify Body Possession."

The Seventh Junior Brother subconsciously glanced at his own Sect Leader.

"Seventh Junior Brother, Little Junior Sister, Old Xu, from now on, you are all from the Supervisory Institute and have nothing to do with me. We just met on the road, understand?" Du Ge pondered for a moment and then suddenly addressed everyone.

"Sect Leader Brother, what are you planning to do?" the Little Junior Sister asked.

"Sect Leader, are you planning to become a disciple of the Medical Immortal Sect?" The Sect Leader, recalling Du Ge's earlier questions, asked in astonishment.

"Right." Du Ge smiled. "Conquering a sect from the outside versus from the inside, the difficulty is definitely not the same! There's a Divine Transformation cultivator in the Medical Immortal Valley; facing him directly would be too difficult..."

"..." The Sect Leader was shocked and startled. "Sect Leader, you... you're not thinking of taking the Medical Immortal Valley under your wing, are you?"

"What else?" Du Ge looked at the Sect Leader and said, "My cultivation technique often involves severing limbs. I can't always come back to the Medical Immortal Sect for reattachment, right? Once or twice is fine, but over time, it would inevitably raise suspicion. Better to make them our own, it's more convenient that way."

"But you're already at the Golden Elixir phase; no sect would take in an unknown Golden Elixir cultivator..." The Sect Leader stammered.

"How do you know it won't work if you don't try?" Du Ge smiled. "If it doesn't work, there's no loss. You just said that other sects wouldn't directly plant a Golden Elixir cultivator as a spy, right? Remember, from now on, I am the loose cultivator Gao Ming, and we met on the road. Let's go, up the mountain."

"Sect Leader, shouldn't we think this through more carefully?" The Sect Leader wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "We could simply find an Elemental Infant cultivator and take our time. There's no need to aim for a whole sect."

He paused for a moment. "To be honest, Sect Leader, I had already thought this through before coming here. Once my arm is reattached, I will send a message to my master, Liao Shicheng. He is an Elder of the Yan Kingdom Supervisory Institute and an Elemental Infant cultivator. If we can lure him here, we have a great chance to take him down without harm... There's really no need to take such a big risk..."

Xu Heming and the others looked at the Sect Leader with strange expressions. Just for the sake of his own power, he was willing to betray his own master?

The Sect Leader, seeing their gazes, anxiously said, "What are you looking at me for? Persuade the Sect Leader!"

Xu Heming and the others exchanged glances, none of them speaking.

They knew Du Ge better than the Sect Leader.

During the Qi Refining phase, he dared to storm Tianlan Valley with just two or three people. At the Foundation Establishment phase, under the guise of borrowing spirit stones, he took down the Supervisory Institute.

Now coming to the Medical Immortal Sect, thinking of taking a detour to become a disciple, was already very tactful.

Xu Heming coughed, "Sect Leader, let's just do as you say. Becoming a disciple is much better than forcing our way in..."

"..." The Sect Leader was taken aback, reminded of Du Ge's great achievements, his mouth twitching as he swallowed his words and said, "Sect Leader, please be careful. Don't overdo it. If it's not feasible, escape in time. My Elemental Infant master is still waiting for you..."

...

The group ascended to the gate.

The Medical Immortal Sect was different from other sects; often, cultivators would come seeking treatment for injuries sustained in fights or during cultivation, or for poisonings.

This was their main source of income, so they welcomed all such patients and had people waiting at the gate.

But this time.

The appearance of more than a dozen people with severed hands and feet, most of whom were also shaved bald, stunned the gatekeeping disciples.

What kind of peculiar demon had they encountered?

Otherwise.

If someone else had beaten them to this state, they would have been decapitated long ago; how could they have been given the chance to be healed?

The Sect Leader, seeing the dazed gatekeeping disciples, helplessly hopped down from his flying sword on his one leg: "Fellow medics, I am Xiang Cang, the Sect Leader of the Danyang City Supervisory Institute, and I've brought my subordinates here for treatment."

One of the gatekeeping disciples suddenly snapped back to reality, looking troubled, "Sect Leader Xiang, the Medical Immortal Valley does not possess the medical techniques for limb regeneration."

"We've brought the severed limbs too, not a single one missing," the Sect Leader awkwardly signaled to Qian Dajin.

The Seventh Junior Brother and Qian Dajin placed two large boxes they were carrying on the ground, opened the lids, and revealed neatly arranged arms and legs, each labeled with a name.

The disciple in charge of reception swallowed hard and took another look at the Sect Leader and his group: "Since you have the severed limbs, then there should be no problem."

He stepped forward to inspect the limbs in the boxes. "These limbs have been well preserved, almost without any signs of damage. Reattaching them should not be a problem..."

Suddenly, his expression changed, "Wait, what kind of weapon severed these limbs? How could it be so precise as to split them evenly, almost as if a highly skilled medic had dissected them under conditions where the person couldn't resist..."

The other gatekeeping disciples also gathered around, some picking up arms, some legs, and some even picking up the Sect Leader's thumb, examining the severed wounds with amazement.

"Even the separation of this thumb has been cut so precisely, with the blood vessels and meridians clearly visible. This person's medical skills are no less than our master's!"

"If I had such medical skills, I would have become a famous doctor by now."

"Sect Leader, who injured you? Can you tell us? This person must be a saint of surgery in the modern age, worthy of joining our Medical Immortal Sect..."

"Sect Leader, tell us who injured you, and we might be able to treat you for free this time," the first gatekeeping disciple looked eagerly at the Sect Leader and his group, his eyes full of sincerity.

"..."

The Sect Leader and his group had not anticipated this situation and were at a loss for how to respond to the Medical Immortal Sect's people.

The Sect Leader was just about to seek discipleship at the Medical Immortal Sect.

Revealing him would ruin his plan, wouldn't it?

"It was me!" Du Ge's voice suddenly rang out next to everyone. He stepped forward to Qian Dajin, took his right hand, and with a smile handed it to the gatekeeping disciple, "I, Wang, have come to exchange medical techniques with the Medical Immortal Sect..."