That day, Lin Tingwan had just completed a commission to set up an array for a newly opened "Spiritual Incense Shop" in the city. Tucking away her newly earned eighty Spirit Stones and two boxes of the shop's own premium "Mind-Calming Incense," she returned to her small courtyard in a pleasant mood.
Before she could even sit down to meditate, the protective formation outside her courtyard gate was triggered, sending in a rhythmic, familiar cadence—Mo Yu's unique method of contact.
Lin Tingwan felt a slight surprise in her heart. Although Mo Yu was on friendly terms with her, they usually communicated via message talismans, or she would take the initiative to visit his little shop. A direct home visit like this was a first. Could there be something urgent?
She stood up, tidied her appearance a bit, and opened the courtyard gate.
Standing outside was none other than that blue-skinned, violet-eyed, and elegantly tempered Star Scar Race youth, Mo Yu. Today, he wasn't wearing his usual splendid, glowing silk robe, but had changed into a simpler yet still exotically styled deep blue casual outfit. His expression also held a touch more gravity than usual.
"Fellow Daoist Mo Yu, what a rare guest. Please, come in quickly," Lin Tingwan said, stepping aside to let him into the courtyard.
The two sat down at the stone table in the courtyard. Lin Tingwan served a light tea brewed with the newly acquired Mind-Calming Incense. Mo Yu took a small sip and offered a word of praise, but instead of engaging in casual small talk as he usually did, he set down his cup. His violet eyes looked directly at Lin Tingwan as he slowly began, "Fellow Daoist Lin, it has been nearly a year since we first met. My presumptuous visit today is because I wish to have an open and honest conversation with you."
Lin Tingwan's heart stirred, but her expression remained unchanged. "Please speak freely, Fellow Daoist Mo Yu."
Mo Yu took a deep breath and said, "To be frank, I am not an ordinary Star Scar Race merchant. I am one of the liaison envoys for the 'Spirit Race' in the Gazing at Immortals City area of the Southern Province."
Spirit Race?
Lin Tingwan was somewhat unfamiliar with this name, but she vaguely felt it didn't refer to a single, specific race.
Seeing her confusion, Mo Yu explained, "'Spirit Race' does not refer to one particular ethnic group. Rather, it refers to beings like you and me—those not of human origin, yet who have awakened Spiritual Intelligence and embarked on the path of cultivation. The members are mostly intelligent races."
His tone grew heavier. "We have united not for supremacy or to oppose humanity. The Immortal Alliance is powerful, ruling over many great provinces. The purpose of our union is primarily for mutual exchange and assistance, and... to provide as much shelter and guidance as possible for those newly awakened, naive fellow spiritual cultivators, to protect them from being deceived, kidnapped, or even refined into tool spirits, medicinal ingredients, or slaves by certain ill-intentioned human cultivators."
Hearing this, Lin Tingwan instantly recalled the cultivators she had encountered when she first entered Gazing at Immortals City—the ones who had followed her and whom she later lured out of the city and killed. If she hadn't been vigilant at the time and possessed a certain level of strength, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
Observing her expression, Mo Yu continued, "I presume you, Fellow Daoist, also encountered or heard of similar incidents when you first arrived in this city. Among human cultivators, there are certainly many righteous individuals, but there is no shortage of those blinded by greed and profit, who view us non-human spiritual cultivators as 'natural treasures' or 'prey of opportunity.'"
"Many fellow spiritual cultivators, newly awakened, have pure minds and are unfamiliar with the ways of the world, making them extremely susceptible to deception. One of the purposes of our Spirit Race's existence is to establish contact points in various places as much as possible, to provide these newly awakened fellow cultivators with basic warnings, shelter, and initial guidance for integrating into the cultivation world."
He paused, his gaze sincere as he looked at the pair of tender green branches atop Lin Tingwan's head. "When I first met you, Fellow Daoist, I sensed the pure Plant Spirit spiritual resonance on you. Your Spiritual Intelligence was clear, and your cultivation foundation was solid. You were clearly not a naive, newly awakened being. Thus, I harbored the intention to befriend and observe you. Over this past year, observing your conduct—your low-key and pragmatic approach, your kindness towards others, your dedicated study of the Array Dao, your relentless self-improvement, and your honest treatment of friends also of non-human origin—I found that both your character and abilities are precisely the kind of partner our Spirit Race urgently needs."
"So," Mo Yu leaned forward slightly, his tone growing even more solemn, "my visit today is to formally extend an invitation to Fellow Daoist Lin Tingwan on behalf of the Southern Province peripheral contact point of the 'Spirit Race'—an invitation for you to join the Spirit Race and become one of us."
Lin Tingwan fell silent, digesting this sudden influx of information. The Spirit Race... a mutual aid organization composed of non-human spiritual cultivators? It sounded like an alliance of disadvantaged non-human races huddling together for warmth within a human-dominated Immortal Cultivation world.
To be fair, the risks Mo Yu spoke of were ones she had personally experienced, and she knew well they truly existed. As a Plant Spirit, especially one without a powerful backer for now and carrying a few secrets of her own, having a relatively reliable organization of fellow cultivators as support and a source of information would undoubtedly make her much safer and save her many detours.
Furthermore, judging by Mo Yu's usual conduct and the various ways, big or small, he had looked out for her over the past year, this "Spirit Race" organization, at least at the level she had contact with, seemed to operate with integrity. It didn't appear to be a group filled with extreme hatred or conspiracy.
However, joining an organization also meant taking on corresponding obligations. It might involve getting entangled in unknown conflicts, and her freedom would likely face certain restrictions.
"Fellow Daoist Mo Yu," Lin Tingwan spoke after a moment of contemplation, "this matter is of great significance to me. Could you allow me a few days to consider it carefully? Also, if I were to join, what obligations would I need to undertake? And what benefits could I gain? I still need to understand more about these aspects."
Hearing this, Mo Yu didn't show displeasure. Instead, a look of understanding appeared on his face. "That is only reasonable. Whether to join or not is entirely up to you, Fellow Daoist. Our race never forces anyone. As for your questions..." He took out a pale purple jade slip with star-like patterns on its surface from his robe and placed it on the stone table.
"This jade slip contains a brief record of our Spirit Race's core tenets, contact methods in various locations, the basic rights and obligations among members, as well as some internal information channels and mutual aid regulations open to new members."
"You can take it and read it. In three days, whether you decide to join or not, simply return this jade slip to me. If you decide to join, you only need to inject a wisp of your own spiritual resonance imprint into a specific location on the jade slip. I will then know and arrange the follow-up matters. If you are unwilling, you only need to return the jade slip intact. Today's words leave my mouth and enter your ears. No third person will ever know of them. You and I can still be friends who trade and interact."
He had considered everything so thoroughly, and his attitude was so sincere, that Lin Tingwan's favorable impression of him grew even stronger.
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist," Lin Tingwan said, accepting the jade slip. "In three days, I will definitely give you an answer."
Mo Yu nodded, said no more on the matter, chatted for a few more moments about recent interesting news from the market district, then stood up to take his leave.
After seeing Mo Yu off, Lin Tingwan returned to her quiet chamber. Holding the still slightly warm star-patterned jade slip, she sank into deep thought.
She needed to think this through carefully.