After a bout of unrestrained drinking, Chen An was completely drunk.

With his Qi Gathering Realm cultivation, he could have easily refined the spiritual wine into Mana if he hadn't wanted to get drunk.

However, he chose not to!

Perhaps it was due to his exhilarated mood, as he longed for a hearty bout of drunkenness.

As juniors, Shen Mo and Chen Mengze naturally didn't wish to dampen his spirits and drank a fair amount with him.

After consuming a large amount of spiritual wine, even Shen Mo felt a little tipsy.

This banquet originally had something of a 'family feast' atmosphere. As the aroma of wine filled the air, their conversation and actions grew increasingly lighthearted and uninhibited.

"Girl, how are things going with that Guo lad?" Chen An squinted, speaking with alcohol-fueled boldness. "That lad has a decent background. Even when our Chen Family was at its peak, it would have been a case of us marrying up."

In the past, the Chen Family was one of the three major families in Sishui City.

However, in the eyes of the truly wealthy sects, they were still considered insignificant!

Even the Liu and Wu families, backed by Dasheng Mountain and Purple Bamboo Valley, looked down on the Chen Family.

They considered the Chen Family mere upstarts.

They had no deep heritage, nor any connections within the immortal sects!

This was one of the reasons they later dared to frame the Chen Family.

If the Chen Family had possessed an alliance by marriage with a powerful entity like the Guo Clan back then... the Liu and Wu families probably wouldn't have dared to commit such an atrocity as wiping out an entire family.

The Guo Clan, on the other hand, had extremely deep foundations.

They stood at the apex of the Red Flame Country's cultivation world, possessing vast and profound connections within the Five Great Sects.

Furthermore, a Spirit Sea Realm expert from their clan held a key position in the Riverside Sect.

Guo Zhao's younger brother, Guo Xun, was even more distinguished as a core disciple of the sect, with prospects of contending for crucial roles such as Peak Master of one of the Three Peaks, or even Law Master, in the future.

Failing that, he would at least become a figure of significant authority, like a Hall Master of the Demon Slaying Hall or the Enforcement Hall.

His status would be second only to the Masters of the Three Peaks, and considerably higher than ordinary Elders who impart techniques, enforce regulations, or serve as protectors.

Considering this, Chen An's remark about "marrying up" was, therefore, no mere expression of humility.

"Besides his family background, the lad's character, cultivation, and innate talent are all decent," Chen An continued.

His hazy, drunken eyes, however, kept drifting between Chen Mengze and Shen Mo.

Though heavily intoxicated, he hadn't reached the point of drunken abandon; his soul still clung to a sliver of clarity.

Chen Mengze's cheeks were flushed from the spiritual wine.

Hearing this, she shot Shen Mo a fierce glare.

She blamed him for previously telling her father all sorts of unnecessary things.

"Dad, I've told you already," Chen Mengze said, pouring Chen An more wine, her tone exasperated. "I am devoted to the Immortal Path and have no intention of wasting my thoughts on such matters between men and women."

"Besides, Guo Zhao isn't as great as you make him out to be!"

Chen An drained his cup of spiritual wine in one go and suddenly interjected, "Then what about Mo'er?"

"I had intended to matchmake you two back then…"

"But… you used the excuse that your great vengeance was yet unfulfilled, and you also felt Mo'er's Talent was poor, deeming him of no help in seeking revenge."

"Now, he's a completely different person. In just one year, he's achieved such strength and played a crucial part in annihilating the Liu and Wu families…"

"Even if you find a Dao companion and have children, it won't hinder your pursuit of the Immortal Path."

"Having someone to support you on the path of cultivation might even help you progress faster and further!"

Is Uncle Chen truly drunk, or just pretending? Shen Mo wondered.

Now that his desire for revenge was fulfilled, he had started to fret about Chen Mengze's marriage, and somehow, the topic had shifted to him.

He glanced over at Chen Mengze.

Chen Mengze, seemingly annoyed by Chen An's words, put on a stern expression and didn't deign to reply to her father.

Afraid that Uncle Chen would continue trying to set them up, Shen Mo quickly changed the subject.

"Uncle Chen, don't you have sect duties to attend to?"

"You returned to the sect today, but don't you have to go to Tianshan City in a couple of days?"

"I'm planning to return to Tianshan City in a few days to slay demons. I wonder what the situation on the battlefield is like now."

At the mention of serious matters, Chen An's eyes cleared considerably.

"I'm just back to recuperate for a bit."

"Lately, the Heavenly Demons emerging from beneath Tianshan Mountain haven't included many Class II ones, but they've become increasingly cunning. They avoid direct confrontation and instead scatter and infiltrate in all directions."

"The outer disciples under my command have suffered heavy casualties. Many were Demon-corrupted, and ultimately, we had no choice but to execute them!"

"In the future, Deacons like us will likely find it hard to get even a moment's peace."

Unlike inner disciples, Deacons holding official positions in the Riverside Sect could not refuse assignments.

It used to be better. Chen An spent most of his time managing the affairs of the outer sect.

Occasionally, he would lead newly promoted inner disciples on expeditions to gain experience by slaying demonic beasts!

Now, with the demon scourge beginning to manifest, sect Deacons like Uncle Chen found their duties becoming increasingly burdensome.

According to the Riverside Sect's arrangements, all one hundred thousand outer disciples were to take turns serving on the Tianshan Mountain battlefield.

And it wasn't just Uncle Chen.

Shen Mo had also learned from group messages on his Sound Transmission Talisman.

Many of his Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters from the various peaks had been dispatched by the sect to various locations across the Red Flame Country.

This included elites he knew, like Li Zhong and Yao Ting.

They had all returned to the sect some days prior and subsequently accepted garrison duties. Besides protecting the Riverside Sect's assets in various cities and towns, they also had to urge the local minor immortal sects, Cultivating Families, rogue cultivators, and other factions to actively prepare for war.

This involved clearing out demon heads that had infiltrated the mortal realm and eliminating evil cultivators who sought to profit from the chaos.

"It's rumored that traces of Heavenly Demons have been found in every state except Zhong State."

"I'm not sure if they've spread from the Tianshan Mountain battlefield, or if... spatial rifts have appeared in all those places," Shen Mo mused aloud, then added, It's more likely the latter.

After all, the Tianshan Mountain battlefield had practically become a proving ground for the cultivation world.

With Spirit Sea Realm experts from the Five Great Sects overseeing it, and a vast number of Body Tempering Realm and Qi Gathering Realm cultivators present, their side firmly controlled the situation.

Any Demon-corrupted cultivators, demonic beasts, or even mortals possessed by Heavenly Demons attempting to leave stood almost no chance of success.

Only the widespread appearance of rifts between the two realms could explain how traces of Heavenly Demons had proliferated so extensively in such a short period.

However, those other spatial rifts were likely not as significant as the one beneath Tianshan Mountain.

Otherwise, the Heavenly Demon catastrophe would have already engulfed the entire Red Flame Country!

"Sigh…" Chen An sighed, then advised Shen Mo and Chen Mengze, "These are difficult times. If there's something you want to do, then do it. Don't leave yourselves with future regrets!"

A few days ago, he definitely wouldn't have said such things.

He would have avoided it, lest he reignite Chen Mengze's desire for vengeance, prompting her to recklessly seek revenge in Sishui City despite her insufficient strength.

Now, with those concerns gone, he could speak his mind freely.

As for myself, I don't have anything particularly pressing to do, Shen Mo reflected. Seeking longevity and a Carefree existence is both my goal and the very process of my cultivation. I just need to continue cultivating step by step; there's no need to rush.

The feast continued from dusk until late into the night.

Chen An also shared many stories about Shen Mo's parents with him.

Shen Mo listened quietly, saying little.

It wasn't until the Bright Moon hung high in the sky that Chen Mengze helped a swaying Chen An onto her sword, and they departed from Shen Mo's cave mansion.

Shen Mo then closed the main gate to his cave mansion.

After refining the lingering effects of the alcohol, he once again summoned the Nether Fire, preparing to mend his Nine-Extreme Crystal Sand.

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