Chapter 287: Chapter 46: Outbreak of Uncertainty Period Death Disease_2
When the Artifact Soul Spirit Pattern was completed, the Magic Treasure transformed into a three-meter-long Mountain Spider.
The Mountain Spider was filled with hostility toward all living beings around it, but upon sensing the stronger "kindred" within Li Mo, it immediately refrained from behaving recklessly and tried to leave the Cave Mansion.
The ability to discern whether the Spirit Pattern is innate or acquired has a subtle impact on the power of the Magic Treasure.
"Absorb."
Li Mo directly suppressed the Mountain Spider into the Corpse Mountain Mini World, then closed his eyes to recharge his fatigued spirit, preparing to refine the next Magic Treasure.
He didn’t forge them all at once, as the Brain Nourishing Wine could only last for ten days, requiring him to endure pain a hundred times worse than a hangover multiple times.
Once a finished product was achieved, Li Mo’s Artifact Refining became smoother.
The Mayfly Dream unknowingly nurtured a strand of Fake Soul Consciousness during the process.
Li Mo chose not to delve deeper into Nascent Soul Techniques, instead focusing his efforts on the Dao Body Fusion between Paoxiao Swallowing Body and Ancient Sacred Body.
Nascent Soul Techniques are best utilized directly through the Magic Page Imprint.
Among the currently known special pages, obtaining Magic Pages is relatively simple—it merely requires imprinting organs to form the Dao Body.
Li Mo aimed to complete Dao Body Fusion as quickly as possible, so he could foster new Dao Bodies.
Furthermore, relying solely on Pu Dao’s Nascent Soul Tai Ci True Body sufficed for self-preservation. If given time to devour with the Magnetic Light, even those in the Nascent Soul Stage could be drawn underwater.
Bang.
A muffled sound echoed.
Li Mo’s distraction led to errors in the Spirit Pattern of the Mountain Spider at hand. Just when the Magic Treasure was about to be completed, the effort fell short.
The discarded Fake Magic Treasure barely reached the level of an Eighty Refinements Magical Artifact.
However, should it be sold, its price would far exceed that of ordinary Hundred Refinement Magical Artifacts, as its broken structure is highly suitable for studying internal Spirit Patterns.
Of course, Li Mo would never trade it for Spirit Stones over such petty gains.
He simply closed his eyes to meditate until he had fully processed the memories of the Fake Soul Consciousness, though progress in Dao Body Fusion remained somewhat slow.
Still, any progress was good progress.
Previously, without the Mountain Spider, the Fake Soul Consciousness’ simulations were virtually useless.
The Mountain Spider not only augmented Divine Sense but also sent its miniature offspring into the body for meticulous fusion surgery.
Li Mo continued with Artifact Refining.
When refining his fifth Magic Treasure, his body began to show subtle discomfort.
A faint soreness spread through his lower back, arriving abruptly and evidently interconnected with the Uncertainty Period Death Disease.
Uncertainty Period Death Disease typically erupts around the age of four hundred.
Li Mo, now over three hundred years old, with the suppressive influence of the Dao Body, should have seventy to eighty years of respite, but Death Disease spreads gradually throughout the body before culminating in a sudden eruption.
He attempted to delay the progression of Death Disease, but despite utilizing numerous methods, he could only temporarily keep it at bay.
After crafting eight Magic Treasures, pain began to radiate across his chest, back, and sides, accompanied by noticeable spinal curvature.
"No wonder it’s called Death Disease."
The Mountain Spider became actively engaged in areas afflicted by Death Disease, maintaining the normal functioning of the skeletal system.
Li Mo’s efficiency in Artifact Refining declined somewhat, but with his prior accumulated experience, he became increasingly adept at drawing Artifact Soul Spirit Patterns.
He endured the skeletal anomalies with gritted teeth, pushing through until the twelfth Magic Treasure was completed before finally easing up. The Ghost Tiger delivered the Magic Treasures to the Divine Statue.
Death Disease intensified continuously, presenting aberrant symptoms distinct from ordinary Uncertainty Period Death Disease.
For instance, metallic bone spurs emerged near the joints, the skeleton increasingly deformed, resembling a tangled array of beast bones at first glance.
Though his ability to move was now hampered, the full eruption of Death Disease had yet to occur.
If he wished, Li Mo could opt for surgical removal of the Death Disease’s corruptive elements, maintaining a semblance of normal life until the eruption.
But he chose to confront Death Disease head-on.
Li Mo replaced the Corpse Wine in the pond with Bone-Growth Wine to stave off Death Disease’s intrusion, leaving seven Tattooed Beasts in charge of replenishing the liquid.
The Bone-Growth Wine was milky white, its aroma carrying hints of mint.
Li Mo lay flat in the Bone-Growth Wine, cool sensations seeping through his pores and into his bones, akin to pouring a basin of cold water onto raging flames.
Glug-glug-glug.
The pond bubbled with the Bone-Growth Wine, its water level gradually lowering.
Li Mo instructed the Tattooed Beasts to refill the Bone-Growth Wine every ten days, then allowed his consciousness to drift into a shallow meditative state.
His Three Nascent Souls cultivated autonomously, with Pu Dao’s Nascent Soul even nourishing the other Nascent Souls in return.
Si Rui, upon arriving at the Ancestor Platform, noticed the Death Disease aura leaking from Taiyin Law Heaven and soon discovered the twelve Mountain Spider Magic Treasures.
Under the intimidation of the Divine Statue, the Mountain Spider Magic Treasures dared not move, but their half-Deceitful Object, half-Magic Treasure brutality was evident, their shrieks rising and falling.
Si Rui swept her eyes briefly, and the Mountain Spider Magical Artifacts vanished from sight.
"Junior Brother has already reached the level of crafting Magic Treasures. Perhaps Yu Xiao was right—Junior Brother will only stagnate in the No-Life Sect."
"Sigh."
She turned her gaze toward the Mountain Spider, which, no matter how she looked at it, had the obvious potential to ascend into Mid-grade Magical Treasure, with nearly no flaws.
"If it truly becomes a Magical Treasure, what I’m capable of might far exceed this."
After hesitating for a moment, Si Rui relocated several mountain ranges and shifted the position of the Cave Mansion, subtly improving the Spirit Gathering Array using the terrain.
Rich Spiritual Energy surged into Taiyin Law Heaven, over eighty percent consisting of Smog, Impure Blood, and Ash—clearly a deliberate choice.
Si Rui could do little more, as Death Disease was something a cultivator had to overcome on their own.
From her understanding, even Land Immortals in the Post Three Realms of the Nine Realms of Immortality had no solution for Death Disease—perhaps only ascension could grant liberation.
After observing that Li Mo’s condition was stable, Si Rui’s figure disappeared once more into the dense smog.
She assumed that Li Mo was already battling Death Disease, never suspecting that he was merely contending with the precursor to Uncertainty Period Death Disease.