Chapter 246: Chapter 12 Turbid Blood Golden Core, Temple Like a Fairy
According to the records of the Lifeless All Directions Spirit Festival, the honorific title in the No-Life Sect must receive the recognition of the No-Life Mother.
Li Mo never expected to casually achieve the honorific title of "Supreme Qingtian."
Li Mo attempted to change the title, but discovered it had already been hidden within the temple halls.
"Goddammit..."
"What virtue or ability does a mere Foundation Establishment Demon Cultivator like me even have?"
In Li Mo’s past Taoist life, only an extremely limited number of Immortal Gods dared to take on the title "Taishang." As far as he could recall, only Lingbao Tianzun, also known as Taishang Daojun, and Daode Tianzun, also known as Taishang Laozi, bore that designation.
The No-Life Sect was merely a magic sect created by the No-Life Mother, and the titles carried little profound meaning. However, the reputation of "Supreme Qingtian" was just too prominent.
Moreover, as long as Li Mo appeared in the True Void Hometown, any Demon Cultivator who saw him would have the words "Supreme Qingtian" flash through their minds.
This made it seemingly impossible for him to infiltrate the No-Life Sect discreetly.
"Sigh..."
Li Mo suspected the honorific title "Supreme Qingtian" might be connected to the Body of No Life or perhaps tied to his nature as an Innate Saint.
After all, an Innate Saint had already transcended the ordinary categories of Taoist Bodies.
Li Mo chuckled bitterly and decided not to even consider heading toward the True Void Hometown until reaching the Nascent Soul Stage. For now, he would obediently seek out Supreme Spirit Stones through other means.
He secretly contacted Futu Hermit, asking the latter to search the port for clues.
"First, let Turbid Blood Spiritual Power advance to Core Formation Stage. The spiritual strength of Three Golden Pills should be sufficient to control Fake Magical Treasures for an extended time, making me unafraid of Nascent Soul cultivators."
Li Mo sighed helplessly.
It seemed that ever since the drastic transformations in the world, strange and inexplicable changes had emerged amongst both large and small factions in the cultivation world, their reasons impossible to discern.
If the mortal realm was already like this, how could the Immortal Realm remain calm?
Li Mo closed his eyes, activating the Circulation Cycle. Within the cave mansion, Vile Blood Spirit Qi flooded into his Eight Extraordinary Meridians, a surge of flowing sensations immediately reverberating within his body like rushing water.
Turbid Blood Spiritual Power, being part of the Yin Blood Species, was particularly suited to manipulating blood- and flesh-based Magic Artifacts. Da Ai Mi Tian clearly grew more active as a result.
Both the Blood Sea and Blood Soul experienced similar effects.
Li Mo had strategically chosen Turbid Blood Spiritual Power, knowing it could enhance Da Ai Mi Tian’s power by thirty percent effortlessly.
Unfortunately, obtaining Vile Blood Spirit Qi was no easy feat, and relying solely on the Corpse Mountain Mini World felt limiting.
Li Mo fully immersed himself in seclusion.
Within just ten days, Turbid Blood Spiritual Power naturally broke through to the Weak Crown Middle Stage—a timeframe so short that when Li Mo realized, he felt a faint sense of loss.
The cultivation system of the No-Life Sect bore similarities to that of the Heart Beast Sect.
Both focused on subduing souls and spirits as their primary aim, although the Seven Spirits had already been merged into the Mist Fog Golden Core, with the Primordial Dao Seed making certain enhancements.
Thud, thud, thud...
Heartbeats resounded—not from Li Mo’s own heart, but from the temple halls.
Artifact Cultivators nurtured Artifact Pearls, whereas No-Life Demon Cultivators borrowed this system and developed blood and flesh organs to replace their souls within the temple halls.
A lifelike heart floated suspended within the hollowed temple halls.
The surface of the temple—their flesh—revealed the intricate details of new blood vessels, even causing Li Mo to feel a sense of dread as he gazed upon it, as though he were facing another version of himself.
Li Mo initially thought that advancing to the Late Teenage stage would at least bring along some waves of progress; yet within merely two months, his liver had already taken form.
The speed other Demon Cultivators showed might have been fast, but they were nowhere near Li Mo’s level of achievement.
The terror of the Six Paths Body, embodying a Heavenly Human, was evident.
Recalling his past experiences using elixirs to assist cultivation, Li Mo couldn’t help but feel wistful over how Demon Sect Skills misled him into believing the Dao was within reach.
It seemed within a year, the temple halls could comfortably promote themselves to the Fake Core Stage.
"Sharpening the axe does not delay the work of chopping firewood," Li Mo thought as he activated Turbid Blood Spiritual Power, allowing the spiritual power to refine to purity as it underwent countless iterations of the Circulation Cycle.
Even if it took him two or three extra years, he thought it well worth the effort.
If any No-Life Demon Cultivators were present, they might struggle to contain their jealousy, for the foundation Li Mo was laying was nothing one could accomplish in mere years.
Li Mo only chose to push through the bottleneck of his cultivation once his Turbid Blood Spiritual Power became incapable of further refinement.
The third organ in the Weak Crown Stage was the spleen.
When Li Mo touched upon the Fake Core Stage, his organs extended a vast network of spirit-power-converted blood vessels, faintly forming a circulation system that mimicked human anatomy.
The Fake Core Stage advanced smoothly.
Whether an Artifact Cultivator or Beast Cultivator, the Fake Core Stage generally resulted in the formation of a primitive Golden Core.
However, No-Life Demon Cultivators showed no sign of condensing Golden Cores; instead, dense networks of blood vessels autonomously channeled spiritual power within the temple halls.
Li Mo wasted no time, preparing to charge toward the Core Formation Stage.
Then, interrupting his cultivation state, he stared intensely at the temple halls. Two Golden Cores opened their "eyes," scanning continuously with Divine Sense.
Was it an illusion? The temple halls instinctively seemed to resist the Mist Fog Golden Core and Ash Golden Core.
Li Mo furrowed his brow slightly.
Even though the abnormality in the temple halls lasted only half a breath, he still felt a profound unease within himself, as he was long accustomed to controlling all of the organs within his body.
No matter how faint the probability of rebellion in the temple halls might be, it couldn’t be left unchecked.
"No, Yin Blood Supreme Spirit Stones must be prioritized."
"Once the temple halls reach the Nascent Soul Stage, surpassing the Beast Artifact Golden Core could risk losing control altogether and even jeopardize my immortality foundation."
Li Mo sent a mental query to Futu Hermit, though the latter dealt exclusively with low-tier Loose Cultivators, so they had no access to information about Supreme Spirit Stones.
The only viable clues would have to come from the No-Life Sect.
But without any foundation to stand on within the No-Life Sect, and considering the hindrance posed by the title "Supreme Qingtian," rashly venturing there would only make integration even harder—how to resolve this...
Li Mo’s pupils contracted suddenly. A bold, outrageous idea took form in his mind—and perhaps it might actually work.
True Void Hometown offered a certain benefit: even if he died, the worst he’d lose would be one temple hall.
Li Mo’s Corpse Mountain Mini World had surplus Tao Bodies. He could simply re-cultivate his temple halls, though they wouldn’t be as profound as those formed via the Body of No Life.
"Let’s focus on Core Formation first."
Li Mo suppressed distracting thoughts as the Liu Li jars in the cave mansion simultaneously opened. Thick, concentrated waves of Vile Blood Spirit Qi rushed into his nose and mouth like swallows returning to their nests.
The spirit qi, after a simple Circulation Cycle, began washing over the temple halls.
The Leakless Body could no longer suppress the abnormality within the temple halls, as the form of the divine statue reverted to its original appearance, morphing into a Heavenly Person blessed by the Six Paths Body.
The two Golden Cores, sensing the threat, simultaneously unleashed spiritual power to suppress the temple halls.
The five No-Life God Statues standing atop the Corpse Mountain Mini World radiated blinding light, chanting the title "Supreme Qingtian," drawing countless spiritual materials to gather.
Led by Zhang Guo, the Grass and Wood cultivators knelt below the No-Life God Statues.
They sacrificed themselves, merging into a formidable flow of nutrients feeding back into Li Mo, which enriched the No-Life God Statues in turn, secretly nurturing divine Dao Rhythms.
However, this was accompanied by a vast swathe of spiritual materials withering away.
"Looks like they truly regard me as an Immortal."
Li Mo let out a bitter laugh, stopping the No-Life God Statues from consuming resources recklessly, keeping the intake of nourishment within acceptable limits to avoid exhausting the land.
The Nourishing Yuan Fruit released a century’s worth of medicinal potency, forming a gentle rain that fell over the Corpse Mountain Mini World.
The spiritual materials rejoiced, though a cluster of Fake Beasts emerged, starting to fight amongst themselves. Their blood and flesh contributed to mountain expansion.
The ecological cycle of Corpse Mountain Mini World was already exceptionally complete, showcasing the limitless potential of its Magic Treasure.
Li Mo refocused his attention on the temple halls, observing the increasingly intricate web of blood vessels connecting his heart, liver, and spleen.
One couldn’t deny the highly peculiar nature of the No-Life Demon Cultivators’ method of Core Formation.
Due to the organs, the exterior appearance of the temple halls grew increasingly vibrant, occasionally even blinking its two eyes—hardly resembling a Middle Dantian.
Time ebbed away unknowingly.
As the organs finally coalesced into a lump of flesh, Core Formation Stage had been achieved.
The lump of flesh—now transformed into a Meat Tumor Golden Core—began pulsating. Turbid Blood Spiritual Power permeated the various sections of the temple halls, bringing about dramatic changes in the divine statue’s appearance.
It looked even more like an Immortal.
The Dao Spiritual Patterns Li Mo could identify were all inscribed onto the Leakless Body’s Vestment robe: Five Elements, Sun and Moon, Phosphorescence, Blood and Flesh...
The temple halls expanded once again, and eight metallic arms sprouted from its ribs.
The metallic arms were covered in miniature volcanoes, which continuously emitted thick smoke—a testament to the terrifying corrosiveness of the Primordial Dao Body.
Its mouth and nose dispersed the aura of the Five Elements, while beastly roars echoed from within its five internal organs.
The spine of the temple halls extended outward, with membranes made of human skin morphing into seven Beast Drums resembling wings spanning across its torso.
The distinction from an Innate Saint lay mainly in the increasingly unfathomable glow behind its head.
Again, the temple halls began instinctively resisting, although under the combined dominance of the two Golden Cores, Turbid Blood Spiritual Power quickly returned to equilibrium.
Li Mo couldn’t determine the quality of the Turbid Blood Golden Core. It might be classified as a High Grade Golden Core due to its flawless surface—though it lacked Dao Rhythms entirely.
To sum up, Demon Golden Cores were indeed distinct from Taoist Golden Cores.
Li Mo’s expression remained unchanging, as he uncovered clues from the Lifeless All Directions Spirit Festival.
The cultivation system of the No-Life Sect directly pushed the temple halls toward becoming an Externalized Dharma Body, essentially bypassing the constraints of a Middle Dantian.
The Melting Furnace and Multiple Dantians became branded as parts of the Taoist Body, with the two strands of spiritual power existing harmoniously together.
This independence of Turbid Blood Spiritual Power was testament to Li Mo’s extraordinary natural talent—it was a rarity that it hadn’t spiraled out of control yet.
The answer to resolving this issue would still lie in Yin Blood Supreme Spirit Stones.
While stabilizing his cultivation, Li Mo began contemplating the journey to the True Void Hometown, mulling over how to achieve his desired outcome.
After finalizing his plan, he summoned Taiyin Law Heaven, and the Magic Artifact burrowed underground.
As long as his true self wasn’t discovered by the No-Life Sect, Li Mo could act freely in the True Void Hometown—even if he ultimately lost his temple halls.
Indeed, he resolved to pretend to be a Nascent Soul Great Power temporarily to achieve significant influence within the No-Life Sect.
In Taoist sects, this approach would be completely impossible—no one could become a high-ranking figure right from the start.
But in the No-Life Sect, a magic sect, rules were entirely dictated by the strong.
To ensure his intimidation in the True Void Hometown, Li Mo decided to continue cultivating in seclusion, advancing one minor realm every four or five years.
In less than fifty years, his Turbid Blood Spiritual Power had reached the Nascent Crying Stage.
The Turbid Blood Golden Core now encompassed his heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, as well as his large and small intestines, forming a grotesque lump of organs.
Li Mo ultimately guided the Decaying Soul from his Mud Pill Palace to integrate into the Turbid Blood Golden Core.
The surface of the Turbid Blood Golden Core revealed a single eye, boosting Divine Sense by thirty percent; within the pupil, countless lingering souls wailed miserably.
The Decaying Soul, cultivated through the Innate Saint’s influence, granted Li Mo precise control over the Turbid Blood Golden Core, though it still represented a temporary fix rather than a permanent solution.
The trip to the True Void Hometown was unavoidable for Li Mo. Moreover, he would have to take the guise of a Nascent Soul Great Power.
Whether he could deceive them or not remained to be seen.