Chapter 252: Chapter 18: The Skull, Luo Fu Immortal
The Old Man Burning Fire closed his eyes and sat cross-legged, circulating the turbid blood spiritual power within his middle dantian, and immediately, thick smoke rose from his pores.
His expression was somewhat complex.
Clearly, he could distinctly feel that the middle dantian did not belong to him, nor was the spiritual power obtained through cultivation, yet he could manipulate it with ease.
What on earth is the origin of the Supreme Qingtian, and what ambitions does he have for intervening in the No-Life Sect?
Forget it, it has nothing to do with me.
No matter whether the Life Festival goes smoothly or not, no one can leave unscathed.
The Old Man Burning Fire opened his eyes, pus and blood uncontrollably flowing from his features, yet his breath had steadied, "You... what do you want to obtain from the Life Festival?"
"Top-grade Spirit Stones, Yin Blood Attribute."
The Old Man Burning Fire hesitated for a few breaths before quickly nodding in agreement, seemingly recalling something, and began muttering nonsense.
Li Mo sighed at the sight, and then a large number of mountain mosquito Gu worms flooded into the tunnel.
The Old Man Burning Fire became nervous, only relaxing when he noticed the Gu worms carrying a Storage Bag, revealing a relieved expression.
Li Mo tossed the Storage Bag to the Old Man Burning Fire, which contained a lifelike human skin robe and a large quantity of corpse wine to suppress injuries.
"Old Man Burning Fire, I hope you can hold on for a while longer."
"I won’t die, at least not before entering that ghostly place."
The Old Man Burning Fire took out the corpse wine and poured it directly into his mouth, instantly filling the tunnel with the sizzling sound of liquid hitting hot iron.
"Good wine!"
With the effect of the corpse wine, his injuries began to heal quickly, and the alcohol also helped stabilize his mental state.
"What should I call you?"
"Zhao Gonghuo."
The Old Man Burning Fire tore off large patches of charred skin, using corpse wine to promote the growth of new skin, then struggled to crawl out to the outside world.
Upon seeing the sun, he stood dumbfounded at the cave entrance.
Li Mo retracted all the mountain mosquito Gu worms from the outside, then, with the Foundation Establishment Bug, could monitor the Old Man Burning Fire’s every move.
Fearing the Old Man Burning Fire might unexpectedly die, he initially thought of sending the Ghost Tiger to ensure his safety.
Later, he realized that the Old Man Burning Fire was extremely cautious and easily managed to disguise himself as a loose cultivator and blend into the outside world using the human skin robe.
He took his xuansun to join a small immortal sect and then headed for the nearest loose cultivator black market.
The Old Man Burning Fire quickly gathered a group of loose cultivators using methods from the Devil Sect, controlling them all with a special poison pill.
Apparently, he was going to great lengths to make the Stove Lord pay the price.
Li Mo observed the words and actions of the Old Man Burning Fire, but because the latter was unable to divulge information about the True Void Hometown, most of his actions appeared incomprehensible.
Although he didn’t understand it all, he didn’t interfere much either.
Every time the Old Man Burning Fire passed by the Stove Lord’s temple, Li Mo could sense the Old Man Burning Fire’s deep-seated resentment through the Foundation Establishment Bug.
Besides the loose cultivators, the Futu Hermit discovered that disciples from several immortal sects seemed eager to pay attention to the Life Festival.
This shows that the plot of the No-Life Sect has far-reaching implications.
Li Mo patiently waited for the Life Festival to draw near, while also refining the pure turbid blood spiritual power in preparation for advancing to the Nascent Soul Stage.
He sat in meditation in the Green Mountain Cave Heaven for ten years, with the True Void Hometown remaining quietly as if nothing had happened, with the myriad Nascent Soul demon cultivators showing no reaction.
At times, he thought perhaps the location of the You Sheng Secret Realm was not within the True Void Hometown.
Until one day, a slight tremor suddenly occurred deep underground at Luo Zu.
A massive amount of spiritual energy surged towards the gap in Luo Zu’s crown, causing the previously dense spiritual energy to temporarily clear out.
"It’s coming."
A flash of eagerness flickered in Li Mo’s eyes as he looked towards the source of the anomaly.
Luo Zu was a colossal headless and limbless corpse, but at that moment, countless tendril-like flesh sprouts squirmed from the dark neck cavity.
"Hell, is it coming back to life?"
Li Mo realized, no wonder the No-Life Sect believed No-Life Mother was not dead.
If he wasn’t mistaken, Luo Zu would birth a head, and perhaps when the head was complete, it would mark the beginning of the Life Festival.
"No-Life Mother, True Void Hometown."
The millions of Grey People under Luo Zu all knelt without exception.
They chanted the mantras of the No-Life Sect, their expressions filled with fanaticism as if the Life Festival was truly celebrating the birth of No-Life Mother.
Soon after, Core Formation Demon Cultivators also joined the group.
Finally, the Nascent Soul Demon Cultivators chimed in.
A chorus of chanting echoed throughout the True Void Hometown, resonating in the endless Mud Pill Palace.
The Plant and Tree Cultivators seemed to be influenced as well, kneeling in the mountains in worship, but instead reciting the name of Li Mo—luckily, no one else could understand.
Li Mo signaled the Tattooed Beast to follow suit, playing the same pretense.
The True Void Hometown exuded oddity everywhere, and now he couldn’t help but suspect whether No-Life Mother had left any vitality...
The mantras of the No-Life Sect went on for a hundred days before ceasing.
Because of the continuous chanting day and night, tens of thousands of Grey People collapsed into skeletons from exhaustion, yet the living bore no sign of sadness on their faces.
They continued to be immersed in their reverence for No-Life Mother.
The Plant and Tree Cultivators, by contrast, suffered no casualties; rooted in the mountains, they could replenish their nutrients, and a few even unknowingly underwent breakthroughs in their realm.
Li Mo looked towards the highest peak, Rushan, where a raspy female voice came forth.
"Calling upon the Infinite Pure Void Supreme Holy Three Realms Ten Directions Myriad Spirits True Master."
"Children kneel in the East Forest Land, verifying their recognition of Mother, No-Life Mother, boundless grace, granting scriptures to sail the ship of dharma, spreading true teachings with a golden thread, guiding sentient beings back to the True Void."
"No-Life Mother transcendent."
"No-Life Mother transcendent..."
Li Mo’s brows furrowed slightly, the utterance subtly unsettling his heart, fearing the opposite party’s cultivation might not simply be at the Nascent Soul Stage, perhaps even at the Divine Separation Stage?
After the female voice finished chanting, Luo Zu returned to tranquility.
All the demon cultivators seemed baptized, their thoughts became clear, discussing nothing but the deeds of No-Life Mother.
Li Mo closed his eyes to nourish his spirit, knowing that the Nascent Soul Demon Cultivators would inevitably come to visit soon.
The turbid blood spiritual power, over time, had reached the apex of purity, causing the turbid blood golden core to show signs of breaching.
If it weren’t for Li Mo’s efforts to suppress it, perhaps the turbid blood golden core would have smoothly nurtured a Nascent Soul.
Unconsciously, six years passed, until over three years left before the Life Festival, when the Blessed Earth Immortal was seen approaching the direction of the Green Mountain Cave Heaven.
Doumu Primordial Lord and Golden Light Saint Mother also paid attention to the Green Mountain Cave Heaven.
Although the three had previously expressed goodwill toward Li Mo, what lay in their hearts was known only to them.
The Blessed Earth Immortal walked through the clouds, shrinking his form to match Li Mo’s at seven hundred meters, at least keeping a low profile on the surface.
"Mr. Taishang, long time no see. Your cultivation seems to have advanced again."
The Blessed Earth Immortal glanced across the Green Mountain Cave Heaven, noticing the increased number of Plant and Tree Cultivators, and couldn’t help but show a hint of greed in his eyes.
He frequently observed Li Mo and noted that the latter was always in a state of cultivation, rarely managing the Green Mountain Cave Heaven, resulting in a self-sustained initial formation thanks to the believers.
The Blessed Earth Immortal increasingly felt that Plant and Tree Cultivators were far more valuable than the Grey People.
"You’re quite the strategist, dear gentleman."
Doumu Primordial Lord gazed at Li Mo from afar with charming eyes, her face constantly shifting between male and female, making Li Mo increasingly wary.
"The Blessed Earth Immortal is indeed a rare guest."
Li Mo responded with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
The Blessed Earth Immortal nodded and asked, "Where is the temple of the Supreme Qingtian built? I can have my temple priest pay extra attention."
"The Blessed Earth Immortal, I’m sure you know my identity in the mortal world; naturally, the No-Life God Statue is placed within my own sect’s mountain gate."
"Hahaha, so that’s how it is."
The Blessed Earth Immortal laughed heartily, realizing that Li Mo indeed held an invincible position with only the Sub-Device Sect understanding the Outer Heaven Meteorite Crater.
The two conversed about the Sub-Device Sect with a touch of indifference.
The Blessed Earth Immortal kept probing, speaking with apparent closeness, every word hiding a trap.
Li Mo, slightly impatient, cut straight to the point, "Blessed Earth Immortal, did you come because of the Life Festival?"
The Blessed Earth Immortal wasn’t angered, laughing as he said, "Naturally, it seems the Supreme Qingtian has also heard about the Life Festival."
"Just heard, not too clear."
"Indeed, there are great opportunities within, and it’s not intentionally concealed, but we don’t know the specifics of the Life Festival either."
The Blessed Earth Immortal made some courteous remarks while subtly probing.
Seeing that Li Mo wasn’t giving away much, he finally said, "The slots for the Life Festival are very limited, but I’m willing to give twenty to Supreme Qingtian."
"How do we participate in the Life Festival?"
"Each Life Festival is different, so it’s best to entrust it to familiar sect fellow cultivators; the chances of finding opportunities are higher..."
The Blessed Earth Immortal apparently wanted the Sub-Device Sect to participate in the Life Festival and promised some precious resources as an exchange.
"I need to think it over; you know the Sub-Device Sect seldom meddles in worldly affairs."
Li Mo felt slightly puzzled internally, wondering what significance it would have for the Sub-Device Sect to participate in the Life Festival, could it affect the interests of the No-Life Sect?
"Haha, that’s fine, but Supreme Qingtian doesn’t need to rush to decide, there’s a Life Festival every hundred years."
The Blessed Earth Immortal seemed very certain that Li Mo would betray the Sub-Device Sect, and after glancing at the Plant and Tree Cultivators, he turned and left the Green Mountain Cave Heaven.
Li Mo stared at the Blessed Earth Immortal’s departing figure for a long while, then resumed meditative cultivation.
He didn’t intend to involve the Sub-Device Sect, partly because artifact cultivators couldn’t leave the sect and also because the Sub-Device Sect was just recovering its vitality.
If the No-Life Sect senses anything amiss, it might bring disaster upon the Sub-Device Sect.
"What benefits will the Life Festival bring?"
Li Mo took a glance at the Old Man Burning Fire, who had formed a substantial group of loose cultivators, although their actions seemed a bit too radical.
The Old Man Burning Fire already controlled the loose cultivators with a poison pill, performing livestock sacrifices daily to deepen others’ devotion to No-Life Mother.
As the Life Festival approached.
The cultivation world saw an increase in fervent No-Life Mother believers, not limited to just loose cultivators but even covering various immortal sects.
Once Luo Zu’s head grew bone structures, Li Mo immediately recognized its appearance as that of an ancient immortal sect’s...
Luo Fu Immortal.