Inside the Scripture Collection Pavilion of the Star Sect, Lin Mo had sat withered for a day and a night, hurriedly going through all the sect's scriptures once over.
The Star Sect's scriptures included some Cultivation Techniques, methods on Alchemy, and Artifact Refining law codes, as well as some records of the sect's history. However, these records were incomplete and damaged, some having been destroyed in battles hundreds of years ago. Lin Mo only saw some scattered phrases but could still verify his guesses.
Previously, the Star Sect had been a subsidiary of a large sect in the Ancient Cultivation times, and it seemed likely that the Starry Sky Tower was built by a Nascent Soul Cultivator from the larger sect. However, as Earth's Spiritual Energy became scarce, the large sects all migrated towards the cosmos, leaving only some smaller sects remaining on Earth.
However, these things were of little significance to Lin Mo. Instead, he perused some of the Cultivation Techniques within the Star Sect. All these techniques had defects and were merely low-level skills. Spending the entire night, Lin Mo made modifications, organized, and summarized them, creating anew a set of Cultivation Techniques suited for the modern era.
After all, the earth now could no longer compare to the ancient times, with its thin Spiritual Energy, making the practice of Cultivation Techniques extremely difficult. For example, casting a Great Magic—if one's own body lacked Spiritual Energy—would necessitate drawing from nature's spiritual energy. And with such sparse cosmic energies, gathering enough to cast a spell required a great deal of time.
And in battle, time is incredibly precious. Hence, the revised Cultivation Techniques included not only the practice of spells but also the Cultivation of physical prowess.
The next day, when Lin Mo emerged from the Scripture Collection Pavilion, many disciples and three elders, including the sect's patriarch and the Black-clothed Elder, were already standing outside the Starry Sky Tower.
"Salutations, Sect Leader."
"Salutations, Sect Leader."
The crowd called out in unison.
"Master, you've come out," Yingzi called out cheerfully with a smile.
Lin Mo nodded, took a deep breath of fresh air—a quality vastly superior to that of a big city.
"What is everyone doing here?" Lin Mo asked, his expression filled with curiosity.
"They're all wondering how you passed the nineteenth layer of the Starry Sky Tower!" Lu Xing stood to one side, her demure bearing unchanged, as she slowly replied.
A slight smile on his face, Lin Mo walked over to Elder Cheng Ying and the others, saying, "Elder Cheng."
"Sect Leader," Elder Cheng replied, bowing respectfully. Although Lin Mo had become the official Sect Leader of the Star Sect and the three elders had acknowledged him, the disciples still had their complaints about this 'outsider.' Even though Lin Mo defeated the Top-grade Corpse Demon, rescuing the Star Sect from peril, he had just arrived after all. Not yet having familiarized himself with everyone, he had become the Sect Leader straight away. Young people have strong desire for prestige, and who was truly willing to accept this?
"He made it through the nineteenth layer of the Starry Sky Tower; perhaps the previous Sect Leader gave him some treasure." Wang Chengpeng muttered softly among the crowd.
"Shut your mouth. Lin Mo is the Sect Leader now. If you continue this defiance, I'll have you in solitary confinement for a year," Qiu Xingjian said coldly, a sharp gaze fixed on Wang Chengpeng.
Wang Chengpeng immediately lowered his head.
But including Xiao Haiyang, all the disciples looked at Lin Mo with eager eyes, wanting to know how he got through the nineteenth layer of the Starry Sky Tower.
"Xu Hua, release your Golden Corpse inside," Lin Mo said with a light laugh but was in no rush to explain.
Xu Hua was indeed the Ancient Ancestor's real name. Upon hearing Lin Mo's command, the Ancient Ancestor immediately controlled a Golden Corpse to enter the first layer of the Starry Sky Tower. Everyone knew the power of the first layer wasn't very strong, but the movements of the Golden Corpse inside were visibly slowed.
Then, when the Golden Corpse reached the second layer, its entire body seemed to be covered in glue, making it extremely difficult to walk. Even the act of taking a step caused the bones of its body to emit cracking sounds, like an old, rusty machine.
"This... the pressure inside is so intense," the Ancient Ancestor revealed a shocked expression on his face.
The three elders also noticed that something seemed amiss. They had all entered the Starry Sky Tower to cultivate and naturally knew the approximate pressure of each layer. The strength of the Golden Corpse should not have been reduced like this by just the second layer.
By the time it got to the third layer, the Ancient Ancestor suddenly trembled and said, "The Golden Corpse has been crushed by the pressure."
A look of shock appeared on everyone's faces, and the room fell into dead silence.
Wang Chengpeng and Xiao Haiyang were especially incredulous. If the Golden Corpse could not withstand the pressure and was crushed into minced meat by just the third layer, then what about the pressure of the fourth layer? And just how terrifying would the nineteenth layer be?
It was simply beyond imagination! Lin Mo slowly explained, "Actually, the array inside the Starry Sky Tower was broken, but I have already repaired it. Now, the pressure inside the Starry Sky Tower is ten times what you experienced before, and it also has a special function. If one's body reaches its limit and can't withstand the pressure, they will be automatically transported out,
of course, this is only if they enter with the Array Token."
Upon hearing Lin Mo's words, the three elders and the disciples of the Star Sect were struck with shock once more.
The pressure increased by tenfold, so the kind of pressure Lin Mo faced at the nineteenth layer must have been enough to crush even the world's most durable metal into dust.
Everyone understood that even with Lin Mo's strength, it was estimated that he couldn't withstand that kind of pressure. He must have endured unimaginable pain and torture to successfully make it out. "Elder Cheng Ying, this is the cultivation technique I have revised, suitable for the disciples of the Star Sect. It includes explanations and rules about the Starry Sky Tower. There is a secret technique inside that allows disciples to be automatically transported out if they can't withstand the pressure. You should make it into Jade Pendants. Only the disciples holding a Jade Token will be allowed to enter the Starry Sky Tower for training," Lin Mo said.
Cheng Ying, Qiu Xingjian, and Dong Xiangyun were stunned for a moment, reviewing the revised Secret Manual. Scanning it briefly, the three looked expressionless. They looked at Lin Mo as if they were gazing upon a monster. Modifying a cultivation technique required not only immense strength but also a wealth of experience and knowledge.
But after looking it over, they all showed incredibly surprised expressions, because the revised technique had improved several levels over the original one, and the theories inside were even more suitable for the current Cultivation World.
"Thank you, Sect Leader," the three of them bowed simultaneously. This was genuine gratitude and appreciation.
"This is also me repaying the Nine Immortals Immortal's kindness," Lin Mo thought to himself. If he had not come to the Star Palace, he would not have experienced the quenching of the Starry Sky Tower.
Wang Chengpeng, Xiao Haiyang, Xiao Xing, and other disciples of the Star Sect were already utterly astonished. Repairing the array of the Starry Sky Tower and revising the cultivation technique—was this really just the work of a teenager?
"Did you reach the nineteenth layer on your own strength?" Xiao Haiyang clenched his fist, his gaze fixed intently on Lin Mo.
Lin Mo nodded, "Bones, muscles, blood vessels, my heart almost burst. If someone can reach the last layer, they will be the next Sect Leader of the Star Palace."
Seeing Lin Mo talk about it so lightly, Xiao Haiyang bowed his head, "I am convinced, Sect Leader."
Even the Ancient Ancestor and the Black-clothed Elder looked at Lin Mo with a trace of fear in their eyes. The two of them had some resentment in their hearts, but now, seeing Lin Mo's strength, not only did their resentment dissipate, but they even thought about working diligently for him, perhaps they could also receive some benefits.