Chapter 23
“No way! Li Xiong just saved me; I can’t let him get into trouble!”
“I can’t go to the third level, so I’ll have to ask Master for help…”
Mu Rong Xiao scrambled to his feet.
He dashed out of Shen Feng Cave.
Meanwhile, Li Mo was completely unaware of the situation.
As he walked, he noticed a message from the system:
[You have an investment feedback waiting to be claimed. Would you like to claim it?]
“No.”
Li Mo stepped into the third level, fully focused.
Looking up, he saw various weapons embedded in the rock wall.
These weapons had once belonged to masters of the inner realm.
Gazing at them felt like glimpsing the past of their owners.
He could see them piercing through others’ bodies, wielded by their masters, fighting for their lives against enemies.
Likewise, the murderous aura they exuded was magnified several times!
There might still be people in this level.
But at least they were out of Li Mo’s sight.
“This should be about right.”
“If I go any further, even with my Extreme Weapon Body, I’ll be in danger.”
Li Mo found a piece of blue stone to sit on.
He first took out a gourd and gulped down a couple of swigs.
Ice Fire Wine.
It entered his mouth like a cool spring in the mountains, refreshing and crisp, but once it hit his stomach, it felt like it ignited, heating every inch of his meridians, fascia, and even bones until they burned.
“Let’s get started!”
Li Mo exhaled the wine’s aroma, chewed a Clear Heart Pill, and swallowed it.
He began to circulate his energy.
As the Extreme Weapon Body activated, the sharp murderous aura washed over his body.
Pain!
Li Mo’s forehead beaded with sweat as he gritted his teeth and persevered.
He felt his muscles being honed like stubborn stones, gradually revealing their jade-like sheen, becoming increasingly resilient.
The potency of the Ice Fire Wine acted as a lubricant, enhancing the refining effect while promoting muscle restructuring.
Sweat soaked his clothes, and steam rose from his head.
Li Mo directly experienced how excruciating horizontal training could be.
But he was already committed.
After a brief trial, he began to incorporate his meridians into the refining process.
Buzz—
Just as Li Mo was deep in his training, the weapons embedded in the stone wall seemed to sense something, vibrating restlessly.
---
**Chapter 20: Elder Han He, Doubting Life, Comes to Stock Up**
At the same time.
Inside Shen Bing Peak.
“What kind of horizontal training did you teach Li Mo?”
Han He casually inquired about the situation.
Even though he believed Mu Rong Xiao could never lose, knowing oneself and one’s enemy is the key to victory.
However, the next words from Shang Wu nearly made Han He spit out his tea:
“Horizontal training? I didn’t teach him anything.”
“Didn’t teach?!”
“He just opened his meridians yesterday; where would he find the time to learn horizontal techniques?”
Shang Wu propped her chin on her hand, yawning in boredom.
Han He’s old face twitched.
You don’t even know what your disciple is practicing, yet you dare to let him go into Shen Feng Cave?
He thought Shang Wu had prepared some backup plan to win their bet.
And what about Li Mo?
He wouldn’t have foolishly started practicing some low-tier technique like Iron Shirt, would he?
Just then.
“Master! Master!”
“Not good!”
Mu Rong Xiao rushed into the courtyard, his back drenched in sweat.
It wasn’t from exhaustion; it was from urgency.
“Aren’t you supposed to be training? What happened?”
Han He glanced at his disciple, frowning.
He had always thought his disciple was calm and composed, which is why he felt safe letting him descend to the second level of Shen Feng Cave.
Why was he now so flustered?
“Li Xiong has entered the third level of Shen Feng Cave!”
“Master, you need to go save him!”
Mu Rong Xiao spoke quickly.
His anxious demeanor made it seem as if his own father had fallen into a river.
“Li Xiong? Which Li Xiong?”
Han He was momentarily taken aback.
“It's Li Mo, the true disciple of Elder Shang Wu!”
Han He: “?”
Shang Wu: “Ah?”
Li Mo went to the third level?
The third level was where the famous weapons were stored.
Whether it was the murderous aura of the former weapon masters or the inherent sharpness of Shen Feng Cave, neither could be endured by someone in the Qi Blood realm.
The blacksmiths in the courtyard couldn’t help but gasp in shock.
They had dealt with weapons for years, and many wouldn’t dare to linger in the third level.
Going down to the third level meant certain death for someone in the Qi Blood realm!
“Wait a minute.”
“How did he get down there?”
Han He stood up, suspicion etched on his face.
To reach the third level, one must pass through the second level.
A novice martial artist, just entering the Qi Blood realm with no experience in body refinement, wouldn’t even make it to the second level, right?
But looking at Mu Rong Xiao’s expression, it was clear he wasn’t lying.
“I don’t know either…”
Mu Rong Xiao shook his head.
“Maybe he has a rare treasure that allows him to shield against the sharpness.”
Han He pondered for a moment and considered this possibility.
“He should be fine, right?”
Shang Wu’s drunkenness faded instantly, and she hesitantly pulled out the Tongxin Bell from her pocket.
The bell hadn’t rung at all.
Han He said solemnly:
“In the third level, your disciple probably lost his mind the moment he stepped in due to the murderous aura!”
“With a rare treasure, he might be fine for a short while…”
No sooner had he spoken than a red shadow shot out like a meteor.
Where she had been standing, only a large pit remained.
“Hey, what just zipped past?”
The inner door steward at the entrance rubbed his eyes.
“Who are you? Register!”
“Do you even know who I am?”
“Oh… it’s you…”
Han He followed closely behind.
If a true disciple died in the cave, even as an elder, he would have to take responsibility.
“Shang Wu, don’t collapse my Shen Feng Cave!”
He shouted from behind.
This was understandable; there had been a case where a novice in the Inner Breath realm accidentally entered the third level of Shen Feng Cave and lost their mind.
The speed of the inner realm was faster than lightning.
Truly, it was lightning fast.
Shang Wu showed no intention of concealing her aura; the scorching wave of energy even overshadowed the sharpness of the weapons.
As a result, many trembling martial artists filled the first and second levels of Shen Feng Cave.
In no time, Shang Wu reached the third level.
However, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.
“Hmm?”
Shang Wu’s tense expression gradually relaxed, turning into confusion.
“Shang Wu, my disciple has saved your disciple’s life this time.”
“How do you plan to repay this favor…”
Elder Han He walked down with his hands behind his back.
But before he could finish his sentence, he found himself choking on his words.
This elder, who had presided over Shen Bing Peak for twenty years, froze in place upon seeing what lay before him.
He had thought that finally, Shang Wu, this crazy woman, owed someone a favor, and she wouldn’t dare to come to Shen Bing Peak to take advantage anymore.
He never expected to witness such an unforgettable scene.
There sat a young man on a blue stone, surrounded by dozens of weapons, each exuding an aura of submission.
These were all, without exception, famous weapons.
Every disciple entering the inner door had the right to choose a weapon from Shen Feng Cave; if they were lucky, they could bond with a famous weapon.
Of course, most people would ultimately only be able to choose from the first and second levels.
To gain recognition from a famous weapon was a tremendous fortune for an ordinary disciple.
It’s worth noting that even most elders from various peaks used only famous weapons.
To gain recognition from dozens of famous weapons at once?
Han He would rather believe that his aging eyes were failing him.
“Gulp—”
Han He swallowed hard.
“I told you, this kid doesn’t seem brainless.”
“Looks like he’s training quite well.”
Shang Wu snorted, her lazy demeanor returning.
Han He was speechless.
Who was it just a moment ago that nearly caused a scene?
At this point, he didn’t have time to argue with Shang Wu and focused intently on the young man surrounded by the famous weapons, scrutinizing him repeatedly.
Even someone who had seen countless storms couldn’t help but question life itself.
“This kid is really training.”
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