Chapter 60
Murong Hai's pupils constricted slightly, and he felt a bit dazed.
He had never thought that a true disciple of the Qingyuan Sect would be outmatched by an injured bandit.
If it weren't for Xiao'er being ambushed and losing out on his experience in the martial world, he would have won just as easily.
The disciples of major sects have a systematic approach to martial arts, making them inherently stronger than wandering fighters or those from small sects.
Li Mo, wielding a mysterious weapon, was certainly stronger than Xiao'er.
But... this was a bit too easy, wasn't it?
There were almost no signs of a struggle at the scene.
Even the infamous blood knife of Xue Peng had been reduced to mere shards.
“Old Murong, you arrived just in time.”
Li Mo casually tossed the iron swallow aside and said, “Please take care of transferring Cui Peng's body to the authorities.”
Once the officials verify his identity, they will notify the Hall of External Affairs, saving him the trouble.
Carrying a corpse around was just too bothersome to think about.
“Brother Li, you really are something else.”
After comparing notes in his mind, Murong Xiao looked at him with admiration.
The internal energy is divided into three realms: Condensing Qi, Jade Liquid, and Mysterious Pill, each representing a different world.
He had sparred with his senior brother in the Condensing Qi realm, and even though he was physically strong, he still found himself at a disadvantage.
Even if Cui Peng was injured, he had no confidence in defeating him.
“What is this? A hidden weapon?”
Murong Xiao picked up the iron swallow.
Before he could examine it closely, Murong Hai slapped it out of his hand.
“Foolish boy, don’t just grab anything!”
“This hidden weapon doesn’t seem to be poisoned...”
“This isn’t a hidden weapon; it’s a Hall Front Swallow.”
Murong Hai shook his head.
Furrowing his brows, he recounted the origins of the item.
What he said was similar to what Shang Wu had mentioned.
“I have no interest in participating in any trials of the underworld.”
Hearing this, Murong Xiao shrank back, no longer wanting to look at the iron swallow.
“What a troublesome time.”
Murong Hai sighed and then turned to Li Mo, his expression softening.
“Anyone who receives a Hall Front Swallow from the Drizzle Tower is undoubtedly a ruthless and formidable opponent.”
“Brother Li, to have dispatched him so easily, you truly deserve the title of a prodigy.”
At this point, he couldn’t help but feel a bit emotional.
“I wonder what kind of extraordinary talent Miss Ying Bing, who shares your fame, possesses.”
“I owe much of my current success to her.”
Li Mo’s words made him genuinely think of Bing Tuozi.
Two days.
Without any feedback from Bing Tuozi, Li Mo felt something was missing.
Before long, the officials arrived and began to clean up the scene.
The gazes directed at him were filled with awe and shock.
What were they doing at sixteen?
Here he was, having just taken down a madman in the realm of internal energy.
【Congratulations, host, you have successfully invested in ‘Meng Can’ and saved his life.】
【Investment feedback: One year of martial arts insight.】
Thinking of this, he glanced over at a short distance.
The little beggar named Meng Can stood awkwardly, his eyes fixed on the rice bag that had fallen to the ground, yet he didn’t dare to pick it up.
Li Mo smiled gently, bent down, and picked up the rice bag, brushing off the dust.
“Here, take it.”
“Li, great benefactor, I didn’t know he was a fugitive…”
Meng Can trembled, not daring to reach out.
However, the boy placed the rice bag in his arms.
“I was going to find Cui Peng anyway. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have found him so quickly. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“And please don’t call me ‘great benefactor’; it sounds strange.”
Meng Can was taken aback.
Seeing the boy’s sunny smile, he felt as if he were basking in a warm spring breeze. His eyes suddenly felt teary, and he hurriedly wiped them with his small hands, making his already dirty face even more disheveled.
“Brother Li, you’re just like the stuttering sister; you’re a good person.”
“Who’s this stuttering sister you mentioned? Can you take me to meet her?”
Li Mo asked gently.
Meng Can’s little face immediately became conflicted. After struggling for a moment, he whispered, “The stuttering sister said we shouldn’t talk about her with outsiders, and she doesn’t want us bringing anyone over.”
Hmm...
Li Mo pondered.
This cautious behavior seemed to suggest she was avoiding something.
Even if this ‘stuttering sister’ wasn’t the person Bing Tuozi was looking for, she probably wasn’t simple either.
Perhaps she could be a suitable investment target.
“But she’s sick now, very sick.”
“Brother Li, can you help her?”
Meng Can looked at him like a drowning person grasping at a lifeline.
The investment genius Li Mo smiled and said, “What a coincidence, I’m quite skilled in medicine. I guarantee she’ll be cured.”
His pills were all at least six-patterned.
For external injuries, there was the Hundred Flowers Dew Ointment; for internal injuries, the Five Elements Purple Spirit Pill; for detoxification, the Clear Obscurity Pill... even for unspeakable ailments, there was the Tiger Bone Yang-Enhancing Wine.
Any illness can be cured = good medical skills.
No problem there.
...
In the Mud Corner Alley.
The yard was dilapidated, with several sections of the surrounding wall collapsed, giving off a sense of decay as if it were about to return to nature.
“Where’s Can? Why hasn’t he come back yet?”
“He wouldn’t have gotten into trouble, would he?”
“I heard from Grandpa Hua Lian that there are kind people giving out porridge and rice on the street today. I’m so hungry, boohoo…”
“Abba abba.”
A few dirty-faced, ragged little ones peeked outside.
Like the yard, which had no good items, these little ones were not normal children either; some had lame legs, some were missing an arm, and some couldn’t speak due to a missing tongue.
“Is Xiao Can not back yet?”
A slightly older beggar, who was physically intact and a bit older, entered, dropping off the scraps and wild vegetables he had just collected.
The little ones all shook their heads, their eyes filled with confusion.
“How’s the stuttering sister doing?”
He asked again.
“She’s still burning up with fever. I just changed her wet cloth.”
“She was in pain for a while, but now she’s fallen asleep.”
“Should we go find a doctor to take a look at the stuttering sister? She seems to be suffering a lot…”
“Seeing a doctor costs at least a few taels of silver; we don’t have any money…”
“Abba abba.”
Listening to their chatter.
The older beggar raised his hand and carefully took out a small piece of yellowed salt from his pocket.
“You all go cook first.”
Saying this, he went into the room.
The little ones, as if they had found treasure, suddenly became lively, as if it were New Year’s. Some went to fetch firewood, while others grabbed a half-broken pot, all working together to start a fire.
Inside the room.
Though it was called a room, there was no door; one could see the gloomy sky above.
On a pile of weeds lay a girl beggar of about fifteen or sixteen, her tattered clothes barely revealing their original light blue color, her face covered in dirt, and her eyes covered with a cloth strip.
Hearing footsteps, her ears twitched slightly.
“Stuttering sister, it’s me. Are you feeling any better?”
“No... I’m fine... don’t... worry about me.”
“Just... rest... for a bit...”
Her hoarse voice was intermittent; now that she was sick again, even a simple sentence seemed to drain all her strength.
“Then I won’t disturb you. I’ll call you when it’s time to eat.”
The little beggar sighed and turned to leave.
But before he could step out, he heard a voice behind him:
“Don’t... don’t go... stealing things…”
“Got it.”
Jiang Chuchong finally relaxed her breathing, curling up.
She felt feverish all over, yet a chill seemed to emanate from all directions.
Her chest, once the source of her confidence, where she could faintly hear the sound of a thousand swords ringing together, had now transformed into an invisible abyss, slowly consuming her with an endless void.
“Am I... going to die?”
Jiang Chuchong thought numbly.
She felt a sense of sorrow, but hunger and weakness left her with no strength to feel love or hate.
When one dies, can they meet those they can never see again?
Mother...
Suddenly, a commotion erupted at the door.
“Can, you’re back!”
“Wow, it’s rice!”
“Who’s this big brother? Why did you bring an outsider back?”
“He’s the great benefactor who gave us food; he can save the stuttering sister…”
As Meng Can anxiously explained,
Li Mo’s gaze passed over the little ones and landed on the blindfolded girl beggar lying in the dilapidated house.
The moment the divine eye of fate swept over her,
his breath caught for a moment.
【Name: Jiang Chuchong】
【Age: 15】
【Root Bone: Heavenly Sovereign Emperor Sword Bone (partially missing), Wild Grass Sword Bone in development.】
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