Chapter 217
Li Mo's heartbeat was particularly distinct, echoing three times in his chest.
In an instant, a flood of insights surged through his mind.
"Jin Dou Yun" (Somersault Cloud)
"Jin Gang Bu Huai" (Indestructible)
"Di Sha Qi Shi Er Bian" (Seventy-Two Transformations of the Earthly Fiends)
...
This understanding was too vast and chaotic, flickering before his eyes in a disordered dance.
Li Mo felt as if he were a frog in a well, gazing up at the sky, floating in a sea of confusion. Apart from the shock, he could grasp none of the content, only vaguely recognizing the names.
This could no longer be described merely as martial arts.
It was divine power!
Just as Li Mo's mind was in turmoil, like a small boat tossed about in a vast ocean, the radiant light of the Taiyin (Great Yin) within his consciousness shone brightly once more, liberating him.
Thus, the resonance of his immortal body slowly imprinted the insights he had just experienced, along with the Zao Hua Yin (Creation Seal), onto that vivid image.
【Congratulations, host! You have successfully used the Secret Silver Creation Seal to upgrade the "Shang Xing Guan Shen Tu" (Upper Form Viewing Divine Map) to the Extreme Form.】
【The "Monkey King Emergence Map" has been deduced to: "Wukong Seeking the Dao Map"!】
...
P.S.: Sorry for the delay! I’ve finally started to unfold the setting of the immortal body, and I was quite careful while writing.
I introduced the immortal body too early; I’ve never written in the fantasy genre before, and my personal writing style doesn’t favor throwing away settings and items after use, which led to a less than ideal reading experience. I’m grateful to the audience for their patience in sticking around until now.
I hope the audience can support me with some energy, muah~
---
**Chapter 232: As Expected, the Punishment Rating Never Comes with Normal Rewards**
“Li Shao Xia... Li Shao Xia?”
The voice of Wei Zhao Liu reached his ears, pulling Li Mo from his daze. As he opened his eyes, it felt as if he had awakened from a long dream.
The Slanting Moon and Three Stars Cave was gone; he was still atop the Sword Tower.
The peculiar stone remained, and the scroll lay quietly beside it.
Wei Zhao Liu looked at him with uncertainty and said, “Even Master didn’t tell you that this peculiar stone shouldn’t be touched casually. Are you feeling better?”
“I didn’t faint because of the stone...”
Li Mo picked up the scroll, which depicted the Slanting Moon and Three Stars Cave he had just seen.
The divine intent within it sent a tremor through his heart.
His consciousness showed signs of awakening, and he quickly suppressed it.
A summer insect cannot speak of ice; a mortal cannot speak of the Dao.
He currently lacked the foundation to fully absorb the divine powers depicted in the Viewing Divine Map.
But one day in the future, when his consciousness grew stronger, he would surely master the abilities shown in the image!
Young Li couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement as he gazed at the Viewing Divine Map, his eyes ablaze.
Then he noticed that Wei Zhao Liu was looking at him strangely.
“What’s wrong?”
“Why are you grinning at that weird monkey?”
“...This is the Viewing Divine Map.”
Li Mo was momentarily bewildered.
Wei Zhao Liu seemed to understand something and said, “Right, right, if you say so, then it must be.”
“However, it’s normal to fail when trying to replicate the peculiar stone. You don’t need to feel embarrassed about it.”
She assumed Li Mo was embarrassed about failing to draw the Viewing Divine Map, hence his youthful pride preventing him from admitting it.
After all, how could a perfectly good stone turn into just a monkey?
Fortunately, Li Shao Xia only cared about his pride and hadn’t lost his mind.
“...”
Li Mo seemed to grasp the situation.
The divine intent in the image did not belong to the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
To others, it was merely a finely crafted painting.
He could observe it because he bore the immortal body.
In fact, if it weren’t for the immortal body’s guidance, this "Wukong Seeking the Dao Map" wouldn’t have appeared at all.
...
As the sun began to set.
In the vast Sword Pool, all the disciples of Sword City, along with a few elders, stood up to bow, and their object of respect was a girl who didn’t seem very old.
If this scene had occurred in the past, it would have left many people utterly astonished.
Ying Bing was momentarily speechless.
Well...
In the past, she would have likely ignored such a scene.
After all, she had observed the peculiar stones of Sword City and had given her teachings there, so there was no need for pleasantries.
But now, looking at the various gazes filled with reverence or gratitude from the crowd, she felt a moment of disorientation.
Was this the reason he always liked to help others?
If it were him, he would probably say...
Ying Bing softly spoke, “There’s no need for thanks. I hope everyone can remain sincere and continue to touch the profound mysteries of the sword path.”
At the moment of sunset and moonrise, the swords nurtured in the Sword Pool began to awaken, their voices ringing out in a chorus, as if responding to her words.
These swords had mostly been used by generations of sword practitioners from Hengyun Sword City, each carrying remnants of their spirits.
Now, they all manifested, transforming into pure divine intent, converging towards the stage.
The girl stood alone there, holding a sword in her right hand and a large-headed doll in her left.
Today, she wore a light yellow long dress, which couldn’t hide her fair skin.
Her dark brows resembled distant mountains, her eyes concealed the moon, her bones were like bright jade, and her spirit like autumn waters, appearing even less like a person of this world amidst the gathering divine intent.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd.
“Has Ying Xianzi broken through again?”
“I almost forgot, she’s only twenty-eight now...”
“Our Hengyun Sword City has stood firm until now, inviting martial artists from all over to observe the peculiar stones. Isn’t that the essence of her words?”
“No wonder the remnants of the elders’ divine intent responded.”
“The Qianlong List was released too early; if it had been delayed a bit longer, Ying Xianzi would surely rank higher than eighteenth.”
“I still find it a bit unbelievable; how could a few words make the Sword Pool boil? It’s too extraordinary.”
“Don’t forget, Li Shao Xia is a lucky charm for women. I have an immature guess...”
...
“?”
Ying Bing herself hadn’t expected the breakthrough to come so suddenly.
Nor did she anticipate it would cause such a stir.
“To help Ying girl break through is also a blessing for these dusty swords.”
Elder Zeng, for some reason, showed more curiosity than surprise in his eyes.
“This is a joyous occasion; we should celebrate. How about Ying girl stays for dinner tonight?”
“No, I prefer simple meals.”
Ying Bing glanced at a distance, her eyes suddenly flickering.
She said no more and descended from the high platform.
Elder Zeng raised an eyebrow and followed her gaze.
There, at the entrance of the Sword Pool, a young boy was squatting under a tree.
He held a twig in his hand, drawing something on the ground for Jiang Chu Chong beside him to see.
Ying Bing approached the boy, squatting beside him to watch for a while.
Then the three of them left together.
With the setting sun behind them and the new moon ahead, their figures gradually blurred.
The elders fell into deep thought.
What had they come here for again?
Suddenly, they felt like a bunch of dogs.
...
The night was cool as water.
In the private courtyard of the tavern.
Li Mo sat cross-legged in his room, the Viewing Divine Map resting on his knees.
The little figure in his dantian glowed softly, but unlike before, it wasn’t the mysterious and noble moon patterns that lit up.
Instead, it was the divine intent slowly flowing out from the Extreme Form Viewing Divine Map before him.
“Haah...”
After a long while, Li Mo let out a deep breath.
The divine powers within, even when presented to him through the Viewing Divine Map in the way of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, placed considerable mental pressure on him.
Of course, if he managed to fully comprehend it, the benefits would be unimaginable.
“This is just the Extreme Form.”
“What if one day I achieve the Great Dao Divine Form?”
Unfortunately, he currently lacked the Liujin Zao Hua Yin (Golden Creation Seal).
So far, that thing only responded when he invested in Bing Tuozi (Ice Block).
“She just broke through today; she should be consolidating her realm, right?”
Li Mo shook his head and continued to ponder.
...
On the rooftop of the tavern.
Sitting in a massage chair, Ying Bing was studying the imprint of the Hundred Birds Form etched in her mind.
She always practiced diligently.
For some reason, today she felt a bit restless...
Was it because she was used to cultivating with him?
But she and Li Mo hadn’t exchanged many words today.
Suddenly, illusory words appeared before her eyes.
【You have a pending reward for the third prize.】
It was a punishment rating reward...
No.
It was hard to say this was a reward.
Ying Bing paused in her steps.
Even if she didn’t want it, the system would definitely issue it...
As expected.
This time, the system didn’t even bother to put on a show, or perhaps it sensed her thoughts.
【This third prize reward is: Kiss Li Mo.】
Ying Bing: “.....”
She felt a bit skeptical.
In the punishment rating, there simply were no normal rewards.
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