Chapter 229
She said she would retrieve the wish he had made.
Li Mo looked at the graceful girl, only to find that her beautiful eyes were as deep as clear water, completely devoid of the determination to leave or any fear. There was only tranquility and gentleness.
Just like the bright moon that had always illuminated his path.
"Bing Tuozi."
"Nanjing is the territory of the demon clan. It's pointless for you to go; it will only increase the danger," Ying Bing said softly.
Li Mo shook his head. "Then where did the meteor fall?"
"Guess."
"When do we set off?"
"I won't tell you."
"Alright, I never said I wanted to go with you."
"When it's time to leave, we leave."
Ying Bing's lips, as delicate as shattered jade, parted slightly, and she glanced at the red string around the boy's wrist.
Perhaps it was after a meal one day, or perhaps it was a certain morning; she truly did not know when she would set off, nor did she know where the Jade Phoenix would ultimately land.
But... even if she didn't know where she was going, it was enough to know where she would return.
...
In the tavern's main hall.
By the time Li Mo finished his rest, it was already the next morning, and the tavern was unusually quiet.
Xu Xiaoer was sweeping the floor; he had now been promoted to the hall manager—while still serving customers.
Murong Xiao was still sitting there, but the incense burner had a few more sticks of incense, and someone had piled yesterday's unfinished dishes there.
There were even a few bottles of wine.
Emmmmm...
It seemed the beautiful master had quite a drink yesterday; otherwise, those bottles of wine wouldn't have been left over.
Li Mo casually picked up a bottle and took a sip.
"Brother Murong, life is peaceful, but one must have the strength to weather storms, don't you think?"
"If I were at the ninth realm, with a shake of my tiger-like body, the demons of Nanjing would obediently bring me whatever Bing Tuozi wanted."
"Why don't you ask the Buddha for me?"
Murong Xiao: "..."
As the two were chatting, Li Mo suddenly shifted his expression and turned to look back.
His spirit sense was strong now, yet he hadn't noticed until he heard footsteps that someone had entered the tavern.
It was an old monk dressed in a patchwork robe, with two white eyebrows hanging down, looking like an ordinary ascetic.
"Amitabha." The old monk chanted softly.
"Master, have you come to beg for alms?"
"Amitabha."
No matter what Li Mo asked, the old monk continued to chant.
Li Mo raised an eyebrow, a flicker of obscure light passing through his eyes.
[Name: Heng Yuan]
[Age: 82]
[Root Bone: Thousand Leaf Hand, Golden Bone of Buddha Light.]
[Realm: Sixth Heaven of External Scene.]
[Fate: Blue with Purple]
[Evaluation: Head of the Discipline Institute of Xuankong Temple, practicing silent meditation for fifty years.]
[Recent Encounter: Entrusted by the King of Southern Town, he sensed the intentions of the Demon Summoning Sect and traced Chang Bolong to Yunzhou, intending to retrieve the 'preparatory divine child.']
Li Mo set down the Heart-Matching Bell in his hand.
Xuankong Temple was the authentic Buddhist sect of Nanjing, its reputation rivaling that of Hengyun Sword City.
Preparatory divine child...
Li Mo looked at Murong Xiao, who sat there with a dignified presence, resembling a Bodhisattva.
"Master, have you come for him?"
"Amitabha..."
The old monk Heng Yuan nodded slightly, his gaze kind and gentle.
"However, he is a disciple of my Qingyuan Sect, and you cannot take him away."
Li Mo said earnestly.
Heng Yuan shook his head slightly, continuing to chant. Strangely, he said nothing, yet it made one feel deep down that he meant no harm.
Even when Li Mo secretly urged his Taiyin spirit, there was no unusual reaction.
The old monk walked in front of Murong Xiao, saw the offerings laid out on the ground, and his eyelids twitched slightly.
Then he slowly began to recite Buddhist scriptures.
Immediately, golden light erupted from Murong Xiao, and a vague shadow of a majestic dragon began to emerge.
As the scriptures were recited, the dragon seemed to be slowly awakening.
"The power of bloodlines seems somewhat similar to divine intent, yet not entirely the same..."
Li Mo could see that.
This old monk Heng Yuan was using a Buddhist secret method to accelerate Murong Xiao's awakening, hence he said little.
After a moment.
Although Murong Xiao had not yet awakened, through the divine eye of fate, he was no longer in a state of slumber.
[Recent Encounter: Received a letter from his parents to return to Nanjing for a family visit, encountered an unexpected awakening of the Mingjiao bloodline, fell into a deep sleep, and is now being suppressed by a high monk; he will awaken soon.]
After doing all this.
Heng Yuan withdrew his gaze from Murong Xiao and looked deeply at Li Mo before floating away.
Li Mo stood there, frowning.
He had a feeling he would meet this old monk again.
...
Three days later.
The autumn air grew thicker, as evening approached, the sun not yet fully set, and the moon not yet fully risen.
The faint dark light flickering around Li Mo became more restrained; he appeared unchanged, yet his physique was no longer the same.
Extreme Martial Body, perfected.
At dinner, everyone was lively and cheerful together.
Their merriment was unique.
Shang Wu was gulping down fine wine, while Princess Xiao Jiang polished the broken sword that Brother Li had bought for her, occasionally producing a sound of sword ringing from her hand.
Qian Bufan was eating with lightning speed, chatting away without missing a beat.
Murong Xiao...
Murong Xiao's silence was deafening!
"We're getting ready to set off."
Qian Bufan wiped his mouth with satisfaction. Having stayed in Yunzhou for so long, there were many matters to attend to back at the sect.
"Old Qian, let's take a warship back."
Shang Wu's apricot eyes were slightly glazed with intoxication.
"What warship? Two pieces of Xuanjing? Do you think money grows on trees?"
"Cut~"
"Anyway, it's not too far. I still have a list of pills to deliver to several cities along the way."
"I want to deliver the latest 'The Overbearing Empress Fell in Love with Me' to the cities along the route."
It seemed everyone had their own tasks for the journey.
"Set off..."
Li Mo listened to the conversations around him, gazing at the empty space beneath the trees, when suddenly his heart stirred.
She had clearly been here just a moment ago...
Little Li chased out of Yulong Street, all the way to the street corner.
There, by the shimmering lakeside, under the fiery clouds of dusk, the slender figure of the girl was setting off into the distance.
The crowd surged, bustling and noisy.
She seemed to sense something and turned back.
Through the throng, their eyes met.
She paused for a moment, then smiled helplessly.
She hadn’t wanted to say goodbye, adding a touch of parting sorrow.
[Name: Ying Bing]
[Age: 16]
[Root Bone: Taiyin Moon Phoenix Body.]
[Realm: Three Apertures of Divine Observation.]
[Fate: Red (bearing imperial bones, with Xuanbing as her fate, and autumn water as her spirit, resembling the Phoenix of Heaven)]
[Evaluation: Fated with many tribulations, always able to turn misfortune into fortune; though her feathers are not yet full, when the winds and clouds change, she will surely soar high in the skies, the Phoenix reigning over the six realms.]
[Recent Encounter: Witnessed one of the Nine-Colored Yuan Phoenix souls, the Jade Phoenix, fall, and set off for Nanjing.]
She was going to retrieve the meteor for the boy.
Once that figure disappeared from sight, Li Mo let out a gentle sigh.
When he turned back to the tavern, dusk had passed, and the moon hung in the branches.
"I'm not going back to Ziyang Mansion," Li Mo told everyone.
Shang Wu blinked her eyes, about to speak, but was interrupted by Xue Jing:
"What are your plans then?"
"To Nanjing, chasing the moon."
She knew where she was headed, where she would return.
He knew it too.
Understanding the Day of the Earthly Fiend's Seventy-Two Transformations, he set off for Nanjing.
---
Chapter 246: Farewell, Diary
The next morning.
Li Mo opened his eyes on the rooftop, glancing at the empty massage chair beside him. He did not get up but took advantage of the tranquility after observing the Taiyin to continue studying the "Wukong Seeking the Dao" scroll.
By the time the sun fully rose, he did not refine his physique but went to the kitchen.
"If only the Earthly Fiend's Seventy-Two Transformations were as simple as refining the body."
Little Li was making pork rib soup, effortlessly splitting the seven-grade beast bones on the cutting board with a finger.
These beasts were known for their tough bones, especially the spine.
"Hmm..."
"Actually, I previously thought refining the body was easy because of the abundant resources."
Li Mo calmed his mind and took stock of his inventory.
Various pills and rare materials were still plentiful, but their effects varied.
Among them, those beneficial for refining the body were few.
And it would be difficult to replenish them in a short time.
The Qingyuan Sect was set to depart for Ziyang Mansion today, and they could not provide any feedback for now.
More importantly, Bing Tuozi was not by his side.
It hurt, it hurt too much.
"So this is what it feels like to eat away at one's resources."
Li Mo looked at the several mountains of gold in the system space and sighed bitterly.
He didn't know how much he would need on the road.
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