Chapter 239
“Ah-choo!”
High above, a bald-headed Roc soared through the sky.
Li Mo wiped his nose, a frown forming in his mind.
Wait a minute, we’ve reached the God-Observation Realm, our physical bodies are stronger than those of any beast, how can I still catch a cold?
Well, it’s not exactly a cold; it’s just that I keep sneezing.
Murong Xiao said seriously, “Li brother, when you transform into a Mingjiao body, you mustn’t sneeze carelessly.”
“Why not?”
Li Mo was puzzled. Was it because beasts don’t get sick?
“I’ve heard that an ancestor of the Mingjiao clan once accidentally sneezed, which triggered a torrential downpour and caused a flood.”
Murong Xiao spoke with a slight lisp:
“Later, he was chased by the divine sword of the Tianshan Sword Manor, all the way to the Southern Wilderness before they finally gave up. Now he doesn’t even dare to go out.”
“.....”
Li Mo thought to himself, could the Mingjiao clan’s reputation for disaster have originated from something so trivial?
Because of a sneeze, they became synonymous with floods.
“Yeah, when a Mingjiao sneezes, it’s bound to rain. It’s so annoying!”
The Roc demon’s voice was small, filled with resentment.
“..... So that’s how your family feud started.”
It had been five days since they learned that Ying Bing had gone to the Qingluan clan, and they had been flying toward the Mingjiao territory on the Roc.
Now, the marshes stretched out before them, growing more numerous.
They were almost there.
.....
PS: Today, I’m taking it easy and heading to bed early, so just two updates. Muah!
Please support the audience, orz.
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**Chapter 256: The Best Feeling in the World, the Stirring of the Mingjiao!**
Li Mo and the others landed at the edge of the Mingjiao dragon territory.
In the land of their family feud, the Roc could not venture further; otherwise, if discovered by the Mingjiao’s strong warriors, it could very well be shot down.
Watching the Roc fly away, little Li pondered.
He had been to the military camp in Baoping Town, where the border guards, along with a God-Observation Realm protector, could easily capture the Roc or at least drive it away.
So why had they allowed it to roam freely over Baoping Mountain, causing such unrest?
The group walked through the land known as the Heishui Marsh.
This place, often muddy and rainy, also had human towns, but there were no guards left.
The human clans that had lived here for generations all worshipped the “Wuling” (shaman spirits).
Different towns had their own unique Wuling, serving various strange functions beyond just maintaining peace.
For instance, right now.
After five days of travel through the mountains, they finally came upon a relatively flat town.
The entire town was built around a lake, and they could faintly hear exotic fishing songs drifting from the water.
“This is the last town before entering the Mingjiao territory,” Huang Donglai confirmed as he looked at the map.
“The clothing here in the Heishui Marsh is really strange.”
Murong Xiao took off his silk hat, shaking off the droplets of water that clung to it, revealing a dry surface that shimmered with a beautiful luster.
Huang Donglai said, “Every place nurtures its own people. This pearl-white lotus silk naturally repels moisture and is quite precious.”
“The feel of it is truly amazing; it’s the best thing in the world to touch.”
Murong Xiao stroked the silk hat.
“Not at all!”
Suddenly, Li Mo interjected, his gaze resolute.
Just by looking at his expression, it was clear he meant what he said!
“What’s the softest, smoothest thing in the world?” Murong Xiao asked, confused.
“Ah....”
Li Mo sighed, shaking his head as he rubbed the silk hat, kneading it gently.
This technique couldn’t be called anything but a massage...
“??”
Murong Xiao was baffled, trying to figure out what Li Mo’s actions were supposed to convey.
Li Mo’s knowledge was indeed beyond his reach.
“This material is nice, softer than cloud silk. What do you think about using it to make socks?”
Li Mo asked instinctively, not even knowing why he said it.
It seemed he not only had his own thoughts in his hands but now his mouth had a mind of its own too!
“??”
Now it wasn’t just Murong Xiao who was stunned; Huang Donglai was too.
“You know, my hammering skills are decent, so I’ve recently taken an interest in forging.”
“Forging such delicate items requires great skill. I could start by buying a thousand or eighteen hundred pounds to practice.”
Li Mo cleared his throat and placed the hat back on Murong Xiao’s head.
Murong Xiao’s eyes were filled with wisdom and surprise.
He had practiced a lot under Elder Hanhua at the Divine Weapon Peak. His master said that once he could forge a decent cloud silk inner armor, he would be considered a skilled craftsman.
Li Mo actually chose the more difficult pearl-white lotus silk to start with?!
“......”
Huang Donglai thought to himself, what does this have to do with forging? Isn’t this weaving?
“Li brother, a thousand pounds of lotus yields only two taels of silk.”
“Not to mention eighteen hundred pounds; the entire town’s output wouldn’t exceed twenty pounds.”
“.....”
Li Mo looked out and saw figures bending over in the mud by the lakeside. Some women even carried infants in swaddles, stumbling through the mire, their bodies dirty as if they had grown from the mud itself.
It was hard to associate the pearl-white lotus silk with these people.
Li Mo and the three entered the town.
After spending a hefty sum to buy a few pounds of lotus silk from a traveling silk merchant, his doubts only deepened.
Clearly, they produced such a precious item.
Why were there still women taking their children to work in the fields?
At that moment, the silk merchant enthusiastically said, “Today, there’s a Wuling festival here. If you’re not in a hurry, why not take a look? The Wuling here is quite effective, and many people believe in it.”
“Thank you.”
Li Mo expressed his gratitude but felt little interest.
Murong Xiao was also not particularly interested in the so-called Wuling festival; he was now a mix of excitement and nervousness.
“I wonder if my parents are worried.”
He had never seen his parents since he was born.
“Hmm... I also have great respect for Murong Shibo...”
As they walked, Li Mo couldn’t help but be curious:
“Since your uncle and aunt miss you so much, why don’t they come to Qingyuan Sect to see you? How could they let you come to the Southern Wilderness alone?”
“Maybe they have their own reasons. Besides, aren’t we almost there?”
Murong Xiao smiled broadly, filled with joy at the thought of meeting his biological parents.
Li Mo: “.....”
If it weren’t for the joint enforcement of the Hongyun Sword City and the Drizzle Tower, you’d still be serving as a divine child for the Demon Cult.
However.
After so many years apart, it just so happened that the Jade Phoenix descended to the Southern Wilderness, suddenly calling Murong Xiao back.
It was hard to say there wasn’t a connection.
But the reasons behind it would only be known once they reached the Mingjiao territory.
As they spoke, the group arrived by the marsh, where a tall altar stood, marked by the traces of wind and frost.
Without needing to get closer, they could see the statue atop it.
The statue was made entirely of stone, with a large head and a small body, sporting two pairs of eyes, grotesque and terrifying.
“Hiss... why does this feel familiar?”
Li Mo recalled the Sanxingdui from his past life but felt it wasn’t quite the same.
Suddenly, he seemed to remember.
It was at Qunyu Peak!
Among the statues of the God-Observation that his beautiful master had shattered, there was one that resembled this.
At that moment.
The priest, wearing a mask identical to the statue’s face, was performing a bizarre dance on the altar.
The crowd below was devoutly offering sacrifices, receiving a stick of black incense, which they lit and prayed sincerely, some even voicing their heartfelt wishes.
“I hope for a bountiful harvest this year...”
“I hope to have a son...”
Li Mo raised an eyebrow.
This Wuling...
He realized that this Wuling statue gave him a vague sense of déjà vu, as if he were looking at a God-Observation painting, yet it was far more bizarre than ordinary statues.
This didn’t look like any proper deity.
Li Mo recalled the other villages they had passed; every Wuling that was worshipped seemed to be like this.
“I hope the vicious Mingjiao doesn’t invade our village anymore...”
“I hope to see my parents safely...”
Hmm?
Li Mo turned his head and found Murong Xiao was also praying there.
Wait, Murong brother, the main purpose of this Wuling is to ward off the Mingjiao.
Are you really praying to it?
Even if the Wuling agrees, would the Buddha?
Just then.
Gurgle, gurgle—
The sky suddenly darkened, and a whirlpool appeared in the lake, rapidly expanding, revealing a huge shadow within.
“It’s the Mingjiao stirring up trouble!”
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