Chapter 267
The demon clan reveres the first rank, while human warriors respect the ninth realm; the two are opposites.
Great demons are equivalent to the inner scene of humans, and sixth-rank disaster beasts are usually stronger than the inner scene.
But they have already offered their help, so one cannot demand too much.
Moreover,
How can a warrior not weather storms?
A simple "thank you" hung in the air, met with a long silence.
When Li Mo looked up again, he found that it wasn’t just Shang Qinqing who had vanished; the Yinyuan Tree, the Buddhist temple, the ancient pagoda—all had disappeared.
Only the bare peaks remained, as if it had all been a grand dream.
He quickly turned his gaze, and his heart settled into tranquility.
“Bing Tuozi, it’s time to go home.”
Li Mo’s fingers twitched, wanting to reach out, but he recalled the earlier awkwardness.
“Mm.”
A small, cool, soft hand inexplicably found its way into his palm, and he instinctively tightened his grip.
He gazed at the breathtaking landscapes of the Southern Wilderness, all worries and distractions washed away, leaving only a sense of vastness and elevation.
The journey home was long.
Fortunately, he didn’t have to walk alone.
Ying Bing looked at the boy’s profile, as if...
She felt the same way?
......
PS: Please support the audience (feeling weak)
---
**Chapter 288: The Mountain Lord Temple—The Desire for a Nimbus Cloud Reaches Its Peak**
Winter rain pattered softly.
On the desolate mountain, the sound of rain hitting leaves and branches was incessant, and the chill seemed to seep deep into the bones.
Inside the cold, silent temple, a group of traveling merchants burst in, shaking off the rainwater as they grumbled and checked their goods.
“We’re probably going to be stuck on this mountain tonight. This little path is supposed to be close, but who knew about this cursed weather?”
“Ugh, why is this mountain road so difficult?”
“Spending the night up here, we won’t run into any demon beasts, will we?”
The merchants shivered as they complained.
“Don’t worry, this is the Mountain Lord Temple. The priests from the nearby villages often offer sacrifices here; it’s very effective,” the middle-aged guide said confidently.
Seeing his certainty, the merchants relaxed and started a fire to cook.
Before long, there was more noise at the entrance, startling everyone. They looked up to see two people walking in.
“Sorry to intrude.”
The young man clasped his fists in greeting.
“Out here, it’s only natural to help each other out,” the guide replied with a broad smile.
The young man glanced thoughtfully at him before sitting down beside a woman wearing a light veil.
At first, the merchants were curious about the two, but soon they returned to their food, chatting over their roasted flatbreads.
“Have you heard? Many places have had their shaman spirits killed.”
“Jiu Ling Village and Hu Mao Town’s shaman spirits are gone now.”
“Who would dare do such a thing?”
“It wasn’t a person; those two were a vile serpent and a bird demon, somehow teaming up.”
“Ah?”
The young man looked a bit taken aback.
He had been called the unparalleled heavenly serpent among the demon clan.
Having slain demons along the way, the reputation seemed a bit different from what he had imagined.
The merchants glanced at him, and as the fire blazed brighter, they could see his handsome face, gentle brows, and a smile that radiated warmth—perhaps the kind of gentleman described by those from outside the Southern Wilderness.
The woman beside him wore a dark veil, obscuring her features, but she exuded an air that kept others at a distance.
“What did they do... that was so wrong?” the vile serpent, Xiao Li, asked.
“They killed the shaman spirits but refused to accept people’s worship. Who will people believe in now?” one merchant replied matter-of-factly.
Li Mo: “......”
He couldn’t help but recall.
He and Ying Bing had slain a fat-headed fish disaster beast that had been stirring up trouble in the river, capsizing boats.
Only after accepting sacrifices would it calm down a bit.
It had done just a little evil and could brazenly enjoy incense and offerings in the temple.
A small sacrifice every month, a grand one every year.
Small offerings could be sheep or cattle, while larger ones could be young boys or girls.
“If they don’t worship the shaman spirits, then there’s no need for offerings.”
“That’s not right.”
One merchant looked at Li Mo as if he were an oddity, a bit angry as he said, “It’s always been this way.”
“Right, a few sheep and two children can ensure everyone’s safety. It’s a good deal.”
“For instance, with the Mountain Lord’s protection, the wild beasts outside won’t dare come in, allowing us to sit here and chat.”
“What if the ones being offered up... are you?” Li Mo suddenly said, his voice low.
He didn’t notice when the veiled woman beside him had vanished.
The bonfire flickered wildly, and a gust of cold wind swept into the Mountain Lord Temple, chilling the air even further.
It felt as if something was awakening...
The merchants were horrified, scrambling to flee, but they barely made it to the door.
Bang—
A massive shadow crashed to the ground.
It was a blue-purple striped tiger head, fierce and enormous, capable of swallowing a grown adult whole—terrifying beyond measure.
Yet it lay dead, its blood frozen, the stench of decay filling the air.
The rain had stopped without anyone noticing.
Moonlight poured in.
Before the headless tiger corpse stood a girl draped in moonlight, slowly sheathing her sword, her jade-green wings gradually dissipating.
The night wind lifted her black veil, unintentionally revealing a glimpse of her stunning beauty.
“This Mountain Lord is quite impressive,” Li Mo said, kicking the massive tiger head outside with a light laugh. “Much stronger than that fat-headed fish and that crow.”
The merchants were too stunned to speak.
The very subject of their earlier discussion had been sitting right beside them all along.
“Mountain Lord!”
Suddenly, the guide let out a shrill cry and collapsed to the ground.
The merchants scattered in panic, wishing they had been born with two extra legs.
“Hey, what about your goods?” Li Mo called after them.
But his words seemed like a death knell, making the merchants run even faster.
“Alas.”
Xiao Li shook his head, kicking the long-dead tiger spirit outside.
Perhaps it was because of Shang Qinqing.
They had encountered no formidable disaster beasts along the way, mostly just the so-called ‘shaman spirits.’
But they had only covered a third of the journey.
Who knew what other changes lay ahead?
He added a few more logs to the fire, and the temple fell silent.
“Li Mo.”
Ying Bing removed her veil and tucked it away.
When she called his name, her tone was so gentle it was hard to imagine she had just slain the Mountain Lord.
“Coming.”
Li Mo sat beside her, naturally taking her small hand.
“Here.”
Ying Bing took out the Demon-Slaying Gourd and handed it to Li Mo, while she grasped the Moonlight Crystal in her left hand.
The gourd was full and could be used to nourish the Moonlight Crystal. Though not as powerful as the strength of all beings, it was still a sacred item for enhancing one’s spirit.
“Let’s begin.”
“Mm.”
Li Mo furrowed his brow.
As everyone knows, opening the gourd requires two hands.
But he only had two hands, and one was holding onto Bing Tuozi.
“.....”
Ying Bing seemed to understand the boy’s dilemma. She pursed her lips, about to loosen her grip for a moment.
Then she saw the boy bite open the gourd’s lid, his movements quite bold.
“Do you think holding hands with both would enhance the effect?” Li Mo asked after pouring the Moonlight Crystal.
Ying Bing raised an eyebrow: “If that’s the case, what if I hold your foot instead? Would that work too?”
Li Mo: “!”
Bing Tuozi had learned to think outside the box? She was showing signs of his genius!
“I think we should give it a try; we might discover a new use for ‘Phoenix Crying in the Heavenly Marsh.’”
“But I need to keep watch; you’ll have to practice on your own.”
Ying Bing’s eyes sparkled with a hint of amusement as she lightly tapped his forehead and stood up.
“Oh.”
Xiao Li scratched his palm, feeling empty.
At that moment, his desire for a Nimbus Cloud reached its peak.
One somersault, if not ten thousand miles, at least he could return to Nanguan City, right?
Now they had to take turns keeping watch, and they couldn’t even cultivate together.
Currently, he was still three transformations short of the seventy-two transformations.
Once he completed those three transformations, he could access the next divine ability...
---
**Chapter 289: What’s Wrong with Being Protected Once? Bing Tuozi’s Head Buzzed**
The sky darkened.
Inside the Mountain Lord Temple, the flickering firelight had long been overshadowed by the radiance of the Jade Phoenix God.
Li Mo sat alone at the offering table, staring at the remaining essence blood in the system space.
“Lu Wu... Bai Ze... Xie Zhi...”
Table of Contents
