Chapter 433
Fortunately, Du Shenjiang didn’t lose his ambition. While Li Mo was busy forging, he would occasionally offer some guidance.
Thus, Li Mo continued to improve his forging skills while also honing his Ba Jiu Xuan Gong (Eight-Nine Profound Art).
Of course, he couldn’t avoid getting beaten up in the small world.
Little Princess Jiang had no idea that after receiving pointers from the enigmatic Tianzun (Heavenly Master), she would still have to endure being pinned down and rubbed into the ground by the projection of the Great Sage.
Unfortunately, there was no significant change in the progress of the Ba Jiu Xuan Gong within just a few days.
Classmate Li was still getting beaten up all night long, questioning his very existence. He simply couldn’t win—no chance at all.
Even after the fights, he would fall into a state of low morale, his spirit weakened.
But that wasn’t a problem.
Every morning, Li Mo would sneak into Bing Tuozi’s room to give her a massage, serving as a release from the stress of being beaten.
The focus of his massage was mainly on Bing Tuozi’s snowy feet and her long, slender legs that were smooth yet not too bony.
“Ah, that feels good. Massage really is the best way to relax.”
Li Mo felt invigorated, full of energy.
“Is it possible that I’m the one being massaged?”
Bing Tuozi crossed her legs, pulling the blanket up to cover herself, and glanced at him with a hint of curiosity.
---
**Chapter 481: The Soul of the Craftsman, The Opening of the Forging Conference**
“Bing Tuozi, if you massage your legs often, it can speed up blood circulation. If you only massage one leg, it can lead to imbalance. I suggest you let me massage the other leg too.”
Little Li, the gentleman, spoke with a serious tone, spouting nonsense.
“Really?”
Bing Tuozi narrowed her phoenix eyes slightly, pursing her lips.
“Sister, just a little longer.”
“.....”
The cool and elastic sensation of her hands returned, and suddenly, Little Li felt his waist no longer ached, his legs were pain-free, and his mind was calm again, his intelligence reclaiming its high ground.
So, it was true that massage contributed to physical health; there was some truth to that.
Li Mo began to think calmly.
Even though he had only practiced the Ba Jiu Xuan Gong for two and a half days and hadn’t really entered the door, his progress was already considerable.
However, facing the Great Sage’s projection, the gap was still immeasurable, like standing on the ground and gazing at the stars in the sky.
At this rate, if he couldn’t fully master this divine form of the Great Dao, his chances of making it into the top three of the Qianlong (Potential Dragon) competition were indeed a bit shaky.
Because the progress of his spirit would also stagnate as a result.
Last night, during their dual cultivation, he noticed that Bing Tuozi seemed to be nearing a bottleneck in her observation of the Eight Apertures of the Divine, while he was almost standing still.
“I still have time; the Forging Conference and the Qianlong Conference are not seamlessly connected.”
“First, I need to get a handle on the Ba Jiu Xuan Gong!”
As Li Mo’s hand found a joint and he kneaded it, the joint loosened, and he understood.
Suddenly, Bing Tuozi felt a pressure on her knee, and her snowy foot almost reflexively kicked out, nearly stuffing Little Li’s mouth.
“Be gentle.”
Bing Tuozi frowned slightly; why was his strength increasing?
The unconscious massage was starting to hurt her a bit, indicating that their physical differences were widening.
But she had been relying on her own Taiyin (Great Yin) energy to refine the Ming Sha Jing Fan Shen (Clear Silk Quiet Brahman Body)...
Among the system rewards, there was also a divine object for refining the body—Jie Shen Yu (Calamity Body Jade).
But that thing attracted heavenly tribulations to refine oneself, and while its effects were immediate, it was also quite dangerous. Even she was considering it carefully and hadn’t used it yet.
“Sorry, I got distracted.”
Li Mo awkwardly withdrew his hand.
“What were you thinking about?”
“Refining my body. My progress in physical training has been a bit slow lately. I wonder if participating in the Forging Conference will help me level up.”
Li Mo couldn’t help but sigh.
“What kind of martial arts are you practicing?” Bing Tuozi’s brows furrowed deeper.
Is it really slow?
She didn’t know the term “Versailles,” but seeing Li Mo’s sorrowful expression as he spoke made her feel a bit strange, and she couldn’t help but feel an impulse to nudge him with her small foot.
But she was also afraid that Li Mo might take it the wrong way.
“I need something that can be refined through calamity.”
Of course, he couldn’t casually share the foundation of his martial arts with others.
But Little Li was an open book.
“Refined through calamity...”
After summarizing the content of the Ba Jiu Xuan Gong, Li Mo noticed Bing Tuozi had lowered her gaze, lost in thought.
Oh, right, he still hadn’t probed into her depths—specifically regarding her martial arts proficiency.
“Bing Tuozi, do you have any methods to speed up progress?”
“Martial arts like this require steady progress, and usually, there are no shortcuts.”
Bing Tuozi looked away, speaking softly.
“However, I’ll think of something to help you.”
She... decided to first test the strength of the Jie Shen Yu herself.
Her physique wasn’t as strong as the childish ghost’s, but she understood her limits better and wouldn’t easily hurt herself.
“So let’s stop the massage for now...”
“?”
Li Mo looked down, slightly leaning back. When did his hand slip under the blanket?!
“I wonder if there’s anything fun; I won’t get bored.”
Bing Tuozi’s expression remained neutral as she pressed her lips together.
“Then let’s switch it up next time.”
“Mm.”
“Let’s try this on first.”
Li Mo pulled out a few items from his sleeve and laid them out on the bed.
“?”
Bing Tuozi glanced at them, her fingertips involuntarily curling.
They were all made of Wuyun Sha (Cloudy Silk), with styles ranging from long, sheer socks to tights and fishnet stockings...
“Is there a shop run by people from the Southern Frontier here?” Bing Tuozi asked expressionlessly.
“No, these are my recent forging achievements!”
Little Li spoke with righteous seriousness, pride shining through his demeanor, completely oblivious to any guilt:
“It’s well-known that Wuyun Sha is a very difficult material to forge, yet it has a wide range of applications. Many soft armors, inner armors, and night-walking clothes are made from this material.”
“What’s even harder is purifying the material; you have to remove all the impurities from the black gold to obtain pure Wuyun Jin (Cloudy Gold).”
“Then, you must use extremely precise forging techniques to draw the Wuyun Jin into threads. Every step must be perfect; it’s a high test of a craftsman’s skills.”
“I’m someone who enjoys challenging myself, so naturally, I choose the hardest tasks!”
“Clearly, making socks out of Wuyun Sha is quite a challenge!”
“Come on, try them on! This is the culmination of my craftsman spirit!”
Little Li’s face was full of righteousness as he held up a fishnet stocking.
In his eyes burned what seemed to be... the spirit of craftsmanship?
At least he believed it.
“......”
Bing Tuozi’s gaze trembled slightly, her eyes shifting from the socks to her curled toes, feeling a bit of an itch.
“Li Mo, maybe not.”
“Why not?”
“Because I have a feeling that once I wear them, they’ll disappear like the previous few pieces of underwear. Do you know why that happens?”
“!”
.......
The next day.
The Tianshan Sword Manor was grand and ethereal, bustling with people.
In front of the manor’s gate, carriages lined up like dragons, and the crowd was as dense as rain. These were craftsmen from all corners of the world, eager to make a name for themselves at the Forging Conference.
If their weapons could shine in the hands of a Qianlong genius, they would gain fame and fortune.
Blacksmiths also craved recognition; with fame came a steady stream of precious materials delivered to their doors, seeking their forging skills. With fame came status, wealth, and everything they desired.
Unfortunately.
No matter what kind of competition it was, as long as it was related to ‘fame and fortune,’ it seemed to take a strange turn.
“Hahaha, it’s been three years, Old Zhao, and you’re still a skinny dog.”
“What good is your muscle? It’s all dead muscle; what’s the use?”
“Old Hu, you’re not on steroids, are you? That divine power powder isn’t something to mess with; too much can be bad for your brain.”
“Hmm? That kid over there, is he here to compete too?”
“That little arm and leg, isn’t he just some young master here to join the fun?”
“Damn it, I’ve trained so hard, why can’t I attract any girls? Do they really prefer those weak, delicate young masters?”
“You’re lucky; yesterday, a cross-dresser slapped my butt on the street! And then stared at me like a ghost!”
“.....”
Li Mo frowned. He was just good-looking; what was his fault?
Is there still a law? Is there still justice?
Childish, arguing over whose muscles were bigger.
Li Mo shook his head, choosing not to engage with them, and pulled the curtain of the carriage to block the gazes from outside.
But just then, a commotion arose ahead.
“What’s going on?”
“It seems they’ve caught someone carrying forbidden drugs!”
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