The next morning.
Li Mo woke up feeling as fresh as a daisy.
He’d only slept for two hours, but still felt brimming with energy, full of muscle power.
Last night, he’d practiced until rather late.
In return, he’d unlocked his third meridian, just a hair away from breaking through completely.
Let’s not even mention anything else—just his strength was way more than before.
This conclusion hit him like a ton of bricks when he accidentally snapped a chopstick while making breakfast.
“Is the Ice Chunk still practicing?”
“Talk about dedication! No wonder she’s the chosen one!”
Li Mo placed breakfast in the steaming basket.
All he needed to do was light a fire, warm it up, and voilà—another little detail!
Seriously, was Ice Chunk really even eating breakfast?
This was all an investment with cold hard cash!
Moreover, with Ice Chunk’s chosen status, there was a good chance she might drop him a surprise.
“Details determine success or failure; I’m basically an investment genius!”
Little Li gave himself this glowing review while already envisioning the riches!
His money situation? Let’s not even get started.
In the system space, he had a whopping five thousand taels of gold, along with various rare and precious items.
Who knows, he might actually need them later!
The true essence of being a successful investor is to understand that even a mosquito’s leg is meat!
“Let’s go to Divine Edge Cave and practice the Extreme Body Technique this morning,” he thought to himself.
He believed that a strong body was just as crucial as the realm of cultivation.
Though Little Li aspired to be a sword hero, who said sword saints couldn’t have a meat shield?
Plus, the Extreme Body Technique could enhance the connection with weapons, so once he got a sword later on, his swordplay would pack even more punch!
Just as he stepped out, he bumped into a familiar figure.
It was Xiao Qian.
Even though he was still wearing the outer sect’s gray robe, he looked significantly more spirited, standing tall and proud as if chasing away gloom.
He seemed like a whole new inner sect member.
Plus, Xiao Qian’s aura felt way stronger than before.
“Li Junior Brother.”
Clearly, Xiao Qian had been waiting at the entrance of Qiushui Pavilion for a while.
As soon as the door swung open and he spotted Li Mo, he exclaimed, “Thanks to you, I’ve recovered my bl**d energy across ten meridians!”
“Congratulations, Brother Xiao!” Li Mo responded, genuinely surprised and quite pleased.
Old Xiao was a great guy; avoiding wasted time and getting back on track as soon as possible is totally a win!
“Thanks to your help,” Xiao Qian shook his head earnestly. “Without that mystical crystal you gave me, I’d have been stuck for ages. You have my eternal gratitude!”
“You’re back in business, and at this rate, you’ll be back in the inner sect before long!” Li Mo praised him, with unwavering confidence.
Old Xiao had probably already activated the Seven Star Ancient Pendant.
Just who knows what treasures were stored inside—priceless inheritance or some powerful relic, or maybe it was just… a powerful old dude himself?
Anyway, whichever it was, Xiao Qian’s future achievements were bound to be bright.
While he was lost in thought, Li Mo suddenly had a strange feeling.
Someone… was watching him?
Shifting his thoughts, he instinctively concluded.
Could it be… Xiao Qian’s grandpa?
“I truly can’t express how grateful I am for your kindness,” Xiao Qian continued, taking a deep breath.
“I’ve had some curious encounters lately and received a protective talisman from an elder.”
Xiao Qian pulled out a golden silk pouch from his sleeve.
The design was clearly not from this era, and the material wasn’t ordinary gold thread; even from a distance, he could feel a serene warmth radiating from it.
However, the only downside was that the pouch was strung together with a plain hemp rope.
“It contains a feather from a powerful beast, which can repel evil and nourish the physical body.”
“Something like this is exactly what you need, Brother Xiao!”
Li Mo had an inkling of who that elder might be.
Looks like he really did meet the grandpa!
No wonder he could whip out such a phenomenal protective treasure.
“It’s not really useful to me now,” he shrugged.
“Please, don’t decline.”
Seeing Li Mo hesitate, Xiao Qian urged him, almost desperately.
Understanding for sure, yet not showing it, Li Mo smiled and accepted the pouch, “Then I’ll gratefully accept it. Thank you, Brother Xiao!”
You can never have too many protective treasures.
Right now, he was practicing the Extreme Body Technique, which would definitely bolster his physical defenses in the future.
In short, his defense would be sky-high!
But when facing those pesky ‘magical damage’ types? Not so much.
This golden pouch was precisely what he needed to patch up that flaw, at least ensuring he wouldn’t get sneak-attacked by random tricks.
One investment, double returns!
Xiao Qian sighed in relief. “Just use it well, Junior Brother.”
He was afraid Li Mo would reject his offer.
“Take care, Brother! I’ve got errands to run now,” Xiao Qian waved.
He needed to find some materials and treasures to help his teacher recover his soul energy.
Although he knew those items were quite pricey, he might as well poke around to see where he could acquire them.
“Safe travels, Brother.” Li Mo nodded.
Once he secured the pouch, he immediately felt a warm sensation.
Suddenly—
Crack!
Behind him, there was a crash! Ying Bing had opened the window for some ventilation.
The ice chunks on the window shattered all over the floor.
…
On the way down the mountain, Xiao Qian’s steps were much lighter.
But before he could stroll very far, he heard Qianxing Wuzun’s voice resonate in his mind.
“This kind of talent… is simply unparalleled throughout history!”
The tone was filled with awe and even shock.
This was the same powerful figure who once dismissed the lord of Ziyang Mansion as mere ants, and he now seemed somewhat flabbergasted.
“Master?”
Xiao Qian paused in his tracks, instinctively asking, “Are you saying Li Junior Brother has extraordinary talent?”
“No, not him! It’s that little girl!” the old man’s voice trembled, clearly having trouble calming down.
“The girl?”
Xiao Qian thought for a moment, then nodded, “Oh! You mean Ying Bing! I heard she and Li Junior Brother are childhood sweethearts and grew up together, also being true disciples.”
“They should be progressing together; who knows, they might even create a beautiful story…”
Old Xiao wore a hint of an ‘auntie smile,’ looking a bit envious.
“Progress together?” Qianxing Wuzun sighed deeply. “Disciple, you don’t even realize what she carries. People like her are born to shine.”
“Your Junior Brother might be extraordinarily gifted, but in a small place like Ziyang Mansion, it’s just manageable.”
“That little girl? She might well become a dazzling star across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.”
“Imagine, I’m so fortunate to witness such a being in this small moment…”
Xiao Qian was utterly baffled.
Just yesterday, the master was acting all high and mighty, and now his attitude had changed so abruptly?
It was quite perplexing.
“But Master, you told me yesterday not to belittle myself.”
“Hmm, if you reach my previous level, perhaps you’ll be fortunate enough to witness her soaring through the Nine Heavens.”
Qianxing Wuzun lamented as if even being a mere witness was an incredible honor.
The fire parrot feather that was passed from him to Xiao Qian, then from Xiao Qian to Li Mo, came from one of his intimate acquaintances.
If he weren’t familiar, he wouldn’t be able to perceive it so clearly.
“???”
Xiao Qian felt quite bewildered.
He hadn’t even left Ziyang Mansion, let alone seen the Eastern Wilderness or the realms outside the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
He had no idea what the heck those even meant!
Qianxing Wuzun continued, “To Ziyang Mansion, Qingyuan Sect is a behemoth, but in the Eastern Wilderness, it’s nothing to write home about. All I can do for you is give you a taste of the grand world outside.”
“That girl’s future may very well see her taking a place among the legends of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.”
“You’ll understand this gap as you go along.”
The old man paused for a moment before adding, “When one rises, their chickens and dogs rise too.”
“As long as Li Mo has that childhood bond with Ying Bing, his achievements won’t be low either; he certainly won’t be outdone by you, so keep up the camaraderie!”
In the invisible shift, Qianxing Wuzun’s attitude changed from pushing for Xiao Qian to spending more time together.
Was this all just because of little Ying Bing?
“I connect with Li Junior Brother; he’s actually my first friend.”
Xiao Qian’s smile was carefree.
Since they were friends, why think about it too much?
“You have a good mindset.”
“Hope you can keep that initial intention, hahaha.”
The old man couldn’t help but get swept up in Xiao Qian’s joy.
But soon enough, it seemed like he’d spoken too much, and his voice became a little ethereal.
“Hope today I can find some beneficial rare items for the soul.”
Xiao Qian quickened his pace down the mountain.
