Watching the girl softly utter those words, Li Mo’s heart skipped a beat.
He couldn’t help but recall the appraisal from the Divine Eye of Destiny:
“Destined for many tribulations.”
“Future to soar across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.”
She was destined to swim against the current, spreading her wings as the Phoenix Sky Empress.
The Qingyuan Sect would be her starting point, and it shouldn’t be a cage that traps her.
It seemed sudden, but upon further thought, if it weren’t for the fireworks waiting for today, she might have left long ago.
And besides…
She said she would come back to collect the wish he gave her.
Li Mo looked at the graceful girl, only to find those shimmering eyes deep like calm waters, with no sign of the determination to leave, nor any fear—only tranquility and gentleness.
Just like the bright moon that had always illuminated him.
“Ice Chunk.”
“The South Border is the territory of the Monster Clan. It’s useless for you to go; it only adds to the danger,” Ying Bing said softly.
Li Mo shook his head, “Then where did the meteor fall?”
“Guess?”
“When is your departure?”
“Not telling you.”
“Fine, I never said I wanted to go with you.”
“Leave when it’s time to leave.”
Ying Bing’s lips, as delicate as shards of jade, parted slightly, glancing at the red string on the young man’s wrist.
Perhaps it was after a meal one day, or a certain clear morning, she truly didn’t know when she would depart, nor where the Jade Phoenix Divine would exactly fall.
However… even if she didn’t know where she was heading, it was enough to know where her heart belonged.
…
In the tavern.
By the time Li Mo finished his double rest, it was already the next morning, and the tavern’s hall was particularly quiet.
Xu Er was sweeping the floor, and he had now been promoted to the hall manager—along with serving.
Murong Xiao was still sitting there, but the incense burner had several more sticks, and it seemed someone had piled up the leftover dishes from yesterday.
There were even a few bottles of wine.
Emmmmm
Looks like the beautiful teacher had quite the drink yesterday; otherwise, these bottles shouldn’t be left over.
Li Mo casually picked up a bottle and took a sip.
“Brother Murong, in this tranquil time, one must have the strength to shelter from the wind and rain, right?”
“If I were at the Ninth Realm, with a shake of my tiger body, the Monster Clan of the South Border would obediently send over whatever Ice Chunk wants.”
“Why don’t you ask Buddha for me?”
Murong Xiao: “……”
Just as the two were chatting, Li Mo’s expression suddenly shifted, turning his head.
His consciousness was now powerful, yet he hadn’t sensed it until he heard footsteps—the moment he realized someone had entered the tavern.
He saw an old monk dressed in patched robes, with two bushy 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, his eyes flashing with a vague light.
【Name: Heng Yuan】
【Age: 82】
【Root Bone: Thousand Leaf Hand, Golden Bone of Buddha Light.】
【Realm: Outer Appearance, Heavy Heaven.】
【Fate: Blue with Purple】
【Evaluation: The head of the discipline hall of the Floating Temple, has practiced silent meditation for fifty years.】
【Recent Encounter: Trustee of the King of South Border, sensed the Huanmo Sect’s intentions, traced Chang Bolong to Yunzhou, intending to find the ‘Preparatory Divine Son’.】
Li Mo put down the worry bell he had been holding.
The Floating Temple was the orthodox Buddhist sect of the South Border, its reputation rivaling that of Hengyun Sword City.
Preparatory Divine Son…
Li Mo looked at Murong Xiao, who was sitting there with a sacred demeanor, resembling a Bodhisattva.
“Master, you’ve come for him?”
“Amitabha…..”
The old monk nodded slightly, his gaze filled with kindness.
“However, he is my Qingyuan Sect disciple, hence you cannot take him away.”
Li Mo said earnestly.
Heng Yuan shook his head slightly, continuing to chant. Strangely, he said nothing further, yet his demeanor conveyed no malice.
Even when Li Mo quietly activated his Taiyin consciousness, there was no unusual reaction.
The old monk approached Murong Xiao, noticing the ‘offerings’ laid out on the ground, and his eyelids twitched slightly.
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Then, he slowly began to recite the Buddhist scriptures.
Soon enough…
A golden light emerged from Murong Xiao, forming a protective golden bell, and vaguely, a majestic flood dragon shadow began to appear.
As the scriptures were recited, it seemed the flood dragon was slowly awakening.
“The power of the bloodline seems similar to divine intent, yet not entirely the same…..”
Li Mo thought to himself.
This old monk Heng Yuan was using a Buddhist secret technique to accelerate Murong Xiao’s awakening, which was why he hadn’t said much.
Moments later.
Though Murong Xiao still hadn’t awakened, with the Divine Eye of Destiny, he was no longer in a state of slumber.
【Recent Encounter: Received a letter from his mother to visit the South Border, encountered an unexpected awakening of the Ming Jiao bloodline, fell into slumber, but was suppressed by the high monk, and will awaken soon.】
After finishing all this.
Heng Yuan withdrew his gaze from Murong Xiao, glanced deeply at Li Mo, and then floated away.
Li Mo frowned, standing still.
He always felt that he would meet this old monk again.
…
Three days later.
The autumn air grew thick, and just as the sun was about to fully set, the moon began to rise.
Li Mo’s body faintly shimmered with black light, and though he appeared unchanged, his physique had undergone a tremendous transformation.
The Extreme Battle Body was now complete.
At dinner, everyone was bustling and enjoying their meal together.
However, everyone’s way of having fun was different.
Shang Wu was knocking back wine, while Little Princess Jiang was polishing a broken sword that Brother Li bought for her, and from her hand, one could occasionally hear a sword’s whistle.
Qian Bufan was eating with the speed of a flying arrow, chatting while munching without missing a beat.
Murong Xiao…
Murong Xiao was silently thunderous!
“We are preparing to set out,” Qian Bufan said, pleased as he wiped his mouth, “We’ve been in Yunzhou for a while, and there are many matters to attend to back in the sect.”
“Old Qian, let’s take the battle ship and go.”
Shang Wu’s eyes sparkled with drunken excitement.
“Battle ship? With two pieces of Xuanjing? Do you think money grows on trees?”
“Pfft~”
“After all, it’s not too far a journey, and I have a medicine list to deliver to a few cities along the way.”
“I need to drop off the latest edition of ‘The Overbearing Empress Falls for Me’ to the cities we pass.”
Everyone seemed to have their own tasks for the journey.
“Set out….”
Li Mo heard everyone chatting, his gaze drifting to the empty space beneath the tree, and suddenly his heart stirred.
She was still…
Little Li chased out of Yulong Street, following all the way to the street’s end.
He saw the shimmering lakeside, under the fiery clouds of twilight, the girl’s graceful figure was embarking on a journey.
Crowds surged and noise filled the air.
It seemed she sensed something as she turned her head.
Across the crowd, their eyes met.
She was momentarily stunned before giving a reluctant, bright smile.
She didn’t want to say goodbye, adding a touch of farewell sorrow.
【Name: Ying Bing】
【Age: 16】
【Root Bone: Taiyin Moon Phoenix Body.】
【Realm: Guan Shen Three Orifices.】
【Fate: Red (born with imperial bones, with Xuan Bing as her destined life and autumn waters for her spirit, bearing the appearance of a Phoenix Sky)】
【Evaluation: Destined for many tribulations, always turns the ominous into good fortune. Though her wings are not yet full, when the winds and clouds change, she will certainly soar high in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, with the Phoenix gracing the Eight Desolations.】
【Recent Encounter: Saw one of the Nine-colored Phoenixes, a Jade Phoenix Divine, fall and set off for the South Border.】
She was going to help the young man catch a shooting star.
Once that silhouette faded away, Li Mo sighed softly.
As he turned back towards the tavern, dusk had passed, and the moon was rising high.
“I’m no longer going to Ziyang Mansion,” Li Mo announced to everyone.
Shang Wu blinked, about to speak, but was interrupted by Xue Jing, “Then what are your plans?”
“Going to the South Border, chasing the moon.”
She had realized where she needed to go, and where she belonged.
He had too.
Comprehending the day of the Earth Fiend’s seventy-two transformations, he was setting out for the South Border.
