Longevity Strange Immortal
Chapter 188 - 48 Hit and Run

Chapter 188: Chapter 48 Hit and Run

The Corpse Mountain, refined through the Eighty Refinements, was nourished as the spiritual veins from the four sub-peaks merged into the Magic Artifact, concentrating roughly seventy percent of nutrients in the main peak.

Li Mo could clearly sense an increase in the transformation speed of spiritual materials.

With a subtle thought, he transferred all the spiritual materials necessary for the Hundred Refinement to the summit of the main peak. Although they had not yet reached a satisfactory quality, over time they might indeed evolve into top-grade materials.

Li Mo glanced across the Corpse Mountain and noticed that the likelihood of spiritual materials developing Spiritual Wisdom had significantly risen.

Moreover, these spiritual materials were no longer limited to roots and stems transforming into limbs; some even grew human-like facial features. Unfortunately, the eyes, ears, mouth, and nose were mere decorations.

Li Mo thought of the rare "Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects" from ancient Cultivation World, which were specifically used as primary materials to refine Magic Treasures.

According to the Creation Book’s memories, Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects also possessed a degree of Spiritual Wisdom.

If the process continued like this, perhaps Corpse Mountain could truly give birth to Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects, or even evolve a completely unique system of spiritual monstrosity cultivation.

"In small factions like the Heart Beast Sect, even if they exhausted all their resources, it would be impossible for them to sustain something like a Corpse Mountain."

Li Mo felt a faint sense of pride, entirely unaware of the countless exploitative practices he had engaged in to refine Corpse Mountain.

He fiddled with the mountain for a while before retracting it into his body.

Li Mo had no intention of continuing to dig further; something at the bottom of Falling Abyss gave him a faint sense of unease.

Besides, with the nurturing speed of the special page, it would take at most half a month.

He closed his eyes to Nourish Spirit, utilizing canned spiritual energy to cultivate the Circulation Cycle without concern, even amidst the dangers lurking in Falling Abyss.

Such audacity was possible only with the possession of Divine Sense.

The Cave God’s Eye at Li Mo’s brow subtly rotated, complementing his black-and-white dual eyes, enabling the Dual Golden Core to rapidly devour the canned spiritual energy.

He had already discovered the advantages of the Dual Golden Core.

Once the Mist Fog Golden Core reached the Condensation Stage, it had already surpassed the Pseudo Pill Stage of the Ash Golden Core. With the assistance of the Heavenly Man, the Ash Golden Core benefited from the amplification provided by the Mist Fog Golden Core.

This increased his efficiency by thirty percent.

Li Mo thus saw the possibility of the Ash Golden Core advancing to the Condensation Stage in a short period.

When the cultivation levels of the Dual Golden Core equalize, the intertwining of the two streams of Spiritual Power will simplify cultivation greatly, making the Formation Core Stage within reach.

Thinking of this, Li Mo’s expression turned somewhat serious.

After all, he was not far from reaching a hundred years old. To ensure he survived the Thirty Years Old Death Disease, he needed to make thorough preparations in advance.

Li Mo continued cultivating with closed eyes while the Mountain Demon busied itself arranging the Cave Mansion outside.

A Magic Artifact pearl hung from the walls, emitting a faint glow. The floor was lined with soft furs, and sandalwood incense burned steadily.

The Mountain Demon clapped its hands in satisfaction before obediently turning to refine the Artifact Embryos.

Despite being in Falling Abyss, Li Mo felt no oppression. With sufficient resources to sustain over a decade of cultivation, he plunged into deep focus.

He did not believe he would be trapped in Falling Abyss.

Even if conventional methods couldn’t provide an exit, as long as the Mother Furnace kept nurturing new Artifact People, there would inevitably be defective creations discarded.

Once Falling Abyss opened, he could seize the opportunity to escape.

Time flowed outside.

Li Mo’s consciousness observed the Dao Rhythms on the surface of the Golden Core. He seemed to glean some vague understanding, but it was all mysterious and unfathomable.

Not until the White Bone Pagoda on the ground stirred with new waves did he open his eyes.

"Ghost Tiger, go and take a look."

The Ghost Tiger leapt out of the darkness excitedly, its glowing tiger eyes radiating fierce light, its restless tail slapping against the crystalline walls.

"Roar roar roar..."

The Mountain Demon couldn’t help but flail around, eager to join the external battle.

Among the seven Tattooed Beasts, the Mountain Demon was the most belligerent. Having been cooped up for so long, it grew irate to the point of its blood and flesh undergoing grotesque transformation.

Li Mo shook his head helplessly. "Fine, Mountain Demon, you go along then."

The Ghost Tiger glanced at the Mountain Demon begrudgingly but still wrapped it in shadow and left, weaving nimbly through the seams of skull fragments scattered across the ground.

Besides the Mountain Demon, the Candle Dragon was equally restless, but Li Mo knew that unleashing the Candle Dragon’s true form would cause too much of a commotion.

He soothed the Candle Dragon and split part of his Divine Sense to monitor the outside world.

......

By the time Sun Yangli was resurrected for the fifth time, he was already unrecognizable from his original form.

He now resembled a cluster of thick, rancid rotten flesh, assembled messily without limbs and with facial features distributed randomly across his body, shuffling forward by writhing his flesh.

Sun Yangli rolled off the top of the White Bone Pagoda, phosphorescent light emitted from his pores causing his body to unconsciously consume corpses, the flesh-and-blood sun expanding in size geometrically.

By any measure, Sun Yangli had fully transformed into a Deceit Furnace.

"Hunger..."

Under the phosphorescent corrosion, partial corpses exhibited signs of becoming Deceit Furnaces, while the vibrant, eerie light threatened to awaken all dead things.

The White Bone Pagoda housing Sun Yangli was guarded by Burning Eyes True Monarch.

Burning Eyes True Monarch’s expression turned grim as he watched, yet he signaled his sectmates to sweep out the Deceit Furnace, lest Golden Cauldron Sect’s situation spiral entirely out of control.

Fire blazed skyward.

Burning Eyes True Monarch’s body sprouted dozens of eye pupils from his skin, releasing blistering flames in all directions.

The air reeked of dense scorched stench. As oil and fat crackled, the Artifact Cultivators of Burning Sand Land maneuvered cautiously in the smoke and dust encircling Sun Yangli.

On the other four White Bone Pagodas, Deceit Furnaces also emerged.

No matter how fiercely they resisted, repeated resurrections eroded all remnants of sanity.

Even seasoned Daoists felt a shudder of unspeakable astonishment at the grotesque, twisted Deceit Furnaces, let alone ordinary Artifact Cultivators.

It was truly malevolent beyond measure.

Daoist leaders like Tai Jiaozi started to take action in turn, prioritizing eliminating the Deceit Furnaces, since otherwise, most Core Formation Artifact Refiners present were doomed to perish.

Due to the vast range of spellcasting, nearly all Core Formation Artifact Refiners were caught in the peril.

"Ahhhh!!"

An Artifact Cultivator screamed wretchedly; upon nearing a Deceit Furnace, a moment of inattention caused them to be contaminated by the phosphorescence, their flesh beginning to dissolve immediately.

"Stay away..."

The sectmates fled indiscriminately in panic, fearing contact with their peers.

The phosphorescence showcased its terrifying nature in full; as the afflicted cultivator flailed, their corpse began merging into their own flesh.

If not for the intervention of a Daoist leader, this individual would likely have transformed into a new Deceit Furnace.

The battle lasted for a full two hours. Although casualties among the Artifact Cultivators were not severe, they all harbored lingering dread toward the White Bone Pagoda.

The vitality of the Deceit Furnace had been entirely severed, yet it still twitched and spasmed from time to time.

Indeed, as the Thousand-legged Master had stated, Artifact Cultivators who perished within the White Bone Pagoda and transformed into Deceit Furnaces would no longer undergo repeated resurrection.

Burning Eyes True Monarch’s face darkened, standing silently at the base of the White Bone Pagoda, his gaze scanning the surroundings incessantly, failing to find any trace of the Ninth District Daoist or Daoist Qingtian.

"Who is willing to enter the White Bone Pagoda?"

The Artifact Cultivators present looked visibly apprehensive; even if the Mother Furnace’s information was accurate, the only way to get promoted to the Inner Sect was to stand guard within the White Bone Pagoda.

Yet facing such eerie, inexplicable dangers, who wouldn’t feel trepidation?

A shadow darted through the crevices, retrieving the bodies of fallen Artifact Cultivators back to the Erosion Cave; even those whose Dao had vanished and lifeforce extinguished still retained faint traces of vitality.

These corpses were ideal tenants for the Corpse Mountain.

Burning Eyes True Monarch chuckled sinisterly, "Actually, we can test the White Bone Pagoda in advance. For instance, send multiple people to enter the Daoist Temple simultaneously, or preemptively prepare enchantments on the cultivators..."

He turned his gaze to the corner, targeting the Middle to Lower Grade Daoist factions, including the Chaotic Burial Furnace.

His intentions were clear: to force these Daoist factions to act as expendable fodder.

For the Top-grade Daoist factions safeguarding the White Bone Pagoda, cannon fodder would naturally come from the Middle to Lower Grade Daoist factions. Even Tai Jiaozi and other leaders raised no objections.

Although Mu Daoist found it somewhat improper, he tacitly approved Burning Eyes True Monarch’s decision in consideration of his own interests.

Three Mountains furrowed his brow.

He had long anticipated Burning Eyes True Monarch rallying the other leaders, and with Li Mo nowhere to be found, the Chaotic Burial Furnace was likely unable to avoid this predicament.

"Three Mountains, since Daoist Qingtian’s fate remains uncertain, how about you make a statement?"

Burning Eyes True Monarch’s torso heaved as fissures split across his skin, revealing clusters of densely packed, spine-chilling eye pupils.

Tai Jiaozi added with a smile, "Three Mountains, how the effort is distributed among the Middle and Lower Grade Daoist factions should be up to you and the Chaotic Burial Furnace."

"The Chaotic Burial Furnace has always remained neutral, never interfering in the affairs of Daoist factions."

"True, you hardly hold a voice. Why not call out Daoist Qingtian for a meeting, or have your Chaotic Burial Furnace face the White Bone Pagoda instead?"

Burning Eyes True Monarch, together with Tai Jiaozi and Hui Ze Daoist, applied pressure, aiming to isolate the Chaotic Burial Furnace, regardless of whether Three Mountains agreed.

Their intent was clear—to corner Daoist Qingtian before the allied factions of the Three Dao Unions experienced any rift.

Middle and Lower Grade Daoist factions retreated continually.

They had no intention of involving themselves in Golden Cauldron Sect’s disputes; their presence in the Ninth District was solely for enhancing their mountain gates, yet now they found themselves caught in a dilemma.

Confronted with the schemes and intrigues of Top-grade Daoist factions, they couldn’t help but feel deeply troubled.

"Who’s there?!!"

At that moment, Tai Jiaozi turned his gaze sharply toward the White Bone Pagoda.

The Deceit Furnaces were being devoured by the shadows, with five piles of hundreds of pounds of flesh disappearing under everyone’s eyes.

Roar!

The Ghost Tiger leaped forth from the shadows, appearing to lunge at Tai Jiaozi but instead piercing through two severely injured Artifact Cultivators from Scorched Hemp Field with an iron tail.

"How dare you!!"

The Ghost Tiger had no intention of engaging in direct combat and disappeared instantly.

Reemerging as a thirty-meter behemoth, it devoured another Artifact Cultivator, targeting only heavily injured soft targets.

"Stop!"

A shrill cry from a monkey resounded in Burning Eyes True Monarch’s ears, followed by a staff swung straight at his face.

The Mountain Demon excitedly pulled out its ribs, fiercely entangling Burning Eyes True Monarch. Despite being scorched by flames, it didn’t retreat a single step.

The Ghost Tiger prowled around the Mountain Demon, swiftly dispatching over ten hapless Artifact Cultivators.

"Daoist Qingtian!!!"

Tai Jiaozi roared furiously, his head splitting in two. From the charred brain, a column of gray air burst forth, carbonizing much of the Mountain Demon’s body.

The Mountain Demon tore off the carbonized flesh, its grotesque transformation accelerating the regeneration of its meat.

Armed with rib-formed clubs gripped by a dozen hands, its feral monkey face brimmed with delight as it momentarily suppressed Tai Jiaozi.

However, once Tai Jiaozi turned serious, the Mountain Demon promptly retreated.

The Mountain Demon’s head detached, leaving the headless body to rely on instinct to fend off two Daoist leaders while the Ghost Tiger carried the head back underground.

Only chaos remained behind.

Three Mountains’ expression shifted as he proclaimed loudly, "Daoist Qingtian has already discovered a method to escape Golden Cauldron Sect. This is a site where the Mother Furnace discards Artifact Embryos—there will undoubtedly be an exit within ten years!"

Factions uninterested in Inner Sect promotions unconsciously united.

Their collective power faintly surpassed that of the Top-grade Daoist factions.