Longevity Strange Immortal
Chapter 205 - 65: The Port Needs the Qinghong Flower Tower

Chapter 205: Chapter 65: The Port Needs the Qinghong Flower Tower

Li Mo, before entering the Duozhi Mountain Gate Path, stored Han Cai and the others into a Magic Artifact.

To prevent exposing the realities of Corpse Mountain, he deliberately prepared a Mid-Grade Magic Artifact in advance, with an internal space resembling a barren, muddy swamp.

Though unsuitable for living organisms, the accompanying Beast Cultivators were at least forty-five years old.

Approaching half a century of age, cultivators generally no longer relied on air for survival, so staying within the Mid-Grade Magic Artifact for a short time posed no major issues.

Tensions ran high among the twenty or so companions as they awaited Li Mo’s arrival at the destination.

They had no understanding of the Sub-Device Sect’s situation and could scarcely imagine the environment they were about to face or the necessity of lung modification.

Even though the modification only involved adding external organs attached to the lungs, the very idea left the group apprehensive.

Li Mo’s medical skill was astonishingly efficient, completing the reconstruction of internal blood vessels in mere moments.

Everyone had already sworn their Heart Demon Oaths, including Han Cai and Futu Hermit, neither of whom showed any intent of exercising privileges.

In the Sub-Device Sect, caution was paramount.

Boom... Boom... Boom...

Soon after, tremors arose within the swamp, causing the Magic Artifact’s spatial stability to falter.

Han Cai stood abruptly, casting a warning glance toward the Foundation Establishment Beast Cultivators. "Remember: Do not see what should not be seen, do not hear what should not be heard, do not speak what should not be spoken."

"The Sub-Device Sect is no Blessed Land Cave Heaven; even the slightest misstep can lead to death and the disappearance of the Dao."

Futu Hermit added, "Keep this in mind: we are here for business. In the eyes of the Sub-Device Sect, Heart Beast Sect is no more than ants."

They carried with them one-third of the Heart Beast Sect’s wealth accumulated over thousands of years, aiming to establish themselves at the port and construct trade networks.

Li Mo merely needed to reap the benefits. While collecting Spirit Stone commissions, he could comfortably delegate resource management to Futu Hermit.

Han Cai harbored some concerns.

Though he knew Li Mo had used certain hidden methods to join the Sub-Device Sect, the latter was ultimately not a native Artifact Person, and thus likely held a low status within the sect.

As differing thoughts swirled among the group, sudden suction was felt outside the Magic Artifact.

Han Cai felt the world spin and was plunged into darkness. When he opened his eyes again, before him lay a town that appeared dreamlike, surreal.

Even though he’d been informed in advance about the alleyways, he was nonetheless caught off guard.

Some Beast Cultivators showed expressions of fear, surrounded by drifting industrial fumes. The wandering Loose Cultivators along the streets seemed deeply afflicted by metal poison.

Futu Hermit took a deep breath, struggling to maintain his composure as his Mental Realm turned increasingly uneasy.

Danger lurked everywhere in the port, yet it was densely populated by Loose Cultivators—most of whom were at the Foundation Establishment stage, with many already reaching the Core Formation stage, hinting at opportunities sufficient for Core Formation.

"This truly is the port..."

Han Cai murmured to himself, his gaze lingering on figures among the port’s lower levels.

He noticed significant signs of organ modification among the Loose Cultivators, and the streets lined with illuminated neon-lit medical halls conducting surgeries.

The port’s medical industry was distinctly thriving, prompting Han Cai to gasp involuntarily.

"Follow me."

Li Mo confidently strode toward a shop on the lower level as the other Beast Cultivators hesitantly followed, melting into the bustling crowd.

Han Cai and the others soon bore witness to Li Mo’s intimidating presence.

Any Loose Cultivator who saw Li Mo’s characteristic Yin Yang Fish Eyes instinctively stepped aside, bowing their heads, avoiding eye contact.

The furnace opening connecting to the outer world was rife with gang influence.

Yet they dared not provoke Li Mo; instead, they chose to safeguard him, creating a five-to-six-meter-wide gap in the once-crowded street.

Han Cai’s expression grew complex as he glanced sidelong at the unruffled Li Mo.

"It seems my disciple has already become a figure akin to a Daoist within the Sub-Device Sect."

The group passed through the bustling lower level to reach the relatively quieter second level, their expressions finally relaxing from their prior shock.

Li Mo dispatched the Beast Cultivators to Yin Turbid Myriad Things, leaving Elder Zhong to manage arrangements for the Foundation Establishment Beast Cultivators, while he himself led Han Cai and four Core Formation experts back to the Four Seas Refining Shop.

"Qing Tian..."

Elder Zhong called after Li Mo, but the latter disappeared into the street’s far end in a flash.

Elder Zhong was left with a headache.

Generally speaking, most Artifact Cultivators would opt to have Loose Cultivators manage port shops due to competitive tensions within each sect. Moreover, strict Spirit Contracts were difficult to enforce among Artifact Cultivators.

Li Mo was now heading to the Inner Sect’s underground, where he would remain for at least two centuries.

Entrusting management to the Chaotic Burial Furnace—even with Old Earth True Monarch’s leadership—would undoubtedly lead to ineffable challenges in profit distribution.

Elder Zhong had presumed Li Mo might lease out several shops, but it seemed he intended to delegate everything to the newly-arrived Loose Cultivators.

Adjusting to the port’s rules wasn’t easy for everyone.

Left with no choice, Elder Zhong allowed the Beast Cultivators to temporarily stay at Yin Turbid Myriad Things as laborers, primarily handling spiritual material transactions with various shop factions.

To Elder Zhong’s surprise, the Beast Cultivators quickly adapted to the deceitful dynamics of the port and even fully grasped Yin Turbid Myriad Things’ operations.

Unbeknownst to him, Tian Changwen had planned meticulously when selecting the candidates.

Though Li Mo had casually granted the Heart Beast Sect a spot in the port, Tian Changwen understood that failure was not an option.

Losing wouldn’t merely mean total defeat; it would jeopardize the larger scheme.

Tian Changwen, lacking ambition, sought only for the Beast Cultivators to establish a foothold in the port, laying foundations for potential millennia of development.

During Li Mo’s five-year stay in the Heart Beast Sect, Tian Changwen had agonized over the choice of Beast Cultivators, adhering to a philosophy of "better lack than mediocrity," painstakingly assembling twenty candidates.

Every Foundation Establishment Beast Cultivator came from humble beginnings, having survived disasters brought by the Sub-Device Sect’s descent.

They were cautious by nature and bound by strict Heart Demon Oaths, ensuring no uncontrolled incidents would occur at the port.

Elder Zhong’s astonishment deepened as Li Mo’s affiliated shops began to open one after another.

The most outrageous case was the port’s lower-level "Qinghong Flower Tower," which operated primarily as a brothel. He couldn’t help but feel dumbfounded.

Li Mo had already secluded himself for the Inner Sect, entrusting shop management entirely to Han Cai and Futu Hermit.

Han Cai initially planned to prioritize running a medical hall but soon realized port medical halls required a certain level of renown.

Unless a new medical hall was backed by a Taoist heritage renowned for medical skill, it would struggle to attract business.

Through investigation, he discovered that the Chaotic Burial Furnace, as one of Ninth District Taoist’s inheritances, relied almost entirely on Li Mo’s artifact refining to maintain its status.

Han Cai deliberated.

Though he had a distaste for flesh trade, there appeared to be no better option. He resolved to partner with Futu Hermit to return to their former occupation.

Undeniably, in such a gold-devouring beast of a port, Qinghong Flower Tower stood singularly prominent.

Futu Hermit found recruiting female cultivators at the port far easier than at the Heart Beast Black Market—the necessary physical artifact modifications were readily available.

Crucially, Sub-Device Sect’s Artifact Cultivators lacked interest in matters of passion.

They wholly overlooked the allure posed by a brothel tied to emotions and desires to certain Loose Cultivators.

After suffering corruption from metal poison, thoughts grew erratic, prompting impulsive actions.

Once Qinghong Flower Tower reached stability, Futu Hermit immediately prepared accompanying medical halls and miscellaneous shops to offload the Heart Beast Sect’s resources.

Four Seas Refining Shop and Qingshan Tavern subsequently resumed business operations.

Li Mo, in his leisure, had already refined a large number of Mid-Grade Meat Limb embryos. Combined with two Artifact Refiners adept at producing Low-Grade Meat Limbs, Four Seas Refining Shop could sustain operations for five to six decades.

Qingshan Tavern had even less to worry about.

Corpse Mountain’s current liquor production was phenomenal, enough to supply Qingshan Tavern for a century.

Furthermore, Old Earth True Monarch had hinted at the Inner Sect maintaining channels connected to the Outer Sect, ensuring port shops wouldn’t face significant disruptions.

Li Mo remained indifferent.

Even if the Inner Sect and port were sealed off, it wouldn’t matter much to him.

With Corpse Mountain firmly in hand, he could easily become self-sustaining. Of course, port supplies would significantly shorten the time required for promotion to the Nascent Soul Stage.

By relying on the Immortal Locking Body’s indirect observation of the port, Tian Changwen would assign a Core Formation Beast Cultivator to shuttle back and forth.

Among the ten shops, all on the port’s lower levels had now opened, their businesses experiencing mixed success during this exploratory stage.

He had no worries regarding the shops’ unfolding operations; Qingqiu Taoist would recover from Death Disease in no more than a decade, allowing the team to become increasingly adept.

Before departing, Li Mo adjusted his condition.

Upon hearing of Li Mo’s return to the port, Mu Daoist, Three Mountains, and others sent telepathic messages disclosing their imminent entry into the Inner Sect.

Li Mo opted not to travel with them, adhering to his own strategy by methodically setting his entry timeline to six months later.

His focus lay on preparing spiritual materials for refining top-grade Magic Artifacts and procuring canned spiritual energy to mitigate the potential incompatibilities of Inner Sect’s environment for cultivation.

During this interval, Mu Daoist was the first to enter the Inner Sect.

Kuteng Daoist followed half a day later. Three Mountains had departed several days earlier.

Li Mo noticed simmering undercurrents within the Chaotic Burial Furnace as Old Earth True Monarch gradually dispatched Artifact Cultivators to the port to station themselves within shops.

Perhaps a calamity in Dome Mountain was brewing.

Li Mo subtly hinted at Han Cai and Futu Hermit to remain vigilant near the alleys before exchanging all remaining Spirit Stones for resources, then departed.

There were two ways to enter the Inner Sect.

One could travel via crater passageways, but the journey alone exceeded half a year.

Below Zone 9, visibility plunged to below half a meter, making it dangerously easy to become disoriented in the darkness—a minimum of half a year’s effort.

Without Nascent Soul Stage cultivation, delving deep into the Outer Heaven Meteorite Crater was a gamble on despair.

Over the Sub-Device Sect’s tens of thousands of years of crater excavation, disciples had certainly lost control, transforming into deceitful objects that wandered unmonitored in the Mother Furnace’s neglected corners. Not to mention the ever-present phosphorescence.

Li Mo chose the safer route.

He stood in the courtyard of Four Seas Refining Shop, gazing at the rising Taiyang.

As his consciousness touched the Taiyang, in the eyes of onlookers, he seemingly vanished, like a droplet sinking into a serene lake.

Li Mo felt himself travelling swiftly through a narrow pathway.

A viscous liquid enveloped his body, evoking the sensation of trespassing into a gestational container, nourishing his skin as it absorbed nutrients.

Li Mo suppressed the urge to break free from the Mother Furnace’s grip, allowing himself to be transported toward the Inner Sect.

Just as he was acclimating, hurried breaths echoed in his ears, soon repeating cryptic phrases.

"I’m here to find you. Wake up quickly. Save us... Hurry..."

Li Mo attempted to block out the voice, but it abruptly ceased.

After several breaths, it returned, this time more manically.

"He’s awakened! Finally awakened! Save us!!!"