Longevity Strange Immortal
Chapter 72: Carrying the Shop up the Mountain

Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Carrying the Shop up the Mountain

For the cultivators uninterested in entering Dao Fate, Rong Town remained relatively tranquil even after half a year of Daoists climbing the mountain.

The most noticeable change in Rong Town was the rampant proliferation of limb-related magic artifacts.

On Qingniu Street, loose cultivators with multiple arms could be seen everywhere, some even bypassing artifact refining and opting for the crude method of arm transplantation.

The doors of the Artifact Refining Shop stayed tightly shut, standing out as an anomaly within Rong Town.

But no one paid it any mind anymore. After all, in the eyes of the cultivators, Li Mo closing himself off was merely avoiding the fight for Dao Fate.

Inside the Artifact Refining Shop, the atmosphere was deathly silent, only the sound of heavy breathing reverberated through the courtyard.

Li Mo suddenly opened his eyes, radiating the aura of Perfect Puberty Stage. The cellar walls, influenced by the Primordial Postnatal Dao Body, were covered with densely packed sand-like crystals.

When he looked at his arm, his skin had already turned mottled with purplish-blue corpse spots.

The Childhood Death Disease was intensifying, and it was expected to fully erupt in six years.

If Li Mo wanted to pass through safely, Foundation Establishment was the simplest method, giving him more time to prepare for the Weak Crown Period’s death disease.

Overall, Puberty Stage only had one layer, which took the most time to complete. Once a solid foundation was laid, the transformation of the Five Internal Spirit Roots became progressively easier.

Li Mo closed his eyes to sense his own body.

It was as though he was only one step away from total transformation, yet the Weak Crown Period bottleneck loomed like an abyss, making even a half-step crossing improbable.

Li Mo was well aware that Foundation Establishment, in essence, boiled down to liquifying spiritual power.

But to rely solely on his efforts without external help, he’d likely need at least ten years of slow and meticulous refining. Acquiring Dao Fate was undeniably essential.

"It’s hard to say if time’s on my side..."

Li Mo immediately destroyed the cellar, quietly burrowing through the narrow tunnel until he emerged outside—only to find an eerie and oppressive atmosphere.

An almost tangible aura emanated from the courtyard.

Li Mo’s heart skipped a beat as he cautiously left the inner house. Just as he intended to use the spiritual tablet to contact Song Liang, a shadow enveloped him from above.

"Master Han."

"You brat, you truly are..."

It had been a long time since Han Cai’s last appearance, and now his body had swelled to nearly five meters tall, resembling a giant spider, with twelve limbs on his back, mixed with several monkey-like arms.

Li Mo realized that Han Cai had switched to cultivating the Taishang Thousand Feet Technique, seamlessly promoting himself to Fake Core Stage, with his cultivation becoming ever more unfathomable.

Equally astonished was Han Cai at Li Mo’s progress.

He stowed away the elixir he held in his palm, originally intended to assist Li Mo in achieving Perfect Puberty Stage. But now, it seemed his concern was unnecessary.

Even with the support of the Leakless Body, there was no way Li Mo could have perfected his cultivation in just a few years—perhaps he possessed a complementary Taoist Body.

Song Liang and the other cultivators dared not interject, silently retreating into the corner.

Han Cai lingered in the Artifact Refining Shop for four days. Exhausting themselves without rest, the youngest cultivator, Zhao Zhu, was already showing signs of mental fog.

"So be it."

A flicker of joy crossed Han Cai’s eyes as he warned, "Disciple, don’t think you can continue earning Spirit Stones in Rong Town. You should understand how rare Dao Fate is."

"Though it’s a bit unexpected for Rong Town to suddenly issue Dao Fate, it’s an opportunity not to be missed."

Li Mo understood that the Daoists had started heading deep into Duozhi Mountain over half a year ago.

"Rong Town has established four medicine fields halfway up the mountain."

"Whether Daoist or loose cultivator, anyone who holds a medicine field before the mountain is sealed again qualifies to transplant Dao Fate."

Half a year had passed since the Daoists ventured up, and the arrangements surrounding the medicine fields were now exceptionally secure. The difficulty of seizing one was self-evident.

Han Cai lamented, saying, "I only learned of this after my retreat, so I didn’t warn you beforehand. Had I known, you could’ve occupied a medicine field before advancing to Perfect Puberty Stage..."

Li Mo’s pupils narrowed, interrupting urgently, "Wait, Dao Fate? Transplantation?"

"Fate refers to the umbilical cord. Its exact origin is unknown, but it primarily provides the nourishment needed for Foundation Establishment."

Han Cai’s explanation was deliberately vague. Evidently, Dao Fate was intertwined with secrets too significant for him to disclose its exact usage.

Song Liang saw Li Mo intent on heading up the mountain and hurriedly asked, "Senior Han, what about us?"

"Hm, we’ll go together. Occupying a medicine field requires far too many arrangements."

"The mountain roads are treacherous. Move quickly while daylight lasts. Alas, if only this band of Dart Masters had better cultivation, we could’ve taken a shortcut..."

Li Mo paid no heed to Han Cai’s mutterings. Instead, he turned to survey the main hall, which had everything an artifact refining shop needed.

During this period, the shop had brought him nearly five hundred mid-grade Spirit Stones. Leaving it behind seemed a shame, as Zhao Zhu couldn’t handle running it on his own.

"Master Han, can shops be set up in Duozhi Mountain as well?"

"Certainly, although Duozhi Mountain produces peculiar and eerie spiritual materials. However, Rong Town hosts a large number of Weak Crown cultivators revising their techniques for multiple limbs; they are now retreating and cultivating within the mountains."

Li Mo frowned slightly as the group discussed. Everyone understood that the multi-limbed techniques harbored hidden risks, yet no cultivator could resist the allure of Core Formation.

"Although I cannot intervene personally, it doesn’t mean I can’t accompany you. I’ll follow you from the rear and see if anyone dares to obstruct."

Song Liang quickly started discussing how to reach halfway up the mountain. The fastest method undoubtedly involved magic artifacts, though the spiritual power consumption was excessive.

"No need for such hassle."

Li Mo crossed his arms, smiling as he said, "I spent over ten days renovating the Artifact Refining Shop; it would be wasted if left in Rong Town."

He gestured for the cultivators to return to the main hall, then, ignoring their confused gazes, walked to a corner of the room.

Li Mo summoned the Evergreen Tree, as the bamboo stick insect climbed to the roof’s edge.

The bamboo stick insect extended abundant roots of the Evergreen Tree, wrapping the building entirely, even digging into the soil underneath.

Song Liang’s mouth hung open in disbelief, while Zhao Zhu’s fatigue vanished in an instant.

"Rise."

Li Mo let out a muffled groan as the entire Artifact Refining Shop was uprooted by the Evergreen Tree, shaking the surrounding ground violently.

He raised his right arm.

The Evergreen Tree’s roots coiled around his fingertip, the shop’s weight pressing down on Li Mo. His feet sank into the ground, nearly causing him to stumble.

But Li Mo quickly adjusted, aided by the Green Blood and Red Heart-altered physique combined with the tattooed beast on his legs, which redistributed the burden.

Dragging the shop, he headed in the direction of Duozhi Mountain.

"The Daoist is heading up the mountain!"

"The Four-legged True Man could no longer hold back!!"

"The Four-legged True Man’s talent is extraordinary, touching Foundation Establishment so quickly?!!"

Over a thousand cultivators in Rong Town, though shocked, were visibly thrilled. The imminent battle over the medicine fields was already tacitly understood.

The medicine fields were tightly controlled by Daoists from the Mixed Grain Shop, Government Office, Woodworking Workshop, and Medical Hall.

Li Mo’s appearance undoubtedly stirred massive waves across the previously calm surface.

Many cultivators noticed that Li Mo had already achieved Perfect Puberty Stage while concealing his Beast Taming abilities. Instead, he revealed a mysterious and inscrutable Gu Worm.

Li Mo quickened his pace, followed closely by hundreds of cultivators.

"Hehehehehe..."

"As expected of my disciple, truly bold."

Seeing this, Han Cai changed his mind on the spot, electing to take the mountain’s rear path while leaving Li Mo to make his high-profile ascent to Duozhi Mountain.