Li Mo had heard that when Nascent Soul cultivators faced the Fate Knowing Stage Death Disease, some would seal themselves inside their cave mansions, showing no signs of life for twenty to thirty years.
When fellow cultivators broke into the cave mansion, all they found was an empty shell of the Nascent Soul cultivator.
That’s right, all the internal organs had vanished without a trace.
In a corner, they only discovered a brain carrying trace remnants of the original owner’s consciousness — the Nascent Soul cultivator hadn’t even had time to attempt a body seizing.
Li Mo could only imprint his organs into the Creation Book, using it to resist the Fate Knowing Stage Death Disease.
"Six hundred years... Promotion to the Divine Separation Stage."
"Hah, the next cultivation technique I pursue must focus on the physical body. My control over my body needs to be strengthened further."
Li Mo felt stifled. Despite possessing the Innate Five Dao Body, when the Death Disease erupted, his consciousness couldn’t even sense the existence of his Taoist Body.
He absorbed spiritual energy to nourish his three Nascent Souls, which huddled wearily within his Dantian.
All the magic treasures were also dormant, and the Tattooed Beast no longer urged him to venture outside. The Uncertainty Period Death Disease had severely damaged Li Mo’s vitality.
Successfully surviving the Death Disease was largely due to the Divine Spine Skill.
What surprised Li Mo was that the Divine Spine Skill seemed to have a subtle connection to the brain, encapsulating the principle: "All marrow belongs to the brain."
The effects of Brain to Marrow were peculiar. On one hand, spinal marrow could imperceptibly make bones more resilient. On the other hand, Li Mo could consume brain tissue to accelerate the growth of his spine.
Li Mo nervously touched his head.
Near the end of the Uncertainty Period Death Disease, he had sacrificed more than half of his brain to triumphantly overcome it.
Now that the imprinting of his entire skeleton was complete, including the Mountain Spider and the spinal bones, he could consider enhancing the bones further to nurture the Innate Taoist Body.
Li Mo silently planned his future cultivation while recuperating in his cave mansion.
It took him three to four years to recover to his peak state.
Li Mo then examined the message transmitted by Futu Hermit, his expression involuntarily growing astonished.
Whether the White Bone Sect had been eradicated remained uncertain, but rumors surrounding the sect were fermenting, drawing the Daoist and Demon factions into a frenzy.
About twenty years ago, a mid-sized Immortal Sect affiliated with the Heavenly Sword Sect, known as the "Five Hidden Sword," had unearthed a Secret Realm belonging to the White Bone Sect.
"The True Word Secret Realm."
Li Mo murmured the name repeatedly, a deep interest shining in his eyes.
The Heavenly Sword Sect, in an uncharacteristic move, did not monopolize the True Word Secret Realm but instead spread word about it, luring countless cultivators to flock there.
The True Word Secret Realm opened once every ten years, and even the Heart Beast Sect had multiple disciples heading toward it.
Currently, the mortality rate inside the Secret Realm didn’t seem high — even loose cultivators who had just entered Foundation Establishment could safely return.
At the Core Formation Stage, only two people had died to date, and for Nascent Soul cultivators, there hadn’t been a single case of serious injury.
Li Mo asked Tian Changwen about the specific conditions inside the True Word Secret Realm, but unfortunately, the Heavenly Sword Sect had arranged for all the cultivators exiting the realm to lose their memory of what transpired within.
Whatever happened in the Secret Realm, however, the resources they obtained were tangible.
Most consisted of spiritual materials unique to the True Word Sect, along with a few incomprehensible cultivation manuals.
Were it not for the Heavenly Sword Sect limiting access to the Secret Realm for smaller Immortal Sects, Tian Changwen would have loved to send a hundred cultivators there.
Li Mo asked Tian Changwen for cultivation techniques, then headed toward the Sky Well.
The Skywell Inn was as it always had been — the sealed True Void Hometown featuring only one Daoist Temple, with its hidden Demon cultivators numbering just four or five.
Li Mo strode directly into the Skywell Inn, his Divine Sense alert for any possible attacks.
The entity within the earthen altar likely represented one of the trials for joining the Lifeless Sect.
The disguised Demon cultivators, pretending to be ordinary folk, all eyed Li Mo with a barely restrained sense of terror, their gaze involuntarily drifting toward beneath the bed.
Li Mo glanced under the empty bed and noticed how familiar the Demon cultivators’ expressions were when they looked at him. "You recognize me?"
"Thirteen Immortals, you jest. We saw you thirty-six years ago."
"Thirteen Immortals, you truly are forgetful..."
The Demon cultivator hadn’t finished speaking when magnetic light flickered around Li Mo’s mouth and nose. Objects in the room began floating in midair, carrying an overwhelming sense of pressure.
"That... that wasn’t you..."
The Demon cultivator hurriedly explained, "A remaining disciple of the White Bone Sect conversed with the entity within the altar before leaving the Skywell Inn together."
Li Mo’s mouth twitched; the White Bone Sect had indeed come to the Skywell Inn seeking collaboration and even mistook a false body crafted by Mou Miaoqing as being him.