Han Cai’s attitude became extremely serious.
"Li Mo, my disciple, what do you think of the Beast Calamity?"
Li Mo did not show fear and calmly said, "We can’t avoid it. Even in Duozhi Mountain, there’s no escaping it. It’s better to seize the initiative."
Although Duozhi Mountain seems far removed from the Beast Calamity, Shi Ji would certainly not let the Puppet Cultivators remain idle. The struggle for Dao inheritance will inevitably reach the Heart Beast Territory—it’s only a matter of time.
It wouldn’t even be surprising to be treated as disposable pawns.
At this point, the Dao inheritance struggle has not reached the stage of life-and-death destruction. The Beast Cultivators and Puppet Cultivators are exercising a certain degree of restraint, and the likelihood of Core Formation Cultivators intervening is not high.
Han Cai couldn’t help but show admiration. He did not hope for Li Mo to choose the path of self-preservation, which is why he hadn’t forcefully kept him in Duozhi Mountain.
"Without external interference, neither side will emerge victorious in the short term, leaving room for you to demonstrate your value."
"The Immortal Path is a contest, and resources are hard to come by."
"Corpse Oil Wax to subjugate souls, the Little Human Head to improve the success rate of core formation, the Half-year Flower to solidify Spiritual Power—all are exceedingly rare."
Li Mo gazed at the moonlight outside the window and nodded, saying, "Disciple understands well. Moreover, as the Daoist of the pawn shop, I am destined to be drawn into the struggle for Dao inheritance."
The Outer Door Competition is nothing but a facade of open and covert disputes over benefits, revolving around countless Hundred Beasts Blood Bodies that can influence the balance for a thousand years.
"Master Han, why is Steward Hu involved with the Mountain Lord Strange Beast?"
Han Cai lowered his voice and explained, "It traces back to the Beast Calamity decades ago when a Mountain Lord Strange Beast escaped into the Inner City District..."
The Mountain Lord Strange Beast had mysteriously acquired some Inner Sect inheritance, granting it the ability to strip skin and create Chang Ghosts equivalent in strength to cultivators.
Due to the Strange Beast’s exceptional capabilities, as long as the Chang Ghosts were not destroyed, its true body remained elusive—even the shopkeepers were powerless.
Nearly a hundred cultivators were flayed during that time, and at night, the Chang Ghosts spread everywhere.
Rong Town eventually chose to neglect the Mountain Lord Strange Beast until the Beast Calamity ended, and the Chang Ghosts followed the Strange Beast into obscurity within the Inner City District.
The flayed cultivators could only turn to medical halls to transplant human skin. Luckily, it merely cost them some Mid-grade Spirit Stones.
However, Hu Wen’s situation was different—having majored in the Green Robe technique, her foundation was nearly destroyed.
"Though Hu Wen has since successfully cultivated a different Magic, she has always wanted to recover her human skin. I once promised to lend a helping hand, so we’ll act when the opportunity arises."
Li Mo nodded slightly.
The Mountain King Map he painted carried spiritual resonance, which might be able to lure out the Strange Beast—as long as he wasn’t used as bait, he didn’t mind.
Li Mo did not fear the Mountain Lord Strange Beast; after all, he possessed two human skins. Even if one were forcibly stripped away, it wouldn’t harm his Green Robe technique.
"When I first saw the Hundred Beasts Blood Body, I knew trouble was coming."
Han Cai’s eyes revealed deep worry. "Tian Changwen’s actions to completely reverse the Beast Cultivators’ disadvantage have caused such a grand commotion that who knows how many Strange Beasts will appear in Rong Town."
The two continued discussing the Beast Calamity until the sky unknowingly brightened, and the morning sun bathed the mountain peak where Rong Town was situated in warm light.
Li Mo estimated there were at least another six months until the Beast Calamity began.
He wasn’t rushed to return to the pawn shop and decided to assist Han Cai at the medical hall, accumulating experience in surgical techniques along the way.
However, to outsiders, Li Mo’s behavior seemed rather intriguing.
As Tian Changwen’s appointed Daoist of the pawn shop, equipped with the rare Dual Dao Body and undeniably a Beast Cultivator Core Formation seed, Li Mo instead busied himself in the Puppet Cultivators-dominated medical hall.
Fortunately, the conflict between the two factions hadn’t escalated to the point of annihilation; at most, it merely attracted criticism.
Li Mo paid no attention to how others viewed him. Since he aimed to achieve immortality, he could not confine himself to one niche or remain content as a wealthy businessman at the pawn shop.
After a busy ten days, the number of cultivators seeking treatment at Miao Shou Inn gradually decreased.
Yet Rong Town remained bustling, and as the Spring Festival drew near, the townspeople grew joyously vibrant, decorating every corner festively.
Li Mo found himself completely unable to immerse in the celebratory atmosphere and moved quickly back to the pawn shop, only to suddenly pause at the doorway of the inner chamber.
The inner chamber was divided into Sky, Earth, and Human designations. Li Mo’s lodgings were merely in the Human section. If he wished to move to the Sky Room, someone else would need to willingly vacate it.
Under normal circumstances, changing inner chamber rooms required applying to the Manager.
Li Mo took out his spiritual tablet and consulted Hu Wen, but to his surprise, she casually agreed and even told him to go directly to Superior Room No. 3.
Hu Wen’s temperament was hard to fathom. Frowning, Li Mo stepped into the inner chamber.
Heading deeper into the inner chamber until he reached Superior Room No. 3, Li Mo tried opening the door but was obstructed by an Array. Then, a series of footsteps sounded from within.
Cursing in his heart, Li Mo realized Superior Room No. 3 already had an occupant.
Out stepped a thin, gaunt tall cultivator, his exposed skin covered in scars, and three extra arms protruding from his ribs.
His mental state seemed poor, with blood and pus oozing from the arms at his ribs.
Li Mo initially intended to avoid trouble, but seeing the cultivator’s appearance made him immediately change his mind.
Though the pawn shop belonged to the Beast Cultivators faction, there was no restriction on learning Puppet Cultivation techniques. However, most cultivators understood the implications.
Anyone wanting to switch cultivation paths must abandon the pawn shop’s resources and become a loose cultivator at the Heart Beast Black Market.
"How should I address you?" Li Mo’s body started emitting Mist Fog Spiritual Power while speaking, drawing the attention of fellow cultivators coming and going from the inner chamber.
They gathered around, gloating as they stared at the tall cultivator.
Wang Rongshan’s facial features distorted as he sensed the oppressive aura emanating from Li Mo. He instinctively gathered the mountain force of his Early Stage of Youth cultivation.
Gulping slightly, his tone softened. "Who are you? If you’re looking to... fight for the Sky Room, just hurry and apply to the Manager."
Before Wang Rongshan could finish, Li Mo casually pulled out his spiritual tablet to communicate.
Li Mo: "Kill or not?"
The tension between them erupted, and the surrounding cultivators began speculating about Li Mo’s identity—it was evidently their first time seeing him.
Only a pair of siblings in the crowd suddenly revealed shocked expressions and pointed at Li Mo, mouths agape.
Wang Rongshan took several steps back, and fear cleared his mind. Realizing the ominous intent, he tried closing the door tightly, only for his arm to be firmly grabbed by Li Mo.
"There’s more than one Sky Room besides mine."
Li Mo made a tiger-head hand gesture, and the shadows in the corner of the room suddenly writhed before a tiger’s roar echoed from thin air.
Ghost Tiger’s massive head almost filled the space inside Superior Room No. 3, sending a foul wind into the hallway.
Wang Rongshan attempted to struggle, but he discovered he had already been poisoned in several ways, and his recently adopted cultivation technique rendered his Spiritual Power unresponsive.
"Let’s talk... I have Spirit Stones..."
Li Mo released Wang Rongshan’s arm, and the latter stumbled in hesitation before being swiftly swallowed whole by Ghost Tiger, which chewed him effortlessly.
Though he struggled furiously to fight back, Wang Rongshan’s body was overcome by Ghost Tiger’s deadly toxins.
Li Mo nonchalantly entered Superior Room No. 3, and as the door closed, the siblings, Li Qingfang and her brother, exclaimed in excitement.
"Li... Li Mo Senior Brother!!!"