Returning Home in Glory

In the blink of an eye, the Dragon Boat Festival arrived.

After the Flower Festival, and with over two months of recuperation, Li Mo had not only healed the damage to his body and spiritual sense but also reached the late stage of Qi Refining fourth layer. He had also obtained the Elixir Recipe for the Qi Gathering Pill from the experience exchange at the Alchemy Hall.

The Elixir Recipe for the Qi Gathering Pill was semi-public among alchemists.

However, Li Mo still paid a price for it: he helped an alchemist who was temporarily away by tending to their spirit field. In return, Li Mo was exempted from the penalty for missing daily tasks.

From the alchemists' experience exchange, Li Mo learned that while the Qi Gathering Pill had auxiliary effects for cultivation in the Qi Refining Stage, its medicinal efficacy was not particularly strong. It was widely promoted by cultivators in various sects of the Gan Kingdom and became popular among disciples in the Qi Refining Stage simply because the Qi Gathering Pill had no specific main ingredient restriction, requiring only a hundred-year-old spirit herb, making it suitable for large-scale alchemy.

Many alchemists had also mastered so-called exclusive Elixir Recipes, whose efficacy far surpassed that of the Qi Gathering Pill.

However, Li Mo couldn't use those so-called exclusive Elixir Recipes for now.

He hadn't even taken the Qi Gathering Pill yet. Moreover, his cultivation aptitude was quite good; he had only encountered a bottleneck at the fourth layer of Qi Refining and eventually broke through through his own insights. Based on this, he surmised that he shouldn't face significant obstacles at the fifth layer of Qi Refining.

Beyond the sixth layer, he might need to prepare a bit.

Especially when he reached the seventh layer of Qi Refining, the form of the magical power within his Dantian would change again, creating a bottleneck. However, if he could break through, his magical power would undergo a qualitative change in an instant.

Looking at the situation of the second-year disciples last year, the peak of the sixth layer of Qi Refining seemed to be the limit, while the third-year disciples were at the ninth layer of Qi Refining.

"Within this month, I should be able to break through the fourth layer of Qi Refining and enter the fifth layer."

Li Mo mused.

"Even if I break through to the fifth layer of Qi Refining and can't use it, with the increase in my visits to the Misty Dreamscape during the summer thunderstorms and floods, my cultivation speed will greatly increase. I'll need to break through to the sixth layer of Qi Refining then, so it's best to prepare in advance."

Thinking this, Li Mo decided to head to the main hall of the Advanced Study Hall after breakfast to pick up a temporary commission.

He planned to work hard to earn Spirit Stones in the coming period and purchase various auxiliary spirit herbs. He would use that Hundred Year Red Essence Fungus as the main ingredient to refine a batch of Qi Gathering Pills!

Of course.

During his tasks, he wouldn't forget to search for clues to Spirit-flavored Lightning-Struck Wood and Ephemeral Demon Cores.

"Li Mo, there are new disciples from the Enlightenment Hall!"

Ma Ling said excitedly from outside the door.

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Li Mo, along with Ma Ling, found Niu Li and Yang Guang. The four of them went to the backyard of the Divine Tree Square's Flying Boat Station and indeed saw the bewildered new disciples, their clear yet foolish eyes following the disciples from the Supervisor Hall as they disembarked from the flying boat.

"Time flies so fast, it's been a year already."

"Yeah."

Yang Guang couldn't help but sigh at the words.

"This time last year, I was just like them, knowing nothing. Heh heh, when it comes to this year's year-end assessment, I'm going to thoroughly torment them and let them know how powerful their senior brother is!"

Li Mo was speechless at this.

But then he remembered the experience of the first-year disciples being tormented by the second-year disciples during the year-end assessment last time, and how he himself was eliminated by Zhao Liang. This year, it would be these guys' turn to enjoy that treatment, and he couldn't help but chuckle.

"Hmm, I should certainly take good care of them!"

After chatting for a while in front of the Flying Boat Station, the four returned to the Advanced Study Hall's mess hall for breakfast. Li Mo then bid farewell to the three and went alone to the main hall of the Advanced Study Hall.

At this moment, there were over a dozen temporary commission tasks open to second-year disciples, with only the mission location, objective, deadline, reward, and issuer clearly marked.

After a brief scan, Li Mo discovered a mission to Tongchao Town in Bai'an County.

The mission reward was six Spirit Stones.

"From Tongchao Town to Hua'an Town, traveling by main road on a fast horse would take at most three days. A round trip wouldn't exceed the fifteen-day mission deadline."

It had been over two years since he left Hua'an Town. He wondered how his family was doing.

He thought of his mother, Zhao Siman, Zhang Qin, his master Zhang Dongliang from Jimin Hall, his friends Wang Pan, and his senior brothers Ding Jie, Zuo Shu, and Wang Ben...

His longing surged like a spring. He immediately took down the mission token and, using the contact information on it, found this Uncle Xiong from the Artifact Refining Hall.

"When you arrive in Tongchao Town, go to Apricot Blossom Village and find a boy named Xiong Shao'an. His family lives by the fish pond at the east end of Apricot Blossom Village. Show this jade pendant to his family, and they'll understand everything. Then bring him here."

"Yes."

So, on the way back, taking the flying boat would cost an extra Spirit Stone?

This mission only offered a reward of six Spirit Stones, no wonder they extended the mission time to half a month.

Li Mo guessed that Xiong Shao'an was likely a distant nephew of this martial uncle, but he didn't dare to ask further. After accepting the jade pendant, he turned and left, quickly heading to the Flying Boat Station.

Normally, these flying boat stations had fixed routes and could only reach the prefectural cities and larger county towns. They were public transportation subsidized by the Lingmu Sect.

The journey to various counties, towns, and villages afterward would require him to make his own arrangements.

Li Mo chose a flying boat that was about to depart for Anbei Prefecture. After paying a fee of one Spirit Stone, he entered the cabin and waited quietly.

About half an hour later.

As the flying boat slowly ascended and sped through the clouds, it finally descended at noon the next day, arriving at the prefectural city of Anbei Prefecture.

Although the prefectural city of Anbei Prefecture was not as prosperous as the provincial capital Anle City, it was still incomparable to a county town.

Since Li Mo also planned to return to Hua'an Town during his journey, time was quite pressing. He did not linger here and quickly went to the Heaven's Mandate Bureau in the prefectural city. He displayed his Lingmu Sect disciple waist token and rented a fast horse without a deposit.

He scouted the specific route during this process.

Bayan County's Tongchao Town wasn't too far from here, usually taking three to four days. However, if one pushed hard and traveled day and night, it could be reached in about two days. Therefore, theoretically, although the reward for this mission was small, the time required was also relatively less. Thus, he immediately spurred his horse and galloped away.

He planned to go to Apricot Blossom Village first, confirm the mission target, and give them a few days to prepare.

Then, he would take advantage of this time to head to Hua'an Town.

The round trip, plus the time spent in Hua'an Town, would take at most seven or eight days. Returning to the county seat would take another two or three days. The time was barely enough.

"Giddy up! Giddy up!"

Li Mo was circulating his Lesser Heavenly Cycle technique while riding his horse.

This was thanks to his past experience as a gatekeeping Daoist boy, which allowed him to undertake such a difficult cultivation. However, the efficiency of his cultivation had greatly decreased, less than a quarter of his usual rate.

Besides the factors of his cultivation state, the spiritual energy density of Qingming Mountain was incomparable to the outside world.

The sun began to set.

Li Mo frowned.

Having stayed in his sect for so long, he had almost forgotten the outside world.

The sky, reflecting the sunset and evening clouds, appeared exceptionally strange in Li Mo's eyes, filled with a sense of oppression, dread, absurdity, and unease. Those looming colossal entities reappeared. They occasionally attempted to approach the earth, their immense shadows seeming to engulf the entire sky. However, most of the time, they merely danced their tentacles in the distant horizon, appearing even larger than the setting sun.

Li Mo withdrew his gaze. When Xi Time is unfavorable, one should avoid traveling.

He noticed a roadside tea stall not far away and immediately reined in his horse, stopping its rapid gallop.

"Boss, a pot of hot tea and two Steamed Cakes, and pack four to go."

"Coming right up, please wait a moment."

More than two years ago, when Li Mo went out, he would still be seen as a naive, immature youngster. But now, although he was still a young man, no one treated him like a child anymore.

Just by sitting there, he exuded the aura of an adult man.

After eating and drinking his fill, Li Mo paid the required copper coins and was about to get up and leave when he saw the boss hesitate to speak before advising, "Esteemed guest, are you perhaps heading to Tongchao Town?"

Hearing this, Li Mo couldn't help but frown.

"What happened over there?"

The boss sighed.

"Esteemed guest, you may not know, but after the surrounding counties jointly suppressed the bandits of Eighteen Mountains last year, many bandits fled. Tongchao Town is adjacent to Eighteen Mountains. A group of people appeared there some time ago. They were all highly skilled in martial arts and seemed to be looking for someone. They stopped people on the road, searching for pretty women, and ambushed travelers. The authorities mobilized to suppress them once, and they quieted down for a while, but they've started again recently."

Hearing this, Li Mo let out a cold laugh.

With his martial arts cultivation, he naturally wouldn't fear any bandits or petty thieves, so he didn't take it to heart. After thanking the tea stall owner, he continued his journey, galloping through the night.

Two days later.

Whether it was his good luck or the bandits' bad luck, Li Mo arrived at Tongchao Town's Apricot Blossom Village without any hindrance. Following the directions of Uncle Xiong, he indeed found someone surnamed Xiong at the east end of the village.

"Is anyone home?"

Li Mo knocked on the door and asked.

He could tell that this family was not well-off.

A moment later.

An old man holding a wooden stick peered through the crack in the door, looking very cautious.

Seeing this, Li Mo quickly took out the jade pendant token. The old man was stunned for a moment, then became so emotional that tears streamed down his face. He opened the courtyard gate.

"That's great, that's great! Shaoan, come out quickly!"

A dark-skinned boy emerged from the house.

The old man choked back tears, "Your fourth grandfather indeed hasn't forgotten us and sent someone to pick you up. Shaoan, you're sharp-witted, leave here quickly. Listen to your fourth grandfather then, and you'll surely succeed in the future."

Li Mo understood what was happening.

So he quickly said, "There's no rush for this matter. You prepare yourselves first. I have another matter to attend to and will return in about seven or eight days."

The old man was stunned for a moment, then nodded.

"Then... that's fine. Young hero, you go ahead with your business. We'll wait for you here. Remember to come back soon, it's not peaceful lately!"

As Li Mo was about to leave, he heard the other party's reminder and fell into thought.

"Are there bandits causing trouble here?"

Hearing this, the old man's face showed bitterness.

"Just a month ago, not only was Old Zhang's daughter from the west end of the village taken by them, but Old Zhang was also lost. I had no choice but to write to his fourth grandfather, to give this sole heir of the Xiong family a way out. Alas."

Hearing this, Li Mo narrowed his eyes, nodded, and prepared to leave.

If not for the extreme time constraint of his mission, he wouldn't mind acting as a chivalrous hero here. These rogue bandits were more detestable than the highwaymen who extorted money on Eighteen Mountains.

"Oh, right, there's one more thing. Have you heard of any large trees nearby that were struck dead by lightning?"

"This? I haven't heard of it."

Without obtaining any clues about the Spirit-flavored Lightning-Struck Wood, Li Mo didn't pay it much mind and rode his horse away.

For the next two days, Li Mo traveled at full speed towards Hua'an Town. By the evening of the third day, he finally arrived outside Hua'an Town. Looking at the familiar vendors on the streets from afar, he felt a moment of daze before dismounting and leading his horse forward.

"Steamed cakes! Hot steamed cakes!"

"Freshly baked meat buns!"

"Candied hawthorns..."

The familiar cries brought back vivid memories.

An indescribable emotion welled up in Li Mo's heart. He called out to the vendor selling candied hawthorns, "Boss, I'll have one... no, two skewers of candied hawthorns."

"Coming right up! That'll be sixteen Cash."

More than two years had passed, and the candied hawthorns here were still eight Cash a skewer. Li Mo had passed by countless times, secretly swallowing his saliva, unwilling to spend the money. Today, he would finally treat himself.

Holding the candied hawthorns, Li Mo continued walking.

The clatter of hooves on the stone-paved road echoed as he led his horse to the front of a three-story building, a medical hall. The plaque above the door read Jimin Hall.

He looked towards the front hall, where several senior disciples were chatting.

Memories of the past resurfaced, and he fell into a reverie.

"Senior Brother Ding Jie, Senior Brother Zuo Shu... Wang Pan."

The chubby young man in the pharmacy paused, glancing suspiciously towards the front hall. Thinking someone was rushing him, he shook his head and continued grinding herbs, looking endearingly simple and honest.

"Junior Brother Li Mo!"

Ding Jie, the first to snap out of his daze, strode out from the front hall and stood before Li Mo, his face filled with disbelief. He grabbed Li Mo's shoulders, his eyes reddening slightly.

"It's been over two years, where have you been!"

The others also came back to their senses and hurried out.

They all spoke at once, bombarding Li Mo with questions about his experiences.

"Li Mo!"

Wang Pan, still with his baby-faced, fair complexion, let out an excited shout upon seeing Li Mo and ran over. He excitedly grabbed Li Mo, confirming it was really him, and then gave him a bear hug.

"I missed you so much! Why did you take so long to come back!"

When they finally let go, Wang Pan's eyes were misty with tears.

"They said you never arrived at Jimin Hall in Quhe Town. Senior Brother Ding Jie was so worried he personally went to check, and even reported it to the authorities. Someone said you were bullied by a ruffian named Niu Er, so the officers arrested him and interrogated him thoroughly, but they couldn't get any useful information..."

"Ahem."

As everyone was chattering, Old Man Feng emerged from the front hall. He looked at Li Mo, a complex expression of relief on his face.

"It's good that you're back. Alas, your master, Zhang Dongliang, passed away peacefully three months ago in Shangfeng Prefecture."

"Master."

Upon hearing this, Li Mo was momentarily stunned. It had been three years since his master retired and returned home. If he remembered correctly, his master should be sixty-seven this year.

A bitter smile, too complex to describe, spread across his face. He looked up at the sky.

"I've learned Alchemy as you wished."

Two sparrows chirped in the sky, chasing each other as they darted past.