Mountain Lord Mo

Let's leave aside the idle chatter of the night.

The next day, when the sun was high in the sky, Li Fan followed the instructions of the flower servants and went to Lou Guan Tower to register, looking for two boys with cultivation potential.

This is the established rule: once someone reaches the Nascent Soul Stage, they must begin to mentor younger disciples and guide the sect. Although Li Fan has only recently become a disciple of the sect leader and doesn't consider himself qualified to take on disciples, he can still find two attendants to serve him, casually instruct them on Qi cultivation, serve tea and water, and carry a fan around to create a show of respect.

Moreover, Li Fan doesn't need Fourth Department search for any chosen one, nor does he need to look for human traffickers. He has specially brought back so many generations of disciples from Ink Bamboo Mountain, including various reincarnations. They have all started families as soon as they reach the Foundation Establishment, and those at the Golden Core stage are more than capable of protecting a powerful clan. Just looking at the commercial towns and markets near Lou Guan Tower, it is clear that a group of mutually supportive cultivation families has long been formed.

Among them were naturally boys and girls with impeccable backgrounds and cultivation potential who were registered by Lou Guan Tower. While those truly exceptional talents were few, Nascent Soul Stage cultivators were even rarer!

So when they heard that a True Person Realm cultivator was selecting disciples, a large group of family heads and elders rushed over, leading their grandchildren to vie for the opportunity.

Li Fan was also sweating. To be honest, the main reason his attendants came over this time was to teach them the art of massage and help manage the four Flying Immortals. After all, last night, under the guidance of the Flower Slaves, he tried it himself and couldn't control himself at all! The feel of that greasy senior sister's hand was simply amazing! As soon as she started touching him, he coughed and coughed!

In short, it's best not to handle this personally. If you're really unable to stop, it will interfere with your cultivation. You can't let yourself fall into this trap. It's better to find two young disciples to do it for you.

However, there were too many applicants, so Li Fan had to set three rules for selection. First, their qualifications couldn't be too bad. Second, they should have experience in hardship and manual labor, as caring for corpses was a given. Young ladies from wealthy families were out of the question; professional maids were preferred. Third, they should ideally understand meridians and acupoints, have some cultivation background, and even better if they had practiced martial arts—those few Flying Immortals were at the Nascent Soul Realm!

Li Fan established these rules and then used his Divine Sense to investigate, quickly finding two that barely met his requirements.

One of them was named Xiang Xiaoyu, a maidservant from the Xiang Family Cultivation Family in Ink Bamboo Mountain. Her mother was the wet nurse of the young master of the Xiang Family, and her father was probably also a servant of the Xiang Family, serving as a maidservant to the Xiang Family young master. Xiang Xiaoyu was taught some Qi cultivation methods by the Xiang Family and trained to learn some martial arts, preparing her to protect the eldest son of the family.

This time, it was the young master of the Xiang Family who came to try his luck, and she came along to serve him. Ironically, she caught Li Fan's eye, who asked her for guidance. Although Li Fan couldn't be sure of the criteria for the ninth rank, he could tell from observing her aura and taking her pulse that her aptitude was slightly lower than Asha's, but not by much, and she could probably be ranked. However, she was already considered outstanding among everyone present. After all, in recent generations, anyone with some talent had either been reserved for someone else or had gone through the tribulation with Asha's generation. Those who were left over were really just average in terms of natural talent.

The current head of the Xiang Family is only at the Perfected Realm the Foundation Establishment stage, so of course he wouldn't dare to refuse a True Person. He immediately adopted Xiang Xiaoyu as his goddaughter and told her to become Li Fan's disciple and seize this opportunity. Even if she couldn't become a disciple and attain enlightenment in the future, she would still be a reliable helper when she returned to the Xiang Family.

The other one is named Nie Feilian. She came from the north to escape the war with a Peking Opera troupe. The troupe leader had bought her from a slave trader, and she didn't know her parents' birth. She learned martial arts from the troupe leader since she was a child, practicing with spears and throwing knives, and her skills were very solid. She was also good-looking, and it was clear that she was going to be trained as a star.

However, Nie Feilian was almost fourteen years old but had never practiced Qi cultivation and was illiterate. This time, the Pear Garden Master wanted her to perform on stage, so he brought her to town to have clothes made. As a result Lou Guan Tower made a big fuss here, so they came to join in the fun. Nie Feilian's aptitude was even better than Asha and Xiang Xiaoyu's, and she could probably reach the middle grade. Among the leftover children, she stood out from the crowd and was immediately detected by Li Fan's Divine Sense.

The head of the opera troupe was reluctant to let go. After all, Xiang Xiaoyu's parents were servants of the Xiang Family, and the Xiang Family hadn't treated her badly. They could still maintain some relationship in the future. Nie Feilian, on the other hand, would be all alone, only receiving a surname from the head of the opera troupe. If she were executed, could she really return to the opera troupe as a slave, a performer earning money for others?

However, he had no choice but to think about it. In the end, considering that the head of the Pear Garden had spent money and effort training her for more than ten years, after discussing it, Li Fan took twenty bolts of silk from his Storage Jade and bought them for Nie Feilian.

On the spot at Lou Guan Tower, Li Fan issued them Daoist certificates and talismans, and provided them with robes. Then, he flew on his sword with the two maids to the scripture pavilion.

It was the first time that Xiang Xiaoyu and Nie Feilian had been carried into the Sword Light by the sword light. Terrified, they clung tightly to Li Fan's Daoist robe. Xiaoyu didn't even dare to open her eyes. Feilian was slightly better, but she was still visibly nervous, her face pale, her heart pounding, and her breathing erratic. This was a world of difference between them and Li Fan, who had taken advantage of the situation to grope and kiss her long, white legs.

That's a bit timid, within the range of normal people, so they probably can't cultivate the Tai Su Dao of Mo Shan.

"You two are now considered my disciples. According to the rules of Ink Bamboo Mountain, you can go to the Scripture Pavilion to choose a cultivation method. There are only a few methods for Foundation Establishment, so choose one according to your fate."

Li Fan smiled and said to them.

"Yes, Immortal." "Feilian will certainly not disappoint your high expectations, Immortal!"

The two women have quite different personalities. Nie Feilian is a bit feisty and competitive, Xiang Xiaoyu is a timid and submissive maid.

But unlike Li Fan's time, neither the bouncy Nie Feilian nor the hesitant Xiang Xiaoyu saw the Sword Light flashing when they passed under the Black Sword in front of the scripture pavilion. Neither of them saw the bright sword hanging above their heads, nor did they see the 'Heaven' and 'Ghost' at the entrance of the scripture pavilion. Naturally, they didn't even bow and just went straight through the door.

Li Fan sighed. So that's how it is. If your aptitude isn't good enough, you can't even see it... This kind of opportunity really can't be forced...

Li Fan waited for a while at the entrance of the Scripture Pavilion. Nie Feilian came out first, carrying four bamboo scrolls. Her face was flushed, probably because she thought she had received a great opportunity from the immortals. She was so excited that she couldn't stop smiling.

Li Fan took the four bamboo slips and looked at them. He couldn't help but chuckle. This girl's talent was indeed extraordinary. She was able to obtain one copy each of the Divine Hardness Refining Technique and the Purple Radiance Qi Refining Technique, as well as one scroll each of the Divine Hardness and the Crimson Fiend Divine Core Art Technique.

It seems she does indeed have the potential to forge Golden Core, but blindly pursuing this path might lead her down many detours. So he advised her, "Feilian, you have the foundation from your training in the Pear Garden. If you follow the path of Divine Hardness Qi to the end, supplementing it with the Body Domination Technique, that would be the safest and most solid approach."

It's not impossible to cultivate Qi using the Purple Radiance Technique and then switch to cultivating the Crimson Fiend Pill; it might even be faster. However, it's somewhat unreliable and depends on your comprehension.

Instead, choose a path and walk it with your heart.

"Immortal, may I cultivate them all? I promise I will work hard!" Nie Feilian was reluctant to put the immortal books back and chose to keep them all.

Li Fan smiled and didn't try to persuade him further. "You can give it a try, but remember to do what you can. Don't try to do too much at once. It's best to choose the Cultivation Method that suits you best and study it diligently."

Xiang Xiaoyu dawdled for a while before finally emerging, her face flushed. She was only holding a scroll of Cultivation Method in her hands. When she saw Nie Feilian over there with four scrolls of jade slips, she was overjoyed. Her ears turned red, and she almost shrank her head into her neck.

Li Fan glanced at it and saw it was the Purple Radiance Divine Pill Cultivation Method. He comforted her, saying, "It's alright, Xiaoyu. You've already learned some basic Qi cultivation techniques. If you can obtain the Divine Pill Cultivation Technique, you have the opportunity to achieve the Golden Core stage. If you cultivate diligently in the future, sincerity will move even the hardest stone, and you will naturally have the opportunity to join the Inner Sect."

"Mmm..." Xiang Xiaoyu's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz.

Although the two girls were called in to do chores, Li Fan did not intend to delay their cultivation. When he flew with them to the mountain lord's residence, the four immortals had already been dealt with. So Li Fan used the four as his teachers, explaining and drawing meridian diagrams with a brush to teach them how to circulate their qi.

However, neither of the two girls possessed a photographic memory. Li Fan explained it to them over and over again, but they still couldn't remember it. Even Fei Xian was so exasperated by the calligraphy brush that she glared at him angrily...

"Sigh, take it slow. The foundation of cultivation is to memorize the meridians and acupoints of the human body. You can practice using the bodies of these four immortals, memorize the meridian diagrams, and then cultivate on your own."

Later, the flower fairies will teach you how to cultivate these immortal bodies. You only need to take care of them for five or six days, after which they can move around freely."

Li Fan was also helpless, so he had no choice but to ask the flower servants who were watching and laughing heartily to guide these two silly girls. Well, you can't say they're silly. Asha probably had her grandmother teaching her since she was a child, which is why she's much better than them. She can learn eventually.

Then two flower spirits appeared, one pointing out the way to a massage, while the other led Li Fan to the inner room to retrieve the magic weapon bestowed by the mountain lord.

"Young master, please look. These are the treasures of the mountain lord, divine weapons of the Nascent Divine Transformation Nascent Soul Stage Transformation level. Some are spoils from his battles over the years, while others are remnants left by our ancestors of Mo Mountain. After becoming a disciple of the Mo Mountain lineage, each disciple may take one as a gift. If you have any missions to take you out of the mountain, you may also borrow another one for protection."

However, the mountain lord's branch is not skilled in weapon crafting, and many of the items here are spoils of war that have been damaged. There may be some rare and valuable items among them, but many have been gathering dust for a long time. This humble servant is not knowledgeable enough to recognize them. Young master may take whichever item catches your eye."

That's for sure. Just look at Fairy Wangshu's jellyfish head; the Mountain Lord's lineage is truly hopeless when it comes to weapon crafting.

Looking at the magical treasures in the storehouse, Li Fan wasn't in a hurry to take out his Si Nan to cheat. Instead, he asked curiously, "I wonder what weapon Master is most skilled with? Could you let me see it?"

Hua Nu readily agreed and pointed the way for Li Fan, saying, "Those are the weapons on that shelf: the powerful bow the Mountain Lord often used before Nascent Soul Stage reached the Nascent Soul stage, the twin swords he used when he defeated the Black Lotus Sect, and the lance he wielded for a while when he first became Divine Transformation. Now he doesn't have any special weapons; he just tears things apart with his bare hands."

Li Fan glanced at the broken divine bow, the shattered Zanma Knife, and the bent overlord's spear, and couldn't help but swallow hard, "... Master's arm strength is truly astonishing."

Hua Nu laughed, "Once you've mastered the Tai Su Dao Body, it's indeed difficult to find a suitable weapon. You can break through magic with brute force, so there's no need for fancy tricks. Just take whatever you like, young master; you won't need it anyway."

Li Fan asked curiously, "Speaking of which, I don't even know my master's name. Looking at these weapons, could it be that my master was a fierce general who fought on the battlefield under the Immortal Palace back then?"

Hua Nu smiled and shook her head, "The mountain lord is not a government soldier. To put it nicely, he is a chivalrous hero; to put it bluntly, he is a bandit."

"Bandits? Sister, could you tell me about the mountain lord? Or are there any taboos?" Li Fan was taken aback, already imagining a story of officials forcing the people to rebel, a blood feud, a snow-covered mountain temple, a lone hero joining the bandits, and a master of martial arts who roams the world freely.

Hua Nu chuckled, "There aren't that many grudges and feuds. The Mountain Lord once told us when he was drunk that when he was a child, he was a lowly commoner who slaughtered dogs and sold meat. He didn't even have a name; people just called him Dog Butcher. Because the Immortal Palace was in chaos for some reason, he also became an outlaw in a daze, just hoping to have a full meal."

Because he had killed so many dogs, he had a distinctive smell, and the guard dogs in the homes of wealthy landlords and their families dared not bark at him. So when they gathered to rob for money and food, he was always the first to break into the courtyard and seize the door. Over time, he killed so many people that he developed his skills and was elected as the bandit leader.

Later, as his reputation grew, the officials, because he often climbed into courtyards barefoot to pry open doors, called him the Barefoot Thief, a notorious thief with a bounty of 100,000 coins on his head.

Later, the mountain lord realized that robbing and looting was not a sustainable business. Sooner or later, there would be a time of peace in the world. He had offended too many powerful clans before, and hiding in the mountains would attract the attention of government troops and swordsmen. So he fled to Ink Bamboo Mountain with the refugees to seek refuge.

At that time, even the exiled rogue sects were mostly lineages of scholars and officials, and did not accept commoners. Only the Moshan lineage truly taught without discrimination. The seventh generation leader thought that the mountain lord was a promising talent, so he accepted him into his sect and named him Mo Zhi.

When the Black Lotus Sect, almost all of the pioneers and predecessors of Mo Shan perished in the battle, and the lineage was cut off. Among the survivors, the mountain lord had the highest cultivation and the greatest merit, so naturally he became the leader of the sect.

In short, that's his origin, nothing to hide. As for his name, the Mountain Lord said that the name Mo Zhi was given later and not often used; people wouldn't even react if called to his face. "Dog Butcher" also doesn't sound very nice. There are too few people left in Mo Mountain, and they all call him Master rather than Grand Master, so usually everyone inside and outside the mountain gate just calls him Mountain Lord."

Li Fan, "..."

Well, the mountain lord is quite inspiring. After all, he didn't even have straw sandals, let alone boots; he truly went barefoot all the way to the moon to attain enlightenment! Perhaps he received help from a few benefactors along the way, but this seemingly effortless path to enlightenment is not something everyone can do. That's amazing...

Hua Nu realized that it wasn't good for her to gossip about her master, so she smiled and stopped, changing the subject, "Young master, do you not know what to choose? The mountain lord did instruct that the Daoist methods of Luo Feng Cave Heaven are mainly based on immortal zombies and flying corpses, with copper skin and iron bones. Even if they are broken by force, they can be repaired again. They are not afraid of being destroyed, but they are most restrained by thunder magic."

Here is a Bing Fire Yang Extreme Thunder God Seal, a Nascent Divine Transformation Magic Treasure that the Mountain Lord seized by killing a master of the Shen Ting Sect to fight that old ghost. Therefore, although it cannot be seen in the light and cannot be passed on to disciples, it is indeed incredibly powerful and once knocked out one of Luo Feng Old Lord's teeth.

If you are not familiar with thunder magic, my lord, you may wish to borrow this treasure to counter the old ghost's magic, lest he take the opportunity to make things difficult for you and vent his anger."

Li Fan was utterly speechless. Showing this magical artifact to an old ghost—wasn't that just asking for trouble, really for protection? And just to fight that old ghost, the Mountain Lord actually dared to kill members of the Xuanmen sect and steal their goods? Wasn't that putting the cart before the horse?

Sigh, well, it's just his old profession. The mountain lord is as bold as a bat, what wouldn't he dare to do... But seriously, besides the nun who's been lonely for many years, wouldn't even these lawless old demons be unable to resist his charm and vie to take him as their disciple? Sigh, he's just too handsome, there's no way to resist him!

Li Fan shook his head to clear his mind of distractions. He glanced at the golden seal that Hua Nu was pointing to; it was as big as a brick. He picked it up and tossed it in his hand. Even without activating the highest-grade Thunder Talisman within, just having such a large piece smashed into his face would give him a toothache. No wonder he had been suppressed by the Thunder Department for so many years; it turned out he was restrained by thunder magic.

"I'll borrow this," Li Fan said, stuffing the lightning seal into his sleeve. He then asked, "Do you have a flying sword with lightning attributes?"

This time, Hua Nu shook her head, "The flying swords that the Mountain Lord picked up were all given to Qin Jianshi and the others to study the art of sword forging. He only kept the Golden Dragon White Star for transportation, but he gave those to the young master as well."

Li Fan was a little disappointed. Flying swords were truly rare. Golden Core level ones were still possible, but Nascent Soul Stage Divine Transformation level ones, even if found, would have their own temperaments and might not be easily subdued and recognized as masters. The system's lottery wasn't working either. Did he really have to forge his own sword?

Looking at all the weapons and magical artifacts here, Li Fan didn't find anything he particularly liked, so he took out the Si Nan to see if it had any suggestions. He thought the Si Nan would also wander aimlessly like him, swaying left and right, hesitating and undecided, but to his surprise, this time the spoon pointed very clearly to a yellowish-brown wooden gourd.

"What's the significance of this gourd?" Li Fan looked at the gourd; the rope tied to it was tattered, and there were no talismans or patterns on the outside. Its quality was far inferior to the alchemical gourd given by the abbot.

Hua Nu recalled for a moment, "It seems to be the gourd that a senior from Ink Bamboo Mountain used for drinking. After that senior passed away, the mountain lord took it to preserve it, just to keep it as a memento."

"This gourd is merely a magical Magic Treasure Nascent Soul stage cultivators, and it doesn't have a spirit. However, it can hold more wine. Young master, why don't you choose something else?"

Li Fan held the gourd up to his ear and shook it. It seemed to still contain wine; perhaps even some kind of elixir. The Si Nan wouldn't be wrong. Even if it didn't have any other effects, it could still hold more water for Kun to drink. It's been three years; he wondered how Kun was doing with eight tons of water a day...

"That's it."