Mountains and giant beasts, cabins in the woods

Liu Xingmo has achieved tremendous success with this breakthrough.

He devoured a primordial beast using a secret method, directly transforming him into a primordial body and giving him talent on par with top geniuses.

His blood cultivation level has also leaped to the second level, third layer, and his physical strength exceeds the total strength of thirty people, enough to lift a wooden house.

Liu Xingmo comforted the worried Su Mali, then went to the bathroom and carefully washed off the grime.

Sumali prepared a large meal to celebrate her husband's successful promotion.

The August sun was still blazing; the attic dining room was somewhat stuffy.

Liu Xingmo shoveled food into his mouth, trying to suppress the strong fishy taste. Su Mali kept piling food onto his plate—bird meat, rabbit meat, snake meat… there was something for everyone.

"Xingmo, what are you planning to do next?"

"First, consolidate our strength, then improve our wood cultivation. In the future, we'll try to acquire some rare beasts and seedlings to expand our medicine business."

"It's a safe bet, I'll support you."

"By the way, Mary, how's your cultivation level?"

"It's stable at the second level of the second tier. If Hongyitang has a sufficient supply of pills, it can break through to the third level by the end of the year."

"Hahaha! Nine years! I've finally surpassed you!"

"Yes, my great genius."

Lunch was devoured in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.

Liu Xingmo finally had some free time and could go out for a stroll.

I received an invitation from the Seventh and Eighth Academies, but I haven't had time until now. Today I'll go there to visit, exchange ideas with other outstanding disciples in the village, and gain a deeper understanding of the second-stage cultivation path.

Liu Xingmo tidied himself up and left home.

Turning left and right on the streets of Midtown, the buildings along the roadside become increasingly complex.

This is the oldest part of the city, with interconnected corridors and pavilions, and treehouses and wooden buildings blending together.

Liu San Niang's hometown, Luo Hua Lane, I never expected that the Seventh and Eighth Society would be located in this place.

Following the signs, Liu Xingmo walked all the way in and finally came to an inconspicuous house.

I knocked on the wooden door, and it opened automatically.

The four walls of the room are made of solid wood bookshelves, filled with books of all kinds, and a sofa is placed in the central hall, forming a circle.

A tree-shaped sterling silver table lamp sits on the coffee table, with three branches adorned with bright red fruit that emits an orange glow.

It's a house that's understated yet luxurious.

Liu Xingmo saw several young people sitting on the sofa, including a couple who were the same brother and sister he had met more than a month ago.

The man smiled and waved: "Liu Xingmo, you've arrived."

Liu Xingmo found a sofa and sat down.

The man introduced himself: "I am Xu Zihao. You've met my sister before, Xu Zijing."

Liu Xingmo nodded slightly: "I know, the twin rising stars from the Xu Yinxing family, the steward of the library. Speaking of which, we're colleagues."

"Haha, Xu Wenting from the newspaper is my cousin." Xu Zihao appeared friendly and generous, then he added with a wry smile, "It's a pity that I have absolutely no talent for writing, and even the library doesn't want me."

"You've been skipping school since you were little, and you even dragged me along," complained Xu Zijing, the younger of the twins. "My grades are terrible, all because of you, you stupid older brother!"

"I didn't force you. Besides, I was born 20 minutes earlier than you," Xu Zihao said sheepishly.

The atmosphere in the Seventh and Eighth Society was quite relaxed and pleasant. Several people even gave Liu Xingmo friendly smiles.

"Are you the one who proposed the method of fusing blood and wood energies?"

"Why are you so late? Everyone's been waiting with bated breath, counting on you to give us some pointers!"

"You genius, come and see the secret technique I've researched. Is it right or wrong?"

……

The entire village, all the outstanding disciples selected to cultivate the two paths together, agreed to gather here at a certain time to exchange their experiences.

In reality, only Liu Xingmo truly practiced both paths simultaneously. As for the others, their practice could be considered a unique form of mutual assistance in dual cultivation.

Just then, heavy footsteps came from upstairs, "thump! thump! thump!"

A man with a stern face and deep eyes walked down the stairs step by step, his imposing presence making everyone's breathing slow down.

Xu Zihao introduced, "This is Zhao Zhilong, the grandson of Zhao Tiezhu, the manager. He is also the initiator of the 78 Society."

Liu Xingmo stood up and greeted, "Instructor Zhao Zhilong, hello."

The man named Zhao Zhilong ignored him and sat down in the main seat of the sofa, resting his hands on his knees and closing his eyes in deep thought.

"What's wrong, Lao Zhao?" Xu Zijing asked, rolling her eyes. "Is this the attitude you get for a newcomer? You even sneaked upstairs for a grand entrance. Ha, men..."

The light from the table lamp illuminated several faces with different expressions, while rows of bookshelves stood silently in the darkness.

Xu Zihao carefully examined Liu Xingmo and smiled, "Congratulations on your progress in cultivation! At the age of 19, you've reached the second level. No wonder our patriarch and steward have praised you so highly. The library has a worthy successor."

Silence fell upon hearing this.

After a while.

Someone exclaimed in surprise, "This guy is only 19 years old? His method of merging the two energies is so profound and skillful; I thought he was some old scholar who spends all his time immersed in cultivation!"

Someone exclaimed in astonishment, "Advancing to the second rank before the age of 20! Aside from someone with an innate physique, how could an ordinary person achieve that?"

Some exclaimed, "Reaching the tenth level of perfection in cultivation is one thing, but cultivating Blood Path Contract Worms is a huge hurdle. Could there be some secret to it?"

Faced with various questions, Liu Xingmo smiled calmly: "Just a fluke."

The strength he is currently displaying is only at the initial stage of the second level.

He specially learned a secret technique called the Breath Concealment Technique, and combined it with the concealment technique of blood magic. The two combined to cover up his rapidly increasing cultivation level and the aura of his innate physique.

Even so, Zhao Zhilong, who was pretending to be serious, couldn't help but open his eyes and stare at the smiling young man with surprise and apprehension.

The man spoke, his voice rough and deep, like a wild boar muttering: "Newcomer, what kind of magic potion have you taken? Be careful your foundation isn't too weak, or your cultivation will stagnate. Hmph!"

"Hey, Lao Zhao! What are you doing?" Xu Zijing was quite dissatisfied. "You were the one who told us to go and recruit people! You were also the one who got excited after seeing the Fusion Method! So why are you giving me that lifeless, sour look now that Liu Xingmo is in front of you?"

"I..." Zhao Zhilong's lips trembled, as if he wanted to say something, but he couldn't get the words out. Finally, he let out a long sigh, "Ah—!"

The man stood up, adjusted his collar, and strode towards the door, leaving immediately.

The people sitting on the sofas in the hall looked at each other, puzzled.

A slightly older woman said in a strange tone, "I heard that Zhao Zhilong had an old classmate who used to live in Luohua Lane, but moved away last year..."

Having said that, Liu Xingmo understood.

The so-called old classmate must be Liu San Niang.

A third-tier master can live for 300 years, and those still alive of the same age can only be masters of the same cultivation level.

Liu Xingmo was both amused and exasperated.

I never imagined that I would be remembered by someone for being jealous of someone's affections.

In the dimly lit hall, the light from the table lamps illuminated the faces with their varied expressions.