Mountains and giant beasts, cabins in the woods

Outside the iron-barred window, gloomy clouds hung in the sky; inside the animal pen, darkness reigned.

Six insects also gathered around.

Scorpions and centipedes eat other small insects, while beetles and rhinoceros beetles eat sweet fruits.

After they had eaten their fill, the bluish-black, reddish-black, and greenish-black birds also clung to their owner, wanting to go further.

These three guys were incredibly lucky to survive. Otherwise... using witchcraft to make poisonous insects kill and devour each other, the final victor would still become a victim of the magic.

Liu Xingmo was quite pleased with this. He wouldn't have to harm his close companions, and he could have a few more fighting forces at home.

With the same infusion of blood and qi, and the same expansion of qi channels, the three insects underwent earth-shattering changes.

The scorpion, bluish-black, advanced to the fourth level of the first tier, while the centipede, reddish-black, remained stable at the ninth level of the first tier.

As for the Green-Black Golden Beetle, that's formidable. Originally at the ninth level of the first tier, it quickly reached the tenth level after receiving the high-quality spiritual herbs from Black Dragon Village. Today, nourished by the blood energy of the Blood Dao Innate Body, it directly broke through the final barrier.

Liu Xingmo carried the green-black insect into the insect nest and then carefully looked after it.

This large beetle, with its entire body gleaming with a green metallic sheen, trembled slightly, its eyes flashing red light.

Immediately afterwards, a crack appeared on the back of the carapace, and the newly grown soft flesh struggled to push aside the dead skin and surged outwards.

Soon, a brand new scarab beetle molted out of its shell.

The green-black creature waited quietly, waiting for its new shell to harden and for its aura to stabilize.

It has advanced to the second tier.

The key to first-level cultivation lies in the degree of spiritual energy condensation. As long as the requirements are met, advancement will occur naturally.

The cultivation techniques of Black Dragon Village are rare exceptions; without refining the corresponding rare beasts and seedlings, one cannot break through to the next level.

In the afternoon, a light rain began to fall.

Liu Xingmo brought a set of pulleys and several bamboo buckets, along with a few insects, and arrived at the mushroom cultivation greenhouse.

Speaking of which, this place is also its own incubation center~

As soon as the door opened, a strong stench rushed into the nostrils, making it impossible to open one's eyes.

With a wry smile, Liu Xingmo installed the pulley and rope, then went down the stairs to the bottom of the deep pit and scooped up the filthy sewage with a bucket.

The insects above received the order, dragged the rope, pulled the bamboo bucket up, and carried it to the doorway.

Anyway, it's raining outside, so let's just leave it at that.

Bucket after bucket of sewage was hauled away, revealing a cellar enclosed by cement and granite.

There was a pile of fish bones and flesh, broken into fine sand, on the ground—the remains of the former scavenger. After a few insects ate the last scraps, the strange fish vanished without a trace.

Liu Xingmo spent the whole afternoon cleaning the mushroom cultivation greenhouse.

He went to the incubation room in the attic and transferred all the various miscellaneous bacteria and the three vats of Tai Sui bacteria to the incubation shed.

Inside a three-meter-wide vat, colorful, twisted chunks of flesh extend long tentacles, scooping up nutrients.

Its growth has reached its limit; in terms of scale, it can be considered a perfect first-order tenth-level stage.

Liu Xingmo also infused his blood energy, but it was to no avail. Faced with the more powerful life force, neither blood energy nor wood energy could be considered condensed.

Liu Xingmo then used a secret technique provided by the Seven or Eight Society to work on his own soul, continuously stripping away spiritual energy and infusing it into his soul imprint.

The artificially created simulated soul became increasingly lively and agile. Finally, after breaking through a certain limit, the entire lump of flesh underwent a strange transformation.

An unknown light shone through the translucent skin, its colors a jumble of hues, transforming the dimly lit greenhouse into a dreamlike and enchanting space.

The tentacles wriggled faster, craving more nutrients, wanting to grow bigger and stronger.

It seems this clump of Tai Sui fungus has advanced to the second stage.

Following the same method, Liu Xingmo upgraded the other two clusters of Tai Sui fungus to the second tier.

He felt dizzy and drowsy, indicating that his soul had been greatly depleted.

He took out the Heart-Gathering Flower, put the dried petals in his mouth and chewed them, then sat on the ground and rested for a long time before he recovered.

He mustered his last bit of strength and used the soul imprint he had gained during his cultivation to nurture four clusters of contracted Penicillium mold.

Although he had many soul imprints, they could not keep up with his cultivation progress, and he also made a lot of contracts with various things.

Blood Path:

1. Big Black 2. Second Black 3. Third Black

4 Treasure Black 5 Blue Black 6 Blood Droplet

7 Fu Hei 8 Zhen Mang

9 Red and Black 10 Green and Black

Wood Road:

1. Tai Sui Fungus 2. Tai Sui Fungus 3. Tai Sui Fungus

4. Pleco (fish that feed on scavengers) → Penicillium

5. Penicillium 6. Penicillium 7. Penicillium

If you calculate it this way, the gap in the first level hasn't even been filled yet. The cultivation of the soul is truly a long and arduous journey.

After a flurry of activity, the mushroom cultivation shed was set up.

Three giant water tanks cast dazzling, multicolored light onto the ceiling, adding to the eeriness and mystery.

Liu Xingmo left the green-black beetle as a guard; this second-tier beetle was capable of dealing with some petty thieves. At the same time, he locked the steel gate; the concrete and rock-built shed itself was a sturdy fortress.

The mushroom cultivation greenhouse will continuously produce precious medicines that cure all diseases, bringing ample income to the family.

Liu Xingmo dragged his tired body back to the Mushroom Castle attic, entered the study, and sat on the cushion under the spirit rhinoceros horn.

Close your eyes, calm your mind, and meditate.

He slowly recovered some of his mental energy and poured it into the rhinoceros horn.

In an instant, all the noise in the world disappeared, and the whole world became clear, with only the purest thoughts leaping about.

The weakened soul is gradually recovering.

Gradually, during the meditation, some different images emerged.

The deep, dark waters, the sweet fish eggs, the foolish humans, the burgeoning desires...

These are the strange fish's fragmented memories, originating from its last remaining traces of soul.

For some reason, the monster called the "Bottom-dwelling Demon Fish" abandoned its physical body after being defeated, and its soul disappeared without a trace.

Liu Xingmo gradually accepts his memories and separates the other from his true self. In this process, his ego grows stronger and stronger, and his soul ascends steadily.

Suddenly, the spiritual energy within the rhinoceros horn, compressed to its limit, erupted abruptly.

The field of vision is expanding.

Fortresses, towns, forests, mountains, continents...

It flew higher and higher, to an unknown place.

Liu Xingmo could hardly find himself anywhere.

In the darkness, a force seemed to be drawing in from somewhere, as if calling to lost travelers.

Liu Xingmo approached that place in a half-dreaming, half-awake state, when a bone-chilling coldness enveloped him, startling him awake.

Before me stretched an endless expanse of azure blue. Strange jellyfish, ferocious dragonfish, and swirling, unpredictable water elements... This was an ocean world.

Liu Xingmo, unaware of what had happened, cautiously observed the situation with trepidation.

Suddenly, his brain felt as if it had been filled with a bucket of water, swelling as if it were about to burst. Countless memories and pieces of knowledge uncontrollably appeared before his eyes.

What is this?

The inherited memories of the benthic demon fish?

Liu Xingmo quickly browsed through the unknown knowledge.

"Sizzle! Crack!"

The unpleasant electronic noise was getting louder and louder.

The mysterious ocean world gradually blurred and finally faded into darkness.