Mountains and giant beasts, cabins in the woods

Weigh this piece of colorful coral; it's a full pound.

If one were to consume most of it, it would be enough to elevate one's cultivation level by several levels in a short period of time.

Overjoyed by the unexpected windfall, Liu Xingmo was practically floating on air.

The atmosphere in the underground vault of the library remained somber.

A group of nine lynxes, led by a majestic tiger, appeared silently and monitored everyone present.

They weren't contracted beasts; they were all experts at the third or fourth tier! They were the legendary Enforcement Hall.

Things have gotten complicated.

Xu Yinxing, the head steward of the library, also known as the silverback gorilla, quickly reviewed everyone's information and clarified the ins and outs of the matter.

The inner library contains cultivation techniques and secret manuals, as well as the experiences and insights of predecessors.

These valuable materials are not to be lent out; those who come to learn can only read them on the spot and try their best to remember them.

It is very common for old books in collections to become damaged due to mold, dampness, and other reasons over a long period of time.

According to the rules established by our ancestors, a new copy would be made at this time and kept in the collection. The old copy would be destroyed.

However, after a thousand years, this rule in Heilongzhai has long been a dead name in practice.

There are always some clueless people who can't remember or learn, but through connections, they manage to retrieve old books that should have been destroyed and study them on their own. In the process, undamaged books sometimes become "old books" as well.

This created an opportunity for those with ulterior motives to exploit the situation.

Under pressure from all sides, Liu San Niang confessed.

She lives in Luohua Lane in the old city and runs the Jinlilou restaurant, a thousand-year-old brand. She has connections and has managed to acquire a large collection of old books.

She shared the old books with Manager Ma, a cultured man who deciphered much knowledge from them and patiently explained it to him.

She benefited greatly, advancing to the third tier as the hotel owner, and will continue the collaboration.

……

Liu Xingmo listened silently from the side, and then spoke up to confirm that Liu San Niang had made amends for her mistakes.

That's all.

Today's events are too far-reaching to be resolved.

Some of the lynxes in the Enforcement Hall didn't seem very bright, and they even looked away halfway through the conversation, so they probably also "borrowed" the book.

Some things, if you don't weigh more than two ounces on the scale, will weigh more than a pound on the scale.

Liu Xingmo and Liu Yizhu each received their rewards from Steward Xu Yinxing and then left.

Let the elders and stewards deal with the rest. When the older generation is speaking, the younger generation shouldn't interrupt.

As for the book "The Record of Snakes and Pythons," it has vanished without a trace, and we can only inquire about it later.

……

After working all night, the next day arrived.

The sun rises slowly in the east, its rays spreading across the sky.

The people of Midtown get up, bask in the morning sunlight, and stroll through the ancient streets to begin their busy day.

Yesterday's turmoil passed quietly, as if it were just an ordinary day.

The library entrance was bustling with people.

Liu Yizhu looked up at the blue sky and said, "Liu Xingmo, you planned all of this, didn't you?"

Liu Xingmo was taken aback for a moment before realizing what he meant, and said with a wry smile, "You really overestimate me."

Liu Yizhu turned his head and stared at the young man's ambiguous smile beside him.

He smiled as well: "As the head of the library, you probably already sensed the hidden dangers, but were powerless to change them. Now you've orchestrated this whole affair, both eliminating the spies and prompting the elders to take strong measures to rectify the situation. Isn't that right?"

Liu Xingmo was speechless, unable to utter a word.

Liu Yizhu continued, "Don't treat me like a fool. I can see things clearly too. I've gained quite a bit from this trip where I've freeloaded off you. Thank you."

Liu Xingmo's voice was dry: "Fine, if you insist on thinking that way."

Liu Yizhu turned around, facing the rising sun, and walked into the crowd.

His last words carried far: "If you have any further trouble, you can come to me. The entire patrol team will help you."

Liu Xingmo shook his head and sighed, dragging his tired body on his way home.

……

Under the nectarine tree, there was a tall stack of yellow hay. The withered branches and leaves collected earlier were all piled up here.

Baohei was half-buried in the haystack, sleeping lazily.

Hearing footsteps, it stretched its neck to greet them.

Seeing that there was nothing it liked to eat among the pile of goods on its master's back, it sullenly shrank back.

"You little bastard, all you ever think about is food." Liu Xingmo patted the turtle's shell. "How about living under the tree? Should I build you a house?"

Bao Hei conveyed several ideas.

Liu Xingmo pictured a water vat and a pond. He realized, "You're going to lie in the water? Winter's almost here, you'll freeze solid! Oh, right. You don't even know what winter is."

Baohei opened its mouth and yawned, conveying the flavors of fish, snails, shrimp, and crab to its owner.

"I've been busy lately and can't go out of town to eat fish. I'll buy it for you from the fishmonger."

Baohei wiggled its butt and shrank deep into the haystack.

Liu Xingmo noticed that Bao Hei had accumulated two days' worth of luck within him. This thing was difficult to handle, so he could only leave it for now.

This old turtle is currently at the first level of the second stage of the cultivation realm, and its future growth will slow down.

The key to second-stage cultivation lies in the manipulation of spiritual energy. Only by using secret methods and honing skills can one gradually improve.

With his innate talent as a rare beast, Bao Hei somehow grasped the method of using luck, as well as a few rudimentary secret techniques.

It must rely on these, and skillfully master the various changes in luck, in order to continue to advance.

If there were a legitimate lineage of fortune-telling, this process could be greatly accelerated. Unfortunately, there isn't, and there's no way to obtain one.

All acts of theft and unauthorized learning are strictly prohibited. Furthermore, it is impossible for one person to simultaneously establish themselves in and gain the trust of two large organizations.

We can only take it one step at a time.

Liu Xingmo climbed the tree and returned home.

Sumari is busy in the alchemy workshop and will be finished soon. With her current second-tier strength, making first-tier potions is quite easy for her.

As for the second-tier potion, developing it is not easy. It will require another six months of study and experimentation.

Su Mali now spends most of her time reading books. Fortunately, she has the books on medicinal formulas and decoctions provided by Liu Xingmo, which gives her research direction.

Liu Xingmo pushed open the door to the alchemy workshop, clutching a white twig in his hand: "Mary, your dear husband is back!"

Sumali was still busy in front of the large pot of boiling medicine, not even turning her head: "Oh. Go and get me a batch of raw materials, they're all written on the paper to your right."

"Guess what I got back?"

"Another gold mine?"

"No, the treasures of the sea."

"A pearl necklace?"

"That's too cliché, guess again."

"Seashell? Conch?"

No, no.

"Could it be coral?"

"You got it right!"

Liu Xingmo drew back the curtains, letting the sunlight flood the room.

He held up the colorful coral and showed it to his wife.

The pale white branches have a translucent, lustrous texture. Their surface seems to be covered with countless tiny diamonds, refracting sunlight into a rainbow of colors.

Sumali turned her head and froze.

She exclaimed, "The Philosopher's Stone!"