I offered sacrifices to the gods

Inside the Golden Sun Hall, Lin Mo greeted the abbot with a heavy heart.

As rumored, the abbot was indeed seriously injured, his face was very pale, and his aura was somewhat weak.

Seeing this, he felt a little disappointed, wondering why he hadn't died outside.

Cui Donghao couldn't help but ask, "Master, are you alright? What kind of enemy did you encounter on this trip?"

This is indeed somewhat unbelievable. Looking at the entire cultivation world of Yu Kingdom, the Abbot is definitely one of the top figures, and his strength should be second only to that Jin Yang Ancestor who has been out of seclusion for a long time!

Who on earth could have injured the abbot like this?

"Several powerful demons appeared in the Giant Tree Forest. I encountered them while gathering herbs and was caught off guard and lost the battle."

"But it's alright, at least we got the medicinal herbs, these minor injuries are nothing serious."

Although he said that, the abbot's eyes remained gloomy, and he had probably suffered a considerable loss this time.

Lin Mo thought to himself, "That old thing is really lucky. He managed to survive encountering several powerful demons at the same time."

Those beings who can be called great demons by the abbot are at least third-tier demons, comparable to cultivators in the visualization realm.

The abbot's gaze fell on Lin Mo, scanning him with the same scrutinizing look one would give an object.

After a short while, the abbot chuckled and said, "Lin Mo, have you been a bit lax in your cultivation lately? Your cultivation has only improved this little bit?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Mo's heart tightened slightly.

The old man seemed a bit anxious; he had never inquired about his cultivation level with such concern before.

It seems that the powerful demons he encountered on this trip really caused the abbot a lot of trouble, and even spurred him on to improve his cultivation.

"Master, I have been focusing my mind on cultivating the Blood Transmission Scripture during this period, and have not been concentrating on improving my cultivation level. I was thinking of taking it one step at a time and laying a solid foundation."

"Moreover, the cultivation method I practice is related to the concentration of dragon blood in my bloodline. I have watered the Dragon Blood Tree several times over the years, which has diluted the dragon blood in my body considerably, hence my cultivation efficiency is somewhat low."

As he spoke, Lin Mo slightly activated the Blood Transporting Scripture, stirring up his own blood energy.

Although he didn't use the spiritual wood essence he absorbed earlier to cultivate the "Blood Transfer Scripture," his life essence had indeed become much deeper.

Upon sensing the aura emanating from Lin Mo's body, the abbot quickly revealed a satisfied expression in his eyes.

"Indeed, sharpening the axe won't delay the work of chopping wood. To ignite the life flame and advance to the Candle Illumination Realm, one indeed needs abundant blood energy."

"You did a good job on that. It's okay if your cultivation is a little slower. I'll have someone bring you two bottles of Qi-boosting pills later."

The Qi-Boosting Pill is an excellent medicine that can be taken by cultivators at the Spirit Guiding Realm. Even if one's cultivation reaches the late stage of the Spirit Guiding Realm, it still has a very significant effect.

Its value far exceeds the Qi Transformation Pills he received in the palace; roughly one Qi Boosting Pill can be exchanged for three Qi Transformation Pills.

"This disciple thanks Master for his generous gift!" Lin Mo said solemnly, his heart growing even heavier.

This is a bit troublesome. The abbot's injury this time may have affected his own essence, and he urgently needs to use it as medicine.

"Alright, all of you may step back. Focus on your cultivation; the cultivation world is in a bit of turmoil these days."

"But with the Ancestor around, none of this matters."

The abbot waved his hand to disperse his personal disciples, preparing to undergo a short period of seclusion to stabilize his injuries.

...

With a heavy heart, Lin Mo returned to his cave, as if he could see a death countdown above his head.

He doesn't have much time left. In about three to five years, the abbot will probably take action against him.

All he can do is increase his ability to protect himself as much as possible!

Soon, the abbot fulfilled his promise and ordered someone to deliver two bottles of Qi-boosting pills to Lin Mo's cave.

If he were unaware of the situation, these two bottles of Qi-boosting pills would have excited and invigorated Lin Mo for a long time. However, he knew perfectly well that these two bottles of Qi-boosting pills were his death warrant.

Most importantly, he couldn't refuse. Even though he knew it was a death sentence, he had to swallow his anger and eat it.

Lin Mo poured out a dark brown pill the size of a peanut. The plump pill had a smooth and translucent surface, and as soon as it was taken out, a fragrant aroma of pills wafted out.

He swallowed the dark brown pill in one gulp, then closed his eyes, sat cross-legged on the ground, and began practicing the "Dragon-Controlling Breathing Technique".

With the rise and fall of his chest, the rhythm of his breathing quickened, and the Qi-boosting pill he had just swallowed quickly released its surging medicinal power.

Lin Mo calmly and slowly refined the medicinal power within his body, while simultaneously drawing in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth from the outside world.

With the combined effects of internal and external methods, he experienced a rapid improvement in his cultivation level for the first time.

The magical power in his dantian increased at a visible rate, and his aura also gradually rose.

Three months have passed in the blink of an eye.

The abbot has been in seclusion during this period and has not appeared in public once.

Lin Mo watered the Dragon Blood Tree three more times on his own, and during that time he also took the opportunity to extract the essence of the Dragon Blood Tree to strengthen his own life force.

Now his foundation is incredibly solid, and the essence of the Dragon Blood Tree he absorbed twice has been transformed into his own vital energy.

If he hadn't yet reached the peak of the Spirit Guidance Realm, Lin Mo would even suspect that he could ignite his life flame at any time.

In the past three months, he has finished consuming and refining both bottles of Qi-Boosting Pills, and his cultivation level has taken a big step forward.

He is still some distance from the peak of the Spirit Guidance Realm, but not far off. Without elixirs, he can achieve it by meditating and cultivating diligently for about a year.

Such a speed of cultivation is something that even independent cultivators outside the sect wouldn't dare to dream of.

However, he was in a cave on Golden Sun Peak, a place with abundant spiritual energy and the aid of elixirs.

With such a speed of cultivation, it's not surprising.

Just as these peaceful days of cultivation were beginning, news from the outside world finally broke the tranquility.

Deng Kun, the abbot's personal disciple, has returned to the mountain. After half a year, his temperament has become even more resolute.

"Reporting to Master, the Five Poisons Sect has gone mad for some unknown reason and has already occupied two prefectures in the Southern Frontier."

"All the strongholds and temples of my Jinyang Temple established in this area have been completely destroyed!"

The news struck like a thunderbolt throughout the entire Jinyang Temple.

For many years, Jin Yang Temple's position in the Yu Kingdom has remained as stable as a mountain, but now there is someone who dares to challenge this behemoth.

The abbot, who was still in seclusion, had no choice but to emerge again and summon Deng Kun.

"Tell me, what have you discovered during your time lying in wait in the southern borderlands?" the abbot asked in a somber tone.

Deng Kun knelt on one knee, bowed his head and said, "The Five Poisons Sect has an unknown origin. Its sect leader seems to have appeared out of thin air, and his cultivation is at the mid-stage of the Visualization Realm."

"Within their sect, there are seven guardians, all of whom are at the Candle Illumination Realm."

"After the Five Poisons Sect occupied two prefectures in the southern border, they sealed off all the key roads. I was worried that if I stayed any longer, I would expose my whereabouts, so I returned to the mountain ahead of time to report the situation."

"This disciple is incompetent; please punish me, Master!"

The abbot, who was sitting in the magnificent golden hall, waved his hand and said, "This matter is not your fault. The Five Poisons Sect may have some connection with the Heavenly Poison Sect of Xi Kingdom. The sect leader of that sect is at the Visualization Realm. It is not your fault that you could not find out."

South of the southern border of the Yu Kingdom lies a remote and sparsely populated mountain forest. The terrain in the forest is extremely treacherous and complex, and it is home to many poisonous insects and ferocious beasts.

Therefore, the southern border of the Yu Kingdom ended there, and it did not include that dangerous and complex deep mountain forest into its territory.

Besides being difficult to manage, there is another important reason.

If we continue south, we will reach the territory of the Xi Kingdom. If we are adjacent to it, there will likely be many disputes and disturbances.

Therefore, the two countries regarded that deep mountain forest as their border. Over the years, the two countries have maintained a certain tacit understanding and have never crossed the border.

In the Kingdom of Naxi, there also existed a very powerful force called the Heavenly Poison Sect.

The Heavenly Poison Sect held a similar position in the Xi Kingdom as the Golden Sun Temple in the Yu Kingdom, but the Heavenly Poison Sect spread its teachings throughout the entire country, and almost all the people of the Xi Kingdom were followers of the Heavenly Poison Sect.

If a baby born into an ordinary family is found to have the aptitude for cultivation at the age of five or six, they will be sent directly to the Heavenly Poison Sect for cultivation.

Therefore, the Heavenly Poison Sect is stronger, because almost all the cultivators in the entire Xi Kingdom have been absorbed by this sect.

When news of the Five Poisons Sect occupying two prefectures in the southern border region spread, the disciples of the Golden Sun Temple did not react much.

Ordinary disciples don't know much, they rarely know anything about things outside the cultivation world of Yu Kingdom, and they are not even aware that there is a Xi Kingdom in the south, with a more powerful Heavenly Poison Sect.

All they understood was that with the patriarch now in charge of the temple, he was a cultivator at the middle third realm, a powerful figure who had broken through the shackles of the physical body and torn apart his own chains.

This newly emerged Five Poisons Sect is unlikely to cause much trouble.

However, the observer, standing at a higher vantage point, has a broader perspective and a deeper understanding, so he is naturally able to perceive some underlying tensions.

On that day, the abbot invited the other two elders to the Golden Sun Hall to discuss countermeasures.

Although there are many open and covert struggles on a regular basis, these internal conflicts must be put aside when faced with external threats.

Ordinary disciples had no way of knowing the process of the discussions among the higher-ups in the temple, but they guessed that the Five Poisons Sect would not be tolerated for too long.

Lin Mo pondered for a long time in the cave. As a member of the royal family, he naturally understood the situation around the territory of the Yu Kingdom.

"The Five Poisons Sect, the Stream Kingdom... the Heavenly Poison Sect."

"The external variables have finally arrived."

"I wonder what countermeasures the abbot and the two elders will take."

This is exactly what he wants to see. Right now, he can't wait for the Five Poisons Sect to go further and ideally occupy the entire southern border of the Yu Kingdom.

Therefore, the abbot could no longer sit idly by.

Several days later, an imperial edict was sent from Jinyang Temple to the capital of Yu Kingdom and other regions.

The abbot ordered the imperial court to dispatch troops to reclaim the two lost prefectures in the southern border region, and also conscripted cultivators from several cultivation families within the Yu Kingdom to fight alongside them.

Jin Yang Temple, surprisingly, only sent six of its personal disciples with the cultivation level of the Candle Illumination Realm to hold the line!

In an instant, the southern border of the Yu Kingdom was in turmoil.

Lin Mo naturally paid close attention to this matter, and he guessed that the Five Poisons Sect and the Heavenly Poison Sect of Xi Kingdom might have a close connection.

Just when he thought the dispute had nothing to do with him, the abbot actually arrived outside his cave!

"Master...Disciple greets Master!" Lin Mo was startled and immediately knelt down.

The abbot's expression remained calm and composed, revealing nothing unusual. He simply stared silently at the main ingredient of his Human Essence Pill.

"He Bao told me that while I was away from the mountain, you tried to come down?"

boom!

These words sent a turmoil through Lin Mo's heart, but on the surface, he remained calm and composed, replying:

"Brother He Bao, you misunderstand. That night I was just a little tired from my cultivation and thought I'd take a walk around the mountain and enjoy the night view."

"Since my cultivation has just improved, I thought I'd spar with Senior Brother He Bao to see how big the gap is between myself and the Candle Illumination Realm."

Upon hearing this, the abbot slowly nodded, seemingly unsure whether to believe Lin Mo's words, and calmly said:

"In the path of cultivation, the difference between each realm is a chasm, and it is extremely difficult to cross it."

"You might not understand just by talking about it. Come down the mountain with me, and I'll show you the world."

Go down the mountain?!

Lin Mo was a little confused; he didn't know what the abbot meant.

"Master, shall we go down the mountain together? Where are we going?"

He was worried that the abbot was impatient and wanted to take him down the mountain to find a place to refine him directly into a Human Essence Pill.

However, the abbot chuckled and said, "Go down the mountain and come with me to the Southern Frontier. We can't just leave the Five Poisons Sect to its fate."

"You've been up in the mountain for a while now, don't you want to see your family?"

The abbot was actually going to take him to the Southern Frontier to deal with the Five Poisons Sect?! Lin Mo was shocked to hear this, but he quickly came to his senses.

This is because he is worried that he will run away. Now that his cultivation is close to the peak of the Spirit Guidance Realm, he may ignite his life fire at any time.

If one truly enters the Candle Illumination Realm, simply having He Bao watching over them might not be enough to keep them in check!

"This...this disciple's cultivation is weak, I'm worried I might delay Master's important business." Lin Mo's eyes darted around, instinctively wanting to refuse.

However, the abbot did not allow him to refuse, and said in a serious tone, "You don't need to worry about that. Hurry up and pack your things, we will set off tomorrow."

"Disciple obeys!" Having no other choice, Lin Mo had to agree.

The next day, at the summit of Jinyang Mountain, above the Taoist temple, a golden spirit boat floated in the air, extremely magnificent and imposing.

At the front of this golden spirit boat, the abbot stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at the disciples below the mountain.

Standing beside the abbot was a plump, beautiful Taoist nun with a serene smile and a gentle demeanor.

Standing in the middle of the spirit boat were six personal disciples of the Candle Illumination Realm.

Several of the people inside were familiar faces to Lin Mo: Yang Xiaoran, Deng Kun, and Cui Donghao!

At the very back, Lin Mo's figure appeared rather unremarkable; a mere Spirit Guidance Realm cultivator had actually followed along.

Once everyone was confirmed to be present, the abbot waved his hand and announced, "Let's go!"

boom!

A dazzling burst of spiritual light emerged from the stern of the golden spirit boat, followed by a powerful thrust.

With a whoosh, a golden streak of light flashed across the sky.

The spirit boat disappeared into the sky above Jinyang Mountain in the blink of an eye!

...