Praise from the Ice Block, Perfection of the Jade Liquid Realm

The game session at the Autumn Water Pavilion came to an end.

"Alright, fine. You win."

The young man's face was now adorned with six or seven slips of paper.

Peering through the gaps between the slips, he caught sight of the faint smile curling at the corners of the girl's lips.

At the same time, a series of system notifications chimed in his mind:

[Congratulations, Host. You have successfully allowed 'Ying Bing' to win at Gomoku.]

[Investment Reward: Verdant Vein Jade Slip.]

[Congratulations, Host. Investment in 'Ying Bing'—Linglong Bean Curd and Seven-Leaf Moistening Herb Pickles.]

[Investment Reward: Dustless Brush.]

...

Though these were merely items like brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, they were far from ordinary.

Their understated yet luxurious aura made it clear they were treasures.

Who said I lost?

This was an absolute win.

Li Mo secretly rejoiced in his heart, only for the ice block’s soft reminder to cut through his thoughts:

"Practice your swordplay."

Their joint sword practice sessions had now decreased from daily to once every three days.

Well, mostly because Princess Jiang’s questioning frequency had dropped.

For some reason, today, the ice block was unusually focused.

Young Li was both suffering and enjoying it.

Half an hour later,

Princess Jiang’s study materials had thickened slightly.

Meanwhile, Li Mo, without resting, picked up his sword again. He began practicing several sword techniques he had just borrowed from the library, all while refining his insights through martial comprehension.

"Why are you still practicing these high-tier sword techniques?"

Ying Bing stood alone, her sword cradled in her arms. Moonlight reflected in her eyes, stirring a trace of confusion.

He had already achieved minor mastery in a peerless sword technique.

The gap between high-tier martial arts and peerless techniques was far too vast—no amount of borrowing from other stones could polish this jade.

So why bother?

"......"

Li Mo was genuinely stumped by the question.

He couldn’t very well say he was feeding Jiang Chulong with these techniques while acting as a middleman skimming profits, could he?

If not for the substantial gains he’d made recently, he wouldn’t even have been able to unlock the "Lotus Blossom of Karmic Flames Art."

Just as Young Li was pondering how to respond, Ying Bing suddenly spoke again:

"Are you truly planning to... walk the path of skill approaching the Dao?"

Li Mo: "......Ah, right, yes, exactly."

No need for explanations.

The ice block would fill in the gaps herself.

"It’s difficult."

"Even for someone with your talent."

Ying Bing’s voice was soft.

This wasn’t limited to swordplay—any Dao had the concept of skill approaching the Dao.

But throughout history, the geniuses and prodigies who attempted it were as numerous as fish in a river, yet...

None succeeded.

It was as if the heavens had drawn a line between mortals and immortals, a mockery displayed before all.

Even Jiang Chulong, later acknowledged as the most unparalleled sword prodigy in history, remained far from fully grasping the principles of the sword Dao.

"I know."

Li Mo nodded without hesitation.

Though he had no idea what the ice block was imagining this time, he had a clear sense of his own limits.

Hah? Me? Skill approaching the Dao?

Impossible. Absolutely impossible!

More like skill approaching a hammer!

Young Li was acutely aware—this was all just for grinding rewards!

With a chuckle, he turned and resumed his sword practice.

"To persist despite knowing it’s impossible?"

Ying Bing murmured under her breath.

Whoosh—

The night breeze brushed past, moonlight cascading like frost.

The young man swung his sword, pausing occasionally in contemplation, each movement stronger than the last.

For a moment, time itself seemed to lose meaning around him.

The martial path was a long river, and those sword prodigies who left their names in history were like stars reflected in its waters.

Perhaps...

Whether or not he could reach the end of this path,

He would still shine brilliantly within the river of martial arts.

The leaves rustled softly, whispering in the wind.

"Be careful of Han Zhen in the Blood Phoenix Secret Realm."

Without another word, she turned and ascended the stairs, her figure fading into the night.

Watching the ice block’s retreating back, Li Mo felt like he’d seen that name somewhere before.

The author of "Annals of Divine Forms"?

No, that book was written many years ago. If the author were still alive, they’d be thousands of years old by now.

A genius with the same name?

......

Within the World Seed.

While waiting for Princess Jiang to arrive, Li Mo took the time to survey this small world that belonged solely to him.

"It’s grown so much bigger."

Before him, the miniature world had expanded over a hundredfold compared to its original size.

Much like his own cultivation realm.

Yet the structures remained the same, making the space feel oddly empty now.

Snap—

Li Mo flicked his fingers.

The scenery of the small world shifted, transforming in an instant into the seaside villa he had worked so hard to afford in his past life—only for his boss to reap the benefits.

Within this space spanning several miles, the villa even came with a garden so vast that a trip to the bathroom would take ten minutes.

"If there’s a sea, there should naturally be... a sun?"

Li Mo gazed at the ocean as he reclined on a rocking chair.

With a thought,

A phantom sun materialized in the sky.

Of course, it was just an illusion—a pale imitation, far from the true glory of the sun.

"Once I condense my Mystic Core, perhaps I’ll be able to create a real sun within this small world?"

"Still feels like something’s missing..."

Li Mo turned his gaze to the sea.

Sunshine, sandy beaches... cough.

Someday, if he could get the ice block and his beautiful master to come here in swimsuits, that would be perfection...

At this thought, Young Li absentmindedly stroked the Meteor Hammer of Unyielding Calamity. The hammer trembled slightly in response.

Suddenly—

Li Mo sensed something. The Formless Glazed Veil instantly enveloped his body.

"Tea... Teacher?"

"Where is this?"

Princess Jiang blinked in bewilderment, her curiosity piqued as she took in the surroundings.

"Hm, just a place I retreat to for leisure. You’re welcome to visit after your training."

The Celestial Venerable spoke casually.

"Then... then..."

Jiang Chulong lowered her head, her small hands fidgeting nervously.

After hesitating for a long while, she finally mustered the courage to ask:

"Can... can I bring Big Brother Li here too?"

"Hm?"

The Celestial Venerable was momentarily baffled by the question.

Jiang Chulong’s heart clenched. Her delicate frame trembled slightly.

She thought her teacher was angry.

Of course—this was the Celestial Venerable’s private sanctuary. How could she casually invite others?

"Teacher... I..."

"...Very well."

The Celestial Venerable nodded lightly.

"R-Really?"

Jiang Chulong still didn’t dare lift her head to meet his gaze.

"Focus on your training. Once you break through to the next realm, I’ll allow it."

With a wave of his sleeve,

The sunshine, beach, and villa vanished without a trace.

What replaced them was no longer the small Taoist temple of before.

"Master... this place... where is this?"

In this new environment, Jiang Chulong clung tightly to a tree branch, cautiously surveying her surroundings.

Beneath her feet were clouds. Not far away, an overturned violet-gold alchemy furnace lay on its side.

The structure behind it resembled a palace more than a Taoist temple.

The gleaming plaque above the entrance indeed read:

‘Tushita Palace.’

"A lost fragment of the Heavenly Court."

The Celestial Venerable’s voice carried the weight of endless vicissitudes.

As if standing once more in a place long forgotten, his tone was tinged with an indescribable melancholy.

"How... how did it end up like this?"

Jiang Chulong didn’t dare wander off but couldn’t suppress her curiosity.

"If you wish to hear the tale, I must first test your progress."

The Celestial Venerable chuckled softly.

With a casual toss, a single blade of grass transformed into a grass puppet.

One that Li Mo could control, wielding his sword techniques through it.

Well...

A Celestial Venerable of such lofty status naturally couldn’t lower himself to spar personally!

This was just another one of Li Mo’s spur-of-the-moment ideas.

Coincidentally, he had also been planning to renovate the World Seed to provide Jiang Chulong with a better training environment, so he simply declared this place to be the Celestial Court.

Fifteen minutes later.

The tree branch pierced through the throat of the straw puppet.

Yet Jiang Chulong stood motionless, as if struck by enlightenment.

[Congratulations, Host. You have successfully invested in Jiang Chulong by gifting her a superior sword manual and resolving her doubts.]

[Twofold investment rewards: A total of 150 years of martial insights.]

...

Thus, ten days later.

Li Mo had spent another incredibly fulfilling ten days.

By exploiting price differences, he earned five hundred years' worth of martial insights.

His daily training routine had also shifted from a small waterfall to Dan Ding Peak.

The lotus in his dantian had now fully bloomed with nine petals.

Just one step away, and he would step into the Profound Core realm.

The day of his return home had finally arrived.

The Blood Phoenix Secret Realm was located in Qinghe County.

Li Mo’s hometown.