Seven Stars Celestial Cycle: System Ranking Countdown

In the courtyard.

Around the alchemy furnace, a ring of scorched marks had already formed.

By the time Elder Xue and Senior Brother Xiaobao arrived, Li Mo had prepared all the medicinal herbs needed for the day, some of which were gifts for Elder Xue.

The art of external elixirs, even with Senior Brother Xiaobao assisting, was far more mentally taxing than refining ordinary pills.

"Elder Xue, you've worked hard these past few days."

Li Mo noticed the faint exhaustion between his brows.

"The external elixir technique was originally my own idea," Xue Jing said as he organized the herbs, then added with a hint of irritation, "But continuing to refine external elixirs is truly taking a toll on me."

"For now, this will be the last time."

"For now? Seven isn’t enough?"

Xue Jing raised an eyebrow.

Though their external elixir technique had temporarily succeeded, and Li Mo could afford the expenses, this wasn’t something to be taken lightly!

After a moment of contemplation, Xue Jing said, "Mystic Elixirs must be controlled properly to complement each other. Otherwise, they’ll interfere and become counterproductive. You must find the balance yourself."

"You’re absolutely right."

Before Li Mo, six Mystic Elixirs materialized, their glow restrained and colors distinct.

Each elixir’s aura required the support of his spiritual will to maintain harmony and prevent conflict.

If not for the unique divine insight he had observed, even nine apertures in the Observation Divine Realm might not have been enough to sustain seven elixirs simultaneously.

Seven Mystic Elixirs were likely the limit for the Observation Divine Realm.

The Zhou Tian Xing Dou Xuan Dan Jing wasn’t meant for someone at his current level.

"Meditate and prepare," Xue Jing said seriously, sitting down and closing his eyes to steady himself.

Meanwhile, Li Mo sat with six elixirs orbiting him, a serene glow gradually solidifying, its tranquil aura calming his restless thoughts.

Moonlight intertwined with the glow.

As his mind sank inward, he noticed the runes on the miniature figure in his dantian had grown more intricate and profound. Compared to its initial childlike form, it had subtly matured.

This was partly due to the rare treasures he had consumed.

But it was also thanks to the dual cultivation with the Phoenix Cry Heavenly Marsh...

He was now advancing toward the third aperture of the Observation Divine Realm.

Once there, copying the strange stones in Hengyun Sword City would become much easier.

......

An hour later.

Inside the fiercely burning furnace, six Mystic Elixirs swirled endlessly around Li Mo, emitting profound fluctuations like the movement of stars.

Not far away, Tang Xiaobao, transformed into a Dragon-Tiger Golden Elixir, spun rapidly like a top.

With Senior Brother Xiaobao’s near-overheated assistance, the azure Mystic Elixir was on the verge of completion.

Now came the real test for Li Mo.

Seven elixirs were the absolute limit for his current state—both in capacity and spiritual will.

The balance was delicate.

This meant integrating the Raging Waves Force elixir into the seven-star formation required extreme caution.

Beads of sweat formed on Li Mo’s forehead, only to evaporate instantly.

"Focus!"

Elder Xue’s voice came from outside the furnace.

Li Mo stared intently at the elixir, too preoccupied to respond.

Three minutes later.

A wave of exhaustion crashed over him, darkening his vision.

But he finally saw it—

The Raging Waves Elixir had been successfully incorporated into the cycle.

BOOM—

This time, the furnace lid flew higher than ever.

Yet the flames inside showed no signs of stopping.

Through the raging fire, Elder Xue’s anxious voice called out again:

"Xiaobao, why isn’t he saying anything? What’s wrong?"

Dizzy from spinning, Tang Xiaobao stopped and replied, "Master, Junior Brother Li... fell asleep."

"...Let’s find the lid first."

......

An unknown amount of time later.

"That nap..."

"Felt like getting beaten up."

Li Mo groggily woke to a storm outside, making it impossible to tell the time.

He felt unwell, but his exhaustion kept him from dwelling on it.

Without hesitation, he took a full set of sixth-grade pills—one for internal injuries, one for external wounds, and one for spiritual recovery.

The effect was remarkable.

A quick check confirmed that all seven Mystic Elixirs were now obediently cycling within him, endlessly absorbing vast amounts of natural energy.

His spiritual will had also reached the third aperture.

"I’m way stronger than before..."

"And now I’ve got another trump card."

Li Mo got up and stretched with a set of calisthenics.

He was eager to test his newfound power outside.

But considering he might collapse from exhaustion after one strike...

Better not.

The Sky-Overturning Hammer wasn’t so much about channeling stellar force as it was about allowing him to tap deeper into the power of his World Seed.

......

Stepping out of his room, Li Mo received bad news—it wasn’t mealtime.

Chu Long was cleaning the main hall, tidying up useful items.

Ying Bing, unusually, wasn’t training. She sat with a faint frown.

Growl—

Just as Li Mo sat down for tea, his stomach betrayed him with an untimely rumble.

Then came the second bad news.

"Are you hungry?" Ying Bing asked.

Li Mo: "..."

Saying no would be absurd.

Saying yes risked hearing "I’ll cook something for you."

Where did this ice block even get her interest in cooking...?

"Ahem... I’m craving donkey meat burgers. There’s a place across the street."

Quick thinking saved him.

"I... I’ll go buy some..."

Jiang Chulong left the hall and headed outside Fish-Dragon Street.

Li Mo sighed in relief and turned his attention to Ying Bing.

The girl seemed off today—no lectures at the Sword City, no training...

Then it hit him.

It was the end of the month.

This was when Ying Bing’s mood dipped—likely due to her monthly cycle.

"If you’re really uncomfortable, I might have a solution."

"Hm?"

Ying Bing set down her teacup, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

Earlier, she had been checking the countdown on her system.

Today was the final day for rankings—hence her absence from Hengyun Sword City.

Uncomfortable?

"What solution?" she asked casually.

"Massage therapy. Loosens muscles, improves circulation. Care to try, miss?"

Li Mo kept a straight face.

The Flower-Pinching Finger had all sorts of unorthodox techniques, but if he avoided those, the effect might be weaker but still useful.

Even incomplete, it was still a supreme martial art.

There were specific acupoints for easing menstrual pain...

At his words,

Ying Bing’s lashes trembled slightly.

He...

Why bring this up again?

Did he have some fixation on this?

Or was today...

"Not today. Maybe another time."

"Alright."

Li Mo had been considering setting up massage rooms in the tavern.

Since it was a supreme art, it’d be a waste not to use it. He could recruit people and teach them a move or two.

And this tavern could serve as Qingyuan Sect’s base in Yunzhou—worth managing properly.

Once reopened, it could offer food, drinks, and entertainment. Perfect, right?

No time like the present.

He called Xu Yi over, and the two headed to the third floor.

......

P.S.: Typos will be fixed after updating.