The Fragile Ice Block

"You're awake. How do you feel?"

Li Mo saw Huang Donglai bolt upright from his deathbed, but he didn't let his guard down completely.

This wasn't a video game where you level up and get a full health refill. After all, he had eaten such a huge bowl.

"I... reached the Inner Realm?"

Huang Donglai checked his inner world slightly, but there wasn't much joy of breaking through in his heart, mostly just the lingering fear of a narrow escape.

If the atmosphere hadn't been so intense back then, he might not have had the guts to do it again even if given another chance.

"What a pity, Young Master Huang. You only ate one bowl, so you just barely broke through to the first layer of the Inner Realm. If you had eaten it all, you might have ended up like Young Master Li," Tian Xun said with a proud face.

"......"

Huang Donglai thought to himself that if he had finished that bowl, he wouldn't have just reached the Inner Realm; he'd probably have ascended directly.

Thinking this, he looked again at the pot of stew, wanting to put it away. In case he ever encountered someone utterly irredeemable and heinous in the future, he could use this inhumane method against them.

Huh??

"Why is the pot empty?" Huang Donglai was stunned.

Tian Xun laughed, "Young Master Li picked it up and drank it all. Who would have thought, he looks like such a proper gentleman, yet he eats so unrefinedly."

She figured it must be because it tasted good and was beneficial to his cultivation. Couldn't blame him for wolfing it down.

"Brother Li, you!" Huang Donglai's eyes went wide, as if struck by lightning.

Young Li, with his hands clasped behind his back, gave a faint, somewhat wistful smile:

"It was merely a bit of stew."

"Ah, well, Sister Bing has learned how to make it, and there are still some ingredients left. If you want to eat it, just have her make it again next time," Tian Xun said, laughing without a care.

Clearly, Young Master Huang hadn't had his fill, and he hadn't expected Young Master Li to hog it all, and to have such a big appetite.

Young Master Li indicated that this was nothing for his capacity.

Seeing how good the relationship was between Young Master Li and his friend, Tian Xun quietly took out her little notebook and wrote down, 'Young Master Li is actually a kind, easy-going, and unpretentious good person in private.'

How to put it...

Although the process was completely wrong, the conclusion didn't seem entirely off either.

But the clever Ying Bing, observing the two of them, frowned slightly, feeling that bowl of stew might not have been what she thought.

Even if the heaven and earth spiritual energy was pure, what was this about an inner world?

"Old Huang, what kind of enlightenment did you use to construct your inner world?"

"Well..."

Huang Donglai glanced at Li Mo, cleared his throat and said, "Isn't autumn almost here? The hundred grasses wither, all things languish, it's precisely the meaning of turning from prosperity to decline. That's why I had a sudden inspiration."

Li Mo secretly gave him a thumbs up. As expected of a storyteller, his martial insights just rolled off the tongue.

"Try using a move." Ying Bing had seen inner worlds embodying the bleakness of autumn wind, but Huang Donglai's seemed a bit different.

Unable to refuse, Huang Donglai lightly raised his hand and pushed out a palm.

The palm wind swept forth, withering all grass and trees in its path. The trees in the courtyard were merely grazed by it, yet their leaves rustled down. The entire tree seemed stripped of its vitality, rapidly turning ashen and listless before toppling over with a crash.

"So powerful!" Tian Xun, seeing a glimpse, already recognized its might.

Ying Bing narrowed her eyes, "It doesn't seem like..."

Li Mo took her hand, changing the subject, "Old Huang's inner world doesn't have a name yet, right? It should have a fitting one."

"That's right."

Huang Donglai himself didn't care much about this, but since Li Mo mentioned it.

"'When my flower blooms, a hundred flowers wither.' How about 'Hundred Flowers' Slaughter'?"

Young Li blurted out a theft, full of imposing style, making Tian Xun's eyes light up. She added 'eloquent' to Young Li's interview notes.

Huang Donglai, however, shook his head, "It sounds good, almost too good. Others would hear it and immediately be on high alert. Also, 'flowers' sounds like a woman's technique."

"Then think of one yourself, Old Huang."

"I like grass. It's everywhere. How about just calling it 'Hundred Grasses' Withering'?"

Huang Donglai seemed still unsatisfied and added a prefix, "Since I gained enlightenment while eating the stew, let's call it 'Stew·Hundred Grasses' Withering'!"

Li Mo: "..."

That was indeed down-to-earth, considering it's used for farming.

And 'Stew·Hundred Grasses' Withering'? Sounded terrifyingly lethal.

After the meal was finished, Murong Xiao, Qin Yuzhi, Shang Qinqing, and Tian Miao, who were outside the courtyard, dared to enter.

"Senior Sister, where did you all run off to? You missed the meal," Tian Xun said, puffing her cheeks.

Tian Miao's mouth twitched slightly, "What a real shame that was."

"This humble monk already ate elsewhere earlier," Murong Xiao said, fearing Tian Xun might go stew another pot. He wasn't ready to meet Buddha yet.

"Murong, I've reached the Inner Realm. If you had come back earlier, you might have been able to learn something from it," Huang Donglai said, his face somewhat pale, but still smiling at Murong Xiao.

Observing a breakthrough to the Inner Realm was also valuable experience.

Master Murong wore a face full of Buddha-nature, like a sage:

"Apologies, this humble monk was... otherwise occupied earlier. Sigh... Why must one's life always be driven by worldly desires? Break through the Inner Realm, and there's still the Outer Realm. Beyond man, there is man; beyond heaven, there is heaven."

"Life shouldn't be solely for higher realms. One should pursue more meaningful things, like doing more good deeds."

Tian Xun seemed enlightened after hearing this, "As expected of a eminent monk from the Suspended Temple, your words are full of Buddhist wisdom."

"I hope those hands you were 'occupied' with weren't busy with other things."

Young Li, seeing his utterly serene face, knew tomorrow would be another first day of abstinence.

The 'good deeds' likely referred to saving fallen women...

"Everyone, see you tomorrow."

Tian Xun didn't understand their coded conversation. Excitedly, she bid everyone farewell. She had seen a lot today and would have plenty to write about tonight.

Li Mo cleared his throat lightly, "The journey was tiring, more rest is good. The Qingyuan Sect also has many interesting things worth reporting on. No need to spend all your time on me."

Tian Miao nodded apologetically to Li Mo and quickly pulled her junior sister away from this troublesome place.

"Little Bing'er said you had something important to discuss with us. What is it?" Shang Qinqing remembered the purpose of her visit.

Watching Tian Xun and Tian Miao walk away into the distance, Li Mo then discussed his plan with Shang Qinqing and Qin Yuzhi.

"When we infiltrate the Demonic Cult later, we must be extremely careful and never let our guard down."

"Our cover is that we're from the Myriad Phenomena Immortal Sect, a terrifying background with an Immortal overseeing it and countless rare treasures. We need to carry the aloof demeanor of people from a superior sect, and we'll rely on you two to command respect."

In terms of reliable connections, Li Mo really didn't have many people he could pull together for important matters right now.

"I'll play the role of the Upper Immortal. Clan Leader Shang, you'll be my accompanying divine beast. Sect Leader Qin, you'll be my guardian. The elders of the Qingyuan Sect will be my subordinates."

"Haven't stretched my limbs in a while. I'll accompany you on this trip," Shang Qinqing agreed readily.

"I've always been a sect leader before, never a guardian," Qin Yuzhi fell into thought.

Infiltration into the Summoning Demonic Cult... as a former sect leader herself, should she tone it down a bit?

"What about me?" Huang Donglai asked.

"Brother Li still needs a mount," Murong Xiao joked with a smile.

Li Mo gave him a helpless look, then added, "Old Huang, you infiltrate the Summoning Demonic Cult side and coordinate with us from within when the time comes."

As he spoke, he handed Old Huang another storage artifact, which was filled with precious items for self-defense.

Li Mo was going to refine the Eight-Nine Profound Art and had no use for these himself, so he might as well give them all to Huang Donglai. Although Old Huang was cautious enough, this was still a dangerous affair.

"Understood, foster father." Upon receiving the storage artifact, Huang Donglai's form of address changed.

"What about me? What about me?" Murong Xiao realized he was the only one with nothing to do.

"You continue performing good deeds, accumulating merit for us to ensure the plan proceeds smoothly." Li Mo patted his shoulder and said with great earnestness.

Each had their own duty; the arrangements were very professional. This was definitely not something to be written down in Tian Xun's little notebook.

After another moment, the finer details were also more or less settled.

"By the way, where's the Ice Block?" Li Mo remembered that the Ice Block had said he was going to pour some tea but hadn't returned yet.

He had just stood up to go look when he suddenly froze.

Not far away.

Smoke was once again rising from the kitchen chimney.

An unlucky bird flew past the edge of the smoke, instantly stiffened, and fell like a kite with its string cut.

Oh no!

Li Mo's face changed as he thought of a certain terrifying possibility and rushed toward the kitchen.

Ice Block! That stuff is not for you to taste on your own!