Princess Jiang's Hobbies: Divine Skills and the Blazing Crimson Lotus

"The moon tonight seems brighter than usual."

In the side chamber, Li Mo had just finished making his bed.

After a moment's thought, he guessed that the reason "Ice Block" didn’t let him stay next door had something to do with her unique constitution.

Was it a monthly occurrence, like those days, or just an occasional thing?

"The Lunar Phoenix Physique is full of wonders and anomalies."

"My own immortal physique is far too low-key—now even breaking through realms is a problem."

Li Mo muttered these complaints to himself.

The system had never given him anything useless, especially the things he "dropped" from Ice Block.

But when it came to physiques...

Those were things martial artists with innate constitutions had to explore and refine over generations of trial and error.

Take Lin Jiang, for example—he clearly knew he should focus on spear techniques to maximize the strengths of his physique.

Li Mo had no one to learn from.

He could only rely on himself, step by step, to figure it out...

With these thoughts in mind, Li Mo opened the two newly acquired peerless sword manuals and began studying them intently.

Gradually, the night deepened.

Suddenly, the World Seed trembled with a ripple of energy.

"Chulong is early today?"

.........

Inside the World Seed.

Jiang Chulong clung to a tree branch, her head slightly lowered. She had just demonstrated her progress, her eyes darting shyly toward the figure across from her.

Biting her lip, she finally mustered the courage to ask in a small voice:

"Teacher... did I... did I disappoint you?"

She had no idea.

The "Celestial Venerable" was practically holding his breath, barely stopping himself from gasping and muttering, This girl is terrifying.

"One blade of grass severing the sun and moon"—he had only said that to motivate Little Jiang.

But she had taken it literally!

When she swung her sword just now...

There was actually a trace of that boundless, indomitable will—"Wildfires cannot burn it all, the spring wind brings life anew."

It was sword intent.

Without ever formally learning a single sword manual, she had comprehended her own intent!

"Mm, not bad. You must have worked very hard."

"N-not... not too hard."

Jiang Chulong’s cheeks flushed at the praise, and she waved her hands hurriedly.

"I just... just..."

"Practiced a little... when I woke up... when I ate... when I went outside... to pick things up... and then at night... at night before bed... I practiced with you for a while..."

Little Jiang’s daily routine was simple.

Eat, sleep, scavenge—and while doing these three things, practice swordplay.

Li Mo: "..."

Twelve hours a day, huh?

And didn’t he tell The Murong Family to take proper care of her? Why was she still picking through trash?

"Are you struggling with daily life?"

"I used to go hungry a lot... but after Big Brother Li came, that never happened again..."

Jiang Chulong’s stutter suddenly vanished, her voice soft and steady.

But when she mentioned Big Brother Li, her words grew quieter and quieter...

"Then why do you still go out scavenging every day?"

At the Celestial Venerable’s question, Jiang Chulong tilted her head.

Huh, why do I?

She didn’t know either.

She just knew that whenever she picked up discarded things—broken paper kites, chipped bottles, things like that—and cleaned them up, arranging them neatly, she felt... satisfied. Proud. Happy.

"A... a hobby?"

She blinked, testing the word.

Li Mo: "..."

What a niche hobby.

Well, as long as it made her happy.

"Oh... Teacher... how... how is Big Brother Li doing lately?"

Her timid voice carried a quiet hope.

Her pale gray eyes shone even brighter than before.

She figured—since her teacher was so incredible, knowing even the grandest tales of ancient times down to the smallest detail—

Surely, he would know how Big Brother Li was doing?

This girl really cares about me.

Last time, he’d said he’d visit her, but he never sent word.

Li Mo couldn’t help but smile inwardly.

Clearing his throat, he replied:

"Li Mo? He’s doing fine."

"Recently placed in the top three at Qingyuan Sect’s Nine Peaks Tournament. His reputation is soaring, admired by all the elites of Purple Sun Prefecture."

"Just an unbiased observer here, but his swordsmanship isn’t bad."

Jiang Chulong’s eyes sparkled, as if she could see it—Big Brother Li standing triumphant on the stage, brimming with vigor.

She grinned foolishly.

"Big Brother Li is amazing."

"Mm. He’ll probably visit the prefecture city to see you soon."

"Really?"

"Alright, back to business. Take these two sword manuals and study them. Next time, I’ll test you. Practice quietly—don’t show them to anyone."

With a flick of his sleeve, the Celestial Venerable placed two sword texts on the table.

Jiang Chulong accepted them reverently.

Then, clutching her stomach, she murmured in confusion:

"Teacher... my stomach... lately, it feels like there’s a... a little mouse inside."

A little mouse?

Under the mask, Li Mo raised an eyebrow slightly and placed his hand on her wrist.

After sensing for a moment, he finally relaxed, though a hint of curiosity remained:

"That's not your stomach—it's your dantian."

"You're about to open your meridians."

"Open my meridians?"

Jiang Chulong knew very little about martial arts and didn't quite understand the concept of meridian opening.

Li Mo hadn’t had the chance to explain it to her yet.

He had planned to wait until Jiang Chulong had recovered more before guiding her to refine her qi and blood.

Unexpectedly, she had stumbled upon the right path all on her own.

"In that case, I’ll give you some pills to protect your meridians."

......

The night grew deeper.

The bright moon hung high in the sky, casting a silver glow over the entire Autumn Water Pavilion, making the ground shimmer with a snowy radiance.

The sound of the small stream flowing through the courtyard had vanished.

"Hah..."

Li Mo exhaled a breath of white mist and looked outside.

To his surprise, the entire stream had frozen solid at some point, gleaming with an eerie blue hue in the darkness.

The small Autumn Water Pavilion had now become so cold that water turned to ice, as if it were the dead of winter.

"Ice block..."

"She should be fine, right?"

As he thought this, a system notification suddenly rang in his ears:

[Congratulations, Host. You have successfully invested in Jiang Chulong, aiding her in opening her meridians.]

[Investment Reward: One Secret Silver Heavenly Book Seal.]

[Secret Silver Heavenly Book Seal: Can refine and perfect any technique below the level of a Supreme Art, elevating it by one grade!]

"Finally!"

Li Mo’s eyes lit up with excitement.

He was just one Secret Silver Heavenly Book Seal away from upgrading a Supreme Art into a Divine Art, which would then allow him to use the Gilded Heavenly Book Seal.

This meant he would obtain a martial art beyond the level of a Divine Art!

And with it, a chance to break through to the Inner Breath realm!

If the little princess Jiang were here right now, he’d scoop her up and plant a big kiss on her cheeks!

Without hesitation, a small seal resembling flowing mercury appeared in his palm, its tadpole-like inscriptions seeming to come alive.

He took out "Flame Lotus Extreme Yang Force" and stamped it with the seal.

The characters on the page suddenly shifted, as if countless tiny fish were darting through them.

"True Phoenix Blood Lotus Sun-Substitution Divine Art"

A Divine Art!

Countless people across the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands dreamed of such a treasure, and now it lay quietly on the table before him.

A single Divine Art was enough to make countless experts fall, sway the rise and fall of unimaginable powers, and stir storms of blood and chaos.

Having studied "Moonlight Sword Canon" and "Solar Wheel Sword Canon," Li Mo knew that while these two sword techniques were exquisite, they were ultimately only low-grade Supreme Arts.

No matter how well they combined, they could never compare to a true Divine Art.

Most likely, their reputation had been exaggerated over time.

"Divine Arts are already beyond imagination—the pinnacle of martial arts."

"But what lies beyond them?"

Li Mo couldn’t help but feel his heart surge with excitement.

The Gilded Heavenly Book Seal slowly descended onto the paper in his palm.

Golden, profound runes erupted in that instant, converging like rivers flowing into the sea.

The fine blue-flower paper gradually dissolved, as if the words written upon it had exceeded its capacity to bear them.

"Damn it, I didn’t even get to read it—"

Panic flashed through his mind, but Li Mo focused his gaze.

What he saw were characters so obscure and profound that they seemed to shift between existence and nothingness, impossible for any mortal to comprehend.

These were not characters Li Mo had ever seen before.

In fact, it was hard to even call them characters.

Hum—

The paper finally vanished entirely.

Instead, it transformed into a petal imbued with profound mystery, slipping past Li Mo’s notice and flying straight into his brow.

Boom—

A vast, magnificent vision exploded in his mind.

It was as if the heavens and earth were just beginning to form, all things in chaos, with countless existences vanishing and rebirthing in an instant—far more intense than anything he’d witnessed in his minor world.

A crimson lotus quietly took root.

With a mere flutter of its petals, boundless karmic flames scorched the sky.