CHAPTER 391: CHAPTER 18: SPIRITUAL SINEW EXPANDS THE TAOIST BODY

The Bright Day Treasure Bottle contained sword intent in liquid form. As long as the Great Sun Spiritual Power was infused into it, it could release sword qi.

In essence, Dharma Body artifacts were organs manifested through spells.

Li Mo inspected it carefully, discovering the Bright Day Treasure Bottle had more profound uses.

He activated the Sunlight Dharma Body, letting the Bright Day Treasure Bottle fall into the Corpse Mountain Mini World.

The bottle tipped slightly, and vast swathes of Seven Treasures Clouds enveloped a mountain peak. Shortly afterward, a golden-hued, soft, fine rain began to fall.

Through the Dharma Body artifact, Li Mo’s use of Bright Day Sword Intent reached an innate mastery. Previously, he could never transform sword qi into raindrops.

Every plant and animal touched by the sword rain began transforming into Seven Treasures Spiritual Material.

The Bright Day Treasure Bottle still carried taboos, but now the interval had extended to 200 days before it required a sentient being’s conversion as a believer.

This indicated that the Bright Day Treasure Bottle was gradually breaking away from the Heavenly Sword Sect’s Sword Dao system.

"It’s suitable for mass production of mid to lower grade spiritual materials, but it will deeply affect the environment of the Corpse Mountain Mini World."

"Forget it, the defining feature of the Corpse Mountain Mini World is its self-contained nature. Turning it into a Buddhist Sect’s Mini World would instead hinder the treasure’s potential."

Li Mo scanned the small world. Plant and tree cultivators had already suppressed the deceit beasts and were currently restoring the original Taoist inheritance.

Zhang Guo and He Guo, the senior and junior brothers, had reached the late teenage stage, while among the plant and tree cultivators, those in their teenage phase had barely surpassed four hundred in number.

"Plant and tree cultivators are barely suitable for use."

Once plant and tree cultivators matured, it was akin to carrying a sect with oneself—they could assist Li Mo in alchemy and artifact refining.

Li Mo withdrew the Bright Day Treasure Bottle back to the hand of his Sunlight Dharma Body.

He glanced at the night outside the Daoist temple, where countless evil spirits darted about in the darkness. The neighboring temple’s little night wanderers had already set out.

Divine Separation Stage cultivators had some self-preservation ability in the Purple Sun Palace, but only as long as they didn’t court death.

Li Mo tentatively released cancer cells as fine as dust, letting them disperse in the courtyard mainly to discern any taboos of the neighboring Sword Ghost.

Expanding the range had its advantages, but he needed to proceed with utmost caution.

Li Mo continued to stabilize his cultivation. Great Sun Spiritual Power circled his mind through circulation cycles, eventually converging into the brow center of the Sunlight Dharma Body.

The Sunlight Dharma Body appeared benevolent and serene, akin to a reincarnated Buddha in a temple.

As circulation cycles unfolded, Li Mo’s body underwent body refinement, causing the surrounding half-meter of air to distort intensely while seven-colored Buddha Light radiated outward.

Under the cleansing of spiritual power, the cracks on the surface of the Sunlight Dharma Body gradually mended.

Li Mo was currently in the first minor stage of the Divine Separation Period—the Residual Body Stage—representing the process of spiritual power repairing his Externalized Dharma Body.

Once the Externalized Dharma Body became flawless, he could smoothly advance to the next stage—the Five Qi Period.

Within the Externalized Dharma Body, the Five Internal Organs were constructed using spiritual energy derived from the Five Elements.

However, due to the impurity of spiritual energy, the Five Element Spiritual Energy exhibited peculiar variations—Yang Five Elements, Yin Five Elements, Corpse Five Elements, Poison Five Elements...

The specific forms depended on the compatibility of the Externalized Dharma Body.

The third minor stage was called the Heavenly Palace Stage.

"The Huangting Great Medicine, Yin runs out and turns into Pure Yang, which gathers and ascends within the Heavenly Palace."

The Heavenly Palace Stage involved converting the dantian, where the Dharma Body resided, into a heavenly palace. Once completed, the Externalized Dharma Body’s dependency on its old shell would greatly diminish.

Divine Separation Stage cultivators often stored items within the heavenly palace, creating peculiar dangers in secret realms after their death and Dao’s dissipation.

Li Mo had no intention of abandoning his old shell; the heavenly palace was merely for containing his Externalized Dharma Body.

Moreover, even if he abandoned his old shell, he couldn’t escape the erosion of death disease. Without the protection of his old shell, the Externalized Dharma Body would face death disease head-on.

After perfecting the heavenly palace, the next challenge would be the ninth realm of immortality, with the Void Refining Stage—the sixth checkpoint—being a step away from becoming a Land Immortal.

"In the realm of void, the landscapes and sceneries surpass the mortal world in splendor and beauty."

In ancient cultivation history, Land Immortals retreated for opportunities to attain immortality and Dao. The Void Refining Stage marked the pinnacle accessible to mortals.

But nowadays, the Immortal Path was cut off, and the Void Refining Stage was no longer reliable.

Li Mo harbored serious doubts.

If the Twelve Immortals ever reopened the Ascension Ladder, even Land Immortals wouldn’t be able to restrain themselves. Who knew what plans Zu Xiuyun might have in store?

Li Mo’s consciousness reached the Creation Book, where twenty-eight blank pages had been added.

When he first began cultivation, the Creation Book had only a scant few pages. Now, with its eclectic assortment of pages combined, it was nearing a hundred.

"Let’s first etch some organs. The Sword Infant and Demon Infant still lack spell pages."

After pondering briefly, Li Mo chose not to imprint the five senses, which required four blank pages, nor the stomach, which required three blank pages.

Instead, he focused on spiritual sinews.

Regarding a direct enhancement in power, the eight spiritual sinews stood out as the most effective.

Not only did they correlate with the Great Wilderness Immortal Body, but they also benefited the Tattoo Beast significantly, tied to the quality of the Lifebound Flying Sword nurtured by the sword pouch. From these, the Daoist Body born would undoubtedly align with the Great Wilderness Immortal Body.

Without much hesitation, Li Mo began imprinting the Yin-Yang Spirit Roots within his skull.

The eight types of spirit roots gradually emerged in the Creation Book, stirring an unusual vigor in the Tattoo Beast, indirectly influencing the long-slumbering Taasu Beast Infant.

An electrifying pain spread throughout his body.

Li Mo’s flesh swelled as if worms crawled inside, the eight spirit roots’ invasive influence surging relentlessly before being suppressed by the Daoist Body.

The Tattoo Beast similarly exhibited a tormented demeanor.

After an indeterminate duration, the divine skills of the spirit roots began to awaken one after another.

[Taiwei Sun Sensing], [Taiwei Yin Sensing], [Taiwei Fire Sensing], [Taiwei Wood Sensing]...

Li Mo’s expression turned peculiar. With just one application of the divine skills, his consciousness plunged into a microscopic realm where he could observe the circulation of individual particles of spiritual energy.

With divine skills bestowed by the spirit roots, Li Mo could minutely detect the eight types of spiritual energy.

Though the enhancement to spellcasting was minimal, in cultivation techniques, it offered Li Mo levels of precision beyond his imagination.

For instance, in medical skill, Li Mo’s understanding of the Daoist Body was no longer confined to its surface.

"If someone wished to possess all types of spirit roots in the world, they could try to refine acquired spirit roots of other spirit attributes and transplant them..."

Li Mo chuckled bitterly and dismissed the thought. Spirit attributes of later generations were too mixed—having all spirit roots was unrealistic.

If one ascended to the Immortal Realm and discovered that immortal energy wasn’t tainted, wouldn’t it mean all the empty pages and time spent deducing had been wasted?

"Let’s leave it to fate. For now, blank pages are still in short supply."

The Tattoo Beast was undergoing transformation, while the Mountain Demon seized the opportunity of spirit roots regenerating from acquired to innate to attempt a breakthrough in the Divine Separation Period.

Li Mo’s spiritual sinews had barely calmed when the Daoist Body’s nurturing intensified the ensuing pain.

The interconnectedness of spirit roots and the Tattoo Beast inevitably caused minor disturbances, resulting in faint sword intent leaking into the air, crackling audibly.

A sword cultivator passing above Zhi Mountain Temple suddenly sensed the sword intent.

His expression grew puzzled, and his Divine Sense fixated on the main temple.

Li Mo, sitting cross-legged within, appeared outwardly calm, yet the chaotic sword intent spilling outward made the sword cultivator inhale sharply.

By rough estimation, Li Mo seemed to have comprehended at least eight types of sword intent.

Even without closely examining, the sword cultivator still discerned that among these sword intents, there was not only mid-to-lower rank but also faint traces of superior sword intent.

What did this signify?

To enter the Inner Sect as a sword cultivator required extraordinary talent and comprehension.

Yet throughout the entirety of the Great Sun Sword Tomb, fewer than five individuals had understood superior sword intent.

And here Li Mo was, having been a disciple for mere years, already imbued with seven or eight sword intents—just what level of comprehension did he possess?

Observing the sword intent boiling over, the sword cultivator shivered uncontrollably.

"Is it going to spiral out of control? A Sword Ghost born from seven or eight sword intents would instantly rival the level of a Big Night Wander. All surrounding Daoist temples would fall."

In a flash of tunneling light, the sword cultivator dared not linger any longer.

The rumor of Li Mo’s mutation and imminent loss of control soon spread throughout the Purple Sun Palace.

That someone could lose control from comprehending too many sword intents was something that might have only occurred once in thousands of years.

Yet surprisingly, ten days passed, and Zhi Mountain Temple returned to tranquility.

Li Mo opened his eyes.

The Great Sun Spiritual Power had stabilized, his spiritual sinews and Daoist Body had fully formed, and the eight innate spirit roots had ceased their tempestuous rampage within his being.

Daoist Body [Nayuan Body].

The Nayuan Body possessed multiple innate spirit roots, allowing Li Mo to manipulate external spiritual energy effortlessly, even without mastering the corresponding spiritual power.

Upon achieving the Six Paths Body, the Great Sun Sword Tomb trembled momentarily.

Cold sweat broke out across Li Mo’s back. His Daoist Body’s aptitude was a tremendous allure for flying swords, and he feared another scene of stars swarming together.

"Let’s hold off on the second spell page—for now, let’s focus on Daoist Body fusion."

Li Mo now faced two choices.

The Nayuan Body could merge with the Innate Saint, which, though it wouldn’t complete the Immortal Body, would render the Innate Saint’s dantian more favorable for cultivation.

The Nayuan Body could merge with the Great Wilderness Immortal Body, which would significantly boost the Tattoo Beast.

After much deliberation, Li Mo prioritized merging with the Great Wilderness Immortal Body, considering the innate spirit roots’ connection to his sword pouch.

In the Mud Pill Palace, he reconstructed the Xia Dao Palace, which rapidly manifested numerous pavilions and towers.

A staggering forty-three thousand Taoists traversed Xia Dao Palace, their skin engraved with Beast Head tattoos, as imperceptible deductions commenced.

Li Mo imprinted the Nayuan Body’s spell page while engraving the Human-headed Nascent Soul Flying Skull Scripture of the Ground-Lying Demon Infant, gradually nurturing the Nascent Soul Dao Body.

Upon activating the Cave God’s Eye simultaneously with the Nayuan Body’s application, the distribution of spiritual energy unfolded before his eyes.

Li Mo looked toward the butcher’s Daoist temple, peering through the window to glimpse the Sword Ghost tirelessly chopping meat, its emitted aura clearly perceptible.

"..."

He raised an eyebrow, soon distinguishing features of two Daoist Bodies from the aura.

[Blood Stain Body], [Beast Body].

The Beast Body was notably suitable for integration into the Great Wilderness Immortal Body, enabling Li Mo to gain a portion of the Tattoo Beast’s strength, dramatically boosting his physique.

"Heh heh heh..."

Li Mo licked his lips. The Fox Immortal Sword Ghost was also a beast-type Daoist Body.

[Petitioning Demon Body]

Li Mo knew little about the Petitioning Demon Body, but the Great Wilderness Immortal Body’s inclusivity allowed it to easily accommodate any beast-type Daoist Body.

"This is promising."

"Heh heh heh, no matter what, I’ve got to acquire a few Immortal Bodies, right?"

"The Twenty-Eight Sword Tombs are such a treasure trove—spell techniques and Daoist Body resources everywhere. Too bad I’m unsure which Daoist temple to approach."

Li Mo stared blankly for a long while before noticing a scrawny, shifty-eyed sword cultivator had appeared at the Fox Immortal Daoist Temple courtyard.

The scrawny sword cultivator bowed respectfully to the Fox Immortal before hurriedly entering the building.

Under Li Mo’s stunned gaze.

The man and the fox tangled ferociously; the scrawny sword cultivator evidently had grown impatient, assuming Li Mo was lost in mutation, sneaking into the temple in secret.