Lin Mo’s eyes lit up immediately, showering the Nine Condensations Profound Skill with the most heartfelt praise he could muster.

After listening to Lin Mo’s compliments, you merely smiled faintly.

You stood with your hands behind your back, gazing toward the horizon, and said calmly, “The Nine Condensations Profound Skill is the one among my many creations that I can least be proud of.”

Lin Mo’s eyes sparkled with admiration as he worshiped you with complete devotion.

“Uncle Yu, you’re truly amazing. Ever since I learned the Nine Condensations Profound Skill, I’ve felt like I’m living in your shadow!”

You nodded lightly. “My thoughts run too deep. It’s normal for you to feel that way. Keep studying; it’s very profound.”

At this point, you no longer cared and decided to fully embrace the act, shamelessly flaunting it.

You knew if you didn’t keep up the pretense now, you’d lose the chance. Lin Mo’s cultivation would catch up to yours in a few years, and then all the facade would be exposed.

So this last big performance was worth it.

You then asked Lin Mo about forming a team.

Lin Mo said that, following your instructions, he had formed a group of dozens of people.

By being generous and broad-minded, Lin Mo had gathered a loyal core of fans around him.

He called this group the Heavenly Dao Alliance, meaning to act on behalf of Heaven’s justice.

From the name alone, it was clear that this group mostly consisted of wanted criminals who robbed the rich to aid the poor, arsonists, and murderers—hardly any decent folks.

But you didn’t care; as long as they obeyed Lin Mo, it was fine.

Afterwards, you instructed Lin Mo to send trusted people to exhume the grave of Jiang the Barbarian’s grandfather, Jiang Hui, and retrieve the items inside.

Then, after a few months, have that person bring those items to a clinic you had set up in Youtong County to exchange for pills.

If anyone investigated later, have that person claim they intended to settle in Xiangyue Village and happened upon Jiang Hui’s grave by accident.

Lin Mo solemnly took note of your instructions.

After you finished giving all the orders, you were about to leave.

At the last moment, you added, “Have that person dissipate the true qi inside Jiang the Barbarian’s body. This is a silver note worth five thousand taels, leave it with the village chief of Xiangyue Village so he can take care of Jiang the Barbarian in the future.”

Lin Mo didn’t ask any questions and immediately agreed. “Alright, Uncle Yu. I’ll send my most trusted person to handle it.”

You nodded and left.

Carrying the twice-improved Wandering Heaven Steps, you returned to the Danxia Sect.

As soon as you arrived, you dove straight into training the Wandering Heaven Steps.

The twenty-fourth year.

In a hidden valley two days’ journey from Danxia Sect.

You were like a hawk fighting the vast sky, circling and soaring through the mountain streams.

After a long time, you skillfully landed softly, standing firmly on the ground.

“Finally perfected!” Your expression was elated.

You had spent about half a year refining the twice-improved Wandering Heaven Steps to completion.

Your speed in the air was now comparable to an Ultimate Grandmaster.

You could now remain airborne for thirty-six breaths, doubling the endurance time.

Compared to the nearly infinite flight endurance of an Ultimate Grandmaster, the Wandering Heaven Steps still fell short.

But you were very satisfied with this effect. From now on, as long as you didn’t get targeted by an Ultimate Grandmaster, you could go wherever you wanted.

During these six months, you had also been contemplating Earth Source.

Combining the insights Hu Zhongxuan gave you, you finally made some progress.

You comprehended a sword qi from the Earth Source.

This sword qi looked no different from ordinary sword qi but was dozens of times more powerful!

This super sword qi contained an aura that inexplicably made your heart tremble—extremely extraordinary.

You planned to incorporate this super sword qi alongside ordinary sword qi when fighting enemies.

With this sneaky tactic, even if an Ultimate Grandmaster appeared, one careless move and they’d fall into your trap.

“Heh heh heh… thrilling!”

You returned to Danxia Sect.

The issue of the next sect leader had now become an open problem within Danxia Sect.

Thanks to the vigorous efforts of Fifth Elder Shen Dingyuan, about seventy percent of the sect supported Bi Wenyu.

You Yun and his personal disciple Ruan Bai were gradually on the defensive.

You didn’t care how fiercely they fought; you simply focused on your own affairs.

One day, you went to the clinic you had opened in Youtong County.

After sitting for three days, a scholarly-looking man with a short beard came.

The scholar deliberately chose a time when the clinic was empty.

After sitting down, the scholar glanced at you and quietly said, “The king covers the earth tiger!”

Your eyes sharpened. “Chicken stewed with mushrooms!”

The scholar cautiously looked around again: “Pagoda suppresses river demon!”

You replied, “Mushrooms with chili!”

Scholar: “Comrade!”

You: “Comrade!”

You successfully made contact.

Then the scholar quietly left.

The next day, many people came to the clinic for treatment—it was peak hours.

The scholar came again.

As soon as he sat down, you two began your acting routine.

The scholar pretended to be destitute, dumping all his belongings on your counter, letting you pick anything you wanted as long as he could get five Blood Qi Pills.

You looked disdainfully, casually selecting the Extermination Sect’s talisman, the bounty key, and a few other trivial items.

You told him his stuff was worthless but gave him five Blood Qi Pills at a loss.

The scholar was immensely grateful, smiling brightly as he left.

You continued treating patients.

The day after the scholar left, you went to the Dragon Gate Inn in the Cangwang Desert.

You found the innkeeper, a charming proprietress.

You left a message with her, asking Wan Qingluan to come to Danxia Sect when she had time; you had important matters to discuss.

After finishing this, you returned to Danxia Sect to continue cultivation and pill refining.

Five months later.

The twenty-fifth year.

Though Shen Dingyuan’s faction held the advantage in the struggle against You Yun, Deng Rusong had yet to declare his stance.

This made Shen Dingyuan and his disciple Bi Wenyu uneasy.

So Shen Dingyuan sent several elders loyal to him to probe Deng Rusong’s intentions.

However, Deng Rusong had not clearly expressed any leanings.

Both sides were left uncertain.

In truth, Deng Rusong was conflicted. He personally favored Ruan Bai, the Great Elder’s side, because Ruan Bai had stronger pill refining talent and a broader vision.

But currently, support within the sect leaned toward Bi Wenyu on Shen Dingyuan’s side.

If Deng Rusong appointed Ruan Bai as sect leader, he would have to consider whether Ruan Bai could effectively handle the position.

If not handled well, it might affect the stability of Danxia Sect.

These were Deng Rusong’s headaches; you didn’t care.

Though physically at Danxia Sect, you felt like an outsider, quietly watching their staged performances back and forth.

You were very satisfied with your state of being beyond the Three Realms and outside the Five Elements.

You often invited Bai Chen and Jiao Mingxu for drinks.

Bai Chen no longer frequented brothels; now only a girl named A-Yu was by his side.

You knew Bai Chen was truly sincere this time.

You calculated that Bai Chen had just turned sixty this year.

You silently mused that even a prodigal like Bai Chen should turn over a new leaf at sixty.

Luckily, Bai Chen didn’t let you dwell on this for long. That day, while drinking, Bai Chen brought a different girl and declared she was his one and only for life.

Bai Chen never disappointed when it came to letting women down.

You gave Bai Chen a thumbs-up: “No wonder you; your persona remains so solid.”

The prodigal Bai Chen had lost his head; how could he turn back?

Jiao Mingxu was much more steady.

Though his pill refining talent was poor, his martial talent was decent. He had reached the peak of Bone Tempering cultivation.

So he opened a martial arts school in Youtong County, teaching people boxing daily to earn a living.

Jiao Mingxu also said his daughter Jiao Xiaoyao would get married next month.

The groom was a scholar who had just passed the xiucai imperial exam.

Jiao Mingxu was very supportive and satisfied with his daughter’s marriage.

Only then did you realize Jiao Xiaoyao was already fifteen years old—not the cute little girl who’d cry when teased anymore.

“Time flies like a white horse passing a gap!”

You had been focused on cultivation all these years, unaware how fast time had gone by.

You raised your wine cup: “Come on, two junior brothers, drunk or not returning!”

“Drunk or not returning!”

“Drunk or not returning!”

The three of you drank until completely drunk.

Finally, He You Shan came to take Jiao Mingxu away.

Bai Chen was also supported by his new girl as he left.

You were left alone.

You staggered around the courtyard a few laps, thinking you had reached your bedroom.

Then you lay down and fell asleep.

The next morning, you woke to find yourself sleeping all night covered by a giant millstone.

You had been performing chest-breaking stone crushing all night.

You cursed, “Damn! No wonder my quilt was so hard!”

Wan Qingluan suddenly appeared at the courtyard gate. She tilted her head and said in a cold voice, “What did you say was very hard?”