10: Chapter 10 The Post-War Feast, and Trouble from Above

Winter passed and spring arrived, the snow on the Cloud Break Mountain Range melting into gurgling streams under the warm sun.

The great battle that night ended with the total defeat of the Overlord Blade Sect.

Having lost the support of the earth veins and crashing headlong into the mountain-protecting formation bolstered by Vast Righteous Qi, the main force of the Overlord Blade Sect was as fragile as an eggshell, shattered across the ground.

It was said that the arrogant Sect Leader Duan finally burned his lifeblood just to barely escape back to his lair with a few remnants of his defeated army.

But the Heavenly River Sword Sect's counterattack followed immediately.

Kicking a dog while it's down is an eternal truth in the Cultivation World.

In just three short months, the century-old Overlord Blade Sect was completely reduced to the dust of history.

For Li Mo, the greatest significance of this war lay not in how much the Sect's territory had expanded, but in the mountain-like piles of loot currently filling the first floor hall of the Scripture Pavilion.

"These... are all books?"

Looking at the wooden crates before him, stained with dried blood and smelling of old mold, the light in Li Mo's eyes was even more intense than the spring sun outside.

"Yes, Manager Li... oh no, Brother Li."

The Inner Sect Disciple responsible for escorting the loot pinched his nose, his face full of disdain.

"The Sect Master said that although the Overlord Blade Sect is a branch of the Demonic Path, their vault contained quite a few rare volumes. The Spirit Stones and Magic Treasures have all gone to the treasury, so these worthless books that nobody reads were all brought to the Scripture Pavilion for you to categorize and organize."

The Disciple added, "If they're truly useless, just use them for firewood."

Firewood?

Li Mo's heart twitched violently.

What a waste of God's gifts!

This bunch of Sword Cultivator boors who only know how to fight and kill have no understanding of the value of knowledge.

"Alright, leave it to me."

Li Mo squeezed out a "reluctant" expression and accepted the chore.

"I'll make sure they're all properly taken care of."

Once the Disciple was far away, Li Mo immediately rushed to close the main doors and hung up a sign that read, "Internal reorganization, borrowing temporarily suspended."

He rubbed his hands together and snapped his fingers toward the rafters.

"Squeak! Time to eat!"

A gray shadow flashed as Squeak landed precisely on a book crate from the rafters, its two front paws skillfully prying and pulling, snapping the seal.

The lid popped open, and a thick, pungent Evil Qi rushed toward him.

Inside were not only the Overlord Blade Sect's foundational Cultivation Techniques, the Blood Blade Scripture and Soul-Severing Slash, but also a massive amount of miscellaneous books they had plundered and looted from various places over the centuries.

A significant portion of them were even forbidden Demonic Path books sewn from human skin and written in blood.

A single glance from an ordinary Cultivator would result in their mind being polluted by the resentment contained within.

Li Mo, however, took a long breath, a look of intoxication on his face as if he were savoring a delicacy.

"System, full power operation."

He casually picked up a copy of Illustrated Record of the Hundred Ghosts' Night Parade (Hand-drawn Edition), his fingertips gliding across the rough pages.

[Ding!]

[Reading progress 100%... Extracting entry: Eerie Ghostly Qi (White)]

[Entry Effect: Once activated, the temperature around you drops by ten degrees and comes with its own terrifying background sound effects. For scaring purposes only.]

"Trash."

Li Mo tossed it aside and picked up the next one.

"On How to Skin Elegantly" — Extracting entry [Anatomy Mastery (Green)]: You have a thorough understanding of biological textures; your blade moves as if guided by the gods.

"The Romantic History of the Overlord Blade Sect's Past Leaders" — Extracting entry [Soul of Gossip (Grey)]: No practical use, but makes it easy to get a prime spot when listening to storytellers in teahouses.

Li Mo's reading speed was incredibly fast.

His fingers flew through the piles of books, the System's notifications ringing densely in his mind.

Although most were useless low-level entries, given the sheer volume, he still managed to sift out quite a few gems.

It wasn't until evening that Li Mo's fingers touched an iron scroll that was entirely crimson, its page edges shimmering with a cold metallic light.

This object seemed to still be dripping blood slightly.

The Overlord Blade Sect's ultimate treasure—the Heavenly Fiend Lone Star Art.

This Cultivation Technique was extremely sinister; although the practitioner could gain infinite power, they were destined to lose all friends and family, bringing misfortune to every living being around them and ultimately dying alone.

Li Mo did not hesitate for a second and delved into it with his Divine Sense.

Boom!

An illusion of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood instantly exploded in his mind.

A blood-soaked demon god was roaring at the sky with a butcher's knife raised; those emotions of extreme loneliness, violence, and despair turned into a mental torrent, threatening to completely shatter Li Mo's sanity.

In the past, Li Mo might have had to exert some effort.

But now, the [Scholar's Backbone] entry he had recently acquired vibrated on its own.

A balanced and peaceful aura circulated through his Sea of Consciousness.

The mountain of corpses and sea of blood collapsed on the spot. Before that arrogant demon god could even strike a second time, a giant brush materialized from Mental Energy descended from the sky and flattened him into a thin smear of ink.

[Ding!]

[Complete reading of Heavenly Fiend Lone Star Art, extracting gold entry: Evil Qi Control (Gold)]

[Entry Effect: You can perfectly harness Evil Qi without needing to sacrifice friends or family. You can transform the Evil Qi of the world into offensive means, or... convert it into your own nourishment.]

[Detected host possesses Clear Sword Heart; the two major entries resonate, deriving a new skill: Shura Sword Domain (Unactivated).]

"Good stuff."

The corners of Li Mo's mouth curled up uncontrollably.

This is the benefit of reading.

Absorb the essence and discard the dregs.

Others would lose their whole family practicing this technique; he only needed to spend a few brain cells reading it.

Just as he was immersed in the joy of his harvest, a soft sound of footsteps interrupted his thoughts.

"What, taken a fancy to the Overlord Blade Sect's evil technique?"

A familiar voice spoke with a hint of playful teasing.

With a flick of his wrist, Li Mo lightning-fast stuffed the iron scroll back to the bottom of the crate. When he turned around, he had already put on a simple and honest smile.

"Elder, you're here. I was just curious and taking a casual look."

He pointed at the iron scroll and talked nonsense, "This iron lump is quite heavy; it's probably more suitable for pressing pickles."

The newcomer was indeed Dugu Yun.

The old man didn't have his wine flask or fishing rod today; instead, he had his hands behind his back, his expression carrying a rare gravity.

He walked up to Li Mo, his gaze scanning the pile of Demonic Path books before finally landing on Li Mo, and he gave a long sigh.

"You boy, you've really done it this time."

Li Mo's heart skipped a beat.

"Why do you say that, Elder? I haven't stepped out of the house lately; I've even grounded that mouse."

"It's not about the Overlord Blade Sect."

Dugu Yun pointed toward the ceiling.

"It's from above."

Li Mo followed his finger and saw only the ceiling painted with star charts.

"Three months ago, that song of righteousness stirred the world's Vast Righteous Qi, not only suppressing the Earth Vein Demonic Abyss but also... that majestic phenomenon even broke through the boundary wall of the Cloud Break Mountain Range and reached the outside world."

Dugu Yun's voice was kept very low.

"Our Cloud Break Mountain Range is a backwater; Cultivators here mostly practice weapons and Spells, with rare Confucian Cultivators. But that extremely pure Vast Righteous Qi is like a lighthouse in the dark to some people—very eye-catching."

Li Mo's face changed.

"You mean..."

"The Central Region, Jixia Academy."

When Dugu Yun uttered those four words, the air inside the Scripture Pavilion grew heavy.

Jixia Academy!

That is a true behemoth of the Cultivation World, the sole Holy Land of the Confucian Dao, with a Legacy spanning tens of thousands of years and a foundation far deeper than a remote little Sect like the Heavenly River Sword Sect could imagine.

It is said that a Libationer of the Academy can determine the rise and fall of a nation with a single word and paint the landscape of the realm with a single stroke.

"They... have sent someone?" Li Mo asked tentatively.

"They've arrived. And they're quite important." Dugu Yun gave a bitter smile. "Just now, a Cloud Boat docked outside the mountain gate. Leading the group is a Great Scholar from the Jixia Academy. They've specifically asked to see the Secluded Sage who stirred the Vast Righteous Qi and turned the tide at the last moment."

The corners of Li Mo's mouth began to twitch.

"What did the Sect Master say then?"

"What could the Sect Master say? He has no idea who it is!" Dugu Yun threw up his hands. "That kid, Sect Master, thought it was me, but my Sword Qi can fool others, but not a Great Scholar. As soon as they measure me with the Heart-Inquiry Ruler, I'll be exposed on the spot."

"So, now the entire Sect is looking for that sage."

Dugu Yun looked deeply at Li Mo.

"The Academy people said that he is a once-in-a-millennium seed of the Confucian Dao. If he can be brought back to the Academy and carefully nurtured, there is hope of him becoming a Saint in the future. This is also a massive Opportunity for the Heavenly River Sword Sect. As long as we hand him over, they are willing to protect the Sword Sect for a thousand years."

Li Mo fell silent.

Becoming a Saint?

Going to Jixia Academy?

This sounds like reaching heaven in a single step.

But Li Mo knew very well that such a place had strict rules and was filled with powerful experts. He had too many secrets—the Longevity Body, the System, Squeak, and that gaze from the abyss underground...

Once he went to such a top-tier power, under the eyes of those old monsters who had lived for countless tens of thousands of years, would he still be able to hide?

The first principle of the Path of Caution: Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix.

In this tiny Heavenly River Sword Sect, he had the Grand Elder looking out for him, endless books to read, and endless floors to sweep, making his life incredibly comfortable.

Only a fool would go to some academy to be a "seed," just waiting to be sliced up and studied.

"Elder, you know I don't want to go." Li Mo looked up, his eyes incredibly sincere. "I'm just a sweeper who barely knows a few words. As for that Vast Righteous Qi, it's just something that popped out of the books on its own; what does it have to do with me?"

Dugu Yun seemed to have expected him to say this, and a trace of appreciation flashed in his eyes.

"I knew you were a slippery little rascal. Don't worry, I don't want you to leave either. If you leave, who will fish with me? Who will recommend those strange and eccentric novels to me?"

"Then..."

"However, they have a 'Saint-Seeking Compass' in their hands." Dugu Yun pointed outside. "That thing can lock onto the source of Vast Righteous Qi. Right now, the compass needle is pointing straight at our Scripture Pavilion."

Li Mo's expression froze.

This was a recipe for being forcibly exposed!

"But don't worry too much." Dugu Yun suddenly pulled a blackish stone from his sleeve and shoved it into Li Mo's hand. "This is a 'heaven-deceiving stone' I snatched from a Demonic Path Cultivator during my early travels. The name sounds intimidating, but it actually just scrambles one's own aura. If you keep it on you and use that Breath-Concealing Technique you learned from who-knows-where, you should be able to get by."

"Remember, no matter who comes later, you must insist that you are illiterate. I've already had someone replace that 'song of righteousness' on the shelf with 'Jin Ping Mei'. As long as you don't admit it, they can't exactly perform a Soul Search on a Mortal."

Li Mo gripped the cold stone, a warm current rising in his heart.

This old man usually acted quite undignified, but in critical moments, he was truly protective of his own.

"Thank you, Elder!"

"Alright, get ready. They are already on their way."

Dugu Yun patted his shoulder, and with a flash of his body, he disappeared from the spot.

Li Mo took a deep breath and quickly tucked the "heaven-deceiving stone" close to his body.

Then, he did something very important.

He gathered all those precious Overlord Blade Sect Secret Manuals into his Storage Pouch and hid them in the deepest hole Squeak had dug.

Next, he hauled out a pile of the most ordinary, dust-covered ledgers from a corner and spread them out on the table.

Finally, he messed up his hair, smeared a handful of dust on his face, and even took off one shoe, letting one bare foot be clearly exposed.

A sloppy, lazy, and completely unkempt low-level Servant was instantly formed.

A quarter-hour later.

The melodious sound of a bell and orderly footsteps came from outside the Scripture Pavilion.

"Heavenly River Sword Sect's Sect Master, Sect Master, welcomes Great Scholar Su of Jixia Academy to the Scripture Pavilion!"

Accompanying this announcement, a peculiar pressure enveloped the entire Scripture Pavilion.

It wasn't Spiritual Pressure; it was 'Momentum'.

A literary 'Momentum' that, when one's reading reaches the extreme, can influence all things in heaven and earth and be turned to one's own use.

In the face of such 'Momentum', even the sharp edge of a blade seemed crude and unbearable.

The main doors were slowly pushed open.

A group of people walked in.

At the head was a middle-aged scholar in green robes. He had a lean face and a three-strand beard, holding an ancient book in his hand and a jade pendant emitting a faint white glow hanging from his waist.

Behind him followed the respectful Sect Master and the composed (feigned) Dugu Yun.

There were also several young Disciples dressed in Academy robes, carefully holding a golden compass.

At that moment, the needle on the compass was trembling violently before suddenly coming to a dead stop.

It pointed directly at Li Mo, who was slumped at the table, wetting his finger with spit to count copper coins.

"Hmm?"

Great Scholar Su stopped in his tracks, his gaze passing over the crowd and landing on the Servant who looked completely unremarkable, even somewhat wretched.

He frowned slightly, looking down at the compass in his hand and then back up at Li Mo.

"The place indicated by the compass is right here."

Great Scholar Su's voice was as warm as jade, yet it carried an unquestionable weight.

"Little friend... are you the manager here?"

Li Mo seemed to be startled by the display, and the copper coins in his hand clattered all over the floor.

He scrambled out from behind the table in a panic, one bare foot stepping on the cold floor, and stammered:

"Re... responding to the Great Master, I... I'm not the manager. The manager is sick, and I... I'm just a substitute... a sweeper."

As he spoke, he even sniffled and wiped his face with his dirty sleeve, putting on a foolish act of someone who had never seen the world.

The Academy Disciples behind Great Scholar Su did not hide their expressions of disgust.

How could someone like this trigger Vast Righteous Qi?

Was the compass broken?

Great Scholar Su, however, did not speak.

His eyes were as deep as the night sky as he quietly stared at Li Mo.

Then, he stepped forward, walking toward Li Mo one step at a time.

With every step, Li Mo felt the weight pressing on his Soul increase. It was an invisible scrutiny, intending to strip away all his disguises and secrets from his very core.

Li Mo's heart raced as his Void Walker trait operated to its limit, frantically reducing his aura to nothingness.

At the same time, the "heaven-deceiving stone" at his chest was growing intensely hot, helping him shield his Karma.

Great Scholar Su stopped three feet in front of Li Mo.

"Little friend, have you ever read books?" he asked softly.

It was a trap.

Any ordinary Servant with even a bit of vanity would surely say they had "attended a private school for a few years" to elevate themselves.

Li Mo, however, blinked, his eyes full of confusion.

"Books? Oh, does the Great Master mean that paper with pictures on it? I've seen those! I especially love reading 'The Pretty Widow Knocks at Night...'"

"Cough, cough!"

The Sect Master behind him began to cough violently in embarrassment, wishing he could find a hole to crawl into on the spot.

How humiliating!

The reputation of the Heavenly River Sword Sect was being completely dragged through the mud by this kid!

Finally, a faint trace of disappointment flashed in Great Scholar Su's eyes.

In Li Mo, he indeed felt no trace of talent, but rather a body full of worldly filth.

The "Heart-Inquiry Ruler" at his waist also showed no reaction.

Could it be that the compass was truly being interfered with by residual Vast Righteous Qi in this place?

Just as Great Scholar Su was preparing to turn and leave, his gaze inadvertently swept over the ledger Li Mo used as a disguise.

On an open page of the ledger, a line of extremely ugly, scrawling handwriting was written:

"Today bought thirty jin of cabbage, cost five mace of silver. In these times, cabbage is more expensive than human life."

This line of text was poorly written and the content was vulgar.

But in the eyes of Great Scholar Su, that last half-sentence, "cabbage is more expensive than human life," was like a needle, lightly piercing through a certain facade.

Within it, there was a sense of compassion for the world... and helplessness?

He whipped his head back and looked at Li Mo again.

At this moment, Li Mo was squatting on the ground with his rear in the air, focused intently on picking up his precious copper coins, looking completely defenseless.

"Interesting."

The corner of Great Scholar Su's mouth curled into an enigmatic arc.

He pulled out a seemingly ordinary writing brush from his robe and gently placed it on Li Mo's dust-covered table.

"Since you are a sweeper, then sweep a bit cleaner. This brush... I'll leave it for you to use for your accounts."

After saying this, Great Scholar Su turned and waved his large sleeve.

"Let us go. It seems there are no sages here, only... sentient beings."

Both the Sect Master and Dugu Yun breathed a secret sigh of relief.

It wasn't until the group had completely walked away and there was no more sound outside the pavilion.

Only then did Li Mo slowly stand up from the ground.

He looked at the brush on the table and realized that his back was already soaked with cold sweat.

That was no ordinary brush.

The barrel was warm and the tip was restrained; it was transformed from a single hair of the Jixia Academy's 'spring and autumn brush'.

"That old fellow didn't believe me at all."

Li Mo gave a bitter smile and picked up the brush.

At the end of the brush barrel, he discovered two tiny characters that were hard to detect even with a fingernail—'Under Observation'.

He was being treated as an object of observation!

"It seems this Scripture Pavilion... will be even busier in the future."

Li Mo sighed and casually stuck the brush into the brush holder on the table, mixing it with a pile of low-quality brushes.

Outside the window, the spring breeze blew, swirling the last few patches of lingering snow in the courtyard.

And in the Nine Heavens above that Mortals cannot see, a giant eye composed of countless characters was staring thoughtfully at this small Scripture Pavilion from ten thousand miles away.

"The Path of Caution is long; this is only the beginning."

Li Mo stretched and picked up his broom again.

Regardless, he had to pick up the copper coins on the ground first.

After all, cabbage really is expensive.