9: Chapter 9 Snow Falls Silently, Yet a Scholar Can Subdue Ghosts and Gods

Winter had arrived.

The snow in the Cloud Break Mountain Range was exceptionally heavy this year.

Inside the Scripture Pavilion, the charcoal fire burned brightly.

Li Mo was nestled behind the counter, a thick blanket over his legs and a hand warmer in his grasp, flipping through a copy of Geomancy of Spiritual Veins and Selection of Yin Dwellings.

Although that list of spies had brought some peace to the Sect and he had "conveniently" patched the holes in the Mountain-Protecting Grand Array, the unease in Li Mo's heart only grew stronger.

These past few days, a fishy, cold draft had been creeping up through the cracks in the floorboards of the Scripture Pavilion.

"Squeak..."

A weak cry came from beside him.

Li Mo lowered his eyes.

Squeak, the Treasure-Seeking Rat who usually jumped around all day, was now huddled listlessly in the blanket, shivering all over.

Its glossy gray fur was dull, and the tips of the hair even held an ominous black tinge.

"Disobedient again, went burrowing around down there?"

Li Mo sighed, pressing his fingertip against Squeak's forehead.

[Touching a contaminated Spirit Beast.]

[Status Analysis: Demonic Baleful Qi has entered the body, Divine Soul is shaking.]

[Source: Three thousand zhang underground, a rift in an ancient Seal.]

As expected.

Li Mo's brow furrowed.

The worst-case scenario had happened after all.

The reason the Overlord Blade Sect dared to attack the mountain now was never just because of their tampering with the Formation.

Their true trump card was the method to detonate that "big guy" beneath the Heavenly River Sword Sect.

"Open up."

Li Mo fished out a failed Heart-Clearing Pill and stuffed it into Squeak's mouth. To him, failed pills just tasted a bit worse.

Once the Medicinal Pill was in its stomach, the black Qi on Squeak's body dissipated slightly, and a bit of spirit returned to its small eyes.

It pointed fearfully at the floor, its two front paws gesturing in the air to describe a massive, clawed silhouette.

"I know, there's a big guy waking up down there."

Li Mo's tone was calm, but his knuckles gripping the scroll turned white.

Just then—

"Woo— Woo— Woo—"

A dull, distant horn blast resounded through the mountain gate.

This was the highest-level enemy attack alarm!

In the next moment, the entire Scripture Pavilion shook violently.

Li Mo looked out the window; the sky was torn apart by countless blood-colored blade lights, which slammed ruthlessly against the light screen of the Mountain-Protecting Grand Array.

The Overlord Blade Sect is attacking the mountain!

The clamor outside, the shouts of slaughter, and the roar of clashing Magic Treasures instantly reached a boiling point.

Li Mo did not move.

His gaze was fixed firmly on the bluestone floor beneath his feet.

The thousands of blade lights in the sky were nothing more than a diversion.

The real killing move was beneath his feet.

Crack.

An extremely faint crisp sound came from deep within the foundations of the Scripture Pavilion.

The sound wasn't loud, but it made Li Mo's blood run cold.

Wisps of visible black mist emerged along the cracks in the floor.

Wherever the black mist passed, the spiritual wood on the bookshelves used to repel insects rotted instantly.

Several mundane books near the floor didn't even have a chance to be opened before they turned directly into flying ash.

Devilish Qi erosion.

Li Mo stood up and tucked Squeak into his robes.

He could clearly feel that the Spiritual Vein beneath the entire Heavenly River Sword Sect was being rapidly contaminated.

In less than half an hour, the Mountain-Protecting Grand Array would collapse on its own due to the exhaustion of its spiritual source.

At that time, the blade lights in the sky would have no more obstacles, and this place would turn into a slaughterhouse.

"Sigh, I just wanted to read a book in peace. Why is it so hard?"

Li Mo sighed and put down the Geomancy of Spiritual Veins in his hand.

He walked to the center of the Scripture Pavilion's main hall.

This was the eye of the pavilion's Formation and the key node for suppressing the demonic creature underground.

At this moment, this section of the floor had already turned pitch black, as if a hideous ghost face was roaring underground, trying to break through its shackles.

System, retrieve all entries related to 'suppression', 'purification', and 'Vast Righteous Qi'.

Li Mo commanded in his mind.

The interface before him refreshed frantically.

[Searching...]

[Matching entries: Vast Righteous Qi (Extracted from Confucian classics, Purple), Buddha's Light Shines Everywhere (Extracted from the Diamond Sutra, Blue), Demon-Suppressing Seal (Extracted from Taoist Talismans, Blue)...]

[Proceed with Fusion?]

"No Fusion."

Li Mo shook his head.

The commotion would be too big.

If he created a phenomenon like "Descent of the Golden Buddha" or "A Saint Descending to the Mortal World," he would be completely exposed.

What he wanted was to influence things silently.

Activate [Great Reader] mode, load book— song of righteousness.

Li Mo pulled a booklet from his robes used for the enlightenment of scholars in the Mortal world.

In the eyes of cultivators, this item was no different from scrap paper.

But in his eyes, this was the strongest suppression Magic Treasure in the world.

He sat cross-legged on the floor that was about to shatter, his expression solemn as he opened the scroll.

There were no Spiritual Qi fluctuations, no brilliant light.

Just like that, like the most ordinary schoolteacher, he began to read aloud.

"In the universe there is righteous Qi, which takes various forms in different things."

As the first line was spoken.

The originally violent, surging black Devilish Qi suddenly shrunk back.

Li Mo's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a strange rhythm, like the echo of the ultimate truths of heaven and earth.

[Words Follow Law] and [Confucian Sage Phenomenon] stacked.

Every word was an invisible Dao nail, hammered fiercely into that restless Devilish Qi.

"Below, it becomes rivers and mountains; above, it becomes the sun and stars."

The sound of reading echoed within the empty Scripture Pavilion.

A grand, upright, and unshakeable aura spread out silently with Li Mo as the center.

This aura was colorless and formless, yet it was as heavy as a mountain.

The hideous ghost face beneath the floor twisted in pain, letting out bursts of silent, soul-tearing shrieks.

It was unwilling!

It had clearly sensed the summons of blood food from outside, and the Seal had clearly loosened!

Why was it being suppressed by a Mortal's reading voice until it couldn't even lift its head!

"In man it is called the Vast Righteous Qi, which fills the vastness of the universe."

Li Mo's reading speed grew faster and faster, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

The Longevity Body could ensure his Physical Body didn't collapse, but using a Mortal body to mobilize the righteous Qi of heaven and earth to suppress the Demonic Abyss still took a massive toll on his Mental Energy.

At this moment, outside the Scripture Pavilion.

The battle had reached a fever pitch.

The Sect Leader of the Overlord Blade Sect, Duan Canghai, a terrifying existence at the Golden Core Late Stage, stood suspended in mid-air, the Ghost-Head Greatsword in his hand hacking wildly.

"Sect Master! Stop your futile resistance!"

Duan Canghai laughed wildly: "Your Sect's Spiritual Vein has been detonated by my Sect's secret technique. In a moment, this turtle shell will break on its own! When that time comes, the Heavenly River Sword Sect will have not a single soul left!"

Sect Master was covered in blood, his mouth full of bitterness.

The mountain peak beneath his feet was trembling, the Spiritual Qi underground had become foul and murky, and the light of the Mountain-Protecting Grand Array was dimming at an alarming rate.

Is Heaven going to destroy my Heavenly River Sword Sect?

He closed his eyes in despair.

However.

Just at the final instant before the array's light screen was about to shatter, a clear breeze suddenly blew from the back mountain.

The wind was not cold; it carried warmth as it swept through the scarred battlefield and blew into the hearts of every despairing Disciple.

In the wind, there seemed to be mixed... the sound of reading?

"In peaceful times, it flows through the imperial court."

"In times of hardship, integrity is revealed, each instance recorded in history."

The voice was clear and melodious, pleasant to the ear like a mountain spring, washing away the heavy bloodthirst and malice hanging over the battlefield.

In the next second, a miracle occurred.

The murky Spiritual Vein Qi, under the washing of this reading voice, actually cleared up instantly!

That majestic Devilish Qi attempting to break through the surface was like snow under a blazing sun, making a "sizzling" sound as it rapidly melted and retreated unwillingly into the depths of the earth.

Boom!

Supplemented by pure Spiritual Qi, the light of the Mountain-Protecting Grand Array surged!

The array screen, already covered in cracks, healed instantly, becoming even thicker and more resilient than before, and a faint layer of milky-white halo even began to flow over its surface.

That was the symbol of the blessing of the Vast Righteous Qi!

Clang!

Duan Canghai's certain-kill strike slammed fiercely against the halo.

A counter-shock force like a collapsing mountain or a tsunami surged back, causing his webbing to split and nearly making the Ghost-Head Greatsword fly from his hand.

"This... how is this possible?!"

Duan Canghai's eyes went wide and bloodshot.

How could the Spiritual Vein contamination be reversed? Where did this extremely pure Vast Righteous Qi come from?

This was a heaven-defying means only a Confucian expert could possess!

Does the Heavenly River Sword Sect hide a Confucian Half-Saint?!

"The reading voice... it's the Scripture Pavilion!"

Sect Master snapped his eyes open, his gaze fixed firmly on the direction of the back mountain.

There was only the Scripture Pavilion there!

At this time, inside the pavilion.

Li Mo finished reading the last line: "Under the eaves in the wind, I open my book to read; the ancient way shines upon my face."

He closed the scroll and fell backward as if exhausted.

The commotion beneath the floor had completely subsided; that rift had been forcibly "welded shut" by the Vast Righteous Qi. Within a hundred years, it shouldn't dream of coming out to cause trouble again.

Ding!

Host suppressed the Demonic Abyss with a Mortal book, achieving the achievement "Carrying the Dao through Literature".

Obtained Golden Entry: The Scholar's Backbone (Passive)

Entry Effect: As long as you are standing and reading, no evil or heterodoxy can make you kneel. Your Mental Energy has an absolute suppression effect on evil spirits.

So tired...

Li Mo slumped on the floor, feeling as if his body had been hollowed out. This was more exhausting than sweeping the floor for an entire day.

Squeak poked its head out from his robes, its eyes full of admiration, its two small paws clapping frantically.

"Stop clapping. Go, wipe the floor clean."

Li Mo pointed weakly at the floor; the black stains there were too conspicuous.

Just then, hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

Li Mo's heart skipped a beat. He immediately bounced up from the floor, grabbed a broom, and huddled in the corner, putting on a terrified expression.

Bang!

The door was pushed open by a great force.

A blood-covered Sect Master and Dugu Yun rushed in.

Their eyes immediately swept the center of the hall—it was empty.

There was only a Servant huddled in the corner shivering, and a few scattered books.

"Where is he? Where is that Senior?" Sect Master looked around urgently, his Divine Sense spreading out, but he found nothing.

Dugu Yun's gaze, however, paused for a moment on Li Mo in the corner and then on the patch of water on the floor that hadn't quite dried yet.

"Did you hear that reading voice just now?" Sect Master asked Li Mo.

Li Mo's teeth chattered as he nodded like a woodpecker: "I... I heard it. It was... so loud... I thought it was a ghost reading... I... I was scared to death..."

Disappointment flashed in Sect Master's eyes.

It seemed that Confucian expert had departed after taking action.

It made sense; such a high-level figure would come and go like a divine dragon, never easily showing their face.

Dugu Yun, however, walked to the spot where Li Mo had been sitting, bent over, and picked up that copy of the song of righteousness.

The pages still held a trace of warmth.

He flipped through the pages, looking at the ordinary words on them, but his eyes stirred with a massive wave.

This was no mere book!

Every word remaining on this book seemed to contain an upright and unyielding world, as heavy as Mount Tai! That lingering Dao charm alone was enough to make him, a Nascent Soul Elder, almost unable to breathe!

Tea spilled on him... forgotten scrolls... Utility Disciple...

In an instant, all the clues connected in Dugu Yun's mind, merging into a conclusion that he himself found absurd and shocking!

"Junior Martial Uncle, what's wrong?" Sect Master noticed his abnormality.

Nothing.

Dugu Yun calmly tucked the song of righteousness into his robes, his movements as careful as if he were holding a peerless treasure.

He glanced at Li Mo, who was still "shivering" in the corner, his gaze complicated to the extreme.

"Just a primer for children."

His voice returned to a calm tone. "Since the expert is not here, let us go. The array is now solid; it's time to make those mad dogs of the Overlord Blade Sect never return!"

Yes!

The two came quickly and left just as fast.

Li Mo looked at Dugu Yun's departing back, feeling a bit of heartache.

That book, I spent so long writing notes in it... forget it, consider it a hush-money payment.

He propped himself up against the wall and looked out the window.

The tide of battle had already turned.

With the blessing of the Vast Righteous Qi, the Mountain-Protecting Grand Array was indestructible; the Overlord Blade Sect was now in a dilemma.

Next, it was time to close the door and beat the dogs.

He stretched, not intending to get involved further.

One moment in the spotlight was enough; let the big shots handle the mess.

Squeak, get some food, and make it quick. I feel like I could eat a whole cow.

Squeak gave a salute and whooshed into a hole in the floor.

However, just as Li Mo was about to return to his room, the System's notification sound rang out again.

This time, it was not good news.

Warning!

Because the Host mobilized Vast Righteous Qi to suppress the Demonic Abyss, although the Seal was successful, it also attracted the attention of the other side of the "Abyss".

A new entry is being generated...

Target locked: Heavenly River Sword Sect Scripture Pavilion.

Countdown: ???

Li Mo's footsteps came to a sudden halt.

He looked up, his gaze piercing through the roof and staring into the depths of the endless Void Realm.

The gaze of the... Abyss?

Li Mo narrowed his eyes, a cold arc curving at the corner of his mouth.

"Then come and look."

"If you dare to come, I'll dare to read you into an entry too."

The snow fell even harder.

It covered the bloodstains and also covered all the secrets within this Scripture Pavilion.