The road is vague

Chapter 261 Southern Barbarian Customs
Li Mo looked at the witch clan members who were being sacrificed at the Seven Stars Celestial Altar.

At this moment, the little giant had completely turned into a stone.

Although it still looks incredibly lifelike, as if it were alive, its inner vitality has completely disappeared, and it has become nothing more than a stone.

It seems to have come from heaven and earth, and returned to heaven and earth.

Li Mo narrowed his eyes slightly, then stepped forward and gently touched it with his right hand.

His popularity was like a deadly poison to the stone; the once lifelike little giant statue vanished in an instant, leaving no trace.

This left Li Mo stunned for a long time before he fell into deep thought.

"It seems that the feeling of transforming into a giant of fire from the earth's core was mostly a natural realization from its past life, which has now been transformed into its own aptitude and understanding. However, this realization also seems to have some negative effects. To some extent, it has also incorporated some characteristics of the witch race, becoming a sacrifice that can be offered up by other humans. Although the effect will be diluted, it can still be regarded as a great tonic..."

Think of this.

Li Mo quickly took out paper and pen and began to record his thoughts in the "Great Zhou Dream Interpretation".

Two hours later.

When Li Mo returned to the surface, it was already dusk. He instinctively glanced at the sky briefly, his face turning slightly pale, and he quickly went to a tavern to hide.

"Sir, would you like some Shaoxing wine?"

The waiter walked over with a smile and asked Li Mo.

After Li Mo nodded calmly, he finally understood the difference between the local yellow wine and the one served by the waiter.

Within the territory of Daqian Muzhou.

Shaoxing wine is usually simmered with seasonal fruits, resulting in a lingering, mellow aroma.

However, in this case, the so-called yellow wine is brewed by adding honey, fruit juice, and animal blood during the brewing process, and then undergoing a second brewing.

In addition, the climate in the Cangyuan region is hot, so there is no need to heat the wine when drinking it. Instead, it is paired with a spicy plant called "Kawali". After a few bites, you will sweat all over, which has a unique flavor.

Li Mo tried it out and was a little uncomfortable at first, but soon found it very enjoyable.

As dusk approached and twilight was about to end, Li Mo was preparing to pay his bill and leave when he saw a dozen soldiers laughing as they walked into the restaurant, excitedly boasting about their day's haul.

These people accidentally hunted down a man-eating monster during their routine patrol today. As a result, they received thanks from the chieftain of a barbarian tribe who had been hostile and isolated for a long time. The chieftain personally presented them with gold, gems, and spices. They were awarded a collective third-class merit and given a three-day holiday.

Seeing the genuine smiles on these people's faces, Li Mo made a pact to drink heartily until everyone was drunk.

He could clearly feel the pure friendship among these soldiers. No matter what danger they encountered, as long as their brothers were in trouble, they would go through fire and water without hesitation.

It's also a form of spiritual practice.

The cultivation path of those in the military seems to have taken a different turn, quite different from that of the disciples in the various sacred mountains and holy lands who comprehend the universe and the workings of creation.

After a while.

Li Mo arrived at the military camp stationed there alone.

"stop!"

The guards stopped Li Mo, who immediately showed his identity badge.

“Li Mo, a true disciple of the Lingmu Sect of Qingming Mountain, has important business to discuss.”

Whether he was a true disciple or a sixth-rank official of the imperial court, it was enough for him to come here to gather information.

After a while.

Li Mo was led to a guest room, and soon two people entered the room and looked at Li Mo.

"Haha, Fellow Daoist Li has traveled a long way to come here, which truly honors my humble abode. Let me introduce you. I am Peng Lie, the centurion of this place, and this is Qiao Lang, the military advisor. May I ask what brings you here so late at night?"

Peng Lie had a burly and uninhibited demeanor, while Qiao Lang was a gentle and refined scholar.

Li Mo cupped his hands in greeting to the two of them.

"It's like this, I've heard that there have been undercurrents in this southern barbarian lands lately, and the future may not be peaceful. Is that true?"

Upon hearing this, Peng Lie and Qiao Lang exchanged a glance.

Seeing that the two were suspicious, Li Mo calmly took out the Jingzhao Token and gently placed it on the table in front of him. When Peng Lie and Qiao Lang looked over, their eyes widened in surprise.

"This is the Jingzhao Decree issued by the Imperial Court. Holding this decree, one can bypass the Three Departments and Six Ministries and directly submit a memorial to the Central Cabinet. Do you two still have any doubts?"

"Don't dare!"

The two of them secretly gasped, and couldn't help but wonder about Li Mo's true identity.

However, what they knew was only the common intelligence of the military high command stationed in the southern barbarian lands, and did not involve too many secrets. So after a brief hesitation, the two decided to tell the truth and not offend this person.

"Fellow Daoist Li's information is correct; some changes have indeed occurred in the Southern Barbarian Lands..."

In the southern barbarian lands, there lived a turtle spirit who had lived for countless years and possessed the peak cultivation of the late Nascent Soul stage. He was recognized as one of the most powerful beings in the Central Plains, apart from those hidden cultivators who were unwilling to easily reveal themselves and become Nascent Soul cultivators. He was revered as the Heavenly Longevity Divine Turtle.

It was the Heavenly Longevity Divine Turtle that established the order of incense offerings in the southern barbarian lands.

However, not all monsters will comply.

Some demonic beasts are born ferocious and violent. After becoming spirits, they are unwilling to take human form and prefer to eat people to accelerate the refining of the essence of the sun and moon. They are naturally opposed to the gods in various places, and the struggle between the two sides has never stopped.

However, due to the influence of local deities, these demonic beasts usually have to hide in deep mountains and forests and dare not act too recklessly.

This is also why barbarians worship local gods with great reverence.

But a few years ago.

A second Nascent Soul stage demon beast, named the Mountain-Crushing Giant Ape, was born in the Southern Barbarian Lands. Its nature was extremely brutal. As soon as it advanced, it began to wreak havoc, leading many inherently brutal demon beasts that were unwilling to transform into human form in a fierce battle against the Heavenly Longevity Divine Turtle. Countless gods in various parts of the Southern Barbarian Lands died or were injured in a short time.

This was originally just an internal matter in the Southern Barbarian Lands, and for the people of the Great Qian Kingdom, it should have been a good thing.

However, the State of Lu intervened at this time, expressing strong support for the many gods of the Southern Barbarians, and the two sides engaged in frequent contact, which was certainly not good news for the Great Qian State.

As a result, many people with a keen sense of war made their own guesses.

Once the Heavenly Longevity Turtle, with the help of the State of Lu, leads the many gods of the Southern Barbarian Lands to defeat those man-eating monsters, the Great Qian Kingdom will certainly not allow the State of Lu to grow stronger, and the war will inevitably restart. However, the main battlefield will shift from the former Gobi Four Kingdoms to the present Southern Barbarian Lands.

The Great Qian Kingdom is currently accumulating strength and using man-eating monsters, led by the Mountain-Crushing Giant Ape, to weaken the gods of the Southern Barbarian Lands as much as possible.

For the Great Qian Kingdom, there might still be a sliver of a chance to win over the local deities to their side.

But for those man-eating monsters, there was absolutely no room for compromise!
However, for the gods of the southern barbarian lands, joining the Great Qian Kingdom was not a good choice, so they preferred to join the Lu Kingdom and enjoy more power.

"I see."

Li Mo learned about the layout of the Southern Barbarian Lands from the two people.

On the one hand, he was secretly surprised by the chaotic situation here, and on the other hand, he felt a sense of sadness for the plight of these regions and small countries living between large countries.

These small countries and regions have very little choice and could be torn apart at any time by the power struggles of major powers.

"How long does Fellow Daoist Li intend to stay here?"

Upon hearing this, Li Mo, who was pondering the situation in the Southern Barbarian Lands, couldn't help but show a surprised expression.

"I have no intention of staying here and plan to leave tomorrow. Why do you say that, Hundred-Commander?"

"Oh, that's how it is."

Peng Lie sighed. "A while ago, a ferocious beast flew in from somewhere and began to prey on people in nearby villages in the south every day, seriously affecting the local education efforts. However, this beast is extremely fast, and despite my several attempts to lead a large army to fight it, I have failed to kill it. Instead, it has only fueled its ferocity. So, a while ago, I invited a few friends to ambush and kill this scourge in one fell swoop. But unfortunately, my friends are not good at flying either, so the chances of success are not very high. Therefore, I would like to invite Fellow Daoist Li to join this mission."

He seemed afraid that Li Mo would refuse, so he quickly added some more details.

"Fellow Daoist, please rest assured. I have absolutely no intention of putting you in any danger. This fiend's true cultivation is only at the early stage of Foundation Establishment. So, whoever it is, as long as we hold it back a little and allow the other fellow Daoists to surround it, we can surely capture it in one fell swoop. As for the reward, I am willing to pay one hundred spirit stones, or equivalent materials. What do you think, fellow Daoist?"

"Lord Centurion, you are overthinking it."

Li Mo didn't care about the reward of one hundred spirit stones.

He declared righteously, "It is my duty to rid the people of this scourge. I, Li, will stay here for a few days and work with you to eliminate this scoundrel!"

"Hahaha! This is wonderful! With Fellow Daoist Li joining us, our chances of eliminating this fiend have increased by at least three percent!"

Peng Lie laughed heartily.

Upon seeing this, Li Mo couldn't help but inwardly grumble.

While these military personnel were invincible on large-scale battlefields, when it came to dealing with cunning demons and monsters, it was still up to the inspectors of the Heavenly Mandate Bureau.

a few days later.

As arranged, Li Mo went to this barbarian tribe to lie in wait.

Peng Lie and five others went into hiding in other nearby villages.

The seven agreed that if one of them managed to entangle the demonic bird, the other six would immediately come to its aid and surround and kill it.

With nothing else to do, Li Mo couldn't help but take a look at this barbarian tribe.

The entire tribe didn't have a single decent house; all the houses were simple thatched huts. The men and women wore coarse clothing that barely covered their private parts, and some were even completely naked. They had no sense of shame and hid in the shadows of the woods and thatched huts or worshipped totems.

Sudden.

A loud, long cry came from the distant sky.

Li Mo looked over and saw a huge black shadow soaring in the sky with its wings spread.

"that's it?"

Because of the great distance, Li Mo could not see the bird's true appearance.

However, he was certain that the other party could see through him, so he immediately disguised himself as a panicked and fleeing barbarian and ran away from the tribe in a panic and disheveled state.

If this beast were to head to another tribe, Li Mo wasn't sure if he could provide immediate support and kill it. But if it were to fly towards him, he would make sure it had no chance of survival!

The dark figure seemed to be attracted by Li Mo and immediately pounced towards him at an astonishing speed, producing a piercing sound as it cut through the air.

Even Li Mo was taken aback by the terrifying speed.

No wonder Peng Lie, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, was also helpless against this fiend.

As the giant bird approached, Li Mo, who was fleeing in panic, looked back and finally saw its true form.

This is a large eagle covered in silvery-white feathers, with a wingspan of about 1.5 feet. One of its eyes seems to have been shot out, leaving only a dark hole. Its whole body is surrounded by pure wind spirit power.

The giant bird's silhouette swept across the low sky.

The terrifying cyclone's wake caused strong winds to sweep across the ground, overturning many thatched huts.

As the distance between the two sides drew closer, Li Mo suddenly stopped, a cold smile appearing on his lips, and pointed lightly at the giant shadow that was chasing after him.

The dark golden light flashed and disappeared in an instant!
The ferocious bird immediately sensed the danger, as if shrouded in death. It let out a terrified scream, and its massive figure quickly faded, turning into a wisp of wind and disappearing.

Even so, a large number of blood-stained, silvery-white feathers still fell from the sky.

"Wind Release Technique?"

After a brief moment of surprise, Li Mo let out a cold laugh.

Suddenly, his Wind-Riding Cloak flashed with a magical light, and he activated the Wind Escape Technique as well, chasing after the bird until he shot out a stream of dark golden light once more.

The ferocious bird let out a strange cry, knowing full well the terrifying power of this dark gold flying sword, and immediately spat out a breath of its own demonic wind.

A dark blue-black demonic wind surged forth, slightly hindering the Heavenly Golden Sword.

But at this time.

But then another enormous figure suddenly appeared above the ferocious bird.

This was precisely the combined attack puppet that Li Mo had been lying in ambush before making its move!

The combined attack puppet suddenly unleashed its right fist, the terrifying power of which distorted the surrounding air violently, striking the ferocious bird squarely in the back and slamming it down from mid-air.

The ferocious bird screamed and fell.

The dark golden light broke free from the obstruction of the demonic wind, moving at an astonishing speed, heading straight for the ferocious bird.

The fierce bird was still falling through the air when it was pierced by the streak of light, emitting a mournful cry.

But this was, after all, a demonic beast, with incredibly tenacious vitality. After falling to the ground, it spread its wings again, trying to take off once more and escape from this place.

How could Li Mo possibly allow it to go as he wished?

He suddenly appeared above the bird and pointed at it again. The dark golden light still passed through its body, interrupting its flight.

If one sword isn't enough to kill, then two, three, four, five, six, seven, or eight swords will do.

As Li Mo stood in the air, looking down from above, and tapped the ground more than ten times with an expressionless face, the ferocious bird, which was regarded as a great enemy by the nearby barbarians, soon lay on the ground and was completely killed by the Tiancheng Huajin Sword.

It remained motionless, now a corpse.

Li Mo landed slowly, and after confirming that the monster was dead, he put away his magical artifacts and puppets and waited nonchalantly.

Several figures rapidly approached from a distance.

When the six men, led by Peng Lie, saw Li Mo standing nonchalantly beside the carcass of the raptor, they were utterly dumbfounded and speechless with shock.

"this!"

"died?"

"Fellow Daoist Li, this...you killed it all by yourself?"

"Hehe, since this bird landed here intending to kill me, it's really unfortunate that I, Li, am quite skilled in escape techniques, which is why I was able to take advantage of its unpreparedness and kill it successfully."

At this point, Li Mo pointed to the bird's blind eye.

"It seems that this creature was injured by the barbarians here before it became a spirit, which is why it regards the humans here as enemies."

The six people exchanged a glance, their shock lingering for a long time.

Judging from the wounds on this ferocious bird, it was absolutely impossible for it to be killed by speeding up and catching the bird off guard.

With the terrifying physique of a demon beast, how could it be easily killed?

He was killed by being repeatedly pierced through the body by a sharp flying sword.

Even if a demon beast has incredibly strong vitality, it cannot withstand so many sword wounds repeatedly. This person, as a true disciple of the Spirit Eye Sect, is indeed extraordinary and far superior to ordinary Foundation Establishment mid-stage cultivators.

(End of this chapter)