If I stay in the Hehuan Sect, I'll live off the pampered daughters of the Heavenly Pride Sect.

The turmoil surrounding the Apocalypse Trials was quickly soothed by the passage of time.

Life at the Hehuan Sect seemed to have returned to normal...

A life of pleasure and debauchery, with undercurrents surging beneath the surface.

The first rays of morning sunlight fall on the ancient eaves of the Sutra Repository.

Behind the information desk on the second floor.

Mo Chengyue held a steaming cup of spiritual tea, a smile on his face, as gentle as a spring breeze.

"Senior brother, is this book, 'The Spring Breeze and Rain Technique,' really suitable for me?"

A female disciple from the outer sect blushed and asked shyly.

Mo Chengyue nodded slightly, his eyes as sincere as a clear spring.

"Junior Sister has a gentle constitution, and this cultivation method is gentle and long-lasting, making it the best for nourishing people."

"If you cultivate properly, not only will your cultivation level improve, but your skin will also become more supple and hydrated."

Upon hearing this, the female disciple's eyes lit up instantly, and she left, thanking him profusely, clutching the jade slip.

Before leaving, I couldn't help but take a few more glances at this "honest and handsome" senior.

Mo Chengyue maintained his professional fake smile and watched the other party leave.

The female disciple's figure completely disappeared around the corner of the stairs.

The smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by an extremely solemn and murderous expression.

"call……"

"Another one has been swindled away."

Mo Chengyue let out a long breath and quickly pulled out a yellowed talisman from under the consultation desk.

They moved incredibly fast.

He used his left hand to hold a cup of tea as a cover, while his right hand wielded a pen with lightning speed.

The nib of the pen was stained with a dark red cinnabar, a special ink mixed with the heart blood of a second-tier demon beast called "Phantom Poison Toad".

The brushstrokes flow like dragons and snakes, yet the spiritual power remains restrained.

In just three breaths.

A complex and obscure "Minor Five Elements Explosion Talisman" was thus completed in one go.

But it's not over yet.

Mo Chengyue frowned slightly, and the pen tip fell again.

He added a few more strokes to the original patterns on the talisman in a very subtle way.

These strokes are not meant to increase power.

Rather, it was for... to ambush people.

"Add a little bit of 'Bone-Corroding Powder' array pattern to guide the flow."

"Add a little bit of the 'blinding powder' trigger mechanism."

"Okay, let's add some super glue stickiness at the end."

As Mo Chengyue drew, he muttered to himself.

"A simple explosion is too low-level; it might not kill anyone, but it'll disgust people to death."

"Ideally, after the explosion, the opponent should be blinded, mangled, and stuck in place, making it easier for me to finish them off or escape."

Put down the pen, blow it dry, fold it, and stuff it into the storage bag.

The entire set of movements was fluid and skillful, so much so that it was heartbreaking.

Since returning from the Apocalypse Trials.

Mo Chengyue developed a severe "fear of insufficient firepower".

That Jiang Wei is simply inhuman!

Only five months left!

Five months from now, we'll be going to that so-called "Ancient Immortal-Demon Battlefield".

What place is that?

That's a meat grinder! A mass grave! A hellish place where even Nascent Soul stage experts have to tuck their tails between their legs!

Relying on the meager "Nine Dragons Heart-Protecting Mirror" issued by the sect?

Give me a break.

That thing can at best defend against a direct attack from the Gentleman's Sword.

You can't guard against a sneak attack from behind, and you can't guard against the unethical and despicable tactics of the demonic sects.

"To survive, you have to rely on yourself."

Mo Chengyue glanced at the countdown timer on his wrist.

"This morning's task is to draw one hundred improved Explosion Talismans, fifty Swiftness Talismans, and thirty more..."

"Turtle Breath Feign Death Talisman"

This last one is the most important.

If you can't win, play dead; this was the first survival rule he learned in the cultivation world.

"Senior Brother Mo, you are so diligent."

A clear and melodious sound suddenly rang in my ears.

Mo Chengyue's hand trembled, and he almost poked the talisman he had just drawn.

He discreetly placed the talisman under a book titled "Introduction to Formations," then looked up with his signature simple and honest smile.

"So it's Junior Sister Wanqing."

Lin Wanqing, holding a stack of ancient books, blinked her big eyes and looked at him with admiration.

"Everyone's still discussing the rankings in the Apocalypse Trials."

"Only you, senior brother, have stayed at your post as soon as you returned, and you've been studying ancient texts on formations ever since."

"No wonder Senior Brother was able to persevere to the end during the trial. I am ashamed of my own lack of such composure."

Mo Chengyue's lips twitched slightly.

Girl, you've misunderstood.

This isn't willpower, it's fear of death!

But can I say it?

No.

One's public persona cannot be ruined.

"Ahem, junior sister, you flatter me."

Mo Chengyue waved his hand modestly, and casually pushed the book "Introduction to Formations" to the side, covering the vermilion pen that was sticking out.

"The early bird catches the worm."

"I am not very talented, unlike those outstanding senior brothers, so I can only spend more time on these... basic knowledge."

Lin Wanqing's eyes sparkled with even more stars.

"Senior brother is too modest!"

"By the way, Senior Brother, Elder Chen asked me to send these newly collected fragments to the Ninth Floor. Would you like to come along and take a look?"

"I heard there are a few rare books about ancient puppetry inside."

Puppetry?!

Mo Chengyue's ears perked up instantly, like a cat smelling fish.

This is exactly the area of ​​knowledge he lacks most right now!

He had a pile of war puppet parts he'd salvaged from the training grounds, and he was worried about not having the skills to assemble them.

"Since it's an order from the elder..."

Mo Chengyue stood up with a serious expression that said, "I'm doing this for work."

"Then I, as your senior brother, will reluctantly help my junior sister with some of the burden."

……

During the day, they "study for a fee" in the library, while also taking advantage of the sect's resources.

Returning to Qingquan Peak in the evening was when Mo Chengyue truly began his "overtime."

Inside an inconspicuous abandoned mine shaft on the back mountain of Qingquan Peak.

This place has been transformed by Mo Chengyue into his secret base – "Shelter No. 0".

The entrance to the cave was protected by a total of eighteen layers of restrictions.

From the outermost illusion array, to the middle killing array, and then to the innermost array that isolates divine sense.

It can be described as impregnable.

Even if a fly flies in, it has to hand over its storage bag first, and leave its wings behind.

now.

Deep inside the mine, the firelight flickered.

Mo Chengyue was shirtless, revealing his strong, sweat-covered muscles.

He was wielding a hammer covered in runes, trying to "physically persuade" a pile of oddly shaped metal parts in front of him.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Sparks flew everywhere.

"The head of this copper spirit mother has an abnormally high level of defense."

Mo Chengyue wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked at the war puppet's head in front of him, which had only slightly deformed after he had been hitting it all night.

This thing was originally the head of that shield-wielding war golem.

Its hardness is comparable to that of a low-grade magical weapon.

"Since it's so tough, then don't use it as a head."

A crazed glint flashed in Mo Chengyue's eyes.

He took out a bead that emitted a faint blue light from his storage bag.

Those were "Thunderstorm Beads" that he bought at a high price on the black market; one of them could flatten a small hill.

"Empty your insides and stuff them with thunderstorm beads."

"Then engrave the 'Induction Detonation Array Pattern'."

"If anyone tries to cut off my head in the future..."

Mo Chengyue smiled sinisterly and made a parabolic gesture with his hand.

"I'll just throw this fake head at him."

"Surprised? Unexpected?"

This is Mo Chengyue's "scapegoat plan".

Since we can't defend against it, let's all perish together.

But this is not enough.

Mo Chengyue put down the hammer and turned his gaze to the dark log next to him.

Blackwood thigh.

This is really good stuff!

It belongs to the element of wood, is as hard as iron, yet possesses excellent spiritual energy conductivity.

"Second Senior Sister thinks it's dirty, but that's because she doesn't know its value."

Mo Chengyue caressed the thigh as if he were stroking a lover's skin.