One person: Lu family bodyguard, who shattered Longhu Mountain with a single palm strike.

Ruins on the back mountain.

The acrid smell of burnt lightning still lingered, and the deep crater in the ground still bore the chilling blue-white arcs of electricity.

Lu Jin frowned and looked at Zhang Zhiwei: "Old Zhang, since this is not the current path of your Celestial Master's Mansion, then this matter is extremely serious."

"Could it be some other reclusive senior figure from your Celestial Master's Mansion who's kept hidden away?"

Zhang Zhiwei shook his head, his expression resolute: "All of my fellow disciples from the same period, except for Lao Tian, ​​have passed away."

"As for whether there are any other reclusive masters in the Celestial Master's Mansion, I can say with certainty—no."

He stroked his beard and added, "At least to the best of my knowledge, absolutely not."

Upon hearing this, Lu Jin's expression became even more strange: "That's truly unbelievable."

"But no matter what, no matter who this person is, today's commotion has done you, Master Celestial, a great favor."

Zhang Zhiwei did not deny it.

This is indeed true.

A peerless master, who was on the verge of ascending to immortality and could even forcefully suppress his ascension, was located in the back mountain of the Celestial Master's Mansion.

It uses thunder energy that is even more ancient and domineering than the Five Thunder Orthodox Method.

If these Ten Elders weren't completely out of their minds, they would absolutely not dare to cause trouble for the Celestial Master's Mansion at this critical juncture.

Who can guarantee that if you offend the Celestial Master's Mansion, that one day that reclusive master might suddenly descend the mountain and visit their home for a cup of tea?

Or perhaps you could stand by their bedside in the middle of the night and have a heart-to-heart talk with them?

Who can withstand this kind of stimulation?

Even the Ten Elders couldn't withstand it.

"At least for now we can be sure that this master has no ill intentions towards my Celestial Master's Mansion, and he has not left either," Zhang Zhiwei said calmly.

Lu Jin's eyes lit up: "Then why don't you send someone to look for him? After all, he's on your Celestial Master's Mansion territory."

Zhang Zhiwei thought for a moment, then decisively shook his head: "No."

"Not going to look for it?"

"Since this master does not wish to show himself, it would be disrespectful for us to disturb him."

Zhang Zhiwei said calmly, "Moreover, if someone who can easily cut off ascension doesn't want to be found, I could search every inch of Longhu Mountain and still not find him."

Lu Jin thought for a moment, then sighed, "Well, that's the only way."

The atmosphere was heavy for just two seconds.

"Gurgle—"

Lu Jin's stomach suddenly growled loudly, much to her dismay.

His face darkened, and he glared at Zhang Zhiwei: "Let's put ascension aside for now."

"Hey Lao Zhang, it's one thing for you to chase those old geezers down the mountain without feeding them, but I was invited here to help. You can't expect me to go hungry too, can you?"

Zhang Zhiwei glanced at him and said slowly, "You can eat, but remember to pay. The Celestial Master's Mansion's vegetarian meals are fair and honest."

Lu Jin jumped up and down: "Hey! Seriously, Lao Zhang! You're going to pay for even one of my meals? Are you out of your mind?"

Zhang Zhiwei stroked his beard with an air of self-righteousness: "With your Lu family being so wealthy, do you really need to worry about the cost of a meal from an old man like me?"

Lu Jin's lips twitched violently, and she laughed angrily, "Hey! You stingy little devil! Fine, fine, I'll pay up!"

"Come on, let's call my granddaughter and Lin Mo, let's go eat! We're going to eat you out of house and home today!"

The moment she turned around, an extremely absurd thought suddenly flashed through Lu Jin's mind.

Could that earth-shattering thunderous commotion just now have been caused by that brat Lin Mo?

But as soon as the thought popped into her head, Lu Jin ruthlessly nipped it in the bud.

impossible!

Absolutely impossible!

Lin Mo is only in his early twenties at most, and it's already quite extraordinary that he could kick away a second-level Reverse Life cultivator with one kick at that age.

If someone could directly trigger heavenly lightning to ascend to immortality, they wouldn't just be a genius, they'd be a monster among monsters!

This is completely illogical.

……

the other side.

A secluded rest area on the front of the mountain.

Lin Mo carried Lu Linglong to the ground and landed steadily. He leaned against a tree, panting heavily, and casually wiped away a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth.

Lu Linglong stood to the side, her face pale and her eyes red: "Lin Mo, are you alright?"

Lin Mo waved his hand, stretched his shoulders, and chuckled, "It's a minor issue. It's just an emergency."

"The commotion just now is enough to prove that my professional ethics can withstand the test."

"Not only did you survive the unexpected situation, but you were also brought out completely unharmed."

Lin Mo looked at her seriously, "Miss Lu, I think my security skills are passable? I'm capable of protecting you."

Upon hearing this, Lu Linglong's ears instantly turned bright red.

She playfully punched Lin Mo on the shoulder: "Are you obsessed with money?! What kind of time is this to talk to me about professional ethics?!"

"You just punched yourself until you vomited blood! You're sure you didn't suffer any internal injuries?"

Lin Mo straightened up, glanced down at the charred black patch on his chest, and said with an extremely serious expression, "I'm concerned. The clothes are badly damaged, so this must be claimed through workers' compensation."

Lu Linglong took a deep breath and gritted her teeth: "Lin Mo!!"

"It's nothing, just that my blood and energy are too strong, I just spit out a couple of times to relieve the pressure."

Lin Mo chuckled and leaned against the tree trunk, secretly examining himself.

He wasn't bragging.

Just now, I forcibly cut off the ascension energy and shattered a bit of thunder energy, but in just a few breaths, the endless vitality of the max-level Nine Yang Divine Skill in my body, combined with the domineering self-healing of the Five Thunder Heavenly Heart Technique, has already repaired that slight organ damage to its original state.

It can only be said that the additional attributes of these divine skill manuals are more and more unreasonable than the last.

At this moment, the thunderous energy in the meridians completely stabilized, quietly dormant within the Nine Yang True Qi.

Lin Mo knew very well that in his current state, as long as he was willing to calm down and practice seriously for a minute or two, he could succeed.

That upward pull will return immediately.

But he would never practice for two or three minutes!

Anyone who practices that is a fool!

He's here on a business trip to earn money, not to process his resignation and promotion!

Moreover, in that world of Bad Guys, mastering the Five Thunder Heavenly Heart Technique to the fifth level already grants one unparalleled power, and mastering it to the sixth level signifies combat strength above the Great Heavenly Realm.

That world was only reached by the seventh generation Celestial Master and the founder of the Celestial Master's Mansion.

Only Zhang Daoren, the patriarch of the Celestial Master's Mansion, became invincible after reaching the seventh level of the Five Thunder Heavenly Heart Technique, and ultimately ascended to immortality.

Now that he has brought this seventh level to this world, he dares not say that he can defeat the old master with one punch, but he is at least among the top, and can sweep away all those who disagree.

With this kind of strength, making money in the world of supernatural beings is like a game-changer; why would one need ascension?

Lu Linglong stared at Lin Mozai for a long time and found that his face was rosy and his breathing was extremely steady.

It's even better than her body, which is that of a true disciple of the Quanzhen Longmen sect, who specializes in honing her life skills.

Her heart finally settled down completely.

Lu Linglong sighed and lowered her voice, saying, "Although I don't know what kind of outrageous thing you practiced that could actually pull down heavenly lightning."

"But since you don't want others to know, then I'll reluctantly keep it a secret for you."

Lin Mo chuckled upon hearing this.

Looking at Lu Linglong's earnest yet proud expression, he felt a rare surge of emotion and smiled sincerely, "Thank you, Linglong."

Lu Linglong's cheeks flushed slightly, and she was about to reveal a smug smile.

Lin Mo then added, "Of course, it's okay if you don't want to keep it a secret."

"Anyway, I will absolutely not pay hush money. I don't have that budget. Give up."

Lu Linglong's smile froze instantly.

Two veins popped out on his forehead.

"Lin! Mo! You were only touched for a second!"

Enraged, she punched Lin Mo hard in the chest.

"Bang!" The fist landed solidly.

Lin Mo stood still without even swaying.

With 115 years of pure internal energy and the protection of the max-level Nine Yang Divine Skill, he not only felt no pain when the fist landed on him, but even felt a tingling sensation.

"The strength is not bad," Lin Mo commented seriously. "It's like a massage, but you didn't get much pressure. The landing point is inaccurate, and the force is too direct. Tomorrow's stress training can include a set of shoulder and elbow coordination exercises."

Lu Linglong gritted her teeth in anger, just about to kick him: "Shut up!"

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came from the side.

Zhang Lingyu, dressed in a white robe, hurried over from the mountain path.

Upon seeing the two, he visibly relaxed and immediately quickened his pace to approach them: "Miss Lu, Mr. Lin, are you alright?"

Lu Linglong quickly withdrew her foot, tidied her hair, and returned to normal: "It's nothing, it was just that there was thunder in the back mountain just now, and the sound was quite scary."

Lin Mo nodded seriously, "Yes, it is indeed the ancestral home of Taoism. The weather on the mountain changes much faster than in the city. Thunder can come out of nowhere."

Upon hearing this, a deep sense of guilt immediately appeared on Zhang Lingyu's face.

He clasped his hands in a fist and bowed slightly to the two of them, saying, "I am truly sorry that Longhu Mountain did not provide adequate hospitality today and caused you both to be frightened. This is Lingyu's fault."

Lin Mo raised an eyebrow as he watched, inwardly marveling.

This has absolutely nothing to do with Zhang Lingyu. He was the one who attracted the lightning, yet this little Taoist priest is the one who's taking the blame and apologizing.

As expected of Lingyu Zhenren, his personality was indeed too honest, making him feel embarrassed to continue trying to trick this honest man.

Of course, I felt a little embarrassed.

Zhang Lingyu straightened up and explained his purpose: "My master instructed me to come and invite you two to the dining hall. Dinner is ready, and Senior Lu is waiting there as well."

A few minutes later.

Lin Mo and the other two followed Zhang Lingyu to the front mountain canteen.

As soon as I entered, I saw Lu Jin and Zhang Zhiwei already sitting at a large square table.

The food was simple, a standard vegetarian meal, but the portion was good. Lin Mo had just been struck by lightning, and although his injuries had healed, he was extremely exhausted, so he immediately decided to eat more.

"Linglong, Lin Mo, come and sit down."

After everyone was seated, Lu Jin glanced at Lin Mo and Lu Linglong, and asked in a seemingly casual tone, "Did you two see the commotion on the back mountain just now?"

Lu Linglong's heart skipped a beat, but she forced herself to remain calm and nodded: "Yes, I saw it. It was quite a commotion."

Lin Mo's eyes widened in shock, his expression so exaggerated it could win an Oscar: "That's terrifying! Such a huge bolt of lightning! I've never seen lightning strike the ground like that before!"

Lu Jin stared intently into Lin Mo's eyes: "You weren't around there just now?"

Lin Mo spread his hands innocently: "How could that be? I was giving Miss Lu a sparring lesson at the time."

As he spoke, he nudged Lu Linglong with his elbow. "Right, Linglong?"

Lu Linglong nodded enthusiastically, like a chick pecking at rice: "Yes, Grandpa, he's always been with me while I practice."

Lu Jin stared at the two of them for several seconds, but couldn't find any flaws.

Zhang Zhiwei's gaze lingered on Lin Mo for a moment, still unfathomable as before.

He looked like an ordinary young man, his aura completely concealed, without a trace of thunder magic.

But the more this was the case, the more interesting Zhang Zhiwei found it.

But he didn't point it out, only stroked his beard and smiled: "It's good that you're alright. The strange phenomena in the mountains were indeed frightening, I apologize for startling you."

Lin Mo immediately waved his hand: "Not at all, not at all, you're too kind, Master."

Zhang Zhiwei suggested with a smile, "Since the grand ceremony hasn't started yet, if you're free, you can stay on the mountain for a couple more days. It's a good opportunity for you younger generations to exchange ideas and learn from each other."

Lu Jin slapped his thigh and laughed heartily, "I think it's a good idea! Anyway, Linglong has nothing to do these days."

Lin Mo secretly calculated his paid business trip days, which was exactly what he wanted.

He looked at Zhang Zhiwei earnestly: "Master, my main concern is the accounts. So many trees on the back mountain were damaged by lightning; surely that shouldn't be counted as damage caused by tourists?"

Lu Linglong lowered her head and ate her rice, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Zhang Lingyu's expression was complicated.

Lu Jin glared at him: "You're actually worrying about Longhu Mountain now?"

Zhang Zhiwei chuckled and said gently, "That doesn't count."

"That's good." Lin Mo breathed a sigh of relief; otherwise, who would be responsible for the compensation?

As they were talking, a young Taoist boy wearing a coarse cloth robe and with a few freckles on his face walked in carrying a tray.

The young Taoist priest smiled politely and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Grand Master. Greetings, Senior Lu."

He then looked at Zhang Lingyu and Lin Mo, "Greetings, Master Lingyu, Miss Lu, and Mr. Lin."

Lu Jin smiled and nodded, then casually asked, "Xiao Yu, are you carrying that food to deliver to Lao Tian?"

The young Taoist boy, called Xiaoyuzi, nodded repeatedly: "Yes, Elder Lu, Second Grand Tutor is still in the backyard."

Lu Jin stroked his beard and sighed with satisfaction, "With such a thoughtful and sensible young disciple like you taking care of Old Tian, ​​I can rest assured quite a bit."

Xiao Yuzi scratched her head a little shyly, her cheeks slightly flushed: "It's my honor to be able to take care of Second Grand Tutor, I'm very happy. Grand Tutor, Elder Lu, I'll be going now."

"Go ahead, drive carefully."

Just as Xiao Yuzi turned to walk towards the back mountain, Lin Mo paused slightly in his chopsticks, his gaze lingering on Xiao Yuzi's back for a few seconds.

This freckled Taoist boy looks harmless, but he is actually Gong Qing, the current acting leader of Quanxing Sect.

A ruthless character who has been lying in wait in the Celestial Master's Mansion for many years, just to uncover the secrets of the Jia Shen Rebellion.

If we expose them now, the Celestial Master's Mansion can immediately kill them.

But Lin Mo dismissed the idea after only a second in his mind.

Now that Gong Qing has been exposed, the whole Quanxing attack on the mountain is probably over.

That's a huge order for the second half of the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony!

Large-scale group combat, high-risk nighttime missions, full-scale attacks, emergency escort, wounded personnel treatment, live capture, site damage control...

Each item can be billed separately!

When it comes to his grand plan of buying a river-view penthouse, no one can stop him from taking the order.

If I really want to offer a reminder, I'll have to wait for the right time, ideally when it generates an "intelligence advisory fee".

Free intelligence?

No way. At worst, we can just keep an eye on Old Tian's movements and make a quick buck with his high-risk protection fee.

Lu Linglong noticed that he glanced at Xiao Yuzi a few more times, and lowered her voice to ask, "Do you know him? Why are you looking at him?"

Lin Mo said seriously, "It's nothing, just taking a look, for workplace exchange and learning."

Lu Linglong was speechless: "Can you please stop bringing everything into the workplace?"

Lu Jin ate a couple of bites of rice, then steered the conversation back to Lin Mo: "Lin Mo, how's the stress-resistance training for Linglong going these past two days?"

Lin Mo swallowed the food in his mouth, instantly switching to a standard professional smile: "The progress is going very smoothly. Miss Lu has a solid foundation and stable life cultivation."

"As long as she renews her subscription on time, I am confident I can help her reach even greater heights."

Lu Linglong was just starting to enjoy listening to Lin Mo's next sentence.

"The main problem is that I get emotional easily, my starting moves are too obvious, my waist and hip coordination is insufficient, and my defensive and counter-attacking awareness is weak."

Lu Linglong glared at him: "Can't you just say less about the flaws?"

Lin Mo looked at her and said, "Sure, but that's an emotional value service, and it will cost extra."

Lu Linglong gritted her teeth in anger: "Shut up!"

Lu Jin laughed heartily: "Well said! Linglong, you should let him hit you more. Although Lin Mo is ruthless, he knows how to control himself."

"Mr. Lu, I'm not ruthless," Lin Mo immediately corrected. "I'm just precise."

Right at the moment of this highly commercialized report.

Zhang Lingyu, who had been quietly eating, suddenly put down her chopsticks.

He sat up straight and looked at Lin Mo with an extremely serious expression.

"Excuse me, Mr. Lin."

Zhang Lingyu clasped his hands together, and his usually calm eyes now revealed an extremely strong desire for battle.

"Lingyu has benefited greatly from observing Mr. Lin's guidance to Miss Lu today. If it's convenient for Mr. Lin... would Lingyu be willing to seek his advice tonight or tomorrow?"

These words were spoken.

The entire dining table fell silent for a moment.

Lu Jin's hand, which was holding a chopstick, froze in mid-air, her face full of surprise.

Even Zhang Zhiwei turned his head in surprise to look at his proud and arrogant disciple who rarely took the initiative to challenge him.

Lu Linglong also widened her eyes in surprise.

Lin Mo blinked, his heart filled with elation.

Wow, a big business opportunity has come knocking!

He looked at Zhang Lingyu, his gaze instantly becoming unusually gentle, as if he were looking at an exceptionally high-quality client.

"It is convenient, indeed."

"It depends on your budget. Master Lingyu, would you like a one-time sparring session, or a monthly pass to get beaten up?"

Zhang Lingyu, still in a fist-and-palm gesture, was clearly stunned: "Budget...? Monthly pass?"

……