Tianjin, starting with unorthodox methods to achieve immortality

One month.

Late at night, in the secret chamber of Du'e Zhai.

The oil lamp flickered dimly, casting a yellowish glow. Chen Mo sat cross-legged, a thin layer of white steam rising from his body.

That wasn't sweat; it was the odor expelled from the body, a mixture of internal cold and residual heat.

On the ground in front of him were scattered some dark red crystal fragments, but they had lost their luster and looked like burnt-out charcoal ash.

The last Crimson Sun Blood Crystal was also exhausted.

Chen Mo slowly opened his eyes.

The lingering despondency in his eyes had dissipated, replaced by a cold, sharp glint in their depths.

He stretched out his palm, and slowly closed his five fingers.

"Crack..."

A sickening, bone-grinding sound filled the air, carrying a distinctly hard texture.

The outlines of the finger bones under the skin became clearer and firmer.

He looked down at his arm.

Despite still being thin, even more so due to the almost self-torturing asceticism he had undergone over the past month, his complexion remained unhealthy and pale.

But he could clearly feel that the main bones within the muscles had undergone tremendous changes.

No longer are they fragile, easily broken bones, but rather iron bones forged through countless trials.

Tempered to the bone like iron!

The first level of the Profound Yin Bone Tempering Method is complete!

With a slight thought, Chen Mo's Moonlight Mirror appeared in his consciousness:

Name: Chen Mo

[Remaining lifespan: Approximately 271 days] (The rate of Yin energy erosion has significantly decreased)

[Bone Structure: Grade C, Low Grade → Grade C, Medium Grade (Slight Yin Meridian Affinity, Significantly Increased Bone Strength)]

[Technique]:

The Netherworld Paper-Making Technique - Incomplete (Third Layer)

Mysterious Yin Bone Tempering Method (First Level)

[Mysterious Yin Evil Bone (Initial Formation)]:

Feature 1: [As hard as cold iron]

Feature 2: [Yin Sha Affinity/Resistance]

Feature 3: [Self-generated Qi]

Current Status:

Qi and blood: Moderate deficiency.

Feeling an unprecedented surge of power within him, even without using any magic, with his newly tempered body alone, it would be difficult for three or five strong men to get close to him.

If combined with paper puppets, its combat power is vastly different from its sickly appearance a month ago.

Unfortunately, the resources were exhausted.

The three Crimson Sun Blood Crystals enabled him to complete the first level of cultivation, with remarkable results, but they also revealed the extravagance of this technique.

Without the tempering of supreme Yang treasures like the Crimson Sun Blood Crystal, relying solely on Yin Sha to temper one's bones is tantamount to courting death.

The Crimson Sun Blood Crystal is clearly not a common item; Lei Laohu's collection of three likely involved considerable effort.

"We must get to the ghost market as soon as possible!"

Chen Mo clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking slightly again. "Not only do we need to find resources for further cultivation, but we also need to find a way to increase our lifespan."

Although the hidden dangers of the Yin energy have been brought under control, lifespan has not been restored much.

Two hundred days passed in the blink of an eye.

Chen Mo got up and stretched his limbs, feeling much lighter.

He exudes strength in every movement, and the weakness that used to make him breathless and have palpitations has disappeared.

"Bang!"

He tried throwing a punch at the wall of the secret room.

With a muffled thud, the wall shook slightly, and dust fell in a flurry.

The fist felt no pain; the recoil was easily absorbed by the hard bones.

Looking at the skin on his fist, there wasn't even a red mark.

"Very good." Chen Mo nodded.

This is only the first level. If one cultivates to the third level, the Profound Yin Fiend Bone, one will likely possess the legendary ability to lift a cauldron.

At that time, even when facing those vigorous martial artists from the Inspection Bureau, they might not be without a fighting chance in close combat.

"Those people who were watching us have finally left. Although it would be too suspicious for us to go out now, we can't waste any more time."

After mastering the paper-crafting technique to the third level, his senses became even more acute.

As early as a month ago, they noticed signs of being monitored, and not just one group.

These past few days, those groups of people have finally given up.

What he lacks most right now is time.

I can't wait any longer!

Chen Mo collected the blood crystal fragments and put them away, leaving five hundred silver dollars for later use, and stuffed the rest of his belongings into his bag.

The thousand silver dollars, along with the remaining gold bars, jewelry, and opium, weighed over forty kilograms and were quite heavy to carry.

Chen Mo carried the heavy package, his brows furrowed slightly.

Carrying so much cash and gold bars directly to the dock is tantamount to a child carrying gold across the street.

"We need a safe way to hide."

His gaze fell on the half-finished paper figures and horses in the corner of the secret room, and an idea came to him.

In less than half an hour, several large paper offerings that looked quite authentic appeared on the ground: an exceptionally heavy and sturdy paper general guarding the house, a tall but slightly bloated packhorse, and two boxes that looked to be filled to the brim with gold and silver.

From the outside, they are just ordinary funeral supplies with slightly rough workmanship and solid materials.

Only by weighing it will the abnormality be apparent, but who would bother to weigh such unlucky things?

He carefully hid the remaining dozens of silver dollars and some loose change on his person, and then stored the ghostly wisps and vengeful bones in a specially made inner pouch.

Finally, he made two invisible paper puppets, each only the size of a palm.

These paper puppets require very little effort and have almost no combat power.

Their role is not combat, but early warning and disruption.

If anyone attempts to forcibly destroy these offerings, the paper puppets will emit a faint warning and may ignite themselves if necessary.

Once everything was ready, Chen Mo changed into a slightly worn black cloth outfit.

Wearing a straw hat and further concealing his face, he made himself look like a pale-faced paper-making shop assistant.

It was already evening, and the sky was getting dark.

Chen Mo remembered a special night ferry to Tianjin; the ticket was inexpensive, only one silver dollar per person.

If you bring goods, the price ranges from two to ten silver dollars.

He pushed an old cart with a wooden frame, securing the guard general, horses, gold and silver chests on it, and then casually covered it with a tattered straw mat.

Liu Shoucai, the owner of the coffin shop, was smoking a pipe in front of his shop when he saw Chen Mo's entourage. His eyes lit up. "Hey! Young Chen! You've got... a big job and are going on a long trip?"

Chen Mo stopped the cart, slightly raised the brim of his straw hat to reveal the pale lower half of his face, and nodded to him, "Yes, it was ordered by a regular customer in Jinshi. They're in a hurry, so I'm sending it over."

"Jinshi?" Liu Shoucai smacked his lips, looked up and down at the large items on the cart, especially the sturdy general guarding the house, and clicked his tongue twice.

"Not bad, kid! Your skills are getting more and more like Old Chen's back in the day! That general's knot is quite impressive!"

He walked over and casually patted the general's leg. The heavy feeling made him raise an eyebrow, but he didn't think much of it, assuming that Chen Mo had added a few extra layers of paper to make the surface appear more solid.

"Just trying to make a living," Chen Mo replied briefly, not wanting to say more.

Just then, the curtain of the funeral clothing shop next door was lifted, and Widow Li came out carrying a winnowing basket to empty the ashes.

Upon seeing Chen Mo, she paused, a slightly complicated expression on her face.

"Chen... Brother Chen," Widow Li said softly, with a hint of hesitation.

Chen Mo turned around and nodded slightly to her: "Aunt Li."

Widow Li stepped forward, looked at the cart, then at Chen Mo's back, which seemed to have straightened a bit more. She moved her lips a few times before whispering, "Are you going to Jinshi? It's a long way, be careful."

"Do you have enough for travel expenses? You don't need to rush to pay me back..."

Chen Mo waved his hand, interrupting her, "Aunt Li, you're too kind. It's my pleasure."

In the original owner's memories, although Widow Li's own family was also struggling, she still secretly provided them with porridge and meals a few times, which totaled about one or two silver dollars.

"In Jinshi, I heard from a peddler the other day that there seems to be a group of strange people who wander around the docks and slums, saying they're worshipping the moon. They don't seem like good people."

"You absolutely must stay away from them," she said, her words clearly more specific than those of Boss Zhao.

Worshiping the moon? Chen Mo's heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained unchanged. He nodded again, "Thank you, Aunt Li, I'll remember."