Longevity Strange Immortal-Chapter 34: The Appearance of the Sub-Device Sect

After the Ghost Tiger absorbed the Deceit Beast Blood, stray thoughts indeed began to emerge, not only affecting the Tattooed Beast but also stirring waves within Li Mo’s heart.

The skin on his right arm rippled as if it might detach from his body at any moment.

Li Mo forcefully suppressed the stray thoughts. Ever since he awakened the Divine Skill of memorization, his mental realm had been exceptionally stable, yet the drawbacks of Deceit Beast Blood were evident.

A single careless moment, and the Ghost Tiger might transform into a Fake Beast.

Li Mo furrowed his brows and began painting the Mountain King Map on rice paper, using absolute focus to gradually dispel the increasingly intense stray thoughts.

At the same time, he did not abandon his cultivation.

The Spirit Root Transformation of his heart had already been ingrained into his instincts, requiring almost no conscious interference. Mist Fog Spiritual Power naturally flowed through his internal organs.

It took a full two days for the tiger head tattoo to settle back into tranquility.

Li Mo cast Hui Qingyi.

Within the room, a Ghost Tiger over two meters tall materialized, exuding an even wilder aura, with black mist continuously spewing from its mouth and nose.

The Ghost Tiger’s power, however, had not visibly advanced.

But the most critical aspect was how the Deceit Beast Blood could subtly improve the foundation of the Tattooed Beast, reducing the Spiritual Power Flesh consumption required to sustain it.

Over time, the Ghost Tiger would surely undergo an unimaginable transformation.

After staying in his guest room for ten days, Li Mo finally stepped out and headed for the Treasure Pavilion.

Yet, the moment he appeared in the black market, covert gazes once again followed him like shadows—albeit less frequently than before.

Li Mo remained unfazed, striding quickly through the black market streets.

He showed no signs of unfamiliarity; on the contrary, his movements revealed a profound understanding of its layout. Seeing this, his trackers hesitated and eventually gave up pursuing him.

Li Mo’s behavior was far too reminiscent of baiting a trap.

In the black market, some cultivators deliberately feigned weakness to lure others into attacking them.

A smirk curled on Li Mo’s lips. As long as he stayed within the black market for now, he likely wouldn’t encounter significant danger. For the time being, he prioritized cultivation.

He approached the vicinity of the Treasure Pavilion.

The roadside stalls, riding on the Pavilion’s popularity, crowded the streets so tightly that only a narrow two-meter path was left for pedestrians.

Out of the corner of his eye, Li Mo scanned the eclectic array of goods, which even included dried, emaciated human remains.

The origins of these items were likely unknown even to their vendors. After all, for loose cultivators, grave-digging had become everyday business to earn Spirit Stones.

This was the allure of the black market—one might stumble upon rare treasures amongst the chaos.

"Come take a look at this Ancient Magic Artifact, the ’Pot Landscape.’"

"It can be used for cultivating internal organs. Though slightly damaged, it still qualifies as a Mid-grade Magic Artifact. Only 300 Mid-grade Spirit Stones..."

The rabbit-headed vendor rambled on incessantly about the Magic Artifact, which resembled a broken metal kidney. The name "Pot Landscape" was probably fabricated on the spot.

Magic Artifacts were divided into Upper, Middle, and Lower grades. Beyond that higher tier were Magic Treasures, which required the strength of the Thirty Years Old Stage (Golden Core Stage) to wield.

Additionally, the ancient Cultivation World also featured Life-bound Magic Artifacts. freewebnσvel.cøm

However, those were specialties of Sword Cultivators and Artifact Cultivators. For the Beast Cultivators of the Heart Beast Sect, cultivation was built around their Lifebound Spirit Beasts.

Li Mo narrowed his eyes, his expression tense as though facing a deadly threat.

He had noticed that the rabbit-headed vendor’s skinned appearance bore traces of metal poisoning, similar to Jin Li’s condition.

Keeping his head down, Li Mo gleaned plenty of information from the loose cultivators gathered around.

It seemed that Magic Artifacts like the Pot Landscape had all been retrieved from a Secret Realm associated with the "Tie Ding Sect"—a place abundant in Artifacts and Artifact Refining Materials.

So-called Secret Realms were often evolved from Blessed Land Cave Heavens, and they might still harbor Taoist inheritances left by former guardians of these realms.

Yet, something felt amiss to Li Mo. The loose cultivators discussing the Tie Ding Sect all displayed symptoms of metal poisoning.

Moreover, according to their accounts, the method of entering and exiting the Tie Ding Sect’s realm was bizarre and ominous. Their words were laced with trepidation.

"Sub-Device..."

Li Mo did not linger further and turned to enter the Treasure Pavilion.

He had no intention of getting involved in matters related to the Sub-Device Sect; the waters were far too murky. For now, his focus remained on the Death Disease set to erupt a decade from now.

Stepping into the Treasure Pavilion, a bright and spacious hall unfolded before him.

The grand hall was decorated with opulence, its floor inlaid with tiles engraved with beast patterns, seemingly part of a calming and mind-centering Array.

The reception staff, surprisingly, were all cultivators at the Second Layer of Puberty.

They retained essentially human forms, but to handle assorted tasks simultaneously, four additional arms had been grafted under their ribs.

The immense wealth of the Treasure Pavilion was evident.

"Honored guest, are you here to pledge or to purchase?"

"Pledge" was merely a polite term, rooted in ancient traditions of pledging and redeeming.

"Both pledge and purchase."

"Understood."

The waiter gave Li Mo a quick once-over. Despite his Childhood Stage cultivation, Li Mo’s aura was restrained, making it impossible to discern his true level. His presence exuded the ferocity of a mountain tiger.

Adjusting his demeanor to be more respectful, the waiter said, "Honored guest, please follow me to a private room."

Li Mo nodded faintly as they left the bustling main hall one after another. The corridor leading to the private rooms was filled with a faint sandalwood fragrance.

Besides selling the Deceit Beast carcass, Li Mo needed to purchase numerous resources.

Materials for Blood Drenching Simulation in Hui Qingyi, Magic Techniques for Artifact Refining and Alchemy—ideally, he also needed to select appropriate Spells...

The waiter explained the recent fluctuations in resource prices within the black market as they walked, aiming to set the stage for the transactions ahead.

Seizing a moment when no one was around, Li Mo tentatively asked, "I’ve heard about the onset of Multiple Limb Syndrome. Shouldn’t that make hands and feet cheaper at your Treasure Pavilion?"

"Indeed, Fuxing Town and Hui’an Village have recently seen outbreaks of Multiple Limb Syndrome. Unfortunately, mortal limbs hold little value for us cultivators."

Li Mo’s heart skipped a beat.

Using Multiple Limb Syndrome as his focal point, he pieced together a rough timeline.

Rong Town was undoubtedly the first to face the syndrome. Yet, in just two days, Hui’an Village was filled with agonizing wails overnight, and Fuxing Town’s situation worsened even further.

It was said that at the center of Fuxing Town, a pillar composed of countless mortal bodies had risen, its surface covered densely with limbs.

Multiple Limb Syndrome was incurable, and the only solution was amputation.

The problem was, why would loose cultivators skilled in medical techniques bother saving mortals? This ultimately led to Fuxing Town’s complete collapse.

"Rong Town has initiated containment efforts; it shouldn’t disrupt the Heart Beast Sect’s order."

Li Mo then brought up the Tie Ding Sect. The Secret Realm reportedly dated back two hundred years, opening once every fifty years and lasting roughly ten years each time.

"..."

Li Mo’s mind was in turmoil. The Creation Book, triggered by the waiter’s descriptions, unraveled a flood of deeply unsettling information.

The Sub-Device Sect rarely accepted mortal disciples, typically hosting the "Iron Cauldron Trial" every fifty years to invite renowned loose cultivators skilled in Artifact Refining to participate.

Success in the trial allowed one to join the Sub-Device Sect.

Apparently, seven millennia later, the Iron Cauldron Trial had transformed entirely in nature.

That insidious Multiple Limb Syndrome, which mutated mortals into monsters, and the stealthy spread of metallic poison...

No matter the Sub-Device Sect’s motives, it was painfully clear...

The Heart Beast Sect faced crises both internal and external.

Li Mo knew too little about the current Cultivation World. From the surface, he could only glimpse the vast, terrifying depths beneath. Attempting to emulate a certain Han predecessor’s escape strategy was simply not realistic.