Chapter 92

“Then this thing has already attached to your bones. The reason you’re still alive is likely because your bones aren’t ordinary,” said the Granny Ma, staring at Mo Lin. “Given your age, you’re already at the peak of the Soaring Cloud stage, a rare achievement even among disciples of the Supreme Sect. Are you born with spiritual bones?”

Lin Du turned her head toward the square table.

“Strictly speaking, you aren’t poisoned by the Gu; that person used a secret technique to transfer the Gu to you. So, you carry not only the poison but also the Gu worm. Fortunately, because you blocked it in time, the Gu worm couldn’t invade your meridians or dantian, which preserved your cultivation. But now, the Gu worm is likely attached to your spiritual bones.”

Xia Tianwu’s expression turned cold. “May I ask, senior, does the Gu worm pose a threat to his spiritual bones?”

The term “spiritual bones” was widely discussed in the outside world, but only she and her master knew the truth. True spiritual bones contained immortal energy within, which came from the world’s primordial source. Immortal energy was a higher-tier form of primordial energy, and because spiritual energy naturally clung to it, Mo Lin had been able to absorb spiritual energy from birth.

For most cultivators, the key step in ascending to immortality was transforming spiritual energy into immortal energy.

Mo Lin’s path was inherently smoother and more accessible than that of others.

“For now, the plan is to remove the Gu worm first, then deal with the poison.”

“The poison is easy to neutralize; removing the Gu worm is the hard part.”

Xia Tianwu immediately realized something. “You mean…?”

“We must find where the Gu worm is parasitizing. After removing it, the necrotic bone tissue must be scraped away. As for what will happen to your bones afterward, I can’t predict—it’s a gift from heaven, and the consequences are unknowable.” The Granny Ma fixed her gaze on Mo Lin. “The Gu worm must be handed over to me, so I can completely destroy it.”

“The pain of having your bones scraped will be extraordinary, and the outcome uncertain. You should think it through carefully.”

Mo Lin felt the hand on his shoulder tighten, but he responded without hesitation, “It’s just the pain of having my bones scraped. I can endure it. As long as I can continue cultivating, my path won’t be severed.”

The Granny Ma looked at the young man in front of her, stubborn and unyielding, and didn’t rush to agree. “Don’t regret it later.”

“If this is my destiny and my spiritual bones are meant to be damaged, then so be it. I won’t regret it,” Mo Lin said with a proud smile. “Even if I lose my spiritual bones, my swordsmanship will remain, and my Dao will persist.”

Mo Lin wasn’t defined by his spiritual bones alone. He practiced the Hidden Edge Sword and the Divine Xiao Dao, using Xiao Dao Thunder techniques to drive out evil and slay demons. That was who he truly was.

Lin Du, standing in front of Tao Xian, wasn’t surprised by his resolve.

The Granny Ma wasn’t wrong—Mo Lin was indeed a stubborn “pillar,” his mindset as straight as his body.

In many ways, he was the epitome of a righteous disciple.

However, being overly rigid could lead to breaking. Without understanding the darker sides of human nature, he would likely never fully grasp the complexities of life.

The saying “darkness strengthens tenfold, while redemption weakens by threefold” had its truths.

Those bound by rules could never adapt as easily to the brutal world of survival as those who were willing to break or bend them.

The Granny Ma wasn’t surprised by his words either, muttering quietly as she turned her head, “Righteous disciple.”

It didn’t sound like a compliment—it almost seemed like she was calling him a fool.

Mo Lin didn’t seem to care, but Xia Tianwu felt a pang of sadness.

For someone once on the Qingyun Ranking to fall from grace and be cast into the mundane world, it would inevitably make loved ones sigh in regret, while outsiders would mock.

“If that’s the case, I’ll prepare the necessary tools, and we can begin,” the Granny Ma said, withdrawing her hand.

Lin Du finally noticed that although the old man’s hands had a waxy sheen and were somewhat loose, they were neither shriveled nor marked by any age spots.

“Thank you, senior. May I ask, what medicinal ingredients do you need? We will do our utmost to find them. Also, with such a great favor, how can we ever repay you?” Mo Lin cupped his hands in gratitude.

“If you can find clouds from the sky, water from the underworld, a heart of glass, and the primal essence of a silver dragon, then go ahead,” Granny Ma interrupted, clearly annoyed by the disciple’s overly polite, almost hypocritical manner.

Mo Lin scratched his head. Clouds can’t be harvested, the underworld’s water can’t be drawn, where would you find a heart made of glass, and as for a dragon’s primal essence—dragons are lustful creatures, involved with everything. It would be hard to even keep its pure essence, let alone a primal essence exchanged in sincere connection.

Lin Du: …

Funny thing is, she actually does have a glass heart.

Though shattered, it still shines! And it looks pretty cool!

Granny Ma cast a glance at Lin Du, who seemed eager. “What? Are you as foolish as him? Do you really think these things exist?”

Lin Du chuckled. “Anything is possible. Clouds turn into rain, the underworld’s river is just another spring underground, so why can’t a human heart be made of glass? As for dragons, even if they’re promiscuous, what if it’s just a young dragon?”

“Smart aleck.” Granny Ma smiled, despite herself. “I can’t see any glass heart, but I do see that this person you hold dear has a wooden heart. Fine, I’ll take the spirit rain from after a heavenly tribulation. I received a jar of it once, sealed well, though I’m not sure if the spiritual power has dissipated.”

“I’ve got that,” Xia Tianwu’s eyes lit up. “When Junior Master went through his foundation tribulation, I collected a small jar. I haven’t used it for alchemy yet, it’s still well-preserved with all its heavenly energy.”

“The little trickster got it right. I want the blessed water from the heavens, the spiritual water from the earth, the purest Xue Cha Xin, and the most potent Dragon Essence Herb.”

Only now did Granny Ma list the real ingredients she needed.

The first two were easier to find, but the last two were rare, heavenly-grade spiritual herbs.

Lin Du laughed. “What a coincidence, I have the Xue Cha Xin.”

At the time, her master had repeatedly warned her that the Xue Cha Xin was one of the purest and most pristine things in the world, not to be wasted casually. He had specially sealed it with an enchanted cold jade box, ensuring it could be preserved for a thousand years.

Yan Ye hadn’t expected his little disciple to fail at reaching a higher level within a thousand years. For all her flaws, her talent and cultivation speed were decent.

She casually took it out and placed it on the polished square table with a thud, then turned and smiled at Mo Lin.

That smile didn’t mean much, just a casual “Don’t worry, Junior Master has money and resources.”

Granny Ma looked at Lin Du with some surprise. “You know, if you put this up for auction, it could easily fetch hundreds of spirit crystals. And you’re just giving it away for a medicinal concoction?”

“If something is useless in my hands, then it has no value. But for someone who can use it, it becomes valuable.” Lin Du raised his eyebrows at Mo Lin. “My master and I are top-tier geniuses in the cultivation world. Do we need a Xue Cha Xin to break through bottlenecks and comprehend the rules of the Dao?”

“Nope, don’t need it at all.”

“You may be young, but your ambition is great,” Granny Ma said, glancing at the box on the table. “Fine, as for the underground spring, go to the Moon Well…”

“As for the underground spiritual water, my second apprentice nephew is a pill refiner, so naturally, he has some.” Lin Du smiled at the man. “We disciples of Supreme Sect have always been self-reliant. It’s part of the sect’s rules.”

The water from the Moon Well might have plenty of yin energy, but it certainly wasn’t anything good.

“As for the last item, don’t rush.” Lin Du raised his hand and pulled out a ledger thicker than his own face from his storage ring. With a bang, he slapped it onto the wooden table. “Give me a moment!”

If memory served him right, their sect could indeed heal themselves with all the resources they had.

That’s what you call a great sect with deep foundations.