Chapter 335 - 135: Is This the Moment of Truth?

Chapter 335: Chapter 135: Is This the Moment of Truth?

Without any hesitation, he downed it in one gulp.

Then, he once again threw himself into cultivating the Celestial Demon Body Refining Secret Technique.

However...

He cultivated until evening, but still hadn’t broken through to the third level.

Yang Mo: "..."

His chest felt like it would burst from frustration.

His entire being was consumed by a frenzied mania.

’Am I doomed to be a bottom-feeder for life just because my talent isn’t high enough?’

Forcibly suppressing the twitching in his cheeks, he rose to his feet in a rage, opened the door, and strode toward the back of the Government Office.

"BANG BANG BANG!"

The sound of knocking echoed.

"Yang Mo?"

The Squad Leader of the Government Office’s patrol unit raised an eyebrow. "Here to go after more bandits?"

Yang Mo grunted in affirmation. "Yeah."

The Squad Leader couldn’t help but chuckle. "You’ve nearly wiped out all the small strongholds around here. You’d better cherish these last few chances. Don’t let any potential merits slip away."

His words seemed to carry a hidden meaning.

He appeared to be referring to the Lady of the Stronghold who had been brought in yesterday.

Yang Mo was growing impatient. "Cut the crap. Just give me the mission!"

The Squad Leader just smiled, finished the registration, and handed him a new bandit-extermination mission.

Yang Mo glanced at the mission summary, then left the Government Office without a backward glance, disappearing into the vast darkness of the night.

「Seven days later.」

Another mountaintop covered in corpses.

Yang Mo had become increasingly proficient at looting his spoils.

He knew that no matter how hard he tried, it would be difficult to break through his limits.

But only through frenzied slaughter could he enjoy a fleeting moment of peace.

He began his routine count of the loot.

Yang Mo hadn’t held out any hope.

But upon seeing that incredibly familiar bottle, he froze.

His voice turned somewhat hysterical.

"Come out!"

"Who is it?"

"Hiding and skulking around—what kind of hero does that make you?!"

"Get the hell out here!"

The only response was the howling mountain wind.

Yang Mo panted heavily, his eyes shot with blood.

He clutched the medicine bottle, his gaze filled with savage hostility.

He raised his hand, ready to throw the bottle down a well.

But he hesitated several times.

In the end, he still tucked the bottle into his robes.

Without another word, he strung up the severed heads and left the mountain under the cover of night.

This time, he did not spend the night in the small courtyard of the Government Office.

His supply of Soul-Burning Potion had run out.

Though exhausted to his limits, he crossed another mountain and found the busiest market in the vicinity.

In a secluded corner, his eyes met with someone’s.

With just that brief meeting of gazes, they confirmed they had found the person they were looking for.

And so,

one hand delivered the money,

the other, the goods.

With the Soul-Burning Potion in hand, Yang Mo rented the most expensive room in town.

Then, he sat cross-legged and began to cultivate.

As usual, he first repaired his Divine Soul, then used the Soul-Burning Potion.

Perhaps it was luck.

Or perhaps it was the accumulation of his previous efforts.

This time, his Celestial Demon Body Refining Secret Technique broke through to the third level.

Without any pause, he stuffed a handful of Qi Cultivation Pills into his mouth and then shattered nearly every muscle, tendon, and bone in his body.

Another day and night passed.

He opened his eyes once more.

These past few days, he had been tortured to the point of wishing for death.

The constant burning and repairing of his Divine Soul, the destruction and reconstruction of his physical body—this agony was faintly beginning to exceed the limits of his endurance.

But...

He had grown stronger!

After this session of Celestial Demon Body Refining, his Flesh Soul had finally touched the edge of the third rank.

His meridians and bones were still far behind, but it felt as though he could see a glimmer of hope.

"Hh..."

"Heh heh heh..."

"HAHAHAHA!"

Yang Mo began to laugh maniacally. The feeling of growing stronger was truly too wonderful!

Without any delay, he swiftly left the inn.

He returned to the Government Office and accepted a new bandit-extermination mission.

「Another five days passed.」

Another mountain stronghold, its inhabitants slaughtered by poison.

Once again, amidst a pile of loot, Yang Mo discovered a medicine bottle of a familiar design.

He remained silent.

He didn’t even leave the stronghold.

He just swallowed the pill and continued to cultivate.

The fourth level... no breakthrough.

He stood up.

He no longer questioned the empty air.

Instead, he silently gathered the loot and the heads and left the stronghold.

「Another five days passed.」

The fourth bottle of pills appeared.

「Six days later.」

The fifth bottle...

「Another three days passed.」

The sixth bottle did not appear.

Yang Mo stood up as if nothing was amiss, showing not a hint of disappointment.

He prepared to gather the heads as usual.

Only this time, a figure blocked his path.

Yang Mo’s steps halted. He said in a deep voice, "You are in my way!"

The person blocking him wore a black robe and a conical bamboo hat.

His entire aura was somewhat sinister.

The man said flatly, "If Lord Saint Monarch feels this subordinate is in your way, then I shall move."

"How ridiculous!"

Yang Mo scoffed, walked right around the man in the hat, and went to cut off the heads.

The man in the hat stood his ground and sighed wistfully. "So many years have passed. Has Lord Saint Monarch forgotten even your most loyal subordinate?"

Huangfu Song trembled with excitement.

He could sense Yang Mo’s emotions through his aura.

Twenty percent fear.

Eighty percent resistance.

’Facing an expert whose cultivation is far greater than his own, his dominant emotion is actually resistance?’

’This means Yang Mo knew I would appear, and he knows what my purpose is.’

’If this isn’t the Saint Monarch, who else could it be?’

"I don’t know what you’re talking about!"

Yang Mo’s tone was perfectly calm as he unhurriedly severed the heads from the corpses, as if this were just an insignificant passerby.

But how could such a person be a mere passerby?

Huangfu Song said in a low voice, "Lord Saint Monarch, this subordinate has already delivered all the Soul Supplement Pills you left behind. This means that from now on, you will most likely remain stagnant. Are you willing to accept that?"

"I said!"

Yang Mo shot to his feet, his voice turning shrill. "I don’t know what you’re talking about! Besides, I believe that heaven rewards the diligent. Who says I’ll definitely stagnate?"

Huangfu Song smiled. "Naturally, I don’t mean stagnating in terms of cultivation level. I mean that you, Lord Saint Monarch, if you continue to let things drift, may never cross the threshold to become a first-rate genius.

Your Highness the Saint Monarch, you must have experienced the taste of improved talent.

It’s very clear that even the slightest improvement in talent is of great benefit to cultivation.

Are you really content with stopping here?"

"I... I said!"

Yang Mo clenched his jaw. "I don’t understand what you’re saying!"

Huangfu Song asked, "Even with the chance to become a top-tier genius like Zhao Ci, or perhaps even surpass him, Lord Saint Monarch still doesn’t understand what this subordinate is saying?"

Yang Mo: "..."

He fell silent, but his breathing grew heavier and heavier.

Burning his soul was agonizing.

But the feeling of his talent improving was utterly addicting.

He gave a bitter laugh. "Although I don’t know what you’re talking about, surpassing Zhao Ci... that’s just a fool’s dream."

"No!"

Huangfu Song smiled faintly. "As long as Lord Saint Monarch is willing, there is definitely hope. I wonder if, in Lord Saint Monarch’s memories, there is still... the Physical Secret Realm?"