Chapter 118: Coincidence

The Bone-Refining Pill is a rare and precious medicine, at least within the Yunshan Realm; Li Mu had never heard of it before.

It is classified as a third-tier pill. Consumed over a period of time, it strengthens the body and invigorates one's constitution. With such a pill, even a cultivator who does not practice body cultivation can harden their physique to the level of a body cultivator, making them highly resistant to injury. However, the resilience of the body, as well as speed and agility, still requires long-term cultivation. Furthermore, it is only effective for cultivators at the Vein-Refining stage and below; for those above that stage, its effect is negligible.

Regarding the formula, the materials required to craft the Bone-Refining Pill are extremely difficult to obtain. For instance, the third-tier bone-refining essence is a spiritual material found only in the Demon Realm. Consequently, even though Mu Long possessed the formula, he never attempted to refine it.

Li Mu did not have the Bone-Refining Pill either, but since they were only third-tier materials, he would have time to refine them within the Spirit Tower. Producing a large quantity of these pills would be a massive boost for his companions. Thinking this, Li Mu carefully put the formula away, marking it as a task for the future.

As for the remaining formulas, most were for healing and recovery. Li Mu did not pay them much mind, deciding he could give them to Shen Bingxue later. Compared to the magical treasures and talismans, Mu Long’s medicine collection was quite sparse. Most were first or second-tier items that were useless to Mu Long, which is why he never used them during their fierce battle. However, in Li Mu’s eyes, any pill was useful; he would surely find a use for them later. Since his storage space was vast, he had no concerns about keeping them.

With no pills left to inspect, Li Mu turned his gaze to the spirit crystals. He held high hopes for the large quantity he had recovered; even a small amount of "Tower Value" could be obtained by consuming them. The spirit crystals from the Great Wolf Plain were not particularly abundant—the accumulation from a spirit crystal vein over several decades did not even equal the reserves of the former Flower Forest Sect. Nevertheless, Li Mu was quite pleased. These hundred thousand or so low-grade spirit crystals, while not a vast sum, would allow the Spirit Tower to accomplish many things if used sparingly.

Moreover, there were several high-grade spirit crystals, the first Li Mu had ever seen. They were a pale green, completely solid, and devoid of any flaws. They felt smooth and slightly cool, and holding them in his palm, he felt as though they were ready to be refined into his hand. By gently circulating his technique, he could sense the spirit power within—it was like water, as continuous and soft as spring rain, nourishing his body with pure energy. It was clear that cultivating with these high-grade crystals would be far superior to using a third-tier Spirit Gathering Array.

"These few crystals must be protected well; they will surely be useful at the right time." Muttering to himself, Li Mu stored the spirit crystals inside the Spirit Tower.

With the spirit crystals put away, the only things remaining were various jade slips, some restriction talismans, and a stockpile of raw materials. These items would have to be processed slowly; there was no rush.

Securing the two storage rings, Li Mu stood up slowly and stretched, a smile spreading across his face. "This is satisfying."

Gaining such a haul was truly a joyful affair. His true energy had fully recovered, and it was time to deal with the affairs of the Lianshan Mountains.

Li Mu flew toward the Lianshan Mountains, which were still permeated by toxic gas. Along the way, he used the Spirit Tower to collect the lingering poison. He had used about a hundred toxic miasma beads, but he had managed to recover over a hundred more. Considering those dispersed by the wind, the rest must have remained on Mu Long’s body... it was a pity. Once these toxic miasma beads were deployed, they could be collected again by the Spirit Tower, allowing for repeated use.

The spirit power vein had also been dealt with. The density of spirit power here was much higher than that of the marshlands. As for the other buildings, Li Mu did not bother to look; when the others arrived, they could choose whichever room they pleased.

Stepping onto his flying shuttle, Li Mu headed straight for the Stone Ridge. Halfway there, he happened to cross paths with Shen Bingxue, who was traveling with Li Ying and the others, flying just above the ground. The Great Ape was running on the ground, its speed sufficient to keep pace.

"How did you all end up here?"

Li Ying’s eyes were red, her face filled with concern. "It’s been so long, I was really worried about you, Big Brother."

Shen Bingxue stepped forward and said, "Manager Li, you were gone for several days dealing with Mu Long. Ying'er was very worried and insisted on finding you, so I brought them along."

"Liar! You're taking all the credit. I think you were the one who was worried, Big Sister! Hmph! You were waiting at the entrance of the marshlands every single day. Big Brother, go ask Brother Sun Sanjiu." Li Ying pouted and spoke quickly.

Sun Sanjiu added, "Ying'er is right. Pharmacist Shen removed all the restrictions inside the marshlands; she wasn't coming back until Mu Long was defeated."

Shen Bingxue blushed slightly and remained silent, the atmosphere becoming somewhat awkward. Li Mu was slightly surprised and touched. Such impulsive behavior was indeed typical of Shen Bingxue, though it was quite reckless for a woman of her standing.

Li Mu smiled. "There will be no need for that in the future. It’s fine that you removed the restrictions; we won't be returning to the marshlands. We are going to have a new residence."

Shen Bingxue blinked, asking in confusion, "Where? Is it Mu Long's territory?"

Li Mu nodded with a smile. "I happened to have some help, and we cleared Mu Long out. These Lianshan Mountains will be ours from now on."

"Really?" Shen Bingxue’s eyes widened, her face flushing even deeper. "How did you manage that? Mu Long was a mid-stage Vein-Refining cultivator. And looking at this place, where did you find help?"

Li Mu explained carefully, "Not mid-stage, but at the peak of the late Vein-Refining stage."

"That... how is that possible?" Shen Bingxue was shocked, her expression shifting in bewilderment. She nearly lost control of her flying leaf and almost tumbled from the sky.

"Don't be in a rush; let me tell you slowly."

Li Mu simply stepped off his flying shuttle and began to explain the events one by one, clarifying the entire process. Li Ying listened intently, not missing a single detail, and whenever she encountered something she didn't understand, she would ask. After hearing it all, she acted as if it were only natural, as if everything Li Mu had done was expected of him. Sun Qi and Sun Sanjiu simply gazed at Li Mu in awe, as if worshiping him.

"What you said sounds very real, but I still find it hard to believe. Can you really trust that Evil Ancestor?" Shen Bingxue rested her chin in her hand, her bright, watery eyes flickering with lingering astonishment.

Li Mu said nothing. He suddenly produced several third-tier treasures from his hand and laughed. "The treasures are proof. Take whatever you like from these spoils."

"Great!" Li Ying jumped for joy and looked at Shen Bingxue. "You were the one doubting him, so now Big Brother won't give you anything, hehe."

Shen Bingxue no longer doubted him. She smiled slightly, remaining quiet as she watched Li Mu, her face filled with confusion, her mind wandering in thought. Seeing Li Ying and the others dividing the spoils, Li Mu looked at Shen Bingxue. "Pharmacist Shen, are you not taking anything?"

"Oh." Interrupting her train of thought, Shen Bingxue started, shaking her head. "I don't need much. Let them have it."

Li Mu nodded. "Very well, I will give you some items later. Let's head out now, to the Lianshan Mountains."

"Sounds good," everyone agreed in unison.

Suddenly, Li Ying pointed at the sky. "Look, what is that?"

High above, a black dot was circling directly over them, peering down intermittently.

"It's that thing." Li Mu took a glance and recognized it immediately—it was the Black Hook Eagle that had attacked him earlier.

"This time, I won't let you off. Everyone stay put; I'll knock it down."