Immortal Mortal

"Yes, I need to first find a place to condense my immortal lattice. After I finish with that, we can go to the Immortal Seeking Staircase," Mo Wuji answered.

Han Qingru asked in doubt, "Junior brother, you managed to get the placing to enter the Corner of Yong Ying Joint Auction, but you’re not intending to go?"

Mo Wuji shook his head, "I can’t go. The reason why I had them give me the jade token was because I’m not intending to go. I dare say, if I were to go, no matter how I disguise myself, I would still be encircled by Golden Immortals. I have never seen the power of a Golden Immortal, but even if I condense my immortal lattice, I dare not say that I can trump over a Golden Immortal. And if there are more than one Golden Immortal, then it would be hard for me to even escape."

Han Qingru’s experience could not be compared to Mo Wuji. After hearing Mo Wuji’s words, she suddenly woke up her idea. The reason why that First Cultivator Merchant House woman didn’t hesitate to agree to Junior Brother Mo’s demands was because she believed that Junior Brother Mo would definitely go to the auction. If he did, then he wouldn’t be able to escape.

"Sorry." As Han Qingru thought about the mess she created, she felt very guilty.

Mo Wuji laughed gently, "It’s okay. I used to be a white paper like you. Actually, I couldn’t even be compared to you; I was even stabbed in the back by the person I trusted the most. I guess, maturation comes with a price."

"Oh, who’s that?" Han Qingru asked in astonishment. She felt that Mo Wuji was a principled man, and not some hypocrite who double crosses his friends. Since that person was Mo Wuji’s friend, why would he stab Mo Wuji in the back?

Mo Wuji shook his head, "It’s okay. I have already forgotten about such matters. Let’s return back and start condensing my immortal lattice."

...

Jing Yang, one of the seven biggest cities in China. Even in the entire world, Jing Yang was considered a first class city.

Mount Jing Shou, the tallest mountain outside of Jing Yang City. The Jing Yang River winds around Mount Jing Yang, supplementing Mount Jing Yang’s majesty and grandeur.

At this instant, on the side of Mount Jing Shou closer to the river, a young woman in a white dress was standing in front of a tomb. She seemed to be like a statue as she stood there, unmoving. If not for the gentle breeze which caused her dress to flutter, many would have thought that she was really a statue. The chill of the evening on Qing Ming Festival [1] was unable to do anything to her.

There were two rows of words inscribed on the tomb: Mo Wuji’s Tomb; Erected by Wen Xiaoqi.

The sun trembled slightly as it approached the West, radiating brilliant red light; this scene looked especially beautiful.

After some unknown period of time, this white dressed woman bowed slowly. With a hoarse and raspy voice, she muttered, "Another year of Qing Ming. I don’t pray for your forgiveness, I just hope that you..."

As she got to this point, she seemed to be unable to speak any further, slowly clenching her fists tightly.

A woman holding a bamboo basket slowly walked over; her steps seemed to be accompanied with a limp. When she reached the back of this white dressed woman, she remained silent without a word.

The white dressed woman seemed to know that someone had come. She slowly turned to see the woman, who had an aged expression on her face. After some time, the white dressed woman finally said, "Xiaoqi, thanks for helping Wuji erect his tomb. Also, thank you for taking care of it over these years."

The woman with the aged look said calmly, "Xia Ruoyin, everything that I did has nothing to do with you."

After finishing this sentence, the aged woman named ‘Xiaoqi’ slowly walked in front of the tomb. She took out some offerings from her bamboo basket and placed them in front of the tomb. After which, she took out some paper money [2] and burned it. Each action she took was meticulous and smooth, as though she was already used to it.

Xia Ruoyin looked at this woman; this woman was two years younger than her, but this woman’s face was actually so hardened and mature. After some time, she suddenly turned. Soon, she was already in the distance.

After some time, Wen Xiaoqi also turned her head; she stared at the silhouette of Xia Ruoyin and tightly clenched her fists. She sighed, then lowered her head and muttered to herself, "Sorry, Wuji. I’m not able to help you take revenge and kill this despicable woman."

"You know?" An icy cold voice suddenly sounded beside Wen Xiaoqi’s ear. Wen Xiaoqi stared at Xia Ruoyin in astonishment. She had clearly seen Xia Ruoyin walk off into the distance, how could she have suddenly appeared in front of her?

However, she immediately cast that thought aside. Her tone was calm as she said, "That’s right, I know everything. Wuji had been stabbed in the back. He spent his time every day occupied with his research. Besides you, no one else would have been allowed into his lab. Wuji gave his heart to you, but because of a drug formula, you actually plotted against him. You’re not a human, you can’t even be considered a beast."

Xia Ruoyin’s face turned pale white. She slowly lifted her hand; her body emanated heavy killing intent.

Wen Xiaoqi sneered, "I also know that that after you obtained Wuji’s drug formula, you came into some great fortune. Otherwise, your look wouldn’t have remained unchanged throughout the years. But I, Wen Xiaoqi have nothing to fear. I may not be able to help Wuji take revenge, but it could also be a form of satisfaction to be able to die beside Wuji."

"You really wanted to kill me?" When Xia Ruoyin heard these words, she unexpectedly put her hands down.

Wen Xiaoqi glanced at Xia Ruoyin in disdain, "I simply wish to devour your meat and drink your blood. I didn’t get married, precisely because I wanted to find the chance to kill you. Unfortunately, I know that I will never have that chance anymore."

With that, Wen Xiaoqi did not even give Xia Ruoyin a second glance. She slowly turned back, and continued to throw some paper money into the fire.

The expression on Xia Ruoyin’s face changed multiple times. Finally, she turned. Her figure flashed, and soon disappeared, floating away just like a leaf.

...

In the cave at the periphery of Five Lotus Mountain, Mo Wuji was surrounded by piles of immortal lattice stones. He grabbed one immortal lattice stone, then tried to feel the energy within according to the method that Han Qingru had taught him. Thereafter, he tried to absorb that energy to condense his immortal lattice.

There seemed to be some unfathomable dao energy within the immortal lattice stone. However, what caused Mo Wuji’s expression to change was that he was completely unable to absorb even a hint of dao energy from the immortal lattice stone.

If he couldn’t even extract the energy from within, how was he going to condense his immortal lattice?

After an entire day, nothing happened to the immortal lattice stone in Mo Wuji’s hand. It looked exactly the same.

Mo Wuji’s heart sunk slightly, but he didn’t go and ask Han Qingru for help. He was sure that even Han Qingru wouldn’t understand the reason behind this. Perhaps it was related to his cultivation technique. He didn’t have spiritual roots, but created the meridian cultivation technique. Perhaps, in the entire universe, he might be the only person that could have reached the Heavenly Immortal Stage without spiritual roots.

Taking in a deep breath, Mo Wuji didn’t continue to condense his spiritual lattice. He retrieved a pile of immortal crystals, then started to convert his elemental energy to immortal elemental energy.

His 108 meridians were simultaneously in reverse circulation, forming a huge reverse circulation path. Mo Wuji merely spent half a month to fully convert his elemental energy to immortal elemental energy.

When Mo Wuji advanced into the Heavenly Immortal Stage, the elemental energy within him was already brimming to the seams. Now that it had been converted to immortal elemental energy, his power had risen by multiple folds.

After converting his elemental energy, Mo Wuji took out the immortal lattice stone again. Previously, he suspected that he might have been unable to condense his immortal lattice due to the fact that his elemental energy had yet to be converted.

What left Mo Wuji disappointed was, even after his elemental energy had been converted to immortal elemental energy, he was still unable to condense his immortal lattice.

Mo Wuji sighed in his heart. Once again, he kept all the immortal lattice stones around him. He felt a little despondent.

He had went through so much difficulties to excavate so many immortal lattice stones but he wasn’t able to even use one of them. Wasn’t this simply wasting his efforts?

Now, he was worried that if he hadn’t condensed his immortal lattice, would he still be able to climb the Immortal Seeking Staircase?

Regardless, he couldn’t stay here any further. Mo Wuji opened his restrictions and walked out.

Han Qingru, who was cultivating, noticed Mo Wuji and immediately stood up, "Junior brother, you’ve already condensed your immortal lattice?"

Mo Wuji nodded, "En, let’s go. Let’s see the Immortal Seeking Staircase."

[1] Qing Ming Festival is the Tomb-Sweeping Festival of the Chinese. What the Chinese do during this festival can be inferred from its name.

[2] The Chinese burn paper money as offerings for the dead. This paper money can be used as currency by the dead in the Underworld. Besides, paper money, they also burn many other kinds of paper objects, such as paper houses or even paper Ferraris.