Chapter 42

Leaving the outer courtyard and walking three li south, one would reach a massive stone mountain, which was known as the Southern Mountain.

This mountain was three hundred zhang tall, with no trees or flowers on it, completely a stone mountain. The sect had once quarried stones here, and there was a quarry at the foot of the mountain, but that was many years ago, and the quarry was now old and dilapidated.

Luo Li arrived step by step, holding the tools he had obtained from the outer courtyard: stone knives, stone chisels, stone drills, stone hoes, and stone grinders, a complete set of tools. These were all magical artifacts; as long as one infused them with true qi, they could easily cut through stones and shape them at will.

Upon reaching the quarry, Luo Li began organizing the tools, searching for suitable stones, and preparing to work.

At this moment, Gao Peng, Lao Sha, Xuan Shui, and others arrived, a total of twelve people, all of whom were Luo Li's good friends, coming to help.

Gao Peng said, "Come, let's work together!"

Lao Sha said, "Yes, the stench has been unbearable for a long time. Let's all work together and replace the stone slabs."

Everyone came to help, and Luo Li did not stop them. They all worked busily, clearing the quarry, opening up a place for quarrying, and starting to extract stones.

Working together, the tools, infused with true qi, cut through the stones as if it were a game. Soon, stones were cut and polished into shape, forming new stone slabs to replace the old ones in the outer courtyard.

They worked tirelessly until evening, cutting out over a hundred and twenty stone slabs.

Gao Peng said happily, "Great, this is actually quite easy. Thirteen of us can produce over a hundred stone slabs in a day. We can complete the task in a year."

However, the others did not respond. Some frowned, as using the tools required infusing them with true qi. Cutting one stone slab required at least one breath of true qi. After working all afternoon, the true qi they had accumulated the previous night was depleted by a third. Working here every day would completely ruin their cultivation.

Luo Li looked at them and said, "Senior Brothers, let's stop here for today! And from now on, let's stop here! This is my choice, my decision, my path! Don't come to help me tomorrow!"

Lao Sha said, "How can we not? We are all friends. I'll come to help you tomorrow!"

Luo Li shook his head and said, "Brothers, if you consider me a friend, don't come to help. This will be a long and arduous battle. If you're not truly committed to doing something for the outer courtyard, don't come! I don't want our friendship to be consumed here. If you truly want to help, spread the word for me. That's helping me!"

Lao Sha nodded and said, "I understand. You are refining your heart and qi through this. It's a form of cultivation. Alright, I won't come tomorrow! Luo Li, this is your choice. If you want to do it, then do it!"

Luo Li nodded, and everyone returned to the outer courtyard.

The next day, Luo Li, who should have been resting, once again set out under the puzzled gazes of the others to the Southern Mountain to quarry stones and carry them back, replacing the old stone slabs in the outer courtyard with new ones.

That morning, only four of the twelve people from the previous day came. On the third day, only Gao Peng came. On the fourth day, no one came.

From then on, only Luo Li remained, working alone in the empty quarry, quarrying, cutting, and polishing the stones, then carrying them back to the outer courtyard to replace the old stone slabs, eliminating the resentment from the old slabs, and throwing them far into the abyss.

It was an incredibly lonely and arduous task. The spiritual energy he accumulated each night was used up the next day. He could quarry about fifteen to sixteen stone slabs a day, and this was Luo Li's daily routine.

But Luo Li had no regrets, and he continued every day!

Every day, Luo Li, besides cultivating, eating, and resting, spent all his remaining time on this task: quarrying stones, polishing slabs, and carrying them back to replace the old ones.

One day, two days, three days...

At first, people watched, seeing the others who had helped return and not come back, and rumors began to spread!

"He's the most capable, the best at putting on a show. The head of the courtyard hasn't done it, but he's showing off. Let's see how long he can keep it up!"

"Yes, yes, this kid is just seeking fame. He even asked people to spread the word. He just wants to attract the attention of the inner sect to get promoted."

"Definitely, this kid must have other motives. He's just putting on a show. I saw him come to help before, and he had ulterior motives."

"Yes, he's too calculating. This guy is not good! I can predict that after a month, he'll give up."

"Ha ha ha, he'll definitely say that cultivation is the most important and then give up. I bet he'll last seven days!"

All kinds of rumors and gossip focused on Luo Li. They couldn't do it themselves and didn't like others doing it, so they didn't hesitate to use the most vicious words to attack Luo Li.

But Luo Li paid no attention. Ten days, twenty days, thirty days...

Gradually, the words changed!

"Is this guy a fool?"

"Yes, it doesn't seem like a show. Indeed, this guy is a fool!"

"Ha ha, a big fool, if you want to do it, go ahead!"

"This kind of fool has a problem. Don't bother with him!"

Forty days, fifty days, sixty days...

After two months, no one talked about Luo Li anymore. They had completely adapted to him, as if Luo Li carrying stone slabs back was a part of the outer courtyard's scenery, just the way it should be.

But Luo Li was quietly counting the days. Sixty-seven days, it was enough! It was time to harvest!

On the first morning, he went to see the old man Ji An again.

Seeing Luo Li, who was tanned and muscular, Ji An smiled and said, "Luo Li, what's wrong? Are you thinking of giving up?

Gao Peng has already reached the second level of Qi Cultivation, catching up to you. These days, you've been quarrying stones and making slabs, consuming a lot of true qi. I see no progress in your cultivation. After all, cultivation is the main focus, and you shouldn't be doing these miscellaneous tasks. Sometimes, giving up is also a choice..."

Ji An thought Luo Li had given up and wanted to end things, so he said some words to let Luo Li save face and end the matter.

Luo Li shook his head and said, "No, Uncle Ji An, I want to continue!

However, I've noticed that the stone slabs I replaced first are beginning to be assimilated by the other slabs, and the resentment is starting to transfer to those slabs. If this continues, my efforts will be in vain."

Ji An was taken aback and said, "What do you want me to do?"

Luo Li said, "Uncle Ji An, I seek your guidance on how to resist the transfer of resentment."

Ji An thought for a moment and said, "The only way is to set up a magical array or engrave talismans on the stone slabs to resist the invasion of resentment. You are only at the second level of Qi Cultivation, so you can't set up an array. You can only engrave talismans."

At this point, Luo Li's heart raced. It was a critical moment. He bowed and said, "Please help me, Uncle Ji An!"

Ji An was silent for a long time, then said, "Here, take this token. It's my courtyard head's token. With this token, you can borrow all the secret manuals about talismans from the outer courtyard's scripture hall.

Consider it my support. I hope you can find a way to solve the problem of resentment!"

Luo Li took the token, overjoyed. Two months of hard work was equivalent to earning thousands of spirit stones. It was fantastic. He respectfully said, "Thank you, Uncle Ji An!"

Ji An smiled and said, "What a determined child. I hope you see it through to the end and don't disappoint me!"

These words were profound. Ji An, over ninety years old and the head of the courtyard, had seen more salt than Luo Li had eaten. He completely understood Luo Li's intentions and goals!

Luo Li replied, "Don't worry, Uncle Ji An. I won't disappoint you!"

With the courtyard head's token in hand, Luo Li left. For the first time, he did not go to the stone mountain to work but went to the outer courtyard's scripture hall.

At the outer courtyard, he showed the token, and the secret manuals on talismans that he had long coveted were all placed before him!

"The True Explanation of Talismans," "Three Hundred Questions of Divine Talismans," "The True Talisman of Primordial Qi," "The Talisman Chapter of the Profound and Mysterious Spirit Treasure," "The Talisman Scripture of the Stone Drum," "The True Talisman of the Great Purity," "The Unspoken Talisman Record"...

These were the secret manuals on talismans, recording various methods of making talismans. Mastering them was equivalent to mastering power.

There were fourteen secret manuals in total, and it would cost at least 3,670 spirit stones to read them. Here, Luo Li didn't spend a single coin, and they were all laid out before him.

As long as he read these talisman scriptures, he would thoroughly master the art of making talismans at the Qi Cultivation stage.

Luo Li took a deep breath, took out a scripture book he had made with fur and talisman paper, and picked up a spirit rhinoceros pen. He mixed spirit blood ink in a clay inkstone and began copying these talisman scriptures.

He memorized the simple parts and carefully copied the difficult parts into his own scripture book, stroke by stroke, fully focused, without the slightest error.

Actually, Luo Li really wanted to study these talisman scriptures thoroughly and master them, but he couldn't!

He had promised Ji An to see it through to the end, and he had to keep his word. Now was not the time to study talismans. Now, he could only record them hastily and then continue quarrying stone slabs. At the Southern Mountain quarry, he would have plenty of opportunities to study these talisman scriptures.

Thus, after seven days, Luo Li had memorized all the scriptures and made a rough copy. He then returned to the outer courtyard, returned the token, and continued to the Southern Mountain to quarry and work!

---

Thank you, FGGG, Ye Lai Huan, Wang Wandong, Shan Ren, Zui Wu Kuang, Shu You 130318120347023, Pan Ni Ai Yuan, Zong`Tong`Yue, Qing Feng Ye Jin Ren, for your support! Thank you all!

There is still a distance to the recommendation list, and it's really tempting. I need recommendation votes, I need recommendation votes!

Page flip AD starts

Page flip AD ends