Now facing Shi Zhongtian, a formidable opponent, Li Mu was eager to test his cultivation level.

After parrying Shi Zhongtian's staff attack, he unleashed the first move of the Wooden Fang Sword Technique, Wood Generates Fire - Blazing Flame, slashing down from mid-air.

With a "sizzle!" sound.

The long staff in Shi Zhongtian's hand was cut in half, but the sword's momentum did not stop for a moment.

In an instant, Muya chopped off Shi Zhongtian's right palm.

Li Mu and Shi Zhongtian were both stunned, somewhat unable to believe what they were seeing.

Li Mu couldn't believe that Shi Zhongtian hadn't even blocked one of his sword strikes; he was utterly vulnerable.

Shi Zhongtian and Li Mu had the same idea: how could they not even withstand a single move?

"Ah! Li Mu, I, Shi Zhongtian, will fight you to the death today!"

Seeing his already injured right hand severed, Shi Zhongtian went berserk and attacked Li Mu with the broken stick.

Li Mu originally wanted to try the second move of the Wood Fang Sword Technique, Water-Born Wood - Summoning Spirit.

He immediately changed his mind and wanted to use Shi Zhongtian to test the sword technique he had cultivated in his previous life, the Flowing Cloud Chasing Light Sword.

And so, one wanted to test his sword, and the other wanted to fight to the death, and for a time the two fought fiercely and evenly matched.

At the same time, Li Mu's flying sword did not stop attacking and continued to slaughter people indiscriminately in the square.

A few minutes later, as the flying sword killed everyone present, Li Mujian changed his sword technique.

The second move of the Wooden Fang Sword Technique: Water-Born Wood - Summoning Spirit.

As the sword strike was unleashed, the spiritual energy within the Stone Temple was instantly absorbed by Mokuga.

In an instant, the wooden sword grew larger, transforming into a giant sword the size of a door panel, and flashed diagonally past Shi Zhongtian's upper body.

"Whoosh!"

Shi Zhongtian's body was split in two by the wooden teeth, followed by the sound of a heavy object falling to the ground.

Li Mu retrieved his flying sword and wooden teeth.

Looking around, there was not a single living creature in the square, only forty-three corpses lying there.

Shizhong Temple, destroyed.

.

Li Mu casually waved his hand at the corpses on the ground, and three storage bags flew into his hand.

It has to be said that if you want to get rich, murder is one way.

The three storage bags contained not much money, but quite a few gold bars—several hundred in total.

In addition, the storage bag also contained a large amount of medicinal herbs and purifying water.

Li Mu took out a bottle of Purifying Water, opened it, and checked it. Its concentration was more than ten times stronger than Tan Li's bottle.

Li Mu felt that this medicinal liquid, known as the Purifying Spirit Water, was extraordinary, much like the legendary Thousand-Year Stone Bamboo Water in the cultivation world.

Just as Li Mu was about to turn and leave, a figure rushed over from a thousand meters away in his divine sense and arrived at the steps of the main hall in an instant.

Upon seeing this person, Li Mu's eyes sharpened.

This is an elderly man whose age is hard to discern; his hair and beard are so white and translucent that you can almost see the blood vessels through his skin.

He was wearing a gray short-sleeved shirt and a pair of loose black shorts, and was carrying a large earthenware jar of wine in his hand.

His upper body was extremely obese, with a large head resembling that of Maitreya Buddha, and he appeared to weigh nearly 200 pounds.

However, his legs had withered and become like two dead branches.

I just saw him rushing over, but he wasn't actually running on his feet; he was flying entirely thanks to the powerful internal energy within his body!

The old man arrived at the entrance of the main hall, glanced at Li Mu only once, then stared at the corpses scattered on the ground and sighed.

The old man raised his hand and spoke to Li Mu.

"Alas! What goes around comes around. Enough, young friend, you should go now."

The tone of his voice was very calm, without the slightest fluctuation from seeing the dead body, as if he had expected this outcome.

There was no intention of seeking revenge or making things difficult for Li Mu; it was as if they had simply settled a karmic debt.

.

Li Mu kept a close eye on the newcomer's movements, wary of being attacked suddenly.

It was impossible to judge the old man's cultivation level from his aura, but he seemed to be much stronger than Shi Zhongtian.

If we were to actually face off, even though I'm confident I wouldn't lose, I might not necessarily come out on top.

Unexpectedly, he was told to leave on his own.

Moreover, the old man really had no intention of making a move. After saying a few words, he sat down on the steps and looked at the corpse on the ground.

Doesn't this person want to do something for these dead people? He has seen through the illusions of the world and doesn't want to be involved in any karma.

The old man's words left Li Mu full of doubts.

As Li Mu took out the iron plaque to open the mountain gate and leave, he took out another iron plaque from his ring and asked a question.

"Does the senior recognize this coin?"

Li Mu obtained this plaque from Huo Zheng and kept it in his ring. He only felt that it was unusual, but he didn't know what its purpose was.

The old man glanced at the iron plaque in Li Mu's hand and said:

"Oh! Young friend, this sign is somewhat similar to the entrance and exit sign of my mountain gate. It should be a communication sign."

"A call sign?"

Li Mu was even more puzzled. How could a mere iron plate transmit messages? Could it be like the communication beads in the cultivation world, allowing for message exchange?

"This is a blood-transmitting card, usually used for communication between two iron cards."

The old man explained.

.

After listening to the old man's explanation, Li Mu didn't understand much about how the iron plate transmitted messages, and he didn't plan to ask any more questions.

He bowed to the old man and said:

"Thank you for your explanation, senior. However, your Shi Zhongtian and his fellow disciples have been relentlessly pursuing me. I must avenge this grudge. I apologize for any offense I may have caused."

After listening to Li Mu's words, the old man's expression did not change, and he continued:

If only I had known then what I know now.

I, Shi Jian, have lived an upright life, yet I never imagined I would raise such a bunch of bald monks.

Instead of focusing on spiritual cultivation, they prefer to frequent the secular world and are always scheming and taking shortcuts.

"If it weren't for your intervention, young friend, I would have had to step in someday."

Li Mu was shocked when he heard this. Could it be that Shi Jian was going to thank me for killing his disciples and their descendants?

"Young friend, are you wondering why I, Shi Jian, want to kill these little bald monks?"

Upon hearing Shi Jian's question, Li Mu did not answer. Shi Jian continued:

"A hundred years ago, I stumbled upon this place while searching for an opportunity, and devoted myself to cultivation for decades."

When his cultivation level reached its lowest point, he left seclusion and traveled the world.

Fifty years ago, I brought this child back to this place and named him Shi Zhongtian, meaning "a world within a stone".

I intended to pass on all the knowledge I had acquired throughout my life to him.

Who would have thought that this young man wouldn't dedicate himself to cultivating the Tao, but instead would leave the world to recruit many followers and establish this Stone Temple.

After Shi Jian finished speaking, he lifted the wine jar and drank a drop of water from it. Li Mu's eyes widened immediately.

The drop of water that Shi Jian drank was thick like paste and clear like water. He was certain that it was the water from the stalagmite, a spiritual treasure of heaven and earth, and was at least a thousand years old.

Shi Jian was about to continue speaking when he saw Li Mu staring wide-eyed at the wine jar in his hand, so he simply tossed the jar into the air.

"If you like this stalagmite water, young friend, I'll give it to you."

"ah!"

Li Mushun took the wine jar, his heart filled with astonishment.

He was trying to figure out how to exchange for this thousand-year-old stalagmite water when this person was so generous as to give it to him directly.

There was still half a jar of stalagmite water left in the wine jar; this stuff is sold by the drop in the cultivation world.

A whole half-jar of stalagmite water would be incredibly precious in the cultivation world, and those who heard of it would flock to it.