Inside Liaoyin Temple.

After summarizing the previous battles, Li Mu waited a while longer before enjoying a meal of the fake monk's mixed stew.

It has to be said that there's a reason why the fake monk could be so plump and healthy; his stewed meat was truly excellent.

Fresh meat from pheasants, rabbits, and wild boars, along with wild vegetables from the mountains, were stewed together in one pot, allowing the two to enjoy a hearty meal.

While eating and chatting, the fake monk finally revealed the origin of the jade pendant and agreed to accompany him to that blessed land to search for treasure.

Li Mu also inquired about the exact date of the martial arts tournament: the fifteenth day of the tenth lunar month, which would last for a month.

Previously, it was calculated according to the Gregorian calendar, but now it's calculated according to the lunar calendar, so there's still almost a month to go. Similarly, the fake monk also invited everyone to attend the gathering.

When Li Mu mentioned the invitation, the fake monk scoffed, completely unconcerned about whether or not there was an invitation, and even mocked Li Mu for being too young.

His invitation jade token had been lost during his escape, but as martial artists, how could a gathering of martial arts practitioners be hindered by an invitation?

Thus, the martial arts tournament, which had been troubling them for so long, was finally relieved by the fake monk's few words, and they felt completely at ease.

When the fake monk said he wanted to travel with Li Mu twice, Li Mu felt as if he had been bound to this fake monk.

With this warm-hearted and straightforward old hand as his guide, Li Mu was not averse to it.

Since there's nothing else to do, it wouldn't be bad to gather some herbs in these mountains and cultivate in peace.

The two began to sit down and discuss the Dao, emphasizing that the path of cultivation is long and arduous.

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At first, the two talked about their cultivation experiences and some anecdotes about martial arts, verifying each other's points and answering each other's questions.

Afterwards, the two began to spar.

The fake monk's real name was Tan Li. He was a master of the Tan family's twelve leg techniques, each with six variations, commonly known as the Seventy-Two Styles of Tan Legs.

The fake monk had mastered the Tan family leg techniques to an extraordinary degree, and with his abundant internal energy, he forced Li Mu to retreat step by step. If it weren't for the aid of his divine sense, he estimated that he would have suffered a great loss at the hands of the fake monk.

Of course, Li Mu was not entirely useless. He possessed a set of immortal martial arts techniques, the Empty Fist, which could be both soft and hard, and was exceptionally agile in its execution.

At first, Li Mu clashed head-on with the fake monk, and his hands and feet ached and went numb. Later, he had to infuse his spiritual power into the fight, which resulted in a draw.

If Tu Houhong was only at the Earth Realm and Li Mu could easily defeat him, this fake monk, whose injuries had completely healed and whose cultivation was at the peak of the Earth Realm, was someone Li Mu might not be able to beat even if he used all his skills.

Of course, the two were only sparring and neither used any desperate methods. If they were to have a life-or-death duel, it would be uncertain who would emerge victorious.

Having lived two lives, Li Mu is proficient in dozens of styles of fist techniques, leg techniques, and swordsmanship, with swordsmanship being his primary focus.

The fake monk wasn't just skilled in Tan Tui (a style of Chinese martial arts); he was also proficient in various fist techniques and swordsmanship, and his mastery of a soft whip was unparalleled.

The two spent the two days discussing and exchanging ideas at their lodgings, developing a mutual respect and becoming close friends despite their age difference.

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On the third day, Li Mu and the fake monk Lao Tan prepared to leave Yin Temple. They agreed to go to the mountains to train, search for medicinal herbs and opportunities.

"Old Tan" is the new nickname Li Mu gave to the fake monk, and Tan Li also directly calls Li Mu "brother".

Before leaving, Lao Tan changed into a windbreaker and burned several monk robes, wanting to make peace with the past and settle a karmic debt for himself.

After entering the mountains, Li Mu used the Cloud Chasing Step. He thought Lao Tan would be a hindrance, but to his surprise, this fake monk, despite always being at the bottom, was able to keep up.

After several days of living outdoors, Li Mu taught Lao Tan the essential steps of the Cloud Chasing Step, and Lao Tan also taught him all the seventy-two styles of Tan Leg.

During his training in the mountains, Li Mu found spiritual sources several times and cultivated on the ground, while Lao Tan also followed to guard and protect him, and arranged for his meals.

When Lao Tan tried to break through his bottleneck several times, Li Mu was always there to protect him.

The old man and the young man, once close friends, have now become inseparable, forming a special bond of friendship.

Through his sparring with Lao Tan, Li Mu gained a certain understanding of the martial arts of this world and a clear awareness of his own strength.

After several days of continuous practice and sparring, Li Mu's cultivation level improved again, reaching the peak of the fourth level of Qi Refining. He was just one more moment of enlightenment or opportunity away from entering the fifth level.

Old Tan had been at the peak of the Earth Realm for over ten years. He was unable to break through before due to the poison in his pills, but now that the toxins in his body have been removed, he has some cultivation senses and has begun to break through the bottleneck.

Seeing his repeated failures, Li Mu grew anxious. However, cultivation is a path that cannot be rushed.

Sometimes you feel like you can break through immediately, and this feeling might last for eight or ten years, or even a lifetime.

Sometimes, a sudden realization or a single opportunity can lead to a breakthrough.

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A few days later, Lao Tan sensed the bottleneck again. He sat down on the ground and began to circulate his cultivation technique to its limit, but he was still just a little bit short.

Li Mu was so tormented by these fake breakthroughs that he flicked a super-strength Qi-boosting pill directly into the other person's mouth.

The pill melted instantly upon entering his mouth, leaving a bitter aftertaste. Soon, Tan Li felt a surge of fiery energy rising within his body.

With this energy, Lao Tan made a breakthrough in one go, entering the ultimate realm of martial arts, the Heavenly Realm.

a long time.

Old Tan stood up straight, let out a clear whistle that shook the mountains and forests for dozens of miles, his spirit soaring high, and felt boundless gratitude towards Li Musheng in his heart.

He was very lucky to have met Li Mu in his life. Li Mu cured his erysipelas and helped him break through his limits. His kindness and virtue were beyond words.

Although he kept his gratitude to himself, he wouldn't hold back in their sparring match.

Li Mu wouldn't ask him to go easy on him, otherwise, the purpose of the exchange would be lost.

At this point, Li Mu became the one who got beaten up.

He felt a little guilty for meddling and creating such a powerful opponent for himself.

A few days later, Li Mu found four spiritual sources in a row. After absorbing them, he took a Life-Giving Pill and broke through to the fifth level of Qi Refining.

Having reached the fifth level of cultivation, his strength increased dramatically, several times greater than when he was at the fourth level of Qi Refining. Furthermore, his speed of absorbing spiritual energy during cultivation also increased several times over.

At this point, the two had returned to a balance, neither able to gain the upper hand, and they were mutually reinforcing each other in various aspects during the competition.

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Time seems to stand still in the mountains.

Unbeknownst to them, after more than twenty days of training, their cultivation levels had made substantial progress.

They collected over a hundred herbs, including three more Qinglin herbs, but found no other spiritual herbs.

Old Tan is very straightforward. Apart from sparring and cultivation, he gave all the herbs he collected to Li Mu. He's trying to tie Li Mu down with him.

Old Tan's ideas are very much in line with the cultivation world; for cultivators, there is no temptation that can resist staying by the side of an alchemist.

As the saying goes, the way of alchemy is also a way of deception.

A good alchemist can support a group of cultivators; there is no other way to do this except through alchemy.

In the realm of cultivation, a single elixir can change a person's life, a nation, or a sect. The existence of alchemists is of paramount importance.

A month passed in the blink of an eye, and the two prepared to leave the mountain and head to the martial arts tournament.

Li Mu, who had never participated in a martial arts tournament before, and Tan Li, a fake monk who had been absent for more than ten years, both had high expectations for the tournament.

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With the martial arts tournament about to open, a large number of colleagues who are about to participate or want to participate are already on their way.

The martial arts tournament, held once every five years, is the biggest festival among martial artists, and also the best opportunity for wealthy gentry to recruit independent martial artists.

Meanwhile, the Chen family in Yanjing was unable to find Huo Zheng. All evidence pointed to Huo Zheng's disappearance, which theoretically meant he could only exist in the space between life and death.

They have worked very hard to contact Huo Huanyu through the Huo family of Yunnan, and Huo Zheng has become the most important person in the eyes of the Chen family of Yanjing, the Huo family of Yunnan, and the Yunlei Sect.

The Cheng family from Xishan attended the meeting this time, including the patriarch Cheng Daoyuan, the third uncle Cheng Shuiqing, Cheng Yishi, and Cheng Jiawei.

After being scolded by her uncle Huiming, the young nun from Cihangzhai was on her way to the martial arts tournament.

Other sects, Taoist temples, Buddhist temples, and aristocratic families are also on their way.

October 15th is approaching, and the opening day of the Martial Arts Tournament is fast approaching. Li Mu and Lao Tan arrived as promised.

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