Chapter 491: Chapter 491: Busy

Bai Mo wracked his memory, but he couldn’t identify this Demon Beast.

The members of the Demon Hunting Team were worldly and experienced, but they didn’t recognize it either.

But Demon Beasts ran rampant in the Celestial Barrier Mountain, each more bizarre than the last. No one could say what kind of offspring would result from their strange couplings.

Its own mother probably couldn’t tell you.

Bai Mo lifted the Demon Beast’s head and pried open its jaws for a look.

The beast’s mouth was filled with menacing fangs. It had a long tongue, and bony spurs were scattered from its upper palate down to its throat.

According to the men who hunted it, the creature was skilled at escaping by hiding within trees, making it extremely difficult to find.

To capture it alive, they had burned down dozens of acres of forest and nearly choked to death on the smoke. Fortunately, their efforts paid off.

’It must be some kind of wood-affinity Demon Beast, able to travel through wood. That’s a decent type of Divine Technique.’

After a moment’s inspection, Bai Mo had Ah Er fetch a needle and thread. It took considerable effort to sew the beast’s mouth shut.

There was still some time before he would begin the Alchemy, and preserving the carcass was proving to be a headache.

Demon Beasts possessing Divine Techniques were rare, so Bai Mo opted for a costly preservation method.

He had Ah Er dig a large pit on the mountain, fill it with water from the Spiritual Spring, and add the Lingxia that An Caiwei had brought from Cocoon Valley.

Soaked in this mixture, the carcass would surely remain unchanged for half a year.

Watching the half-pig, half-wolf carcass lie silently in the pit, submerged in the rainbow-hued Spiritual Spring, Ah Er wiped away its sweat and let out a long sigh of relief.

A gray-furred mouse nearby thoughtfully held up a leaf, creating a sliver of shade.

Ah Er gave it an appreciative look, gestured for it to watch over the carcass, and after a brief rest, went down the mountain to report to Bai Mo.

Bai Mo nodded in approval and handed it a large blueprint.

Unfurled, it showed a structure resembling an altar.

Ah Er stared at it, its eyes wide. After a moment, it looked up at Bai Mo, completely bewildered.

Bai Mo was holding a bowl of noodles, slurping them down loudly. He managed a nod in its direction.

"I’ve already picked a spot about a hundred feet behind the mountain. I need you to build this altar for me."

"It’s a wood and stone structure, so it won’t cost too many Spirit Stones."

Ah Er fell silent.

It had never faced such a major challenge before and had no idea where to even begin.

Bai Mo took a sip of broth and said to it:

"That wild boar you usually ride is quite strong. It’s sure to be a good worker."

"Have it turn the soil and lay the foundation. You can take your time with the rest. If it’s really too much, you can go to the marketplace and hire some people..."

Ah Er scratched its head, went to ladle itself a large bowl of noodle soup, and also began slurping it down.

The broth was excellent. It had simmered it for two hours with large bones and rare fowl to draw out the intensely savory flavor.

By the time it was halfway through the meal, a plan had formed in its mind, and it accepted Bai Mo’s request.

Bai Mo trusted Ah Er to get things done.

So, he went straight back to his room, took out a jade slip, and continued to perfect the Pill Formula within it.

「...」

Everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.

One day, some disciples from the Foreign Affairs Hall came by.

There were a few of them, some familiar and some not. They got straight to the point:

"Junior Brother, we hear you’re planning something big lately?"

Bai Mo nodded and answered frankly:

"I am preparing to begin Alchemy in an attempt to reach the Core Formation Realm."

The disciples exchanged glances and nodded.

"In that case, should the sect prepare a replacement to watch over the Black Prison for you for a while?"

Bai Mo understood their meaning.

Those who attempted to break through to the Core Formation Realm were one thing if they succeeded, but those who failed usually suffered damage to their foundation. In severe cases, they were left completely incapacitated.

Such incidents were common in the sect, so the Foreign Affairs Hall was used to them.

If something went wrong with Bai Mo, they would have to scramble to find someone to keep the Black Prison running.

Bai Mo shook his head. "I have already prepared a Pill. Even if I fail, it can protect my heart meridian and prevent any damage to my foundation or life."

"However, this Alchemy will likely take a long time. I have already arranged with Li Wuji—Brother Li—for him to watch over the Black Prison in the interim..."

Seeing that Bai Mo had everything arranged, the Foreign Affairs Hall disciples nodded in approval, smiled, and took their leave.

"In that case, we’ll wish you success in advance, Junior Brother."

Before leaving, one of them was suddenly struck by an idea and asked:

"Junior Brother, that Pill you mentioned that protects one’s foundation and heart meridian... do you have any extra? Could you spare some?"

Without a moment’s hesitation, Bai Mo refused outright.

"The materials were hard to come by. I only managed to make one, just enough for myself."

Pills that could reduce the risks of Core Formation were rare, and though they had a price, they were impossible to find on the market.

The disciple who had asked was disappointed but said no more, leaving with his companions.

"Those who follow the Alchemy Dao are so wealthy. They always have so many good things on hand."

"It’s an easy path to start, but hard to advance in. Success is really a gift from the heavens..."

The group walked further and further away. After they boarded a Flying Ship, even the faint sounds of their conversation could no longer be heard.

「...」

When An Caiwei arrived, she only found Li Wuji on Mi Mountain.

He pointed her in the right direction, and she found a man and a beast behind Mi Mountain.

Bai Mo was meticulously guiding the flow of terrestrial qi toward a simple altar, his work incredibly detailed and not the least bit careless.

He had learned this type of technique long ago but had only now gotten the chance to use it.

"Junior Brother, what are you doing?"

An Caiwei asked as she approached.

Bai Mo saw her coming, greeted her, and then returned his focus to his work.

"I’m guiding the terrestrial qi. I want to secure a geographical advantage for when I begin the Alchemy. What brings you here, Senior Sister?"

The altar, in the end, had been completed by Ah Er.

Aside from the foundation, which it had laid itself, the rest was done by workers hired from the marketplace.

It had found a few people, plied them with good food and drink, and then worked them like mules for six days to get the altar built.

If not for the generous pay they received at the end, the disciples would have spat in its face.

Even though it was all off-the-books work, none of them were people to be trifled with.

Blissfully unaware, having narrowly avoided a disaster, Ah Er had been making repairs and improvements to the altar by itself ever since, perfecting it day by day.

An Caiwei looked at the altar, her face full of admiration.

"Junior Brother, you really... this is such a grand undertaking."

"Are you really going to attempt Core Formation?"

Bai Mo gave a noncommittal answer. "I do have that in mind. I can only hope for success."

"It will take a year or two, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to supply you with Pills during that time, Senior Sister."

An Caiwei let out a little "Ah!" and quickly waved her hands.

"Core Formation is what’s important! Junior Brother, why are you thinking about so many other things?"

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Yes."

Bai Mo replied instantly, without a second thought.

"There are quite a few materials that Ah Er couldn’t find in the marketplace. I’ll have to trouble you to help me find them, Senior Sister."

Hearing their conversation, Ah Er hurriedly hopped down from the altar, took out a long list, and presented it to An Caiwei.

"Don’t rush."

An Caiwei crouched down, smiling at the list that was almost big enough to cover Ah Er completely.

"Which ones couldn’t you find?"

"Argh!"

Ah Er stretched out a claw and began to point at the names of several materials.

"Hmm..."

"Many of these are produced in Cocoon Valley and are rare in the outside world. No wonder you couldn’t find them."

"It shouldn’t be too difficult for me to gather them."

An Caiwei made a note of these materials and said as much.

Ah Er then handed her a cloth bag filled with Spirit Stones.

Since entering the inner sect, An Caiwei had to cover all her own cultivation expenses and really didn’t have any spare Spirit Stones.

"Hee hee, you’re still the rich one, Junior Brother. All that effort you put into making money back in Immortal Arrival City wasn’t for nothing!"

Bai Mo gave her a helpless look.

"I’m relying on you, Senior Sister..."

An Caiwei’s hand brushed over Ah Er’s head, dusting off some wood shavings. She stood up and walked away with a light step.

"Leave it to me!"

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