The echoes of Wang Hu’s screams still lingered in the air, but Lin Mo did not slow his pace.

Whispers erupted from every corner of the training ground. Disciples who had once mocked him now stared at his retreating figure with a mix of shock and fear. Some shrank back into the crowd, afraid that their past insults would be remembered and repaid. Others simply could not believe their eyes—the useless mortal who had endured endless beatings had just defeated a Qi Refining Stage disciple with ease.

Lin Mo paid them no mind.

His mind was clear, focused on only one thing: cultivation.

The Six Paths Immortal Root in his dantian continued to spin silently, drawing in the surrounding spiritual energy like a vortex. Even as he walked, the energy flowed through his meridians, strengthening his body and nourishing his foundation. He could feel his power growing steadily, far faster than any ordinary spirit root could allow.

He was no longer the weak boy who could only endure.

Now, he was a cultivator on the path to immortality.

Before long, he reached the outer sect Scripture Hall—a simple wooden building, aged but imposing, guarded by two middle-aged disciples with stern expressions.

One of the guards frowned upon seeing Lin Mo’s tattered robes and bloodstained appearance.

“Halt. This is the Scripture Hall. Only official outer sect disciples may enter.”

Lin Mo stopped and spoke calmly.

“I am here to receive my introductory cultivation technique and register as an outer disciple.”

The guard let out a scornful laugh.

“Register? You? Everyone knows you’re just a mortal servant without a spirit root. The sect does not waste techniques on trash.”

The other guard chimed in, eyes cold.

“Be gone. Or we will remove you by force.”

Lin Mo’s expression did not change.

In the past, he would have left silently, swallowing the humiliation.

But today was different.

He lifted his hand slightly.

A faint, imperceptible surge of spiritual energy spread from his body, subtle but sharp. It was not overwhelming, but it carried a purity and density that made the two guards’ pupils shrink.

They could feel it clearly.

Spiritual energy.

Actual, circulating spiritual energy.

The first guard’s mocking smile froze on his face.

“Impossible… You actually… cultivated to Qi Refining?”

The other guard stared in disbelief. A mortal with no spirit root could not possibly cultivate. Yet the energy coming from Lin Mo was undeniable.

Lin Mo spoke again, his voice calm but unshakable.

“I have successfully entered the Qi Refining Stage. I request entry into the Scripture Hall in accordance with the rules of the Azure Cloud Sect.”

The two guards exchanged a glance, their arrogance completely replaced by hesitation.

They could not afford to offend someone who had miraculously awakened the ability to cultivate—especially one who exuded such an unusual aura.

After a brief silence, the guard stepped aside.

“…Enter.”

Lin Mo nodded and stepped inside.

The hall was lined with wooden shelves filled with ancient scrolls and jade slips. Most contained basic cultivation methods, body-refining arts, and introductory sword techniques.

A white-bearded elder sat in the corner, eyes half-closed, seemingly asleep.

Without disturbance, Lin Mo walked through the rows of scrolls.

Most of the basic techniques were incompatible with his Six Paths Immortal Root—they were too shallow, too limited, designed for single or dual spiritual roots. Using them would only waste his terrifying potential.

Just as he was about to continue searching, a faint, ancient fluctuation tugged at his consciousness.

It came from a dark, dusty corner.

There, half-buried under discarded scrolls, lay a tattered, yellowed jade slip.

Lin Mo reached out and picked it up.

The moment his fingers touched it, the Six Paths Immortal Root in his dantian spun violently.

A name appeared in his mind.

The Heavenly Immortal Art.

Unbeknownst to him, in that moment, the white-bearded elder in the corner suddenly opened his eyes.

A flash of unimaginable shock appeared in his deep, ancient gaze.