Li Mo stared intently at the Liu Li jar, immediately attracting Han Cai's attention. Han Cai couldn't help but explain, "This is smog spiritual energy, similar to cloud mist spiritual energy, but with a corrosive nature."
While speaking, Han Cai removed the Liu Li jar of smog spiritual energy and placed it in front of Li Mo.
Li Mo carefully observed the changes produced by the smog spiritual energy, his curiosity deepening as he couldn't help but confirm it repeatedly.
Smog spiritual energy seemed similar to cloud mist spiritual energy, but there were fundamental differences.
Cloud mist comprised water vapor, whereas smog was made up of tiny specks of dust, giving smog spiritual energy a state between reality and illusion.
It had to be admitted that smog spiritual energy possessed an unpredictable nature, capable of both offense and defense, aligning perfectly with Li Mo's needs.
Han Cai gently shook the smog spiritual energy jar near his ear.
"It's a pity…"
"Pity what?"
"Pity that the smog spiritual energy here is just too scarce, making cultivation difficult. Even if I add my entire reserve, it won't be enough to see you through your childhood."
Li Mo's expression turned somewhat helpless. When it came to versatility, smog spiritual energy was undoubtedly the most suitable for him. But the difficulty, as Han Cai said, was undeniable.
From the Bone Scroll, he had learned that seven thousand years later, although spirit veins still existed, the spirit stones mined were mixed with various alien energies and couldn't be directly used for cultivation.
Hundreds of different types of spiritual energy lingered in the air, so cultivation required advanced collection efforts or painstaking separation over time.
Han Cai collected alien spiritual energy from different environments.
Magma spiritual energy came from volcanoes; swamp poison spiritual energy emerged in marshlands; smog spiritual energy was often found in moist places rich in dust.
The more extreme the environment, the fewer the types of spiritual energy present.
The reason Han Cai recommended mountain spiritual energy was because Rong Town was surrounded by peaks, making cultivation efficiency far superior to common alien spiritual energies.
Li Mo unconsciously glanced toward mountain spiritual energy, prompting Han Cai to start another introduction.
"Just spend some spirit stones, and you can learn a spell from me called the Mountain Range Muscle Changing Technique…"
Li Mo, not wishing to endure Han Cai's rambling, interrupted hastily, "Doctor Han, I appreciate your kindness, but I'll stick with smog spiritual energy."
"Alright then."
Han Cai reluctantly agreed.
Li Mo wasn't stubborn, but he understood that alien spiritual energy could actually be dispersed before it affected the dantian.
Even if the dantian were assimilated by spiritual energy, Han Cai could offer a dantian replacement surgery.
Li Mo placed his trust in the Creation Book; once he imprinted the Middle Dantian, the divine skill gained would most likely aid his cultivation.
"Since that's your decision, I won't stop you."
Han Cai scratched his head, then extended four arms to rummage through his belongings.
From a cabinet, he pulled out a half-meter tall porcelain jar filled with dried, lifeless internal organs—all corpse spirit roots.
While Li Mo was momentarily stunned, Han Cai skillfully selected a corpse spirit root associated with smog spiritual energy.
"In childhood, the primary goal is to transform the five internal organs into corpse spirit roots. I can transplant the corpse spirit roots from predecessors into your organs, making cultivation far more efficient."
"But…"
"Don't worry. Once you break through to the Weak Crown Period, you can remove the additional corpse spirit roots. It's just a small risk, and Steward Hu will cover the spirit stone expense for the implant."
Han Cai emphasized, "Of course, while Steward Hu covers the cost of implantation, you'll need to provide the spirit stones for removal yourself."
Li Mo waved off the offer.
He had just set foot on the path of cultivation and didn't want to burden himself with external debts.
Li Mo pushed away the corpse spirit roots, only to find the Creation Book subtly reacting—the blank page displaying the vague outline of a corpse spirit root.
With just a thought, Li Mo could imprint the corpse spirit root onto the page.
This revealed the Creation Book's ability to integrate external organs into the body, though whether his body could withstand the corpse spirit root was another matter entirely.
Li Mo withdrew his consciousness from the Creation Book. If he imprinted the corpse spirit root in Han Cai's presence, he might end up locked in some Liu Li jar himself.
"Really dull."
Han Cai's expression grew colder as his eight arms skillfully opened a Liu Li jar, releasing a surge of azure spiritual energy that suppressed the smog spiritual energy within.
He extracted one-tenth of the smog spiritual energy into an empty jar.
"Smog spiritual energy in Liu Li jars will last at most ten years. Kid, absorb it quickly. As for cultivation techniques, let me look…"
Han Cai felt around the ceiling, muttering incessantly, before placing a cultivation technique Bone Scroll and the Liu Li jar into a cloth bag.
The palm-sized cloth bag easily held the jar, making it apparent that the bag was some sort of magic artifact.
"Yang Yuan Ben Jing isn't bad. Although it only covers childhood content, switching to other techniques later won't harm your foundation."
"I'll throw in a storage bag for free, you stubborn little brat. Now leave, leave."
"Um…"
Li Mo carefully put away the storage bag, clutching a stone bead in his hand as he said, "Doctor Han, Steward Hu asked me to give this to you, saying it could be exchanged for a spell—Universal Skillful Hand."
Han Cai raised an eyebrow, snatched the stone bead, and shook off the surface dust, revealing a vivid heavy-pupil eye.
"Thoughtful enough."
He handed the heavy-pupil eye to a small spider, grabbed Li Mo, and led him upstairs while pasting an unfamiliar Bone Scroll to Li Mo's forehead.
The contents of Universal Skillful Hand flooded into Li Mo's mind.
Since Han Cai never expected Li Mo to possess a memorization divine skill, the Bone Scroll contained details for both childhood and Weak Crown Period.
Li Mo gulped and hurriedly committed everything to memory.
The childhood phase of Universal Skillful Hand was called "Six Fingers," relying primarily on implantation to give cultivators a miraculous magic finger.
The magic finger functioned like a natural extension, capable of producing exquisite transformations under the guidance of spiritual energy, reportedly able to mimic various tools.
Li Mo found Universal Skillful Hand intriguing, though only for the childhood phase.
For Weak Crown Period, Universal Skillful Hand involved four stages of bodily modification: "Multi-hand," "Hollow," "Injection," and "Muscle Replacement."
Han Cai himself was the living embodiment of Universal Skillful Hand.
On the second floor of Miao Shou Inn, the walls were adorned with various human tissues. The spacious room housed several cultivators undergoing grotesque surgeries.
The most gravely injured was a plump Taoist, lying face down with his spine completely exposed.
The One-eyed Doctor urgently said upon seeing Han Cai, "Doctor Han, you're here. Xu Dahui's meridians are completely destroyed; he can't wait."
"And Jin Li—he paid a generous amount of spirit stones to learn a Protective Marvel, but he's only missing planting thirty-five Qian Qiuzi in his spine."
Han Cai irritably replied, "Might as well do them together. Once finished, I'll rest for three months—no matter who comes, don't open the door for me."
"Wait…"
The One-eyed Doctor gasped as Han Cai's eight arms deftly moved among the cultivators.
Incessant screams filled the air.
Li Mo, unfortunately, became one of the victims. Before he could resist, spiritual energy restrained him, and Han Cai's finger directly pierced his abdomen.
The tip of a rib was removed and the wound instantly stitched back together.
Han Cai then manipulated the rib, transforming it into the shape of a finger bone within moments.
Seamlessly, he sliced open Li Mo's palm, transplanted the magic finger beside the pinky, and connected nerves and flesh within mere breaths.
"Given your age, your hands will recover in two days, and the rib in three months at most."
Li Mo felt sharp pain but was shoved downstairs in less than ten minutes.
He stared at his involuntarily trembling hands, unwilling to remain at Miao Shou Inn another moment, fleeing the medical hall in panic without pause.