My experience of grinding in another world

Chapter 122 Choice
The next morning, at the southeast corner of Taohuafang Street, there used to be a teahouse.

The teahouse has now been requisitioned.

Two long lines were standing at the entrance, with men dressed in brown short-sleeved shirts queuing to register.

More than twenty soldiers dressed in black outfits and brown leather armor patrolled back and forth to maintain order.

Despite repeated shouts for quiet, the noise could not be stopped.

Chen Mu was 1.8 meters tall at the moment, with a face full of fat.

Dressed in a gray, fitted outfit with black leather wristbands, and her hair casually tied back in a ponytail, she strode confidently towards the teahouse.

The two soldiers maintaining order at the entrance saw Chen Mu's appearance.

Knowing that he was most likely a martial arts expert, they immediately stepped aside and invited Chen Mu into the teahouse.

……

Inside the teahouse, a row of long tables is set up at the entrance of the lobby on the first floor.

Five or six scholars sat behind a long table taking attendance.

Chen Mu was led to the center of the main hall by the soldiers.

There was a separate long table, where an elderly man with a goatee was lazily sitting behind it drinking tea. Standing next to him was a middle-aged man who looked like a clerk from a government office.

Upon seeing Chen Mu, he casually asked, "What's your name? Where do you live?"

"Chen Mu, my home is in Taohuafang, the third house on Dingyou Street." Chen Mu subtly adjusted his throat muscles to make his voice rough and loud.

"What skills do you have?" the old man with the goatee continued to ask.

"The Red Falcon Form-Refining Technique transforms bones," Chen Mu said simply.

The man with the goatee raised an eyebrow: "You've got some skills!"

Then came another round of questioning, including about one's ancestral home, when one came to Nanyang, and one's usual interpersonal relationships.

The middle-aged clerk next to him immediately took out a pile of files to check.

Chen Mu even saw a contract stamped with a red seal, which was a copy of the contract he had signed when he rented the house.

Fortunately, he was prepared before he arrived and answered the questions fluently.

The old man's expression grew even happier: "Come on, follow me to the backyard for the test."

Chen Mu nodded calmly and followed the old man into the backyard.

……

In the courtyard, under the eaves, a muscular man, about 1.8 meters tall, was sitting in the shade drinking tea.

The other party was dressed in a black outfit, brown leather armor, a jade belt around his waist, and black boots. A long sword was leaning against a low table.

Chen Mugang paused as he stepped into the courtyard.

He had seen this man before; the night his new neighbor moved in, this man was there moving wooden crates.

"That neighbor must also be one of Chao Tianwang's men."

"Luckily I ran fast!"

"Third Master Jia, a hero has arrived," the man with the goatee said obsequiously, bowing and scraping.

“Go give it a try.” Without getting up, this Third Master Jia pointed with his chin at the six huge stone balls in the courtyard: “Pick them up and walk around them.”

Chen Mu remained calm and walked to the stone ball as if nothing had happened.

I easily picked up the first stone ball and walked around the courtyard, which was about ten meters long and wide.

Then he picked up the second one and continued walking, his expression still relaxed.

By the time I got to the third one, my breathing became a little rapid.

Then, gritting his teeth, he picked up the fourth one, his face turning bright red, but he still managed to complete a lap.

I tried the fifth one; I could lift it off the ground, but I couldn't walk on it, so I immediately shook my head and gave up.

"Bone-changing technique, acceptable." Master Jia nodded in satisfaction: "Old Ding, take him to the inner city to collect his reward."

……

The inner city of Nanyang Prefecture.

This was Chen Mu's first time visiting the inner city.

Sitting in the carriage, I couldn't help but lift the curtain and look out through the window.

The road is smooth, paved with bluestone, wide and clean, and can accommodate five or six carriages at the same time.

The surrounding buildings are magnificent and beautiful; as far as the eye can see, there are only white walls, blue tiles, and deep courtyards.

Unfortunately, the former luxury and elegance were gone. Soldiers were everywhere, creating a chaotic scene, both along the streets and in the mansions.

The inner city became Chao Tianwang's military camp.

The original inhabitants had long been devoured by evil spirits.

Chen Mu couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

He touched the Zuming Talisman in his arms, and only then did he feel a little relieved.

“Chao Tianwang…” Chen Mu’s face darkened.

If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have been forced to run away.

I can't even eat in peace now!

……

The two arrived at the prefectural government office, which had become the residence of King Chao.

Inside the yamen's storeroom.

An obese middle-aged man was rapidly calculating with an abacus, casually asking as he recorded his findings, "What's this person's background?"

Old Ding bent down and laughed, "A rough and tumble man from the martial world, an outsider, according to Yi Gu Zhong."

The obese middle-aged man curled his lip and said, "Let's do it the usual way."

"Give him five hundred taels."

Old Ding hesitated: "Isn't that a bit too harsh?"

The obese middle-aged man scoffed, "A mere Yi Bone cultivator. With King Chao around, what trouble can he possibly cause?"

"Chao Tianwang is recruiting soldiers, and he needs money everywhere."

"These江湖人 are unruly and arrogant; no amount of money can cultivate their loyalty."

"It would be better to use it to recruit and train soldiers."

"Bullshit! In the end, it all went into your pocket." Old Ding thought to himself, but his face was full of admiration: "Master Chen, you've got it all figured out!"

The obese middle-aged man waved his hand: "Go and get rid of him quickly."

"If he dares to cause trouble, send him to guard the city gate and let those evil things deal with him!"

Old Man Ding shivered and quickly agreed.

……

Chen Mu was arranged by Old Man Ding to wait in a small living room.

About 15 minutes later, Old Man Ding returned and handed Chen Mu a small cloth bag.

"Your settlement allowance is one Dragon Transformation Pill and two hundred taels of silver." "Let's go, I'll take you to choose a training technique."

Chen Mu paused, his eyes narrowing slightly: "Wasn't it two thousand taels?"

"Didn't you want to choose to practice physical techniques? There are quite a few tricks to it, and you'll need to grease some palms," Old Man Ding glanced at Chen Mu and said casually.

Chen Mu neither confirmed nor denied it.

"Be content. Some people are born to earn money, but they may not live to spend it!" Old Ding said meaningfully.

Chen Mu lowered his head slightly, a flash of cold light passing through his eyes.

He immediately looked up, nodded expressionlessly, and followed Old Man Ding to the backyard of the government office.

……

There is a huge artificial lake in the backyard, and the library is right next to it.

A thin, dark-skinned old man sat by the door, looking bored, and was currently engrossed in reading a storybook.

"Old Xing, he wants to choose to practice the Form Technique. Register him," Old Ding announced with a smile.

The dark-skinned, thin Xing Laoliu casually looked up, glanced at Chen Mu, and his face twitched instantly.

He immediately lowered his head as if nothing had happened and carefully recorded basic information such as name and time.

"Hurry up and choose, don't dawdle, they're all the same anyway," Old Man Ding said impatiently.

Chen Mu gave Old Man Ding a deep look, then turned and walked into the library.

Noticing Chen Mu's gaze, Xing Laoliu's eyelids twitched suddenly.

……

The library is a two-story wooden building.

The first floor is spacious, and upon entering, you can see more than twenty three-meter-high bookshelves neatly arranged.

Chen Mu stepped forward and casually picked up one book—"Willow Catkin Sword," then another—"Broken Gate Blade."

"I thought they were all physical training techniques."

Chen Mu casually flipped through the pages; most of the contents were killing techniques, with only a few incomplete and simplified breathing techniques that could slightly strengthen the body.

"This is probably the mainstream of the martial arts world," Chen Mu shook his head.

"Form-refining techniques are fundamental; these..."

He browsed through the bookshelves in a cursory manner. He even noticed a shelf with medical books, poison recipes, and so on.

"Let's go check the second floor." Chen Mu walked up the spiral wooden staircase.

……

Compared to the first floor, the number of bookshelves on the second floor is significantly reduced.

Only three five-meter-long bookshelves stood there all alone.

The items on top were scattered, with one book taking up a space.

A round-faced man was sitting by the window on the second floor, drinking tea and enjoying the breeze.

"The Form Training Technique is in the third compartment of the first row. Choose a book and copy it yourself."

"You can look at other things, but you can't take them away or copy them, unless you give up the Form Training Technique."

Zong Tai glanced at Chen Mu and said indifferently.

Chen Mu squinted at the other person.

Isn't this the person who was watching him that night? They even tried to silence him later!
If it weren't for this person, I wouldn't be hiding here and there!
It was these very people who, in a fit of madness, summoned ghosts, destroyed the inner city, and killed countless people!
Unforgivable!

Chen Mu's mind was in turmoil, but he tried his best to remain calm and simply clasped his hands in a gesture of respect towards Zong Tai.

He then walked to the bookshelf and looked at the dozen or so books on body-training techniques in the compartment.

Chen Mu took a deep breath and slowly turned the pages.

After a long while, Chen Mu finally frowned and looked up.

"Is it because the aristocratic families have too strong a blockade on the Body Refining Technique, or is this King Chao deliberately hiding it?"

Of the dozen or so training manuals, only three were somewhat acceptable.

The rest of them are all top-notch in the Red Falcon Formation Technique.

"It's a pity I can only choose one." Chen Mu calmly picked up a copy of "Seven-Horned Mystic Deer Form Refining Technique" and walked towards the desk.

Half an hour later, they left the library.

Chen Mu turned to look at Zong Tai by the second-floor window and politely nodded in greeting.

Zong Tai nodded in greeting, but a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes.

Why does this person look so familiar?
"Xing Laoliu!" Zong Tai called out to the door downstairs.

"Second Master is here!" Old Six Xing ran upstairs excitedly.

"Is there something wrong with that person?" Second Master asked casually.

Xing Laoliu's heart pounded, but his fawning smile remained unchanged.

Problem? What problem could there be? He's just a ruthless person who'll cut his bones and stuff his flesh.

He confidently declared, "Absolutely no problem!"

"Yes, do your job well. You'll be rewarded." Zong Tai waved his hand casually.

"Thank you, Second Master!" Old Xing Liu said happily as he came downstairs.

After sitting back down at the desk by the door, he carefully wiped the fine sweat from his forehead.

"It's best not to mess with such ruthless people."

"What if he suddenly attacks and kills someone?"

"Old Man Ding? Ha..."

……

At the entrance of a large mansion in the eastern part of the inner city.

"Alright, let's go in. This is the headquarters of the Wuzi Battalion instructors." Old Man Ding leaned out of the carriage window and lazily pointed to a large vermilion gate.

Chen Mu looked at Old Man Ding expressionlessly.

He touched the Seven-Horned Black Deer Form Refining Technique in his arms, thinking of the other two books still lying in the library.

Suddenly, he smiled and said, "Mr. Ding, I have a cousin named Chen Jia. He is also skilled in the Bone-Changing Technique and wants to join King Chao's ranks. Could you please help me introduce him?"

"Where is he?" Old Man Ding asked excitedly.

"It's a pity he lives in Shanglinfang, which is outside your jurisdiction."

Old Ding frowned deeply; the person in charge of Shanglinfang was not on good terms with him.

After thinking for a long time, I suddenly gritted my teeth and decided that the worst that could happen was that we'd have to settle for even worse! There's no reason to let someone else have the easy way out!
"I'll go see him tomorrow! I'll personally guide him through the procedures!" Old Ding said excitedly, another sum of money was about to come his way!
Chen Mu was equally delighted; another manual for body shaping was about to be acquired!

Watching Old Man Ding drive away excitedly, Chen Mu's smile faded, and he turned away from Wuzi Camp indifferently.

"I hope you'll be just as happy the day my identity is exposed."

(End of this chapter)