My experience of grinding in another world

Chapter 173 Shouyang Mountain

Shouyang Mountain is located a hundred miles east of Lijiang City and is part of the southeastern Yiling Mountains of Daliang.

The Yiling Mountains are long and narrow, starting in the southwest and extending northeastward along the coast of the East China Sea.

Shouyang Mountain is the southernmost point of this mountain range.

The western slope is gentle and covered in lush greenery. The eastern side, bordering the sea, is a vertical cliff face.

Chen Mu stood on the edge of the cliff, surveying the scene.

The surface of the cliff is as smooth as a mirror, as if it were carved by a knife and axe, with only a few green plants peeking out from the cracks in the rocks.

"Could it have been carved out by hand?" Chen Mu exclaimed in astonishment.

I peered down. The sea was a deep, calm blue, its depth unknown.

"A natural harbor?" Chen Mu understood.

The cliffs and the deep sea make it a perfect spot for large ships to dock: "No wonder people come to Shouyang Mountain."

After observing for a moment, Chen Mu turned and walked into the lush, dense forest.

A five-meter-long cliff face, tilted at about sixty degrees, stands in the forest.

A large, gray-white tent was set up underneath it.

"It's good to have more skills," Chen Mu said with satisfaction, looking at the tent he had set up.

This was a skill he learned from his fellow cooks in Qingshan County, north of the Yangtze River.

Chen Mu has been here for five days. Since resolving the Witch Seal incident, he immediately left Lijiang City, gathered supplies and equipment, and went into seclusion on Shouyang Mountain.

"You guys fight your battles, I'll live my peaceful life," Chen Mu thought leisurely.

These powerful families have dominated the Liang Dynasty for countless years. Relying on their bloodlines and monopolistic knowledge, they have continuously plundered resources from across the land, developing into something akin to monsters.

The Thousand Machine Order appears only once every hundred years, and Chen Mu does not believe that the aristocratic families will remain indifferent.

“Conflict is inevitable,” Chen Mu sighed.

Fortunately, most of the fighting was concentrated in Lijiang City and Nanyang Prefecture City.

The desolate wilderness is a blind spot for these people.

"I just need to wait patiently for the big ship to arrive, and everything will be settled."

It allows you to avoid trouble and focus on improving your proficiency.

"That's it, then!" Chen Mu thought excitedly.

……

On the south side of the sloping boulder, Chen Mu cut down trees and cleared a space.

Several wooden frames were placed in the sunlight.

Rows of long, narrow wooden molds with spherical indentations were neatly arranged.

Inside were small, ping-pong ball-sized, 3.0 version fasting pills.

"Two hundred and forty kernels. If I eat them sparingly to ensure basic nutrition, this is enough for me to eat for a year," Chen Mu calculated, feeling his hands on his stomach.

Since they are picking up and dropping off a large number of people, there shouldn't be any problem with meals on board.

But... what if there's not enough food? What if the ship gets wrecked by the storm? What if we're stranded on a desert island?

As he thought about it, Chen Mu frowned slightly.

"Prepare another 1420 version 2.0 Bigu pills."

"This will provide approximately two years' worth of food reserves."

"Hmm, let's prepare three to five more portions of Qingfeng Powder, Lingsha Pills, and Bewitching Smoke."

"Old Wu is such a kind man."

Without his financial contributions, he wouldn't dare to stockpile so many supplies.

"It's a pity the Five Ghosts Bag is a bit small," Chen Mu said regretfully.

“There must be something bigger overseas,” Chen Mu pondered.

"If only old man Wu were a little more generous," Chen Mu thought regretfully.

After some haggling, he ended up taking out three white jade coins.

"I wonder what prices are like overseas."

"Forget it, there's no point in thinking about it. I'd better go and focus on practicing my hidden sword technique."

……

Shouyang Mountain is covered in lush vegetation, a verdant expanse. A dark shadow flashed past through the dense forest, followed by a gust of wind that sent the leaves rustling wildly. It took quite a while for the shadow to subside.

Tu Shan moved with lightning speed. Despite the rugged, lush slopes, he moved like a nimble swallow, leaping hundreds of meters in just a few bounds. Before long, he had climbed a small peak on Shouyang Mountain.

Standing atop the mountain and looking south, one can vaguely see the summit of Shouyang Mountain, where a man-made platform sits atop a palace.

A bustling crowd swept and repaired the area.

"These lackeys of the aristocratic families!" Tu Shan sneered, "They must be doing this to welcome guests from overseas."

"There are too many experts. Otherwise, it would be perfect to hide in this palace for a month or two, with food and drink." Tu Shan said regretfully after staring for a while.

"Forget it, it's not like I haven't slept in the wilderness before." Tu Shan shook his head. Back then, before he had mastered his martial arts, he was hunted down relentlessly by powerful families. He had endured all kinds of hardships.

"Going to sea is the priority."

Tushan Station searched again on the mountaintop: "We need to find a place that can shelter us from the wind and rain and is close to a water source."

As he watched, a wisp of smoke came into view, and his eyes lit up immediately.

"Smoke?"

"Hide here and wait for the big ship?"

"Smart!" Tu Shan grinned.

"Food and lodging provided, here we are!"

……

At noon, Chen Mu quickly butchered and marinated a wild deer, then slowly roasted it on a stone oven.

His barbecue skills improved dramatically during his trip north.

The depth of the oven, the size of the mesh on the iron rack, and the temperature control of the charcoal flames are all perfectly executed. Paired with a secret blend of seasonings, the aroma is irresistible.

Chen Mu sniffed lightly and nodded in satisfaction.

"The meat is grilled well." Tu Shan strode over, drawn by the aroma.

"The tents are set up quite well." Tu Shan looked around the camping environment and became more and more satisfied.

"Do you know why I'm here?" Tu Shan grinned, a happy smile on his face.

"I can roughly guess," Chen Mu said calmly, looking at Tu Shan.

"The tent is mine, you stay here and cook for me, any objections?" Tu Shan smiled even more broadly.

"Aren't you afraid I'll poison you?" Chen Mu said calmly.

Tu Shan: "..."

"You've enlightened me." Tu Shan looked at Chen Mu with a look of sudden realization and gratitude: "It's always best to nip it in the bud and prevent any potential problems."

Almost instantly, Tu Shan, enveloped in white energy, suddenly appeared in front of Chen Mu.

He reached out and clenched his right fist, twisted his body backward, and his muscles bulged and twisted, resembling a bronze and iron statue.

Woo!
The fist slammed down, like a dark iron hammer, striking Chen Mu's head hard.

Just as he was about to smash Chen Mu's head with a punch, a dark short sword silently appeared in front of Tu Shan's chest.

Tu Shan's face was contorted with rage. His right fist continued its forward momentum, while his left hand, with its five fingers gathered together like an eagle's claw, suddenly reached for the venomous short sword.

He was exceptionally talented, and in his youth he was repeatedly hunted down by powerful families, so his martial arts skills were comprehensive and flawless.

You could throw a bucket of water at him and he could swat it all away with both hands! He's truly impervious to water!
"Divine weapons? I have at least eighty, if not a hundred, divine weapons in my grasp!"

But the next moment, the grab that was so sure of success suddenly missed.

The short sword followed a graceful and natural trajectory, perfectly bypassing the eagle's claws and easily piercing Tu Shan's chest along the bottom of his wrist.

call!
A strong wind howled past, blowing Chen Mu's long hair up and down. Tu Shan's fist suddenly stopped in front of Chen Mu's forehead.

Chen Mu tilted his head slightly, peeking out from beside his large fist, and looked at Tu Shan with a smile: "Whose tent is this?"

"Yours!" Tu Shan gritted his teeth.

"Whose barbecue is it?"

"Yours!" Tu Shan's forehead was covered in sweat.

The ebony sword gently touched his heart: "Leave no hidden dangers? Eliminate them completely?"

Tu Shan's eyes widened like copper bells, and he roared in fury: "We surrender!"

Chen Mu: “…”

I thought you were going to fight me to the death!
(End of this chapter)