My experience of grinding in another world

Chapter 474 Discovery
The next evening.

In front of the barracks' wooden hut, Chen Mu was transmitting the Three Yin Phosphorous Fire Incantation to a tall, robust Yin spirit. The Yin spirits in Thousand Lantern City had already completed the transmission last night, but the transmission had not yet been completed for the more than one hundred Yin spirits, including Hong Xiu and Shi Dechun, who had left Thousand Lantern City with him.

While waiting, he habitually brought up the gray wall to check.

Yellow Springs Guide: 5390/10000; Fifth Rank;
Jade Gate Spell: 1351/10000/Fourth Tier;

The secret techniques practiced by the true form of the Heavenly Demon are only these two, and they haven't reached their limit yet.

The fourth-tier Jade Gate Mantra made his perception of the Gates of Hell even clearer. Having learned from his past mistakes, he dared not make any more casual connections. However, the insights he received from the gray wall were still quite beneficial to him.

At this moment, apart from the secret incantation personally set by the city lord of Jigu City, the Gate of Hell had almost no secrets to him.

According to the information, the Gate of Hell is piled with countless secret techniques for crossing the Yellow Springs, which can better gather the power of Yin spirits, more quickly draw the River of Oblivion, more accurately point the landing point, and resist the pressure of the void to protect the user's safety.

Especially for teleportation that requires traversing the void, such as traveling to and from the Netherworld, the Gates of Hell are particularly necessary.

"So, when Shen Yan scared me by saying that the Yellow Springs Crossing was dangerous, it wasn't entirely unfounded, but he exaggerated it a bit and made some cuts? That old ghost knows the art of language." Chen Mu shrugged with a chuckle.

Then he looked at the "Guide to the Underworld" column.

This secret technique can summon the waters of the River of Oblivion and the Azure Flames of the Nine Netherworlds.

According to the legends of the underworld, the River of Oblivion has nine levels, and the Nine Netherworlds also have nine levels, with each level increasing in danger.

This manifests outwardly as increased corrosiveness of the River of Oblivion and a stronger burning ability of the Nine Netherworld Azure Flames, which are said to be able to corrode and burn the invisible primordial spirit at a deeper level.

The River of Oblivion and the Azure Flames of the Nine Netherworlds that he summons can only burn tangible things, but if he were to climb a few more levels, he might also be able to witness their power to corrode and burn intangible primordial spirits.

"What a secret!"

Unfortunately, this secret technique shares the common characteristics of Yin-Yang style secret techniques: it is easy to learn but difficult to master. After eight or nine months, I still haven't mastered the fifth stage.

"Fortunately, I am diligent enough."

"Relying on the gray wall? Ha! It's nothing!"

Just as I was pondering whether to farm the Jade Gate Curse first or the Yellow Spring Guide first, a gaunt figure appeared in front of the wooden house.

"You're eyeing my military merits, aren't you!" Chen Mu teased, looking at the bark basket Jia Zhang was carrying.

"How about I take it?" Jia Zhang teased with a grin.

Hey! This old man.

They know I love this delicious food.

Chen Mu shook his head and chuckled.

Jia Zhang chuckled and stepped forward, pulling out a creature from the basket that was about the length of his forearm and resembled an enlarged carrot... a living thing?
Chen Mu raised an eyebrow slightly.

At first glance, it really looks like a carrot-shaped plant, but its arm-length, orange-red, swollen roots twist and turn like an animal. Just by getting a little closer, Chen Mu smelled a fresh fragrance, and his mouth immediately started watering uncontrollably.

"nice one!"

Jia Zhang chuckled, "Found something new, I don't know what it's called. It looks like a radish, but tastes like tender meat. And everyone who's tried it says it tastes great and can even boost your energy and vitality. What do you think..."

“My military merit is yours.” Chen Mu nodded readily and took the bark basket with admiration: “Your skill in finding ingredients is really something.”

"Thank you, Commander." Jia Zhang smiled and said, "It's just that I have a good nose."

Chen Mu suddenly realized.

It is understood that the other person's innate talent is most likely related to their sense of smell.

Wait, that's not right. Wasn't it said that this old guy's supernatural abilities focused on concealment and hiding his true form?
Chen Mu glanced at Jia Zhang's thin, smiling face, which showed no sign of anything amiss.

Tsk!
He was probably an old silver coin who deeply understood the spirit of the art of survival.

……

The night grew deeper.

Chen Mu called Hong Xiu and Shi Dechun over to try the new ingredients together.

At the edge of the Wusi Banner camp, Jia Zhang greeted everyone familiarly and slowly walked back to his barracks.

At this time, all the spirits and soldiers in the barracks had gone to play gambling games, leaving the barracks empty. After tidying up his bed a little, he stood by the window of the wooden house.

"How insidious! They dragged Hong Xiu and Shi Dechun to taste the food again? Are they afraid I'll poison it?" he muttered to himself.

His expression changed immediately, a flash of bloodshot light appeared in his pupils, as if he had become a different person: "It's just two extra plates of dessert, a pleasant surprise."

"Are you going to eat Shi Dechun too?" Jia Zhang's pupils returned to black, his expression changed again, and his brows furrowed tightly.

"What, can't bear to see an old friend suffer?" Jia Zhang's brows were still furrowed, but the corners of his mouth stretched to his ears, his face full of a strange smile. At this moment, his left pupil was still pitch black, but his right eye was blood red, filled with a playful gaze.

"Now that you're stained with blood, strictly speaking, you're a member of the Netherworld Demon Clan. You treat him as a friend, but he only sees you as prey." Niu Sanmiao, possessing Jia Zhang, said mockingly, "And you still want to let him go?"

Jia Zhang, however, remained solemn: "No, I was just thinking, since there are two plates of dessert, could I have one?"

Niu Sanmiao: "..."

Jia Zhang chuckled: "You've always said that as long as you follow the recipes you provide, your blood and energy will be pure and abundant, making your food taste even more delicious and sweet."

At this point, he swallowed hard, his dark left eye filled with greed: "I want to try it too!"

Niu Sanmiao: "..."

Should I say I have a keen eye, or that I'm incredibly lucky?

This old guy hasn't even fully transformed into a Blood God Child yet, and he's already thinking about devouring other people's life force.

With a personality like that, it would be a real waste of his talent if he didn't become the Blood God's son!
Just as I was about to make a joke, I suddenly noticed out of the corner of my eye that a blank human head had appeared in the corner of the window!
At that moment, the other person was staring intently at him with a probing gaze!

Niu Sanmiao shuddered, nearly revealing his true form in fright!

Jia Zhang was also startled and broke out in a cold sweat. Looking at the heads by the window, his voice began to tremble: "Commander...Commander, what is this...?"

"Oh, I'm full, so I'm going for a walk." Chen Mu straightened up and stood up from the window.

Jia Zhang's face twitched.

You're just taking a walk, what the hell are you doing squatting under my window?!

"Were you scared?" Chen Mu walked around to the doorway, looking apologetic. "The paper window that opens upwards has such a small gap that I have to squat down to peek inside."

"It was really scary to suddenly have a head pop out of the window in the middle of the night, sorry about that." Chen Mu scratched his head, apologizing sincerely. Looking at the still-shaken Jia Zhang, Chen Mu felt quite bad.

After eating the newly summoned Netherworld Demon version of carrot, and feeling his body becoming increasingly full of energy, Shen Yan's suggestion to turn into one of his own resurfaced.

It's just the Three Yin Phosphorous Fire Mantra, which has been passed down to more than three thousand people. One more won't make a difference.

With that thought in mind, he unconsciously walked to the outside of the enemy's barracks.

He just wanted to look through the window to see if the house was suitable for a visit, but unexpectedly he scared the person.

Seeing that Jia Zhang was still in a state of surprise and doubt, Chen Mu couldn't help but sigh.

"Forget it, it's just a few bites to eat. I can just practice my cooking skills. Once I have more experience, I can find food myself."

Chen Mu, who was already somewhat hesitant, immediately shook his head and gave up. He smiled and waved his hand, "You rest, I'll go and take a look at other places."

Jia Zhang bowed slightly and watched Chen Mu's figure disappear into the night before letting out a long breath, though he was still filled with lingering fear.

"He didn't hear anything, did he?" Jia Zhang asked with a worried look.

"It's hard to say," Niu Sanmiao said uncertainly.

"Judging from his expression, he doesn't seem to have discovered anything, so he should be fine." Jia Zhang carefully recalled Chen Mu's expression.

“Your words only make me more worried.” Niu Sanmiao said with concern, “I’ve known him ever since he crawled out of the River of Oblivion. He’s a master of disguise. On the surface, he’s humble and unassuming, but in the shadows, he’s always making small moves.”

"Should we strike first?" Jia Zhang asked with a sinister look.

Niu Sanmiao couldn't help but sigh: "There are still several kinds of foods to regulate qi and blood that I haven't fed him yet. The qi and blood flavor is still a bit lacking. If only..."

Before he could finish speaking, he caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye that the expressionless head had silently reappeared in the corner by the window.

Jia Zhang: "..."

Niu Sanmiao: "..."

Are you fucking sick?

Jia Zhang shuddered uncontrollably, his heart nearly leaping out of his chest!
Chen Mu straightened up, left the window and came to the door, her face full of apology: "Did I scare you again? I'm so sorry."

“I went back and thought about it again and again, and I think it’s best to make you one of our own.”

“We’ve had too much contact. You’re exceptionally capable, and sooner or later someone will value you. If someone wants to search your soul to check your loyalty, they might discover my secrets from your memories.”

"It's different when you become one of us."

"The Spirit Seed is clumsy at deceiving others outwardly, but it is quite adept at weaving false memories inwardly. It can protect your memories and also keep my secrets."

"And once you're on my side, I can give you supernatural powers and secret techniques, so you won't have to worry about military merits anymore. You can just focus on finding ingredients for me. It's a great deal!" Chen Mu said earnestly as he promoted himself.

What kind of nonsense is this?!

Could it be that they recognized me and are deliberately talking nonsense?

Jia Zhang's expression shifted between anger and uncertainty as he stared intently at Chen Mu: "What tricks are you playing?!"

Chen Mu's face showed even more deep apology.

Look how frightened the old man is! You can tell how angry he is just by listening to his dissatisfied tone. He used to be the most polite person.

Chen Mu waved his hands repeatedly to reassure her: "No rush, no rush..."

The Decree of Yama, the King of Hell!
An invisible wave spread out, and Chen Mu happily stretched out his right index finger, where a fluorescent Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed floated uncertainly.

"Come on, eat it, and you'll understand everything."

Jia Zhang frowned deeply.

Chen Mu looked at the other person's hopeful face.

One breath, two breaths... seven or eight breaths, quite a while passed, and the two of them remained standing facing each other as if they were wooden figures.

An awkward atmosphere slowly rose in the air.

Chen Mu snapped out of his daze and slapped his forehead: "Oops, oops, I'm out of practice, I'm really out of practice."

Having not planted a spirit seed for over half a year, he had almost forgotten the process. The Yama Emperor's Decree could control the body of a spirit, but it couldn't issue commands verbally; one had to personally manipulate the body like a puppet.

Before Chen Mu could make another move, Jia Zhang laughed: "You acted so well."

At this moment, his pupils turned completely blood red, and his consciousness was completely taken over by Niu Sanmiao: "As expected, you are still so good at pretending."

"You clearly recognized me, yet you still pretend in front of me. Do you think I'll let you fool me like before?"

"Humph!"

Niu Sanmiao twisted his neck, making a cracking sound, and his body silently grew three times stronger. In the blink of an eye, he transformed from a thin, short old man into a muscular man over two meters tall.

“You disappeared without a trace in Hai Camp. At the time, I guessed that you might not be dead, so I possessed Jia Zhang and hid in Yi San Banner.”

"But you never showed up after the camp collapsed. I thought I would never be able to kill you and get my way. I never expected to find you in the You-character camp, and you even grew hair and became a ghost soldier!"

"Great news!"

“In this way, as long as I eat you, not only will my mind be at ease, but I will also increase my strength!” Niu Sanmiao laughed heartily.

"So you started planning from the Hai Battalion?" Chen Mu's smile had long since vanished, his eyes filled with coldness: "You really have a lot of patience."

A smug look flashed across Niu Sanmiao's face, but he immediately shook his head regretfully: "It's a pity that you still found out. It wasn't the right time for me at all."

"I should have thought of that sooner. With your keen insight, how could you not have noticed that something was wrong with Jia Zhang?"

"Was it those ingredients that made your blood and qi pure and abundant that alerted you? If you ate a few more of these ingredients to regulate your blood and qi, they would probably taste even better. What a pity..."

"never mind!"

Niu Sanmiao grinned, his eyes filled with malice as he looked at Chen Mu: "It's time for us to settle our old scores!"

Did they go to the trouble of finding so many ingredients for me just to change the taste of my blood and energy?
This...this is like they're raising me like a pig!

Chen Mu stared intently at Niu Sanmiao, his eyes filled with murderous intent: "So... who exactly are you?"

Niu Sanmiao: "..."

(End of this chapter)