My experience of grinding in another world

Chapter 51 Leaving
In a large house in Anlefang, east of the city in Qingshan County.

In the living room, former county magistrate Li Qing leisurely sipped his tea.

“Uncle, the city guards have reported that the number of evil spirit incidents in the city is gradually decreasing, and they are only occurring in the western district,” said a burly man with a dark complexion, sitting across a small tea table from him.

"The function of the altar is spreading westward from Qingfeng Temple, and it won't be long before it completely covers Qingshan County."

"Unfortunately, despite my extensive investigations, I still haven't been able to find out what methods Feng Ren used," the burly man with the dark face said with regret.

“That old Taoist priest Feng Ren is quite capable,” Li Qing said, putting down his teacup.

"It's a pity that Cheng Yi is so stubborn. He won't make money when he can. He'll cause trouble if there's even the slightest problem with the workers' rations. How hateful!" Li Wenlin said angrily.

"These days, who can get enough to eat? So what if it's moldy white wheat? Just cook it. It's okay to mix in some grass seeds and tree bark, it's not like it's inedible!"

“Wenlin, you are the pride of our Li family, the commander of the city guards, and your family has never shortchanged you. Why bother to scramble for food from those peasants?”

"A few material possessions are less important than preserving Qingshan County," Li Qing said slowly and deliberately.

As long as Qingshan County is preserved, there are plenty of ways to make money.

“Uncle, but we need to have a backup plan. We can’t let Qingfeng Temple hold us back,” Li Wenlin said, his eyes darting around.

Li Qing nodded thoughtfully: "Indeed, one cannot walk with a limp."

Seeing that Li Qing was interested, Li Wenlin immediately introduced with great enthusiasm: "Uncle, I've found someone, he might..."

"Could it be another one of those money-scamming swindlers like Qianshan Daoren?" Li Qing glanced sideways at his nephew.

The key point is that they didn't even finish scamming people out of money; they ran away after only getting half of it!

I had already reserved my share and planned to use it, but then the person from Qianshan was gone, and all my efforts were in vain.

"Uncle, this time it's not some lousy expert, it's a magic artifact," Li Wenlin whispered excitedly as he leaned closer.

"What idiot would sell magical artifacts?" Li Qing immediately refused to believe it.

Lin Wenlin chuckled and said, "Magic artifacts are treasures, but the price they come at is something most people can't afford!"

"I heard that thing requires a human blood sacrifice."

"No one else dares to use it."

"But we have no shortage of death row inmates in our prison."

Li Qing narrowed his eyes and shook his head: "It's best not to touch this kind of evil magic artifact."

"uncle……"

"Alright! Let's not talk about this anymore!"

……

The verdant Xiaodongshan Mountain seems to be draped in a light white veil.

The towering trees were completely shrouded in mist, with only their treetops peeking out, like specks of green on a white veil. This added a mysterious and ethereal beauty to the entire Xiaodongshan Mountain.

A light mist filled the mountains and forests. Chen Mu pushed through the white mist and walked quietly through.

In the light mist, even the scorching sun seemed gentle, like a fluorescent light emitting soft light.

A wooden cabin on the edge of the settlement. It's only been seven or eight days since I last visited, but it looks like it's been abandoned for months.

The doors and windows drooped precariously from their frames. A faint musty smell permeated the room.

"Brother Yang, you've finally arrived!" Old Liu cautiously ran out from under the window inside the house, constantly looking around, afraid of being discovered.

"The black dog has been getting fiercer lately," Old Liu complained.

"Brother Yang, you'd better give me a good price." Old Liu pointed to several burlap sacks piled up in the room.

"These goods almost cost me my life."

After not seeing him for a few days, Chen Mu noticed that the other person did indeed look unwell.

He seemed even thinner, and his face looked weak and pale.

Chen Mumo remained silent, squatting down to quietly examine all the medications.

He wouldn't overlook any checks just because the two parties were familiar with each other after multiple transactions.

He didn't want to make the same mistake he did at Jiejia again.

After a while, he took out a handful of round, leaf-shaped medicinal herbs from the bag.

He held his hand up in front of Old Liu and picked out four leaves from a dozen or so, placing them on the front of his palm.

His gaze was calm and indifferent as he looked at the pale-faced old man, Liu.

"These audacious scoundrels! How dare they pass off inferior goods as superior ones!" Old Liu roared in fury!
Chen Mu remained silent, staring at Old Man Liu without saying a word.

Only when Old Liu looked embarrassed and at a loss did they turn their gaze away.

"Brother Yang, please have mercy." Old Liu begged for mercy, bowing his hands.

Chen Mu withdrew his hand expressionlessly.

He opened the money pouch he had prepared beforehand, took out a piece of silver amidst the other person's pained expression, and then tossed the pouch back to them.

"The last batch in three days." Ignoring Old Liu's attempt to explain, he grabbed several sacks with one hand and plunged into the increasingly thick white fog.

……

The cliff behind the mountain.

Chen Mu sorted, dried, ground, and mixed the medicinal materials.

A huge batch of fasting pills has been made, and all kinds of dried fruits, dried meat, and dried vegetables are also ready.

All the way to Nanyang Prefecture, even if three Chen Mus cooked together, they still couldn't finish it.

He continued to have Old Liu purchase medicinal herbs, stockpiling food preservatives, fast-acting wound medicine, Sanyang Liujun pills, and a modified version of mind-controlling smoke, among other essential medicines for home and travel.

The journey to Nanyang Prefecture was fraught with peril.

Be more prepared, be more composed.

Beside him, young Taoist Chengming held a large bowl and fed the white and tender fish balls into his mouth one by one.

Her eyes blinked frequently as she watched Chen Mu make various medicinal powders with curiosity.

"Brother Chen, what are you doing?" "Medicine."

"Can I eat it?" The little Taoist's eyes sparkled.

"can."

"Give me a bowl!" The young Taoist priest quickly stuffed the last fish ball into his mouth and handed the empty bowl to Chen Mu.

Chen Mu: “…”

……

After lunch, the young Taoist priest took over Chen Mu's rocking chair.

He lay back happily, holding a wooden teacup in his hands, sipping the sweet and sour hawthorn juice.

"It's delicious. It's a pity I won't be able to drink it again." Chengming looked sad as he downed half a glass of hawthorn juice in one gulp.

"Refill!"

Chen Mu's face immediately darkened.

Therefore, being too good at cooking is not necessarily a good thing.

One mortal was already troublesome enough, and now there's this little glutton on top of that.

"Brother Chen, will you always be here?" Chengming asked happily, holding the wooden cup that had been refilled.

"will not."

Still trying to cling to me? Dream on!
"I don't want to go to Nanyang!" Chengming roared in frustration.

"You're going to Nanyang Prefecture?" Chen Mu came back to his senses.

"My master said Qingshan County is not safe, so he asked me to stay there for a few days." Chengming was still immersed in the regret of missing out on delicious food.

Chen Mu narrowed his eyes involuntarily.

The biggest unrest in Qingshan County comes from the ghostly spirits.

Doesn't Feng Ren have a way to deal with ghosts and monsters?
Even he himself lacks confidence?

Chen Mu couldn't help but think of the issue of the price that Jie Jia had mentioned earlier.

"No, we really can't stay here anymore!"

……

Three days later, in the gathering area.

The place is no longer as lively as it was half a month ago.

The whole day was quiet; not a ghost could be seen.

It is said that anyone with intact legs was forcibly conscripted to repair the altar.

Inside the increasingly dilapidated wooden house.

Chen Mu carefully counted the last few medicinal herbs.

Ensure excellent quality and pay the balance promptly.

Old Liu, pale-faced and with dark circles under his eyes, happily counted his silver coins. The more he counted, the more excited he became.

Looking into Old Liu's bloodshot eyes, Chen Mu couldn't help but ask, "Are you alright?"

"Oh, it's nothing. I haven't been sleeping well all day, just dealing with that black dog." Old Liu waved his hand.

"Brother Yang is preparing to leave?" Old Liu sighed. "The gathering area is ultimately a place of trouble."

He then cautiously inquired, "Brother Yang, are you planning to settle down in Qingshan County? Or will you settle down in the countryside?"

What if we can continue to cooperate in the future? This is a big spender.

"Nanyang Prefecture," Chen Mu said without hiding anything.

"That's a big city," Old Liu said regretfully.

"I wanted to go when I was young, but I didn't have the ability. Now that I'm old, I can't afford to go. It's not bad to buy a small courtyard in Qingshan County and live out my old age in peace," Old Liu said contentedly as he put away his money pouch.

Chen Mu made a lot of money from his bulk purchases.

With the money he had stored in Datong Money Exchange for most of his life, he had enough to live out his retirement in Qingshan County.

He'll take a concubine, adopt a child to support him in his old age, and that'll be his life.

Old Liu was thinking about it happily.

Ignoring Old Man Liu's visions of the future, Chen Mu turned and silently disappeared into the misty forest.

……

April 21, 639 AD (Da Liang Dynasty)

South of Qingshan County.

As agreed, Chen Mu arrived at the Bailang River outside the south of the city early in the morning.

But when he arrived, there was no one around.

Thick fog enveloped the surrounding area.

You can't see anyone more than five meters away.

If he hadn't been circling the Bailang River every day, he would have lost his way in the white fog long ago.

They waited and waited, but no one came.

All around was shrouded in thick fog, and all was silent.

For no apparent reason, a chill ran through Chen Mu's heart.

At that moment, a rumbling sound faintly came from within the mist. The ground trembled slightly.

It was as if a terrifying behemoth was slowly approaching from afar.

Chen Mu's heart tightened immediately.

(End of this chapter)