My experience of grinding in another world

Chapter 527 Stability
The following day, the Divine Image Cave Heaven.

Beneath the courtyard gate, Chen Mu lay in a rocking chair, constantly adjusting the water curtain outside the door while observing Luandu County.

Seeing Jin Wuxia make a move yesterday and hearing everyone's discussion, Chen Mu felt a sense of crisis and immediately ran back to the Divine Statue Cave.

Since returning to the mortal realm, he had been preoccupied with how to escape his predicament, engrossed in the Spirit Treasure Cardinal Manual every day, and hadn't bothered to gather any information. But what he saw and heard yesterday clearly told Chen Mu that some unimaginable changes had taken place in Yunzhou.

The power of the spirits surged into the statue of the armored general, causing the water screen to change. Restaurants, teahouses, brothels, and entertainment venues in Luandu County—all the bustling places where people gathered and talked—appeared on the water screen.

Chen Mu huddled in the rocking chair, straining his ears and intently watching the water screen.

"Chicken Coop Road has mysteriously disappeared, and the disciples of the Lower Academy have returned to the Great Qian Dynasty..."

"Those who cultivate Qi and seek immortality are all evil cultivators who wreak havoc on heaven and earth. Catching just one would be a great achievement?"

"There are even mortal martial arts practitioners who can arm wrestle with Qi cultivators?"

"I've only been in the Underworld for three or four years, how could Yunzhou have changed so drastically?!"

He suddenly recalled his experience of being chased into the underworld at Ganhe Lower Temple.

The power of that horned monster seems to be similar to that of the previous Pillar General Jin Wuxia.

"That person comes from a mortal imperial court?!"

"So, the change has already happened. Long ago, ordinary martial artists had already started capturing Qi cultivators?!" Chen Mu couldn't help but widen his eyes.

……

Just as Chen Mu was busy gathering information about Luandu County, three tall, muscular figures wearing black hooded cloaks appeared in the east courtyard of the Qiluo Mountain City God Temple.

The leader pulled down his hood, revealing a young man with a square face: "Mr. Li, I am Yuan Dong, and these two are my junior brothers and sisters, Yuan Chun and Yuan Xia."

"You sent a message to the Locking Dragon Academy, saying that a sorcerer has appeared in Luandu County, but I don't know..."

Li Buxian, the temple keeper of the Qiluo Mountain City God Temple, was a tall, thin old man with a goatee. He smiled and clasped his hands in greeting: "Recently, there have been unusual movements at the Locked Dragon Well, and the aura of Qi cultivators has been manifested on Qiluo Mountain and the Jade Belt River."

“I was afraid they would come and disrupt the temple, so I notified your Suolong Academy.”

"I have compiled the details. You can go eat and rest first, and I will deliver the food to your rooms later."

“Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Li, but unfortunately, the Lock Dragon Academy is short-handed, and the academy has given us limited time. The sooner we capture those evil Taoists, the sooner we can return to report. What do you think…” Yuan Dong looked troubled.

"You three have worked hard." Li Buxian said solemnly. He clasped his hands in greeting again and then led the three of them toward a room deep in the courtyard.

……

The Divine Image Cave.

For several days in a row, Chen Mu did nothing but stay in his rocking chair, listening in and observing Luandu County.

That day, a muffled thud suddenly came from the water curtain. Chen Mu subconsciously turned his head to look and saw a group of children throwing firecrackers into the latrine.

Seeing the excited shouts and yells of those kids, Chen Mu couldn't help but twitch his face.

Only then did he realize that the entire Luandu County had quietly become filled with joy.

"Is this... bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new, preparing for the New Year?"

With a thought, the water curtain changed, and scenes appeared of each family sweeping their houses and courtyards, preparing new clothes, and cooking ingredients.

After a long while, Chen Mu let out a long breath and slowly closed his eyes.

Listening to the lively sounds from all over Luandu County, the anxiety that had been weighing on my heart gradually subsided.

"No matter how the world changes, life still goes on."

……

At the gate of the East Courtyard, Chen Mu moved the rocking chair back to the stone table under the cypress tree.

It's certain that significant changes have occurred in Yunzhou. Instead of focusing on external changes all day, it's better to consider what to do for yourself. Your life rhythm can be adjusted according to the changes, but it cannot be disrupted.

"First of all, the long-term goal of completely breaking free from the constraints of the City God Temple must not change."

"At the same time, the prospects for cultivating Qi and achieving immortality seem to be getting worse, but we still have to practice it after all, since it can lead to immortality." Chen Mu pondered to himself as he took a sip of the grapefruit-flavored jade dew.

Even if the world in Yunzhou changes drastically and becomes unfavorable for cultivation, one can still cultivate in Haizhou. Back in the lower academy of Ganhe, Senior Brother Mo Wuzhou had revealed this to him.

The changes in the earth's spiritual energy have existed since ancient times, changing in a regular pattern like the ebb and flow of waves. Yunzhou is at the bottom of the ebb tide, while Haizhou is still in the middle of the wave, and the earth's spiritual energy has not dissipated.

"And even if you're trapped in the City God's temple, you still have to continue your cultivation in your daily life."

"I haven't maxed out many of the secret techniques yet. I've been slacking off these past few days." Chen Mu brought up the gray wall and checked them one by one.

"Compared to the Qi Refining Secret Technique, the Yin Spirit Secret Technique cultivated by the Heavenly Demon True Body is far superior in both power and progress."

"If I really leave the temple in the future and encounter danger, I might have to use the Five Dragons Dharma Form as a means to kill enemies and protect the temple."

"Although the divine embryo is a distant prospect, it is still a powerful method, and the Pingxin Sutra must not be interrupted."

"I've reached the fifth level of Yin Wind Escape, which is still the fastest way to escape. I still need to practice it."

After a moment's thought, Chen Mu arranged the cultivation time for the Yin Spirit Side Secret Technique.

"Having gone through countless hardships to return to the mortal realm, I must pick up my cultivation and Qi-training skills again, no matter what."

"Especially the secret method of condensing the apertures involved in the Yellow Springs General Principles, which is the foundation."

“The spiritual energy outside is indeed thin, but I still have the Exquisite Jade Plate, which can create a small dojo with a radius of three meters, which can fully satisfy my own needs for cultivating qi and immortality.”

"As long as you have the money, there's no need to go to famous mountains and rivers."

He possesses the Yellow Springs General Principles and the Exquisite Jade Plate, so even if the vital energy of Yunzhou dissipates, he can still cultivate Qi and become an immortal.

"The key is where to get the white jade coins."

Chen Mu took out the wooden box, looked at the only two hundred and seventeen white jade coins inside, and his mind raced.

……

Once his mind was at peace, Chen Mu made a special trip to Luandu County to make a large purchase. After that, he quietly retreated into the Divine Image Cave and never showed his true form again.

With the changing environment of the Great Qian Dynasty, Qi cultivators have all become demonic cultivators, and he doesn't want to cause trouble.

Upon waking up in the morning, Chen Mu practiced the Calm Mind Sutra, the Yin Wind Escape Sutra, and the Nine Cups Calculation Sutra one by one before starting to prepare lunch.

Beneath the gate tower, a square table stood in the center. The long-unused, pitch-black Five Elements Primordial Alchemy Furnace reappeared.

A wisp of magical power surged in, and heat gushed out from the alchemy furnace. The newly purchased pork and rabbit meat tumbled inside, filling the air with a delicious aroma.

"The mortal realm of Daqian is indeed rich in resources," Chen Mu exclaimed, slurping up the piping hot bone marrow. "The City God's temple is truly extraordinary."

These past few days, without rushing to leave the cave or dwelling on the major changes in Yunzhou, Chen Mu's mood has become more relaxed, leading to many unexpected discoveries.

He looked up at the sky, where countless invisible fine lines contained various energies flowing within them, and the sparse earth spiritual energy was spread evenly throughout the entire Luandu County.

"Using the earth's spiritual energy to promote crop growth, aid crop growth, and enhance livestock breeding? That's amazing!"

The earth's spiritual energy is extremely powerful in nourishing all living things, but if the concentration is too high, it will overwhelm the body and drown living beings.

However, the invisible net of the City God's ritual sites, which spread throughout Luandu County, has the effect of regulating and dispersing vital energy. It can both promote vitality and avoid harming life.

"The people of Luandu County are strong and healthy, not only because of the Yinming insects, but also because of the Taoist temple's ability to regulate vital energy?"

"So much effort, so much effort indeed!"

The more carefully he observed, the more he could sense the unusual nature of the City God's Taoist temple.

"The underworld has really played a very big game."

While gnawing on a bone, Chen Mu adjusted the water curtain, searching inch by inch across the hundreds of miles around Luandu County.

A scene in an underground cave caught Chen Mu's attention. Seven or eight people dressed in black and wearing cloaks were meeting discreetly inside the cave.

Chen Mu observed carefully for a moment, and then his eyes lit up.

A wandering cultivator practicing Qi Refining?

Just when I was wondering where to earn some money from jade, this opportunity came to me!
(End of this chapter)