My experience of grinding in another world

Chapter 636 Discovery

Late at night, in a cave nestled in a cliff.

On the left side of the cave entrance, there is a large bay window that is one meter deep.

Chen Mu leaned against the window frame, sitting on the flat, wide stone windowsill. Looking out through the clear, transparent jade window, the night sky was bright with starlight.

The armor-layering plan failed, and the most cost-effective way to get rid of the potential dangers of the contract is still to refine the Peach God.

Unfortunately, for the past few days, the nine Crimson Feather Magic Swords have been wandering in the Imprisoned Valley, but have not found any more of the exotic peach trees, Ink Silver.

"It's all Old Hu's fault for being too greedy."

"I wonder how many people are refining the Peach God."

"So many exotic peach trees, and all of them have had their cores hollowed out, it's really..."

Chen Mu shook his head, feeling extremely annoyed.

"How about... we steal someone else's Peach God?"

Chen Mu felt a surge of desire.

He hesitated for a while before finally giving up the idea.

Once the peach wood core is refined into the Peach God, it becomes connected to the mind and soul of the refiner. Attempting to sever this connection for a second refinement would likely result in an extremely high failure rate.

Not only would plundering Peach God Lord be of little use, it might also attract the attention of the Hundred Illusions Sect.

"I'm a good person, how could I possibly do something like this—beating someone and stealing their treasure?" Chen Mu said righteously, his face solemn.

"At worst, we can wait another year."

According to the Nine Lives Dividing Tribulation Technique, once the core of the Ink Silver Wood is taken away, it can reappear after being nurtured for more than a year.

Although waiting another year would mean missing the most recent Thousand Machine Sect conscription, Chen Mu had no choice but to do so.

"Just because I am honest doesn't mean others will behave themselves."

"You cannot go to the Thousand Machine Sect until you have mastered the methods to deal with the backlash of the contract."

"It's just a few years' delay, I can afford to wait."

Chen Mu made up his mind.

Compared to other Qi cultivators, he was still quite young, and he would rather wait a few more years than take the risk.

……

Having made up her mind, Chen Muxin felt at ease.

Go to Prison Valley on time every day and conscientiously play the role of an ordinary Taoist soldier.

With the aid of the Three Yin Demon-Slaying Technique, he didn't need to figure out how to dispel demonic spells. The time saved wasn't wasted either; instead, he carefully studied the Nine Lives Tribulation Technique.

This is a crucial secret technique for dealing with the backlash of the contract; one can never be too proficient in it.

As the days passed, five of Lu Han's twelve Daoist apprentices had already left the Prison Valley and entered the Millstone Workshop to cultivate for the next step of dispelling demonic arts.

Chen Mu followed the trend, gradually increasing the number of demonic energy stones he mined each day, maintaining a modest, below-average level.

……

In the Valley of Imprisonment, the mist lingered, and the clanging of picks striking the rocks echoed continuously.

Lu Han walked slowly with his arms crossed, constantly inspecting his Taoist apprentices and occasionally stepping forward to explain a few words.

His proficiency in exorcising demonic arts is crucial to the speed at which Dao soldiers earn Dao merit, and he has a share in this, so he can't afford to be careless.

Soon they arrived at a secluded corner, and in the distance, a young man dressed in a gray outfit came into view.

The opponent swung his pickaxe rhythmically, its tip flashing with a ghostly green light, smashing against the dark stone wall and sending sparks flying.

Lu Han approached with a sour face, but when he caught sight of the demonic stone covering half of the vine basket, his expression softened slightly.

"It would have been better if it had been this way."

"If I had practiced exorcism techniques with such diligence from the beginning, I might already be working at the millstone workshop by now."

"But it's not too late now. As long as we keep up this pace, we might be able to pass the assessment and sign the Dao-Bing contract by the end of this year." Lu Han thought to himself and a smile appeared on his face.

He stepped forward slowly, about to offer a word of encouragement, when he saw the other person deftly sling over their shoulder, pick up their mining pick, and walk away. Judging from the direction they were heading, they were clearly leaving Prison Valley!

"Chen Mu, where are you going again?!"

Lu Han's face immediately darkened.

No, I was just about to praise you, and you just dumped me?

He immediately strode forward and stopped Chen Mu.

"Senior Brother Lu?" Chen Mu looked surprised, as if he had just spotted Lu Han.

“I want to go to Wanjing Cave,” he replied honestly.

"You've been at the Hundred Illusions Sect for almost half a year now, and you still haven't seen enough of the secret techniques in the Scripture Cave!" Lu Han glared, his beard bristling.

“I stopped looking at those secret techniques a long time ago,” Chen Mu said in a low, mysterious voice. “I went there to have Elder Hu Buwei teach me cultivation.”

Why not teach me cultivation?

Lu Han was somewhat bewildered.

When did Old Hu start his new business?

I do not know how?

"Elder Hu said he has a secret method for cultivating demon-dispelling techniques. Once I learn it, I will be able to make rapid progress immediately."

"He was reluctant to pass the torch to me, but I didn't give up."

“If I spend a little time persuading him, I can always get him to give in.”

"Once I obtain the secret technique, I can break small demonic energy stones with a flick of my wrist. This is much more worthwhile than toiling away in the Prison Valley." Chen Mu began to make up stories with an air of seriousness.

What utter nonsense about secret scriptures!

That old man is just trying to scam you, Bai Yu!

Lu Han was immediately enraged.

They quietly started a new business but didn't share any profits with me?

"He's already half-buried in the ground and he's still so greedy, you heartless old man who deserves to be cut into pieces!" Chen Mu asked cautiously.

"Get out! Get out!" Lu Han waved his hands repeatedly.

Chen Mu smiled, cupped his hands in greeting, and turned to leave.

It's good that you're angry; if you weren't angry, you wouldn't have gone to confront Hu Buwei. And if you don't confront him... how can you cause that heartless old man any trouble!

hum!

Blame it on that old man for selling too many Nine Lives Tribulation Techniques and charging me an extra 300 white jades.

This is the price!

Chen Mu, carrying a basket on his back and humming a little tune, leisurely left the Prison Valley.

……

The Ring-Shaped Prison Valley is located in a crevice within a cliff face in the southwest direction.

A palm-sized crimson flying blade floated silently in mid-air.

call!

With a soft rustling sound, Chen Mu, who had just shaken off Lu Han, appeared in this place.

He reached out and took the magic sword Zhu Yu, then strode to the center of the crevice. There stood a peach tree with pitch-black leaves, but its blossoms alone shimmered with silver.

With one hand pressed against the peach tree trunk, Chen Mu closed his eyes. He contracted his Listening Divine Power and activated it with all his might, aiming it at the interior of the exotic peach tree.

A quarter of an hour, half an hour, two hours...

Chen Mu stood motionless in front of the peach tree.

At some point in the night, the stars in the sky twinkled brightly.

A subtle breath suddenly appeared in Chen Mu's mind.

"found it!"

Chen Mu was overjoyed.

The Peach God Lord's crafting process ostensibly requires a core of Ink-Silver Peach Wood, but its true essence lies in the special power gathered within the peach wood core.

But this power is strange, elusive and hard to find; without the gathering of peach wood core, it is difficult to detect in ordinary times.

Chen Mu was able to detect the aura of the seventy-three Peach Gods because he had cultivated seventy-three of them and had come into contact with them extensively. Furthermore, due to the wondrous power of his Listening Divine Ability, he was able to sense it slightly.

Since the peach wood core went missing, he had released the Crimson Feather Magic Sword and kept a close watch on the exotic peach tree, Ink Silver. After nearly a month of waiting, he finally discovered some clues today.

"The peach wood core is just a vessel; the ethereal, otherworldly power is the real essence."

"As long as I find the source of this power, I can train as many Peach Gods as I want!"

Chen Mu immediately suppressed his excitement and prepared to use his escape technique to find the source of the aura.

Driven by the power of the Yin spirit, he became invisible and lifted his leg to sneak into the ground.

clang!

A loud bang rang out from the crevice, and as the air surged, Chen Mu staggered backward.

He felt dizzy and almost fell to the ground.

The Five Elements Escape Technique, which had always been invincible, has encountered a setback today.

This escape technique originates from the Cloud Mirage Demon Body, allowing Chen Mu to blend into his surroundings with ease, effortlessly entering water, sitting on fire, flying, and escaping underground. While its speed may not match that of the Rainbow Light Across the Ground or the Yin Wind Escape, it is adaptable to various environments.

now……

"Is it because of the demonic stone?"

Chen Mu immediately figured out the reason.

As the base of the Hundred Illusions Sect, Qingqiu Mountain is sealed off from the demons captured by the Thousand Machines Sect. The stones at the foot of the mountain have been permeated by the endless demonic energy over the years, turning into tough demonic stones in large swathes.

The stone was filled with demonic energy, as if it were part of a demon's body. The Five Elements Escape Technique can enter inanimate objects such as mountains and rivers, but it cannot enter the living body of a demon.

"Try hiding in the peach wood and following the underground root system; perhaps you can also burrow deep underground."

Chen Mu took a deep breath, activated the Five Elements Escape Technique, and opened his arms to crash into the peach tree in front of him.

Boom!

With a muffled thud, a repulsive force even more powerful than before struck, causing Chen Mu to fall to the ground with a thud.

"How can this repulsive force be even stronger than the demonic energy stone?!"

"It shouldn't be..."

Chen Mu got up and wandered around the peach tree.

"I'm afraid we'll still have to resort to the Three Yin Demon-Slaying Technique!"

He looked down at the dark, hard ground, which seemed to be made of cast steel.

“Digging a tunnel directly underground is not impossible. But that would be too conspicuous, and leave a trace.”

"Perhaps we can try using the Demonic Stone Pickaxe." Chen Mu squinted his eyes.

"The pickaxe can cover its tip with the power of the exorcism technique. If I were to envelop my entire body in the Three Yin Exorcism Technique..."

The next moment, a layer of dark green transparent light sphere rose around Chen Mu.

Immediately, the ground beneath their feet softened, and the originally hard, iron-like demonic stone ground instantly turned into soft sand.

The power of the Yin spirit trembled, and the Five Elements Escape Technique was unleashed, turning the already soft ground into a pool of melted oil.

With a whoosh, Chen Mu fell into the depths of the ground without any obstruction.

(End of this chapter)