My experience of grinding in another world

Chapter 654 Perfection

Nine days later, at dawn, on the northernmost edge of the Misty Forest.

In front of a valley filled with peach blossoms, an octagonal pavilion stands amidst the peach grove.

Inside the pavilion, two Taoist priests were playing chess and chatting.

Chen Mu hurriedly ran into the valley and arrived at the pavilion.

His clothes were charred and torn in many places, and two strands of hair on his forehead were soaked with sweat, making him look extremely disheveled.

"Halt! Which sect are you from?"

"Let me see the sect's jade token," the middle-aged Taoist priest in the pavilion snapped.

The old Taoist opposite him smiled and said, "No need to ask, this one is from the Hundred Illusions Sect."

"Master Mao, do you know him?" the middle-aged Taoist asked curiously.

"Hey! How could you not know him? He almost became your junior brother."

The white-haired old man looked at Chen Mu with amusement: "After all this time, you still ended up at Taoshan Temple."

Chen Mu clasped his hands in a forced smile.

A year ago, when he was still at the Dingyou Heavenly River Water Palace, the two had met when he went to the Hundred Illusions Sect's outpost to inquire about Dao soldiers.

At that time, the old man surnamed Mao held him back for a long time and tried to persuade him to join Taoshan Temple.

However, Taoshan Temple trains combat soldiers, which are far less safe than the auxiliary soldiers of Baihuan Sect, so Chen Mu naturally wouldn't choose it.

"Do you still think the Hundred Illusions Sect's Dao soldiers are safer now?" Old Mao chuckled and teased, "The feeling of being struck by lightning is not pleasant, is it?"

"It was my shortsightedness that led me to say this." Chen Mu clasped his hands in a fist and bowed again, revealing a bitter smile.

"We're destined to meet. Go south through the peach grove and head to the Hundred Illusions Clan on your own," Old Mao said with a smile, waving his hand.

"Thank you!" Chen Mu clasped his hands in thanks again and then hurriedly walked into the peach grove.

……

After walking into the peach grove for a while, until the pavilion was out of sight behind him, Chen Mu slowed down and strolled among the peach trees.

"The Thousand Machines Sect is truly despicable."

"The Thunder Technique of the Contract Book is actually changing every day, getting stronger with each passing day?!"

"It's making me sneeze every day, it's awful!" Chen Mu complained indignantly.

He originally planned to hide under Qingqiu Mountain and observe the situation until the chaos caused by the demons was completely quelled before emerging from the mountain.

Unfortunately, the Thousand Machine Sect doesn't uphold martial ethics and constantly uses the Contractual Thunder Technique, forcing him to come to Peach Mountain Temple.

He hadn't finished refining all the Heavenly Demon Spirit Seeds yet, and the Nine Lives Tribulation Technique still had room for improvement. However, the Pure Yang Dao Ancestor's Five Thunder Technique also had an extremely high ceiling.

"Hold on? And then exchange a few blows with the Pure Yang Dao Ancestor from afar?"

"Tsk!"

"I'd be crazy to do that."

Chen Mu rubbed his still itchy nose: "I don't want to explode into pieces like fireworks."

Besides, Taoshan Temple isn't actually that dangerous.

The tall members of the Thousand Machines Sect will definitely be at the forefront. What danger could a mere auxiliary soldier like myself possibly face?

"Consider it a chance to get used to life on the Tianxing Battlefield in advance," Chen Mu shrugged.

After briefly examining the fake lightning strike marks on his body, Chen Mu pondered how to slack off and leisurely strolled through the large peach orchard into the valley.

……

The next day.

At the foot of the mountain on the south side of the valley, in front of a square, earthen-yellow stone house.

"I didn't believe it when I heard you were alive last night, but I didn't expect it to be true!" Yang Fu's small eyes widened as he stared at Chen Mu with a face full of joy.

Another leek that earned merit has survived!

"We hid in the Washing Cave and used the demonic energy inside to cover ourselves, which is how we escaped disaster."

"Later, with the help of the sect elders, we left Qingqiu Mountain from the deepest part of the underground. The journey was quite difficult." Yang Fu couldn't help but sigh.

"I never expected that you, all alone, would arrive at Taoshan Temple unharmed."

"Junior brother, you are truly skilled!" Yang Fu patted Chen Mu's arm with the back of his hand, praising him with a smile.

"No way," Chen Mu quickly waved his hand modestly.

"I survived entirely thanks to Elder Hu Buwei's protection."

"If he hadn't helped me escape underground, we wouldn't be able to meet today." "It's just a pity that the demons from beyond the heavens are too troublesome. Elder Hu, he... sigh!" He sighed heavily, his face full of sorrow.

Upon hearing this, Yang Fu's expression darkened: "Junior brother, guess which elder led us away from Qingqiu Mountain?"

No...it can't be right?

“That’s right, it’s Elder Hu Buwei!” He squinted his small eyes and stared at Chen Mu.

"Oh, I must have remembered wrong. It was Elder Chuan Changzai who led me away from Qingqiu Mountain," Chen Mu casually remarked.

Listen to your endless nonsense.

Even if you're going to lie, at least try to be honest!

"Fine, let's just say it's Elder Chuan then." Yang Fu rolled his eyes.

This guy in front of me is clearly trying to fool me; there's no point in asking any more questions.

"The elders of the Thousand Machines Sect are recruiting Dao soldiers to investigate the Misty Forest."

"You can get twenty Daoist merits just by going in and taking a stroll. It's a rare opportunity."

"Since you are full of energy and vitality, then hurry up and start earning Taoist merits."

"Only with sufficient Dao cultivation can you exchange for ample secret techniques and resources from the Thousand Machines Sect and complete the first stage of Qi Condensation as soon as possible," Yang Fu advised patiently.

Are you suggesting I go into the Misty Forest to investigate Lan Zhang's secrets?

Am I crazy or are you crazy?!

Others may not know the details of the Blood River Master, but do you think I don't?

That was a ruthless person who dared to practice the Blood Nerve and devoured countless living beings, truly making it into the Blood Nerve!

"Senior brother, you may not know this," Chen Mu said solemnly. "When Elder Chuan was fighting the demons, I was unfortunately caught in the aftershocks. On the surface, I look energetic and full of vigor, but in reality, I am very weak inside."

"So, you're also planning to stay in the camp and not go out, right?" Yang Fu asked, his neck stiff and his eyes wide open.

and also?

Chen Mu's eyes lit up immediately.

This is a perfect example that someone has already set for themselves!

"Senior brother really understands me." Chen Mu grinned and nodded repeatedly.

I don't know anything!

Yang Fu turned and left angrily.

Like father, like son; the fear of death and fleeing from battle are almost becoming a tradition of the Hundred Illusions Sect.

There are hundreds of Hundred Illusions Sect disciples in the camp, but only a dozen or so dare to take on the mission, less than a tenth of them!

Since none of them are doing any work, they won't get a share of the credit for the soldiers.

It's all Zheng Bailian's fault!

……

With the elders of the Thousand Machines Sect stationed at Peach Mountain Temple, cultivators of Qi continuously gathered there.

Initially, only Dao soldiers trained by various sects were recruited. Later, as long as one was a Qi cultivator, they were attracted with high rewards and no one was turned away.

The number of people gathering is increasing, but they only have a few daily missions to explore the Misty Forest. Even when encountering demons, their first priority is survival and escape. Clearly, the Thousand Machines Sect is accumulating strength, preparing for a major operation.

But none of this mattered to Chen Mu, who had made up his mind to stay in the camp and not move an inch.

Yang Fu and Lu Han would come every few days to persuade him, so Chen Mu arranged a Nightmare Spell Package for them.

Then his camp life settled down completely.

Every day, besides nourishing his celestial demon body according to the usual routine, he would use his Divine Listening ability to investigate all sorts of rumors circulating in the Peach Mountain Valley.

He didn't dare to be too blatant, so he only kept the Listening Technique confined to ordinary camps.

Rumor has it that the Thousand Machines Sect elder who is in charge of Taoshan Temple is extremely powerful, and he dares not gamble that his Divine Listening ability will not be discovered.

That day, Chen Mu took out a rocking chair and placed it by the window of the stone house.

While watching the Taoist soldiers riding kites in and out of the valley, he tossed moon burdock beads into his mouth, feeling relaxed and carefree.

Unexpectedly, a buzzing sound suddenly appeared in his mind, and the star map of the night sky, which had been hidden deep in his consciousness, suddenly surfaced.

Immediately afterwards, a walnut-sized, jade-white bead silently appeared in the secret point between the eyebrows.

The unexpected twist of fate that had once dominated the center of the secret passage was suddenly pushed to the edge.

The warm, round bead was surrounded by colorless flames, from which emanated a chaotic and complex array of emotions. Like a rapidly edited film, faces of men, women, children, and even strange beings flashed quickly within the flames.

"Divine Embryo complete, Heavenly Demon Body fully transformed?"

Chen Mu stroked the slightly cool silver vertical line between his eyebrows and immediately smiled with relief.

(End of this chapter)