My experience of grinding in another world

Chapter 719 Baijia Village

The Henglian Mountains are a continuous range of mountains.

On a rugged mountain road, two sedan chairs, three meters off the ground, glide side by side, steadily flying forward.

"The Bai family's ancestors came from the Yellow Springs Sect, and like the other thirty-seven villages in Henglian Mountain, they were all under the jurisdiction of the Sacred Heart Academy," Bai Xiaoqing explained.

"But if you are under the protection of the Sacred Heart Institute, you must train soldiers for the Sacred Heart Institute."

“I’m always reluctant to send my own nephews or nieces to work for others.”

"Recruiting Qi cultivators from outside the area as substitutes became a common tactic for various mountain strongholds to cope with the conscription of Dao soldiers."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mu nodded slightly, but his eyes were fixed on the sedan chair he was sitting on with great interest.

"Are you interested in the Earth-Walking Chariot?" Bai Xiaoqing asked with a smile.

"Although it can't fly too high, it can move by relying on the ground, which is both effortless and fast. This sedan chair is really interesting," Chen Mu nodded.

"I'll send you one later," Bai Xiaoqing said, waving his hand.

"No, I need your help. I can't accept your things; it's too much of a waste."

"You are a distinguished guest, so this is just a small gift."

"Then I'll take two."

"..." You really are being very polite.

"alright."

……

The two chatted casually and soon arrived at Baijia Village.

The stronghold was quite large, covering a vast expanse of rolling mountains spanning hundreds of miles.

At the center stands a straight mountain peak, piercing the clouds. Several surrounding hills guard the area, and uniquely styled stilted houses are faintly visible among the mountains and forests.

The babbling brook, the birdsong and the fragrance of flowers—it's a place where both the warmth of human life and the beauty of nature coexist.

"What a wonderful place!" Chen Mu couldn't help but exclaim.

"It's the same no matter how many times I see it every day." Bai Xiaoqing jumped down the pole, smiled, and said nonchalantly.

Chen Mu also landed, stepping onto the clean mountain path paved with bluestone.

Then he quickly put the sedan chair into the Five Demons Bag.

Bai Xiaoqing: "..."

Oh well, it was going to be delivered anyway, so it doesn't matter whether it's delivered sooner or later.

He smirked, pretending not to see, and turned to lead Chen Mu toward a small hill.

Chen Mu followed slowly behind, feeling the increasingly rich spiritual energy of the earth, knowing that there must be protective laws and restrictions in the invisible places of this mountain.

He couldn't help but glance at the fat man in front of him.

This guy managed to infiltrate Baijia Village for so many years; who knows what kind of scheme he's plotting behind it?

After a moment's thought, Chen Mu dismissed the idea.

His only purpose in coming here was to successfully reach the Yellow Springs Sect to seek the next generation of Qi Refining inheritance; he didn't want to care about anything else.

As I was walking, a chubby boy of about fifteen or sixteen years old walked towards me with his head held high.

Bai Xiaoqing forced a smile, stepped forward helplessly, bowed and clasped his hands in greeting: "Third Uncle."

Chen Mu: “…”

Ok.

Generation and age are not necessarily related.

"Where did you find such a sucker?" The chubby boy glanced at Chen Mu and looked at Bai Xiaoqing in surprise. "Didn't you tell him that this year, the Daoist contracts for the Sacred Heart Academy will be signed for thirty years?"

You really know how to sabotage things.

If this person were truly an ordinary Qi cultivator, your words alone would scare them away!
"No need for you to worry, Uncle. It's all settled," Bai Xiaoqing said through gritted teeth.

"If you sign the contract, you'll have to guard the ley lines year-round, constantly facing assassination attempts by those brutes outside the mountains. A moment's carelessness could cost you your life. And you're still willing to sign?" The chubby boy looked at Chen Mu with an expression as if he were an idiot.

"Just getting into the Yellow Springs Sect is enough. A little risk is worth taking," Chen Mu said with a forced smile.

“The Sacred Heart Academy loses quite a few Dao soldiers every year.” The chubby boy chuckled mischievously. “Good luck.”

This arrogant little fat boy is a bit annoying.

"A genius from the third branch of the family, he received instruction from the Bai family patriarch from a young age. His temperament... well, a bit eccentric," Bai Xiaoqing explained, watching the chubby boy walk away. A young genius? No wonder.

"If you walk with your head held so high, you might trip and fall," Chen Mu said with a smile.

No sooner had he finished speaking than the chubby boy who had been swaggering in the distance suddenly knelt down with a thud.

"See, I told you so. If you don't watch where you're going, you're bound to fall," Chen Mu said with complete certainty.

Bai Xiaoqing's face twitched.

I saw the handprints you made, and you still dare to tell me he fell down?!

Pfft!
The chubby boy who had just gotten up in the distance fell down again.

Bai Xiaoqing's eyelids twitched wildly as he looked at Chen Mu's right hand, which was still forming a hand seal.

To lay a hand on my Bai family right in front of me? That's...that's pretty satisfying.

This chubby kid has offended quite a few people.

Bai Xiaoqing silently looked away.

Hearing the sounds of groans and cries of pain echoing in the distance, he turned and walked away, feeling a surge of pleasure.

……

But before they had gone far, a beam of light suddenly descended from the mountaintop and appeared in front of them.

"May I ask which fellow Daoist is here?" An old man with white hair and beard, but whose skin was as smooth as a baby's, appeared.

Bai Xiaoqing was startled and immediately bowed and clasped his hands in greeting: "Ancestor!"

His facial expression was normal, but cold sweat was already seeping out from his back.

Why would our ancestor suddenly appear?!

The young Taoist behind him was his second brother's man. He had just entered the village and ran into the patriarch. How could he possibly send him to the Yellow Springs Sect now?
If the patriarch discovers that his identity is questionable, he might even lose his life!

He wanted to give Chen Mu a signal, but the Bai family patriarch had been at the peak of his Dao Foundation for many years and possessed keen senses. At such close range, he dared not move.

"If I had known I would run into my ancestor, I should have given him a few more instructions before I came."

Bai Xiaoqing was quite annoyed.

Chen Mu, however, looked relaxed.

"My name is Chen Mu." He clasped his hands in a fist and said frankly, "I am a Dao soldier of the Thousand Machines Sect."

Previously, due to insufficient experience, I acted covertly.

If I'm hiding my progress after shedding my mortal form and cultivating the foundation of Dao, then all my cultivation of that foundation has been for nothing!

"That's not close to here," the Bai family patriarch said with a hint of inquiry on his face.

"There were extraterrestrial demons invading the Horned Wood Stars, and the Heavenly Gate malfunctioned, which is why we accidentally fell into this place." Chen Mu sighed and shook his head, telling the origin story with nine parts truth and one part falsehood.

Upon hearing this, the Bai family patriarch's expression immediately became amiable: "Fellow Daoist, what brings you here..."

"I heard that Fellow Daoist Bai has a way to enter the Yellow Springs Sect?" Chen Mu didn't hide anything and asked directly.

"But is it for the sake of the future path?" The Bai family patriarch realized.

"After wasting decades, I finally achieved a solid foundation in Dao. I intended to earn Dao merit to exchange for spiritual treasures and secret scrolls, but unexpectedly, I encountered a demonic disturbance. Moreover, I was not in control of my own destiny and accidentally fell to the ground."

"In that case, we'll have to find another way." Chen Mu shook his head helplessly, feigning reluctance.

The Bai family patriarch suddenly realized: "I do indeed have a way to the Sacred Heart Academy, but..."

"A Daoist soldier contract? That's fine." Chen Mu shrugged. "I was originally a Daoist soldier. Signing contracts and following orders is just a matter of course. I'm used to it."

"I am Bai Shou." Upon hearing this, Bai Shou, the patriarch of the Bai family, smiled broadly and said, "Fellow Daoist, you may stay in my village for a few days. I will send a message to the Sacred Heart Academy later."

"If Dean Luo knew that you had come to join me, he would be very happy."

Then Bai Shou spoke apologetically, "Fellow Daoist, please forgive me. I am currently in a critical period of seclusion. I hope you will forgive any shortcomings in my hospitality."

After saying that, he turned to look at Bai Xiaoqing, who was standing respectfully to the side: "You are Xiaoqing of the Fifth Branch, right? You must take good care of Fellow Daoist Chen these next few days."

Upon hearing this, Bai Xiaoqing immediately bowed and agreed.

"Fellow Daoist, please go and cultivate." Chen Mu didn't seem to care.

He was already very satisfied that he could get into the Sacred Heart Academy of the Yellow Springs Sect.

He doesn't care at all about polite small talk; in fact, he gets uncomfortable if the other person is too enthusiastic.

(End of this chapter)