The following morning, at the southeastern corner of the street by Tao Hua Alley, there used to be a tea house.
At the moment, the tea house had been requisitioned.
In front of the door, two long queues were arranged, with one burly man after another in brown clothes lining up to register.
More than twenty soldiers in black tight suits, wearing brown leather armor on the upper body, were patrolling back and forth to maintain order.
Despite their constant shouting for silence, the noise could not be stopped.
Chen Mu, now standing at 1.8 meters, had a robust build and a face rugged with flesh.
Dressed in a gray tight suit, his wrists fitted with black leather braces, his hair was casually tied into a ponytail at the back of his head as he strutted towards the tea house.
The soldiers at the door, seeing Chen Mu’s appearance,
knew that he most likely was a martial artist from Jianghu; they immediately stepped aside to let Chen Mu into the tea house.
…
Inside the tea house, there was a row of long tables by the entrance of the main hall.
Five or six scholars were seated behind the long tables handling the registration.
Chen Mu was led by the accompanying soldiers to the center of the hall.
There was a separate long table there, with a goateed elder lazily sipping tea behind it. A middle-aged man resembling a government clerk stood beside him.
Upon seeing Chen Mu, he casually asked, “What’s your name? Where do you live?”
“Chen Mu, I live in Tao Hua Alley, the third house on Ding You Street.” Chen Mu quietly adjusted his throat muscles to make his voice rough and sonorous.
“What skills do you have?” continued the goateed elder.
“Red Falcon Shape Cultivation Technique, Bone Transformation,” stated Chen Mu simply.
The goatee’s eyebrows raised, “Some skills you’ve got!”
What followed was a string of questions, including ancestral home, when he arrived in Nanyang, and his usual social interactions, among others.
The adjacent middle-aged clerk immediately pulled out a stack of files for cross-checking.
Chen Mu even saw a copy of a deed with a red seal on it, the duplicate of the rental contract for his house.
Fortunately, he had come prepared and fluently answered all the questions.
The elder’s expression grew increasingly pleased, “Come on, follow me to the backyard for testing.”
Chen Mu nodded indifferently and followed the old man into the backyard.
…
Under the eaves in the yard, a burly man around 1.8 meters tall sat in the shade, drinking tea.
He was dressed in a black tight suit, with brown leather armor, a jade belt around his waist, and black boots on his feet, while a long sword rested beside a short table.
Chen Mu had just stepped into the courtyard when he paused in his tracks.
He had seen this man before; he was there moving wooden boxes on the night when Chen Mu’s new neighbors were moving in.
“That neighbor must also be one of Chao Tianwang’s men.”
“Lucky I ran fast!”
“Master Jia, a fine fellow has arrived,” the goateed man said obsequiously.
“Go test him.” Master Jia didn’t stand up, merely gesturing with his chin towards six huge stone spheres in the yard, “Lift one up and walk a circle.”
Chen Mu, composed, made his way to the stone spheres.
He easily lifted the first stone sphere and walked a circle around the yard, about ten meters in length and width.
Then he picked up the second one, his expression still easy.
By the third, his breathing had become slightly more rapid.
Then he gritted his teeth and lifted the fourth one, his face turning beet red, but he still managed to complete a circle.
When he tried the fifth, he could lift it off the ground but was unable to walk, so he immediately shook his head and gave up.
“Bone Transformation is adequate,” Master Jia said with satisfaction, “Old Ding, take him to the Inner City to receive his reward.”
…
Within Nanyang Prefecture’s Inner City.
This was Chen Mu’s first visit to the Inner City.
Sitting in a carriage, he couldn’t help but lift the curtain, peering out through the window.
The roads were smooth, paved with blue stones, spacious and clean, with enough room for five or six carriages to pass side by side.
The surrounding buildings were magnificent and exquisite; looking around, everything had white walls and green tiles, set in grand and deep courtyards.
However, the typical luxury was gone now. On both sides of the streets, within the grand courtyards, soldiers were everywhere creating chaos.
The Inner City had turned into Chao Tianwang’s military camp.
The original residents had long been devoured by ghosts.
Chen Mu couldn’t help but feel his hair stand on end.
He touched the Zuming Talisman in his pocket, which offered him some peace of mind.
“Chao Tianwang…” Chen Mu’s face darkened.
Had it not been for him, he wouldn’t have been forced to flee.
Now he couldn’t even enjoy a meal in peace!
…
The two arrived at the Prefectural Government Office, which had become Chao Tianwang’s stronghold.
Inside the treasury.
A plump middle-aged man was busily clicking an abacus and jotting down notes, asking indifferently while still working, “What’s the background of this person?”
Old Ding, with a bowed back and a smile, said, “Just a Jianghu tough, an outsider, evaluated as a moderate Bone Transformation.”
The plump man snorted, “Follow the usual procedure.” Stay updated through мѵʟ
“Give him five hundred Silver.”
Old Ding hesitated, “Isn’t that a bit too stingy?”
The middle-aged man scoffed, “For a mere Bone Transformation, with Chao Tianwang here, what wave can he stir up?”
“Chao Tianwang needs money for the recruitment of troops, everywhere.”
“These Jianghu men are untamed and giving them more silver won’t cultivate loyalty.”
“Better to use it for recruiting and training soldiers.”
As if! In the end, it all goes into your own pocket. Old Ding scorned in his heart, but his face showed nothing but admiration, “Chen Zhushi’s insight is profound!”
The plump man waved his hand, “Hurry up and deal with it.”
“If he dares to cause trouble, send him to guard the city gate and let those sinister things take care of him!”
Old Ding shuddered and quickly acknowledged.
…
Chen Mu was arranged by Old Ding to wait in a small parlor.
About a quarter of an hour later, Old Ding returned, handing Chen Mu a small cloth bag.
“Your settling-in allowance, one Dragon Transformation Pill, two hundred silver notes.”
“Come on, I’ll take you to choose your Shape Cultivation Technique.”
Chen Mu’s figure halted, his eyes narrowing involuntarily, “Wasn’t it two thousand silver?”
“You want to choose a Shape Cultivation Technique, don’t you? There are quite a few tricks within that require some… greasing.” Ding Lao glanced at Chen Mu and replied nonchalantly.
Chen Mu didn’t agree or disagree.
“Be content. Some people may have the luck to get money, but not necessarily the luck to spend it!” Ding Lao said meaningfully.
Chen Mu slightly bowed his head, a flash of cold light disappearing from his eyes as quickly as it appeared.
Immediately raising his head, expressionless, he nodded and followed Ding Lao to the rear courtyard of the Prefectural Government Office.
…
There was a huge man-made lake in the rear courtyard, with the Scripture Pavilion right beside it.
At the entrance sat a bored, thin, and black-skinned old man, who was currently engrossed in reading a storybook.
“Xing Lao Liu, he’s here to choose a Shape Cultivation Art, make a record.” Ding Lao cheerfully yelled out.
The gaunt Xing Lao Liu looked up absentmindedly, glancing at Chen Mu and his face twitched.
Immediately lowering his head as if nothing happened, he earnestly recorded the basic information such as name and time.
“When you go up, choose quickly, don’t dawdle. They’re all the same anyway.” Ding Lao said impatiently.
Chen Mu took a deep look at Ding Lao, then turned and walked into the Scripture Pavilion.
Noticing Chen Mu’s gaze, Xing Lao Liu’s eyelid twitched violently.
…
The Scripture Pavilion was a two-story wooden building.
Wide on the first floor, one saw over twenty three-meter-high bookshelves neatly arranged upon entering.
Chen Mu walked up and casually picked up a book—Willow Catkin Sword, then another—Gate Severing Knife.
“I thought they were all Shape Cultivation Techniques.”
Chen Mu flipped through them casually, finding mostly killing techniques inside with just a bit of incomplete and simple Breathing Methods that could slightly enhance the physique.
“This is probably what dominates the Jianghu,” Chen Mu shook his head.
“Shape Cultivation is fundamental, these…”
He browsed the shelves in passing, also noting a shelf filled with medical books, poisons recipes, and more.
“Let’s check the second floor.” Chen Mu made his way up the spiral staircase.
…
Compared to the first floor, the second floor had significantly fewer bookshelves.
Just three five-meter-long bookshelves stood there, isolated.
The items placed on them were sparsely arranged, with one book occupying its own spot.
A round-faced man was sitting by the second-floor window, drinking tea and enjoying the breeze.
“The Shape Cultivation Arts are in the first row, third compartment. Choose one to copy by hand.”
“You’re free to look at other items as well but can’t take or copy them unless you give up the Shape Cultivation Art.”
Zong Tai glanced at Chen Mu and said indifferently.
Chen Mu’s eyes squinted as he observed the man.
Wasn’t this the same person who had monitored him that night and later tried to silence him?
If it weren’t for this man, he wouldn’t have had to skulk around in hiding!
It was these very people who ruthlessly summoned Ghosts to destroy the Inner City and committed countless murders!
Utterly unforgivable!
Chen Mu’s mind churned with thoughts, but he strove to keep his face calm, politely greeting Zong Tai with a fist and palm salute.
He immediately walked to the shelves, looking at the dozen or so Shape Cultivation books inside the compartment.
Chen Mu took a deep breath and slowly browsed through them.
After quite a while, Chen Mu frowned and looked up.
“Is it that the noble clans have too tight a grip on Shape Cultivation, or is Chao Tianwang deliberately hiding something?”
Among the dozen or so Shape Cultivation books, only three seemed appealing.
The rest were mostly in the vein of the Red Falcon Shape Cultivation Technique.
“Too bad I can only choose one.” Chen Mu calmly picked up a Seven-horned Black Deer Shape Cultivation Art and headed to the desk.
Half an hour later, he left the Scripture Pavilion.
Chen Mu turned to look at Zong Tai by the second-floor window and politely nodded in greeting.
Zong Tai also nodded back, yet his eyes flickered with a trace of confusion.
Why does this man look somewhat familiar?
“Xing Lao Liu!” Zong Tai called out to the entrance below.
“Coming, Second Master!” Xing Lao Liu ran up the stairs excitedly.
“Is there a problem with that man?” the Second Master asked casually.
Xing Lao Liu’s heart thumped, yet his ingratiating smile didn’t waver.
A problem? What problem could there be? The man was just a ruthless character who had undergone Bone Transformation.
He assured emphatically, “Absolutely no problem!”
“Hmm, keep up the good work. You won’t miss out on your reward,” Zong Tai waved off carelessly.
“Thank you, Second Master!” Xing Lao Liu chuckled as he went back downstairs.
Once seated back at the entrance desk, he cautiously wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“Best not to provoke such ruthless characters,” he thought.
“What if he suddenly starts killing people? Ding Lao? Hah…”
…
Chen Mu stood before a large house at the entrance to the Inner East City.
“That’s it, go on in. This is where the instructor of the Wu Character Camp resides.” Ding Lao poked his head out from the carriage window, lazily pointing at a red lacquered gate.
Chen Mu watched Ding Lao with an expressionless face.
He touched the Seven-horned Black Deer Shape Cultivation Art in his bosom and thought of the other two books still lying in the Scripture Pavilion.
Suddenly, with a grin, he spoke, “Mr. Ding, I have a cousin, his name is Chen Jia, with the same Bone Transformation skills. He also wishes to serve under Chao Tianwang. Could you possibly recommend him?”
“Where is he?” Ding Lao perked up immediately.
“Unfortunately, he lives in Shanglin Neighborhood, which isn’t in your jurisdiction.”
Ding Lao’s brow furrowed tightly; he had a beef with the person in charge of Shanglin Neighborhood.
After thinking for a while, he gritted his teeth—better to fall out even more! Why let someone else eat the meat by his mouth?!
“I will find him tomorrow! I’ll personally take him through the process!” Ding Lao said excitedly, another silver note soon to be in his account!
Chen Mu was just as cheerful, another Shape Cultivation book soon within his grab!
Watching Ding Lao drive away excitedly, Chen Mu’s smile faded, and he turned away, leaving the Wu Character Camp indifferently.
“I hope on the day my identity is revealed, you can be just as happy.”