Shouyang Mountain was located about a hundred li to the east of Lijiang City, being a part of the southeastern Yi Ridge Mountain Range of Da Liang.
The Yi Ridge Mountain Range stretched long and narrow, starting from the southwest, skirting the East Sea, and extending toward the northeast.
Shouyang Mountain was at the very southern end of this mountain range.
The western slope of the mountain was gentle, with lush greenery everywhere. The eastern side was adjacent to the great sea and featured a sheer cliff face.
Chen Mu stood on the edge of the precipice, surveying his surroundings.
The cliff face was smooth as a mirror, as if cut by a knife and chiseled by an axe, with only a few tufts of green grass poking out from the crevices.
“Could it have been carved out by man?” Chen Mu exclaimed.
He looked down. The sea surface was a calm and deep shade of blue, its depth unknowable.
“A natural harbor?” Chen Mu realized.
The cliff paired with the deep sea was suitable for large ships to dock: “No wonder they chose Shouyang Mountain.”
After observing for a moment, Chen Mu turned and walked into the dense, verdant forest.
There was a sloping rock wall about five meters in length and at an angle of approximately sixty degrees in the midst of the forest.
A large grayish-white tent was set up beneath it.
“This might as well be a case of having many skills does not burden one,” Chen Mu was satisfied with the tent he had built.
This was a skill he had learned while traveling north to Qingshan County, taught to him by comrades of the Logistics Army.
Chen Mu had been here for five days. After resolving the Wu Yin incident, he left Lijiang City immediately. With his supplies and equipment in tow, he secluded himself on Shouyang Mountain.
“You fight your fights, I’ll live my life peacefully,” Chen Mu thought leisurely.
The noble clans had occupied Da Liang for who knows how many years. Relying on their bloodlines and a monopoly on knowledge, they had been plundering the world’s resources, growing monstrous in their power.
The Thousand Mechanism Token appearing once every hundred years—Chen Mu didn’t believe the noble clans would remain indifferent.
“Conflict is inevitable,” Chen Mu sighed.
Fortunately, the conflicts were largely concentrated in Lijiang City and Nanyang Prefecture City.
Out in the wilds, these places were blind spots for those people.
“All I need to do is wait peacefully for the arrival of the large ship, and everything will fall into place,” he thought.
Not only could he avoid trouble, but he could also improve his proficiency in peace.
“Isn’t this perfect!” Chen Mu felt a surge of excitement within.
…
On the southern side of the sloping boulder, Chen Mu had cut down trees to clear an open area.
Several wooden racks were placed under the sunlight.
Rows of wooden molds with ball-shaped indentations were neatly arranged.
Inside, there were Bigu Pills the size of ping pong balls, version 3.0, glistening in the light.
“Two hundred and forty pills, if I consume them frugally and ensure basic nutrition, these should last me a year,” Chen Mu calculated as he touched them.
Since a large-scale evacuation involving transporting people was happening, there should be no problem with food on the ship.
But… what if food ran out; what if the ship was shattered by storms; what if he was stranded on a deserted island.
As he pondered these things, Chen Mu’s brow furrowed slightly.
“I should prepare another 1420 of the 2.0 version Bigu Pills.”
“That would give me about two years’ supply of food.”
“Hmm, I should prepare three… no, five more sets of Qingfeng Powder, Lingsha Pills, Mesmerizing Divine Smoke, and the like.”
“Old Man Wu’s such a good guy,” he thought.
Without his contribution of wealth, Chen Mu wouldn’t dare to stock up on supplies like this.
“It’s a pity the Five Ghosts Bag is a bit small,” Chen Mu regretted.
“There should be bigger ones overseas,” Chen Mu pondered.
“It would’ve been nice if Old Man Wu was a bit more generous,” Chen Mu thought regretfully.
After a bit of haggling, he had scrounged up three White Jade Coins.
“Wonder what the prices are like overseas.”
“Forget it, no use overthinking it. I’d better go work on my Sleeve Sword Technique in peace.”
…
Shouyang Mountain was lush with vegetation, a sea of green.
Within the dense forest, a black shadow flashed by, followed by a gust of wind that sent leaves into a chaotic dance. It took quite a while before they stilled again.
Tu Shan’s movement technique was as swift as lightning. The vegetation-covered slopes were rugged and difficult to navigate, but he moved like an agile swallow, leaping and bounding hundreds of meters in a few moments. It didn’t take long before he climbed up to a small peak on Shouyang Mountain.
Standing at the summit and looking to the south, one could vaguely see the mountaintop of Shouyang Mountain, where there was a man-made platform with a palace sitting atop it.
Swarming crowds of people bustled about, cleaning and repairing the place.
“The clan’s lapdogs!” Tu Shan snorted coldly, certain they were preparing to welcome overseas guests.
“Too many experts around, otherwise, hiding inside that palace for a month or two, with plenty to eat and drink, would be more than good,” Tu Shan said with a sigh of regret after staring for a while.
“Forget it, I’ve slept in the wilderness before,” Tu Shan shook his head. In his early years when his martial arts had not yet been mastered, he was relentlessly pursued by the clans, chasing him to the ends of the earth, and there was no hardship he hadn’t endured.
“The sea voyage is what matters.”
Tu Shan stood on the mountaintop, looking for a spot: “I need to find somewhere to shelter from the wind and rain, close to a water source.”
As he searched, a wisp of blue smoke caught his eye and he immediately brightened up.
“Cooking smoke?”
“Hide here and just wait for the big ship?”
“Smart!” Tu Shan smiled broadly, revealing his teeth.
“Food and shelter, just like that, they come to me!”
…
At noon, Chen Mu quickly butchered and seasoned a wild deer, placing it on a stone-carved stove to slowly roast.
On his journey north, his skill at cooking meat had greatly improved.
He had mastered the depth of the stove, the size of the grill’s mesh, and the control of the charcoal fire’s temperature. Coupled with his secret seasoning, the fragrance wafted for miles.
Chen Mu sniffed appreciatively and nodded in satisfaction.
“The meat’s roasted nicely,” Tu Shan commented as he approached, drawn by the scent.
“The tent’s been set up well too,” Tu Shan surveyed the campsite, growing increasingly pleased with what he saw.
“Do you know why I’ve come?” Tu Shan asked, his face breaking into a delighted smile.
“I have a rough idea,” Chen Mu replied, watching Tu Shan calmly.
“The tent is mine now, and you’ll stay and cook for me. Any objections?” Tu Shan’s smile grew even wider.
“Not afraid I’ll poison you to death,” Chen Mu said indifferently.
Tu Shan: “…”
“You’ve enlightened me,” Tu Shan said with a sudden realization, looking at Chen Mu with gratitude: “It’s better to eradicate the roots and leave no threats behind.”
Almost the next instant, Tu Shan, wrapped in a white stream of air, suddenly appeared right in front of Chen Mu.
He clenched his right hand into a fist and twisted his body backward, his muscles intertwined and bulging, looking like a statue cast in bronze and iron.
Whoosh!
His fist smashed down ferociously, like a dark iron hammer aiming directly at Chen Mu’s head.
Just as the fist was about to crush Chen Mu’s skull, an ebony dagger silently appeared in front of Tu Shan’s chest.
Tu Shan’s face twisted into a hideous snarl, his right fist unstoppable, while his left hand’s fingers came together like an eagle’s claw, lashing out at the snake-like dagger.
He was gifted by nature and had once been relentlessly hunted by the clans in his youth; his martial arts were seamless and impeccable.
Splashing a basin of water at him, he could slap it all away with both hands! Truly impervious to water!
“Divine weapons? I’ve grasped handfuls of divine weapons, not one hundred then at least eighty!”
But in the next moment, what should have been a sure grab, unexpectedly missed.
The trajectory of the dagger was beautifully natural, perfectly evading the eagle claw’s grip and easily piercing into Tu Shan’s chest along the underside of the wrist.
Whoo!
The gust of wind howled past, and Chen Mu’s long hair was blown up and then fell back down as Tu Shan’s fist suddenly stopped right in front of his forehead. Experience more content on empire
Chen Mu tilted his head slightly, revealing his face beside the massive fist, and looked at Tu Shan with a smile: “Whose tent is it?”
“Yours!” Tu Shan gritted his teeth.
“Whose roasted meat is it?”
“Yours!” Tu Shan’s forehead glistened with sweat.
The ebony sword gently touched his heart: “No hidden dangers? Eradicate the root?”
Tu Shan’s eyes widened like copper bells, and he burst into rage: “I surrender!”
Chen Mu: “…”
I actually thought you were going to fight to the death with me!
