A month later, one morning.
At Low Mountain courtyard.
Chen Mu had just finished inspecting the twenty mu of Yellow Bud Rice Fields and returned.
Crouching beneath the west wall, he started to pack up the tube eggplants one by one.
With the experience from last time, sixty seeds had been successfully raised and fifty-two plants transplanted.
Currently they were as tall as a forearm and the palm-wide, verdant leaves were thick and full.
Without any surprises, this cultivation would definitely be a grand harvest.
After watering, he casually glanced over at the six siblings from Wu Mountain.
He discovered they were still at home cultivating in peace and he couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
“As long as they don’t meddle in others’ affairs, all is good.”
After observing them for over a month, he unexpectedly found that these six infamous brutes were actually a bunch of cultivation fanatics.
In the past month, apart from occasionally sparring with each other and dealing with some disputes among their subordinates who were farming, they had actually been cooped up at home practicing their martial skills.
“Their diligence is nearly catching up with mine!” Chen Mu pursed his lips.
So hardworking, they must want to reach the skies!
Seizing the opportunity to withdraw the Five Ghosts Yin Spirit, Chen Mu continued packing up the tube eggplants.
Each side mind their own business, cultivating peacefully, which was exactly what he wanted!
…
That evening, at a small depression behind Low Mountain.
Chen Mu was flying close to the ground, making random noises as he shouted.
Compared to moping in an underground secret chamber reciting scriptures, using the Void Cloak Technique to glide through mid-air was his favorite way to earn experience throughout the day.
In just one month, he had already completed half of the Second Rank Void Cloak Technique.
After a fierce skim over the ground, Chen Mu, riding the wind that flattened the grass, suddenly soared to the mountaintop.
Standing atop Low Mountain, Chen Mu looked down on his lush and orderly Yellow Bud Rice Fields with a satisfied expression.
Void Cloak Technique: 5255/10000/Second Rank;
“With the next rank, I should be able to discard the Curse Command.”
By then, activation will be faster, connections smoother, and flying more fluid.
He took another glance at the gray wall and realized that his Spiritual Light Technique was also progressing fast.
Hundred Intentions Spirit Light Technique: 9403/10000;
In his mind, the Jade Seed had swelled to the size of an egg.
The surface was still lustrous as jade and appeared even more solid and stable.
Inside, the tangle of silver threads was growing more complex, as if faint lights were circulating endlessly.
“In at most half a month, it will reach perfection,” Chen Mu nodded in satisfaction.
“Why is this fatso here again?!”
Chen Mu looked on, speechless, as Old Hao and Shang Huan, who had just climbed over the hill, approached.
Noticing the oil paper package in Shang Huan’s hands, Chen Mu could not help curling his lip.
“Still harboring ill intentions!”
Despite what they say, the tube eggplants and Hidden Qi Powder are not for sale.
…
At the dinner table, several people were feasting on grilled meat.
Just as Old Hao stretched out his chopsticks, he felt a shadow flash before his eyes.
Looking intently, he found his target had already entered Shang Huan’s stomach.
“Can’t you eat a little less?”
“Look at the size of you.”
“I feel like you’ve gotten even fatter!” Old Hao was puzzled.
Chen Mu also couldn’t help but look up.
Not only fatter, but taller too!
In the past four months, Shang Huan was like a teenager going through a growth spurt.
His height had shot up a whole head and now he was nearly one meter ninety, over half a head taller than Chen Mu.
His body had inflated like it was pumped with air, his clothes visibly stretching to accommodate his expanding form.
Yet beneath that chunky exterior, his muscles were as hard as steel.
United Heart Gu…
Chen Mu squinted his eyes.
“You think I want to?” Shang Huan wore a face of deep resentment.
“Back in the day when I was skinny, I was the handsome young man of all the nearby villages! Now, even the folks at Red Sleeve Square look down on me!”
“Pfft…”
“When you were skinny? Are you talking about when you wore open-crotch pants? You were indeed quite handsome back then.”
“But after you turned one, haha… still a handsome youth, hahaha…” Old Hao laughed heartily.
Shang Huan couldn’t help but roll his eyes.
“It’s all because of that damned Heavenly Demon Rebirth Pill.” Shang Huan complained indignantly.
“If you didn’t take it, you wouldn’t be able to stay here either,” Old Hao said gleefully.
Heavenly Demon Rebirth Pill? This fatty had eaten it? Chen Mu scrutinized him top to bottom: “You do look quite human though?”
“It’s different. What he took was the most basic Heavenly Demon Pill, which can only give him a layer of steel skin. It won’t grant him a bloodline, nor cause him to undergo any non-human metamorphosis,” Old Hao shook his head and explained, “It’s mainly used to resist the erosion of Earth Spirit Vital Energy.”
Knowing that Chen Mu came from Border Wilderness Island, he couldn’t help but explain a bit more.
“Many people in the Lower Courtyard get married and have children, and their parents are here, too. They can’t just send the kids to the mundane world, can they?”
“So that’s why there’s this diluted version of the Heavenly Demon Pill.”
Chen Mu suddenly understood.
The majority of Jilong Road’s Lower Courtyard were Shell Soul experts recruited from outside. The rest were probably ordinary people who had taken this type of Heavenly Demon Pill.
“Could it be that you got so lucky that the basic Heavenly Demon Pill you ate back then gave you an Exotic Beast bloodline?” Old Hao was unsure.
That probably wasn’t it; it was more likely the result of the Netherworld Thread strengthening his body.
Chen Mu withdrew his gaze, musing silently.
The United Heart Gu really could accelerate cultivation.
Shang Huan’s physique had become more robust, with his three treasures fully formed and his Jade Seed progressing toward perfection.
Cultivating the Perceptive Spiritual Light Secret Technique would probably be even more effortless.
The Netherworld Thread might even be able to absorb Earth Spirit Vital Energy.
This was probably why Lu Ku was able to master the Spiritual Light Technique in his twenties.
Thinking of Lu Ku, Chen Mu’s mind stirred, “Has the Lower Courtyard been as chaotic recently?”
If Lin Su took action and something happened to Mo Wuzhou, there would definitely be news.
“It’s even more chaotic than before!” Old Hao sighed.
“Exotic Beast disturbances are frequent, and a major incident occurred.”
Chen Mu’s heart skipped a beat. Here it comes!
“Inspection Courtyard’s Prefect Lin Su, blinded by greed, wanted to kill and seize treasures, unjustly attacking Brother Mo Wuzhou.”
“He was seriously injured and fled.”
“Brother Mo was also not lightly wounded and has been recuperating inside the wooden building of the Lower Courtyard ever since.”
“Director Song was furious and ordered the Inspection Courtyard to conduct a thorough investigation, arresting many who were stirring up trouble and killing for treasure.”
Chen Mu’s eyes narrowed. Luckily, Wu Mountain’s six siblings hadn’t been involved.
“That’s not bad, at least the Lower Courtyard is safer,” Chen Mu put his mind at ease, picked up a piece of green leafy vegetable, and chewed leisurely.
“What’s good about it!”
“The Inspection Courtyard pulled back its people to the Lower Courtyard. As a result, more Exotic Beasts breached the nodes.”
“Many people suffered disasters.”
“An old neighbor of mine, too tired in the middle of the night, nodded off for a moment, and half of his ten mu of Yellow Bud Rice fields were ruined,” Old Hao said with an ugly expression on his face.
“Just as the growing season was halfway done and the flowering and grain shooting were about to start, the Exotic Beasts caused havoc.”
“It was already very tiring to stay up all night to guard the fields, but now to watch the harvest diminish before our eyes, tell me, isn’t that miserable?” Old Hao lamented.
Chen Mu thought about the Bewildering Miasma in the fields.
He glanced at the Five Ghosts Black Smoke Group diligently perched in the Yellow Bud Rice fields.
He also recalled the wonderful dream he had last night, dancing with the ladies at Red Sleeve Square.
He couldn’t help but sigh with a pained expression, “That is truly miserable!”
“Miserable, right?”
“So could you sell me a bit of that smokey stuff you have in your fields?” Old Hao asked, eyes gleaming and fixed on Chen Mu.
“Me too, I want to buy some as well,” Shang Huan also said with a smile, “Hmm… many ‘a bit’s.”
Chen Mu: “…”
So that’s why these two stopped pestering me to make Hidden Qi Powder.
They’ve switched targets and are now eyeing my Bewildering Miasma!