The Lower Courtyard of Jilong Road was generally stable.
“But we can’t let our guard down,” Chen Mu warned himself.
He pondered, waiting another year, and then revealing his Spiritual Light Cultivation in the Administrative Affairs Institute around this time next year.
“I still need to make a few trips to the Daoist training grounds as a cover.” A disguise was still necessary.
“It can be said that I achieved the Jade Seed before I joined the Lower Courtyard.”
“And indeed I didn’t purchase the Spirit and Soul Unification Secret Method from the Scripture Transmission Institute.”
“This way, the logic holds up.”
Four years to attain Spiritual Light, although still somewhat conspicuous, was not unheard of.
“Hmm, I’ll send Lu Ku first when the time comes,” Chen Mu’s lips curled up slightly.
Two people breaking through to the Spiritual Light is better than one.
“Then, after enduring for another two to three years, go and buy a few private lessons at the Scripture Transmission Institute, and advancing to the Illusion Breaking stage will follow naturally.”
Lying low for three to four years… actually seems quite alright.
Back in Da Liang, he had planned to spend forty years cultivating his spirit.
“Old Hao is in his sixties or seventies and still talks about his youth all the time.”
“I’m only twenty-five, no rush.”
First, join Jilong Road step by step.
At the same time, slowly save money and accumulate Daoist cultivation.
By planning carefully and taking it slow, I will eventually get my hands on the Condensing Aperture Technique.
…
The sun rose and set, and time flowed on.
The weather on Peng Yue Mountain became increasingly hot.
For unknown reasons, the Lower Courtyard by the Tongtian River was like spring all year round.
Peng Yue Mountain was different. Having just been developed, everything was in its infancy. The prohibitions or Magic Artifacts that affected the weather had not been set up yet.
In the underground secret chamber.
Chen Mu placed the Soul-Calming Stake against the wall. The originally stuffy space suddenly became cool.
Chen Mu closed his eyes, his consciousness immersed in the Jade Seed. Enjoy more content from empire
“Looking at the Secret Technique Talisman in the space of the Jade Seed, it really is more intuitive,” Chen Mu said as he inspected the Talisman for the Five Ghosts Moving Mountain Curse, continuously zooming in and enhancing the view.
He then saw thread-like specks arranged in a mysterious structure, stably clustered together.
Streaks of light raced through them like lightning.
“All thanks to the Primordial Talisman linking the ethereal and the real.”
Before, obscured by fog, one couldn’t see so comprehensively and in detail.
As he contemplated the talisman, a strand of luminescent white thread floated by beside the Five Ghosts Moving Mountain Curse.
“It turns out that the actual basis of the Secret Technique Talisman is Mana.”
Chen Mu understood.
Before, he could only rely on Curse Commands to passively gather talismans.
But now things had improved.
The Illusion Breaking Talisman acted as a medium, allowing the Earth Spirit Vital Energy to pass between the ethereal and the real realms, automatically entering the Jade Seed Mud Pill.
In this process, the physical body, consciousness spirit, and Vital Energy—Three Elements Unification—naturally cultivated Mana.
Chen Mu watched the strands of fluorescent white threads within the Jade Seed.
With one thought, the threads stood up straight and suddenly stretched out taut.
With another thought, they swiftly twisted into a braid.
With yet another thought, the threads tangled into a chaotic mess.
Then, abruptly turning into a puff of smoke, they reformed into Mana threads.
They came together and dispersed at will, able to be used to activate secret techniques or to construct Talismans.
Mana really is magical!
…
Peng Yue Mountain was part of the primitive deep forest. And because the Earth Spirit Vital Energy was abundant, the surrounding vegetation thrived incredibly.
In the thick forest below the Yiyou District.
Chen Mu circled around a large tree that would take five or six people to hug.
“This must be at least a hundred years old.”
The Five Ghosts Black Smoke turned into a thin pancake, sweeping across the base of the roots.
With a push from Chen Mu, the big tree fell with a thud.
Then the Five Ghosts Black Smoke formed into a hollow cylinder, flush against the cross-section of the tree.
“Five Ghosts Moving Mountain!”
The Five Ghosts Moving Mountains Talisman within the Jade Seed then entered the Black Orb Talisman.
Without a sound, a hollow ring appeared at the center of the century-old tree.
Chen Mu pulled out the core of the tree from the ring, cut it into several sections, collected them, and hurried back to the wooden hut.
The core of trees over a hundred years old was the essential material for the Wood Spirit Boy.
After pondering for several days, he was ready to start making it.
…
In the following days, Chen Mu gathered medicinal herbs, minerals, and exotic beast blood, which, combined with Cold Moon Lake Water rich in Earth Spirit Vital Energy, he used to concoct a Spiritual Pulp to soak the tree’s core.
Not until the brown core had turned pitch black, resembling a charcoal stick, did he remove the forearm-length piece of wood.
He then performed mysterious rituals on it, such as basking it in starlight at midnight and in the first rays of sunlight in the early morning.
Five days later, Chen Mu marveled at the tree core in his hand, light as a feather yet as hard as iron.
“What exactly is the principle here?”
“It’s just an ordinary piece of tree core after all.”
When he thought of magic artifacts like the Fire Cloud Gourd of the Five Ghosts Bag, which were either bizarre or miraculous, Chen Mu came to terms with it.
The pursuit of eternal life was real, so a little oddity in material treatment methods was understandable.
…
It took half a day more to carve the pitch-black tree core using the Five Ghosts Moving Mountains technique.
Cylindrical body, cylindrical legs, and a cylindrical neck leading to a cylindrical face.
A pitch-black wooden creature, the length of a forearm and about the height of a hand’s palm, appeared… It was, for lack of a better word, a horse.
Chen Mu placed his right index finger on the forehead of the horse’s face and closed his eyes.
Inside the Jade Seed, the Wood Spirit Boy Talisman shone brilliantly.
Over the past few days, he had been preparing materials as well as grinding experience on the Wood Spirit Boy Talisman.
Luckily, the Wood Spirit Boy was simple, with only one layer, and he quickly maxed it out.
With a thought, the talisman was pulled into the Black Orb Talisman.
Mana, which had been meandering like fish, abruptly swarmed over and entered the Primordial Talisman.
Hiss!
It was like a branding iron pressed on pigskin.
Chen Mu felt a heat in his right index finger.
Thump!
The pitch-black little wooden horse was suddenly sent flying by an invisible force.
Chen Mu opened his eyes and, looking at the shattered little black horse outside the wooden corridor, shook his head and sighed.
“As expected, it failed.”
The talisman belonging to the Wood Spirit Boy had vanished from his mind.
“A one-time use?” Chen Mu sneered.
To use it again, he would have to refine it once more.
Although somewhat annoyed, he wasn’t too bothered.
This failure in crafting had given him an overall understanding of how to craft magic artifacts.
“Let’s try again!”
…
Just as he was determined to finish the Wood Spirit Boy in one go, a familiar stranger suddenly appeared.
“Is this Chen Mu, Brother Chen, in person?” Liang Cheng held a name list and spoke with a gentle face.
Chen Mu: “…”
Exposed?
In his mind, the Five Ghosts Moving Mountain Curse immediately burrowed into the Black Orb Talisman.
Liang Cheng shivered suddenly, feeling as if someone was staring at him fiercely.
“The Oversight Courtyard issued a mountain opening order yesterday.”
“In three days, all disciples from the Lower Courtyard are to take part in the mountain opening.”
“During the mountain opening, wages will be doubled.”
“If injured, the Lower Courtyard will compensate tenfold.”
“But one cannot be absent or lazy. Violators will be directly expelled from the Lower Courtyard!”
Not discovered?
Chen Mu breathed a sigh of relief, then frowned again.
Another mountain opening?
The land South of the Mountain wasn’t even properly cultivated yet, and now they had to continue opening mountains?
“Do you know if there’s a deadline for the mountain opening?” Chen Mu looked troubled and habitually passed a piece of White Jade to the other party: “The Yellow Bud Rice is in a critical growth phase and needs care.”
Liang Cheng smiled shyly, deftly pocketing the White Jade Coins into his sleeve.
“I’m afraid it won’t be a short time,” Liang Cheng sighed.
He had been asked this question countless times before.
As he squeezed the White Jade Money in his sleeve, Liang Cheng thought for a moment and then offered a suggestion.
“This mountain opening is mainly to methodically clear the Exotic Beasts beneath Peng Yue Mountain.”
“If you have money, it’s best to buy two Spiritual Light Talismans to keep on you.”
A danger?
Chen Mu’s brow furrowed at once.
This was not good news.