Scripture Transmission Institute, within the Scripture Cave.
“Shang Huan?”
The six Wu Mountain siblings looked at Chen Mu with disbelief.
“Is there a problem?” Chen Mu’s face was the picture of nonchalance.
Changing identities was something he had grown accustomed to.
“Is this place really safe?” Ai Ji looked at Chen Mu skeptically.
They had avoided the possibly non-existent Cold Moon Toad, but had actually managed to offend the Oversight Courtyard.
“Then don’t come,” Chen Mu said indifferently.
“If you hadn’t instigated, how would we have come?!” Ai Ji glared at Chen Mu.
“You are just following the idea that there’s safety in numbers, wanting us to share the risk with you!”
Chen Mu’s eyes moved subtly as he glanced calmly at Ai Ji.
You got that right!
“Then don’t come,” Chen Mu repeated indifferently. Continue reading stories on empire
Ai Ji was about to retort with his neck outstretched when Lu Ku interrupted with a wave of his hand, “The Oversight Courtyard is one of the three top masters of the Lower Courtyard. With him standing guard, we won’t have to fear unexplained attacks.”
“As long as we keep our mouths shut, there won’t be any trouble. We are just ordinary disciples of the Lower Courtyard, not worth the Oversight Courtyard’s attention.”
Chen Mu’s lips twitched slightly as he scanned the group.
This Lu Ku is quite clear-headed, huh.
The situation in the practice arena was mysterious, and there were hidden dangers at the foot of the mountain. His strength was insufficient, and he lacked a sense of security.
Chen Mu was all too familiar with this kind of situation!
It was not just about taking advantage of the Evil-Repelling Halo.
Back in the day, to dodge Ghosts, he had used Jie Jia’s Evil-Repelling home protection.
Now, planning to repeat the trick, he intended to use the power of the Oversight Courtyard to ward off monsters.
Unfortunately, Director Song was not as easy to deal with as old man Jie.
Jie Jia was content with three meals a day, but Director Song demanded three White Jade Coins daily.
…
Five days later.
Practice arena number 11 with the character “Wu.”
Chen Mu silently stimulated the Illusion Breaking Talisman, refining mana, replenishing what was spent.
After finishing, he did not rush to open his eyes; instead, his spirit slowly sank into the talisman.
Suddenly, a burst of bizarre lights flashed, and Chen Mu abruptly opened his eyes.
With the special vision activated, the distribution of Vital Energy within the arena was laid out before him.
“Tsk tsk… its concentration is only half that of the Exquisite Jade Plate at best.”
“And for this, they dare to charge sixty-five White Jade Coins a month?”
“What a rip-off!”
Chen Mu looked around.
Halfway up the air, strands of Earth Spirit Vital Energy, like moving fish, meandered leisurely.
Not far away, the six Wu Mountain siblings were like empty boxes with bait, attracting Earth Spirit Vital Energy to enter their bodies.
“No wonder they chose the worst arena,” Chen Mu realized.
Just as he had initially guessed, the Netherworld Thread could indeed attract Earth Spirit Vital Energy!
With this ability, even in the environment at the base of the mountain, it was possible to gradually cultivate a hint of Spiritual Light.
“These guys, could they also be here to accumulate learning hours?”
“To lay the foundation for revealing their Spiritual Light Cultivation later on?”
“Heh! Looks like I’ve encountered like-minded individuals.”
…
As he pondered, the group gradually opened their eyes.
Chen Mu, with narrowed eyes, said calmly, “Let’s go.”
The six exchanged glances with each other.
“Do we really need to go to the Scripture Transmission Institute?” Ai Ji couldn’t help but voice his doubts after hesitating for a moment.
Lu Ku turned to look at Wu Ruo.
“These past few days, indeed, there haven’t been any more disappearances,” Wu Ruo said lightly.
“You see!” Ai Ji’s eyes lit up: “Going to the Scripture Transmission Institute every night not only wastes half our time but also risks angering the Oversight Courtyard again.”
“They say out of sight, out of mind.”
“We loiter in front of Director Song every day. Even if he initially had no intention of doing anything to us, now he might just be tempted to make a move.” Ai Ji complained.
The others appeared thoughtful.
Chen Mu listened to their conversation, his eyes shifting as he slowly looked at Lu Ku and asked quietly, “Are we going?”
Lu Ku glanced at the several people with varying attitudes.
“Let’s go!”
Chen Mu nodded to himself.
No wonder the young Lu Ku could be the boss of several people, he is steady.
“Sigh…” Ai Ji’s shoulders couldn’t help but slump.
He had wanted to progress further this time at the dojo to train, in order to get ahead of Xu Rao.
Chen Mu’s mouth curled up slightly as he glanced at Ai Ji.
Training is indeed important, but one’s life is more so.
This brute is still too young, lacking a harsh beating by the ways of the world.
Ai Ji seemed to notice Chen Mu’s gaze and snorted coldly, immediately rolling his eyes at Chen Mu.
He rolled them so hard that his pupils all but disappeared.
Then he stood up ramrod straight, wordlessly walking towards the entrance of the cave.
His movements were stiff all over, his face expressionless, looking like a marionette being manipulated. Yet, paradoxically, his actions were swift, closing the distance to Chen Mu in two or three steps.
This was a bit strange.
Chen Mu couldn’t help but look at him curiously.
Looking up, he met a pair of ghastly white eyes, his heart skipped a beat, and he felt a chill down to the bone.
This… This situation isn’t quite right!
He immediately turned his head and saw that the faces of the others, who had just had clear eyes, were all now showing a blank expression.
Only Lu Ku, with his Spiritual Light Cultivation, had a firm will.
But he too had a struggling expression, as if he might succumb at any moment.
When did this happen?!
Chen Mu’s scalp felt like it was exploding.
Just then, a cold chill suddenly enveloped his entire body. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, as if someone was blowing cold air on his back.
Schwing!
The pouch at his waist trembled violently.
The Mana inside the Jade Seed churned.
A white hollowed-out Bone Sphere suddenly appeared.
Then, black light flashed rapidly in mid-air, and black moon blades appeared out of nowhere without Chen Mu’s command.
Right after that, with a wooshing cold whistle, they fiercely slashed towards the cave’s entrance screen.
Spurt!
The screen exploded with a bang.
Wuuwaa…
A shrill scream resounded in the cave, painfully piercing Chen Mu’s eardrums.
He stared intently at the cave entrance, only to see a flurry of wind and snow blasting apart into fragments.
For a moment, a pair of red crystal-like indifferent eyes fleetingly appeared amid the snowflakes.
By the time he looked carefully, they had disappeared again.
Black light flickered, and the moon blades reappeared, circling like fish, guarding his side.
Chen Mu came back to his senses, his face immediately turning grim.
Even with his limited experience, he knew that whatever was hidden in the wind and snow was definitely not the Cold Moon Toad!
The others, who had been confused just moments ago, suddenly snapped back to alertness.
Ai Ji, who was standing not far from Chen Mu, also shivered all over, his previously rolled-back eyes returning to normal.
He instinctively surveyed his surroundings, then turned his head to see a person-high moon blade spinning past him.
The sharp, icy aura made him scream in fright, and he leaped back violently.
“Shut up!” Chen Mu snapped.
Without even glancing at him, he gently touched the moon blade with his hand, his eyes, however, were firmly fixed on the outside of the cave.
…
After a long while, Chen Mu cautiously approached the mouth of the cave.
At some point, the sky above Peng Yue Mountain had turned oppressively dark.
Making the already dim daylight even darker.
The bone-chilling wind howled, and snowflakes whirled and raged, barely revealing the pavilion at the center of Cold Moon Pond.
At the cave entrance, Chen Mu stood with the White Bone Shield, darkly watching Cold Moon Pond.
“Director Song is missing!” Lu Ku’s face also turned ugly.
“Nobody’s next door.” Wu Ruo and Yu Lin quickly walked over from the adjacent cave.
“The snowstorm is too heavy, the Truthful Listening Secret Technique can’t hear anything.” Shi Xian frowned deeply.
Chen Mu’s heart sank, and he looked up at the sky.
“Have you ever seen such a snowstorm around this time of year before?”
“Within three hundred li around the Lower Courtyard of the Tongtian River, there has never been such a thing.” Wu Ruo said.
“According to the records in the books, only the Zhongshan Path thousands of li to the north could have this kind of weather,” Lu Ku added.
“We were supposed to be migrating south!” Xu Rao’s face was extremely grim.
This snow, it’s not right!
“Let’s go find the Oversight Courtyard!” Chen Mu no longer hesitated, turning around to leave.