Chen Mu, not giving up, flipped through the three books from beginning to end once again.
The result was still completely unrelated to the Secret Technique he desired.
In the end, Chen Mu spent thirty taels and left with the “Golden Wind Jade Dew Secret Method.”
It wasn’t that he was vain and loved to dress up, but he valued the technique for adjusting muscles and lifting skin.
In the Secret Method, they were used to improve sagging skin. Chen Mu felt that these subtle physical adjustments were very suitable for the Face-changing Technique.
Every time he went out, he had to smear and change his skin color.
If he could figure out the Face-changing Technique, disguising himself when going out would be much simpler.
Carrying two Manuals, Chen Mu didn’t plan to continue strolling and left straight away.
Having been pursued by the White Tiger Hall for the matter of the Gentle Breeze Powder, Chen Mu knew that the Ghost Market was not safe either.
It was from the big ship at the Ghost Market that Startling Swan Gang found Jie Jia, leading to a series of events afterward.
“It’s still safest to stay honestly at home.”
…
After leaving the cabin, the outside of the big ship was still deadly quiet and pitch-black.
A few black-clad and masked guides led Chen Mu towards the stern, where more than a dozen black-canopied boats for picking up and sending off were moored.
Just as they reached the middle of the big ship, a chorus of larks and swallows reached them on a river breeze.
Chen Mu and the guide turned their heads instinctively to look.
A fifty-meter-long red ship emerged from the mist. The ship, adorned with flying eaves and lanterns, was a sight to behold with its beautifully carved beams and painted rafters.
The grand red ship was as bright as day, lighting up the entire river surface.
Lutes, zithers, and flutes, the sounds of instruments mixed with melodious singing reached them.
“So beautiful.” The enthralled masked guide was staring at the enchanting figures behind the sheer curtains ten meters away.
“It is quite beautiful,” Chen Mu remarked, also watching with interest.
“She’s mine!” The guide uttered fervently.
“She’s yours if you pay,” Chen Mu retorted with a chuckle.
Then, he watched wide-eyed as the guide plunged into the water with a splash, like a fish leaping out of water, heading straight towards the red ship with a trail of splashes.
That’s quite bold, isn’t it?
Chen Mu was stunned.
Splash, splash…
The next moment, all of the masked guides on the big ship of the Ghost Market, like dumplings being dropped into a pot, one by one jumped into the water, hastily climbing onto the red ship.
The two ships brushed past each other in only a minute or two.
Yet in that short span, the entire dark ship was left with only Chen Mu!
Chen Mu’s pupils suddenly constricted.
He abruptly turned to look at the gradually distancing red ship.
There, beside the windows of several cabins at the stern, stood slim young women dressed in sheer garments.
They all stared blankly, without speaking, fixing their gaze on Chen Mu.
A sudden impulse to jump into the water surged through him.
Chen Mu: “…”
Fuck!
Two paper effigies of ghosts whizzed out from his sleeves.
Pressed against his forehead, one on each side.
Their cold touch instantly sobered him.
Looking intently, the red ship had already sailed into the mist over the river, leaving only faint lights flickering in and out of sight.
“That was close!”
He almost fell for it!
Everyone else goes out to meet joy, why the hell do I always go out and meet ghosts?!
I really met a ghost!
“Can’t stay here, I need to leave quickly.”
Chen Mu ran to the stern, only to freeze in place.
More than a dozen black-canopied boats were hanging and trailing behind the ship, tied with ropes, but there was not a single boatman on board.
Not only the black-clothed guides jumped into the water, none of the boatmen were spared either.
Chen Mu looked at the empty expanse of the black-canopied boats, his face filled with helplessness.
He didn’t know how to row a boat.
…
In the Shanglin Neighborhood, Chen Residence.
Chen Mu sat on the second floor, drank a cup of warm milk tea, and touched his still pounding heart; he couldn’t help but feel residual fear.
Ever since the encounter with the long-haired woman, he knew that the Five Ghosts Bag somehow restrained ghosts. Also, because he was always ready to use the Mesmerizing Divine Smoke.
Chen Mu always had to open the Five Ghosts Bag whenever he went out, not minding the energy expense.
“So lucky!”
Chen Mu brought out two small paper effigies, looking at the ghost paper effigies covered in red lines, lifelike in every detail.
They seemed eerie before, but now, somehow, they even appeared a bit cute.
“You’ve been a big help.”
Without the two of them calming him, perhaps he would have jumped at the sight of the red ship without a second thought.
“I thought evil spirits couldn’t enter Nanyang Prefecture City?”
Chen Mu remembered the rumors he had heard from the Xin Yuan Tea House.
That red ship must be the cannibalistic ghost ship.
He had heard of it more than once. But it mostly appeared outside the city, in the Jinshui River, and had never entered the Luo River.
“Could the evil-warding artifacts of Nanyang Prefecture also have malfunctioned?”
How unlucky can I get?
I don’t have the protagonist’s halo, why can’t I find peace wherever I go!
Chen Mu grumbled with a heart full of grievances.
“This door shouldn’t be carelessly used anymore.”
“Tomorrow, I’ll start digging tunnels and stockpiling supplies. I’ll hole up here for a year or maybe longer before I even think about anything else!”
…
Early next morning, Chen Mu rushed to the North Market to make some major purchases.
Wheat, air-dried ham, various vegetables, seasonings.
Once home, he didn’t even care about gaining proficiency anymore. He found a corner in the kitchen on the east side of the first floor and started digging downwards.
After a few shovel loads, he suddenly remembered the Five Ghosts Bag.
What would happen if I used the Five Ghosts Bag to move the soil underground?
Chen Mu muttered the curse, checked the size of the shaft in the bag designed for feeding, aimed at the soil beneath his feet, and as black smoke spread out and covered it… Lift!
Then the soil beneath his feet started to disappear layer by layer, sinking at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Before long, there was a vertical shaft one meter in diameter and five meters deep underground.
If it weren’t for the limited depth that the black smoke could penetrate the soil each time, he could have dug even faster!
“Hey! This really is a must-have artifact for living at home and traveling!”
With the help of the Five Ghosts Bag, he was able to dig out a huge space seven or eight meters underground in just one morning.
The most time-consuming part turned out to be disposing of the soil.
It took up too much space in the house, so he had to dump it in the Luo River.
He looked around thief-like every time, ensuring no boats were on the river and no one was nearby before secretly throwing the soil into the river.
He skillfully sprinkled the dugout with anti-humidity and insect repellent Qingfeng Powder, then climbed out to have lunch.
In the afternoon, the various supplies he had ordered were also delivered one by one.
After paying and sending the delivery workers away, he busied himself with moving supplies underground.
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Thankfully with the Five Ghosts Bag, he was finally done before dinner.
…
At dusk, Jie Jia came over on time to freeload a meal.
He sniffed a couple of times and couldn’t help but glance at Chen Mu, “Are you a mole or what?”
Chen Mu: “…” What’s that supposed to mean?
“You love digging holes that much?”
He smelled the earthy scent? I even went out of my way to cover it up with Qingfeng Powder, damn dog nose!
Chen Mu rolled his eyes.
Like I enjoy it.
It’s only because it’s too dangerous outside.
Ignoring Jie Jia’s teasing, Chen Mu quickly asked, “The evil-warding artifacts of Nanyang Prefecture aren’t in trouble, are they?”
Jie Jia’s brow furrowed slightly, “You encountered ghosts?”
Chen Mu told Jie Jia exactly what had happened the night before.
Jie Jia’s bright yellow eyes rolled around, sizing up Chen Mu from left to right, top to bottom, “How are you not dead?”
Chen Mu was almost amused into laughter, “Do you believe I’ll cook without washing my hands from now on!”
Jie Jia looked at the table full of tempting dishes, his eyebrows twitching.
“I washed them this time.” Chen Mu’s lips curled into a smirk.
“As expected.” Jie Jia’s expression remained neutral as he casually sat down by the stone table.
“The ghost ship has penetrated Nanyang Prefecture, and you call that normal?” Chen Mu stared incredulously.
“Don’t you know the state Da Liang is in right now?” After sitting down, Jie Jia took out a pristine white handkerchief and meticulously started wiping his utensils and chopsticks.
“The land is in turmoil, the dynasty’s twilight years,” Chen Mu’s complexion looked a bit grim.
Although Nanyang Prefecture was peaceful, that was because it was located in the southwest, far from the heartlands of Da Liang.
According to information gathered by the Xin Yuan Tea House, rebellions were constant in the heartlands of Da Liang, with people declaring themselves kings every day.
Crops destroyed, food shortage, corpses everywhere, there were even tragedies of cannibalism.
“The turmoil is real, but the demise of the dynasty is not necessarily so.” Jie Jia casually threw his used handkerchief into the trash bin by his feet.
“The more people die, the more ghosts appear. It’s normal for a powerful ghost to break through an evil-warding artifact.”
“In some places, entire cities are occupied by ghosts, turning into realms of specters. That’s what’s truly terrifying.” Jie Jia said with a calm demeanor.
Chen Mu listened, feeling the chills run down his spine.
This world is too damn dangerous.
…
After dinner, seeing off Jie Jia, Chen Mu took out the bright red Five Ghosts Bag and stared at it as he placed it on the desk.
He used to think about maxing out the three Shape Cultivation Techniques in one go.
Now it seemed that had to be put on hold.
“Since the Five Ghosts Bag can restrain ghosts, I should first master the Five Ghosts Moving Mountain Curse!”
“Two ghost paper figures can keep me awake, but with five, is there a chance I might be able to fight back a little?”
“Forget it, forget it, don’t set my expectations too high, as long as it can save my life, everything will be fine.”
“Five Ghosts Bag, you’ve got to give it your all.”