I am grinding experience in another world

Five hundred miles south of Shuanghua Valley, a low, small hill. A delicate thatched hut sits beside the stream at the foot of the mountain.

Under the window to the left of the door, Chen Mu’s eyelids are lowered, sitting quietly in a wide bamboo chair.

Inside the Jade Seed, the River Car Divine Acupoint reverses, and streams of jade-white Primordial Qi emerge, drilling into the Yellow Springs Gourd Talisman next to it.

The Yellow Springs Gourd Talisman is gold and black, its shape remarkably similar to the Divine Orifice Talisman, with its nine-layer hollow spherical Spirit Treasure Talisman rotating disorderly, layered together like a ghostly orb.

The Primordial Qi penetrates in and immediately disperses into mist.

Chen Mu controls carefully, following the pattern from the Spirit Treasure Talisman Atlas, weaving and constructing bit by bit at the hollow points.

At a certain moment.

Swoosh!

Like a sand sculpture collapsing, a sound like fine sand falling is heard, as the Yellow Springs Gourd Talisman unexpectedly collapses into scattered glimmers of light.

Chen Mu was stunned for a moment and opened his eyes.

A gray stone door appeared before him, and he focused intently on the Yellow Springs Gourd column, immediately feeling traces of insight flowing in his heart.

“Indeed, stacking talismans at thirty-two hollow points simultaneously poses some difficulty.” Chen Mu’s expression remained quite calm.

In the past period, he had already experienced similar failures thousands of times.

Carefully noting the failure points fed back by the Gray Wall, Chen Mu closed his eyes to continue trying.

A quarter of an hour later, the ghostly orb-like Spirit Treasure Talisman reappeared.

Drawing lessons from the previous failure, this time Chen Mu’s condensing was exceptionally smooth. Until the weaving of the new talismans involving thirty-two different points was completed, the hollow spherical Spirit Treasure Talisman kept slowly revolving around the Divine Orifice, still intact.

“Another step forward.” Chen Mu smiled.

“With the experience of this success, the difficulty of this talisman has been thoroughly overcome.”

The Yellow Springs Gourd Talisman is complex and difficult, like dominoes, a slight mistake can cause the entire collapse.

Starting over means no guarantee that each talisman can successfully condense, which sometimes leads to more regression, getting stuck at a certain stage for a long time.

“No wonder so many people choose external practice for their Magic Treasures.”

“Luckily, the stone door’s capability is still active.”

Looking at the gray stone door in front of him, Chen Mu shrugged quite easily.

When weaving the Spirit Treasure Talisman, as long as he succeeded once, the stone door would record the success experience. No matter how many times repeated, he could always successfully condense.

In this way, each practice session he only needs to focus entirely on the latest talisman difficulty.

Moreover, even if the new talisman fails to condense, the stone door will provide the correct insights, and he only needs to practice multiple times to find the best construction plan.

Combining the two, the experience in crafting the Yellow Springs Gourd has rapidly increased.

As thoughts circulated, Chen Mu closed his eyes intending to start a new challenge, only to find that the inner magical power in the Jade Seed had not yet fully recovered.

“Indeed, the Heavenly Star Essence concentration in ordinary places is still lacking.” He opened his eyes helplessly.

“Simply fleeing won’t work, huh.” Chen Mu sighed softly as he looked at the continuous mountains in the distance: “To ensure cultivation speed, I still need to return to Shuanghua Institute.”

Half a month ago, Chen Mu discovered the presence of Soul-Calming Stakes within Shuanghua Institute, feeling instinctively uneasy, he immediately thought about fleeing.

He thought so, and he did so.

The current little mountain is the third temporary foothold he found, where he has stayed for seven or eight days.

Yet after multiple attempts, he unexpectedly found that without the traction of the earth vein, the amount of Heavenly Star Essence in one place always has an upper limit, far unlike the endless supply at Shuanghua Institute.

“Before finding the next suitable foothold, I still have to stay temporarily at Shuanghua Institute.”

“Since that’s the case… I must ensure the safety of Shuanghua Institute, not let the Lock Dragon Institute discover.” Chen Mu squinted.

Inside his sleeve, twelve Vermilion Feather Swords slowly flew out, disappearing into the air in the blink of an eye.

“Unfortunately, the Mechanical Technique level is not high enough, and the Mechanical Talisman Seed is only twelve in number.”

“If there were hundreds or thousands, controlling countless Vermilion Feather Swords, surely they could monitor the surroundings of Shuanghua Institute for a thousand miles.”

“As it is now, I can only pay more attention to any changes in the surroundings.”

“The lower institute disciples inside also need to be checked to ensure there aren’t any secret agents like Bai Xiaoqing.”

“Hmm, those twelve Soul-Calming Stakes also need to be hidden with Extinguishing Breath Stones.” Chen Mu’s thoughts spun rapidly.

Were it not for the lack of suitable Law Prohibition Secret Techniques on hand, he even wanted to alter Shuanghua Institute’s Mountain Protection Magical Barrier.

“No one can disturb my peaceful cultivation!”

…

Thunder Storage Creek, Holy Heart Hall.

It seemed like a replay of the scene three months ago.

Luo Ding sits cross-legged on the cushion, while Bai Shou and San Zhangli stand respectfully in the middle of the hall.

“Did you not say that person would tip off the Lock Dragon Institute?” Luo Ding asked without expression, staring at Bai Shou.

This…

“Perhaps that person thought the time in hiding was too short, afraid of being discovered, so they have yet to act.” Bai Shou cupped his fists.

His face showed contemplation, a calm demeanor, but inwardly he wanted to strangle Chen Mu.

Is this person not too cautious and careful?

Having infiltrated the Shuanghua Institute for over three months, and still no information has been leaked? Bastard!

Luo Ding said nothing, merely looking calmly at Bai Shou, with an invisible pressure slowly filling the entire hall.

The Heart Nourishing Pill concerned the progress of his Daoist path, and he could not allow any mishaps.

Feeling that pressure like dark clouds overhead, Bai Shou’s back was covered in cold sweat, and he immediately spoke: “Rest assured, Capital Institute, I have prepared backup measures!”

“Previously, I promised to send that person Green Needle Tea roots, and not long ago, I sent Bai Xiaoqing to Shuanghua Institute.”

“Calculating the time, the two should meet soon.”

“That person is sure to use Bai Xiaoqing to send a message to the Great Zhou Lock Dragon Institute.”

“Moreover, even if that person does not say, Bai Xiaoqing will.”

“Bai Xiaoqing has been a secret agent in Bai Family Village for decades, and he absolutely cannot hide such important information about Shuanghua Institute from the Lock Dragon Institute!” Bai Shou vowed.

…

“Yo, isn’t this old Bai, we haven’t seen each other for a while.”

One hundred and twenty miles east of Shuanghua Institute, by a certain stream, Chen Mu crouched on a high branch, smiling as he watched the heavy figure in the Earth Traveling Carriage below.

The Earth Traveling Carriage, laboriously carrying the heavy body of Bai Xiaoqing while flying, suddenly froze in mid-air.

Bai Xiaoqing looked up at the smiling Chen Mu, his heart skipping a beat, and suddenly he had a bad premonition.

“Have you come to bring me the roots of Green Needle Tea?” Chen Mu smiled and jumped down from the big tree.

“It’s really inconvenient for you to go to such lengths, traversing mountains and rivers for this.”

“Here, I have something nice for you to play with.” As he spoke, he raised his right hand, and a needlepoint-sized starlight appeared in the palm of his hand.

Bai Xiaoqing’s scalp tightened, and he suddenly felt a chill of fear.

“I can’t accept such a gift without merit!” He forced out a smile.

“Who are we to each other, without your recommendation I wouldn’t have been able to enter the Holy Heart Institute!” Saying this, he strode towards the Earth Traveling Carriage.

Accompanying the two of us!

We’ve only met a few times, you can count them on your fingers.

Such friendliness, there must be no good coming from it!

Without thinking, his plump body moved like a nimble swan and immediately jumped up from the Earth Traveling Carriage, ready to leap backward into the forest behind.

But as soon as he jumped into the air, a wrist-thick gray rope suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

The rope swished swiftly, wrapping him up like a cocoon within moments.

Chen Mu smiled and beckoned with his finger, and the cocooned Bai Xiaoqing slowly floated in front of him.

“Daoist Chen, you were only able to come to the Holy Heart Institute because I helped introduce you!”

“See, I’m here to repay you!” Chen Mu said, chuckling.

I would rather not have this kind of repayment!

Bai Xiaoqing’s attempt at a pleasing smile was worse than crying!

Chen Mu chuckled and, with a wave of his hand, implanted the Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed into Bai Xiaoqing’s forehead.

Within a few breaths, Bai Xiaoqing’s expression began to change.

Confusion, suspicion, ferocity, reverence; one moment he saw Chen Mu as an enemy, the next he looked at him like a deity.

Did the parasitism succeed so quickly?

This… it’s way too fast!

Chen Mu, lowering the hand he intended to use to knock out the plump fellow, was greatly surprised inwardly.

Previously, integrating the Jade Cicada Qi with the Plague Immortal Technique significantly improved the Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed’s invasive capability.

Even though the Heavenly Demon Curse wasn’t needed to draw it in, people usually had to be knocked out before parasitism could occur.

Yet, this plump fellow, clearly awake, was invaded and assimilated in an instant?!

Could it be because of Dao Foundation Perfection?

“The new Jade Cicada Qi combined with the Plague Immortal Technique has catalyzed the Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed to such an alarming extent!” Watching the plump fellow’s face change constantly, Chen Mu couldn’t help but feel his scalp tingle.

“I heard in a past life that people who naturally secrete more oxytocin tend to easily trust others. Is the Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed working on a similar principle?”

“Using special forces to influence the body and mind, gradually making one let down their defenses?”

“This Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed is really somewhat uncanny!”

“In future use, it must be with utmost caution, or else I fear it will make me a target for everyone!”

Feeling an ever-clearer connection with the Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed, Chen Mu knew that Bai Xiaoqing had become one of his own, just like his brother Hong Yi.

As long as his requirements were clear, this guy would absolutely not reveal the location of Shuanghua Institute, allowing him to continue cultivating immortality peacefully.

Chen Mu stopped overthinking, waved away the rope formed by the Candle Dragon Transformation, and went forward to put his arm around the plump fellow’s shoulder, pulling him towards Shuanghua Valley.

“Alright, Old Bai, stop overthinking it.”

“Let’s go, I’ll roast some rabbits for you… maybe not rabbits, I’ll stew two colorful pheasants to welcome you.”

“And there’s Nourishing Spirit Wine, this stuff is really good, whether you’re in Qi Cultivation or an Underworld God Transformation Lock Dragon Knight, it’s highly replenishing.”

“You’ve certainly made a worthwhile trip…”

Bai Xiaoqing: “…”

I would rather not have come!

…

More than twenty days later.

Shuanghua Valley, Divine Communication Hall.

Chen Mu, as usual, lay in the reclining chair at the grand hall’s entrance.

Inside the Jade Seed, a layered hollow sphere, slowly revolved next to the Divine Orifice.

At a certain moment, the gold-black sphere touched the River Car Divine Acupoint.

Buzz!

Like two droplets of water merging, the two similarly structured spheres seamlessly fused into one.

The eighteen-layered structure of Primordial Talisman and Talisman Seed spun in disorder, perfectly uniting yet not interfering, a single look left a sense of mystery.

“The Netherworld Grand Summary and Yellow Springs Gourd Inner Cultivation Method are indeed highly compatible.”

“This Inner Cultivation Spiritual Treasure Method was definitely the right choice!”

Chen Mu contentedly summoned a gray stone door.

Yellow Springs Gourd: 3/10000/Second Rank;

“Nearly four months of hard training, the first stage is finally completed, haha!” He couldn’t help but smile.

…

Thunder Storage Creek, Holy Heart Hall.

Luo Ding looked gloomy: “Is Bai Xiaoqing a secret agent?”

“Would Chen Mu reveal the location of Shuanghua Garden?”

“It’s been nearly a month now, why hasn’t the Great Zhou Lock Dragon Institute shown any reaction!”

I would like to know too.

Bai Shou’s face twitched, long past any former composure.

One is a decades-hidden secret agent of the Great Zhou Lock Dragon Institute, the other is closely linked to the institute. Is keeping secrets for our Holy Heart Institute truly wise?

With mouths so tight, who the hell do you belong to?!

Facing Luo Ding’s increasingly hostile look, Bai Shou sweated profusely in anxiety.