I am grinding experience in another world

The people from Tangshan Institute joining Nine Peaks Mountain was like a small stone thrown into a lake—initial ripples, but tranquility soon returned.

On this day, at the peak of Weizhi Mountain.

Tang Zhimu arrived at a dense forest and immediately noticed a tall, imposing figure clad in crimson armor.

The figure’s head was covered by a hood, face smooth like an egg, with only a crimson vortex swirling in the center, resembling a single eye, staring intently at him.

With just one glance, he felt as if his spirit was being drawn away.

“What kind of bizarre creature is this?”

Tang Zhimu’s heart tightened, and he lowered his head, not daring to look further.

“Esteemed one, do you know if the head of the institute has emerged from seclusion?” he asked respectfully, cupping his hands.

But after waiting a long while, there was no response from the figure, and Tang Zhimu couldn’t help but sigh.

In the past two months, he had come to visit more than once, yet the result was always the same. It seemed that Director Chen was still in retreat.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, the dense forest before him vanished like a popped bubble, and a wooden hut appeared nearby.

He looked up to see Chen Mu stretching and moving his limbs on the corridor.

Tang Zhimu once again bowed respectfully to the armored divine general, then quickly made his way to the wooden hut.

…

“Director, the Earth Spirit Vital Energy at Weizhi Peak has inexplicably surged. Its concentration now rivals that of Star-picking Peak.” On the wooden corridor, Tang Zhimu respectfully cupped his hands.

“Do you know the reason behind this?” he asked, his eyes filled with inquiry as he looked at Chen Mu.

“Might it be because of the displacement of the Heavenly Star?” Chen Mu replied, looking unsure.

Little All Heaven Star? Twenty-four Bright Pearl?

No such thing!

It’s just the displacement of the Heavenly Star!

Do you believe it or not?

Tang Zhimu secretly curled his lips.

The displacement of the Heavenly Star indeed could cause a surge in Vital Energy, but it would raise the energy levels equally across all peaks.

Weizhi Peak was remote, with weak earth veins and scarce energy. No amount of increase could compare with Star-picking Peak.

Displacement of the Heavenly Star?

Heh!

“Great minds think alike; I also believe it’s due to the displacement of the Heavenly Star!” Tang Zhimu stated with certainty.

Tsk! This old man really knows how to play along.

Chen Mu glanced sideways at Tang Zhimu, “What is your business with me?”

“With the rise in Vital Energy, over four thousand White Jade Coins have been nurtured in the spiritual spring of the dojo’s earth veins.”

“According to custom, half of them need to be handed over to Star-picking Peak, and the rest can be considered your personal property. How would you like to handle this?” Tang Zhimu asked Chen Mu.

Is there such a good deal?

Chen Mu raised an eyebrow.

White Jade Coins are the primary currency for Qi Cultivators, essentially a special magic artifact for storing Earth Spirit Vital Energy.

First, an empty artifact embryo must be refined, then placed within the core earth vein spiritual spring of the dojo for nurturing. Once the blank artifact embryo absorbs the Earth Spirit Vital Energy, it becomes the White Jade Coins used daily by Qi Cultivators.

Previously, Weizhi Peak had thin Vital Energy, insufficient even for supporting the cultivation of Qi Cultivators, let alone nurturing White Jade Coins. But now, with the Twenty-four Bright Pearl attracting the Heavenly Star, the Earth Spirit Vital Energy has increased, naturally allowing for the nurturing of White Jade.

In just two months, producing over four thousand White Jade is quite a substantial amount.

In the past twenty years, the most he ever had was just over thirty thousand White Jade!

However…

“Half to be handed over, and half is mine?”

“When I was at Tangshan Institute, why didn’t anyone mention this to me?” Chen Mu frowned.

Could that Tang Sect leader have secretly kept my White Jade?

“You didn’t know?” Tang Zhimu looked astonished.

“In the Tangshan Institute’s warehouse of White Jade Coins, half is for the operation of the Lower Courtyard, while the other half belongs to you.”

“This is an established unwritten rule, an additional perk for the directors of Lower Courtyards, you…” He looked at Chen Mu with a strange expression.

So, previously at Shuanghua Institute, there was also a large portion of welfare I didn’t collect?

What a big loss!

Chen Mu felt a pang of pain in his heart.

He had known that being a director had its Daoist Cultivation benefits, but he never thought there would also be White Jade Coins to share.

When he went to work at Holy Heart Institute, Director Luo Ding didn’t mention it either.

That guy sure wasn’t a good one!

Chen Mu secretly cursed.

Alas, it was a loss due to ignorance.

Spending years dwelling at home, grinding experience, it was inevitable to be out of touch. If it weren’t for having to submit the dojo-nurtured White Jade to Star-picking Peak, he would never have known about this perk.

“Forget it, White Jade Coins are not as useful to me now as before, a loss is a loss.” Chen Mu silently consoled himself.

Since he had established his Daoist Foundation, the Jade Seed can directly refine Heavenly Star Essence, essentially freeing him from dependence on Earth Spirit Vital Energy.

To him, White Jade Coins were merely for purchasing goods.

“Handle the submissions as required.” Chen Mu sighed, accepting reality.

“For the remaining White Jade Coins, help me buy some exotic beasts. The quantity need not be much, but try to have different types.” He thought for a moment and instructed.

The Yama Feasting Divine Power devours exotic beast bloodlines, accelerating the practice of Heavenly Demon Armor.

Previously, he had to snatch food from the Dragon Bone Boat, but now, with the dojo’s endless nurturing of White Jade, he can afford to outright purchase exotic beasts.

Now he simply needed to sit at home, comfortably waiting for experience to come to him.

…

Watching Tang Zhimu leave.

Chen Mu glanced at the dedicated Giant Spirit Divine standing in the distance, activated the Small Three Talents Light Concealing Technique, hiding the wooden courtyard, then began to examine the results of his recent retreat.

The Stone Gate appeared before him.

Yellow Springs Gourd: 2823/10000/Seventh Rank;

At the center of the Jade Seed, a jade-yellow gourd stood firmly.

“After two months of seclusion, I’ve refined a whole new Spirit Treasure Talisman, and the Yellow Springs Gourd Technique has advanced further.

Chen Mu gleefully admired the little gourd within the Jade Seed.

Alas, the joy did not last long. Before half an hour passed, the bottom of the gourd began to turn ethereal, like a sand sculpture in water, slowly disintegrating into starry dots of light.

Chen Mu shrugged, unconcerned.

He had seen this scene countless times since practicing the Yellow Springs Gourd Technique.

As long as he couldn’t forge eighty-one Spirit Treasure Talismans for the Yellow Springs Gourd in one go, he couldn’t stabilize the form of the Spiritual Treasure.

No matter how he tried to remedy it, it would always dissipate, reverting back to Innate Primordial Qi.

Moreover, most would inexplicably perish and deplete, with only a small portion remaining to suffuse throughout his body, nurturing him.

“No wonder so many choose external magic treasures.”

“The Inner Cultivation Spiritual Treasure Method, both time-consuming and labor-intensive, isn’t popular.”

“But I’ve heard that Director Yuan Zhen seems to be on the path of Inner Cultivation Spiritual Treasure, a true Daoist Cultivator.”

In his years of wandering, he had met many cultivators who lived and died for the Dao.

Those who pursued shortcuts by any means were countless; those like Yuan Zhen, steadfast in cultivating by Inner Cultivation Spiritual Treasure, were rare.

…

By evening.

Tang Zhimu visited again, bringing with him sixteen different types of exotic beasts. Each type had three to five heads, quite a substantial number.

He had expected to receive these exotic beasts after his next retreat.

“It’s mainly because Nine Peaks Mountain hasn’t been short of exotic beasts lately.” Tang Zhimu laughed.

“Outer Heaven Demons descended in the interior of Yizhou, causing many exotic beasts to migrate.”

“Just like back at Tangshan Institute, Nine Peaks Mountain has also been affected somewhat.”

“Fortunately, Nine Peaks Mountain is bordered by the Southwest and is farther from Yizhou’s interior than Tangshan Institute. There are also dangerous and continuous mountain ranges in between, so few have reached around Nine Peaks Mountain.”

“Even so, Director Yuan Zhen dispatched patrol teams early on, resulting in a considerable harvest of exotic beasts.”

Preparedness?

Very good, Director Yuan Zhen indeed thought thoroughly.

Chen Mu nodded in satisfaction.

Having traveled mountains and rivers to Nine Peaks Mountain, he wished for a few peaceful days and didn’t want to be involved in any more chaos.

After sending Tang Zhimu off, Chen Mu left a few tender exotic beasts to feast on, while the rest were all devoured by Yama Feasting, easily increasing the Heavenly Demon Armor by several hundred experience points.

Chen Mu was in high spirits, thoroughly enjoying a meal, relaxing for a day, and then began practicing the Yellow Springs Gourd Technique again.