blueteamnovel Chapter 351 Neighbors
Chapter 351 Neighbors
"Divine Orifice?" Chen Mu curiously fiddled with the silver ring on his chest.
When he completed the first set of Condensing Aperture Talismans, his forehead also heated up and throbbed.
But since the Spirit Armor Technique's Divine Orifice in his forehead didn't change much, he didn't pay too much attention to it.
Now that he had completed the second set of Talismans, another Divine Orifice appeared on his chest.
"So, Condensing Aperture is not only about condensing Talismans and Divine Orifices within the Jade Seed space but also about opening Divine Orifices to transform the body," Chen Mu soon understood after reflecting on the insights gained from the Proficiency of the Netherworld Grand Summary.
The Divine Orifice on his chest had an internal space about the size of an egg.
Invisible and intangible, yet it truly existed.
Overlaid with his body, but not in the same dimension.
"But isn't Mana supposed to be white?" Chen Mu looked at the swirling black fog-like Mana within the two Divine Orifices.
"And these strange patterns too."
Sun Wuhuan also cultivated the Netherworld Grand Summary, yet he bore no such silver patterns on his body.
"Could this be because of the Five Ghosts Possession?"
When possessed by the Five Ghosts, silvery patterns would faintly emerge on his skin.
After pondering for a while and finding no explanation, and as the insights from the gray walls indicated no danger, Chen Mu set it aside and didn't worry about it.
Instead, he began studying the Divine Orifice Talisman with great interest.
Within the Jade Seed, two silver hollow spheres nested within each other, each rotating haphazardly.
At the thought, the hollow silver spheres suddenly whirled rapidly.
Longitudinal Rainbow Light!
Suddenly, specks of starlight appeared around him.
Then the specks quickly began to circle around him, spinning faster and faster, until finally they explosively connected into one piece.
A pulling force suddenly enveloped his whole body, causing Chen Mu's feet to slowly leave the ground, his entire being enveloped in a white sphere of light, levitating one and a half meters in the air.
"Ha!"
When he first arrived in Yunzhou, the first thing he saw after disembarking from the Tongtian River was the sight of Song Wujie, cloaked in Spiritual Light, soaring into the sky.
He had decided then and there that he, too, must learn to do that no matter what.
Now, after five and a half years, he had finally taken the first steps to fulfill that wish.
"With two or three more layers of the Divine Orifice Talisman condensed, I'll be able to fly through the air just like Song Wujie."
On a whim, Chen Mu flew around the Secret Chamber left and right, drawing circles for half an hour before reluctantly stopping.
He emerged from the Underground Secret Chamber.
Chen Mu settled into a rocking chair beside the window.
Holding a wooden cup of iced tea in his hand, he listened to the gentle splashing of a small waterfall not far outside the window, utterly at ease.
"Just nine layers of Talismans, at most it would take three and a half years."
"By then, I'll be able to fly through the sky as Song Wujie once did!"
"By then, I'll be free to enter the Blue Abyss and wander from the North Sea to the evening shadows of the Cangwu Trees!"
"By then, I could fly to the Red Sleeve Square and find a pretty girl to... ahem, listen to songs!"
"I wonder if it's the furry-eared singers who sound more sweet or if it's the fluffy-tailed ones who resonate more melodiously. Never mind, I'll know when I hear them both at that time."
Thinking this way, Chen Mu could hardly wait to get back into the Secret Chamber and continue his cultivation.
After struggling to restrain himself for quite some time, he reluctantly settled back into the rocking chair with a sigh.
He had just finished a session of cultivation, and the strain on his spirit was too great; his head was still buzzing, and he would need to wait until the afternoon to reenter a state of cultivation.
As he pondered over the lunch menu, a cacophony of footsteps and voices suddenly reached his ears.
Chen Mu emerged from his residence and looked towards the west side.
"Got a new neighbor?"
About two or three hundred meters away, there stood a wooden building. At this moment, four or five people were moving various pieces of furniture and household items in and out.
"Gotta be more careful from now on," Chen Mu frowned slightly.
A two to three hundred meter distance was not far at all; it was all too easy to accidentally reveal some secrets to the other party.
"Tonight, I should sink the secret chamber another ten meters down," Chen Mu thought to himself.
"Perhaps I could also take a look at the Hundred Workshops Hall," he pondered with intent.
The complex and vast mountain protection restrictions were forged by the Hundred Workshops Hall.
There might just be some enchantments that could isolate the inside from the outside and create illusions.
...
At dusk.
Chen Mu had just had his dinner not long ago and was sitting by the windowsill, watching the scenery of a small waterfall to aid his digestion.
"Elder Brother Liu, you must work hard so that the restriction is built soon, and I can be at ease sooner," Chen Mu thought cheerfully while playing with the Yang Judge Bone Sphere.
In the following days, Chen Mu returned to his peaceful life, continuing to drink soup and cultivate his Condensing Aperture without interruption.
He taught two classes a month and practiced making two batches of elixirs during his free time.
His strength steadily increased, and he lived quite comfortably.
Except occasionally missing the young ladies of Red Sleeve Square, he had no other worries.
...
That day, Chen Mu finished his morning cultivation and sat by the window as usual, admiring the small waterfall not far away.
He held a wooden tea cup in his hand, filled with ginger milk-flavored Replenishing Origin Soup, sipping from time to time with great contentment.
To maximize the effects, Chen Mu divided the day's dosage into three parts.
As a result of making it often, his Proficiency increased, and so did the variety of flavors.
He had just eaten a bowl with hot and spicy soup flavor in the morning, and now he switched to ginger milk for noon.
Sounds of familiar footsteps approached, soon followed by a knock on the door.
Wang Heyuan?
Why had the three of them come?
Chen Mu stood up to welcome his three apprentices inside.
Before Chen Mu could inquire, Wang Heyuan handed over a wooden box.
Chen Mu, curious, opened it and found a box full of White Jade Coins. At a quick glance, there had to be at least a thousand.
"This is..." Chen Mu looked puzzled.
Wang Heyuan smiled widely, "This is a thank you gift for you."
"We don't know what you need, so we can only offer some worldly items to express our gratitude, hope you won't look down on it."
No, not looking down on it at all, who would think White Jade Coins were too many these days?
But why give a gift for no reason at all?
Suddenly, Chen Mu had a thought and looked at Wang Heyuan with surprise, "You guys..."
"Please evaluate them, Elder Brother," Wang Heyuan and the others presented, each handing over an Elixir Pill mottled with black and white.
Chen Mu instantly understood and began inspecting each one.
"The Pill Furnace was too hot, the Qi Forbidden within unstable, you still need to practice the Wind Fire Pivot Charm."
"The Essence of the Five Grains isn't pure, the Qi Absorbing Curse needs more refinement."
"The Elixir Pill's blend is lacking in smoothness, the Golden Bead Talisman is not yet complete..." Chen Mu pointed out several flaws in quick succession.
Upon hearing this, the three faces turned red and they looked at Chen Mu while bowing, "You're right, Elder Brother!"
Ha...
Chen Mu laughed softly.
"There are many mistakes, but you've managed to make them anyway."
"After the hardship comes the reward, you can now go to Pill Treasure Pavilion and take the Alchemist exam."
"All thanks to Elder Brother's guidance!" The three apprentices were beaming with joy.
The experience provided by Proficiency is still so reliable.
Chen Mu waved his hand in pride, "I didn't do much to help; it's all due to your own hard work."
By now, Chen Mu also realized the intention of the three.
"Are you planning to return to Jade Spring Mountain?"
"Yes, we do need to change our status as soon as possible."
The difference in status and income between an Alchemist Apprentice and an Alchemist was quite substantial.
"But is the road safe?" Chen Mu remembered the rumors he had heard over the past few months.
"Elder Brother might not be aware, as long as we avoid the vicinity of the Six Linked Mountains, there shouldn't be much problem," Wang Heyuan explained with a smile.
"Recently those barbarians from East Ridge have been locked in a fierce battle with the Six Linked Mountains; it's said they even sneaked up the mountain and caused quite some damage."
"The attack on the transport team a while ago was affected by the situation near the Six Linked Mountains."
"The area around Eagle Grief Cliff has been thoroughly cleaned by Elder Sun, oddly making it quite safe."
"As long as the transports avoid the Six Linked Mountains, at most they encounter minor raids, and with the support from the Inspection Courtyard brothers, they can't do much harm."
Chen Mu couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
Elder Sun really did a commendable job!
But, no issues with transports now? Then why is Red Grass Hall still selling herbs at such high prices?
Damn!
That damn black-hearted shopkeeper ripped me off!