I am grinding experience in another world-Chapter 571 - 560 Cultivating Ghosts

Pole Mountain, Lock Dragon Twenty-Nine Institute, Bingchen Branch.

Sitting cross-legged on a cushion before the offering table of the Hall of Spirit Honor, Yuan Xian faced away from the painting of the God Statue.

As a strange, low incantation filled the air, the atmosphere buzzed and trembled. The Power of Seven Emotions, invisible to ordinary people, constantly burrowed into Yuan Xian’s body.

His face, usually sullen and stern, shifted continuously through a range of emotions: happiness, anger, sorrow, and joy.

After a long while, Yuan Xian slowly opened his eyes. With a thought, his figure suddenly vanished and then reappeared instantaneously.

After entering and exiting the Spirit Void Grotto Heaven nine consecutive times, the twelve Divine Demon intents within him still showed no signs of restlessness.

Yuan Xian heaved a long sigh of relief and finally couldn’t help but smile, "At last, the risk of backlash has been removed."

Hearing the laughter, Yuan Dong and Yuan Chun, the two brothers guarding the entrance of the hall, stepped inside, looking at Yuan Xian with concern, "Master, have you successfully cultivated the Celestial Capital Transformation?"

"Not quite yet," Yuan Xian shook his head

But it wasn’t far off.

He collected his thoughts, and his expression became solemn once more, "Regarding the Demon Path, have you found out any news?"

"The Demon Path’s heritage is ancient and secretive, seemingly distinct from Qi Cultivators," Yuan Dong frowned. "The secret scrolls of Qi Cultivators collected by the institute have only a few records. It’s quite the opposite in the folk literature of the mundane world, where their presence is often mentioned."

"The ancient book ’Water Mirror Compilation’ records a person named Shi Sou, obsessed with wood carving all his life. He would always chant incantations when carving, claiming it could endow the wood carvings with spirituality."

"His carvings of birds, fish, and insects were lifelike, and it’s said that in his later years, he carved a Jiaolong, which came to life after he dotted its eyes. Shi Sou thus rode the Jiaolong away, ascending to the Great Heavenly Demon Realm."

"There are many similar records, but unfortunately, most of them are folk tales and legends that lack systematic value and are of little reference," Yuan Dong shook his head in regret.

"Sister Apprentice has gone to seek out Li Buxian. He has had more contact with Gongsun Sheng and might know something more detailed."

...

"Gongsun Sheng?"

"Why are you inquiring about him?"

"You’re not thinking of dealing with him, are you?" Li Buxian looked at Yuan Xian with an odd expression, "Haven’t you ever done the splits?"

At those words, Yuan Xian’s eyelids twitched.

Hah!

He must have gone through the experience of the Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed’s splits.

Li Buxian almost laughed out loud.

The dignified Master of one of the Lock Dragon Courtyard’s institutes—always imposing and ice-cold, Yuan Xian—planning his schemes while doing the splits on the spot?

That image...

Haha!

Too ludicrous!

Li Buxian watched Yuan Xian with a satisfied look in his eyes.

That’s great.

Turns out I’m not the only one getting a taste of humility.

Yuan Xian stared at Li Buxian with a darkened face.

"Not talking?"

"So you like being at someone else’s mercy?"

Li Buxian sighed, "When you’re the fish on the chopping block, what can you do?"

Of course, he didn’t want to be at someone else’s mercy, but with the Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed within him, even thinking about resisting was impossible, let alone taking action.

"You may have no way," Yuan Xian said indifferently, "but that doesn’t mean I don’t. Can’t fight him? Couldn’t we just avoid him with respect?"

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Avoid him with respect?

"Respect him and then stay far away from him?"

"No, it’s to respect him and then send him far away—the further from Da Qian, the better, perhaps out of Yunzhou."

Li Buxian: "..."

Is that really how the phrase is understood?

...

Divine Statue Cave Heaven.

Under the Gate Tower lay a square table with the Primordial Alchemy Furnace in the center, surrounded by the steam of its bubbling contents, the fragrance of meat spreading in all directions.

Eight dishes, four vegetarian and four meat, encircled the Pill Furnace, filling the square table.

The Water Screen in front of the door displayed live images of the Xiqia Tea House in Dongfeng District of Luandu County.

At this moment, a middle-aged man with a H-character mustache was eloquently discussing the front-line battle affairs.

"Last year, the Great General Jin Wuxia destroyed Southern Shu, expanding our nation’s borders. The monarch of Li Country, greedy at heart, launched a surprise attack three months ago."

"Unfortunately, they encountered our very own Young Marquis of Ling Su."

"The Young Marquis has conjured one brilliant plan after another, wiping out fifty thousand enemies in one fell swoop, not only recapturing five lost cities but also crossing the Red River and pushing deep into Great Li..."

Chen Mu sat at a square table, gnawing on a lamb chop while listening to the conversations and idle chatter in the teahouse.

Over the past two months, he had completed another Divine Orifice Refinement. His mana had clearly undergone a qualitative change, becoming heavier, more condensed, and even more resilient and formidable.

"According to the insights from the Gray Wall, to fully accomplish a qualitative change in the Divine Orifice, it would require eighty-one refinements."

"At the current rate of once every two months, to completely overcome the River Chariot phase, it will take at least fourteen or fifteen years!"

"Fourteen or fifteen years—how many of such periods does one have in life?"

"Such a long time, such a long time... Actually, it’s not so bad, heh."

Chen Mu thought about it and couldn’t help but laugh.

Take Song Wujie, the Elder of Jilong Road, for example.

When Chen Mu had joined Jilong Road, the other was already at the stage of Perfection in his Divine Orifice. Several years ago, when Chen Mu was forced to leave Jilong Road, the other was still at the Perfection stage. Nearly twenty years had passed, and the other still hadn’t completed the Divine Orifice Refinement.

Whereas he had a good chance of completing the Divine Orifice’s qualitative change in just fourteen or fifteen years.

Who needs a bicycle then!

Chen Mu crunched down, chewing the lamb chop, bone and all, before swallowing it.

"Looks like there’s something to look forward to!"

...

A month later, in the dead of night.

In the East Straddling Courtyard of the Qiluo Mountain City Divine Temple.

"How come there is only one Yellow Millet Gourd? Weren’t there always three before?" Chen Mu looked suspiciously at Li Buxian: "I’ve already set aside the Ghosts you need for brewing the Yellow Millet Wine, so don’t try to trick me?"

"The main issue is the Imperial Court’s edict; a large number of commoners from Yiyang Commandery have been forcibly relocated to Southern Shu." Li Buxian explained helplessly: "That place is newly conquered territory, and to prevent rebellion, they intentionally moved people from Da Qian to mix with the locals."

"The population in Yiyang Commandery has nearly dropped by one-third."

"Moreover, due to the transformation of the City God Dojo, the citizens under its jurisdiction are healthier and live longer, allowing the elderly, who were close to their natural end, to live a few more years."

"So…" Li Buxian said helplessly with a shrug.

Chen Mu couldn’t help gritting his teeth.

Is it all because of the Spiritual Treasure Pivot Scripture, after all?

"Are there any death-row prisoners for beheading?" Chen Mu suddenly had an idea.

Netherworld Worms would die together with their human hosts, and after death, they would transform into Ghosts. Chen Mu couldn’t bring himself to kill for cultivation practices, but if it were death-row prisoners being beheaded...

"It’s useless," Li Buxian shook his head.

"Most sentenced to death are thrown into the frontier death camps. As for the few who are beheaded, since their deaths are violent, their souls completely disperse."

"If this method were useful, the Imperial Court’s prisons would have been overflowing long ago."

"Those Noble Clans are heartless, they would do anything for Secret Medicine like Yellow Millet Wine, Longevity Wine, and others," Li Buxian said carefully looking at Chen Mu.

"Fine," Chen Mu agreed helplessly.

A little less is still less, it’s just a matter of waiting a few more years, he could afford to wait.

He had been desperate to leave the dojo and head to the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains before, but now, with the subsequent Secret Techniques of a Qi Cultivator and the increasingly safe Divine Statue Cave Heaven, he didn’t want to leave temporarily.

"Hiding for over a decade, completing the Divine Orifice Refinement, it would be safer to travel everywhere."

"As for Ghosts?" Chen Mu narrowed his eyes.

"Perhaps I can try to cultivate them on my own."

...

Several months later.

In the Divine Statue Cave Heaven, the Water Screen displayed the scene of the Jade Belt River.

Groups of men, women, elderly, and children lined up to board the ships, then floated downstream, moving towards Southern Shu.

Chen Mu watched for a moment, then withdrew his gaze, and with a flick of his wrist, the Five Ghosts Bag appeared.

There were now over one thousand and three hundred Ghosts in the Five Ghosts Bag, producing over a hundred strands of Primordial Energy every day.

This number was significant, but the Primordial Energy needed for Divine Orifice Refinement wasn’t fixed. The later it got, the more Primordial Energy was required.

"No wonder Song Wujie, after guarding the Buried Spiritual Spring for over a decade, still couldn’t complete the Divine Orifice Refinement."

Thinking so, Chen Mu guided his mana, and the United Heart Rope, which was tied around his bun, slowly floated in front of him.

"After the Netherworld Worms die, they can transform into Silver Soul Monsters, and the United Heart Rope can split the United Heart Gu, which is the same as Netherworld Worms."

"By using the Five Ghosts Moving Mountain to devour the United Heart Gu, it might be possible to convert them into Ghosts!"

Back on Jilong Mountain, there was once a Strange Demon causing chaos, surrounded by Netherworld Worms. At that time, Chen Mu had used the Five Ghosts Moving Mountain to devour a swarm of Netherworld Worms, and not long after, a group of Ghosts appeared in the Five Ghosts Bag.

Now he had the United Heart Gu, and the Five Ghosts Bag, and he could try to replicate the process!

"If a large number of Ghosts could be bred, with thousands of Ghosts gathering and a vast supply of Mixed Primordial Qi, it might only take a few years to complete the Divine Orifice Refinement."

"Let’s do this!" With his mana stirring, Chen Mu immediately began to activate the United Heart Rope, splitting the United Heart Gu.