MTLNOVEL Chapter 343: Dispatch
The sun and moon revolved, and the weather grew colder.
Chen Mu descended the mountain slowly via the five-to-six-meter-wide stone staircase.
As he walked, he looked around and noticed that at some point, many leaves in the forests on both sides had turned yellow and withered.
Being engrossed in cultivating the Netherworld Grand Summary, he hadn't realized that early winter had already arrived.
The first talisman of the Grand Summary was divided into seven parts, and now he had mastered five of them.
He saw significant improvements in the size of his Jade Seed, total mana, and physical attributes.
Chen Mu looked at the semi-transparent grey wall with satisfaction.
Netherworld Grand Summary: 7085/10000/First Rank; Continue your journey with My Virtual Library Empire
After glancing over a few other entries, Chen Mu stopped paying attention.
After all, besides his cooking skills almost reaching Perfection at Fifth Rank, nothing else had changed much.
Instead, the progress in decoding the Rejuvenation Pill was not slow.
More than twenty days had passed, and the first Essence Talisman was close to completion.
"To fully decode it, it will probably take a year and a half," Chen Mu estimated silently.
With over ten thousand Daoist cultivation points on hand, plus the income from making Fasting Pills each month, he could definitely hold out until he could independently produce Rejuvenation Pills.
By then, having both secret techniques and elixirs at his disposal, he could go all out in Condensing his Aperture.
...
In front of the eastern gate archway of the Jade Spring Market District, hundreds of people gathered in a noisy crowd.
A line of over a dozen high-speed trains sized seven-star centipedes lay on the ground, with their countless legs twitching occasionally. Seeing this made Chen Mu's scalp tingle, and he immediately looked away.
Although these centipedes were at most considered Exotic Beasts, with one punch, he could pierce through their heads.
But the sight of those clustered jointed legs still made him incredibly uncomfortable.
Chen Mu stood at the edge of the crowd, equipping his ears with the Truthful Listening Technique.
It didn't take him long to understand the situation.
"Going to Six-Linked Mountains for construction?"
Initially, the same happened with Mist Smoke Mountain, as a large group of disciples from the Lower Courtyard moved and stationed there.
As he was about to leave, a bald chubby boy waddled over.
"Brother Chen?"
Jia Tian?
"What's all this?" Chen Mu asked curiously, looking at the other's large and small packages.
"Oh, I'm preparing to follow the transport team to Six-Linked Mountains."
"It has only been recently seized by another division, and there are unlimited business opportunities," Jia Tian chuckled.
Chen Mu nodded in understanding.
Having only just occupied Six-Linked Mountains, with everything yet to be established, it indeed was a great opportunity to make money.
Thinking back to the early days of Mist Smoke Mountain, he couldn't help but offer some advice.
"Take more food and medicine with you."
Jia Tian's eyes lit up, "Brother, that's a great idea!"
"The mountain locals and Wild Cultivators on Six-Linked Mountains have just been heavily hit, most of them injured."
"Whether they hide nearby or flee far away, food is a major necessity."
"Delivering these items to the nearby mountain villages could fetch ten times the price. People would fight over them!"
"You really get me, Brother!" Jia Tian said, his face beaming as if he had found a kindred spirit.
I don't friggin' get you!
Chen Mu's face twitched.
I meant for you to sell those things to our Lower Courtyard disciples, not to arm the local forces and aid the enemy!
He suddenly remembered that when Mist Smoke Mountain was first taken,
this bald kid wanted to sell the Wood Spirit Boy to remnants of the Yanxia Sect.
Even though he was later stopped, he still approached Pill Master Qi Hui, secretly selling Essence of Five Grains to local Wild Cultivators.
Now, it seemed he was planning to repeat the same trick.
"It's a pity that purchasing inscripted Talismanic Tools from the Hundred Workshops Hall requires a guarantor, otherwise..." Jia Tian shook his head with a look of regret.
Then, as if a thought struck him, he turned his eager gaze towards Chen Mu.
Chen Mu felt his eyelid twitch uncontrollably.
You've got to be kidding me!
What now?
You're not content with just smuggling to the enemy, you want to become an arms dealer too?!
"You're busy, I've got things to do," Chen Mu said immediately, turning around and walking away.
After all, he had once been a little prince with no fear in the world.
He was not someone to mess with.
...
At dusk, Chen Mu's cave abode was bustling.
The dining room table was overflowing with an abundance of food.
As he ate, he pondered the day's experiences.
The Market District was bustling with people, most discussions centered around the Six Connected Mountains.
One after another, they were ready to participate in the construction to earn White Jade Coins.
"Clever tactics from the Lower Courtyard," Chen Mu remarked with emotion.
Without even starting to forcibly conscript, they had already driven a large group of people to the Six Connected Mountains willingly.
Secret Techniques, cultivator's arenas, Elixir Pills, Jilong Road used these to weave a tight net.
Only those with exceptional talents might break free.
As for the ordinary people, they could only be suspended by the seemingly existing hope, dedicating their lives to the service of Jilong Road.
No wonder that little bald-headed Jia Tian took such risks.
Only by earning enough White Jade could he acquire Secret Techniques, enter cultivator's arenas, consume Elixir Pills, and advance further.
Chen Mu couldn't help but shake his head and sigh at the thought of the hardships and dangers involved.
Truly tragic!
Hmm... luckily, I am no longer one of them.
Chen Mu happily scooped a wooden spoonful of sweet and savory meat juice from the Pill Furnace into his bowl and contentedly shoveled down Yellow Bud Rice.
With the Netherworld Grand Summary in hand, the hope of replicating the Rejuvenation Pills was promising.
As long as he remained cautious, he would eventually condense a Divine Orifice.
...
Following his trip to the Market District, Chen Mu cherished the peace and quiet even more, staying in his cave abode, diligently cultivating.
Time passed, and the weather grew colder.
One clear morning, when Chen Mu opened his eyes, he found that snowflakes had started to drift outside the window.
As usual, he set up the Spirit Nourishing Curse, and the delicate and exquisite Spirit suddenly swam around him, moving erratically to the left and right.
Under the gloomy canopy of clouds, with occasional glimpses of blackish-green leaves on the snowy Jade Spring Mountain, Chen Mu sat by the window, lost in thought.
"Another year with snowy days."
Surrounded by rotating Bone Spheres, Chen Mu had just finished washing up and eating, preparing to enter the Alchemist Chamber to train, when he heard the crunching sound of footsteps on accumulated snow.
Chen Mu couldn't help but walk to the window.
Bai Xiuwen, Feng Haoxiu, Xue Yangliu?
These three...
"Senior Brother hasn't changed a bit," Bai Xiuwen said admiringly.
As Pill Masters, they were constantly surrounded by flattery and praise.
Every day was filled with endless gatherings, and they were so buoyed by adulation that they felt as if they were floating.
Up to this day, their alchemy skills hadn't improved one bit.
Whereas Chen Mu, who was also promoted to Scripture Doctorate, was still burying his head in cultivation.
This unyielding effort and perseverance, unaffected by status or circumstances, made many feel ashamed.
"We've come to bid farewell," Bai Xiuwen said respectfully.
"Heading to the Six Connected Mountains?" Chen Mu understood, "You must be careful. After all, it hasn't been long since it fell; it might not be peaceful."
"With orders from the Lower Courtyard, we had no choice," Feng Haoxiu said with a wry smile.
"They're still assigning people by force?" Chen Mu was puzzled.
The Six Connected Mountains urgently needed all kinds of talent, and they were offering high rewards.
The people of Jade Spring Market were all vying to go.
"Do you remember the incident at Mist Smoke Mountain?" Bai Xiuwen asked. "The deputy head of the court, backed by the Sun Family, was a genius who disappeared suddenly."
"After the news spread, no one wanted to take the risk."
"The three of us being the least experienced, the task fell on us."
Chen Mu suddenly realized.
The majority of disciples from the outer court of Jade Spring Courtyard had not yet reached the Perceptive Spirit Light realm.
To advance further, of course, they were willing to risk their lives.
Alchemists, who had not only broken through to Perceptive Illusion Breaking and practiced mana, but also possessed a specific skill, could alchemize and exchange Pills for Daoist cultivation wherever they went, naturally didn't want to take any risks.
By the way, if Jade Spring Mountain continued to expand its territory, would he also be compelled to go?
A sudden jump in Chen Mu's heart.
What he lacked the most right now was a stable period of time.
If he was sent to the front line...
No, he must plan ahead!