“Phew…”
Shen Mu took a deep breath and, without a word, smacked the back of Lin Yuhe’s head. “I’m warning you, don’t pull any more stunts on me.”
“I don’t want to experience that chaotic mess in my head again… or that feeling of my lower half about to explode!”
“Ugh…”
Recalling the last time she saw the “tent” he pitched when he stumbled out of the room, Lin Yuhe couldn’t help but feel a bit overwhelmed.
“Relax~ We’re partners now. I won’t try to screw you over.”
“Heh…”
Shen Mu didn’t fully trust her surface-level words, letting out a mocking chuckle.
Then, his expression turned serious. “I can’t stop the weird ideas in your head, but regarding that guess, I hope you’ll keep it to yourself for now, including from her.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not an idiot. I know what kind of storm that guess could stir up if it gets out.”
Lin Yuhe was well aware of the potential fallout if that speculation were revealed.
***
Back in his room.
Shen Mu spread out a large map of Chiyou Continent, carefully recalling the spawn locations of the materials needed to refine the Heavenly Spirit Pill.
I’m missing the wood spirit root, so the main ingredient for the pill is the Mysterious Purple Spirit Ginseng, which needs to be at least fifth-grade.
Fifth-grade or higher Mysterious Purple Spirit Ginseng typically spawned in areas dense with spiritual energy, where demonic beasts gathered.
Let’s see…
“Found it—Hundred Demons Forest outside Tianjian City.”
The Hundred Demons Forest spanned thirty thousand miles, just five thousand miles from the Ten Thousand Spirits and Hundred Rivers. It was a cultivation treasure land rich in spiritual energy but also a frequent gathering spot for demonic beasts.
The probability of encountering high-tier demonic beasts was one in four, requiring constant caution.
“Though it’s somewhat dangerous, to get the Mysterious Purple Spirit Ginseng in Chiyou Continent with my current strength, this is the only place I can go.”
After all, in Chiyou Continent, fifth-grade or higher spiritual items were mostly found in large-scale dungeon maps like the Ten Thousand Spirits and Hundred Rivers.
Without Nascent Soul Realm strength to ensure survival, entering there was like serving oneself as a snack to high-tier demonic beasts, with no chance to seek opportunities or fortune.
This was a bloody lesson he’d learned from over a dozen deaths in that place.
“Alright… the main ingredient is confirmed to be in the Hundred Demons Forest. Now for the other materials…”
“Fire Infant Fruit… Pure Spirit Soil Essence… Heavenly Sunflower Yin Water… Taiyi Gold Essence…”
After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Shen Mu marked the spawn points of the remaining materials on the map, tentatively deciding his next destinations.
“OK, time to prepare and head to these places…”
And conveniently, he could avoid those few people and steer clear of the conflict events surrounding them during this period.
***
Ten days later.
Tianjian City.
Shen Mu stood before the city gate’s notice board, carefully checking for any special incidents or unexpected changes.
“Hm… good. There’s nothing particularly unusual here.”
Seeing that the notice board only listed trivial daily events and that the Tianjian Spirit Ranking’s top fifty had no significant changes, Shen Mu left reassured, stepping through the city gate.
However, shortly after his departure, a Tianjian City guard approached the notice board, removed the old Tianjian Spirit Ranking, and replaced it with a new one.
At the bottom of the new list, the name “Jiang Ling” appeared, with a cultivation of early Foundation Establishment.
Inside the city, Shen Mu had a clear goal, heading straight to the largest cultivator chamber in Tianjian City, the Lingyuan Chamber of Commerce.
He planned to purchase some pills and talismans as consumables for his dungeon run.
“Second-grade Recovery Pill… Third-grade Spirit Fusion Pill…”
Two or three of each should suffice.
But the prices…
[Second-grade Recovery Pill: 100 low-grade spirit stones] [Third-grade Spirit Fusion Pill: 300 low-grade spirit stones]
Looking at the prices listed beneath the pill bottles, Shen Mu’s lips twitched, a pang of reluctance in his eyes.
Damn, these pills are expensive. I need to pick up alchemy and artifact refining skills soon.
At this rate, he’d burn through his two-and-a-half-year savings before gathering all the materials.
Shen Mu quietly made plans to start learning those professional skills after securing the Mysterious Purple Spirit Ginseng, practicing them along his treasure-hunting journey.
“Sigh~ Such a pity. I arrived a few days late and missed witnessing that battle at the Wine Sword Manor.”
“Yeah, they say that fight was a rare spectacle in the manor’s arena history. Even the usually reclusive manor lord showed up to watch. Talk about prestige.”
“But it also proves the manor lord’s keen eye.”
“After just ten rounds, she determined that the Foundation Establishment youth had a chance to defeat a Golden Core cultivator. Truly a master sword cultivator.”
“Are you kidding? Over thirty years ago, she was a swordsmanship genius who could rival the Heavenly Frost Sword Head, a once-in-a-millennium talent.”
“Now, her strength is unfathomable, firmly holding the position of Wine Sword Manor’s lord. No one dares cause trouble in her manor.”
“And I heard… though she always covers her face with spiritual gauze, she’s an exceptionally rare beauty, dubbed the Heavenly Sword Fairy by many renowned prodigies.”
“Really?”
“Of course. About a month ago, the Sixth Prince of the Nine Heavens Dynasty even brought betrothal gifts to visit, meeting the long-retired former manor lord.”
“…”
Listening to the nearby cultivators’ chatter, Shen Mu’s expression remained unchanged as he quietly picked up the pill bottles and left.
Looks like the storyline has indeed deviated slightly.
But fortunately, the deviation wasn’t too significant—just a minor shift.
Still, to be cautious and for peace of mind, he decided to investigate that youth’s information later.
Adhering to his cautious approach, after paying for the spirit stones and leaving the chamber, Shen Mu headed straight to the Wine Sword Manor to gather intelligence on the youth.
However.
As he stepped out of the Lingyuan Chamber of Commerce, a pair of clear, radiant eyes caught sight of him from a nearby pavilion, curving into a joyful arc.
***
Click…
In a secluded pavilion nestled within a tranquil bamboo grove, a disheveled, gray-haired old man placed a white chess piece on the board, speaking calmly.
“Qingluo, though I don’t wish to meddle in your life choices, if after all these years you still can’t take another step forward…”
“That knot in your heart… will eventually become your greatest inner demon, trapping you in this realm for life.”
“…”
Across the chessboard, a graceful woman with an elegant aura sat, her face partially veiled by purple spiritual gauze below her eyes. She showed little reaction to her master’s words.
She merely lifted a slightly trembling hand, reaching into the black-and-white chess box for a black piece…