I am grinding experience in another world

“It’s a pity that this God-sending Order has been handed down for so long, its internal power is severely worn, it can only be used for a year at most,” Yuan Zhen said apologetically.

One year?

A year is already good!

At least for the next year, I won’t lack Heavenly Star Essence to cultivate the Yellow Springs Gourd.

Chen Mu was delighted and did not mind at all.

“Fortunately, we won’t stay here for too long,” Yuan Zhen added.

“Before the power of the God-sending Order runs out, we will reach our new station.”

“By then, there will be no shortage of Heavenly Star Essence to use.”

“Does the Upper Court have plans for us?” Chen Mu’s eyes brightened.

“I don’t know the specific arrangements,” Yuan Zhen shook his head helplessly.

“They didn’t say to retake Nine Peaks Mountain, nor did they tell us to join Ba State Wanxiang Institute.”

“They only instructed us to temporarily stay here, gather the scattered Qi Cultivators from Yizhou and recruit them as Daoist Soldiers, the more the better.”

Is it to focus on clearing the disruptive Heavenly Demons in Yizhou?

Chen Mu thought of his experiences in Hai Province.

Back then, when Nether Demons and Heavenly Demons caused chaos, that was how the Thousand Mechanisms Sect handled it.

Once the fighting starts, there will likely be heavy casualties again.

Luckily, my Dao is higher now, the Secret Techniques more ingenious, able to fight and escape.

If I really get involved, just being careful will suffice, excessive worry isn’t necessary.

…

After chatting for a while more, Yuan Zhen took his leave.

He had just left seclusion, many decisions on Nine Peaks Mountain needed his attention.

Chen Mu watched his Escape Light recede into the distance, returning to the entrance of his wooden hut, and took out the God-sending Order to examine it.

The Jade Token was pitch black, palm-sized.

On the front was a silver character “God-sending”, on the back were two smaller characters – Taiyin.

Taiyin God-sending Order?

This thing, can it really command the Deity of the Moon?

Chen Mu was skeptical.

He had stayed at the Outer Heaven Star, never encountering a Star Lord, but had heard tales.

Star Lords are spiritual entities formed from the aggregation of star’s spirituality, innate deities. They control the movement of stars and enact Spiritual Light to defend against demon invasions.

Yet Star Lords have cold and rigid natures, acting only according to predetermined rules. In Chen Mu’s understanding, they are like unfeeling artificial intelligence.

Can a mere Token command a Star Lord to mobilize Heavenly Star Essence?

“Yuan Zhen surely wouldn’t deceive me in such matters, especially when this Token was made by the legendary Hundred Intentions Daoist Ancestor,” Chen Mu pondered to himself.

According to ancient texts, the Hundred Intentions Daoist Ancestor was the oldest Daoist Ancestor, possessing the power to create heaven and earth.

It was said to be the teacher of the Pure Yang, Luofu, and Heavenly River Daoist Ancestors.

With a stirring in his heart, Chen Mu took the Life and Death Seal cultivated from the Spirit Treasure Mechanism out of the Thousand Lanterns City’s mechanism eye, directing it towards the God-sending Order.

Yet as soon as the silver snake slightly touched the God-sending Order, it seemed to encounter a great danger, and swiftly retreated back to the Secret Acupoint in Chen Mu’s brow.

So cowardly?

How come?

Could it be that this Token contains the aura of the Daoist Ancestor?

Chen Mu was dumbfounded.

Incorrect!

The presence of the Daoist Ancestor’s aura in the Token is precisely correct!

If it lacked the power of the Daoist Ancestor, how could it have the ability to command the Deity of the Moon?

Chen Mu felt invigorated.

Why not give it a try?

He looked up at the noon sun.

Since the Taiyin Star refers to the moon, during daylight, who knows if it can still be used.

As the thought circled, Chen Mu proceeded to channel his mana into the Token without delay.

As the mana was discharged, the Token ascended into the air. Its edge glowed with faint golden patterns, flickering like a signal light.

Just over a dozen breaths later, the surroundings subtly changed.

Chen Mu tried to sense carefully but found nothing.

It was as if… as if someone was watching him from afar!

“Tai… Taiyin Star Lord?!”

Chen Mu froze entirely.

He stood immobilized for quite a while before breathing deeply and returning to his senses as nothing further transpired.

“But there’s no additional Heavenly Star Essence descending?”

Chen Mu looked around at the calm surroundings of the wooden hut, scratching his head.

“What, do I need to bow to the Star Lord?”

After waiting a while longer without any changes, he decided to start cultivating the Yellow Springs Gourd directly.

Tremendous mana reversed through the River Car Divine Acupoint to refine into Innate Primordial Qi, then twisted and transformed, becoming gold-black colored Spirit Treasure Talismans.

The Dao Foundation Jade Seed shimmered with a golden glimmer, autonomously absorbing Heavenly Star Essence around it to replenish the consumed mana.

At the same time, Chen Mu also devoted a portion of his spirit to the surrounding environment.

He then discovered that although he absorbed a significant amount of Heavenly Star Essence around the wooden house, the concentration of essence hadn’t diminished in the slightest.

It was the same amount before and after absorption!

Is this the God-sending Order?

Heh!

No wonder it was bestowed by the Daoist Ancestor!

Chen Mu’s face was full of joy.

The Small Three Talents Light Concealing Technique hid him, the Extinguishing Breath Stone isolated his aura, and the Giant Spirit Divine monitored the surroundings.

Chen Mu decided to immediately start a new round of cultivation with the Yellow Springs Gourd.

“With an abundance of essence, it’s time to test the power of the Perfection Level Spirit Treasure Mechanism.”

The Life and Death Seal that just entered his brow immediately merged into the Jade Seed.

…

Time passed slowly, and day turned into night and back into day.

Spirit Treasure Talismans were condensed one after another, and Chen Mu gradually discovered the subtle uses of the Life and Death Seal.

In the past, with the aid of the Stone Gate, once a Spirit Treasure Talisman was successfully condensed, he would never fail again.

It was like climbing a mountain; once successful, the Stone Gate would remember the path for him.

But even though this path worked, it wasn’t necessarily the best.

Now with the Life and Death Seal involved, it was like a flowing mist, permeating inside and outside of the talisman, allowing Chen Mu to perceive more delicately.

In this way, he could more easily find the barriers between talismans, making the transition between different talismans smoother.

In the past, the sixty-three Spirit Treasure Talismans of the first seven layers required six days to successfully condense.

But this time, with the help of the Life and Death Seal, it took only five and a half days to complete them all.

“The Life and Death Seal optimized the condensation pathway of the Spirit Treasure Talismans!”

Chen Mu’s spirits were high, and with vigor, he started to work on the condensation of the Eighth Rank Spirit Treasure Talisman.

Two days later, the sixty-fourth talisman that had been holding up progress finally successfully condensed.

“With Heavenly Star Essence provided by the God-sending Order and cultivation assisted by the Life and Death Seal.”

“If all goes well, perhaps in just six months, the Yellow Springs Gourd Technique will enter the Ninth Layer!”

“Haha!”

“A double blessing!”

Chen Mu couldn’t help but grin and laugh out loud.

…

Afternoon.

The water rippled on the sea not far from the shore, while a wooden raft remained motionless on it.

In the middle of the raft was a large oiled paper umbrella, under which was a comfortable recliner. Chen Mu, dressed in shorts and flip-flops, lay on the recliner holding a fishing rod, leisurely fishing.

After seven days of seclusion, having completed the sixty-fourth Spirit Treasure Talisman of the Yellow Springs Gourd, he was ready to give himself a break.

He reached into his White Jade Gourd, habitually poured himself a sip of Nourishing Spirit Wine, only to find the gourd was empty.

Condensing Spirit Treasure Talismans was the most taxing on the spirit. To quickly enter the next round of cultivation, ways had to be found to nourish the spirit.

Some used special Secret Techniques, others used Elixirs and Treasures; if none were available, one could only endure it until the spirit recovered on its own.

Chen Mu relied on Nourishing Spirit Wine.

This thing was a gift from the culinary skill, considered a type of recipe. The ingredients, however, were special, made from scattered fragments of souls within physical beings.

He delved into the Five Ghosts Bag, using the Ninth Transition Soul Capturing Spell on the Bottomless Pool, causing drop after drop of jade-white, bean-sized Nourishing Spirit Wine to fly out from within. Before long, he had filled most of the gourd.

But after that, no more Nourishing Spirit Wine emerged from the Bottomless Pool.

Apparently, the Exotic Beast Blood and Flesh stored within the Bottomless Pool had been drained of their souls.

“Looks like I’ll have to catch some Exotic Beasts from the sea to replenish it.”

Poof!

The water surface surged,

The Five Ghosts Paper Dolls emerged from the depths, collectively supporting a head-sized water ball.

A white fish speckled with black spots swam rapidly within the water ball, unable to escape.

“Hmm, an unfamiliar fish.”

Chen Mu glanced at it nonchalantly and then kept staring at the strange fish.

The line pertaining to culinary skill on the gray Stone Gate flickered slightly.

Soon after, insights began to unfold in his mind.

“Poisonous throughout, except for two edible spots behind the gills, which are exceptionally delicious?”

“Not a bad find.”

Chen Mu chuckled as he waved, and the black-spotted strange fish dropped with a splash into a wooden bucket beside him.

“Well done, keep going.”

The Five Ghosts Paper Dolls were instantly encouraged, puffing out their chests and bellies with pride.

Watching the little paper dolls dive back into the sea to catch fish, humming and laughing, Chen Mu couldn’t help but laugh aloud.

Tsk!

So easy to fool!