I am grinding experience in another world

On the outskirts of Da Qing Mountain, behind a certain small hill slope, over a hundred Yin Spirits carrying swords and sabers gathered in groups of three or five.

"Listen up, we’re here to collect a toll today, not to fight to the death with anyone. Without my orders, no one is allowed to act recklessly."

"If you act rashly and lose your life, don’t blame me for not warning you beforehand," the fat leader with a face full of flesh yelled loudly.

"What if those merchant caravans don’t pay up?" someone in the crowd couldn’t help but speak up.

"Don’t pay?!" Fat Leader twisted his face, teetering along with his belly jiggling, and walked among the crowd: "If they don’t pay...then they don’t pay, so what? You thinking of robbing them? You wanna die or something?"

He didn’t seem to care: "After we go back to Qingshan City, just say they ran too fast and we couldn’t catch them, that’s all."

"Aren’t we the Qingshan Bandits? Isn’t this a bit too...cowardly," someone murmured softly.

"Cowardly? Heh, all the spoils have to be handed over anyway, with just that bit of money month, what’s there to risk your life for?" the fat leader looked sideways at the Yin Spirit who had spoken.

On the other side of the hill slope, Chen Mu, who had been hiding for a while, wore a strange expression.

The thought process of these bandits was... peculiar.

This was his second day since he had left the small hollow.

Having decided to head to Qingyang City, he didn’t delay any longer. He moved the entire thatched cottage into Thousand Lanterns City and set off that very day.

Following the directions pointed out by the two Yin Spirits, tall and short, Chen Mu found this bandit hideout. He originally wanted to catch a group of ferocious robbers to interrogate for information, but unexpectedly stumbled upon a bunch of lazy, slacker bandits.

"I’m not sure if you guys are lucky or unlucky," Chen Mu said as he walked out from the other side of the hill slope, looking amused.

"What are you up to?" the fat leader with the bulging belly asked fiercely.

"Collecting a toll," Chen Mu replied with a smile.

Fat Leader: "..."

Collecting tolls?

Is this guy joking with me?

"Grab your weapons!" His fat face instantly turned red with rage.

Chen Mu couldn’t help but sigh and shake his head.

"Your thoughts are indeed unique, but it’s a pity your eyesight isn’t too good."

Yama Emperor’s Command!

Whoosh!

All the Yin Spirits who had just stood up raised their hands above their heads in unison.

Chen Mu, still smiling, raised his hand and sprinkled specks of luminescent light into the crowd.

Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed!

...

"Qingyang City doesn’t take in solitary Yin Spirits or wild ghosts?" Chen Mu frowned at the leader Lu Tong, who now had a sycophantic smile on his face.

"No, we don’t," Lu Tong shook his head vigorously: "Otherwise, I would have sought refuge in Qingyang City long ago."

"Life in the mountains is hard, unlike in Qingyang City, where there is everything one needs for food, drink, and entertainment."

"They don’t take in newly born Yin Spirits either?" Chen Mu was skeptical.

"They won’t take those who show up on their own, only those with a guarantee," Lu Tong explained: "Qingyang City is supported by over a dozen Guard Cities, which are stationed along the River of Oblivion to collect newly born Yin Spirits. Only those with potential are sent into Qingyang City."

"If it’s an ordinary newly born Yin Spirit, they have to live in these smaller cities for over ten years. After obtaining the citizenship identity of the small city, they are allowed to go to Qingyang City." Enjoy exclusive content from NovelBin.Côm

This is different from Antiquity City.

Chen Mu’s brows furrowed, and after a moment of thought, he had an epiphany.

Based on what Old Shen said, Antiquity City, although it has a history of several hundred years, is actually just a new city. The city lord is eager to strengthen his power, which is why he welcomes any newly born Yin Spirits.

Qingyang City, having existed for much longer, doesn’t lack for Yin Spirits, and after its initial expansion phase, it has the luxury to be selective, thus it doesn’t casually accept new Yin Spirits.

This is a bit troublesome.

Chen Mu scratched his head.

Should I spend a few years blending in at one of Qingyang City’s subordinate Guard Cities first?

It’s not out of the question…

"Actually, there’s another way to get into Qingyang City," Lu Tong’s shifty eyes rolled as he spoke with a look of cunning: "There are countless businesses in Qingyang City. If you can be invited to be a guest of any of these businesses with their guarantee, then you can enter Qingyang City."

"Then why don’t you go?" Chen Mu looked at Lu Tong with a sidelong glance.

"The main issue is that the conditions are quite harsh," Lu Tong said with an awkward laugh. "Firstly, one’s own strength has to be formidable, at least at the level of a Yin Soldier. Plus, you have to sign a Secret Technique contract, and before you know it, you might end up selling decades of your life to these trade caravans."

"My strength isn’t up to par, and I’ve already sold my life to Qingshan City, so this path is closed to me."

"But it’s different for you," Lu Tong said with a suggestive wink and a chuckle. "You have that Mind Control Divine Ability. As long as you turn everyone in the trade caravan to your side, that contract is nothing but a piece of scrap paper; you don’t have to sell your soul at all."

Not bad!

Chen Mu couldn’t help but glance sideways.

This fellow’s mind indeed worked quickly, having figured out a new path for himself in just a short moment.

Chen Mu couldn’t resist pondering the idea, and the more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.

He didn’t intend to use the Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed to harm anyone; he just wanted to use the merchant caravan as collateral to get to Qingyang City.

On one hand, he could avoid the danger of Strange Demons in the wilderness; on the other, he could take advantage of the well-informed Qingyang City to gather information about Fengdu City, and it was entirely possible to cooperate with a trade caravan.

As for the Secret Technique contract, with the Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed at his disposal and everyone turned to his side, even if he signed, he wouldn’t have to worry about being tricked.

Let’s do it!

…

Outside Da Qing Mountain.

The wide road was pitch black yet unexpectedly smooth and flat, as if it were made of melted glass accumulated layer upon layer.

Three or four dozen clouds of black fog formed a long line, with strands of dim yellow flames flickering inside, propelling large, tall, yellowish wooden boxes – each about four to five meters wide and over ten meters long – swiftly along the route.

The leading Flame Wheel Vehicle in the procession was half the size of the others, with a door at the front and back and windows on either side. It was adorned with exquisite carvings. To call it a cargo box would be an understatement; it looked more like a house.

Inside, the floor was covered with carpets, and there were desks, tall cabinets, wooden chairs, round stools, even two potted plants with lush green leaves in the corner.

By the window on the right side was a low couch with a square table made of raw wood in the middle. An old man and a young man sat across each other at the low table.

The old man with white hair and beard sat upright, "Young Master, the City Lord Mansion wants us to provide another Living God this month."

"Again?" The young man in white, who had been reclining against a pillow while reading, couldn’t help but sit up.

He picked up a black teapot from the low table and poured a full cup of tea for the old man across from him. Frowning, the young man said, "Ever since ten years ago, the City Lord Mansion’s demand for Living Gods has been increasing."

"It used to be once a year, but now it has turned into once a month. It seems peace is rather elusive in the Yang Realm."

The old man nodded in agreement, "That’s just one aspect of it. It’s possible the City Lord is also using this as a means to weaken the powers of various families."

The pale-faced young man tugged at the corner of his mouth, "He’s always afraid that someone will steal his position, nothing but a stubborn old man."

"The City Lord is indeed not young anymore." The white-haired old man nodded, "He hasn’t been to Beyond Heaven in nearly a hundred years, and his strength has probably plateaued. Not wanting to give up the current situation, he naturally begins to play balancing acts with power tactics."

"Fortunately, he hasn’t completely blocked everyone’s path to advancement. As long as one has sufficient strength, one can establish a new city on one’s own, and the City Lord will even provide Secret Techniques and assistance."

"He’s not that kind-hearted," the young man in white retorted with a sneer, "He just treats it as a lucrative business."

"Allowing someone to establish their own city and providing assistance comes with the condition that one must sign a harsh contract and provide him with ample benefits. Otherwise, Shang Yang wouldn’t have gone and established his own Qingshan City."

The white-haired old man shook his head slightly but didn’t object, instead bringing the conversation back to the original topic, "So, about this year’s quota..."

The pale-faced young man shook his head, "We can’t keep using our own people anymore."

"So many Living Gods from our family have been sent to the Yang Realm over the years, but how many have returned alive? We can’t afford to just give away the talents we’ve painstakingly cultivated."

"Go to Qingshan City to buy one? The price won’t be low," the white-haired old man shook his head. "Aware that everyone is reluctant to part with their Yin Soldiers, the prices for Qingshan City’s Yin Soldiers have been rising for years. That Ghost King Shang, he’s set on fleecing us."

The young man in white couldn’t help but clench his teeth, "That Shang Yang is no easy opponent."

As they were weighing the pros and cons, a commotion suddenly arose from the front of the caravan.

Looking out the window, they immediately saw over a hundred people, armed with swords and knives, charging down from a nearby hillside.

Trailing far behind the bandits was a solitary figure. Dressed in black, he was tall and thin, his face expressionless and his eyes sharp. A silvery vertical line on his forehead faintly glimmered, adding to his detached demeanor and setting him apart from the unruly crowd in front.

"That man... is he a Yin Soldier?" Noting the solitary figure’s presence, the young man in white was momentarily taken aback.

"Quite likely he has awakened some Divine Ghost Pattern," the white-haired old man squinted and nodded seriously after observing for a moment. @@novelbin@@

"Qingshan City sends Yin Soldiers just to collect toll fees? Does Shang Yang have such an abundance of troops?" the young man in white wondered aloud.

"Judging by his attire, he doesn’t seem to belong to Qingshan City," the white-haired old man shook his head.

With a hint of a smile on his face, the young man in white said, "A stray ghost... and a Yin Soldier at that?" He couldn’t resist smiling, "Look, isn’t this a free Living God, just delivered to us? Haha…"