I am grinding experience in another world

On the outskirts of Da Qing Mountain, beyond an unnamed small hillside.

Chen Mu followed Lu Tong and his group from a distance, feeling quite anxious.

He focused one-third of his spirit on the Yang Judge Bone Shield at his waist, another third to manipulate the Yin Spirit Divine Power, and shrouded his entire body within the Qi Forbidden Hundred Miles. Yet another third of his spirit was immersed in the Jade Seed, ready to deploy the Longitudinal Rainbow Light at any moment. The last fraction of his spirit was firmly connected to Thousand Lanterns City, ensuring that he could escape immediately should anything go awry.

Soon, Lu Tong came running back, his face animated with excitement, "Big brother, it’s settled!"

That easy to talk to?

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Could there be a trick somewhere?

"Big brother, the contract, the contract! With that thing, ordinary lost souls and wandering spirits can only obediently follow orders."

"To them, you’re like a free enforcer delivered to their doorstep. Of course, they agreed readily," Lu Tong explained in a low voice as he drew closer to Chen Mu.

Is that thing really so influential?

Until now, he hadn’t paid much attention to the Secret Technique contract. But seeing Lu Tong’s attitude, that thing certainly wasn’t simple. If he signed it, could he be duped?

Lu Tong grinned and chuckled slyly, "With the River of Oblivion as a guarantor, others definitely dare not defy the master’s orders, but you’re different, aren’t you?"

"If they don’t issue you any orders, no matter how strict the contract is, it will be useless."

Chen Mu immediately felt a sigh of relief.

Looking at the young man with a pale face in the distance, he couldn’t help but feel a bit of pity for him.

The other party was probably still thinking about recruiting an obedient long-term worker.

Sorry to disappoint you.

...

"Uncle Thirteen, what do you think is going through this man’s head? Does he not know that signing the Netherworld contract in Qingyang City is akin to a life servitude contract?" The white-clad young man Lü Liang wore a smile, sincerely looking at Chen Mu from a distance, but couldn’t help transmitting his voice secretly to the old man beside him using a Secret Technique.

"Typically, only when winter approaches and Black Wind Strange Demons run amok would lost souls and wandering spirits try every means to seek refuge in a city."

"But most of them would go to Guard Cities, where the contracts are more lenient, more like an agreed upon observation period that lets Yin Spirits demonstrate their capabilities and assess whether the master is worth serving."

"Qingyang City, being a central city, would penalize even the guaranteeing families if any Yin Spirit causes trouble, so the guaranteeing contracts are as stringent as life servitude contracts." The elderly man with flower-like hair, Lü Thirteen, replied emotionlessly, also whispering back, "My guess is that this man either has urgent matters that only Qingyang City can solve, or he’s a foreigner."

"Could he have been tricked by these bandits?" Lü Liang spoke with an odd tone.

Just arrived in a strange land, unfamiliar with the place, captured a group of bandits to inquire about news, only to be misled by them and enticed to go to Qingyang City?

"It’s not impossible," Lü Thirteen nodded slightly.

"Tsk, what a pity..." Lü Liang mused gleefully inside.

"Should we still vouch for him?" asked Lü Thirteen.

"Why wouldn’t we?" Lü Liang’s face beamed with kindness, even nodding towards Chen Mu from afar, "A fighter offered for free, it would be foolish not to accept."

...

After leaving behind a chest of goods as a toll, the Lv Family caravan set off again. Inside the leading carriage, after a brief exchange of pleasantries, the three men including Chen Mu took their seats beside the tea table.

Lü Liang turned to Chen Mu on his left, starting with a face full of friendly sincerity, "I am Lü Liang, the Young Master of the Lv Family’s business. May I ask your name?"

Chen Mu didn’t hide much, and readily replied, "I am Lu Da."

"The same Lu Tong from before, the valiant Lu warrior?"

"That’s my brother."

Lü Liang: "..."

You think I’m a fool? That guy, all chubby with a face full of fat, completely different in build and appearance, how could he possibly be your brother!

Chen Mu also thought of Lu Tong’s somewhat rough appearance, and after a brief hesitation, he added, "Sworn brothers."

Lü Liang: "..."

You just swore brotherhood just now, didn’t you? You’d have been better off not adding anything at all!

Lü Liang decided not to dwell on the other’s name and shifted the subject, "Did your sworn brother explain to you that foreigners going to Qingyang City need to sign an extremely stringent Secret Technique contract?"

"If you are not in a hurry, I suggest you could go to a Guard City below, where the contracts are quite loose. Once you obtain residency status there, you can then come to Qingyang City as a resident of the Guard City," Lü Liang said earnestly."

"That’s not impossible," Chen Mu suddenly looked intrigued.

"Right, all you need is to live in the Guard City for just thirty to fifty years, very simple," Lü Liang quickly interjected in a relaxed manner, subtly increasing the duration by seventy to eighty percent.

This long-term worker that was almost within grasp, he couldn’t just let slip away.

Chen Mu immediately shook his head, "Can’t wait, that’s too long."

"Does brother Lü know of Fengdu City?"

Lü Liang’s heart stirred, indeed a foreigner, thinking of going to Qingyang City to find a way home?

"The Guard City where I reside is remote, with limited information; I have never heard of it," he immediately shook his head firmly, even if he knew, he would still deny it.

"However, Qingyang City is a bustling metropolis with a decent reach," said Lü Liang with uncertainty on his face. "Information converges there from all directions, making it quite well-connected. Someone there might know about Fengdu City."

Right, the language and expression can’t be too certain; that would be too deliberate. I need to make this person give up on going to Guard City to inquire about news and willingly head to Qingyang City instead.

"It seems I really must go to Qingyang City," Chen Mu sighed.

Success!

Lü Liang was exhilarated.

This isn’t me forcing you to sign a life-debt contract; you’re the one insisting on going to Qingyang City!

He struggled to suppress the jubilation in his heart, feigning regret and shaking his head with a sigh: "That contract is too unfair to you. I actually didn’t want to sign it with you, alas..."

"You have my sympathies," Chen Mu replied with an equally regretful expression. "I really didn’t want to either."

What does he mean?

That look and tone of yours don’t seem quite right, do they?

Before he could figure it out, Chen Mu spread his right hand with a smile, and specks of Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed materialized in his palm: "Here, eat this thing."

Lü Liang was instantly dumbfounded.

This turn of events, how is it different from what he had imagined?

He couldn’t help but turn his head to look at his Uncle Thirteen, only to find his uncle sat motionless as if struck by a Binding Spell, like a clay statue!

When did this happen?!

He shivered uncontrollably, a great alarm rising in his heart.

His neck was stiff as if rusted, creaking as it turned, and he found himself looking straight into Chen Mu’s eyes, now narrowed to slits.

Is this man responsible?!

Lü Liang felt his hair stand on end in an instant!

He thought he was dealing with an easy mark from out of town, but it turned out to be a ferocious dragon crossing the river!

Doomed!

...

"We indeed know nothing about Fengdu City," said the gray-haired elder Lü Thirteen with a wry smile and a shake of his head.

Lü Liang, however, leaned back on the soft couch with a sullen face and said nothing.

He prided himself on his cleverness, thinking he could trick someone into becoming a free enforcer for his own family, only to end up being thoroughly duped instead.

Chen Mu, with great interest, watched Lü Liang, feigning regret and mimicking Lü Liang’s earlier expression, he sighed with affected solemnity, "This Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed might be a bit unfair to you; I really didn’t want to plant it in you, alas... But it’s a pity that you tried to trick me into signing a life-debt contract, isn’t it?"

Nonsense!

You’ve been planning to plant the Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed in us from the moment we got on. You’re just pretending to be a fool, deliberately luring me into a trap. @@novelbin@@

Lü Liang’s face immediately turned beet red with anger.

Chen Mu couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Too young, indeed. If you didn’t come to trap me, how would I make my move?

This is called justified retaliation.

Ignoring the sulking Lü Liang, Chen Mu straightened his expression and continued to quiz Lü Thirteen about Fengdu City.

"Do you have any other knowledge about Fengdu City, such as the name of the city lord, unique landscapes, or perhaps famous legends and rumors?" Lü Thirteen asked cautiously.

Chen Mu couldn’t help but scratch his head.

He only knew the name Fengdu City from Shen Yan, and he barely understood anything else.

Right!

"I know that Fengdu City is currently building a City God Dojo, and it is said they are recruiting people to return to the mortal world in the Yang Realm," Chen Mu exclaimed excitedly.

Lü Thirteen’s eyes widened immediately.

Lü Liang on the soft couch sat up abruptly as if resurrected: "Really?!"

What does this mean?

Chen Mu was somewhat puzzled.

"Qingyang City belongs to Yinshan Prefecture, and the establishment of our Yinshan Prefecture’s City God Dojo in the Yang Realm dates back six thousand five hundred years ago."

"And that Fengdu City is just starting to build a City God Dojo now? That... that’s somewhat unbelievable," said Lü Thirteen, knitting his brow tightly. "Given this, it’s likely that no one in Qingyang City knows about Fengdu City."

Chen Mu was not dismayed but delighted: "Your Yinshan Prefecture had a City God Dojo as early as six thousand years ago? So, does that mean Qingyang City has the ability to send Yin Spirits back to the mortal realm in the Yang Realm?"

Lü Liang nodded involuntarily: "Indeed, Qingyang City is currently recruiting Living Gods, and our family has also been conscripted for the task. We’ve been worrying about finding enough manpower to respond to the Conscription Order."

Hey! Isn’t this just perfect?

Chen Mu couldn’t help but laugh out loud.