I am grinding experience in another world

Within Heavenly River Water Mansion, it was perpetually like spring, untouched by the chill of winter or the heat of summer.

That day, Chen Mu's usually calm and collected thoughts began to show signs of unrest.

Just a short while ago, he had completed the eightieth cleansing of his Divine Orifice.

"Just this last one left," he muttered to himself within his small courtyard, occasionally introspecting on the Jade Seed to check the progress of the "Dark Cloud True Method."

He always felt that the operation of the Dark Cloud True Method was far slower than before and couldn't help the urge to actively accelerate its pace several times.

A day filled with anxious hope and fear passed; he drank numerous bowls of Replenishing Origin Soup, hardly practiced the Giant Spirit Divine Secret Technique, and gained just a handful of experiences from the Heavenly Demon Armor Secret Technique.

Come evening, feeling his belly swollen from the nourishment of both the soup and Nourishing Spirit Wine, Chen Mu shook his head forcefully.

"This can't go on!"

"I must keep a level head, absolutely," he insisted to himself with firm resolution.

...

Two quarters of an hour later.

Inside Red Frost Tower on Lion Street of the Dingyou Heavenly River Water Mansion, Chen Mu sat in a second-floor private room, looking down at the dance floor where over a dozen graceful dancers performed, and exhaled a deep breath.

"Severe illnesses require potent remedies!"

Having not indulged in music and dance for many years, he now, upon revisiting it, had an entirely different understanding.

The dancers of Hai Province were more delicate than those from Yunzhou.

Truly, the ladies with Qi Cultivation surpassed the ordinary.

Their skin was fine and smooth to the point where not even his scrutinizing eyes could spot a single delicate sweat gland or pore.

"What exactly have I been doing for the past half year in Dingyou Water Mansion?" Chen Mu wondered with growing frustration.

"You're late!"

...

Listening to the music and watching the dance until late into the night, he hummed a tune as he leisurely strolled out of Red Frost Tower. Instead of hurrying home, he headed towards the center of the Water Mansion.

The power of Truthful Listening naturally activated, and a powerful life rhythm emerged in his heart.

Roar!

Chen Mu seemed to hear an invisible roar, nearly causing his Five Dragon Dharma Body to reactively manifest.

He squinted his eyes towards a tall, ancient-looking building in the distance.

That tremendous life force belonged to none other than Jiao Yufei, Lord of the Dingyou Water Mansion.

Having been there for over half a year, he had heard many rumors about the other. He knew that his practice was of the Heavenly Demon Path, and that he had achieved great success in the Meridian Passage Realm, comparable to a Dao Foundation Perfection Qi Cultivator.

Carefully feeling the overwhelming presence of the other, Chen Mu felt as though he was standing at the base of a high cliff that soared into the clouds. The imposing mountain, even at rest, still made his heart tremble from its base.

"Compared to such a master, refining the River Chariot is but a minor hurdle on the path of cultivation."

Chen Mu sighed softly, and his restless thoughts immediately calmed.

"The path of cultivation is long indeed..."

With a shrug, Chen Mu turned around and sauntered back to his small courtyard in Chao Feng Alley.

...

Seven days later, at dusk.

Chen Mu was in the middle of preparing his evening meal.

Dong!

Like a droplet of dew falling into a mountain stream, a crisp sound echoed in his mind.

Upon introspecting the Jade Seed, the pitch-black Dark Cloud Talisman had vanished. In the center of the Jade Seed, a silver-black, glossy, nine-layered orb slowly and sporadically rotated.

"It's done!"

Chen Mu beamed with joy.

With a single thought, the nine layers of the Talisman came to a rest and immediately began to rotate in reverse. The cloud-like, misty mana within the Jade Seed was instantly drawn into the Divine Orifice.

The small Divine Orifice seemed like a bottomless pit, as, in just a dozen or so breaths, it absorbed all the mana within.

Thump, thump...

Like the beating of a heart, a rhythm brimming with life emerged at the core of the Divine Orifice.

Accompanied by the flickering of silver and black light, nine hair-thin, translucent white threads emerged from the Divine Orifice, swimming joyously around like fish.

They were filled with vitality, and as Chen Mu concentrated his Spirit on them, it was as if he could see endless transformations. Upon closer inspection, nothing was there, as if it were all just an illusion.

"Innate Primordial Qi!"

Chen Mu clenched his fists with excitement.

After more than two years, he had finally reached River Chariot Perfection and completed the Qi Refinement Fourth Stage!

...

In the Xu character Heavenly River Water Mansion.

Jiao Shi walked into Qiu Jinwu's courtyard with a face full of smiles.

"Do you have news?" Despite his over a hundred years of cultivation, Qiu Jinwu couldn't help but feel perturbed.

"After two months, we have finally located the Spirit Mechanism." Jiao Shi couldn't help but sigh.

He never expected that even with his father personally making a move and utilizing the power of the Tongtian River to track it, so much time would be consumed.

"The location is in Dingyou Water Mansion, extremely remote. I'm not afraid of the distance, only of not knowing the place." Qiu Jinwu revealed a smile.

"Jia Tian!" he shouted loudly.

"Coming, it's finally my turn to show off my skills." A bald-headed young man with a beaming smile suddenly peeked over the neighboring wall.

"Which direction? How far? Is there an anchor point for the aura?" Jia Tian asked like rapid-fire.

"Southeast, twenty-three thousand li away. It can be found through the water veins of the Water Mansion after some time." Jiao Shi watched Jia Tian with interest.

"That is somewhat far." Jia Tian made a troubled face.

"Tell me, how much White Jade Money do you want?" Qiu Jinwu asked directly.

"Of course, the more the better." Jia Tian's face immediately lit up with joy.

…

In the Dingyou Heavenly River Water Mansion, in a small courtyard in Chao Feng Alley.

Chen Mu carefully withdrew a strand of clear white Primordial Qi.

With just a thought.

Whoosh!

Like a drop of water vanishing into the desert, the Primordial Qi disappeared inside his body.

A feeling of fulfillment and perfection immediately filled his heart, and his body clearly burst forth with a sense of vitality. Then, a faint tingling sensation emerged all over his body.

"Is this nourishing the body, repairing damage?" Chen Mu realized immediately.

Secret techniques such as the Five Dragon Dharma Body and Five Thunders Spell indeed possess great power, but alas, he was not a Dao Foundation Qi Cultivator. He could deploy them with the experience of Perfection, but the hidden damage was ultimately unavoidable.

After feeling the changes in his body for a while, Chen Mu drew out another thread of Primordial Qi. He deliberately controlled it to not disperse and instead sent it into the Secret Acupoint between his eyebrows.

The next instant, the Primordial Qi vanished without a trace.

Hum!

Everything before Chen Mu's eyes turned dark, as if he saw the heavens full of stars, countless points of light appearing in his heart. The scene flashed by in an instant, like an illusion.

"Indeed, this thing can bring a transformation to the Heavenly Demon Body!"

However… there are so many Heavenly Demon Spirit Seeds?

How many copies of the East Pole Longevity Scripture have actually been spread out there?!

Chen Mu was bewildered, pondering for a long while before pulling his thoughts back to the Primordial Qi.

Then he controlled the third strand of Primordial Qi and placed it in front of his brow's Secret Acupoint.

Swish!

A flash of black and white light appeared by chance before his eyes, then he carefully circled around the Primordial Qi.

In the past, these two fellows would laze around inside the Secret Acupoint all day, not moving an inch, unlike now when they acted like cats that had just spotted catnip.

"Usually you're quite tough, huh? Surrendered to just a thread of Primordial Qi?" Chen Mu said, unamused.

"Why don't you recover your usual aloofness for me to see?"

Chen Mu teased with a smile.

…

In Dingyou Heavenly River Water Mansion Dojo, the void twisted and changed. Accompanied by rolling air waves, three figures appeared with a whoosh.

A formidable force suddenly assaulted them.

Qiu Jinwu's expression remained unchanged, but Jia Tian and Jiao Shi staggered, feeling weak all over.

"Third Great-Uncle, I am Jiao Shi, one of our own!" Jiao Shi quickly shouted.

"My sudden visit is impolite. I hope for forgiveness from Jiao Daoist Friend," Qiu Jinwu cupped his fists and bowed towards the void.

"I'm in the midst of cultivation, inconvenient to leave seclusion. Qiu Daoist Friend, please make yourself at home." A young voice emerged around the three people.

"Thank you!" Qiu Jinwu bowed again, then promptly led Jia Tian and Jiao Shi with large strides towards the Water Mansion Dojo.

A moment later.

At the entrance of an alleyway, Qiu Jinwu appeared clutching an amber-colored, fist-sized round bead. Feeling the vibrations growing stronger, Qiu Jinwu finally showed a smile.

"After tens of thousands of li of travel, finally…"

He took a deep breath, about to enter the box to check.

But the next moment, the amber bead that was vibrating violently suddenly became eerily still. No matter how he tried to activate it, it wouldn't budge.

"Did you tamper with it?!" He suddenly turned his head, staring intently at Jiao Shi.

Jiao Shi's face instantly turned pale as a sheet.

"No… impossible!"

"This Seeking Spirit Pearl was personally refined by my father, how could it suddenly fail!" For a moment, Jiao Shi was so anxious he broke out in a sweat.

Qiu Jinwu swept the other man with a cold glance and turned to look at the alley ahead.

"Since the last indication pointed here, I will search every inch, check every person!"

A strong aura immediately began to permeate into the alley.