I am grinding experience in another world

Late at night, the cliffside cave mansion.

On the stone wall to the left of the cave entrance, there was a spacious bay window carved out to a depth of one meter.

Chen Mu leaned against the window frame and sat on the smooth, broad stone windowsill. Through the transparent and pristine jade window, the night sky was illuminated by shimmering starlight.

The Stack Armor Plan had failed. To break free from the latent dangers of the contract, the most economical strategy was still to refine the Peach God.

Unfortunately, over the past few days, despite the nine Vermilion Feather Magic Swords lingering within Prison Valley, not a single Exotic Peach Tree of Moli Silver had been found.

"That greedy old man Hu is to blame."

"Who knows how many people are refining Peach God right now."

"So many Exotic Peach Trees, yet all of their Peach Wood Cores have been confiscated—absolutely outrageous..."

Chen Mu shook his head, his heart filled with irritation.

"Maybe... I should just go snatch someone else's Peach God?"

Chen Mu felt a burst of temptation in his heart.

After hesitating for quite a while, he eventually dismissed such thoughts from his mind.

Once a Peach Wood Core is ritualized into a Peach God, it's bound to the refiner's spirit. Attempting to sever this connection for a second ritualization would likely result in failure rates astronomically high.

Rampantly seizing others' Peach Gods wouldn't be of much use and might even draw the investigation of the Hundred Illusion Sect.

"I'm a good person; how could I ever commit such acts of thievery and plunder?" Chen Mu declared righteously, his face full of solemnity.

"I guess I'll just wait another year."

According to the Nine-Life Tribulation Splitting Technique, once the Moli Silver Peach Wood Core is extracted, it only requires about a year of nurture for a new core to emerge.

Although waiting another year would mean missing the next Daoist Soldier recruitment by the Thousand Mechanisms Sect, Chen Mu had no choice but to accept this course of action.

"Just because I abide by the rules doesn't mean others will."

"Without mastering techniques to counteract the contract's backlash, I can't go to the Thousand Mechanisms Sect."

"A mere delay of a few years—I can afford to wait."

Chen Mu reached a firm decision in his heart.

Unlike other Qi Cultivators, he was still very young. He'd rather wait patiently for a few extra years than take reckless risks.

...

Having settled his resolve, Chen Mu's mind calmed down.

Every day, he ventured to Prison Valley as scheduled, meticulously playing the role of an ordinary Daoist Soldier.

He had the assistance of the Triple Yin Slaying Demon Technique, sparing him the need to resort to the Demon Dispel Skill. The time he saved wasn't wasted—instead, it was devoted to thoroughly studying the Nine-Life Tribulation Splitting Technique.

This was the secret technique critical for countering the contract's backlash; there was no such thing as being too proficient.

One day after another passed. Among the twelve Daoist Soldier apprentices under Lu Han, five had already advanced through Prison Valley and entered the Grinding Stone Workshop for the next stage of practicing Demon Dispel Skill.

Chen Mu also followed the crowd's rhythm, slowly increasing the number of Demon Qi Stones he mined each day, maintaining a modestly unremarkable middle-lower standard.

...

Prison Valley, shrouded in mist, rang with the continuous sound of pickaxes striking stone.

Lu Han walked slowly, arms crossed, repeatedly inspecting his apprentices, occasionally stepping forward to explain a few points.

The proficiency of their Demon Dispel Skill directly affected the speed at which Daoist Soldiers earned Daoist Cultivation credits, which included his share; naturally, he couldn't neglect it.

Before long, he arrived at a remote corner. From a distance, the sight of a young man dressed in a gray fitted uniform caught his eye.

The young man wielded a pickaxe with a steady rhythm. The sharp tip glowed faintly green, striking the dark stone walls with sparks flying.

Lu Han's face momentarily soured, then slightly relaxed upon noticing the basket of Demon Qi Stones, already half-filled with vines wrapped around it.

"Should've done this from the start."

"If you had been this diligent in practicing Demon Dispel Skill from the beginning, you might already have entered the Grinding Stone Workshop."

"But it's not too late now. As long as you keep up this pace, you might pass your assessment by year's end and successfully sign the Daoist Soldier contract." After calculating mentally, a smile spread across Lu Han's face.

He stepped forward, about to offer some words of encouragement, when the young man deftly hoisted his basket, grabbed his pickaxe, and prepared to leave Prison Valley! His direction was clear—he intended to leave!

"Chen Mu, where do you think you're going again?!"

Lu Han's face turned instantly dark.

What?! I was just about to praise you, and now you ditch me without a word?

He immediately hurried forward to block Chen Mu's path.

"Brother Lu?" Chen Mu looked startled, as though he had just noticed Lu Han was there.

"I'm heading to Wanjing Cave," he replied earnestly.

"You've been at the Hundred Illusion Sect for almost half a year, and yet you're still not done with the Scripture Cave techniques?!" Lu Han fumed.

"Oh, I stopped studying those long ago," Chen Mu lowered his voice, projecting an air of mystery. "I go there to have Elder Hu Buwei guide my cultivation."

Hu Buwei? Teaching cultivation?

Lu Han was bewildered.

Since when did Old Man Hu open a special class?

How come I had no idea?

"Elder Hu says he has a secret trick to mastering Demon Dispel Skill. If I learn it, I can achieve sudden breakthroughs."

"Of course, he's reluctant to teach me, but I won't give up."

"As long as I spend time persuading him, he'll relent sooner or later."

"Once I master his secret techniques, these petty Demon Qi Stones will be mere trifles to me. Far more efficient than mindlessly slogging away in Prison Valley." Chen Mu spoke seriously, spouting utter nonsense.

What secret Scripture?!

The old man is just trying to cheat you out of your White Jade!

Lu Han was instantly filled with rage.

Secretly opening a side hustle and not cutting me in? That shameless old miser!

"Brother Lu, what do you think?" Chen Mu asked cautiously.

"Scram! Scram! Scram!" Lu Han shouted, waving his hands dismissively.

Chen Mu grinned cheekily, bowed, and turned to leave.

Good, let him get angry. When angered, he'll go confront Hu Buwei. Without confrontation... how can I make trouble for that miserly old man?

Hehe!

Blame it on that old man for selling way too many copies of the Nine-Life Tribulation Splitting Technique, and charging me an extra three hundred White Jade on top.

This is karmic retribution!

Chen Mu cheerfully hummed a tune as he left Prison Valley with his basket on his back.

...

Within a crevice of the cliff to the southwest region of Prison Valley.

A palm-sized crimson Flying Blade floated quietly in mid-air.

Whoosh!

The air stirred slightly, and Chen Mu, freshly freed from Lu Han's grasp, appeared at this spot.

He reached out to retrieve the Vermilion Feather Sword and quickly strode toward the center of the crevice, where a black-leaved Exotic Peach Tree stood, its flowers uniquely tinged with silver.

Placing one hand on the tree trunk, Chen Mu closed his eyes and activated his Truthful Listening Divine Power, fully focusing his energy on the tree's internal structure.

Fifteen minutes, thirty minutes, an hour... two hours passed...

Chen Mu remained standing before the peach tree motionless.

At some moment deep into the night, beneath the sparkling stars above, a faintly perceptible aura surfaced within Chen Mu's spirit.

"Found it!"

Chen Mu was ecstatic.

Refining Peach God ostensibly requires the Moli Silver Peach Wood Core, but its true essence lies in the unique Exotic Force contained within the core.

Yet this force was mysterious and elusive. Without the Peach Wood Core as a vessel, it was almost impossible to detect.

Thanks to having refined seventy-three Peach Gods and his extensive exposure, coupled with the wondrous Truthful Listening Divine Power, Chen Mu was able to faintly perceive traces of its aura.

Since the Peach Wood Core's depletion, he had stationed the Vermilion Feather Sword to monitor the Exotic Peach Tree of Moli Silver continuously. After a month-long vigil, tonight, he finally caught a hint of its presence.

"The Peach Wood Core is merely a medium; the ethereal Exotic Force is the true key."

"As long as I locate the source of this force, I can refine as many Peach Gods as I desire!"

Suppressing his excitement, Chen Mu prepared to trace this aura back to its source and use his Escape Skills to delve deeper.

Activating Yin Spirit Divine Power, he transformed into formless energy, intending to merge into the ground and descend deeper.

Clang!

A loud noise echoed throughout the crevice, sending waves of shock as Chen Mu staggered backward.

Dizziness washed over him, and he almost toppled to the ground.

The Five Elements Escape Technique that had always worked flawlessly met an unexpected obstacle.

This skill, derived from the Cloud Mirage Sky Demon Body, enabled Chen Mu to seamlessly merge with his surroundings, traversing water, fire, flight, and earth effortlessly. Although slower than Longitudinal Rainbow Light or Yin Wind Escape, it was adaptable to virtually all environments.

But now...

"Could it be due to the Demon Qi Stones?"

Chen Mu quickly identified the cause.

As the Hundred Illusion Sect's headquarters, Qingqiu Mountain contained demons captured by the Thousand Mechanisms Sect beneath its grounds. Years of continuous immersion by demonic energy had transformed vast sections of the mountain's stone into resilient Demon Qi Stones.

These stones were saturated with demonic energy, akin to being part of a demon's body. While the Five Elements Escape Technique could penetrate natural entities like mountains and rivers, it couldn't permeate the bodies of living beings.

"I should try merging into the peach tree's wood, following its underground roots—perhaps I can still excavate the depths."

Taking a deep breath, Chen Mu activated the Five Elements Escape Technique and pressed both hands against the peach tree.

Thud!

A muffled sound erupted. A repulsion force even stronger than the one before hurled Chen Mu backward, landing him flat on the ground.

"This repulsion—why is it even stronger than the Demon Qi Stones?!"

"This doesn't make sense..."

Chen Mu got up and began circling the peach tree.

"Ultimately, I may have to rely on the Triple Yin Slaying Demon Technique!"

He gazed down at the pitch-black, steel-like hardened ground.

"I could directly dig a hole to reach the depths, but that would be too conspicuous and leave clear traces."

"Perhaps I can adapt the use of the Demon Qi Stone pickaxe." Chen Mu's eyes narrowed.

The miners' pickaxe was imbued with powers from the Demon Dispel Skill, channeling that energy into the sharp edge. If he enveloped his body in Triple Yin Slaying Demon energy...

In an instant, a translucent greenish aura enveloped Chen Mu.

The ground beneath him softened immediately. Initially as hard as steel, it now resembled loose sand.

With Yin Spirit Divine Power resonating, the Five Elements Escape Technique activated, turning the softened ground into a pool of melting oil.

Swoosh! Without resistance, Chen Mu slipped effortlessly into the subterranean depths.