I am grinding experience in another world-Chapter 687 - 675: Recruitment

On this day, at Xin Si Courtyard in Demon Dispel Alley.

"A decree from Star Monarch Hall ordering me to go to Border Star?"

"I'm doing just fine here in Demon Dispel Alley. Why are they transferring me away!" Chen Mu's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Steward Wu.

"It's not just you; the entire Xin Si Courtyard, including myself, has been ordered to go to Border Star." Steward Wu shook his head.

"Can I refuse to go?" Chen Mu frowned.

"Only if you're not afraid of Five Thunders Bombarding." Steward Wu cast a sideways glance at Chen Mu, speaking in a irritable tone.

I'm actually not afraid of Five Thunders Bombarding!

Chen Mu squinted his eyes.

He had never put down the Nine-Life Tribulation Splitting Technique, and the number of Heavenly Demon Spirit Seeds he had refined by now was countless.

Normal contract backlash was nothing he feared.

"You should count yourself lucky." Steward Wu sighed deeply and spoke again.

"The destination for the adjacent courtyard is Heavenly Gate Star. The battles there are intense, extremely dangerous."

"But on Border Star, the demons were already driven out months ago. For us to be sent there, it's considered lucky enough." Steward Wu's tone was full of relief.

But I fear not just the chaos of demons, but Lu Shenjun!

Chen Mu frowned deeply.

When I first came to Heavenly Pass Star, it was partly to avoid Lv Yue. Who would've thought that just over half a year later, Lv Yue would also make his way to Outer Heaven Star.

If he somehow discovered that I was cultivating the "Jade Cicada Secret Scripture"...

Perhaps, I should run!

Chen Mu's thoughts started spinning.

Heavenly Pass Star is so vast, I could find a random place to hide and wait until the battles subside before coming out. After all, I'm not afraid of Five Thunders Bombarding.

"Thinking of fleeing from Heavenly Pass City and becoming a deserter?" Steward Wu gave Chen Mu a sideways glance.

"Absolutely not. I'm a rule-abiding, honest man." Chen Mu replied with a serious expression.

"Then go, by all means, go. As long as you can evade Jiao Mu Star Lord's search." Steward Wu replied calmly.

Jiao Mu Star Lord? Who's that?

I only heard that Heavenly Pass City has a high-ranking Elder surnamed Lan. Why is there suddenly a Star Lord?

Chen Mu's heart skipped a beat.

"Heavenly Stars have spirits, known as Star Lords. The entire star is within their divine sight."

"Even if you hide within the planet's core, you would still be dragged out."

"By then, Five Thunders Bombarding would be the merciful option. You'd be directly conscripted into the Suicide Camp. As for your fate... hehe..." Steward Wu coldly chuckled, clasped his hands behind his back, and turned away: "We depart in three days. You decide for yourself where you'll go."

So Border Star really is unavoidable?

Chen Mu felt his scalp tingle.

...

Heavenly Market Street, Hundred Herbs Pavilion.

"One Green Jade Turtle Shell, for 23 Daoist Cultivation and 35 White Jade. Here you go, sir." A middle-aged attendant in a brown garment pushed a small wooden box toward Chen Mu.

"The price dropped?" Chen Mu raised an eyebrow.

Green Jade Turtle Shell was one of the main ingredients for a Rejuvenation Pill. A month ago, it was priced at 30 Daoist Cultivation and 43 White Jade.

"It's because we're all going to support Lu Shenjun. Elder Lan Shenjun allocated some Daoist Cultivation and White Jade subsidies to everyone."

"Recently, the prices of elixirs and magic artifacts have all dropped a bit." The middle-aged attendant explained with a smile.

There's a silver lining?

Unfortunately, I don't have much Daoist Cultivation left; I've been spending it steadily on Rejuvenation Pill materials. The rest I plan to convert into White Jade—otherwise, I'd go on a shopping spree.

"There's a large number of people being conscripted this time?" Chen Mu asked curiously.

"It's not your average number." The middle-aged attendant sighed. "About seventy percent of the Daoist Soldiers across the Heavenly Pass Eighteen Stars are reportedly included in this transfer."

"Even our shopkeeper here at Hundred Herbs Pavilion didn't escape conscription." The attendant chuckled bitterly.

Chen Mu was stunned.

"Is it because the front lines are unfavorable?" He furrowed his brows, his face full of worry.

"Not at all." The attendant laughed lightly.

"Of Jiao Mu's ninety stars, over thirty have long been occupied by demons.

"Under Lu Shenjun's command, the Black Armor warriors are fearless. Just last month alone, they reclaimed five stars and are now pressing on toward the Heavenly Gate Thirteen Stars."

"They've reclaimed so much territory that there aren't enough people to defend and rebuild. That's why there's this conscription order."

So Lv Yue isn't currently at Border Star?

Good news!

Chen Mu felt slightly relieved.

"Do you know about Jiao Mu Star Lord?" He continued asking.

"You've heard too?" The middle-aged attendant seemed excited: "Yesterday afternoon, many from the first batch of transfers tried to desert." ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

"Some hid in deep ocean trenches, others buried themselves underground in rainforest caverns, and the furthest ones went as far as diving into molten rivers in the southern polar region."

"These newly conscripted Daoist Soldiers had no idea about Jiao Mu Star Lord's divine skills. Early this morning, all were dragged back to Heavenly Pass City."

"By noon, those deserters were sent straight to Heavenly Gate and assigned to the front lines Suicide Camp."

"Originally supposed to be auxiliary soldiers at the front, they ended up in the deadliest Suicide Camp. Tsk, what misfortune." The attendant clicked his tongue in schadenfreude.

Jiao Mu Star Lord is this powerful?

...

At dusk.

Chen Mu lay on a low couch by the window, staring out at the Heavenly Star in a daze.

His probing throughout Heavenly Market Street had basically extinguished any hope of deserting. Even Thousand Lanterns City was not an option.

After all, it was an Incomplete Cave Heaven. The Exquisite Jade Plate couldn't generate Earth Spirit Vital Energy within Thousand Lanterns City. For cultivation, he ultimately had to leave.

"A Star Lord is the spirit of a star, instantly controlling the entire star. If I reveal myself, I'll almost certainly be dragged out by Jiao Mu Star Lord."

"Unless I can break through Heavenly Gate to leave Heavenly Pass Star, there's no way to avoid this conscription order."

"I've barely spent a few peaceful days cultivating. Damn that Lu Shenjun."

Chen Mu cursed inwardly.

Lv Yue was indeed no longer at Border Star.

But Border Star was ultimately reclaimed by Lv Yue. There might still be remnants of plague lingering there. According to Meng Qingchan, that plague was essentially Lv Yue's eyes and ears.

"I must remain cautious!"

Chen Mu checked his Jade Seed internally.

Except for a corner as large as a grape's inner wall, most areas were now covered with golden patterns.

He brought up the Gray Wall.

Jade Cicada Secret Scripture: 9239/10000/Third Rank;

"I need to refine the scripture to the Fourth Rank before heading to Border Star so the golden patterns engulf the entire Jade Seed."

According to the Gray Wall's feedback, the first three ranks of the scripture seemed like laying the foundation, altering the deepest structures of the Jade Seed.

Currently, his vitality was defective, causing fluctuations that could be detected by skilled individuals.

Once he passed the Third Rank and solidified his foundation, his vitality would become harmonious and sealed.

Unless he deliberately revealed it or was subjected to targeted probing, he'd hardly be detected.

"Rushing to complete half a month's progress in just three days?"

"Tsk! This might squeeze me dry like a husk." Chen Mu grimaced, feeling a faint ache in his forehead.

Reshaping the Jade Seed required Primordial Qi, which was refined from vast amounts of mana, which in turn needed immense Earth Spirit Vital Energy and his own Essence and Divine Energy.

Half a year ago, he had been obsessed with reshaping the Jade Seed, to the point of over-cultivating and nearly ruining himself. He had to halve his cultivation intensity to recover.

But now he had to not only restore his previous intensity but double it...

"Even if I exhaust myself to the limit, my vitality recovery speed likely won't keep up." Chen Mu frowned in frustration.

Scrolling through the secret techniques on the Gray Wall, he repeatedly examined them before settling his gaze on one entry.

Soul Capturing Return to Origin Technique: 8475/10000/Fourth Rank;

This secret technique was rather sinister, capable of extracting Essence and Divine Energy from the flesh and blood of living beings to quickly replenish the practitioner's vitality.

But, like the Star Absorption Technique in martial arts novels from his previous life, Chen Mu always worried about potential unseen risks.

Essence gathered from others was ultimately impure.

Previously, other than using it to assist Heavenly Demon Body cultivation, he'd hardly relied on this technique.

But now...

"I can't solely rely on physical absorption of Replenishing Origin Soup and Nourishing Spirit Wine. It definitely won't match my cultivation intensity; I'll have to use it to handle emergencies." Chen Mu sighed helplessly.

He planned to draw Inner Yuan Qi from the Inheriting Heaven Gourd using the Soul Capturing Return to Origin Technique to assist in cultivation, speeding up completion of the scripture's Third Rank.

"With the Bottomless Pool acting as a barrier, there shouldn't be any issues… right?"

"Hmm, maybe I should consider the Heavenly Demon Body." Chen Mu's eyes lit up, and his face revealed a look of excitement.

Essence from others may be impure, but extracting essence from my own clone shouldn't be a problem!

The Heavenly Demon Body, after all, is a Divine Fetus Yin Spirit. It's just extracting a little essence—only for three days. It'll certainly be fine!

The Heavenly Demon Body: "..."

Thank you very much!