Low Hill Courtyard.

    Chen Mu pinched an oval-shaped emerald insect and examined it.

    The insect was the size of a fingernail and entirely a lustrous green, looking as if it were carved from jade.

    When motionless, it appeared quite exquisite.

    But Chen Mu wouldn''t forget how irritable they were last night.

    "Thank goodness they have a limit to how many times they can split." Just thinking about that overwhelming scenario made Chen Mu shiver uncontrollably.

    "One must not underestimate exotic beasts," Chen Mu narrowed his eyes.

    The previous encounter with the antlered black sheep, which he could knock down with a single punch each, had led him to believe that exotic beasts were of little concern.

    But the strange beetles had taught Chen Mu a lesson.

    "They might have some bizarre abilities."

    ...

    "I''ve never seen it before," Old Hao, holding the insect, shook his head in confusion.

    "Rice stem borers, thrips, leafhoppers, planthoppers—these are the usual pests in the Yellow Bud Rice Fields."

    "This green jade-like insect is the first I''ve ever seen," frowned Old Hao.

    The emergence of a new pest could be devastating to the Yellow Bud Rice Fields if insecticide measures were not identified swiftly.

    "Have you tried using insecticides? Do they kill?" Old Hao asked.

    Chen Mu shook his head, "Haven''t tried, don''t know."

    The insect was stunned by the Heartless Bell, and except for a few samples, the rest were fed to the Five Ghosts Bag.

    He had assumed they were common pests, but it turned out to be a different kind.

    "Keep an eye out these next few days," Old Hao sighed.

    Chen Mu nodded.

    He wasn''t really scared.

    Last night, he had discovered that the Heartless Bell was incredibly effective against small flying insects.

    With its wide range and ability to stun, there was no need to buy insecticide.

    ...

    "This is what you earned from the antlered black sheep''s hide and bones." Old Hao handed Chen Mu two White Jade Coins.

    "So much?" Chen Mu was surprised.

    "If you sell the entire thing, you''ll get even more than this," Old Hao rolled his eyes.

    After a thought, Chen Mu put away the White Jade Coins and went to his room to fetch a preserved and air-dried leg of the antlered black sheep that he was preparing as cured meat and handed it to Old Hao.

    "I made this myself; you should take it home and try it."

    "Brother Chen is generous," laughed Old Hao as he naturally accepted the forty-something pounds of exotic beast meat.

    All the hard work he did was for a bit of commission, wasn''t it?

    The exotic beast meat would save him a lot of Yellow Bud Rice money.

    Even if he didn''t eat it, he could sell it.

    While it couldn''t be exchanged for White Jade Coins, a few thousand Silver was easily obtainable.

    He went through them one by one, not giving up, but didn''t find the treasured books of secret techniques he had long anticipated.

    "I really don''t have the protagonist''s halo," Chen Mu shook his head.

    After critically going through them several times, Chen Mu found that it wasn''t just imperial erotica in there; he also found Shang Huan''s ledgers.

    They recorded the number of items he bought and sold in reverse, as well as the prices at different delivery locations.

    "There''s a Ghost Ship on the Tongtian River?" Chen Mu was somewhat surprised. "And it can go to other gathering places on Jilong Road?"

    "The basin plain is just one of the gathering places of the Lower Courtyard," Chen Mu realized.

    However...

    "Why does the True Sun Scripture cost only one White Jade Coin?!" Chen Mu exclaimed in surprise as he looked at one item on the list.

    Something''s not right here.

    ...

    "You didn''t buy it, did you?" Old Hao burped, glancing at Chen Mu sideways.

    Having held back for three days, Chen Mu finally found an excuse to invite Old Hao for a meal and by the way ask about the price of the True Sun Scripture.

    "I''m not stupid," Chen Mu rolled his eyes.

    It was clearly problematic.

    "Other people aren''t stupid either, but they still pay money for it," Old Hao shrugged his shoulders.

    Chen Mu raised an eyebrow: "So this cheap True Sun Scripture could actually be genuine?"

    Otherwise, why would people spend money to buy it?

    "It''s genuine, but not complete," Old Hao took a drag of his cigarette.

    "Even though the Scripture Transmission Institute keeps preaching about how chanting Scriptures over and over reveals its wonders naturally. But...," Old Hao pursed his lips.

    "Without the Secret Technique Jade Scroll imparting the True Intent of the Jade Seed, trying to comprehend the mysteries from a piece of obscure scripture is as difficult as ascending to the heavens."

    "But there are always those who think themselves exceptional." He glanced at Chen Mu.

    "Especially you outsiders."

    "True Intent?" This touched on an area unknown to him.

    Old Hao leisurely exhaled a puff of white smoke and said indifferently, "That''s the core foundation of a Secret Technique."

    "Forget it, even if I tell you, you wouldn''t understand."

    "Wait until when you''ve saved enough money, go to the Scripture Transmission Institute, buy a copy of the True Sun Scripture, and study the Secret Technique Jade Scroll, then you''ll understand everything."

    The core foundation?

    Could it be something like the Divine Intent Diagram?

    Chen Mu narrowed his eyes and suddenly spoke up, "Old Hao, you mentioned that by chanting the Scripture a myriad of times, the wonders would reveal themselves?"

    "Why, you don''t believe it?" Old Hao looked askance at Chen Mu.

    "Old Hao, you know I believe you," Chen Mu said earnestly.

    Old Hao nodded in satisfaction, glad this wasn''t some stubborn youth who wouldn''t take advice.

    "So, how much for one book?" Chen Mu smiled.

    Old Hao: "..."

    ```