For three consecutive days, red clouds sporadically appeared in the sky over the Lower Courtyard.

    The crazily proliferating emerald beetles were swiftly exterminated by Oversight Courtyard''s Song Wujie.

    Although the harvest of Yellow Bud Rice unavoidably suffered a reduction, this rapidly emerging pest outbreak was altogether and thoroughly eradicated in the end.

    Shang Huan''s residence.

    Accompanied by the thud of Old Hao falling to the ground.

    Chen Mu, dressed in a black Daoist robe with a white mask on his face, slowly emerged amidst a cloud of black smoke.

    Shang Huan glanced at Old Hao who had a face-plant, with a twitch at the corner of his mouth.

    He didn''t know where Old Hao had offended Mr. Gongsun.

    Every time they met, he would have to knock the old man down, always making him land on his face.

    If it weren''t for the Armor Spirit Warrior''s thick skin and flesh, he would have long been flattened into a pancake face.

    "Mr. Gongsun, here are all the White Jade Coins earned this time," Shang Huan respectfully presented a small wooden box.

    "In total, two hundred thirteen batches of Insecticide Smoke were sold, yielding eight hundred fifty-two White Jade Coins."

    "To expedite the sales, I promised the sales staff one White Jade Coin for each batch," Shang Huan said nervously.

    "What do you think..."

    Chen Mu gently touched the blackwood box, then suddenly leaned into Shang Huan''s ear.

    "Why don''t you run away?"

    "With so many White Jade Coins."

    Sweat instantly started to bead on Shang Huan''s forehead, and he forcefully swallowed saliva: "I want to earn even more White Jade Coins."

    Chen Mu stood up, his gaze indifferent as he looked at Shang Huan.

    "Hundred Herbs Pavilion was at wit''s end with the emerald beetles, yet you were able to produce Insecticide Smoke in no time."

    "I think that by following you, I could earn even more White Jade Coins in the future," Shang Huan explained, plucking up the courage.

    Chen Mu remained noncommittal on the surface but couldn''t help feeling surprised inwardly.

    This little-eyed fat man sure thinks far ahead.

    Black smoke swirled around his right hand as an old, yellow paper with writing appeared.

    The paper looked ancient, as though it would crumble upon touch.

    "If someone inquires about the Insecticide Smoke, give them this to look at."

    "Just say this recipe is a family heirloom of yours."

    He indeed disliked public exposure; he needed someone like Shang Huan to stand in front of him.

    After a few collaborations, this fat man''s talent for selling counterfeits left him speechless. But he had indeed helped mitigate some of the risks associated with selling elixir pills.

    The recipe for the Insecticide Smoke had been aged by Chen Mu on purpose, intended to ward off the covetous gazes of others.

    It was just a rudimentary version of Mesmerizing Divine Smoke for beetles, perfect for keeping Shang Huan safe.

    The black smoke then burrowed into the wooden box, and half of the White Jade Coins vanished into thin air.

    Without further words, he turned and left Shang Huan''s residence, accompanied by the black smoke.

    Shang Huan checked the recipe and then carefully opened the wooden box.

    Seeing that half of the White Jade Coins were left inside, he almost jumped with excitement.

    Quite a pleasant surprise!

    But he didn''t hold much anticipation.

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    Since one could train just by breathing, the level of active participation was low.

    Moreover, the most noticeable change from the last advancement was the addition of two silver threads above his eyebrows.

    "Anyway, I don''t need to spend time on training. In a couple of days, I should know if there will be any changes."

    "I don''t even know if this already bifurcated path can continue to be cultivated."

    Chen Mu then turned his attention to the True Sun Scripture.

    At the same time, the state of the Divine Intent Diagram surfaced in his mind.

    As he cultivated the True Sun Scripture, the Soul Strength and Divine Intent Diagram of the remaining five Shape Cultivation Techniques had been captured and fused into the silk-ball shaped Jade Seed.

    "Once fully fused, I''ll probably be able to cultivate the Jade Seed," Chen Mu guessed.

    Back then, cultivating so many seemingly useless Shape Cultivation Techniques finally proved to be useful.

    Others would take a long time to cultivate a Jade Seed, filling it with the three treasures of Essence, Qi, and Spirit to fix the holes on the silk-ball shaped Jade Seed.

    Chen Mu had many Divine Intent Diagrams and not a small amount of Soul Strength, which were exactly the three treasures of Essence, Qi, and Spirit, perfect for use as filler material.

    "Ever since leaving Da Liang, spending over a year and a bit more than two months, I''m finally touching the edges of the Perceptive Stage. It wasn''t easy," Chen Mu reflected.

    ...

    In the wooden Daoist temple on the cliff above Jilong Road to the north of Tongtian Square,

    Song Wujie sat cross-legged on a soft, low couch.

    With dark skin, a large face, a short neck, and thick fingers like small radishes, he didn''t even reach one meter sixty in height, making him appear short and stocky.

    A jewel-green beetle floated in front of him.

    Song Wujie''s thumb, index, and middle fingers flickered imperceptibly.

    Fine silver-white threads flitted in and out of visibility in mid-air.

    One end connected to his fingers, the other end pierced into the body of the beetle.

    The beetle''s wings and short legs were bound and tugged by an invisible force, its entire body trembling and contorting continuously, as though it were experiencing extreme pain.

    The beetle''s hissing cries were sharp and piercing, making one''s teeth ache just by listening.

    "What''s going on with Lin Su?" Song Wujie asked as he studied the beetle.

    Liang Yi, who was sitting on a cushion beside him, scratched his head and chuckled sheepishly, "He wants to use the Round Light Mirror to find someone. Claims it''s his direct blood relative."

    "Do you believe him?" Song Wujie sneered.

    "Don''t believe him," Liang Yi continued with his sheepish grin, "It''s nothing but him taking a fancy to some treasure."

    "A new batch of students from the borderlands joined this year; there might be some ancient relic magic artifact among them," Liang Yi shrugged.

    "Knowing he''s up to no good, why are you still helping him?" Song Wujie spoke flatly.

    Liang Yi scratched his head, "After all, he''s the Prefect of the Lower Courtyard, not an outsider."

    "Then why did you take his money?" Song Wujie glanced at his own disciple.

    Liang Yi shrugged, "But he''s just the Prefect of the Lower Courtyard, not really one of our own."

    Song Wujie nodded, "Then scam him out of a bit more."

    With his trademark sheepish smile, Liang Yi said, "That''s what I was thinking too."