I am grinding experience in another world-Chapter 672 - 660: Gourd

South of Qingqiu Mountain.

The massive "First Type Demon Suppressing Needle" shattered and collapsed, leveling half of the nearby mountain cliffs in the process.

Standing atop the Flying Kite with a palm-sized yellow gourd in hand, Chen Mu was quietly reciting the Sealing Demon Curse under his breath.

A grayish-white mist erupted from the mouth of the gourd, transforming into a colossal misty hand measuring tens of meters in size. The hand scooped up large chunks of shattered rock and debris, tossing them into the nearby Prison Valley.

There were more than a dozen other Qi Cultivators working alongside him in an orderly fashion. With their combined efforts, it took only half a day to clear away the remnants of the shattered needle and the collapsed mountain terrain.

By noon, Chen Mu joined the others to rest in the shade of the peach forest.

"I heard it's because demons tampered with the Inheriting Heaven Law Prohibition. That's how they were able to bypass the Star Battle Formation. The Thousand Mechanisms Sect destroyed the Demon Suppressing Needle to disrupt the foundational magical barrier."

"No way, demons can manipulate the Inheriting Heaven Law Prohibition?"

"You've forgotten how sinister those Green Worm Poisons are?"

"Now that you mention it… if they can meddle with the Inheriting Heaven Law Prohibition, it's not completely impossible…"

The group exchanged various rumors and gossip amongst themselves.

Chen Mu, while listening intently, idly flipped the yellow gourd in his hand.

The gourd, known as the Qiankun One Qi Gourd, was a Magic Artifact temporarily allocated to disciples by Taoshan Temple.

Functionally similar to the Prison Valley mining pickaxes and the Grinding Stone Workshop millstones, it amplified Sealing Demon Power.

The mist it emitted could effortlessly split mountains and shatter stones, even those as solid as Demon Qi Stones.

"If I use this thing to dig up some Demon Qi Stones and bring them to Thousand Lanterns City…" Chen Mu chuckled mischievously.

Thousand Lanterns City had expanded several times over, and the original stone and soil used for foundation filling were no longer sufficient.

Demon Qi Stones, being sturdy and capable of isolating Secret Technique detection, made a perfect material for the city's foundation.

Before the Thousand Mechanisms Sect arrived to set up a new Forbidden Law, digging into the terrain might trigger their magical barrier.

Hence...

"Tonight's the night."

As he plotted quietly, a streak of red Escape Light descended upon the peach forest.

Once the light dissipated, Hu Buwei appeared with a sour expression on his face.

The previously lively and chatty group instantly fell silent. Each person scrambled to their feet, preparing to continue their excavation work.

"What's the rush?!"

"Is thirty White Jade Coins a day that much? Why are you all working yourselves to death?" Hu Buwei bellowed angrily.

"It's noon! Why are you still working? Everyone, rest! If anyone doesn't rest for at least two Hours, no one is allowed to work!" And with that, he grumpily activated his Escape Light and flew off Qingqiu Mountain.

The group glanced at each other in confusion.

Was this... blatant encouragement to slack off and skim White Jade Coins from Taoshan Temple?

"Senior Brother, Elder Hu… what does this mean?" Someone asked Lu Han hesitantly within the crowd.

"It's all because of the Daoist Soldier Contracts," Lu Han admitted without reservation.

"Even Elder Hu has to go to Thousand Mechanisms Sect to serve as a Daoist Soldier?" The group was astounded.

"Not just Elder Hu; Taoshan Temple has mandated that all remaining members of our Hundred Illusion Sect participate. No one can escape," Lu Han sighed heavily.

"You lot were lucky to sign the contracts early, but we didn't have a choice. Our minimum period of service starts at twenty years."

"Elder Hu's cultivation is profound. While his term length remains uncertain, he will definitely be sent to the most dangerous frontlines."

"After living comfortably in the Hundred Illusion Sect for so many years, he now has to fight on the Outer Heaven battlefield in his old age. No wonder he's in a foul mood."

Chen Mu raised an eyebrow.

That old man Hu Buwei is heading to the Heavenly Star battlefield, and not just anywhere—he's assigned to the perilous frontlines?

Tsk, tsk!

That geezer is truly pitiful.

...

Late at night.

Three hundred miles beneath Qingqiu Mountain, deep rumbling noises echoed in the darkness.

Gray mist transformed into an enormous drill, piercing the black, rock-hard Demon Qi Stones relentlessly.

Beneath the mist-drill lay the black portal to Thousand Lanterns City, where shattered Demon Qi Stones were absorbed, not a single piece left behind.

Extending his hand to catch a fragment of a Demon Qi Stone that flew past his vision, Chen Mu stared into Thousand Lanterns City through the Shadow Pupil artifact, watching the ever-expanding rock foundation with a wide grin.

"As expected from a mountain-cutting and stone-excavating Magic Artifact crafted by Thousand Mechanisms Sect. Digging up Demon Qi Stones has become so effortless."

"With this gourd aiding the foundation work for Thousand Lanterns City, I estimate it'll take me no more than half a month to complete the task."

"What a pity the gourd has to be returned in the end," he lamented.

"Taoshan Temple is so stingy! Making us help build the sect's infrastructure, yet refusing to offer even one measly artifact!" Chen Mu muttered in annoyance.

Weighing the Demon Qi Stone in his hand, he clenched his fingers tightly.

A faint vibrating hum trembled through his fingers.

Crack!

The iron-hard Demon Qi Stone shattered instantly under his grip.

"Is the strength of the Ten Directions Hand perhaps a little *too* much?"

Chen Mu raised an eyebrow as the gray wall appeared before him.

Ten Directions Hand: 131/10000/Third Rank;

The Third Rank of the Ten Directions Hand continued to focus on concentrating the power of all muscle tissue into a single point.

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Even though his body had undergone multiple transformations, growing progressively stronger, the power to crush a Demon Qi Stone bare-handed still felt disproportionately immense.

Not even relying on Giant Spirit Divine power augmentation, he had merely utilized raw muscle strength.

Chen Mu immediately focused on the gray wall, intently absorbing the feedback from the Secret Technique's insights.

As he delved deeper, a look of surprise spread across his face.

"'Concentrating the strength of every muscle tissue in the body'—does it actually mean every single fiber of muscle?"

This reminded him of theories about the potential limits of human strength from his previous life.

Calculating human strength based on muscle fibers yielded high theoretical values.

Yet, due to the body's self-protective mechanisms and inefficient muscle activation techniques, humans were incapable of reaching such extremes.

According to the gray wall's feedback, the Ten Directions Hand was progressively advancing the ability to concentrate every ounce of strength into a single point.

"This Secret Technique of the Ten Directions Hand is truly extraordinary," Chen Mu grinned.

Currently, it was only at its Third Rank. Once cultivated to higher levels and paired with Giant Spirit Divine augmentation, it could easily become a life-saving trump card.

"Even a fragmentary Thousand Mountains Sutra Secret Technique possesses such wonders. The Thousand Mountains Path, which gained fame back in Ancient Times, truly was remarkable."

"Though it was ultimately destroyed by Pure Yang Dao, the fact that Pure Yang Dao had to intervene proves its ingenuity."

"A pity it's merely a fragment," Chen Mu sighed wistfully.

His thoughts drifted toward the Five Ghosts Bag, whereupon he directed his Divine Thoughts to examine the seven half-human-height black gourds contained within.

During his escape from the Tianhe Law Realm, he had utilized the Seven Souls Path Soldier Skill to displace individuals such as Lu Ku, who had become core veins and acupoint conduits.

Afterward, the seven had transformed into gourds, resting within the Five Ghosts Bag in perpetual slumber.

As time passed, supplemented by intermittent feedings of Primordial Qi, the gourds gradually grew larger in size—from their cores, life forces became stronger and hardier by the day.

Yet, exactly what they would ultimately transform into remained a mystery to Chen Mu.

"Ah, if only I could find those tombs excavated by Wu Mountain's brothers back in the day."

"I'd definitely go pay my respects with incense, and then..."

"Then, I'd carefully dig up every inch of it again!"

"Of course, my motives are pure! It's not for attaining Thousand Mountains Secret Techniques!"

"I'm simply removing pests like snakes and rats! Aligning the Earth's energy flows! Providing the esteemed seniors with a more serene resting place!" Chen Mu declared solemnly.

...

When dawn broke the next morning...

Chen Mu opened the doors to his Cave Mansion, preparing to head south of Qingqiu Mountain to resume excavation.

In the wake of the recent demon rampage, extensive damage had been done to the mountain terrain, forcing Taoshan Temple to construct new buildings for the sect. Thus, a sizable workforce was tasked with clearing and remodeling the mountain—a job assigned to the remnants of the Hundred Illusion Sect, including Chen Mu.

However, before he managed to walk far from the Cave Mansion, he ran into Lu Han.

"Elder Hu is attending to matters elsewhere. All excavation tasks have been suspended. The White Jade Coins will still be distributed, but work will resume only after he returns," Lu Han explained without waiting for Chen Mu's inquiry.

Purposefully dragging the timeline to skim more money? Such blatant corruption?

Chen Mu couldn't help but laugh.

Classic black-hearted Elder Hu!

"Don't overthink it. Elder Hu genuinely has business to tend to," Lu Han retorted with an eye roll.

"The Thousand Mechanisms Sect is preparing to set up a new Mountain Protection Magical Barrier. Special modifications to the terrain are required, and Elder Hu, along with other sect elders, has been summoned to the Heavenly River Water Mansion to attend lectures from experts."

Chen Mu understood instantly.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, he returned to his Cave Mansion.

But he didn't stay idle for long—soon, he dove into Thousand Lanterns City, wielding the yellow gourd to meticulously refine the city's ground.

"That old geezer Hu really lucked out. Forced to fight as a Daoist Soldier among the Outer Heaven ranks, no less."

"An elder who's spent a lifetime as Auxiliary Soldiers, suddenly sent to the frontlines as War Soldiers…" Chen Mu muttered as he worked.

"Even though his Condensing Aperture Perfection cultivation might bring some advantages, the risks involved are alarmingly clear."

"Good thing I decided to fake my cultivation level as a mere Primordial Talisman Realm Qi Cultivator. Definitely the right call," he laughed quietly to himself.

"Strong abilities bring heavier responsibilities, which means being sent to dangerous places. But me? Just a small fry who avoids attention—I can even masquerade as a harmless weakling. If trouble arises, I can always use my trump cards to escape unharmed."

Lost in smug contemplation, Chen Mu caught a glimpse of something grayish from the corner of his eye.

On instinct, he reached out to seize it, whereupon a small stone gourd standing as tall as his forearm appeared before him.

The gourd had gray-white coloring, a rounded body, and intricate black-and-silver patterns etched across its surface.

"This gourd… why does it look so familiar?"

Examining it from every angle, Chen Mu finally noticed a familiar fissure etched onto the upper part of the gourd's rounded body.

"Wait… Is this the vessel gourd for the Ninety-nine Inheriting Heaven Dharma Prohibition?!"

Though its size differed slightly, its overall appearance was identical—even that same crack aligned perfectly!

Chen Mu's heart skipped a beat, panic surging within him.

This thing was used to seal countless Outer Heaven Demons, yet he had accidentally excavated it into the depths of Thousand Lanterns City.

This was an absolute disaster waiting to happen!