I am grinding experience in another world

"The Exquisite Jade Plate? What's that?" Chen Mu's body tensed, his face filled with nervousness, and his eyes brimmed with doubts, "Senior, could you have made a mistake?"

From within the mist, the hidden Lin Su couldn't help but chuckle lightly.

"You're acting quite convincingly."

"If I had my doubts before, now I believe them without question." Lin Su squinted through the mist, staring at Chen Mu.

"Cultivating the Spirit Armor Technique could be attributed to your exceptional lineage."

"But to cultivate the Perceptive Spirit Light within just a year, heh..." Enjoy more content from empire

"You have been shut away all year and couldn't possibly have gone to the Upper Court's dojo."

"Where did you get so much Earth Spirit Vital Energy to cultivate?!"

"It must be the Exquisite Jade Plate!"

Chen Mu listened intently, pondered seriously, and then, with a solemn face, said to the mist, "Is there a possibility that..."

"Actually, I am extraordinarily talented, so my cultivation efficiency is extremely high. I don't need that much Earth Spirit Vital Energy to cultivate quickly."

Lin Su: "..."

Do you have no shame?

"If you were truly so gifted, why would you be stuck in the Lower Courtyard!" Lin Su snorted coldly.

"You haven't forgotten Dong Cheng, have you?"

"I've looked into it thoroughly; he once sold a batch of black ram horns to swindle others."

"And it just so happens that during that period, you sold the materials of five black ram skins and horns. Tsk tsk... what a coincidence!"

"You made enemies, had a conflict, and murdered to silence them, then took the opportunity to steal wealth. With such a cause and effect, do you still deny it?"

Lin Su said calmly, "Dong Cheng did evil first, I don't intend to pursue your crime of murder."

"But you must hand over the Exquisite Jade Plate obediently, that's mine, and you need to return it."

Chen Mu couldn't help but sigh.

It seemed there was no escaping it.

This person was most likely Dong Cheng's superior, the prefect from the Inspection Courtyard.

Chen Mu's expression turned grave.

Since that's the case...

To escape through the earth, or to take flight?

Chen Mu glanced at the well beneath the eastern wall, then took a look at the flying kites in the Five Ghosts Bag.

Fighting was out of the question.

As a prefect of the Inspection Courtyard, he must possess the Illusion Breaking Cultivation, along with powerful Secret Techniques. He was not an opponent one could afford to confront; flight was the only option.

"What's the matter?" Lin Su suddenly arched an eyebrow and said menacingly, "Thinking of running away?"

"Fog Spirit!"

The thick mist that had been slowly drifting suddenly boiled like heated water, surging tumultuously.

A massive force abruptly pressed upon him.

Chen Mu felt as if he had been thrown into the deep sea, surrounded by crushing pressure!

His face instantly changed color.

"Yin Sha Secret Arrow!" Lin Su declared indifferently.

From the shadows around him, a series of small, pitch-black short arrows shot out, aiming straight at Chen Mu.

"Qi Forbidden Hundred Miles!"

The short arrows that had blinked before his eyes suddenly slowed down, as if stuck in a quagmire, and were successfully blocked in front of him.

Chen Mu's heart eased slightly.

But Lin Su snorted coldly, unconcerned, "Let's see how many Yin Sha Arrows your secret technique can block!"

Divine Orifice Mana burst forth.

Countless short arrows rained down like a deluge, nearly turning Chen Mu into a porcupine in an instant!

Feeling the omnipresent pressure around him and seeing the Yin Sha Secret Arrows getting closer and closer to his body, Chen Mu's heart sank.

Why do troubles always find me?!

The Exquisite Jade Plate?

I don't want it either!

Don't you know the meaning of declining with thanks?! It was a gift Dong Cheng insisted on giving me!

It's all Dong Cheng's fault! Chen Mu thought bitterly.

And I've just taken on my comrades' dreams last night, yet to embark on the journey, and now today, am I going to be stopped?

A surge of frustration and anger suddenly welled up inside him.

"I won't accept this!"

He mustered all his strength, resolutely invoking the Five Ghosts Possession Technique, preparing to break free by force.

"Don't bother wasting your strength," Lin Su said with a nonchalant face.

"My Fog Spirit Secret Technique excels in restraint."

"Even a Divine Orifice-bearing Exotic Beast superior to others can't escape from its bonds."

"Let alone you!"

As Lin Su watched the unending waves of Yin Sha Arrows crowding towards Chen Mu's chest, his lips curled into a smirk.

A secret technique may be strong, but it's still just Perceptive Spirit Light.

However, a secret technique that could withstand Yin Sha Arrows is indeed extraordinary.

If he could extract it through interrogation... haha!

Chen Mu's face became increasingly gloomy.

This mist can restrain Divine Orifice-bearing Exotics? Those surpass even the Illusion Breaking Realm!

His heart couldn't help but sink.

I had just embarked on my path, and to think I almost fell here!

If only I had been more careful and cautious...

For a moment, a sense of powerlessness and frustration surged in my heart.

No! I can't give up just like this!

Chen Mu steeled his heart.

I relied on my diligent learning and practice to get to where I am today. How can I so easily be defeated by that damn Prefect?!

I refuse to accept this!

The Spiritual Light in the center of his eyebrows rapidly circulated, and a sudden appearance of black smoke around his body made his already bulging muscles even more solid and condensed.

Even if I die, I have to take a chunk out of this damn thing!

Ha!

Chen Mu exerted all his strength, but it felt as if he was struggling to break free from a layer of cling film.

Though tough and difficult to deal with, with just a bit more strength, he easily tore it apart!

Qi Forbidden Hundred Miles was vigorously activated.

Bang!

The dense Yin Sha Arrows were suddenly scattered!

Chen Mu: "..."

Just... just like that?

Wasn't it supposed to immobilize a Divine Orifice-level demon?

How could it be so weak?!

Could it be...

Could it be that he's been playing me?!

Please don't unleash your full power just yet, build up my confidence, and then when hope rises within me, you effortlessly shatter my attack? Are you aiming to strike both my spirit and body simultaneously?!

To kill a man and also crush his heart?!

Evil person! Without a doubt, an evil person!

...

Lin Su was indulging in the elation of his gains, his smile not yet fully formed when Chen Mu's sudden loud shout interrupted him.

He felt a sudden emptiness in his heart.

It was like holding a giant python in his hands that suddenly exerted its strength, not only powerful but also slippery, and no matter how hard he tried, he could only watch helplessly as it broke free!

Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

"Fog Giant Spirit!"

A loud shout.

The mist rolled and soared as a massive foggy hand suddenly burst out from the thick fog.

It grabbed Chen Mu and squeezed him fiercely.

Chen Mu couldn't help but tense his face.

Here it comes, finally! Is it getting serious now?

I knew it, he was damn well playing me!

Damn it!

He immediately tensed all the muscles in his body, ready to withstand the pressure of the foggy giant hand.

But feeling the touch as light as cotton on his body, Chen Mu's face turned extremely unsightly!

We're at this point and you're still damn well acting?!

"If you're going to hit, then hit me. If not, then leave. Why torment me over and over again!" Chen Mu yelled furiously into the mist.

Lin Su's pupils suddenly contracted. Could he actually withstand the Fog Giant Spirit?!

He immediately clenched his teeth and fiercely squeezed the Jade Seed within him, containing mostly dark Divine Orifice Mana: "Yin Sha Armor Break!"

A pitch-black short arrow, only as long as a finger, appeared in front of him.

Then its tail end suddenly dissipated, turning into a mist, and with a puff, it sprayed backwards.

A tremendous counter-thrust erupted.

Woosh!

The short arrow pierced through the air with a deep whistling sound, and in nearly an instant, it arrived in front of Chen Mu.

Lin Su looked on indifferently at Chen Mu.

The Armor Break Secret Arrow was the strongest strike in his secret techniques, having once shattered the skull of a Divine Orifice-level demon with this very attack.

But the secret technique came at a cost; using it once required half a month of recovery. Originally, he hadn't planned on using it, but unfortunately...

"I originally wanted to keep a living mouth to interrogate about the secret techniques."

"Oh well..."

He looked at Chen Mu with pity, as the scene of Chen Mu's head exploding had already formed in his mind.

Then he saw Chen Mu suddenly push outward with both hands.

With a bang, he burst the foggy giant hand open.

He followed with a fierce slap, sending the Armor Break Secret Arrow, humming oddly, flying off course with one hit.

This deadly strike flew past his ear towards the distance, without having any effect whatsoever.

Chen Mu, filled with sorrow and anger, yelled into the thick fog.

"Have you had enough?!"

"If you have the guts, use your full strength on me!"

Lin Su: "..."

What the hell are you talking about!

I'm already using all my strength, damn it!