Chapter 165 Playing ghosts and taking away one’s life

The next day at midnight, Chen Mu and Qi Huan arrived at the edge of the Yangu Pit on time.

The stone tablet still stood tall, and the surrounding yin wind was dismal, but the atmosphere today seemed somewhat different from yesterday.

As soon as Chen Mu stepped over the stone tablet, the thick fog churned violently.

The three Ghostly Creatures of the Heart-Awakening Realm from last night were already guarding the edge, and they lunged out simultaneously.

The giant skeleton general swung its bone blade down towards their heads, the wraith aggregate turned into a giant net to cover the two, and the ghost on the skeletal warhorse thrust its spear like a lone Dragon exiting its cave, aiming straight for Chen Mu's heart.

The three coordinated perfectly, sealing off all paths of retreat.

Clearly, these Ghostly Creatures had been thoroughly enraged by Chen Mu's guerrilla tactics yesterday, and they were determined to keep him here today.

"Retreat!"

Chen Mu let out a low shout, pushing his Divine Void Step to its limit, narrowly weaving through the gap between the bone blade and the spear.

At the same time, he backhanded his soul-slaying blade, the blade light tearing through the wraith net and ripping open a gap.

Qi Huan's reaction was not slow either; his Five Cloud Hands unleashed its palm power, slapping away the several wisps of grudge energy attacking from the side, and he retreated rapidly right behind Chen Mu.

In the blink of an eye, the two had retreated outside the range of the stone tablet.

The three Ghostly Creatures' attacks missed, smashing a deep pit into the ground and scattering debris everywhere.

They stopped inside the stone tablet, staring fixedly at Chen Mu, their grudge energy soaring to the heavens, yet they could only roar silently.

Chen Mu stood outside the stone tablet, brushed off non-existent dust from his body, and nodded at the three Ghostly Creatures.

"Not bad, you've improved; you know how to set an ambush in advance."

His tone was calm, much like a teacher commenting on a student's homework.

The three Ghostly Creatures seemed to understand Chen Mu's praise, and their grudge energy became even more violent. The giant skeleton general even raised its bone blade and slashed fiercely at the air in front of it.

"Hum!"

A faint ripple seemed to appear in the air, completely absorbing the blade strike capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks. The ghost general was shaken back two steps, its soul fire dimming slightly.

"It seems they are guarding tightly today; we need to change direction."

Chen Mu concluded and walked along the stone tablet towards the other side of the Yangu Pit.

Qi Huan quickly followed, and after walking more than a li, Chen Mu stepped in again.

There were still many Ghostly Creatures in the peripheral area, but those three Heart-Awakening Realm Ghostly Creatures did not appear; clearly, they were guarding their original positions and had not expected Chen Mu to change locations.

Chen Mu harvested again, and the System notification sounded steadily.

Half an hour later, when the Ghostly Creatures in the depths were disturbed and swarmed in this direction, Chen Mu withdrew and retreated again.

He retreated to regulate his breath, then changed to another direction to enter, repeating this process.

By the second half of the night, Chen Mu had already changed four entrances.

The three Heart-Awakening Realm Ghostly Creatures were exhausted from running around, patrolling back and forth at the edge of the Yangu Pit, yet they were always one step too slow.

Every time they arrived at an entrance, Chen Mu had already finished harvesting and retreated to rest. As soon as they relaxed, Chen Mu would appear at another entrance.

The soul fire in the giant skeleton general's eyes flickered, the wraith aggregate twisted more and more frantically, and the skeletal warhorse pawed the ground impatiently.

Although they were Ghostly Creatures with low intelligence, they instinctively felt an anger at being toyed with.

"Chen Mu, do you feel… they seem to be driven crazy by you?"

Qi Huan lowered his voice.

Chen Mu slashed and destroyed a skeleton with one blade, sheathed his blade and retreated. Hearing this, he glanced at the three Ghostly Creatures in the distance, his tone remaining calm.

"Do you think so? It's just a tactical choice."

Tactical choice…

Qi Huan was speechless.

This tactic was too mentally taxing; let alone ghosts, even humans would go crazy.

The east began to brighten, and Chen Mu retreated from the Yangu Pit again.

Over these two days, relying on this grind, Chen Mu's plundered Lifespan had gradually approached 3,300 years.

If this number were spread, it would be enough to drive all the Martial Artists in the entire Jingnan region crazy. Even those Old Ancestors of major aristocratic families and Sects would likely be jealous.

But Chen Mu's heart remained calm. He glanced at the three Ghostly Creatures inside the Yangu Pit boundary that had just rushed over and missed again, and calmly sheathed his blade.

"That's enough."

Qi Huan was stunned: "What's enough?"

Chen Mu did not explain, just took one last look at the Yangu Pit and turned to leave.

"I won't come tomorrow."

Qi Huan followed behind and looked back.

The three Ghostly Creatures were still guarding the edge, their soul fire burning, with the posture of "I'm waiting right here today, let's see if you dare to come in."

Qi Huan suddenly laughed out loud.

These existences, who might have been brave generals and warriors in their previous lives, had turned into fierce spirits after death, yet were driven to mental collapse by Chen Mu in this almost rogue-like manner, guarding the edge like children whose toys had been snatched and dared not go out.

"Chen Mu."

Qi Huan hurried a few steps to walk side by side with Chen Mu.

"I finally understand now, don't offend anyone, but especially don't offend you. When you are ruthless, you don't even spare ghosts, and you even have to punish their hearts."

Chen Mu paused slightly, turned his head to look at Qi Huan, and the corners of his mouth curled up very slightly.

"They are already dead; there is no heart to punish."

Qi Huan was stunned, then shook his head and laughed.

Yeah, where would Ghostly Creatures get hearts?

But why did he always feel that these Ghostly Creatures were exceptionally aggrieved when they met Chen Mu?

At the edge of the Yangu Pit, the three Ghostly Creatures still guarded firmly until the sky was completely bright and the Yang Qi grew stronger, only then did they unwillingly retreat back into the depths.

Only that night, the roaring sounds from the depths of the Yangu Pit were more frequent and angrier than usual.

...

After returning from the Yangu Pit, Chen Mu almost never left his house, spending his days regulating his breath in his small courtyard.

The changes brought by the Hunyuan Wuji Calamity Body were far from just a surge in combat power. This Cultivation Technique's comprehensive tempering of his physical body, Protective Aura, and Divine Soul allowed him to perceive the flow and changes of every wisp of power within his body more clearly.

He was like a piece of refined iron repeatedly forged by fierce fire, becoming increasingly composed and reserved.

Qi Huan was not idle either. After his injuries were completely healed, he did not rush to report for duty at the yamen, but instead found a quiet inn to go into seclusion.

That night at the Zuixian Tower, the strength and trump cards Xu Changze displayed shocked him and made him realize his own insufficient cultivation.

If he could not achieve a Breakthrough as soon as possible, in this increasingly treacherous and unpredictable Yunmeng chess game, he would barely even qualify to be a chess piece.

The two fell silent with a tacit understanding.

And at this moment, inside the study of the Xu Mansion, the atmosphere was not calm.

Xu Changze was wearing a plain silk nightgown, leaning in a grand armchair. His expression looked calm, but the slight trembling of his fingertips exposed his true inner state.

Although the City God Temple matter had been temporarily suppressed by his expedient measure of having Old Wang the Lame temporarily hold the divine post, the loss of the divine cache and the unnatural death of Nie Feng were like two poisonous thorns stuck in his heart.

What was more troublesome was Wen Jingxing's side. According to his temperament, even if the main responsibility lay with Chen Mu, he, as the county magistrate, would still be hard-pressed to escape punishment.

He needed more achievements, more stable control, and more powerful strength to cope with the possible reproaches, or even backlash.

"My Lord."

The study door was gently pushed open, and a man dressed in black robes walked in silently, standing bowed in the shadows.

"Speak."

Xu Changze did not lift his eyelids, his fingertips slowly stroking the bead bracelet on his wrist.

"Reporting to you, My Lord, since two days ago, Chen Mu has frequently entered and exited the Yangu Pit, acting quite strangely."

"He does not go deep into the core, only wandering on the periphery, slaying low-level Ghostly Creatures. Once he senses a powerful presence in the depths, he immediately retreats, and after it fades, he enters again. This has been repeated for two consecutive days."

Xu Changze let out a cold snort, his eyes filled with undisguised contempt and irritation.

"Hmph, just a fool."