Two days later, at night. .net

    In Nanyang Prefecture, Tongyun Square.

    Old Ge hurriedly had his dinner, bathed and changed clothes, then sat cross-legged on his bed.

    He took out a porcelain bottle, poured out a Dragon Transformation Pill, and looked at the crimson pill with a complex expression.

    "To eat, or to leave it for the family," Old Ge struggled with his thoughts.

    He was seventy-five years old, and had taken the risk to join the Startling Swan Gang for the welfare of his family.

    The Secret Medicine, the Dragon Transformation Pill, should be left to the family, left for the grandson.

    But...

    "What if I could cultivate Soul Strength?" Old Ge''s expression changed.

    "One pill!" Old Ge''s expression was resolute, "Just one pill!"

    Having made up his mind, Old Ge swallowed the crimson pill without hesitation.

    Before long, a stream of heat rose from his stomach and quickly spread throughout his body.

    As time passed, the heat did not subside, but instead grew stronger and stronger.

    His entire body began to emit white steam.

    Excruciating pain and an insane itch attacked his brain simultaneously.

    It was as if countless tiny hands were penetrating his body, constantly tearing apart his muscles and bones, and then healing them instantaneously.

    Thinking of the introduction to taking the Dragon Transformation Pill, Old Ge forced back a roar of pain, immediately jumped out of the bed and started to practice the Shape Cultivation Technique.

    Movements he could perform fluidly even when drunk now felt incredibly difficult.

    Every movement was like torture.

    An hour later, Old Ge collapsed on the ground, his eyes bloodshot, drool flowing unconsciously from the corner of his mouth, but his face was filled with a feverish smile, "Ha... ha ha... I''ve fully mastered the Shape Cultivation Technique!"

    ...

    Eight or nine meters away, inside a small courtyard.

    Chen Mu frowned and withdrew the paper ghost.

    "It seems to instantly complete the destruction and healing of the entire body''s tissues, and during the process, strengthen and transform the body."

    "Too bad, I still don''t understand why it has this effect."

    "Sigh... such loneliness watching."

    "I still have to ponder it."

    Chen Mu disappeared into the night.

    He had been observing the man for two days, finally sure that Old Ge had no intention of reporting to the Startling Swan Gang or of seeking revenge against him.

    "Seems like there''s no need to continue watching... huh... never mind, I''ll watch him for three more days."

    ...

    Time flies, and half a month passes in a blink.

    Chen Mu stayed at home as usual, grinding for proficiency.

    Black Tiger Shape Cultivation Technique: 9044/10000/Second Rank;

    "It won''t be long before I can cultivate the White Jade Toad Shape Cultivation Technique," Chen Mu looked forward in anticipation.

    In order to increase proficiency faster,

    Chen Mu put off starting on the White Jade Toad Shape Cultivation Technique and focused solely on racking up the Black Tiger Shape Cultivation Technique.

    "Taking Zhaodian Hong pollutes a person''s Essence, Qi, and Spirit, leading to muddled Soul Strength. It affects subsequent cultivation."

    "Living beings?" Chen Mu felt a sense of foreboding.

    Jie Jia glanced at Chen Mu, "It''s exactly what you''re thinking."

    Chen Mu''s heart skipped a beat, "Humans?"

    "Close enough."

    Zhaodian Hong is refined from the living essence absorbed from a person?

    Chen Mu suddenly felt nauseated, thankful he hadn''t ingested any Zhaodian Hong.

    "The aristocratic families are that crazy?" Chen Mu''s heart was in turmoil.

    These damn bastards really do the unthinkable.

    The Dragon Transformation Pills were all supplied by them. Zhaodian Hong was refined by them. They truly didn''t value human life at all.

    Chen Mu couldn''t help but recall Sikou Yu''s superior attitude back then.

    They deserved to die!

    "It''s not just the aristocratic families involved in this," Jie Jia tucked into the sliced marinated beef, raising an eyebrow as he spoke.

    "Remember the great fog in Qingshan County?"

    "Don''t tell me..." Chen Mu suddenly felt chills run down his spine.

    Thank goodness for escaping in time.

    So the so-called earthquakes and fires that followed were someone''s doing.

    "Who was it?"

    "Qingfeng Observatory."

    Chen Mu: "..."

    Cheng Ming''s little daoist disciple and his sect had such ruthless people?!

    Did Cheng Yi know?

    "Too terrifying?" Chen Mu couldn''t help but shudder, "So the altar they were building back then was just a ruse?"

    Jie Jia nodded.

    "If Qingfeng Observatory has such a secret technique, it seems they''re no ordinary sect," Chen Mu mused.

    Jie Jia''s eyes danced as he glanced at Chen Mu, "If you wanted to, you could do it too."

    What does he mean?

    Chen Mu looked bewildered.

    "Many side-door magic artifacts have the function of extracting the essence of the Three Treasures Essence," Jie Jia said meaningfully, glancing at Chen Mu''s right arm.

    The Five Ghosts Bag?!

    Chen Mu was startled.

    He immediately thought of the devouring power of the Five Ghosts Moving Mountain.

    This was indeed possible!

    Wait, Jie Jia knew about the Five Ghosts Bag?! This old man wasn''t thinking of stealing it, was he?

    If it really came down to a fight, should I give it to him, or to him?

    "Quit making that face," Jie Jia snorted, "It''s just a Five Ghosts Bag."

    Chen Mu: "..."

    The old man really did know!