"It''s a shame about this chunk of meat," Chen Mu rested for a moment before quickly moving to the big cat''s side.

    Having eaten a person, the thought alone was discomfiting, "Might as well feed it to the Five Ghosts Bag."

    The black smoke billowed, seeping into the holes created by the Sand Shooting Shadow.

    "Five Ghosts Moving Mountain!"

    The enormous body, over five or six meters long, deflated like a punctured balloon, sagging onto the ground in the blink of an eye.

    Chen Mu picked it up and stroked it, the fur smooth and soft.

    Then he grabbed and tugged with both hands, the hide tough and pliable.

    "It should be quite valuable!"

    He thought back to the last time he used the Earth Stripper.

    How much did he sell it for, sixty White Jade Coins?

    Ha ha, carry on, carry on!

    ...

    Five days later, within a cluster of Low Mountains.

    "Sand Shooting Shadow!"

    Puff!

    An Exotic Beast, three meters long with crimson fur and a sharp mouth and four ears, fell to the ground, its head completely blown off.

    Phew!

    Chen Mu let out a long breath, shrinking from two and a half meters back to one meter eighty.

    His exaggerated muscles quickly receded, returning to his strong build.

    Feeling a slight weakness in his body, Chen Mu nodded in satisfaction, "I can still use it twice more."

    The Five Ghosts Possession Technique was his strongest state, but it severely drained his Vital Energy and could only be maintained for two minutes at most.

    However, through continuous hunting of Exotic Beasts, he had discovered a technique.

    If he used it for no more than ten breaths at a time and no more than three times a day, the side effects would be minimal, similar to the fatigue after pulling an all-nighter.

    And this method could be used up to five times.

    "Can others'' Five Ghosts Possession also be used in this way?" Chen Mu shook his head inwardly.

    "Most likely, it''s because of the Cloud Mirage Spirit Armor Technique."

    "Luck played a part as well," he mused.

    Cloud Mirage refers to Ghosts; having developed the Spiritual Armor, his physique had already started transforming toward that of a Ghost. That was why he could withstand the Five Ghosts Possession.

    Snap back to reality, and the three-meter-long Exotic Beast was reduced to just a skin. Its flesh, bones, and brains had all been devoured by the Five Ghosts.

    "That was the last one," Chen Mu thought regretfully. He planned to cease his hunting operation.

    On the first day, he hunted three Exotic Beasts, the second day two, and on the third day, he roamed all night without encountering a single one.

    Yesterday and today, he had each killed one, both of which were smaller, faster Exotic Beasts.

    "There''s also the competition from the Inspection Courtyard," Chen Mu said helplessly.

    Earlier today, he had encountered an Exotic Beast more than five meters long.

    But he had only made it halfway there when a team from the Inspection Courtyard rushed past to begin their hunt.

    Chen Mu could only quietly retreat and leave.

    "These aren''t too few," Chen Mu glanced at the seven lumps of beast skin in the Five Ghosts Bag, nodding in satisfaction.

    ...

    The aggrieved Chen Mu didn''t even bother going to Red Sleeve Square.

    He disembarked the Ling Boat shortly after completing the sale.

    At the ferry dock, after returning his temporary pass, Chen Mu walked into the bustling Tongtian Square.

    Due to the exotic beast incursion, the Lower Courtyard production areas were unsafe. Many, valuing their lives, converged on Tongtian Square.

    There was the Lower Courtyard garrison to the north, on the wooden structures of the cliffside lookout, and Oversight Courtyard''s Song Wujie.

    Quite a few had even pitched tents on the wasteland south of Tongtian Square, waiting for the crisis to fully abate.

    Tongtian Square housed a tavern known as Heavenly River Tavern. Infamous for its terrible-tasting dishes and high prices.

    On average days, it scarcely hosted two or three guests. Chen Mu had never set foot in it before.

    Yet at this moment, it was packed with patrons, bustling with activity.

    "Should I also stay in Tongtian Square for a couple of days?"

    After pondering, he shook his head and decided against it.

    The southern protective enchantments had been repaired, and the Lower Courtyard''s exotic beasts were almost completely cleared out.

    Experience tales at empire

    And every day, he hid twenty meters underground, which was exceedingly safe.

    Setting up a tent here would require him to be on guard against other disaster-stricken disciples.

    With their fields destroyed and reserves running low, desperate and red-eyed, some might not hesitate to resort to murder for money.

    ...

    Under the wooden shelter in the Low Hill Courtyard.

    "Four hundred and five White Jade Coins!" Chen Mu''s heart soared with excitement.

    After purchasing the Illusion Breaking Technique, his wealth had considerably dwindled.

    This time, through hunting and selling exotic beasts, combined with the earnings from the Calming Pills, his total White Jade Coin count rose swiftly.

    "With money in the pocket, the heart won''t panic."

    With this money on hand, he dared to boldly use the White Jade Plate.

    "It truly is easier to make money with higher cultivation."

    Just like this time.

    Using Spirit Armor Technique, which was comparable to the Perceptive Illusion Breaking phase, to control the Five Ghosts Bag, along with the Sand Containing Technique, he easily hunted exotic beasts.

    In five days, he had earned two hundred and sixty White Jade Coins.

    "It''s just the soaring prices that cause alarm," sighed Chen Mu.

    Previously, one White Jade Coin could buy a hundred jin of Yellow Bud Rice, but now it could only buy eighty.

    In a few days, it might even become more expensive.

    "Luckily, I started hoarding Yellow Bud Rice last year."

    "Plus the more than three hundred jin I''ve just purchased."

    "I won''t have to worry about food for half a year."

    "Hmm... it''s just that the recent exotic beast meat is a bit problematic."

    With the mass slaughter of exotic beasts in the Lower Courtyard recently, the price of their meat dropped significantly. Yet Chen Mu was hesitant to buy any. It was off-putting—who knew if they had consumed humans before their deaths.

    "I''ll stick to cured meat for now; if that''s not enough, I''ll supplement it with some Heavenly River seafood."