NOVEL NEXT Chapter 449: Evasion
Chen Mu couldn't understand how, after arriving in the Netherworld and dutifully and honestly becoming a Yin Spirit, he had become entangled in this trouble.
"Just because I am an honest person, I should be bullied?" Chen Mu grumbled indignantly.
"Are you sure it wasn't a water ape?" He wouldn't give up.
"A water ape couldn't possibly know so many people's names." Shi Dechun shook his head.
Chen Mu's face fell.
Hai Character Camp secretly taking away so many Yin soldiers—there had to be some unspeakable big secret at play here.
No, I can't stay here any longer!
He planned to escape from the Hai Character Camp immediately.
"But where exactly is Beyond Heaven? If I really leave the Hai Character Camp, how do I return to the Netherworld?" Chen Mu hesitated.
At least he had heard tales of the Nether Yin Underworld, and there was a possibility of returning to the Thirteen States.
Beyond Heaven, however, was an unknown realm. Struggling to survive there alone was a challenge, let alone returning to the mortal world of the Yang Realm.
"I can only hide in Thousand Lanterns City for now," Chen Mu thought with resignation. "As long as I can avoid this trouble, when Hai Character Camp withdraws its forces, I can take the opportunity to slip through the Ghost Gate and follow them back to the Netherworld."
Seeing Chen Mu's expression change unpredictably, Shi Dechun hesitated for a moment before carefully suggesting, "Why don't you hide underground?"
"I guess I have no choice but to do that," Chen Mu sighed.
What?
"You actually know about the Underground Secret Chamber?" Chen Mu suddenly stared at Shi Dechun.
"Heh heh, did you know? I have rather sharp ears," the old man chuckled.
Chen Mu's eyes widened immediately.
He knew about Chen Mu's daily retreats into the Secret Chamber, but over so many days, how come the old man had not shown the slightest hint of it?!
Cunning old fox!
Chen Mu couldn't help shaking his head.
"Wait a second... You said you heard someone calling my name last night?" Chen Mu's heart skipped a beat.
"Yeah." Shi Dechun nodded.
"So, you mean you weren't deep asleep last night?" Chen Mu's gaze sharpened involuntarily.
"No, otherwise I wouldn't have heard that sound," Shi Dechun scratched his head, looking puzzled.
"It's strange though. That voice spread throughout the entire camp, but no one else woke up. I suspect the voice had a bewitching power, one that could put people into a deep sleep they could not wake from," Shi Dechun said soberly.
"Then how were you able to remain awake?" Chen Mu narrowed his eyes.
"Maybe it's because my ears are quite sensitive and resistant to that bewitching sound. Even if I was initially confused, I would soon..." Mid-sentence, Shi Dechun suddenly froze.
"So, my Bewitching Divine Power that lulls everyone to sleep each night doesn't work on you?"
"So, when we were robbing the rich to aid the poor together, were you awake the whole time?!" Chen Mu clenched his teeth in anger.
He had thought he was being secretive, but there was a cunning old fox inside who had witnessed all his actions!
Shi Dechun's face turned to an awkward smile: "At first, I was indeed confused, but later on, heh heh..."
You actually dare to play me?!
His toes tapping uncomfortably on the floor, he felt uneasy all over.
It's one thing if an old spirit can't be bewitched, but now even a new ghost is immune? What use is this Bewitching Divine Power anyway?!
Chen Mu stared intently at the old man with a gloomy expression: "It seems I'll have to make you disappear!"
"Don't do that!" Shi Dechun hastily waved his hands: "I'm useful, I can gather information for you. Don't you want to know why someone is after you?"
"You know?" Chen Mu looked at him skeptically.
"My ears are quite sensitive, I can go and find out!" Shi Dechun hurriedly promised.
Chen Mu stared at Shi Dechun for a long while before grabbing him and whooshing underground to disappear. Enjoy new stories from My Virtual Library Empire
...
Inside the Secret Chamber.
Chen Mu switched to his True Form, and Mana surged through him.
"Yama Emperor's Command!"
An invisible wave emerged, instantly enveloping the entire Secret Chamber, and he immediately fixed his gaze on Shi Dechun.
Shi Dechun curiously examined Chen Mu's True Form, cautiously venturing, "Brother Chen?"
A sense of dread filled Chen Mu's heart.
The Yanmo Command had no reaction?
Those Netherworld Worms before had gone offline immediately, but this old man's eyes were darting all around, clearly unaffected. Yin Spirits were certainly different from regular souls.
Chen Mu sighed and narrowed his eyes again.
Shi Dechun tensed up, quickly saying, "I won't reveal your secrets to anyone else."
"If you really can't trust me, you can lock me up in this Secret Chamber." His face bore an expression of righteousness.
Wait, something's not right!
"Are you afraid of the dangers in the camp, and have been planning to hide in my Secret Chamber all along?"
This cunning old fox had long known his secret but had been pretending to be ignorant. Why did he suddenly start talking today? It was clearly intentional!
Shi Dechun suddenly chuckled.
"Brother Chen is wise!"
Wise my foot!
"Aren't you afraid I might kill you?" Chen Mu eyed old man Shi suspiciously.
Knowing his secret, this guy definitely couldn't be let out for a while.
Shi Dechun's heart tightened, but he feigned calmness on the surface, "We've come all the way from the River of Oblivion, fought on battlefields together, slept in the same barracks. You've protected my safety, and I've helped you out. Look at the depth of our friendship! How could you possibly lay a hand on me?"
"Not good enough!" Chen Mu's face was cold.
"You've got to do the splits for me!"
Shi Dechun: "..."
Have an old man like me do the splits?
Do you have some big problem?
Just as he was about to say something to stall, an impulse suddenly surged within his body.
Then he uncontrollably leaped up, did a mid-air split, and smack, slammed down onto the ground.
Shi Dechun was stunned right then and there!
Who am I? Where am I? Why am I doing the splits?!
Chen Mu couldn't help but gasp in shock.
So decisive? Aren't you afraid it'd hurt?
"Old Shi, you're ruthless!" he couldn't help but give a thumbs up.
"But... but I didn't want to do the splits!" Shi Dechun regained his senses, his face a mix of confusion and terror.
Huh?
Chen Mu's eyes lit up.
Yama Emperor's Command?
No good, I have to test it again, what if this old man is fooling me?
Chen Mu was suspicious.
He narrowed his eyes without speaking, but his mind was suddenly active.
Then he saw old man Shi's legs snap together like a compass and whoosh, he stood up on the spot.
Following that was a jump, flipping three somersaults, then smack, once again he did a split mid-air and crashed down onto the ground, his face twitching in pain.
Chen Mu burst into laughter!
The Yama Emperor's Command really worked?!
Interesting, so interesting, this is too fun, haha!
...
Several days later, late at night.
Thousand Lanterns City.
In the pitch-black emptiness of a vast space, a clay-scultped bungalow, hardened after modeling, appeared, with a huge clay-sculpted platform extending from the front, forming ground the size of a small courtyard.
Seven or eight white lanterns were supported by clay-sculpted poles hanging around the courtyard, brightening the surroundings as if it were daylight.
A rocking chair was placed in the middle of the courtyard, where Chen Mu was lying at the moment, the picture of relaxation.
Taking a sip of warm Replenishing Origin Soup from the stone table beside him, Chen Mu couldn't help but squint his eyes and say, "Comfortable!"
Ever since he heard that he might be implicated in the disappearance incidents involving Yin Spirits, he had hidden inside Thousand Lanterns City without showing his face.
Sometimes practicing Netherworld Guide, spending most of the time refining his Divine Orifice, his days were regular and leisurely, almost like being back at Jilong Mountain.
"It's just a pity I can't use the Exquisite Jade Plate here in Thousand Lanterns City."
"Otherwise, I could hide here forever without showing my face."
Chen Mu shook his head regretfully and with a thought, his body turned into a black light, swirled and collapsed, and immediately vanished into thin air.
...
In the dead of night, within the Secret Chamber.
"I've found some common ground," Shi Dechun said excitedly.
"Those who disappeared, many of them could refine Netherworld river water."
"This has got to be related to the attack on the Netherworld Division back then!" Shi Dechun was sure of it.
No wonder he was targeted.
Chen Mu's face showed realization.
I say, how could an honest good guy like me get caught up in such trouble.
Turns out it's rooted in the Netherworld Guide.
All because of Hong Xiu! With so many Secret Techniques to buy, why did he have to buy the Netherworld Guide Secret Technique?
Lucky for me, I can't afford to show my face in the future, otherwise, I'd make sure you get what you deserve!
Chen Mu thought indignantly.
"But there's something weird," Shi Dechun, sitting across the low table on the opposite couch, said with a puzzled look.
"Old man Jia can refine Netherworld river water too, and he's said to be quite accomplished at it."
"Shi Lu and the entire Shi Banner were taken, yet he's fine!"
"Could the old man have some Divine Skills to counter tracking and locking?" Shi Dechun scratched his head.
Chen Mu's eyebrows raised involuntarily.
My practice of the Netherworld Guide was extremely secretive, aside from old man Shi having his guesses, no one else had a clue. Yet even so, I was found by Nether soldiers. But that skinny old man managed to escape detection.
Pretty interesting...