NOVEL NEXT Chapter 731: Tangshan Institute
"Director Chen, have you still not packed your bags?!" On a hillside somewhere in Shuanghua Valley, San Zhangli looked at Chen Mu, who was lying in a rocking chair holding a rabbit, with a displeased expression.
"Director San, give me three more days, please let me bid farewell to these rabbits one by one." Chen Mu said sincerely: "After all, I've been here for a year and a half, watching these rabbits grow up, I can't bear to leave."
What nonsense are you spouting!
Three days, three days, and another three days, first it was packing bags, now it's saying goodbye to rabbits. It's been half a month!
With that much time, you could have played with all the rabbits in the valley!
San Zhangli's face turned dark.
Chen Mu also could not help but feel awkward.
It's not that he's intentionally delaying, mainly he hasn't fully learned the ghost patterns of the Soul-Calming Stake.
He's already inquired, the Lower Courtyard he needs to go to is called Tangshan Institute. It's in the Northern Extreme Cold, doesn't breed Double Flower Rabbits, and thus doesn't have a Soul-Calming Stake for him to use as a learning anchor for ghost patterns.
In this half-month delay, Chen Mu hasn't done anything else but focused on studying the Soul-Calming Stake.
"If you don't leave soon, I'll have to request the Academy to issue a Contractual Decree." San Zhangli did not look pleased.
"I'll leave, I'll leave, after lunch I'll leave immediately!" Chen Mu seriously lied.
You're a Daoist Qi Refiner, you can survive on air and dew without eating, what are you eating lunch for?!
San Zhangli glared at Chen Mu.
Seeing Chen Mu's unperturbed stance, San Zhangli could only take a deep breath and suppress his dissatisfaction.
If it weren't for not wanting to disrupt the Luodu Academy's plans due to a minor issue, he would have made a move... and reprimanded this fellow.
"Before dark, you must leave Shuanghua Institute!" San Zhangli said coldly.
"I promise!" Chen Mu said with a solemn expression.
What are you promising!
San Zhangli turned and transformed into an Escape Light, disappearing into the horizon.
Chen Mu shrugged happily, turned, and cast the Tongyou Spell, projecting his consciousness into the Nine Serenities Abyss.
...
Time passed, and the sun slanted west.
The fiery sunset painted the whole hillside in shades of red.
Chen Mu opened his eyes, and a cold force appeared in his palm.
"The eleventh ghost pattern is acquired, only one more to fully master all ghost patterns in the Soul-Calming Stake, what a pity..." He shook his head and sighed lightly.
Chen Mu originally wanted to stay a few more days to fully master the ghost patterns within the twelve stakes. But seeing the attitude of Director San, if he continued to linger, he would indeed go to find Luodu Academy.
He truly wasn't afraid of Contract backlash, but if others knew about this, it would definitely cause big trouble.
"Luckily, I have one Soul-Calming Stake in hand; even if I leave Shuanghua Valley, I can complete the last part of the ghost patterns."
With a wave of his hand, he packed away the eighth-generation rocking chair enhanced by Strong Wall Ghost Pattern, a flash of golden light, and Chen Mu's figure appeared on a rocky hillside in Shuanghua Valley.
With a beckoning hand, the earth and rocks rolled, and a forearm-long brown root was exposed from the ground.
"The Vital Energy in Shuanghua Valley is too scattered, after all, the Green Needle Tea transplant failed."
"Fortunately, vitality remains, let's find a place rich in Vital Energy at Tangshan Institute and try again." Chen Mu took out a long jade box and stored the tree root.
He glanced at Shuanghua Valley in the distance for the last time, turned, and transformed into a golden light, flying towards the horizon.
In front of the Divine Communication Hall, San Zhangli watched the distant golden light and let out a long sigh of relief.
This troublesome guy has finally left Shuanghua Institute.
...
Several days later.
Somewhere in Henglian Mountain, Chen Mu sat in an Earth Traveling Carriage wide enough for two, parked by a lakeside.
A hollow bronze sphere the size of a fist floated before him, its surface engraved with the directions of the heavens, a small copper needle suspended in the middle of the sphere.
The bronze sphere is called the Pulse Needle, a Navigating Magical Artifact dedicated to the Earth Traveling Carriage.
"The Earth Traveling Carriage given by Bai Xiaoqing is still a bit lacking, it would be better to have Old Bai's Earth Traveling Carriage."
"Pulse Needle directly embedded within the Earth Traveling Carriage, able to autonomously calibrate direction, requires no inspection from me."
This was already the fifth day since Chen Mu left Shuanghua Valley.
He traveled northwest all the way, preparing to go to Tangshan Institute.
He wasn't in a hurry either, generally sitting in the Earth Traveling Carriage floating during the day, and finding a place to camp at night, traveling leisurely.
"I remember there was an Earth-digging Golden Toad in this lakeside, has it left?"
Chen Mu used Truth Listening Divine Power to probe around the lake, finding that the Ancient Golden Toad he encountered while heading to Shuanghua Institute had vanished.
"And it seems it left a long time ago."
He probed several times consecutively, not finding any remnants of aura. There weren't any major environmental changes either, likely it migrated on its own.
"Since there's no Great Demon around, let's camp here tonight."
Releasing the Vermilion Feather Sword, using Truth Listening Divine Power again to confirm no major life movement within a hundred miles, Chen Mu left the Giant Spirit Divine at the location, and himself entered Thousand Lanterns City.
Speaking of safety, naturally, Thousand Lantern City Cave Heaven is safer.
Moreover, the food, tools, and various items inside are readily available, the temperature is comfortable, the air is fresh, just like a super large RV.
As long as he's camping and resting, Chen Mu stays inside Thousand Lanterns City during these days.
...
The sun rose and the moon set, and following the Pulse Needle's direction, Chen Mu meandered through mountains, heading slowly northwest.
At first, the surroundings were all lush green, the air quite humid and moist, but further on, the weather became drier, and the temperature gradually dropped.
The vegetation in the mountains began changing from broad-leaved trees to coniferous forests.
Further north, snow began appearing on the mountain peaks.
Over twenty days later, Chen Mu's view had already turned into a vast expanse of white.
Before his eyes, everywhere in the mountains was covered with thick white snow. The air was icy cold, and throwing water to freeze was easily done.
Another five days later, amidst this icy world, a valley full of lush green vegetation was discovered using Truth Listening Divine Power.
Chen Mu immediately transformed into a golden light and escaped into the valley.
The streams within the valley trickled, white steam rose from the streams, the moist air even made Chen Mu think he was still in Shuanghua Institute.
"Outside the mountains is an icy world, but inside the valley it's warm like spring, this Tangshan Institute is truly a wonderful place." Feeling the dense Earth Spirit Vital Energy within the valley, Chen Mu couldn't help but nod in admiration.
...
The Holy Heart Institute's Tangshan Lower Institute is located in the Northern Yizhou, often seen with snowy mountains and glaciers.
But Tangshan has geothermal hot springs, surrounded by towering peaks blocking the chill, coupled with the Mountain Protection Magical Barrier isolating inside from outside, thus creating the warm and spring-like Tangshan Institute in the Northern Land.
The towering mountain on the north side of the valley is Tangshan, with its mountainside featuring vertical stone walls, caves of various sizes carved into them.
The disciples of Tangshan Institute reside within these caves.
The largest cave in the center is called Tingchao Cave, spacious within, several other chambers connected on the sides, which is the core of Tangshan Institute.
Chen Mu was standing inside the central chamber of Tingchao Cave at this moment.
Not long after entering the valley yesterday, the Inspection Institute Director, who manages the place, came before him.
Within a quarter of an hour, he smoothly took over Tangshan Institute, without any complications.
With a wave of his hand, he lit three incense sticks and inserted them into the Bronze Incense Burner in front of him.
Chen Mu bowed and clasped his hands towards the portrait of Luofu Daoist Ancestor on the wall: "I hope things continue to go smoothly and safely from here on."