Chapter 7: Chen Mo, I Hate You the Most!

Chen Mo wore a look of confusion.

He recognized every single character, so why couldn't he understand them when they were put together?

His predecessor had spent over a year acting as a sycophant, showing concern and being attentive in every possible way, yet the favorability rating had remained completely unmoved.

And yet, a single slap from him had resulted in "Love at First Sight"?

Could that woman have some hidden attribute... or did he actually make her feel good by hitting her?

At this moment, two lines of prompts popped up before his eyes:

【First stage reward unlocked.】

【Obtained special item: Dao Essence Crystal.】

"Hiss, good stuff!"

Chen Mo's eyes lit up!

In the game settings, True Spirit is similar to "proficiency," which must be maxed out to increase a skill's level.

And the Dao Essence Crystal can be understood as "skill points."

It ignores all prerequisites and directly raises a cultivation method or martial art by one level!

If it has already been cultivated to Great Success, using a Dao Essence Crystal can imbue it with "Dao Rhyme," with a certain probability of undergoing a transformation and increasing its grade!

"The reward for the first stage is already this good; wouldn't it be even more exaggerated later on?"

Chen Mo couldn't help but feel tempted.

Favorability from 0-100 is divided into four stages.

0-25: Casual Acquaintances.

25-50: Love at First Sight.

50-75: Like-minded Souls.

75-100: Unwavering Devotion.

Reaching the maximum value of each stage unlocks the corresponding reward.

Besides this, there are hidden settings like "Submission Level" and "Immorality Value"...

Now that Gu Manzhi's favorability has reached 45 points, it is only 5 points away from the next stage reward—it is practically within reach!

However, Chen Mo quickly calmed down.

The reward is certainly tempting, but one must be alive to claim it!

If that Imperial Consort found out he was involved with the Saintess of the Moon Radiance Sect, he feared ten lives wouldn't be enough to die for it!

After dismissing this unrealistic thought, Chen Mo turned his head to look at the girl beside him.

According to an incomplete count, she had already eaten two pig trotters, three roasted sweet potatoes, five pieces of dried sweet potato...

She pulled a piece of brown sugar mochi from somewhere, and just as she was about to put it into her mouth, she noticed Chen Mo's gaze and her movements paused slightly.

After hesitating for a moment, she reluctantly handed the mochi to him.

"Here."

"...Thank you."

Chen Mo reached out and took it.

Logically, after so much time had passed, it should have been stone cold by now.

Yet this mochi was still emitting waves of heat, as if it had just come out of the pot.

"How did you do that?"

Chen Mo was somewhat curious.

"Impressive, right? This is my unique secret technique!"

"As long as you control the true qi to distribute evenly over the surface of the food and keep it circulating, you can achieve a warming effect!"

"But the amount of true qi must be precise, otherwise it's very easy to burn it; it requires a long time of practice."

Shen Zhixia said with her hands on her hips, looking proud.

"..."

Fine, this girl is a walking microwave.

Chen Mo shook his head and said with a smile, "Thank you for bringing me back. By the way, your name is Zhixia, right? Have we met somewhere before?"

He didn't know if it was his imagination, but after he said this, the room temperature dropped by several degrees instantly.

Shen Zhixia frowned and said, "You don't remember me?"

Looking at Chen Mo's blank expression, Shen Zhixia's eyes gradually turned cold. Without a word, she turned and walked out of the room.

Not long after, she hurried back.

She snatched the mochi from Chen Mo's hand and stuffed it directly into her mouth.

She puffed out her pink cheeks and chewed vigorously, as if she weren't biting into mochi, but some bad person.

"Qing'er was right, you are a big jerk!"

"I hate you the most!"

Two things have happened in Ducheng recently that are quite hotly debated among the common folk and in the imperial court.

One is Chen Mo tearing up the marriage contract.

Chen Zhuo and Shen Xiong are both figures who hold real power, one in civil service and one in the military.

With the current political situation in turmoil, the marriage between the two families has profound significance, so the attention is naturally high.

Unexpectedly, Chen Mo caused such a scene...

Logically, the Shen family would absolutely not be able to swallow this insult.

Chen Zhuo's style of conduct is tough and overbearing, and he has made many enemies in officialdom; after this incident, many people were waiting to see him make a fool of himself.

But for some reason, there was suddenly no follow-up.

Both families tacitly stopped mentioning it, as if nothing had ever happened.

The second thing is the mysterious disappearance of the popular courtesan Gu Manzhi.

The Cloud Water Pavilion is already empty, and all the maids and attendants have vanished without a trace.

Regarding this, the Music Bureau's explanation is: Gu Manzhi saved up enough silver, redeemed herself, left the world of dust, and went into seclusion.

This is actually quite reasonable.

But what is strange is that the Heavenly Qilin Guards sealed off the Music Bureau for several days, turning it upside down from inside to out.

Immediately after, the Jingzhao Prefecture also came to search...

And the Ministry of Rites, as the department in charge of the Music Bureau, remained silent from beginning to end, seemingly wary of something.

Both of these matters are permeated with a strange scent.

There are rumors that on the day Gu Manzhi disappeared, the only person who entered the Cloud Water Pavilion was Chen Mo...

For a time, all kinds of speculations were rampant.

Compared to the clamor of the outside world, Chen Fu was peaceful and serene, with time passing quietly.

In the courtyard, Chen Mo leaned on a lounge chair basking in the sun, while a maid crouched by his side, peeling grapes and feeding the flesh into his mouth.

After several days of recuperation and the support of various top-tier elixirs, his severely depleted body was completely replenished, and his true qi was so full it was about to overflow.

"Almost there."

"I've reached the optimal state and can prepare to break through."

He opened the attribute panel.

Name: Chen Mo

Title: None

Realm: Seventh-Grade Mortal Body · Tendon-Changing Realm

Cultivation Method: Primordial Body-Forging Art · Minor Success (185/1000)

Martial Arts:

Blazing Flame Eight Slashes · Great Success

Wind Thunder Dash · Proficient (73/100)

Divine Ability: None

True Spirit: 1

Unused Item: Dao Essence Crystal * 1

Chen Mo knew clearly that although he had luckily escaped a disaster last time, he had also changed the plot, making it difficult to predict what would happen next.

Now that he is at the center of the vortex, if he wants to protect himself, he must improve his strength as soon as possible.

The key lies in this Dao Essence Crystal.

He must ensure it is used to its maximum effect.

In this world, martial arts and cultivation methods are divided into four levels, from high to low: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow.

Each level is further divided into Upper, Middle, and Lower grades.

Even though Wind-Thunder Movement is a mid-grade Earth-tier movement technique, and he has only mastered it to proficiency, it does not provide much of a boost to his combat power.

Blazing Flame Eight Slashes is a high-grade Earth-tier blade technique that he has already cultivated to great success; if he adds "Dao Rhyme" to it, there is a very high probability it will advance to the Heaven-tier.

It is possible, but unnecessary.

At his current cultivation realm, he is simply unable to control it, and he does not want to experience the feeling of being drained into a dried husk again.

Then the only choice left is the Primordial Body-Forging Art.

This cultivation technique appears to be only high-grade Earth-tier, but in reality, it is not that simple.

The "Body-Forging Art" circulating in the world is only a part of it; if all the fragmented scrolls are gathered, it is a top-tier technique sufficient to cultivate until reaching Sainthood!

And the locations of the other fragmented scrolls are already deeply engraved in his mind.

As for why Chen Mo remembers them so clearly...

Because in his past life, when he cleared the game, this was the technique he primarily cultivated, and this "Body-Forging Art" part was dropped from "Chen Mo" himself...

"Truly a turtle attending school, the soft-shelled turtle can't stay in the dormitory."

Chen Mo’s mouth twitched.

At this moment, the steward walked over and said, "Young Master, the medicinal bath has been prepared according to your requirements, with Red Sun Flower, Heavenly Chief Powder, Dragon-Snake Pill, Golden Spear Grass, and more added..."

"However, these are all items for strengthening blood and raising yang; your body has just recovered, so it cannot withstand such potent supplements."

Now that Chen Mo is confined to the house, the old steward is terrified that he might brood until he falls ill.

He thinks to himself, perhaps he should go to the brothel and find a few male courtesans to help him vent his fire.

Chen Mo says with a smile, "It is fine, I know what I am doing, but it will be hard work for you later, Uncle Fu."

"Ah?"

The steward’s expression stiffens, and he looks at him with terrified eyes.

"Could it be that Young Master is..."

"I have served as a slave in Chen Fu for decades, working diligently and without complaint; I never expected to suffer such a calamity in my old age?"