```
After the incidents with Zhou Liang and Zheng Huan, Chen Mu was even less inclined to go out.
He holed up at home to grind his Proficiency.
Three days later, while Chen Mu was having lunch, he faintly heard the sound of gongs from outside.
Followed by sporadic shouting.
Chen Mu focused and listened attentively.
The authorities had finally stepped in to restore order.
Even so, he stayed home for another two days before venturing out.
...
On the streets of East Market.
The usual bustling scene was no more.
There were few pedestrians, and the shops on both sides of the road had windows and doors in disrepair, suffering great damage.
Walking on the street, one could occasionally hear wailing from the alleys.
He hadn't gone far before he encountered two funeral processions.
These were the ones who had the means to hold funerals.
Who knows how many bodies wrapped in tattered mats were buried in the mass graves outside the city.
He had intended to visit Zheng Tu to buy some fresh meat.
But from afar, seeing the closed shop, he knew it was a lost cause.
So he turned to go to the Eight Directions Building in Anle Square.
Many of the windows, doors, and chairs were new, probably also vandalized amidst the chaos.
There were quite a few people inside the hall, drinking tea and chatting.
Chen Mu wasn't the only one here to gather information.
As usual, he bought a pot of tea and a plate of sunflower seeds, sat in a corner, and listened to the storyteller recount the causes and consequences of the bandit uprising days ago.
The defeated Gray Scarves breached the city...
The bandits of Ai Mountain took advantage of the chaos...
The traitors within opened the gates...
Noble families were wiped out...
Each explosive piece of news gave Chen Mu a headache.
The County Magistrate has vanished? Has he fled or died?
Young Master Zuo Sheng of the Zuo Family showed valiant prowess, beheading the second in command of the Ai Mountain bandits.
Was this the same frail dandy he remembered?
More likely another 'sheep in wolf's clothing' pretender.
"Will the defeated army and bandits attack the city again?" This was Chen Mu's main concern.
Unfortunately, there were conflicting opinions in the teahouse and, after listening for a long time, he still couldn't reach a definitive conclusion.
"Forget it, better to just stay at home."
Chen Mu stood up and left, no longer wishing to listen.
As he reached the doorway, he faced a young man in white.
"Young Master Zuo Sheng of the Zuo Family?" Chen Mu almost doubted his own eyes.
The face was the same, and he looked as tall and thin as before.
But now that his body had undergone two transformations, his senses were far beyond those of ordinary people.
He could clearly sense the robust body beneath the other's wide robe.
Indeed, a cunning old fox, pretending to be weak and frivolous when he's anything but. Stop fooling anyone!
The other party also noticed Chen Mu, smiled, and nodded in greeting.
Chen Mu promptly nodded back.
He couldn't help wondering why this son of the Zuo Family was always so polite to him when they hardly knew each other.
Without waiting for Zuo Sheng to speak, Chen Mu smiled awkwardly and then quickly left.
He had no desire to get entangled with this type of cunning character.
...
"Young Master, do you know that person?" the page behind Zuo Sheng asked curiously.
His master was an introvert, and not many people could make him show a pleasant demeanor.
"I guess you could say I know him," Zuo Sheng replied with a light laugh as he observed Chen Mu's quickly retreating figure.
That was the footwork from the Red Falcon Shape Cultivation Technique.
In that sense, they were fellow martial arts practitioners.
But his stingy teacher was too greedy, and he probably had many such disciples.
Still, if one were to really evaluate, only this person could be considered to have truly inherited Master Sheng's skills.
Thinking of the "Genuine · Red Falcon Shape Cultivation Technique" being sold at rock-bottom prices again in the Ghost Market, Zuo Sheng's face took on a strange expression.
"He has a good hand at painting, hehe."
...
West Market, Tianyi Studio.
Chen Mu stood at the door looking left and right, feeling that something was amiss.
Wasn't this the antique store of Jie Jia?
```
What's with all the coffins filling up the hall?
Chen Mu walked to the doorway and peered inside.
He happened to meet Jie Jia's gaze, who was unperturbed behind the counter.
It was really this old man?
Chen Mu looked at Jie Jia with admiration.
When it came to making money, this old fellow was truly ruthless.
It had only been a few days.
A respectable antique shop had been transformed into a coffin seller?!
Incredible, truly incredible!
"Something you need?" Jie Jia sat emotionless behind the counter.
"I want to go to the Ghost Market," Chen Mu stated directly.
Having dealt with Jie Jia for a while, Chen Mu knew that aside from money, this old man's patience for other matters was very limited.
It was better to just say what he wanted quickly.
"Twenty taels," Jie Jia said, his eyes shifting slightly to focus on Chen Mu's sleeve, where his purse was.
Chen Mu looked at Jie Jia with a mocking expression, "You might not be aware that I and the young master of the Zuo Family, Zuo Sheng, can be considered as fellow disciples. We were just chatting at the Bafang Building."
"And we just happened to talk about the Ghost Market."
"Do you think he doesn't know the price of admission to the Ghost Market?"
"If it wasn't to keep others from knowing that I'm going to the Ghost Market, would I come to you?"
Chen Mu spoke indifferently, "You can name another price.
Jie Jia's gaze returned, and a flash of disappointment passed, "Two taels."
Chen Mu: "..."
Is he really that much of a swindler?! Tenfold!
"Do I look that much like a sucker to you?" Chen Mu couldn't help but ask.
Jie Jia didn't speak, only glanced at Chen Mu dismissively.
Chen Mu suddenly felt as if he was choking on his breath.
...
The year 639 of Da Liang, April 23rd.
Chen Mu wrapped himself up tightly and took a carriage alone to the Ghost Market.
It was different from what he had imagined.
He had thought the Ghost Market would be as desolate as the East Market and West Market within the city.
Instead, the flow of customers had surged dramatically, more than doubling since his last visit to the Ghost Market.
Even though everyone unconsciously lowered their voices, the whole Ghost Market was still bustling.
If it weren't for the fact that everyone was wrapped up so tightly, Chen Mu would have thought he had arrived at an open-air bazaar.
Chen Mu walked silently on the deserted village streets, surreptitiously observing the vendors on both sides of the road.
Compared to before, there were many more people selling jade and antiques.
Qingshan County had been breached by rebels, ransacked by bandits from Ai Mountain, leading to many deaths and the enrichment of many people.
If it weren't for his certain abilities,
Zhou Liang and Zheng Huan might well have appeared here too.
Chen Mu no longer wandered and headed straight for a dilapidated house.
...
"Are you here to buy or to sell?" a person wearing a smiling fat monk mask asked calmly from behind a square table.
"To buy a Manual," Chen Mu replied, sitting down opposite of him.
"Do you have any special requests?" the person in the smiling mask asked.
A thought crossed Chen Mu's mind, "Do you have a Shape Cultivation Technique?"
"You're looking for a Shape Cultivation Technique?" The person in the smiling mask couldn't help but raise his voice.
"You actually have one?" Chen Mu looked in surprise at the wooden cabinet behind the other person.
Though all Shape Cultivation Techniques could trigger a transformation, they had different focuses.
The Red Falcon Shape Cultivation Technique mainly emphasized speed, not strength.
If he could master another Shape Cultivation Technique to complement it, he would be able to transform and develop in a well-rounded way!
"You're in luck, guest!" The person with the smiling mask turned around and pulled out a scroll from behind him.
"We've just acquired a precious Shape Cultivation Chart. The craftsmanship is exquisite, and the annotations are detailed, making it extremely easy for beginners," the masked person said eagerly, unfurling the scroll by one-third: "Please have a look,"
In the center, a row of lifelike little figures.
On the right, a dense mass of tiny characters.
To the left, a column of flowing large characters— "True·Red Falcon Shape Cultivation Technique"
Chen Mu: "..."
"Not for a thousand taels, not for five hundred taels, just for one hundred and eighty-eight taels. If you buy it, it's not a loss, not a cheat; it's truly, truly worth more than its price!"
Chen Mu: "..."
Hehe...