Living steadily in the world of gods and mystery

He looked up,

Zhang Yan was happily sipping his Spiritual Tea, contentedly exhaling and carefully picking up a piece of pastry, chewing it slowly and savoring it. While eating, he shook his head with a sigh, his face full of bliss, as if he was tasting the most exquisite delicacy. He was so engrossed that he didn’t even notice his beard was covered in crumbs.

As for Zhang Shuniang beside him, she was eating with glowing eyes, her cheeks puffed out, clearly enjoying the sweet flavors.

Even Zhou Hong kept eating one piece after another, hardly stopping at all.

Was it really that delicious?

"Why aren’t you eating anymore?" Zhou Hong, whose attention had been on Chen Li all along, saw that he had stopped after one piece and couldn’t help asking.

"You can have my share, my stomach is full, I can’t eat anymore!" Chen Li replied evasively.

"Then I will save them for you!"

Zhou Hong took out her small bundle, ready to pack the leftover pastries and take them with her.

Chen Li didn’t know whether to laugh or cry but let her be.

Seeing Chen Li react this way,

everyone else no longer hesitated.

They stopped eating and began to put the remaining pastries into their bundles. The portion of pastries provided was quite large, and finishing them all at once seemed a bit wasteful. Enjoying them slowly on the road would be a far better treat.

Soon, all the pastries had been snapped up.

Then one by one, they leisurely began to drink the Spiritual Tea. Even Zhang Shuniang, who normally didn’t drink tea, held her cup properly, frowning after each sip but unable to put it down, completely like someone who wasn’t used to such treats.

Chen Li couldn’t resist picking up his cup and took a sip.

It really was bitter!

"Big brother, do you know where we are headed this time?" Zhao Lin asked.

"I don’t know either, but a family like the Yu Family, moving for the sake of their long-term wellbeing, must have made thorough considerations. It seems likely they would choose a stable place without the worries of war and conflict," Chen Li pondered and replied.

That day, when he met the old ancestor of the Yu Family, he was too nervous and didn’t get to ask any important questions.

After all, it was his first time meeting such a being.

Even though the ancestor was aged, even though he was kind, and even though he was approachable,

the faint, oppressive atmosphere he exuded when one got close made it impossible for Chen Li to relax even for a moment.

"That’s true. Our vision is limited, and we’re not well-informed about the outside world, unlike a Foundation Establishment family like theirs, which has thoroughly thought-out plans. Wherever we go, it’s bound to be better than staying here!" Gu Mengqing chimed in.

...

After sitting for nearly an hour, the tea in their cups had slowly been drunk to the last drop.

Finally, an individual from the Yu Family came in with a message.

It was time to set off.

One by one, they walked out the door,

In the courtyard, more than a dozen behemoth-like camels snorted loudly, puffing out mist, each carrying a mountain of goods, with over a hundred members of the Yu Family, men and women, young and old, ready to depart.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, come over here!" Yu Cheng, the Yu Family ancestor, called out to Chen Li with a warm smile,

Chen Li had no choice but to hurry over, "Elder, may I know why you have called for me?"

"My family is large, and there are many worthless juniors. If anything happens along the way, I’ll need you to look out for us a little," he said.

"Elder, you flatter me. Although I am humble and of little strength, since we are traveling together, sharing weal and woe, it is natural for me to help. I will spare no effort to protect everyone when the time comes," Chen Li offered his polite assurance.

"Good, good, good! There will surely be a reward someday. Fan Zhen, since you’re familiar with Fellow Daoist Chen, stick with him and take the rear of the convoy!"

"Yes, elder ancestor!" Yu Fan Zhen promptly stepped forward to respond.

"Yuan Song, Fan Wu, you two stay by my side," Yu Cheng continued to give orders.

"Yes, elder ancestor!"

"Yes, elder ancestor!"

Two people stepped out of the ranks,

one middle-aged and the other younger,

...

The middle-aged one had an ordinary appearance, but the younger one was much more handsome. Dressed in a high-quality robe, he had an air of superiority. Without a doubt, these two were the descendants valued by the Yu Family ancestor.

...

"That Yu Fan Wu, he’s your brother," Chen Li asked Yu Fan Zhen.

"We’re only the same generation. I’m from the fifth branch, and he’s from the eighth. Our relationship is quite distant," Yu Fan Zhen replied, noting Chen Li’s confusion, he couldn’t help but explain, "The branches are counted from the elder ancestor. By my generation, it’s already been four generations."

The relationship was indeed quite distant.

Chen Li couldn’t imagine living in such a large family; just navigating all the different familial titles would be enough to make one’s head spin.

But this Yu Family ancestor certainly had...

eight branches indeed.

I guess it’s far more than that.

Just the thought is enough to make one... loathsome.

Hei tui!

"And do you think that young one is called Yu Fan Wu?" said Yu Fan Zhen with amusement.

She of course didn’t know Chen Li’s private criticism toward her family elder, otherwise she wouldn’t be showing such a pleasant face.

Chen Li paused for a moment before he countered, "Eh, isn’t it?"

That was indeed what he thought.

"The older one is Yu Fan Wu, Yu Yuan Song belongs to the ’Yuan’ generation, he’s a generation younger than me, and strictly speaking, he should be calling me ’Aunt’."

The two of them chatted and laughed, walking side by side.

Zhou Hong couldn’t help but feel a sourness in her heart, her fingers twisting nervously.

Looking at Yu Fan Zhen, who came from a Foundation Establishment family and possessed a gentle and decorous temperament, she inexplicably felt a bit inferior.

"Allow me to introduce, this is Fellow Daoist Yu Fan Zhen, and this is Zhang Yan..." Chen Li introduced everyone in turn, and when he got to Zhou Hong, he noticed something and said with a smile, "This is my wife, Zhou Hong!"

At that moment, Zhou Hong felt a warm current flow through her heart, soothing all her unease, and she smiled, "Nice to meet you, Fellow Daoist Yu."

"Nice to meet you, Fellow Daoist Zhou!"

...

Before long, this large troop began its departure.

Chen Li and his companions held the rear, not the very end of the entire caravan, but the end of the Yu Family’s section. Behind them trailed a long line of Loose Cultivators, numbering probably three to four hundred people.

Please review the rest of this translation as there may be more missing content.

Out of the more than ten thousand Loose Cultivators in Green River District (perhaps already less than ten thousand), those who had the spare resources to pay the fee of a Mid-grade Spirit Stone, guessed to be double or more of this number, represented the finest of Green River District.

Almost every one of them had the strength of at least the mid-stage of Qi Cultivation, with even a dozen or so at the late-stage of Qi Cultivation.

The troop marched on tumultuously, stirring a commotion, passing through streets and alleys.

Many Loose Cultivators opened their doors, staring blankly at the massive troop passing by, their expressions indescribable.

However, some were quick-witted; either blending into the crowd or stealthily tailing it, like droplets entering the sea, causing not the slightest ripple. The Yu Family didn’t concern themselves with these individuals; unless someone complained, they pretended not to see.

An hour or so later, the troop had left the marketplace behind, crossing the wilderness and coming up to a forest. There, a Yu Family cultivator loudly ordered a temporary rest.

Soon, from the midst of the Yu Family’s group, a bird-shaped Magic Artifact flew into the night sky and then disappeared into the night, as if to scout the situation ahead.

Chen Li couldn’t help but look back at Green River District.

Unfortunately, due to the distance and the sky still not being fully lit,

all he could see of Green River District was a dark expanse, with only some vague outlines visible.

This place where he’d lived for over a year since arriving in this world,

this ’Godforsaken place’ he cursed and detested constantly.

Farewell!

Chen Li was not the only one; almost everyone frequently cast backward glances. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

It’s hard to leave one’s native land; for many, this had been their home for ten or twenty years, where they had lost their youth, gained wrinkles, and turned their hair white.

And how many sets of ten or twenty years does a person have in life?

"Dad, why are you crying?" asked Zhang Shuniang.

Zhang Yan quickly wiped the corner of his eye, "It’s just the sand getting in my eyes, it’s nothing!"

"Where is there any sand?"

Shut up, you darn kid.

"Alright, don’t meddle in everything." Zhang Yan said, his face flushing with annoyance.

After roughly the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the bird-shaped Magic Artifact returned.

The troop set off again, entering the forest.

The road ahead was not as smooth as before.

As if they had sensed human presence, in less than half an hour of walking, disturbance arose from the rear of the troop, indicating that a Demon Beast was surreptitiously following from a distance.

Still, the troop had no intention of stopping for such a minor nuisance.

Gradually, the number of Demon Beasts trailing the group increased from one to two, and by the time it was fully light, the number had risen to three.

"Scared?" Chen Li asked with a smile, noticing the unusual expression on the young Zhang Shuniang’s face.

Zhang Shuniang hesitated before inquiring, "A little, Uncle Chen, can you defeat a Demon Beast?"

The group erupted in laughter.

Yu Fan Zhen also couldn’t help but smile at this.

"Don’t be afraid, little girl, those Demon Beasts aren’t enough for your Uncle Chen to slay," Zhao Lin reassured her with a chuckle.