Living steadily in the world of gods and mystery

The next morning, Chen Li got busy early again.

The bottom of the hole in the bedroom.

Under the Traction Skill, a large amount of solid rock at the bottom continued to be pounded into dust by Mana, transformed into air, and before dust and rock splinters could scatter, they were enveloped in an invisible force, rising up collectively and turning into a long dragon that was pulled out of the hole.

But the process didn’t end there; this long dragon composed of rubble and stone dust continued to snake past the front door, through the living room, and eventually flew out to the courtyard, becoming part of a mountain of rubble.

The whole process was silky smooth, without interference.

From start to finish, not a speck of stone dust was left in the bedroom—it was a pure cleaning operation.

An expert-level Traction Skill not only became more powerful and had a larger radius of influence, but the control of consciousness also became exceedingly sensitive. This, coupled with Chen Li’s nearly a thousand repeated practices and adjustments,

meant that he didn’t need to control the process deliberately; everything was completed in his subconscious, as simple as breathing or drinking water.

With the excavation continuing over the past few days, the hole was quickly reaching twenty meters deep.

This depth was already sufficient.

In the following days, it was time to slowly excavate the basement.

This kind of project could be as big or as small as one desired—Chen Li didn’t plan to make a big deal out of it.

Carving out a few hundred square meters of basement and creating several escape exits would be enough.

It didn’t require too much effort and could be considered practice for his Traction Skill.

As for the basement, aside from being a place of refuge during danger, it wouldn’t be left idle normally; it could be used for secluded cultivation and practicing spells that were very loud.

He truly felt no sense of security in this world.

Having an underground shelter at home,

was like taking preventive measures, better safe than sorry.

...

As one of the six great Foundation Establishment families,

the Yu Family’s residence in Luoluo City was much larger than the Green River District.

It was also more imposing and majestic.

After Chen Li handed over a token inscribed with the character ’Guest,’ indicating his intention to visit, he was quickly led by a Yu Family cultivator to a private room next to a grand hall. After being served tea and pastries, the cultivator said courteously,

"Our ancestor is currently entertaining an important guest, please wait for a moment, Fellow Daoist. I’ll be next door; you can call on me for anything you need."

Chen Li quickly stood up and bowed in thanks.

He didn’t have to wait long.

Through the door curtain, Chen Li saw a middle-aged cultivator walking out of the grand hall, his face showing a trace of disdain and gloom. With a gentle ’hmph,’ he then quickly left.

"Another Foundation Establishment cultivator—is he from the Sect of Longevity or another Foundation Establishment family?" Chen Li thought to himself.

He couldn’t sense the other’s cultivation level, but he could read people, and on the Yu Family’s turf, common cultivators wouldn’t dare to behave or show such expressions.

Chen Li then waited a little while longer.

Soon he was informed that he could meet.

Seeing the Yu Family’s patriarch again, his face had grown haggard, and although his tone was still friendly, it seemed distracted, as if weighed down by concerns—clearly, his previous conversation with the other cultivator hadn’t been pleasant.

After exchanging pleasantries, Chen Li expressed his gratitude for the rescue on the road. He took out a Demon Core from his storage bag and presented it to Yu Cheng, sincerely saying, "I can’t repay the kindness of my senior, but please accept this small token of gratitude."

Yu Cheng took the Demon Core and smiled, "My young friend is quite generous. Is this from the Second Order Demon Beast you killed last time?"

After playing with it for a while, he handed it back to Chen Li, "This item is of no use to me; keep it for yourself. It’s worth quite a bit of money. If you truly want to repay me, should the Yu Family ever face trouble after my death, just lend a hand within your capabilities, if it’s convenient."

Chen Li reluctantly took back the Demon Core and placed it in his storage bag again.

He knew it wasn’t easy to repay this kind of favor.

Fortunately, the other party had mentioned ’within capabilities,’ and naturally, if it was convenient, he would be willing to help.

If it was dangerous, however, he would have to avoid it completely.

Fortunately, judging by the Yu Family patriarch’s condition, he should manage for a few more years, and by then, Chen Li figured he would no longer be as he once was.

"Alas, don’t take those words to heart. Being old, it’s inevitable to worry about one’s descendants. Last time Fan Zhen mentioned that you are interested in spellcraft," Yu Cheng laughed and changed the subject, then started to talk about Taoist arts.

Chen Li was eager to learn.

This kind of opportunity was rare for a loose cultivator without a sect or inheritance.

He listened intently, occasionally asking a question, secretly comparing and validating the knowledge against the issues he encountered while learning spellcraft and his own understanding.

He also noticed that the other party wasn’t very proficient in spellcraft, and his understanding of some spells was even inferior to Chen Li’s own. Yet, as a Foundation Establishment cultivator speaking from a certain height, every word had depth and insight, often enlightening him and yielding great benefits.

...

After leaving the Yu Family estate,

Chen Li had two more books on him.

An Invisibility Technique of the First Order Eighth Grade.

And a Yuan Magnetism Evasion Skill of the First Order Ninth Grade.

"Alas, I find myself owing more and more favors!" Chen Li sighed to himself.

He could see that the Yu Family patriarch had intentionally bestowed favor upon him.

But what could he do about it?

This great gift was impossible to refuse.

These spells weren’t just any common spells; you couldn’t see them on the market, and there was nowhere to buy them. In fact, the Seventh Grade of the First Order was a watershed mark; spells of the Seventh Grade and below were common.

Above the Seventh Grade, they were much rarer.

And finding a book on them was even harder.

Not to mention books on Talismans, the methods of making talismans above the Seventh Grade were equally elusive.

As for knowledge in Alchemy, Artifact Refining, and Formations,

you could only get a glimpse of the surface, with pitifully few books available.

"This world’s monopoly on knowledge is simply too severe," Chen Li thought. "And this is just during the Qi Cultivation Stage—if one reaches Foundation Establishment, wanting to continue cultivating would almost certainly require joining a sect."