Living steadily in the world of gods and mystery

He cultivated the Longevity Skill, but only the Qi Cultivation part, which could only sustain him up to Foundation Establishment.

There were no follow-up cultivation techniques.

"I can only take one step at a time and see how it goes," Chen Li thought to himself.

...

In the following days, Chen Li was busy every day, leading a fulfilling life.

A few days later, the prices of magic artifacts fell again.

Chen Li continued to buy in large quantities.

Under his influence, the stall area in Luoluo City saw fluctuating prices of magic artifacts, with sharp fluctuations, rising and falling repeatedly. He would watch cautiously when prices rose and took the opportunity to buy when they dropped, going back and forth like this.

Until half a month later, out of the one hundred and forty-four mid-grade Spirit Stones he had initially, only ten remained, and that’s when he finally stopped.

He had purchased a total of 36 mid-grade magical instruments at an average price of 1.9 mid-grade Spirit Stones each. He also bought 77 low-grade magical instruments at an average price of 0.85 mid-grade Spirit Stones each.

If including the original magic artifacts he had on hand,

The number of artifacts became: 3 high-grade magic artifacts, 44 mid-grade magic artifacts, and 77 low-grade magic artifacts.

He had amassed a quantity large enough to open a magic artifact shop.

He was prepared to hold on to his inventory for a year.

To fight this long battle and not run out of Spirit Stones, he also picked up the pen to draw talismans, which he hadn’t done in a long time.

The success rate of entry-level amulets was quite low.

In the beginning, out of ten attempts, it was difficult for Chen Li to be successful even once.

Fortunately, as his proficiency steadily improved, so did his success rate. When he reached ’Entry: 10/100’, the success rate had stabilized at around ten percent, and by ’Entry: 20/100’, it had increased to fifteen percent.

With his current level of Spiritual Power, he could draw up to four amulets in one breath.

And the Spiritual Power consumption of a failed talisman was generally less than one successful one.

With an average success rate of fifteen percent, consuming all his Spiritual Power, he could basically guarantee one successful talisman.

Here, the price of Qi Replenishing Pills wasn’t as expensive as in the Green River District, costing only ten low-grade Spirit Stones per bottle. As for the Qi and Blood Elixir, having been replaced by the more effective Second Order Demon Beast Meat, there was no need to buy it anymore. Aside from that, there were expenses for Spirit Rice, vegetables, and everyday condiments.

All things considered, the maximum monthly expenditure was three mid-grade Spirit Stones.

In less than half a year, just from selling talismans, he could basically achieve a balance of income and expenditures.

...

One morning,

Chen Li was studying the Body Protection Skill until his head was spinning.

He just tossed aside his notes on the skill, took a Qi Replenishing Pill to slowly recover his consumed Spiritual Energy, notified Zhou Hong, and stepped outside, ready to practice Sword Flight to clear his mind.

"Chen, are you going out?"

"Yes, are you just back from buying groceries?"

...

In just the span of half a month, Chen Li had become familiar with his neighbors, nodding and greeting them along the way, sometimes stopping to chat with overly enthusiastic middle-aged female cultivators.

Before long,

he walked down the mountain, passed through the shantytown at the foot of the mountain, and continued until he reached a deserted area where he stopped.

He looked around and saw not a soul in sight.

Only then did he take out his flying sword from his storage bag.

With a flick of his wrist, the flying sword expanded in mid-air into a two-meter-long giant sword.

He stepped onto it lightly and elegantly.

Soon the flying sword began to accelerate. With his current level of Qi Cultivation at the seventh layer, naturally it was not comparable to before, the sword flying low across the ground, accelerating continuously, quickly exceeding the speed of a running person, and stabilizing at a velocity of thirty yards, zooming like the wind... as fast as lightning.

He took out a Luoyu Talisman that he had purchased specifically for this and held it tightly in his hand.

With a thought,

he spurred the flying sword, its tip slightly tilted upwards, drawing a long arc in the air as it began to ascend rapidly.

A few days ago he had managed to reach a bit more than a hundred meters high, this time he intended to go even higher.

...

A hundred meters!

...

Three hundred meters!

His palms were wet with sweat, and his heartbeat was like a drum.

He couldn’t help but glance down, felt dizzy and his limbs tingling, nearly falling off.

"Phew, this is really thrilling!"

He took several deep breaths.

He gritted his teeth.

Continued to fly even higher.

He knew that he didn’t have any physiological fear of heights, it was just a psychological barrier, and once he overcame it, everything would be fine.

The figures on the ground gradually shrank to specks, and the full expanse of the land beneath his feet came into view.

Mountains, lakes, swamps, and further away, scattered villages and patches of farmland arranged like a checkerboard.

At this moment, Chen Li’s flying altitude had already reached nearly a thousand meters.

Had it not been for the Wind Transformation Array incorporated in his robe, his body might have been blown away by the high-altitude gales.

After flying for about fifteen minutes, feeling that nearly half of his spiritual power had been depleted, he finally began to descend and decided to head directly towards the gates of Luoluo City.

The city’s protective array in Luoluo City included a flight restriction function, making it impossible to fly directly into the city.

Chen Li slowly landed at the city gate.

Before he had come to a complete stop, he jumped down and put away his flying sword.

"With a few more practices, I’ll get used to it," Chen Li excitedly encouraged himself, his emotions surging.

This was his first time flying at such a high altitude.

Thinking back on it now, his heart still fluttered with agitation.

...

Chen Li returned home.

He found that Zhang Shuniang was also there, chatting with Zhou Hong.

"You’re back!" said Zhou Hong.

"Uncle!" Zhang Shuniang also hurriedly stood up, politely greeting him.

"Hmm, what brings you here today?" Chen asked Zhang Shuniang, noting that this was her first visit since they moved to Luoluo City.

"Uncle, I’ve been in closed-door cultivation recently!" Zhang Shuniang explained excitedly, "I’ve reached the third level of Qi Cultivation now."

After the arduous long-distance migration and shortly returning to Luoluo City, she felt a loosening in her spiritual power, which had been stagnant for a long time. On her father Zhang’s advice, she began closed-door cultivation, and only emerged today after she made a breakthrough, unable to contain her excitement, she came to share the good news.

"Congratulations to Fellow Daoist Zhang. Now at the third level of Qi Cultivation, it won’t be long before you’re a mid-stage Qi Cultivation practitioner, just like your dad," Chen Li said jokingly.

"Hehe!"

Chen Li couldn’t help but reflect, sometimes you really can’t compare people.

Like the original owner of this body.

At forty, he was still at the third level of Qi Cultivation.

And yet Zhang Shuniang, only fifteen or sixteen, had already reached this realm.

Living to such an age was like living a dog’s life.

Zhou Hong affectionately wrapped her arms around Zhang Shuniang and said to Chen Li with a smile, "Today Shuniang has made a breakthrough in her cultivation. As an elder, don’t you have a gift prepared?"

"Ms. Zhou, Uncle, there’s no need to give me any gifts," said Zhang Shuniang, hurriedly protesting upon hearing this.

"Look at me!" Chen Li laughed at himself, rummaging through his storage bag. He now had no shortage of magical instruments, and finally picked out a bizarre item, a magical instrument made from an unknown plant seed.

The color was a vibrant green, with natural patterns. The surface gleamed like a gemstone, exceptionally pleasing to the eye.

The use of this magical instrument was also quite miraculous.

It could be used to hit people like an ordinary magical instrument.

Or it could be thrown to the ground, turning into a vine hidden under the earth, stealthily ambushing someone.

"Here’s a magical instrument that isn’t worth much, take it!"

"Uncle, I really can’t accept this, it’s too valuable," the young girl blushed to her ears, repeatedly declining.

She wasn’t a fool; magical instruments were never cheap.

Even the cheapest of magical instruments were priced with mid-grade Spirit Stones.

"If your uncle gives it to you, you should take it," Chen Li said smilingly as he put the magical instrument into Zhang Shuniang’s hands.

Zhang Shuniang hesitated, embarrassed to accept such a valuable gift, yet she was also truly delighted with the beautiful magical instrument. She had never had a magical instrument of her own and had always wanted one since she was young.

"Take it, your uncle now lacks nothing of this sort!" Ms. Zhou encouraged from the side, while secretly sighing to herself.

Chen Li’s recent purchase of so many magical instruments hadn’t been hidden from her. Yet Chen Li seemed completely unstressed by it, while she had an additional worry, often losing sleep at night over it.

"Thank... Thank you, Uncle," said Zhang Shuniang, blushing as she spoke.

Her uncle was truly too kind.

"That’s more like it!" Chen Li declared with a laugh.

He then carefully explained the usage and functions of the magical instrument.

Zhang Shuniang’s joy was obvious on her face, and she couldn’t wait to say, "Uncle, I’m going to try it out now."

"Go ahead, just try it here in the courtyard!"

ps: It’s the last day of the month, I’m shamelessly begging for monthly tickets, ah ah ah.

Also reporting on the progress, the average subscription of the book is close to nine thousand, not far from ten thousand, hehe!