Living steadily in the world of gods and mystery

The massive boulder that had been blocking the exit had been shattered by Zhou Hong using a magic artifact, revealing a cramped hole.

"Is this woman’s life that unbearable?" Chen Li jumped in fright.

Fortunately, the surrounding area was overgrown with vines and weeds, which made it hard to notice the hole unless one looked carefully. He quickly used the Traction Skill to pull over broken rocks and soil from the surrounding area, resealing the hole.

"Let’s make do with this for now, and deal with it properly once things have settled down!"

He took out a local map to determine the direction of Lancheng, changed into an ordinary robe, then altered his facial features. Like an average person, he walked slowly, covering a dozen or so miles in this manner.

It wasn’t until he had put some distance between himself and Luoluo City that he felt no one was following him. He then began to chant silently and used the Wind Control Skill. Soon, he rose into the air and swiftly flew towards the distance.

...

"Have those corpses been dealt with?"

"Reporting to Lord Mayor, all have been buried at the mass grave. These people sure had some nerve, daring to provoke the Zhou Family and even fleeing here. Thankfully, Lord Mayor’s insight is as sharp as ever, seeing through them at a glance."

The mayor of Lancheng, Liu Fan, an Inner Sect Disciple of the Longevity Sect, was fifty-six years old but appeared well into his sixties.

Even as an Inner Sect Disciple, the favored ones, not everyone could achieve Foundation Establishment. Most Inner Sect Disciples, once they were over forty and at the late stages of Qi Cultivation with no hope of Foundation Establishment, could request to be dispatched externally.

Liu Fan had failed to establish his foundation twice and, although he narrowly survived, it greatly damaged his vitality. He had since completely given up on the Dao and focused more on expanding his family, managing his clan, and enjoying the wealth and luxury of the secular world.

"Loose Cultivators from small places ultimately have limited vision, always hoping for good luck," Liu Fan said with a light smile after taking a sip of Spiritual Tea. "They think they’ll be safe just by hiding here. If a Foundation Establishment family truly mobilizes their power to look for someone, you’d have to hide in wild forests and never show your face again; otherwise, who could..."

He was only halfway through his sentence when a sudden premonition hit him, and his face changed.

"Who is it?" 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

In his hand, he had swiftly grabbed a magic artifact.

But the next moment.

He was struck hard at the back of his head and, before falling unconscious, a vague voice reached him.

"Such sharp spiritual awareness!"

After knocking the two people out and taking their magic artifacts and storage bags, Chen Li cast a Silencing Talisman.

As the invisible barrier enveloped the room, the Invisibility Technique was disrupted, quickly dissipating and revealing his figure. He didn’t mind, and slapped Liu twice.

Liu groaned in pain as he slowly came to, cursing his luck and attempting to calm himself, "If you’re just robbing me, Fellow Daoist, take what you want, but please spare my life."

"I am here for only one matter," Chen Li said expressionlessly. "To tell you the truth, Zhou Xutang is already dead. Tell me in detail how you discovered those people and how you informed the Zhou Family. And besides you, who else knows about this matter?"

"Impossible, this cannot be..." Liu, upon hearing of Zhou Xutang’s death, was struck as if by lightning and began to mutter to himself.

Realizing he had no chance of escaping this predicament, Liu’s heart was filled with relentless regret for being so sycophantic and dutiful towards the Zhou Family, a matter that was initially none of his concern. Unfortunately, there was no medicine for regret in this world.

Chen Li gave him another couple of slaps.

"Tell the truth, and you might suffer less. If you don’t, don’t blame me for being ruthless. I’ve heard you have many children."

"Sir, Elder, this has nothing to do with them, nothing at all. I’ll talk, I’ll talk," Liu, the mayor, hurriedly shouted, tears and snot streaming down his face.

...

After questioning Mayor Liu and knocking him out again, Chen Li woke up the other person.

He cross-examined the testimonies.

Half an hour later.

Chen Li, employing the Invisibility Technique and covered in blood, walked out the door and quickly headed to another location.

In half a day, Chen Li had run around and killed a total of eight people, including the adulterer involved with Lu Qian, members of the Zhou Family stationed here, and Loose Cultivators monitoring Zhao Lin and the others.

Although he knew this was definitely not safe, it at least increased the difficulty of the investigation.

After applying a Cleaning Talisman on himself, changing back into his magic robe, and taking out a high-quality flying sword, he flew slowly back, looking down at the idyllic scenery below. Chen Li pondered silently about his own matters.

Approaching Luoluo City, he saw several Foundation Establishment cultivators flying around in the sky, seemingly searching for something.

He quickly descended.

Upon reaching a slum at the foot of the mountain, he found out that Luoluo City had declared martial law.

"This matter has really blown up!" Chen Li thought with a jolt of alarm.

He looked up at the sun, which was already tilting westward, and decided against going into the city to investigate further. He hurried non-stop to the rendezvous point he had arranged with Zhou Hong; given the delay, she was probably anxiously awaiting him.

On the second mountain to the west of Luanluo Mountain, even though adjacent to Luanluo Mountain, was a good dozen miles away. Not daring to fly and attract the attention of those at the Foundation Establishment level, he proceeded at the pace of an ordinary person.

Only in desolate places with no one around did he pick up his pace, hastening his steps.

It wasn’t until nightfall

that Chen Li finally arrived at the prearranged meeting spot.

A flash of red swiftly pounced from behind a large tree, plunging into Chen Li’s arms like a bird seeking refuge in the woods.

"How could you be delayed so long? I thought...I thought..." Zhou Hong’s eyes reddened, her voice tinged with the sound of tears.

Chen Li didn’t speak right away but instead slapped down a Silencing Talisman before opening his mouth:

"Thought what? Don’t worry, I have a big life! Let me tell you some good news, Zhou Xutang met with trouble, got killed at the city gate, and we no longer need to flee."

"What! You..." Zhou Hong gaped, her watery phoenix eyes filled with disbelief.

"What are you thinking? Of course, I didn’t do it. How could a Qi Cultivation disciple like me possibly kill a Foundation Establishment powerhouse?" Chen Li wasn’t distrustful of Zhou Hong but didn’t want to add to her psychological burden.

Zhou Hong thought it over, took a deep breath, and the lingering clouds in her heart dissipated: "Heavens be praised, this is such good news, the trouble’s finally over this time."

The two embraced, whispering sweet nothings to each other.

Then they set off back to their residence.

Night enveloped everything like water, and the roars of various beasts in the forest rose and fell in succession as the couple walked hand in hand along the rugged mountain path.

"Do you remember your first time coming to the forest?"

"Of course, I was severely injured then, and you carried me through the forest all night."

"You were scared like anything back then!" Zhou Hong teased.

At her words, Chen Li’s old face blushed slightly: "I had just never been here before, what’s wrong with being a little cautious?"

"I’ve always felt you were a bit different from the average Loose Cultivator," Zhou Hong pondered aloud.

"Different how?"

"I can’t quite put my finger on it, you’re just different."

The pair chatted sporadically as they walked.

By the time they reached Luoluo City, it was late at night, and Zhou Xutang’s corpse had long disappeared at the city gate, even the bloodstains had been cleaned up.

"Halt, what are you doing?"

"We live inside the city, just returning from outside!" Chen Li pulled out an Amulet and handed it to the other, cupping his hands in greeting.

The guarding cultivator glanced at it, quickly stuffed it back into his sleeve, and his expression softened: "Did you see any suspicious persons?"

"We did not!"

"Go in then."

...

After being under martial law for several days, Luoluo City once again returned to tranquility.

But Chen Li knew

that the matter was far from over. The death of a Foundation Establishment cultivator could not simply pass without incident; there were surely undercurrents already stirring behind the scenes.

Throughout this period, Gu Mengqing never showed himself, clearly having gone into hiding from the storm.

Five days later, Chen Li paid a visit to the Yu Family’s ancestral home to gauge the situation.

"In all likelihood, it was those treasonous families’ doing!" Yu Cheng said with a worried frown: "Alas, they lost a Foundation Establishment on their side some time ago and probably suspect we did it—this time it’s retribution."

What a coincidence!

Chen Li’s mouth fell open:

"Has the Longevity Sect really killed one of their Foundation Establishment members?"

"How would the Longevity Sect ever admit to that, a whole bunch of muddy accounts? I don’t see this situation staying stable for much longer," Yu Cheng sighed.

After leaving the Yu Family, Chen Li walked along the road with mixed feelings.

Glad that someone else had taken the fall for him.

Worried that the Longevity Domain was about to descend into chaos again.