Living steadily in the world of gods and mystery

Chen Li stepped out of his cave abode into a night where the moon shone brightly and stars scattered sparsely across the sky, accompanied by the loud chirping of insects.

As he paced back and forth, he mulled over his situation.

"The Second Order Mid-grade Green Jade Sword in my hand is still adequate for someone at the initial phase of Foundation Establishment. As for the Second Order Low-grade flying sword magic artifact I got from Zhou Xutang... let’s forget about that, it’s not even as powerful as the Zhou Tian Gang Force.

What I lack now is a magic artifact that protects the spirit."

Every time he thought about the mysterious Red Jade that inexplicably shattered upon encountering an Evil Wraith on his way back from conscription labor, a pang of pain shot through his heart.

In his current opinion, that mysterious Red Jade artifact should be classified as a top-tier First Order item; it could defend against his Max Level Scolding Skill, and even withstand a spiritual attack from an Evil Wraith at Foundation Establishment level.

Although it ended up breaking, it had still blocked the attack.

Unfortunately, while the Returning True Sect’s alchemy is quite good, their artifact refining is merely passable.

There’s no problem with ordinary First Order artifacts but for Second Order and special artifacts that protect the spirit, that’s not the case.

"I need to find a way to get another one!"

Staying at the sect is incredibly safe, so of course there’s hardly any need for concern.

But when you’re out on a mission for the sect, you need to be more cautious.

Life is only once.

Being overly cautious is never excessive.

"I’ll ask some familiar Foundation Establishment cultivators tomorrow."

...

Early the next morning,

Chen Li went to visit Bai Yuqing, who lived next door.

The two of them took their seats as host and guest, and a maid promptly served tea before respectfully withdrawing.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Chen Li got straight to the point.

"Fellow Daoist, if you want to buy a Second Order artifact, you might check out the Artefact Sect or the Heavenly Star Sect!" Bai Yuqing said indifferently.

"The Artefact Sect still exists? I heard that the Golden Core Ancestor of the Artefact Sect perished!" Chen Li asked in surprise; he was quite familiar with the sect, which had occupied the Green River District for a considerable time after its fall.

"Hehe, the Artefact Sect was originally founded by an elder of the Nascent Soul powerhouse Fire Cloud Sect, almost like a branch of Fire Cloud Sect. There have been frequent exchanges for hundreds of years without interruption, and they have always been recognized within the Fire Cloud Sect. Who would dare to attack them?" Bai Yuqing laughed softly, then hastily reined in as if she sensed it inappropriate.

"So that’s how it is; I didn’t realize the Artefact Sect had such a strong background." Chen Li exclaimed.

It’s the sects without support that are wiped out.

Like the Everlasting Sect, which only had an existence of a little over a hundred years—without any profound foundation or backing, they may have been influential for a while, but once their Golden Core perished, they couldn’t even cling on to survival.

Following that, Chen Li asked about how to buy and which route to take, inquiring into every detail.

At first, Bai Yuqing patiently answered each of Chen Li’s questions in detail, but as he asked more, she quickly became impatient and tossed him a map: "Here’s a map of the surrounding areas; it marks all the dangerous places. You can take it back and study it carefully."

"I truly appreciate your help, Fellow Daoist," Chen Li said, bowing in thanks.

"Oh, it was nothing, just a simple effort!" Bai Yuqing hurriedly replied with courtesy, obviously relieved.

...

After getting things in order at home,

Chen Li rose to the sky with the Yuan Magnetism Evasion Skill early the next morning under the reluctant gaze of Zhou Hong and Zhang Shuniang.

Once he had flown a certain distance away from the sect, he immediately accelerated, his body shooting like a streak of light, swiftly disappearing into the horizon.

The straight-line distance between Luoluo City and the Artifact Domain’s White Stone City was over fifteen hundred li, but for Chen Li, who possessed a Max Level Yuan Magnetism Evasion Skill, such a distance was not considered far.

He took off in the dawn’s early light, stopping and flying intermittently, and by the time he saw the white Cultivation City from high above, the sun had only just begun to slope westward.

When Chen Li was still about ten or more li away from White Stone City, he quickly descended, darting into a roadside forest to find a secluded spot, where he took a Gathering Qi Elixir and rested a while to recover his spiritual power.

Once his spiritual power was mostly replenished, he changed his appearance and emerged from the woods, blending into the crowd heading towards the city.

Out of caution, he hadn’t worn the robes of the Returning True Sect before setting out, donning only an ordinary robe instead.

This was Chen Li’s first visit to the foreign realm, and everything seemed novel; what left the strongest impression on him was the abundance of Flying Boats that came and went frequently in the sky.

Especially near White Stone City, the only Cultivation City of the Artefact Sect.

Every now and then, a Flying Boat would ascend from within the city or descend to land.

Chen Li remembered that at one point, the Artefact Sect had planned to establish a Flying Boat route in the Green River District but hadn’t managed to do so before the sect’s Golden Core Ancestor fell.

This Cultivation City, true to its name, was built entirely of white stone, and under the blazing summer sun, it shone dazzlingly white—a striking sight, likely visible even from a hundred li away.

The city was far busier than Luoluo City, with dense traffic on the streets and cultivators frequently flying overhead on controlled instruments.

Chen Li roamed leisurely, feeling no urgency and looking around with high spirits, treating the visit as a sight-seeing tour.

Strolling along, it took him over an hour to reach White Stone City.

With no one to question his identity, Chen Li entered the city with the crowd, briefly exploring the place and realizing that its commerce was far more prosperous than in Luoluo City, with a particularly large number of Foundation Establishment cultivators.

In just a short walk of about ten minutes, he saw no fewer than three of them.

If Foundation Establishment cultivators concealed their presence and didn’t wish to be detected, it was very difficult to distinguish them, but they couldn’t deceive Chen Li, who had cast the Fortune Seeking and Disaster Avoiding Skill before entering the city.

The max-level Fortune Seeking and Disaster Avoiding Skill was like a sixth sense to him; no matter how well a Foundation Establishment concealed itself, Chen Li could keenly sense it.

"Most likely, there are many others like me who have come here to purchase Second Order Magic Artifacts!" Chen Li thought to himself.

He strolled along the roadside, browsing several magic artifact shops. Though he didn’t spot any Second Order Magic Artifacts, the First Order Magic Artifacts on display in the stores were etched with more intricate symbols and designs and were even cheaper than before. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Chen Li, seeing the good deal, couldn’t help himself and bought two sets of top-grade First Order robes for women in one of the robe stores, spending a total of eighty-five Mid-grade Spirit Stones.

One set was naturally for Zhou Hong.

The other set was for Zhang Shuniang.

Unlike Zhou Hong, who, over the years, had gradually accumulated several sets of top-grade robes,

Zhang Shuniang only had two sets to her name, one Low-grade robe and one Mid-grade robe, which Zhou Hong had bought for her, seeming rather pitiful.

After Chen Li purchased the robes and completed the payment, he inquired with the shopkeeper about the auction.

Because the market for Second Order Magic Artifacts was relatively small, the Artefact Sect typically sold them at auction.

He discovered he had arrived just in time, as there would be a large auction in White Stone City the day after next.

After leaving the robe shop and noticing it was already evening, he found a high-end inn with integrated dining and lodging to stay for a few days.

The exorbitant price of ten Low-grade Spirit Stones per day, not including meals, was enough to shock Qi Cultivation Loose Cultivators, but for the current Chen Li, it was but a trifle—hardly enough to compare with the sale of one Golden Light Body Protection Talisman.

The inn was expensive for a reason, as each room was protected by a formation that could block prying eyes and sound. Inside there was also a hot spring bath that was said to have special benefits.

Chen Li removed his robes and immersed himself in the hot spring.

Being out on his own, he had a sense of freedom as if he had escaped from a cage.

He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. Since coming to this world, he rarely bathed, as everything was taken care of by Cleaning Talismans/Techniques. This was his first time bathing in a hot spring.

The experience was quite pleasant.

Chen Li soaked for nearly an hour before rising from the bath.

Whatever the exact benefits of the hot spring were, he couldn’t tell, but after the bath, he did feel refreshed and invigorated, with his blood circulating smoothly. All the fatigue from his long journey seemed to have been washed away.

...

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, Chen Li headed to the White Stone City auction house.

"A Second Order Low-grade flying sword, almost a Mid-grade one." The appraiser at the auction house couldn’t help but size up Chen Li when he saw the item, but he wasn’t too surprised. The Artefact Sect was known for its Artifact Refining in the vicinity, and every time there was an auction, Foundation Establishments from outside came here.

"Is the ... predecessor really planning to auction it?" The appraiser asked tentatively, "This second-hand Second Order Low-grade flying sword may not fetch a high price!"

"Auction it," Chen Li said indifferently.

A Second Order Low-grade flying sword was of little use to him; he might as well auction it off for some money.

"Does the predecessor require a private room? The private room blocks Spiritual Sense, and the auctioned items can be delivered to the room immediately after the sale for trade. There is also a secret door for leaving discreetly."

This place indeed was a city of commerce, with thorough services, Chen Li thought to himself.

"Then, book one," he said.

"You need to pay one Mid-grade Spirit Stone."

Chen Li took out a Mid-grade Spirit Stone, completed the procedures, took a token marked with a room number, and walked out of the auction house. Afterwards, he had no interest in wandering around and simply went back to the inn to cultivate. All his meals were settled in the inn.

In just two short days, just the room and meal expenses had cost him nearly two Mid-grade Spirit Stones, enough for the average Loose Cultivator to spend for a year or two. This was indeed a rare indulgence for him.

Time flew by quickly.

The next morning, after breakfast and calculating that it was about time,

Chen Li went out and headed towards the auction house.

The place was bustling and crowded.

After showing the token, he was quickly guided through a secret door to a second-floor private room by the auction house attendant.

"Please take your time, Senior. If you need anything, just call me. I’ll be waiting right outside." After serving tea, fruits, and handing over an auction catalog, the attendant bowed deeply.

Chen Li nodded slightly.

Understanding the cue, the attendant respectfully retreated and gently closed the door.

Chen Li casually picked up the auction catalog booklet and skimmed through it quickly. The items at the front were mostly for Qi Cultivation cultivators. He read at a glance, rapidly passing over them, and soon reached the back.

"No wonder Bai Yuqing recommended coming here!"

There were so many Second Order items up for auction.

His Second Order Low-grade flying sword was listed near the front and was hardly noteworthy.

All kinds of formations, magical instruments, robes, and various precious materials and spiritual medicines were on display, dazzling to the eye. Compared to this place, Luoluo City was indeed a land of wilderness, with such auctions being a rare occurrence.

Fortunately for Chen Li, he quickly found what he wanted.

The Protector God Mirror, a Second Order Low-grade Magic Artifact, was fourth from last in the catalog, one of the finale items. Right behind it were a set of Second Order Mid-grade Formations, a Second Order High-grade Magic Artifact, and finally the climactic item, a Boundary-breaking Elixir meant for the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.

"I hope it’s not too expensive!"

He took a deep breath.