Living steadily in the world of gods and mystery

Xiao Yuan’s residence was also located within Red Pillar City.

He led Chen Li through numerous turns and down alleys, finally stopping in front of a narrow door.

"This is it," Xiao Yuan said as he fished out a key and twisted it several times in the lock before finally opening the copper lock and pushing the door open.

Chen Li followed him inside.

It was a small courtyard, occupying no more than half an acre, without even a Formation arranged.

For a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, this truly seemed rather embarrassing and cramped.

Even, if he wasn’t mistaken, the house seemed to be rented as well.

But this shouldn’t be.

Xiao Yuan’s destitution hadn’t reached this extent.

Back when the Tianxing Sect was annihilated, they had all made a killing, each earning a substantial fortune. For instance, Chen Li himself had obtained more than two hundred Top-grade Spirit Stones, and Xiao Yuan, whose gains were second only to Chen Li’s, had also obtained nearly two hundred.

And now, in less than three short years, it was all gone?

"I am ashamed that my humble abode is so modest; I’ve made Fellow Daoist laugh," Xiao Yuan said with an embarrassed expression.

"How did you end up in this state..." Chen Li said, shocked.

"Alas, it’s a long story," Xiao Yuan sighed, his face filled with gloom.

After the two of them sat down.

Xiao Yuan began to recount the details from the beginning. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

After the Elder Ancestor’s self-explosion brought a glimmer of survival for the sect’s disciples,

everyone began to scatter and flee for their lives.

Xiao Yuan was among them; he didn’t dare run toward the surroundings but chose to head directly for Red Pillar City, just like Chen Li.

He had no wives or children, alone in the world.

Most of his wealth was packed in storage bags, carried with him.

Though the sect’s gate had been destroyed and they had lost the protection of the sect, in other aspects, their losses weren’t significant.

The journey to Red Pillar City went smoothly.

But his luck ended there.

Upon arriving in Red Pillar City, perhaps he let his guard down. Just as he was about to find an inn to stay in and was ready to pay, he reached for his storage bag and broke out in a cold sweat. Where was his storage bag? The three storage bags on him had vanished without a trace, not one left.

The storage bags all had Divine Sense marks left on them.

But this was of no use whatsoever.

Just as he sensed their location, the marks were erased by someone, one after another.

Red Pillar City wasn’t a deserted wilderness with few people; it was bustling with a dense crowd, with people constantly coming and going.

How could he possibly find the thief in the crowd then?

What was even more unfortunate was that he had put his Magic Artifacts into the storage bags when entering the city, leaving him with only a Second Order mid-grade Magic Robe of some value on his body, without anything else of worth.

This bolt from the blue almost plunged him into depression.

He was not like Chen Li, who had a special skill in talisman-drawing to make a living.

He neither knew how to draw talismans, nor did he know Artifact Refining or Alchemy; he only had his cultivation.

To survive in Red Pillar City, he had to sell his Second Order mid-grade Magic Robe at a greatly reduced price, buying a new Second Order mid-grade Magic Artifact and a set of Second Order low-grade Magic Robes.

On regular days, he would go to the nearby forests to gather herbs and hunt demons, or take on odd jobs in the city.

A cultivator of mid-stage Foundation Establishment had been reduced to living as if he were a Qi Cultivation Loose Cultivator.

After hearing all this, Chen Li didn’t know what to say.

"Those bastard offspring, I wish I could eat their flesh, drink their blood. Over the past half year, I’ve scoured the nearby Cultivation Cities but never managed to find a trace of my stolen belongings," Xiao Yuan said, grinding his teeth in anger, cursing fiercely with a deep-seated resentment that seemed to pierce the sky.

"So much time has passed; they’re probably scattered all over the place. No matter how much you search, it’s pointless. Wealth is just an external possession; as long as you’re unharmed, that’s what matters. Lots of these people, after stealing money, go as far as to take lives. If you ask me, you should count yourself lucky that you were only robbed," Chen Li said, trying to console him.

But clearly, Xiao Yuan couldn’t empathize with such reasoning.

He looked at Chen Li, wearing a Second Order top-grade Magic Robe that radiated a rich aura of spirit energy.

His expression darkened even more.

"I know all that well enough," Xiao Yuan sighed, appearing listless as he spoke, "But when it comes to oneself, the frustration just builds up in the heart, unable to let go. Anyway, enough about me. Let’s talk about you."

"I... I don’t have much to say, that’s just how it is."

He was surrounded by wives and concubines, held a huge fortune, and led a content life.

On ordinary days, he would draw talismans, practice Qi Cultivation, temper his body; his cultivation progressed smoothly without any troubles.

Life was even more leisurely and comfortable than during his time at the Returning True Sect.

Now there was no one above him to control his actions; he could do whatever he wished, and no one forced him into service or slaughter.

Of course, he couldn’t possibly say this to Xiao Yuan.

It would be far too cruel after all.

It was like rubbing salt into his wounds.

Chen Li had intended to bring up the matter of those remnants of the Tianxing Sect, but after some thought, he decided against it.

Whether he mentioned it or not didn’t really matter.

It would only expose himself.

There were still survivors from the Tianxing Sect.

Aside from the female cultivator Feng Min who Chen Li had spared, there was another who had drifted into the outside world.

No one could guarantee that they wouldn’t hear this news.

After all, a secret is only a secret when one person knows it; once a second person is aware, it is no longer a secret.

Even though the likelihood was low.

But why should he invite trouble and take that gamble?

He changed the subject to ask about other disciples who had come to Red Pillar City.

"Wen Hui and Peng Yan, the married couple, and Fellow Daoist Ding Jian have all arrived," Xiao Yuan said. "Oh, Ding Jian was noticed by a Golden Core elder of Huoyun Sect and has been taken in as a disciple, joining Huoyun Sect."

"What?" Chen Li expressed his surprise upon hearing this.

He had to admit he was feeling a bit envious.

Ding Jian was truly blessed by the heavens.

He achieved Foundation Establishment at twenty.

Then he was taken in as a Direct Disciple by the old ancestor.

While others had to serve, he did not.

Even during the attack on the Tianxing Sect, when the old ancestor personally led the assault.

He still hadn’t made an appearance.

As a Golden Core Seed, his status in the Returning True Sect was indeed extraordinary.

If one were to discuss the degree of the old ancestor’s regard for him, even Sect Leader Hongyi might not compare.

After all, in the old ancestor’s eyes, Ding Jian was the true successor.

He had thought that with the destruction of the Returning True Sect’s mountain gate, the other would become a Loose Cultivator just like himself. Unexpectedly, while one man’s fate zigged, another’s zagged; in the blink of an eye, the other had become a Golden Core disciple, joining the Nascent Soul grand sect Huoyun Sect, and ascended to greater heights.

"Hard to believe, isn’t it? That’s a Golden Core Seed for you. Precious wherever he goes," Xiao Yuan sighed. "It’s a pity that we only have a nodding acquaintance with Ding Jian; we can’t even call it a friendship. Otherwise, establishing that connection would make life in Red Pillar City so much easier for us in the future."

At that moment, Chen Li’s mind raced as he remembered something.

He carefully recalled the situation.

Indeed, he hadn’t seen Ding Jian when Bai Niao attacked their sect.

So, where was he at that time?

Had the old ancestor called him aside, or had he been with the old ancestor all along?

He suspected that, before the old ancestor decided on a path of self-destruction, he had likely left all his possessions to Ding Jian.

Other things, even a Golden Core cultivator’s Magic Artifact, didn’t make him too covetous.

However, he had to acquire the later parts of Longevity Skill related to the Golden Core stage.

This was crucial for his future path.

His mind spun with thoughts that flashed by, and he soon said with a smile, "After all, since we were once sectmates, there’s bound to be some sentiment... Didn’t Fellow Daoist Wen join by marriage from the Hongshan Sect? Why haven’t the couple returned to the Hongshan Sect?"

"I’m not too sure about that," Xiao Yuan replied. "But people from the Hongshan Sect have always been a little odd, always seeming a bit sinister; maybe they just didn’t want to go back."