Living steadily in the world of gods and mystery

Once the door was closed, Chen Li quickly took off his Taoist robe.

At least for the short term, he didn't want to wear it again.

"Such bad luck!"

"This world is too dangerous!"

Chen Li firmly decided that he should go out less if it was possible.

Remembering that old cultivator's gloomy and slightly crazed expression made him feel goosebumps on his skin, and even his own home seemed not that safe anymore. He stopped his wild thoughts after doubting everything for a while.

It was strange to think that since he had crossed over to this world yesterday, almost a day had gone by without eating.

Surprisingly, his stomach didn't feel very hungry.

"I must be too hungry to feel it!" he touched his belly.

For the sake of his own health, Chen Li thought he should put something in his stomach.

At the age of forty, it was also time to start learning how to maintain one's health.

If he turned out like that possessed old cultivator, indifferent to women without the slightest ripple in his heart, it would be too late for regrets.

What would be the purpose of longevity then?

Chen Li went to the kitchen, which combined the dining area and the kitchen. The air was smoky with hints of rot and earth, not pleasant, but bearable.

The stove was similar to the traditional stoves in rural areas, just cruder.

With his rich experience in cooking outdoors since childhood, Chen Li figured it out after just a short while.

He took some spirit rice from the rice bin and washed it clean.

Soaked in water, the spirit rice became crystal clear, like beautiful gems that were very pleasing to the eye.

Leaving other things aside, just by its appearance, it would be a luxurious delicacy on Earth.

He put the washed rice into the pot, added the right amount of water, then lit the firewood using the Fire-Starting Skill to start cooking. Soon, an unfamiliar but fragrant aroma began to spread.

It seemed to coax out a sense of hunger.

Unable to help himself, Chen Li's mouth watered and his saliva went into overdrive. His stomach, which hadn't been very hungry, also began to rumble.

After a few minutes, when he felt it was cooked enough, he extinguished the firewood.

Then, after letting it simmer for about ten more minutes, he couldn't wait any longer and lifted the lid.

A rich, tempting fragrance instantly hit his nose.

"Gulped,"

Chen Li couldn't help but swallow.

"Not enough cooking, but just with this aroma, I can eat three big bowls without any dishes," Chen Li murmured to himself.

Although he didn't have any dishes in the first place.

He served himself a full big bowl of rice. The grains, having absorbed water, looked even more lustrous and rounded. Disregarding the heat, he eagerly dug in with his chopsticks.

"Delicious!"

Although the rice was slightly undercooked and the fire control during cooking could have been better,

It didn't affect the natural taste of the spirit rice at all.

High-end ingredients truly often only need the simplest cooking methods. A few mouthfuls in, and his entire stomach felt wonderfully warm.

Chen Li, who hadn't seen much of the 'world,' wolfed down his food. In a few minutes, he had cleaned out the full big bowl of rice.

He leaned back in his chair, touching his belly in extreme satisfaction, feeling too lazy to move a muscle.

"Wait, I can't waste this opportunity," he suddenly remembered something and quickly went back to his bedroom to sit in meditation and practice.

...

"Hoo!"

It wasn't long before Chen Li exhaled a long breath.

He calmed his restless spiritual power for a while and slowly ended his first session of cultivation.

He looked at his attribute panel with hopeful anticipation.

Besides an increase of 1 point in the proficiency of Longevity Skill, there was no progress in his realm.

He was somewhat disappointed, but he quickly came to terms with it.

The original owner of the body had been a Loose Cultivator with mediocre talent, which explained why even in his later years, he was still stuck at the third level of Qi Cultivation.

Even in his previous life, he hadn't been anything extraordinary.

Born into an ordinary family, attended an ordinary high school, and it took a herculean effort just to get into an average university. After graduation, he found an ordinary job, earning a normal salary. If nothing unexpected happened, he would probably end up marrying an average-looking woman who could live a practical life.

The repeated beatings from society made him learn to abandon those unrealistic fantasies and to come to terms with his own mediocrity.

...

For the following several days, Chen Li did not step out of his house, thoroughly living a shut-in life.

Every day he would draw talismans and practice Qi cultivation.

Whenever he was tired, he rested, and when hungry, he ate.

Life was incredibly fulfilling, and his body not only didn't lose weight, but he actually gained some extra pounds.

In that period, his progress in drawing talismans surged. After the Cleaning Talisman, he conquered the Silencing Talisman and the Path-Finding Talisman in succession. He even spared some time to learn a simple spell, and his proficiency in the Longevity Skill improved rapidly as well.

The only thing that didn't budge was his progress at the third level of Qi cultivation, with absolutely no advancement.

Chen Li had come to terms with it; there wasn't anything to care about. Once he got accustomed to this world and mastered a skill, after saving up some money, he planned to move to the world of mortals.

By then, he would buy fertile land and live in a large house.

He would eat delicious food every day, drink spicy drinks, and maybe marry a few beautiful women.

Wouldn't that life be sweeter than his current existence, skulking around the slums, daily engaging in fruitless cultivation without any hope?

However, as the rice container gradually emptied, anxiety in Chen Li's heart started to grow day by day.

At dusk, Chen Li looked at the dwindling supply of Spirit Rice and sighed.

"There's only enough for two more meals."

"I can't delay any longer; I must make a trip to the market first thing tomorrow morning!" he solemnly resolved.

He always felt unprepared for everything.

After dinner, weighed down with concerns, Chen Li began to prepare for his outing the next morning.

"Take all talismans... Gold, take half... In case the talismans don't sell, I can still exchange it for some ordinary food!"

Not all cultivators were above worldly needs; most who visited the market were simple Loose Cultivators, living lives no different from ordinary civilians, and Chen Li remembered many hunted for a living.

"Right, I must also bring the sword. Ah, if only I had learned some swordsmanship."

Chen Li picked up the sword and, after awkwardly swinging it a few times, carefully sheathed it again, with a look of annoyance on his face.

He decided then and there that he would definitely practice his swordsmanship once he returned from his trip the next day.

It was always good to have more skills.

Maybe at a critical moment, it could save his life.

...

That night, Chen Li experienced insomnia once again after a long while.

The next day, early in the morning while it was still dim, he opened his bloodshot eyes, did a brief meditation, and once it was completely light, he began putting on his Taoist robe, placing each Willow Leaf Dart inside his belt, gently stroking them. Then he added the sword.

He was still wearing the same Taoist robe as before.

Chen Li had considered burning or throwing it away.

But he soon realized it was the only one he had.

Now that he was going out, he had to continue wearing it for the sake of appearance, despite feeling reluctant. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Chen Li really didn't want to criticize the original owner, but sometimes he couldn't help it.

He had money to spend at brothels, so why couldn't he buy a few sets of clothes to change into?

He took out a Cleaning Talisman, and with a flick of his hand, it quickly burned away. Following an invisible force, the entire Taoist robe immediately looked as clean as new.

FInally, he picked up the bag with the gold and stood at the door.

After taking a few deep breaths,

he pushed the door open.