Hide in the world of gods and demons

Chapter 119 War Approaching
After lunch, Chen Li braved the rain to visit Zhang Yan's house and inquire about his plans.

This time, Zhang Yan was decisive.

Without hesitation, he quickly agreed, which surprised Chen Li.

"Aren't you going to reconsider?" Chen Li asked curiously.

This is nothing like Zhang Yan!

That was too straightforward.

“What’s there to consider? I’m not stupid. A lot of people have moved to the foot of the mountain recently. I was just about to talk to you about it. We’re in the same boat,” Zhang Yan said.

"That's good!" Chen Li stood up and said, preparing to take his leave: "The situation has become increasingly chaotic lately, it's safer to stay at the foot of the mountain."

……

The spring rain was falling softly.

Every year at this time of year, the basement becomes damp and the rock strata drip water severely. Since he was moving out tomorrow, Chen Li simply took a day off.

Although it's a day off, there are still a few things to do, some big and some small.

The first thing was the procurement of blood ink.

The Golden Light Amulet is a Tier 1, Level 9 talisman, the highest level of talisman for the Qi Refining stage. To draw this kind of talisman, one must use Tier 2 Blood Ink. Commonly used Tier 1 Blood Ink is simply not suitable for drawing this kind of talisman.

Although there is a Qi Refining Perfection stage, in a sense, Qi Refining Perfection still falls within the scope of the ninth level of Qi Refining. It is just a state of reaching the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining, and it is not a separate realm classification.

Secondly, a batch of various cultivation supplies, such as elixirs, should also be purchased to cope with any unexpected events that may occur. In the event of war, the supply of these strategic materials by the Longevity Sect will inevitably be interrupted.

His biggest worry was the Foundation Establishment Pill. He didn't know if the Longevity Sect would continue to supply the Foundation Establishment Pill normally under the current circumstances.

Although he already had one, it was clearly not a sure thing.

Chen Li informed Zhou Hong, then put on a raincoat and a straw hat, and stepped into the rain.

The streets were deserted, with only a few pedestrians hurrying by.

He rushed to the medicine shop, took off his raincoat and bamboo hat, and handed them to the clerk.

"Shopkeeper, have the prices of Qi and Blood Pills and Qi-Replenishing Pills increased?" Chen Li asked.

To be honest, at his level of cultivation, the effects of these pills are getting weaker and weaker; they are better than nothing.

Just like this Qi and Blood Pill, its effect is far inferior to that of second-tier demon beast meat.

Unfortunately, second-tier demon beast meat is a rare commodity everywhere. In the past six months, he had not seen anyone selling it. Since the second-tier demon beast meat at home ran out, Chen Li started buying Qi and Blood Pills to replace it.

"Same price as always, how much do you want to buy?"

"Let's each have 150 bottles!" Chen thought for a moment and said, 150 bottles would be a six-month supply.

"A total of three thousand low-grade spirit stones!"

After paying, Chen Li rushed to the talisman shop and bought five jars of second-grade blood ink at a price of fifty low-grade spirit stones per jar, which he estimated would last him a long time. Finally, he went to the rice shop of the Longevity Sect and bought five hundred catties of mid-grade spirit rice before returning home.

……

night.

Inside the talisman-making room.

Chen Li took a book on the Yuan Magnetic Escape Technique and began to study it.

The Magnetic Gliding Technique is a first-order, ninth-level technique that utilizes the earth's magnetic field to glide between heaven and earth during flight. Its speed is considered the top flight technique in the Qi Refining stage.

He already possesses the Wind Control Technique, and has even reached the Grandmaster level in it, with effects comparable to a Tier 2 Level 1 spell. In terms of speed, it far surpasses flying with a top-grade flying sword. Learning another flying spell would clearly be redundant.

But after much deliberation, Chen Li finally decided to learn.

The Wind Control Technique is essentially only a first-tier, seventh-level technique, two levels lower than the Magnetic Glide Technique. At its peak, it is only a second-tier, second-level technique, while the Magnetic Glide Technique, if mastered, can reach the second-tier, fourth-level.

At that time, the two techniques can be seamlessly transitioned and exchanged.

"It's a pity I haven't been able to get my hands on the Golden Light Protection Technique." Chen Li sighed inwardly. "The Yu family might have it, but if they actively ask for it, the favor they'll owe them will only grow bigger... Sigh, let's keep looking, maybe we can find it at the auction!"

……

The rain had stopped early the next morning.

Chen Li and Zhou Hong went out and met up with Zhang Yan. Together they went to the foot of the mountain and found the manager in charge of renting houses.

“You rogue cultivators are all ungrateful wretches. At the slightest sign of trouble, you run away faster than anyone else. If it weren’t for the Longevity Sect providing cultivation resources and protection, you wouldn’t have the peace you have now. You should be grateful.”

The steward, who looked to be in his sixties or seventies, immediately fell into a long, drawn-out tirade when Zhang Yan mentioned moving here from Luanluo City: "It's only because the Longevity Sect has fallen on hard times that things have changed so much. Back when the Golden Core Ancestor was still around..."

"You old man, I'm just renting a place, why are you babbling so much nonsense?" Chen Li interrupted.

The manager snorted and stopped criticizing, but he remained unfriendly throughout the rest of the meeting, acting condescendingly and sarcastically during the introduction.

The group eventually chose a house near the outskirts and rented it.

"This person must have taken the wrong medicine!" Zhou Hong said after the old man left, feeling very angry on the way.

"These are, after all, people from the Longevity Sect. It's understandable that they're anxious about the current situation. Just ignore them," Chen Li said.

The Longevity Sect rarely recruits outside rogue cultivators. Its disciples are all trained from a young age, and they share the sect's glory and its downfall. They are extremely loyal to the sect. These old cultivators of the sect are used to the glory of the past, and they cannot easily accept their current decline.

"Alas, ever since the fall of the Golden Core Ancestor of the Longevity Sect, this land has never been peaceful," Zhang Yan sighed, his brow furrowed. "Nobody's having an easy time!"

……

Next, of course, came the move.

With the five-sided storage bag, everything became much more convenient. I only made two trips back and forth and packed up all my belongings to take with me.

"You're moving to the foot of the mountain!" Chen Li closed the door and saw Sun Yu next door.

“Yes!” Chen Li said with a smile.

He and this neighbor didn't see each other often; although they had lived together for a year and a half, they were still only nodding acquaintances. He greeted him and then took his leave.

Sun Yu watched Chen Li's retreating figure, hesitated, and finally sighed without saying anything.

……

Half a month later.

Inside the auction house.

Chen Li held an auction catalog and looked through it one by one.

"Why are there no Foundation Establishment Pills this time?" Before Chen Li could ask, a rogue cultivator next to him grabbed a guest and asked.

"Don't you even know what the situation is now? If you want the Foundation Establishment Pill, then join the Longevity Sect's recruitment. I'm telling you frankly, until the situation improves, nobody will get the Foundation Establishment Pill." The clerk angrily shook off his hand.

This high-level rogue cultivator, who was clearly at the ninth level of Qi Refining, dared not get angry and could only smile apologetically.

Upon hearing that there were no Foundation Establishment Pills or Golden Light Protection Techniques, Chen Li looked disappointed, put down the auction catalog, and turned to leave.

The situation deteriorated rapidly; in just half a month, the shadow of war loomed large.

A few days ago, the Longevity Sect began recruiting a large number of rogue cultivators, and the entire city of Luanluo was immediately filled with tension and the atmosphere of war. As a result, the prices of magical artifacts and talismans in Luanluo City more than doubled.

Although he had anticipated this and had been gradually acquiring them, he did not expect the situation to develop so quickly. By the time the prices skyrocketed, he had only acquired about fifty magical artifacts.
After working for seven or eight days, the total profit was only a little over a hundred mid-grade spirit stones.

I only made a little money.

What a waste of such a great opportunity!
……

The war between the two sides had nothing to do with most of the independent cultivators.

On the contrary, due to the demand stimulated by the war and the flow of people, the shantytown at the foot of the mountain became even more lively, with countless cultivators coming and going every day.

"I told you not to study badly! I told you not to study badly!"

As evening fell, a female cultivator grabbed a half-grown child, lifted his robe, and slapped him repeatedly on the bottom.

The child was covered in mud, but he had a stubborn temper and didn't utter a sound in the face of his mother's slap.

"Hitting the child again!" Chen Li said with a laugh as he went out.

These are a young widow and her child who live next door, and this kind of thing happens every few days.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, don't try to persuade him. This child is incredibly naughty. If we don't discipline him, he'll turn the world upside down. He's so young and he's already learned to steal." The female cultivator said through gritted teeth.

"I didn't steal it, I found it! I didn't steal it! I didn't steal it!" the child shouted, his neck stiff. "Someone died on the road just now, and I found it on the body when no one was around. I didn't steal it."

This child has shown promise since childhood.

Chen Li was at a loss for words upon hearing this.

"You...you...you're courting death! Everyone else avoids this kind of thing like the plague, yet you dared to touch a corpse...you dared to touch a corpse!" The female cultivator became angrier and more frightened as she spoke, looking left and right as if searching for something.
He quickly found a broom and started whipping his bottom hard.

The child screamed in pain, twisting and turning desperately, tears welling in his eyes.

Chen Li offered a perfunctory piece of advice and then stopped trying to persuade him.

That brat really deserves a beating.

This is too courageous.

If this continues, I could lose my life any day.

"Dinner's ready!" Zhou Hong's voice came from inside the house.

Chen Li reluctantly withdrew his gaze and turned back to the courtyard.

……

night.

A specially designated quiet room that also serves as a talisman-making room.

"call……"

Chen Li exhaled and slowly pressed his hands down, ending his cultivation session.

He checked the game panel.

"It's much slower now!" Chen Li thought to himself.

The concentration of spiritual energy here is incomparable to that of Luanluo City. He was slightly disappointed, but quickly put it at ease. It would only delay him a little, which was insignificant compared to the safety risks.

Moreover, this place is at least much better than Green River Lane.

Chen thought for a moment, then took out a small black sword from his storage bag and twirled it nimbly between his fingers.

This flying sword came from Zhou Xutang and belongs to the category of second-tier magic weapons.

Unfortunately, although he had already refined it, perhaps due to the limitations of his cultivation, he always felt somewhat powerless when wielding this flying sword.

Unlike his second-tier magic sword, which can be used immediately.

"go with!"

The flying sword took flight with a clang.

It flew around the room once and then quickly returned to my hand.

Chen Li played with the flying sword for a while, then put it back in his storage bag: "It seems I can only use it after I reach the Foundation Establishment stage."

He got up from the futon and continued his study of the Yuan Magnetic Escape Technique.

He chanted the incantation silently, his fingers rapidly forming hand seals.

Not long after.

The earth's magnetic field became disordered, static electricity flashed in the air, and the table began to shake. This strange phenomenon lasted for a few seconds before abruptly disappearing. He closed his eyes and experienced it for a while.

Pick up a pen and start taking notes.

In the past four years, Chen Li has learned sixteen different techniques on his own.

Among them, the four that have been mastered to the highest level.

There are also a considerable number of master-level and grandmaster-level masters.

These levels aren't skills from a game; they're based on my own genuine insights and understanding.

Just like the palm strike technique at its peak.

He can mix and combine the original three syllables of a spell into a completely new spell, making its casting speed comparable to Flash of Light. This is a manifestation of his complete understanding of spells.

This is a skill that an ordinary person could never learn even after a lifetime of practice.

In terms of understanding of magic, even ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators are probably no match for him.

Especially this kind of first-order spell.

For Chen Li, learning was a breeze, and he mastered it with ease.

“The seventy-second test!” Chen Li put down his pen.

He made slight adjustments to the plan and tried it again.

He took a deep breath.

Close your eyes and calm your mind!
Then he opened his eyes.

execration,

seal.

All the steps were practiced and executed smoothly and effortlessly.

Another strange phenomenon occurred, and for a moment, Chen Li seemed to resonate with a certain energy.

"Crack!"

Electromagnetic light suddenly flashed.

"Om..."

With a buzzing sound, the body suddenly floated up.

"It's done!" Chen Li thought with joy.

It took no more than fifteen days in total.

This top-tier Qi Refining stage technique has been officially mastered!
In his excitement, he couldn't help but have a slight thought, and then he heard a "boom" as his body crashed straight into the wooden wall.

"Grass!"

Chen Li cursed under his breath and quickly dispelled the spell.

Startled awake by the loud commotion, Zhou Hong, dressed only in a silk undergarment, quickly came from the bedroom: "What happened?"

"There was a slight mishap," Chen Li said, looking annoyed, as he brushed the sawdust off his clothes.

"You startled me! Aren't you more careful? Are you alright?" Zhou Hong gave him a charming glare.

"No, not at all. With my physique, it's hard for me to get injured." Chen Li chuckled when he saw her pick up the broom to sweep, then scooped her up in his arms and tossed her into the bedroom: "Why sweep? I'll take care of it tomorrow!"

……

afterwards.

The two embraced and whispered secrets to each other:
"You don't know yet, do you? Zhang Yan got beaten up again a few days ago!" Zhou Hong, exhausted from the ordeal, nestled in Chen Li's arms without moving and said softly.

"Ah, what happened?" Chen Li asked in surprise.

"It's all about fighting over a stall. I got into a conflict with someone and ended up getting slapped a few times. Shuniang told me all this secretly," Zhou Hong said with a smile.

“No wonder, I haven’t seen him lately,” Chen Li said.

Zhang Yanren is incompetent, has a bad temper, and is very concerned about his image, so it's not surprising that he got beaten up.

He used to run a stall too.

You often encounter some unreasonable and domineering people.

If you don't humble yourself and say nice things, you might get beaten up, or even lose your life.

"Don't mention this to Zhang Yan, or Shu Niang will be in trouble," Zhou Hong reminded her.

"Don't worry! I'm not a gossip," Chen Li said with a smile.

"So you mean I am!" Zhou Hong lightly patted Chen Li, feigning annoyance.

"No, no!" Chen Li quickly coaxed, "It was completely unintentional, and besides, you don't have a long tongue."

P.S.: Adjust the time.

(End of this chapter)