Hide in the world of gods and demons

Chapter 176 Flying Magical Instrument
Chen Li chatted idly with several familiar Foundation Establishment cultivators.

People would occasionally join the conversation. Chen Li was no longer the nobody he once was; many people came to get to know him because of his reputation.

It must be said that even now, Chen Li has not recognized all the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the True Realm Sect. At each gathering, many Foundation Establishment cultivators are either in seclusion, traveling, or stationed in various markets and towns.

"Alas, many familiar faces have disappeared!" Xiao Yuan sighed with a desolate expression. "The scene is much quieter now."

The atmosphere was somewhat silent.

Chen Li couldn't help but think of Guo Xingquan, who was his closest friend back then:
"Guo Xingquan, fellow Daoist, do you have any family?"

"Probably not. I remember Fellow Daoist Guo was a rogue cultivator who has always been alone. As for whether he has any relatives, I'm not sure." A middle-aged Foundation Establishment cultivator with a long beard thought for a moment and said, "A young Foundation Establishment cultivator like him still has aspirations for the path of cultivation. Why would he think about establishing a family and clan?"

"Alas, many people can't even find anyone to claim their compensation. So, it's still best to have offspring early, otherwise, if you die one day, it will be in vain. You can just bury them on some random mountain and no one will mourn you," another cultivator sighed.

"If you have an unfilial child, it's even more of a headache. Sometimes I wish I could just pinch them both to death, as if they had never been born."

"At worst, we can just avoid seeing our children and grandchildren and send them far away. Women are the real trouble. When they're young, they're jealous and possessive, and when they get older, they not only remain jealous but also nag incessantly. They have no self-awareness whatsoever, and they're repulsive. Just seeing them makes me angry!"

Chen Li listened with great interest to a group of middle-aged and elderly Foundation Establishment cultivators chatting about everyday matters.

After the ceremony, a lunch banquet was held, followed by a small exchange meeting, as is customary.

The price of second-tier magical artifacts has remained at a low level for nearly two years. It has now begun to slowly recover, but it is still pitifully low compared to before.

The number of foundations added each year in the surrounding area is limited. Chen Li estimates that it will take at least five to ten years for prices to return to their previous levels.

He wandered from stall to stall, looking for something that interested him.

His gaze suddenly fell on a wooden sign at one of the stalls, which read: "70% new, second-grade low-level spirit wood shuttle, price negotiable."

His eyes lit up.

Such low-level, small flying magical artifacts are rare.

Unlike ordinary flying swords and other magical artifacts, this thing is more like an array artifact than a magical artifact. The large flying ships of the True Soul Sect are of this type, only the latter are much larger and more expensive, and only behemoths like Golden Core sects can afford to buy them.

This magical artifact does not require its own spiritual power to fly; instead, it uses spirit stones as fuel and has its own defensive array. As long as the spirit stones are not exhausted, it can fly continuously.

Of course, the price is also unusual, higher than that of ordinary magic arrays of the same quality.

Considering the current situation within the sect, Chen Li felt it necessary to prepare something, just in case.

If he were traveling alone, he wouldn't need such a flying artifact. But he wasn't alone after all; he had a wife and concubines, and a family to support. If things went wrong, he wouldn't be able to escape easily.

"...It can accommodate five to eight people. When the defense is activated, it can withstand the attack of a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator wielding a mid-grade magic weapon for the duration of an incense stick."

...His defense is indeed rather average, but on the other hand, he saves spirit stones, and his speed isn't slow. Even fully loaded, he's still faster than a newly established Foundation Establishment cultivator. If I weren't in a hurry for money...

One person nitpicks, while the other points out the advantages.

After some haggling, Chen Li finally agreed to pay 23 high-grade spirit stones.

It was thanks to the low prices after the war that it could be considered a blessing; otherwise, it probably wouldn't have been enough for thirty high-grade spirit stones.

Chen Li put the spirit wood shuttle into his storage bag.

'Only twelve high-grade spirit stones left!' he sighed inwardly.

Fortunately, I've bought everything I needed to buy.

For a cultivator who is not even at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, the third-grade low-rank Demon-Slaying Sword, the second-grade mid-rank Water Moon Robe, the second-grade mid-rank Silver Frost Sword, the second-grade low-rank Divine Protection Mirror, and the second-grade low-rank Cloud-Walking Boots are already considered luxuries.

There are basically no major expenses in the short term.

As his cultivation level improved, his daily expenses, such as medicinal baths and pills, increased. The number of golden protective talismans he drew each day also increased. Now he can basically break even. Twelve high-grade spirit stones, if he spends them sparingly, can last him one or two years.

Even if all else fails, there's still a bloody fortune worth hundreds of high-grade spirit stones in the storage bag.

If you're willing to sell at a discount, you can immediately fill up an empty storage bag.

He checked the game panel:
Realm: Foundation Establishment Level 3: 57/100

'It won't take a year for me to reach the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.' He exhaled a breath of stale air, and his previously somewhat depressed mood became a little lighter.

From the third to the fourth floor, and from the sixth to the seventh floor.

This is a small qualitative change.

With his strength at that time, as long as the Golden Core cultivators didn't make a move, he could probably hold his own against most late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

……

Spring passed, summer came, and then autumn arrived. Time flowed by as Chen Li devoted himself to his arduous cultivation.

The night was as still as water, exceptionally quiet.

In the courtyard in front of the cave dwelling.

The two "Chen Li"s stood facing each other, making it difficult to distinguish the real from the fake.

The two 'people' each used a golden protective talisman. Although the illusory body was also controlled by Chen Li himself, he dared not be careless at all. If he accidentally got hit, it would really be fatal. After entering the Grandmaster level, the illusory body became more powerful, even terrifying.

The Illusionary Body Technique is originally a second-tier, third-level spell.

It is the most advanced technique that Chen Li has ever learned.

Reaching the Grandmaster level is comparable to a second-tier level six spell, and reaching the maximum level can even lead to a second-tier level seven spell – how terrifying!
Even though he hasn't reached the top level yet, the simulated spiritual power within his illusionary body is already comparable to the fifth level of Foundation Establishment, and even more than his real body.

This means that all the spells Chen Li has learned can be released through his illusory body.

In addition, there was that ghostly speed.

Unless he deliberately holds back, or uses a rebuke technique that has a fatal effect on the illusion, Chen Li has no chance of defeating 'him'.

Under the cover of night, a chilly autumn wind blew by, and a withered leaf swirled into the air.

The two moved instantly.

A barrage of low-level spells rained down like a sudden storm.

"A flick of spiritual energy!"

"Flash Technique!"

"Thunder in the Palm!"

……

Before the old spell's fluctuations had dissipated, a new spell struck, causing the air currents to surge and dust to rise.

The whole yard was making a constant crackling and popping sound.

Fortunately, the area was soundproofed and visually blocked by the array; otherwise, it wouldn't have been long before it was surrounded by onlookers.

Chen Li was multitasking, battling against himself, keeping himself incredibly busy.

Only by experiencing it firsthand can one truly understand how nauseating the Super Flash spell is. The instantaneous, continuous flashes of light almost completely merge into one, turning night into day, leaving a blinding white expanse in one's vision, making it impossible to see anything.

One can only barely distinguish objects through the Foundation Establishment Spiritual Sense, but spiritual sense is ultimately limited. It is more like a strong intuition, and can only make a rough judgment. It is not as intuitive and clear as the eyes.

Fortunately, the intensity of the battle is under one's own control, and one can choose according to their own budget.

"Traction Technique!"

"Ice Spell!"

……

As the spells were upgraded, even the powerful Golden Light Protection Spell, comparable to a level 4 second-tier spell, was shattered again and again in the face of such a ferocious and continuous attack. Gradually, the level of the spells they used became higher and higher, and the battle between the two moved from the ground to the air.

The two moved with lightning speed, constantly shifting and turning in mid-air, occasionally unleashing intense magical light.

The battle ended with Chen Li's spiritual energy almost running out.

After landing, Chen Li dispelled the illusion.

'Its weakness is too obvious,' Chen Li thought to himself, taking a deep breath.

An illusory body is, after all, a body existing only in a thought.

They have virtually no resistance to psychological attacks.

Even if a rebuke spell is partially neutralized by the golden amulet, it can still cause the illusionary body to lose its senses for a long time.

Of course, this refers to a max-level scolding technique comparable to a first-tier, seventh-level technique.

Ordinary scolding techniques are naturally not included in this category.

"Fortunately, mental attacks are rare. As long as we don't get too close during battle and release spells from a distance, there shouldn't be any major problems," Chen Li pondered.

P.S.: Sorry I'm half an hour late, this chapter counts as yesterday's.