Hide in the world of gods and demons

Chapter 140 Introductory Ceremony
Two days later, the initiation ceremony took place.

Early in the morning, Chen Li was cleansed and dressed in the robes of the Zhenhuan Sect under the care of Zhou Hong.

Accompanied by an old Foundation Establishment cultivator, we hiked up the mountain, climbing step by step from the foot of the mountain. The mountain path was lined with Qi Refining disciples of the True Sect, looking like a long, winding dragon.

The atmosphere was quite lively.

This was a public appearance, and from now on, he would be a guest advisor of the Zhen Huan Sect, for at least the next twenty years.

These sect disciples were basically trained from a young age, and many of them were only eleven, twelve, or thirteen years old. When they looked at Chen Li, their expressions were a mixture of awe, envy, and slight admiration.

Although there is only one level difference between Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment, it is as if there is an insurmountable chasm between them. Even among sect disciples, most people here have no chance to step into the Foundation Establishment stage. How can they not feel awe and envy when facing Foundation Establishment?

Chen Li spotted Zhou Hong and Zhang Shuniang in the crowd.

Zhou Hong waved frantically at him, her face full of excitement.

Chen Li looked at her and nodded with a smile.

Accompanied by the old Foundation Establishment cultivator, he walked step by step to the entrance of the council hall, where Xia Hongyi, the head of general affairs, was already waiting. At the same time, more than ten Foundation Establishment cultivators also came to observe the ceremony.

As they were guest elders, the initiation ceremony was not as elaborate as it seemed. They simply knelt and kowtowed three times and nine times before the memorial tablets of the past sect leaders and elders, and the simple initiation ceremony was over.

The Zhenhuan Sect was founded more than 600 years ago.

A total of four Golden Core cultivators have emerged from this group.

On average, one every 150 years.

The current leader is the third generation.

The golden pills were never interrupted during that time.

Of course, on the other hand, if it had been interrupted, it wouldn't have continued to this day.

Under Xia Hongyi's introduction, Chen Li greeted each of the Foundation Establishment cultivators, and they returned the greetings one by one.

A dozen or so Qi Refining disciples came in, carried down the offering table, tidied it up, and replaced it with various spiritual fruits and tea snacks. The atmosphere then relaxed, and everyone took the opportunity to connect and chat.

“I recently found a trail of a second-tier demonic beast. I don’t think I can be too careful going alone. Are there any fellow cultivators who would like to go with me?” a Foundation Establishment cultivator said. This man was named Feng Qi. He had a middle-aged appearance and a strong build, giving off a strong sense of pressure.

For some reason, he had a lingering smell of medicine about him.

"You're broke again!" someone immediately joked.

"Hey, my cultivation technique is so expensive, it won't last long no matter how much money I have," Feng Qi said with a wry smile. "It's not as good as other fellow cultivators."

"How to divide?"

"The usual rule applies, based on the amount of effort put in!" Feng Qi said, "If Fellow Daoist Xiao is willing to go, I am willing to contribute six layers."

Fellow Daoist Xiao, whose surname is Xiao and given name is Yuan, looks old and is one of the six Foundation Establishment stage cultivators of the True Recognition Sect. He seemed somewhat tempted upon hearing this, but still cautiously said, "Two are not enough, three would be better, just to be on the safe side."

"Then there are three. Is there any other fellow cultivator willing to go?"

Soon another person joined them.

“Okay, the three of us will set off this afternoon. If everything goes smoothly, we can return that evening,” Feng Qi said excitedly, slapping his thigh.

"Where is Fellow Daoist Feng's cave dwelling? I plan to visit and buy some second-tier demon beast meat later," Chen Li asked from the side.

He had been out of stock of second-tier monster meat for a long time.

“That’s easy to do.” Feng Qi smiled broadly as business came knocking, and then told Chen Li the location of the cave: “I see that Fellow Daoist Chen is also a body cultivator. We can spar a bit then.”

"My meager skills are hardly worthy of being called a friendly exchange," Chen Li quickly said, cupping his hands in greeting.

"Haha, Fellow Daoist Chen, you're too modest!"

As the conversation progressed, the topic turned to things in the surrounding area.

"Sect Leader, I heard that the Red Mountain Sect and the Heavenly Star Sect are at odds again over the division of territory," said an elderly Foundation Establishment cultivator.

"Anyway, we gave them the land. Let them fight it out, even if they fight to the death. That place is a quagmire. Luckily, we got out early!" Xia Hongyi smiled slightly and said, "Although this place is remote and desolate, at least it's peaceful and there aren't so many messy troubles."

"Our ancestor was truly visionary!"

……

Through everyone's accounts, Chen Li gained a more or less understanding of the surrounding situation. Unlike the desolate wilderness here, the western hinterland was undoubtedly much more prosperous and bustling, with various factions huddled together. But where there are people, there is a world of martial arts, a struggle for interests, and grudges.

There was constant friction between the various factions.

They have to fight every now and then.

The annihilation of sects like the Changsheng Sect was not uncommon in the heart of the desolate west, though not a daily occurrence.

Everyone was engrossed in conversation, chatting until they had a banquet at noon, which concluded the initiation ceremony. Although Chen Li was the main character of the ceremony, he behaved in a rather conventional manner, speaking little and remaining completely unremarkable.

……

That evening, Chen Li paid a visit to Feng Qi's cave.

Feng Qi had returned from the hunt, looking completely unharmed and full of energy.

Unlike his cheerful and generous demeanor in the morning, he appeared somewhat cold and perfunctory when they met in private, and seemed a bit arrogant, clearly looking down on Chen Li, a newly promoted Foundation Establishment cultivator.

It wasn't until Chen Li proposed that he wanted to buy two thousand catties of monster meat that things changed.

A warm smile appeared on his face.

……

"It's really not cheap at all!" Chen Li sighed inwardly as he walked back.

The two thousand catties of second-tier demon beast meat cost him forty mid-grade spirit stones.

One pound of meat costs two low-grade spirit stones, which even he secretly felt a pang of pain.

"Once I reach the Foundation Establishment stage, money is flowing out like water. If I keep spending without earning anything, my savings won't last long!" Chen Li thought to himself.

He has already inquired about it.

Qi Gathering Pills, used for early Foundation Establishment cultivation, require three mid-grade spirit stones per bottle.

Based on six bottles per month, that's eighteen mid-grade spirit stones.

Of course, as a guest retainer, he would receive one bottle for free each month.

Even so, it still costs fifteen mid-grade spirit stones every month.

That's 180 per year.

Adding in the cost of second-tier demon beast meat and other miscellaneous expenses, it is estimated that the annual cost will be as much as 250 mid-grade spirit stones.

"hiss!"

It's not a big deal if you don't calculate it, but when you do, you'll be shocked.

He currently has only three thousand four hundred mid-grade spirit stones left.

It was all spent in less than fourteen years.

He has 222 years to live. If we deduct 14 years, he'll have 208 years left. How is he going to live them?

"Sigh, we're still poor!" Chen Li sighed.

"However, let's focus on improving our strength first. Making money isn't the priority right now. In this world, the strong are respected, and there's no peace anywhere. Without strength, you might not even survive fourteen years."

……

In the days that followed, Chen Li began to stay at home and devote himself to cultivation.

Whether it was because cultivation was inherently difficult after Foundation Establishment, or because his aptitude was truly lacking, his cultivation progress was extremely slow. He cultivated for over a month, consuming three bottles of Qi Gathering Pills, yet his progress remained unchanged.

During this period, he successfully researched and developed both exorcism techniques and clairvoyance techniques.

……

It must be said that, as a second-tier, first-level spell, the Clairvoyance Spell is quite powerful.

While casting the spell, his vision could easily penetrate walls and even stone floors to a depth of half a meter. What's more, this spell could automatically adjust the penetration depth at will, allowing him to see whatever he wanted.

It's like an automatic distance adjustment.

"Uncle, what are you looking at?" Zhang Shuniang asked curiously as she wiped the table.

"We're testing new techniques," Chen Li explained.

This technique, like the invisibility technique, is rather unorthodox. It's best to keep it a secret, otherwise people might think he's a pervert.

"Oh! No wonder your eyes are sparkling." Zhang Shuniang didn't dare to ask, but she felt that the uncle's eyes were terrifying, as if they were real.

'Will it glow while casting a spell?' Chen Li pondered to himself, realizing that this was a significant drawback.

It's not discreet enough.

It's easy for someone to find fault with you.

"However, this magic is truly..."

He suppressed his wildly beating heart, slowly walked out of the cave, and looked around with a curious expression.

Wherever the eye can see, whether inside a large tree or underground, nothing can hide.

On the narrow mountain path in the distance, one or two young Qi Refining disciples would occasionally walk by. Each of them was full of youthful vigor. Looking at these people, Chen Li felt that he was already old.

He watched for a while, until the effects of the spell began to falter and were about to fade, before turning around to return to his cave.

"Huh, this X-ray vision technique can actually see through the formation."

The illusion created by their own Five Elements Illusion Array seemed to be useless under the clairvoyance technique, and could be seen through at a glance.

“Low-level formations are useless.” He shook his head. “When I have money in the future, I must buy a higher-level formation. This is just too insecure.”

……

Summer passes and autumn comes.

Three months have passed in the blink of an eye.

The peaceful and stable life at Zhen Huan Sect gradually calmed Zhou Hong and Zhang Shuniang's initial anxiety about arriving in this unfamiliar place, and they began to integrate into everything here.

There are lectures here specifically for disciples practicing Qi cultivation.

Young children newly entering the sect receive various forms of introductory education, demonstrating that cultivation education begins from a very young age.

Compared to the independent cultivators who have to figure everything out on their own outside, acquiring knowledge here is undoubtedly many times easier. For this reason, Chen Li even approached Xia Hongyi, the head of the general affairs department, to ask for two outer disciple slots for Zhou Hong and Zhang Shuniang.

……

night!

In the quiet room.

Chen Li slowly pressed his hands down, ending a full cycle of cultivation.

He checked the game panel.

'Realm: Foundation Establishment Level 1: 2/100'

"Phew, finally a breakthrough." Chen Li let out a long breath. "It really wasn't easy!"

For more than four months, his cultivation level had not improved at all. Even though he knew in his heart that the progress would definitely accelerate as the level of his cultivation technique advanced, he couldn't help but feel a little discouraged.

"My talent for cultivation might really be lacking."

He felt a little regretful, but he quickly let it go. Otherwise, the original owner wouldn't have been stuck at the third level of Qi Refining at the age of forty. In terms of cultivation talent, he was far inferior to Zhang Shuniang, let alone Zhou Hong.

He glanced at the Longevity Technique.

"Mastery of the Foundation Building Chapter of the Longevity Technique: 386/400"

"It'll be only a few days before my cultivation technique advances to the expert level, and my cultivation speed will get faster and faster from now on."

(End of this chapter)