Hide in the world of gods and demons

Chapter 144 Guardian Mirror

Chen Li stepped out of the cave. Outside, the moon was bright and the stars were few, and the insects were chirping noisily.

He paced back and forth, calculating in his mind.

"The second-tier mid-grade jade sword I have is sufficient for someone in the early stage of Foundation Establishment. The second-tier low-grade flying sword magic weapon I obtained from Zhou Xutang... well, forget about it, it's not as powerful as the Zhou Tiangang Force."

Now all that's missing is a magical artifact to protect the soul.

The thought of the mysterious red jade being inexplicably shattered by evil spirits on its way back from corvée labor caused him a pang of pain in his heart.

From his current perspective, that mysterious red jade artifact should be in the category of top-grade first-tier. It could not only defend against his max-level scolding technique, but also withstand a mental attack from that Foundation Establishment level evil spirit.

Although it eventually shattered, it still managed to block the light.

Unfortunately, while the True Sect was good at alchemy, their weapon crafting was only so-so.

Ordinary first-tier magic artifacts are fine, but second-tier ones and special soul-protecting magic artifacts won't work.

"We still need to find a way to get another one!"

Staying at the mountain gate is perfectly safe, so there's not much need for that.

However, when traveling and carrying out sect missions, one must still be careful.

There is only one life.

No amount of caution is too much.

"I'll ask a Foundation Establishment cultivator I know tomorrow."

……

Early the next morning.

Chen Li then went to visit Bai Yuqing, who lived next door.

The two took their seats as host and guest, and a maid quickly served tea before respectfully leaving.

After exchanging brief pleasantries, Chen Li explained his purpose.

"If you want to buy a second-tier magic weapon, you can go to the Artifacts Sect or the Heavenly Star Sect!" Bai Yuqing said calmly.

"The Artifacts Sect is still around? Didn't they say that their Golden Core Ancestor had perished?" Chen Li asked curiously. He was quite familiar with this sect. After Green River Workshop fell, it was occupied by the Artifacts Sect for a considerable period of time.

"Hehe, the Artifact Sect was originally founded by an elder of the Nascent Soul Sect, the Fire Cloud Sect. It is almost like a branch of the Fire Cloud Sect. For hundreds of years, there has been frequent contact between them without interruption. They are all registered in the Fire Cloud Sect. Who do you think would dare to invade?" Bai Yuqing chuckled, then seemed to sense something was amiss and quickly suppressed her laughter.

"So that's how it is. I didn't expect the Artifacts Sect to have such a grand background," Chen Li exclaimed.

Those who were eliminated were all those without powerful backers.

Sects like the Longevity Sect have only been established for a little over a hundred years. They lack both foundation and background. Even if they were once powerful, once the Golden Core cultivators perish, they cannot even prolong their existence.

Next, Chen Li inquired about how to buy it and which route to take.

Bai Yuqing was initially patient, answering Chen Li's questions carefully one by one. However, after a while, she became impatient and threw out a map: "This is a map of the surrounding area. Various dangerous places are marked on it. Fellow Daoist can go back and study it carefully."

"I'm truly sorry to have bothered you, fellow Daoist," Chen Li said, bowing with his hands clasped in thanks.

"Not at all, it was just a small favor!" Bai Yuqing quickly replied politely, finally letting out a sigh of relief.

……

After Chen Li settled things at home...

Early the next morning, amidst Zhou Hong and Zhang Shuniang's reluctance to part, she used the Yuan Magnetic Escape Technique to soar into the sky.

After flying a distance from the mountain gate, he immediately accelerated, his body like a streak of light, and soon disappeared into the horizon.

The straight-line distance between Luanluo City and Baishi City in the Artifact Domain is more than 1,500 li, but for Chen Li, who possesses the max-level Yuan Magnetic Escape Technique, such a distance is not far at all.

They took off while it was still barely dawn, stopping and flying intermittently along the way. By the time they saw the white cultivation city from high above, the sun was just beginning to set.

When they were still more than ten miles away from White Stone City, Chen Li quickly landed, disappeared into the roadside woods, found a secluded spot, took a Qi Gathering Pill, and meditated for a while to recover his spiritual power.

Once his spiritual energy had recovered to about 70-80%, he changed his appearance, walked out of the forest, and blended into the crowd heading to the city.

As a precaution, Zhen Huanzong did not wear his robes before setting off, but only wore an ordinary robe.

This was Chen Li's first time in the outer realm, and everything was incredibly new and exciting. What impressed him most about this realm was the abundance of flying boats that frequently traveled through the sky.

Especially near Baishi City, the only cultivation city in the Qiwu Sect.

Every so often, a flying boat would take off from or land in the city.

Chen Li remembered that the Artifact Sect had planned to establish a flying boat route in Green River Workshop, but before it could be set off, the Golden Core Ancestor of the Artifact Sect perished.

This cultivation city, true to its name, is entirely built of white giant stones. Under the scorching summer sun, it looks dazzlingly white and is quite eye-catching. It can probably be faintly seen from hundreds of miles away.

This place is significantly more bustling than Luanluo City, with dense crowds of pedestrians on the streets and cultivators flying in the air on magical artifacts everywhere.

Chen Lixing was in high spirits and not in a hurry. He looked around as he walked, treating the place as a tourist attraction.

He walked slowly, and it took him more than an hour to reach White Stone City.

No one questioned his identity. Chen Li followed the crowd into the city and took a quick look around. He found that the commerce here was far more prosperous than that of Luanluo City, and there were many Foundation Establishment cultivators.

In just over ten minutes, we spotted at least three of them.

If someone at the Foundation Establishment stage conceals their aura and intentionally tries not to be detected, it is actually very difficult to discern their true nature. However, this was not something that could be hidden from Chen Li, who had used a technique to avoid misfortune and seek good fortune before entering the city gate.

His maxed-out ability to avoid misfortune and attract good fortune was like a sixth sense to him; no matter how well a Foundation Establishment cultivator concealed their presence, Chen Li could still keenly sense them. "I guess most of them are people like me who come here to buy second-tier magic artifacts!" Chen Li thought to himself.

He strolled along the roadside and visited several magic artifact shops. Although he didn't see any second-tier magic artifacts, the first-tier magic artifacts left in the shops were more refined in terms of both the etching of runes and the style, and even the prices were much cheaper.

Seeing the good value, Chen Li couldn't resist buying two sets of women's top-grade first-tier robes at a robe shop, spending a total of eighty-five mid-grade spirit stones.

A set was naturally given to Zhou Hong.

The other set was given to Zhang Shuniang.

Unlike Zhou Hong, who has acquired several sets of top-quality robes over the years.

Zhang Shuniang only owns two sets of robes so far: a low-grade robe and a mid-grade robe, which Zhou Hong bought for her. She looks rather pitiful.

After buying the robe and paying for it, Chen Li inquired about the auction with the shopkeeper.

Second-tier magical artifacts are generally sold through auctions due to their small market size.

I realized I'd arrived at just the right time; there's a large auction in Whitestone City the day after tomorrow.

After leaving the robe shop, seeing that it was already evening, he found a high-end inn that offered both food and lodging and settled in, planning to stay there for a few days.

The exorbitant price of ten low-grade spirit stones a day, not including meals, would be enough to make any Qi Refining cultivator gasp in astonishment, but for Chen Li now, it was just a drop in the ocean, not even enough for him to sell a single Golden Light Amulet.

The inn is expensive for a reason. Each room is equipped with a protective array to block prying eyes and sound. There is also a hot spring bath inside, which is said to have special uses.

Chen Li took off his robe and soaked in the hot spring.

When a person is away from home, he feels a sense of freedom, as if he has escaped from a cage.

He closed his eyes and exhaled. Since coming into this world, he had rarely taken a bath, as everything was done with cleansing talismans/spells. This was the first time he had ever soaked in a hot spring like this.

The experience was excellent.

Chen Li soaked in the bath for nearly an hour before getting up.

He couldn't sense any special benefits of the hot spring, but after soaking in it, he felt refreshed and his blood was flowing smoothly. The fatigue from the long flight was completely gone.

……

Silent all night.

The next morning, Chen Li went to the auction house in Baishi City.

"A second-tier low-grade flying sword, close to mid-grade." The auction house's appraiser couldn't help but glance at Chen Li when he saw the item he had taken out, but he wasn't too surprised. The Artifact Sect was famous in the surrounding area for its artifact refining skills, and Foundation Establishment cultivators from other places would come here whenever there was an auction.

"Senior... are you really going to auction it off?" the appraiser asked tentatively. "This second-hand, low-grade second-tier flying sword won't fetch a very high price!"

"Go ahead and take the picture!" Chen Li said coldly.

A second-tier low-grade flying sword is of little use to him; he might as well auction it off for some money.

"Senior, would you like a private room? The private room is isolated from spiritual senses. After the auction, the auctioned items can be delivered to your door for the transaction. There is also a separate secret door for you to leave directly. It is quite secluded."

"This is indeed a commercial city; the service is excellent," Chen Li thought to himself.

"Then let's book one!"

"You need to pay one mid-grade spirit stone."

Chen Li took out a mid-grade spirit stone, completed the formalities, received a token marked with a room number, and left the auction house. He had no interest in browsing any further and simply returned to the inn to cultivate, where he ate all his meals.

In just two days, the room and food expenses alone cost nearly two mid-grade spirit stones, enough for an ordinary rogue cultivator's expenses for one or two years. It was a rare luxury for them.

Time passed in a flash.

The next morning, after breakfast, I calculated that it was almost time.

Chen Li then walked out the door and headed to the auction house.

The place was already bustling with activity and crowded with people.

After showing the token, they were quickly led through a secret door to a private room on the second floor by the auction house attendant.

"Please enjoy your meal, senior. If you need anything, please feel free to call me. I'll be waiting at the door." After serving tea, fruit, and an auction catalog, the host bowed and said.

Chen Li nodded slightly.

The guest immediately understood, respectfully backed away, and gently closed the door behind him.

Chen Li casually picked up the auction catalog and quickly flipped through it. The first few items were mostly for Qi Refining cultivators, so he quickly skimmed through them and soon moved on to the later ones.

"No wonder Bai Yuqing recommended this place!"

There are too many Tier 2 items being auctioned here.

His second-tier low-grade flying sword was only among the top ranks, completely unremarkable.

Various formations, magical artifacts, robes, and all sorts of precious spiritual materials and herbs were on display. Compared to this place, Luanluo City was truly a wild and untamed land, with auctions of this caliber being extremely rare.

Chen Li was lucky and quickly found what he wanted.

The Guardian Mirror, a second-tier low-grade magic artifact, is the fourth from the bottom in the catalog, making it one of the final auction items. Following it are a second-tier mid-grade formation, a second-tier high-grade magic artifact, and the final item, a Breakthrough Pill used for breaking through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.

"Hopefully it won't be too expensive!"

He took a deep breath.

(End of this chapter)