Hide in the world of gods and demons

Chapter 58 The Situation Deteriorates
In the days that followed, every night when all was quiet, Chen Li would practice how to engage in close combat while using the 'Traction Technique'.

The more I practice, the more I feel the powerful effect of the traction technique.

First, when running within the Dharma Domain, one cannot feel the slightest resistance from the wind. This is not because the 'Wind Transformation' array embroidered in the Dharma Robe transforms strong winds into gentle breezes, but because one truly cannot feel the wind. In fact, as long as one runs, the air in front of one automatically clears away.

His every move can trigger the Dharma domain, bringing various enhancements. When his thoughts are focused, his power is focused, as if heaven and earth are working together.

Secondly, the spell's domain does not interfere with the casting of other spells, nor does it provide any bonuses. This means that spells like 'Amulet', 'Spirit Flick', and 'Scolding' can still be used in combat.

Sometimes, spells can interfere with each other.

For example, amulets cannot be used together, and amulets and arrow-avoidance amulets cannot be used together. Using them will not only fail to stack the protective effects, but will also cause a conflict in magical power, resulting in the spell becoming ineffective.

In severe cases, it can even cause an explosion.

Finally, by using the various loose rocks suspended in mid-air for leverage, his movements became more agile and unpredictable, no longer confined to the two-dimensional plane of the ground beneath his feet, but able to move flexibly and quickly in the low air.

Of course, this is a huge test of both skill and mental energy. To remain calm and composed in the heat of battle requires countless hours of practice.

……

The weather is getting warmer day by day.

Winter has passed and spring has arrived; the accumulated snow is gradually melting away.

More and more independent practitioners are ending their hibernation and starting to venture out of their homes.

However, the rampage of the monsters left everyone's faces devoid of any joy, filled instead with deep worry.

"Oh dear, what are we going to do? I heard that monsters are now lurking in the nearby forests. Those damned beasts have become addicted to eating people."

"Not only that, there's one in the stream near us. When Old Man Lin went to fetch water from the stream yesterday morning, he saw it from afar. It was a dark, shadowy thing, and he was so frightened that he abandoned his bucket and ran straight back."

"There's only one in the river? How are we going to fetch water now?!"

"I regret it. I shouldn't have come to this market in the first place! I hope the gang can organize a manpower to surround and wipe us out."

Most of the demonic beasts are huge and have amazing physiques. Even a first-order demonic beast is not something that ordinary rogue cultivators can contend with.

……

"A monster in the river?" Chen Li asked as he returned from outside.

"What Old Man Lin saw should be true... Fellow Daoist Chen, where did you come from?" a neighbor said.

"I went to the market to take a look," Chen Li said. "The merchants haven't arrived yet, there are only a few stalls scattered around!"

"Sigh, I think this year is going to be tough. I guess I'll just have to figure out how to survive," a neighbor sighed.

Chen Li chatted with his neighbors for a few minutes, then got up and left.

Wait until he leaves.

A neighbor exclaimed, "This newcomer, Fellow Daoist Chen, is really lucky. Six families next to him have all died, but his family is the only one who is completely unharmed."

"The hole was dug really deep. I bet this was the first person in our area to dig a hole, right?"

"Haha, it's better to be cautious. Look at what happened to those people. Now I live in a cave every day. Safety first!"

……

Chen Li was unaware that people were talking about him behind his back.

Of course, even if I knew, I wouldn’t care.

He returned to the cave.

Zhou Hong brushed off the mud that had gotten on him while he was climbing the cave.

“Once we get news of the caravan, we’ll spend some money to hitch a ride with them and leave this market town. Anywhere is fine, it’s better than dying here. This place is getting more and more dangerous,” Chen Li said, putting his sword down on the table.

"Okay, I'll listen to you. I reckon quite a few people will leave by then," Zhou Hong said. "Oh, right, don't go near the river lately. Someone has spotted a monster in it," Chen Li said, remembering something.

But I was secretly eager to try it out.

Danger isn't something you can just avoid. Rather than panicking when you encounter real danger, it's better to practice on a first-tier monster first.

However, he quickly changed his mind.

The monsters in the water are not easy to deal with.

……

Time passed day by day, and in the blink of an eye, another ten days or so had gone by.

Incidents of monsters eating people still occur from time to time.

The dozen or so gangs, big and small, in the shantytown finally couldn't hold out any longer and joined forces to go to the nearby forest to besiege the monster. The entire shantytown was in an uproar. Chen Li and Zhou Hong didn't go out to watch the excitement.

All I heard was that they suffered a crushing defeat and many people died.

In addition, the caravan was still nowhere to be seen.

The entire shantytown was shrouded in gloom.

Most independent cultivators didn't have much savings to begin with, and after a whole winter of spending without earning anything, their savings were almost gone. At this time of year, it was the time for independent cultivators to forage for food in the forest, which was also the main source of income for many people in a year.

After a whole winter of rest and recuperation.

The forest is filled with various herbs, though not everywhere.

If you're lucky, finding a rare medicinal herb is not uncommon.

Both sects and merchants have a strong demand for all kinds of herbs, basically buying as much as they can get. However, now that monsters are rampant on the edge of the forest and are eyeing humans with predatory intent, coupled with the fact that caravans are not coming, the entire shantytown has suddenly lost its livelihood.

……

"You want to borrow grain? I don't have any either. I even bought some from you a while ago. I don't have any extra grain."

In the evening, a hermit who lived nearby came to Chen Li's door, called him out of the cave, and asked to borrow some grain.

"Then you should return the grain I borrowed from you last time!" the rogue cultivator said.

Chen Li was taken aback by this, then laughed in exasperation at the matter-of-fact attitude:
"Not to mention that I don't have any extra food, the problem is that I paid for all of this, it wasn't a gift from you. I remember paying more than double the price, you were the one selling it for the highest price around here."

"Anyway, you decide what to do. You have to give me the grain today whether you want to or not." The rogue cultivator said defiantly, "Otherwise, I'll go to the street and say that you're ungrateful and that you wouldn't survive the winter if I, Zhang Wutiao, hadn't sold you the grain."

Chen Li felt an itch to punch it.

A spell is uttered.

"roll!"

Zhang Wutiao suddenly felt his scalp tingle and was overwhelmed by a great fear.

While I was lost in thought.

His neck was grabbed by Chen Liru's iron grip, and he was tossed around like trash. His body flew more than ten meters through the air before rolling onto the muddy ground in the street with a thud.

He lay there like a corpse for a long, long time.

Zhang Wutiao struggled to his feet, swaying unsteadily. He was covered in mud and looked disheveled. He looked around, bewildered.

"My head hurts so much, what's wrong with me? What just happened? Oh right, I remember now, I... I came here to borrow grain."

He looked at the ruins where Chen Li's house was located.

Suddenly, he shuddered, and for some reason, a strong sense of fear arose in his heart. His hair stood on end, and he quickly averted his gaze, using his remaining strength to limp away from the place.

(End of this chapter)