Hide in the world of gods and demons

Chapter 81 Return
"Can you smell a foul odor?"

The next morning, Zhou Hong said this when she woke up.

It has a disgusting, fishy smell; it's extremely unpleasant.

"Let me look." Chen Li had also smelled it. He got up and searched for a long time before finally realizing, with Zhou Hong's reminder, that the stench was coming from himself.

A layer of light gray oil seeped from his body, staining a large area of ​​the mattress beneath him.

He understood immediately after thinking about it.

He quickly took several cleansing talismans to remove the filth from the bedroom and his body.

"Don't worry, this is a good thing. I've made some progress in my physical skills recently, and I guess it's because of this," Chen Li explained with a smile, a hint of pride on his face.

"You scared me to death!" Zhou Hong's worry turned to joy. Suddenly, she looked at Chen Li, her expression blank, and said, "You seem to have become younger!"

"Really? Let me see."

He took Zhou Hong's bronze mirror and looked at himself in the light of the grease lamp that burned day and night in the basement bedroom.

In dim light.

He noticed that his skin had become much more rosy and fair, and all the pigmentation and dullness on his face had disappeared.

Over the past year, due to successive breakthroughs in body tempering and cultivation, he has become physically strong and, unlike other rogue cultivators, he doesn't have to travel around.

Compared to his slightly aged appearance at the beginning of his transmigration, he has become much younger, and even the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes have gradually faded over the past year, making him look only about thirty years old.

But now, the reflection in the bronze mirror makes me look several years younger.

If I said I was twenty years old, I would definitely look a bit old, but if I said I was twenty-seven or twenty-eight, probably no one would doubt it.

Chen Li discovered that the changes didn't stop there. At this moment, he felt relaxed all over and full of energy.

Overnight, the vanished youth seemed to return to this body.

He opened the game panel.

He was shocked to discover that his lifespan had changed from "41/126" when he broke through the barrier yesterday to "41/128".

……

In the morning, Chen Li opened the courtyard gate for Zhang Shuniang, who had come to see Zhou Hong.

As soon as she saw Chen Li, her eyes started to dart around and stare at him.

Chen Liren was in high spirits over the happy occasion and said with a smile, "I feel younger."

Zhang Shuniang nodded repeatedly: "Uncle, you've become even more handsome!"

What a good child! It's so comforting to hear those words.

Actually, he had a good face shape to begin with, with thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a high nose. Although he wasn't exactly handsome, he was still quite good-looking. It's just that his appearance has always been overshadowed by his age and complexion.

Now his skin is rosy and fair, with a healthy glow, making him look several years younger, and his youthful vigor is immediately apparent.

"Wasn't it good-looking before?" Chen Li asked with a smile.

Zhang Shuniang's eyes widened immediately. She remained silent for a long time before finally managing to say with difficulty, "It looks good too... Uncle, I'm going to find Aunt Zhou."

"Go ahead, go ahead!" Chen Li said helplessly.

The voice just fell.

Zhang Shuniang flew past him like a little bird, leaving a fragrant breeze behind.

……

The changes brought about by the refining of internal organs are not over yet; they have only just begun.

In the days that followed, as he continued to refine his internal organs, Chen Li expelled a large amount of toxins every day, making his body appear increasingly youthful and energetic, with abundant stamina and vitality.

This continued for more than ten days.

The toxins eliminated daily become almost imperceptible.

At the same time, he became several years younger, looking only about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, and his lifespan increased to a whopping 132 years.

His transformation inevitably attracted attention from those around him, and every time he went out, he would be greeted with a few envious congratulatory remarks.

However, that's all there is to it. This is a world of cultivation, and a single advancement in cultivation can make one look younger, so there's nothing to be surprised about.

He's just a little younger.

Especially after hearing his daughter mention this, Zhang Yan, who had made a special trip to visit her, couldn't hide the sourness in his words.

Ever since Chen Li sold all his talismans.

Whenever I see Chen Li, I think of how he has made a lot of money off me, and I feel suffocated. I can't eat or sleep well.

But all we can do is cry out in vain.

As a talisman maker who makes a living by crafting talismans, he was not good at fighting to begin with. After being injured once, he became even more afraid of tigers. In the current chaotic situation, he could only continue to endure exploitation.

Now that he looks much younger and more handsome, and his cultivation has obviously improved a lot, Chen Li finds him increasingly displeasing.

……

evening.

An afternoon thunderstorm left the roads covered in mud and silt.

Sometimes, a single kick can sink halfway into the instep.

Unless you can fly, this kind of path is useless no matter how high your cultivation level is.

Chen Li trudged lightly and heavily through the soft, muddy ground on his way to Zhao Lin's house.

During this period, friction between gangs in the shantytown has intensified again. It is common to see groups of two or three gang members gathered on the roadside, chatting as if no one else is around, while keeping an eye on strangers passing by.

"I'm becoming more and more sensitive to eye contact."

He sensed the occasional, elusive gazes from behind him, a mysterious and unsettling feeling. Some of the more malicious stares, in particular, were like torches in the darkness, especially clear.

"The refinement of flesh and organs through swordsmanship has also made my consciousness stronger, perhaps far surpassing those of others at the same level." He flicked away a fly that flew by, lost in thought.

Chen Lihun's nonchalant attitude along the way attracted the attention of the gang.

Soon a crowd gathered around.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm just passing by while visiting relatives and friends." Chen Li stopped, looked around, and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Please make way for me!"

"Don't rush, fellow Daoist, please tell us where you come from and where you are going." The leader of the gang stared at Chen Li and said with a smile.

The other party remained calm and unconcerned about being surrounded by four people, seemingly quite confident.

Of course, ordinary people wouldn't attract their attention either.

"Is this road impassable now? Which gang are you from? Who is your leader?" Chen Li asked with a smile.

Chen Li's voice wasn't loud, he spoke softly with a smile, but combined with his signature fierce face full of fat, the leader of the gang felt a chill run down his spine, and his heart almost skipped a beat.

"We are from the Green River Gang. May I ask who you are, fellow Daoist?" the gang leader asked, forcing himself to remain calm.

"I'm nothing, I'm just a butcher. Why are you blocking the road? Move aside!" Chen Li laughed.

Seeing that the other party had clearly given in, he pushed through the crowd and continued forward.

Until Chen Li walked away.

One of the underlings finally spoke up and asked, "Boss, why didn't you stop him just now?"

"Stop me, my foot! Want to die? Do you even know who this is?" The gang leader, still shaken, glanced at the figure that was almost disappearing into the distance, wiped the sweat from his brow, and whispered:
Have you heard of the two most formidable figures in Green River Inn?

"No! Brother, tell me quickly."

"I overheard the gang leader mentioning it casually when he was drunk... First, of course, is the Foundation Establishment Ancestor of the Yu family, high above all others, his strength goes without saying. Second is this guy, who makes a living by hunting and selling monster meat, and no one dares to mess with him, he's known as the Meat Vendor. He once fought eight people in the market, and in the blink of an eye, all his enemies were killed, not one of them escaped, his ferocity is awe-inspiring."

Those who were killed were no weaklings; everyone who dared to rob and fight for their lives in the market possessed at least the strength of the mid-stage Qi Refining realm.

"Ah!"

"hiss!"

……

Everyone who heard this turned pale and gasped.

"Brother, here are the spirit stones for this time, a total of 3 mid-grade spirit stones and 78 low-grade spirit stones." Zhao Lin handed over a money bag.

Chen Li took the money bag.

I counted them once.

After receiving his share of 39 low-grade spirit stones, he put them back into his money bag.

During this period, Zhao Lin and his companions sold three more mid-grade magic artifacts. Including the proceeds from selling talismans, he had accumulated as many as 33 mid-grade spirit stones.

"The Yu family's artifact and talisman shop opened yesterday. Did you hear about it, brother? I guess magical artifacts won't sell well anymore." Zhao Lin said with a worried look as he put away the spirit stones.

"What's their purchase price for mid-grade magical artifacts?"

"I asked around, and it's usually two mid-grade spirit stones!"

"What will their selling price be?"

"Some have four mid-grade spirit stones, and some have five."

Chen Li frowned upon hearing this.

Zhao Lin had always sold his products for more than three mid-grade spirit stones, but now that price was clearly no longer attractive.

If I were the customer...

He would rather spend more money than do business with people privately.

Firstly, credibility is questionable; secondly, safety is not guaranteed.

Who knows if you'll take the money and not deliver the goods? Who knows if you'll use cheap magic items as bait to actually rob people? In the end, you'll not only lose your money, but also your life.

A private deal is an adventure and a gamble.

Previously, there was no choice but to engage in such transactions.

But now that the Yu family's talisman shop has opened, and there are better options available, how many people are still willing to risk everything for a cheaper mid-grade spirit stone?

There are definitely some, but they are far fewer than half.

"Let's try selling them first; we can lower the price a bit more." Chen Li was helpless; that was all he could do now. Then, an idea struck him: "How about buying monster materials over there?"

"Of course we'll acquire it!"

……

Chen Li couldn't sit still any longer and quickly left.

When he got home, he didn't even drink a drop of water before going to the underground storage room. He picked up the large cloth bag used for selling meat and stuffed it full of huge animal claws, teeth, and scales.

They're all heavy, lifeless things.

They all feel like they weigh a ton.

"What are you doing?" Zhou Hong followed over.

"The Yu family has opened a talisman shop. Let's see if we can sell these!" Chen Li said, slinging his cloth bag over his shoulder and heading outside.

"Don't sell it too cheaply! It should be at least ten mid-grade spirit stones. Don't sell it for less than that. It'll be worth more when things improve," Zhou Hong shouted from behind.

"Don't worry!" Chen Li said.

……

On the way, he transformed back into a butcher and rushed to the market without stopping.

I asked for directions.

They headed straight for the Yu Family Talisman Shop.

Yu Fan was indeed in the shop when he saw Chen Li and came to greet him.

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Chen. Are you here to purchase a magical artifact?"

Chen Li put the cloth bag behind him on the ground with a thud, and said, "So Fellow Daoist Yu is here too. Perfect timing, come and help me estimate the price."

"This is?"

"I've heard that materials from some first-tier demonic beasts are quite valuable," Chen Li said.
"I'll call my second uncle, but I don't know how to do this either," Yu Fan said, sounding embarrassed.

Although the two men did not speak loudly, their conversation had already alerted Yu Wufeng, the manager on the second floor.

He rushed out and immediately smiled warmly at Chen Li.

He was completely different from his coldness when they first met: "Fellow Daoist Chen, rest assured, leave these things to me. I guarantee you'll be satisfied with the price."

He took out the materials from the cloth bag one by one and appraised them.

"This is the horn of a certain demonic beast. It is harder than gold and iron. What's even more rare is that it comes with a natural sharpness array. With a little refining, it can become a top-quality magic weapon. I value it at thirty low-grade spirit stones."

"These scales are the shield scales located in the heart of the demon beast. They are extremely thick in the middle and thin on both sides, and they fit together tightly. They are natural blanks for making magical artifacts such as shields and armor. What is most rare is that there are a lot of them, a total of forty-eight. I estimate that they are worth three mid-grade spirit stones."

At this moment, Yu Wufeng demonstrated the qualities of a seasoned appraiser, speaking eloquently about each piece of material and analyzing its advantages and disadvantages, as well as how to appraise it.

……

"In total, it's twelve mid-grade spirit stones and 65 low-grade spirit stones. Let's round it up to thirteen mid-grade spirit stones. Do you have any questions about this price?" Yu Wufeng said with a smile.

"Okay, that's the price!" Chen Li nodded.

……

When we got home...

Zhou Hong asked about the selling price.

Chen Licai then realized that the other party had offered too high a price.

The normal price should be around eleven mid-grade spirit stones, but the other party gave thirteen.

Perhaps it was intentional, perhaps it was unintentional.

However, Chen Li didn't pay much attention to it.

The Yu family makes far more money from their own earnings than this.

In just two purchases of pills, he had spent about fifty mid-grade spirit stones.

At the normal price of pills, he earned at least thirty more mid-grade spirit stones.

Considering the potential losses from opening a talisman shop, Chen Li began to regret not raising the price.

I wonder how much money the Yu family makes in a year from their talisman shop and pill shop.

Even Chen Li was envious.

……

The area around Chen Li's home had been peaceful for nearly half a year, and now it was finally their turn.

Late one night.

Chen Li and Zhou Hong were awakened by the strange friction sound, and were instantly wide awake.

Hearing that familiar voice, Chen Li's face turned grim. There was no doubt that it was that snake demon: "It's a second-tier demon beast. I've seen it before. Put on your clothes first! Grab your weapons, we're going to the tunnel!"

The bedroom is located not far from the entrance to the passageway, which is undoubtedly quite dangerous.

The tunnel is over fifty meters long and has two passages, one at the front and one at the back, so either one can be used for escape in an emergency.

The two quickly got ready.

Chen Li, carrying his sword, quickly made his way to the long tunnel.

The basement was over twenty meters deep, making it difficult for outside sounds to reach. Chen Li only heard a rustling sound; otherwise, it was completely silent, a silence that was suffocating.

After running for a while, Chen Li stopped: "Let's stop here."

From now on, we can only leave it to fate.

Chen Li held Zhou Hong's hand tightly, his heart pounding, his breathing heavy. Before long, his palms were wet, and he couldn't tell if it was Zhou Hong's or his own.

(End of this chapter)