A life of leisure is worse than a life of flowers and splendour

After returning to the farm, Du Shuangshuang and the others rested for another ten days. During this time, Second Uncle successfully broke through to the third level of Qi Refining and could finally begin learning some simple techniques. The techniques Second Uncle used were exactly what Grandma had left behind. In addition, there was a magical spell called "Transfiguration," which allowed the user to change their appearance and body shape at will.

Grandpa told me that Grandma once possessed a mysterious jade pendant, said to be from the immortal realm. This jade pendant and several medicinal pills were given to my father at the beginning of his cultivation, helping him succeed. The jade pendant is said to have the power to mask any abnormalities in his constitution. Unfortunately, Uncle Du no longer possessed this item, forcing him to rely on his own careful protection.

Listening to her grandfather's story, Du Shuangshuang learned that her grandmother had a rare "Furnace Tripod" constitution, a condition she had passed down to her two sons. Hearing this, Du Shuangshuang was stunned! "Furnace Tripod" constitution? She was familiar with the term; after all, having read so many novels, she naturally understood its meaning. However, she had never imagined that such a constitution existed in her family. Worse still, she wondered if she, too, would inherit this unfortunate condition. Oh, and she didn't have a single water spirit root. That was a good thing, but that meant her father and second uncle also had single water spirit roots. Had her father been captured and used as a furnace tripod?

This time Du Shuangshuang also shared her own skills. Let's learn the escape technique first, so that the whole family will not be unlucky and get wiped out when encountering a powerful enemy.

Ten days later, everyone had at least mastered the art, and the family decided to continue their journey south. This time, they set out with a caravan. The journey was long and arduous, so they needed to be well-prepared, as otherwise, they would suffer greatly. This presented a risk of being targeted by bandits, so they also brought with them a team of over fifty skilled and loyal guards, along with attentive servants. Along the way, they thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful spring weather, taking in the magnificent mountain scenery along the way. At each stop, they would find a beautiful, tranquil spot to rest, enjoy the scenery, and practice their survival skills. It was spring, with its warm and pleasant weather, and nature was thriving, a scene of vibrant life.

Of course, they would occasionally encounter highway robbers, but they weren't hired to fight bandits. As long as they weren't extremely vicious and didn't want to kill them, they would just let them go. But if they encountered difficult or extremely vicious robbers, such as those who wanted to rob people in addition to their money, or those who wanted to kill them right away, they would naturally show no mercy.

The old general's spear skills were already very good. He could be said to be invincible on the battlefield. Now with his agility, he is even better than before. Although my second uncle is a scholar, he has been practicing martial arts since he was a child. His spear skills, although not tempered by the battlefield, are not inferior. Now he is naturally even better than before. Only Du Shuangshuang uses the sword. My second aunt is a noble lady from an aristocratic family. She is not good at wielding swords and sticks, but she is also working hard to learn agility, and my cousin naturally follows suit. It doesn't matter how well they learn, at least they should be able to protect themselves when they are attacked. If we can't win, can't we just run away?

If you want to improve your abilities, you must first improve your physical fitness. Every day, while enjoying the mountains and rivers, you can exercise your physical fitness and practice your body movements. No matter how hard or tiring it is, Second Aunt and her cousins persisted and became more and more proficient in it.

Mother and daughter supported each other, their cousin following behind. Wiping sweat with handkerchiefs, they inched their way up the mountain, stubbornly insisting on carrying them, refusing to be carried. They used to ride in carriages when going out, and sedan chairs when going to burn incense. Now, except for riding horses when traveling, they insist on walking on their own, climbing mountains and crossing ridges as long as they can stand, to exercise their strength, and sometimes practice their agility. The three of them are getting better and better.

Everyone worked very hard, but they had to eat well and fill their stomachs. Every day, they had different kinds of food to nourish their bodies. No one had a loss of appetite anymore. The young lady from the official family who used to only eat half a bowl of rice at each meal could now eat a full bowl of rice at a time.

These days, my second aunt, my cousin, and my cousin have all gained weight from their slender bodies.

After almost two months of wandering, the family finally reached an area similar to the Sichuan Basin, known as Cloud City because it is shrouded in mist most of the year. Surrounded by mountains, the scenery is breathtaking, with majestic peaks visible from every corner.

That day, the group arrived at a small town. The mountains here were extremely high, and the vegetation was exceptionally lush. Even though it was summer, the peaks were covered in snow, giving the entire mountain a distinct four-season feel. The path was incredibly steep. It was said that this mountain was inhabited by immortals, and some also said it contained endless treasures. However, few could reach the summit.

Everyone was struck by the thought: if that were the case, why not go up the mountain and explore? It wasn't about the supposed immortals or treasure; after all, such things sounded far-fetched, and their family had plenty of money. More importantly, they were captivated by the unique scenery and had to see it no matter what. So, the group slowly made their way up the winding mountain path, enjoying the scenery and exercising along the way. The path was bumpy, but everyone's face was filled with joy and anticipation, as if they were enjoying an adventure.

Du Shuangshuang and Uncle Du walked ahead at a breakneck pace, quickly leaving the group behind them far behind. Both cultivators, both with extraordinary strength, couldn't help but feel awe at the towering peak before them. The highest peak, perpetually covered in snow, was exceptionally cold, and even cultivators like them felt a chill.

Du Shuangshuang and Uncle Du exchanged a glance and decided to hasten their progress, striving to reach the summit as quickly as possible. They channeled their spiritual energy, quickened their pace, and sprinted toward the summit. However, as the altitude climbed, the temperature plummeted, and the air around them seemed to freeze, making it difficult for them to breathe.

"It's so cold!" Du Shuangshuang couldn't help but shiver, her clothes instantly frozen stiff. She wrapped herself tightly in her cotton-padded jacket, trying to resist the biting cold. Uncle Du frowned and said, "The temperature on the top of the mountain is even lower than we imagined. We must reach the top as soon as possible, otherwise we will freeze to death here."

So, the two of them sped up again and finally reached the top of the mountain. By this time, they were trembling all over, their lips purple, and their facial muscles stiff from the cold. They could only constantly use their spiritual power to relieve the discomfort. But they didn't give up. Instead, they encouraged each other and continued to explore.

After circling the mountaintop, the two finally found a cave. They glanced at each other, each seeing eagerness in the other's eyes, and so they headed inside together. The entrance was just wide enough for one person to pass through. Du Shuangshuang took a deep breath and stepped inside, followed closely by Uncle Du. Uncle Du had originally wanted to go first, as he was the elder and had an obligation to protect the younger generation. However, Du Shuangshuang's cultivation level was higher, so Uncle Du couldn't compete and had to let his niece take the lead.

The light inside the cave was dim, but there was no trace of moisture. Du Shuangshuang took out a night-shining pearl and, using the faint light, walked forward cautiously.

As Du Shuangshuang walked, she suddenly felt a breeze brushing her cheek. She stopped and looked around warily. The wind seemed to be blowing from deep within the cave, bringing a slight chill.

She carefully followed the wind and came upon a narrow passage. The walls on both sides of the passage shone with strange lights, as if guiding her somewhere.

Du Shuangshuang hesitated for a moment, but finally decided to go deeper. She held the night pearl tightly and walked into the passage step by step.

As she went deeper, the light grew stronger and stronger, illuminating the entire passage.

Du Shuangshuang's heartbeat quickened. She had no idea what lay ahead. Although she felt a little frightened, she still bravely pressed forward. After all, she was a cultivator. Surely nothing in this mortal world could harm her? Du Shuangshuang wasn't sure, but she thought of it as a test of her courage. If she saw something wrong, she could turn and run. She had traveled so long, always safe and sound. In this secular world, no one could rival her. She was still very powerful. Du Shuangshuang encouraged herself as she walked! She quickened her pace and finally arrived at a spacious stone chamber.

The stone chamber contained only simple stone tables and chairs, and a stone bed. Across the stone bed sat a skeleton, its loose clothing dangling from the frame, surprisingly still appearing brand new. The clothing was clearly women's, a beautiful Liuxian dress, not a speck of dust on it, still pristine as new. The exposed bones were as white as jade; these were no ordinary human bones; they were likely those of a monk. Nearby lay several other corpses, clearly ancient, their bones shattered and nearly crumbling into dust. They looked dangerous.

The moment I saw the skeleton, my heart skipped a beat. It's not like I haven't seen dead people before, I remember seeing them a few times, but I still couldn't help but feel a little scared.

Du Shuangshuang observed carefully and didn't approach blindly. This was a world where immortals really existed. She was a complete rookie in the world of immortal cultivation. It was obvious that she was not an ordinary person.

A closer look revealed a wooden pendant around the man's neck and a beautiful, rustic gemstone bracelet on his wrist. It looked incredibly beautiful, and most importantly, it looked incredibly valuable. The woman, aside from the wooden pendant and the valuable-looking bracelet, had no other jewelry on her body. There was no jewelry on the ground either, as if she had deliberately left behind something she could take with her after death. The corpse beside her, though nearly crumbled to dust, made it unclear what had happened, but it certainly felt dangerous.

Uncle Du frowned as he looked at everything in front of him. There was nothing alive except a pile of bones. He didn't feel too much danger. Just as he was about to move forward, Du Shuangshuang suddenly reached out and grabbed him.

"Uncle, don't be impulsive. I have a bad feeling. Let's go." Du Shuangshuang's voice was filled with fear and worry.

"How could that be? These are just skeletons, they are dead as hell, what's so scary about that? Besides, looking at the clothes, they are obviously not worn by ordinary people. Maybe they are some treasures! I'll get them for you." Uncle Du insisted. He was full of curiosity about the precious-looking clothes.

"No, don't come near. We don't know much about the methods of the immortal world, and it feels very dangerous. Let's get out of here quickly." Du Shuangshuang tightly grasped Uncle Du's arm, refusing to let him go. She had read many immortal cultivation texts before, and the more she looked at the pendant, the more it resembled something like the Soul-Nourishing Wood, a tree capable of harboring powerful spirits. Her intuition told her that this place posed a great danger and she must not venture into it lightly.

Uncle Du hesitated for a moment, but ultimately followed his niece's advice. They quickly turned around and tried to leave this strange place. However, just as they were leaving, the bones behind them seemed to move slightly, as if something was awakening...