Chapter 5: Difficulties of Living
The morning light was faint, carrying a trace of dimness.
In the distance, mountain peaks were dangerously steep, and like ribbons, wisps of white clouds floated softly, imbued with a cold beauty. They twined tenderly around the peculiar peaks, occasionally dotted with buildings that appeared and vanished like mirages, as if they were the abodes of deities.
The market area was located in a flat basin surrounded by these mountains.
The crisp morning air carried an inescapable faint stench.
Chen Li walked onto the muddy road with a 'calm' expression, stealing covert glances around him. The roadside was overrun with weeds, and piles of household trash and indistinguishable animal droppings could be seen from time to time.
Hastily erected, high and low, large and small self-built shanties were scattered haphazardly.
They lacked any sense of antiquity, these houses were only barely passable as living quarters. Many appeared to have been constructed on a whim, lacking any aesthetic appeal. Some seemed so crudely built that they looked as if they might topple over at the slightest breeze.
Yet, these were not abandoned hazardous dwellings. Judging by the mountains of trash piled up at the door, people quite obviously lived inside.
Chen Li admitted his lack of experience; compared to these 'great gods' of Loose Cultivators who were content with their lot, the original owner of the body seemed more ambitious when set against his peers.
Cultivators occasionally passed by on the road, some brushing shoulders, others greeting with a clasped hands. At first, Chen Li was a bit nervous, hands sweating, frequently fighting the urge to reach for his Willow Leaf Dart.
But after a few encounters, he became more at ease and his confidence grew.