In the early morning, before the sky had brightened, Li Xiang rose early with his usual self-discipline. He first let out the chickens and ducks, scattering a few handfuls of grain for them. Then, he lit a stove, placed a large iron kettle full of water on top, and only then went to wash up.

In the kennel, Er Huang and the Little Fox were sleeping cuddled together. Seeing their master was up, they ran out as well.

The ground in the backyard was covered in white frost, and a thick layer of ice coated the branches of the persimmon tree. In the distance, the mountains were adorned with patches of rime ice, crystalline and exquisitely beautiful.

The flowing mountain spring water was about two or three degrees. Compared to the ambient temperature, it felt warm. As this "tepid" spring water moistened his face, Li Xiang’s fair complexion grew even rosier.

After washing up, he began his Cultivation of the Breathing Technique in the backyard. Due to the bitter cold, every time he exhaled, a long plume of white vapor streamed from his mouth and nose.

This white vapor resembled the legendary Sword Aura. Following the unique rhythm of his Breathing Technique, it would be thick or thin, blunt or sharp, swift or slow—as if he were breathing Flying Swords in and out.

The long plumes could extend over a meter, while the short ones were merely an inch or so.

The dog and the Little Fox watched, completely mesmerized.

The Little Fox, being highly Spiritual, watched for a while and suddenly began to copy him. It stood up on its hind legs and started to mimic Li Xiang’s breathing rhythm.

Of course, it was only imitating; many parts of its attempt were off the mark.

Seeing this, Er Huang also started to copy them. However, compared to the Little Fox, it was a bit clumsy. It couldn’t stand steadily on its hind legs, so it could only sit on its haunches.

Li Xiang was secretly amazed. ’These two little critters are really becoming something else. Hmm, Er Huang really lucked out with a wife like her. He’s definitely punching above his weight.’

He didn’t stop. Instead, he slowed his movements, making his exhales and inhales more exaggerated to make it easier for them to imitate.

After just a short while, the two little animals couldn’t keep up and were left panting heavily. Li Xiang smiled faintly and waved his hand, signaling for them to stop and rest. ’I should consider exchanging for a Breathing Technique specifically for animals,’ he mused.

After all, his Breathing Technique was far too profound. It required many auxiliary movements, using hands and feet in complex postures to coordinate with his breathing and the circulation of Spiritual Power within his body. Some of these postures were even derived from human labor.

How could a dog and a fox possibly perform such actions? They couldn’t be compared to humans, the spirit of all creation.

Li Xiang leaped into the air. While practicing his Breathing Technique, he also performed a set of Body Techniques. A Misty Radiance permeated his flesh and blood, and strange, faint sounds began to emanate from within his body.

Some sounded like a dragon’s cry, others like a tiger’s roar, an eagle’s screech, or a lion’s bellow. There were also countless other indescribable sounds. They rose and fell in succession, yet they weren’t chaotic. Instead, they merged into a unique symphony.

Some came from his bones and muscles, some from the vibrations of his organs, and others were produced by the airflow from his lungs passing through his throat and nasal cavities.

If an Extraordinary Being who had cultivated a Breathing Technique were to take up singing, they could all perform beautifully. This is because besides vocal cords, learning to sing with proper breath control is also crucial.

A singer who doesn’t know how to use their breath is not a good singer.

Li Xiang actually had a decent voice, and his breath control was masterful. He could belt out a song like "Qinghai-Tibet Plateau" with ease.

As for an even more difficult song like "Left Hand Points at the Moon," Li Xiang could hit the high notes with his full voice, no falsetto needed!

Of course, singing involves many other factors, such as understanding the lyrics’ Mental Realm and emotions. But with pure technical skill, enough to be unrivaled, one could still make a living in the music industry.

Besides, when it came to the emotions and feelings in music, Li Xiang was a college graduate, after all. He could grasp some of it.

The water on the stove began to bubble and boil, pushing the kettle’s lid into a constant, gentle tremor. Li Xiang stopped his practice and went to make tea and eat some small pastries.

Then he cooked a large pot of congee, adding salted meat, preserved duck egg, and shredded ginger. He also tossed in a Tier One Spiritual Medicine, chopped into fine bits.

He used this spare moment to light a brazier as well.

His grandmother also got up and began her chores: tidying up the house, sweeping inside and out. Later she would do the laundry, and when the Sun was higher, she would air out the family’s quilts and shoes.

These were chores his grandmother enjoyed doing, and they weren’t too strenuous, so Li Xiang left them to her.

Li Xiang and his grandmother each had a bowl of the congee, and the rest was divided among the cat, the dog, and the Little Fox.

Since arriving at Li Xiang’s home, the Little Fox had been eating a different variety of food each day and had clearly gotten a bit chubbier. Its fiery red fur was now even smoother and more lustrous, its "looks" more beautiful than before. Li Xiang was a little envious of Er Huang. That dog had really hit the jackpot.

"Grandma, I’m heading to the provincial capital this afternoon. I’ll probably be back in two or three days," Li Xiang said, packing his luggage and letting his grandmother know.

"Be safe out there." Grandma didn’t ask what Li Xiang was going for. ’Her grandson is all grown up,’ she thought, ’he has his own world now.’

"Buy yourself some nice clothes. You have that blind date in a few days!"

"I know, I know!" Li Xiang replied with a sense of resignation. ’Still, a trip to the provincial capital is a perfect excuse for a shopping spree. I’m not short on cash right now, so I might as well seize the chance to enjoy life. When the Apocalypse comes, there won’t be so many nice clothes and delicious foods.’

In the Apocalypse, prices would skyrocket. An ordinary old piece of clothing and a coarse, tasteless biscuit would be incredibly expensive.

In the afternoon, He Zhixiang arrived in a large SUV. Of course, he wasn’t driving; he had a chauffeur.

Li Xiang had a large suitcase and a backpack ready. The chauffeur offered to carry the suitcase for him, but Li Xiang politely declined.

The chauffeur was taken aback, feeling very curious. ’What on earth does President Li have in this suitcase that he won’t even let me touch it?’ he wondered.

This chauffeur knew his place. Since Li Xiang didn’t let him touch it, he didn’t insist. When they arrived and he got out of the car, he merely helped open the trunk and didn’t try to move Li Xiang’s suitcase.

In reality, Li Xiang’s suitcase was empty. However, it would later "spontaneously" gain a lot of weight—possibly dozens of kilograms, the kind an ordinary person wouldn’t be able to lift.

He was just being cautious, not wanting anyone to notice the strange discrepancy later.

Upon arriving in Rongcheng, they checked into a five-star hotel in the city center. The room cost about 1,500 yuan per night. He Zhixiang paid, explaining that he had already booked it. Since he was the one asking for Li Xiang’s help, how could he possibly let Li Xiang spend his own money?

That evening, he also tried to drag Li Xiang to a business KTV, mentioning there would be lots of pretty girls to choose from, but Li Xiang politely refused.

’Well,’ he thought, ’I’m not that kind of person. I’d rather practice my Breathing Technique in the hotel or take a walk outside than go to a place like that.’

He stood on the hotel balcony and looked out. This was the most bustling part of Rongcheng. Not far away, a massive, brilliantly lit shopping mall stood. Li Xiang went downstairs and headed over to the mall for a walk.

He bought some clothes and shoes for his grandmother, his maternal grandparents, and Jiang Cai’er.

For Jiang Cai’er, he bought two jackets. One was over 1,800 yuan after a discount, and the other was over 2,000. The original tag prices were even higher. After buying them, Li Xiang tore the price tags off.

Then he bought a nice hat for Jiang Cai’er and a fluffy one for his grandmother. His maternal grandparents didn’t seem to like hats, so he bought them two pairs of gloves instead.

He had actually wanted to wait until Jiang Cai’er was on break from school and bring her to the provincial capital himself. Like him, she had never left their county before going to college.

But bringing her along wasn’t exactly convenient, so he figured he’d just bring clothes back instead.

With the discerning eye of someone who had lived two lifetimes, the style, quality, and brands of the clothes he picked were bound to be good. Besides, Jiang Cai’er was tall and slender—a natural-born model. Her skin was fairer than snow, so she looked good in basically anything. He didn’t have to worry about the clothes not suiting her.

Someone like Jiang Cai’er could wear a torn sackcloth onto a runway, and people would probably think it was a new fashion trend launched by some major company.