Misguided practice of sinister cultivation techniques: Slander! The problem lies with you all, not me!-Chapter 7 - The Chest in the Water

Finding suitable accommodation within Qingcha Market was not easy.

Though there were inns in the city, they were beyond Duan Yun's budget.

After all, to achieve a level of destruction that could annihilate Xuanxiong Gang in one go, he would need at least two months.

For two months, even the cheapest rooms with earthen floors were insufficient, not to mention inns were crowded and noisy, which could interfere with his training and might even have Xuanxiong Gang's members appearing.

Thus, Duan Yun decided to rent a place.

Renting was relatively cheaper since he still needed to cover his living and food expenses for these two or three months.

In theory, Duan Yun was now a master of exceptional skills, as his Jade Sword Finger could easily pierce holes in people and his Water Moon Sword Energy could sever someone in half with one strike, yet he still couldn't find an easy way to monetize these skills.

He surely couldn't resort to killing and robbing, could he?

If he did, how would he be any different from the Xuanxiong Gang or the Red Building Fairy who committed murder and adultery?

Duan Yun despised them and would not become one of them.

Ultimately, Duan Yun chose a bamboo hut on the outskirts of the city.

The previous owner of this bamboo hut seemed to be a scholar as there were some self-entertaining calligraphy and paintings hanging inside.

It appeared that no one had lived here for a long time, accumulating a thick layer of dust, presenting a rundown appearance.

Uninformed, one might think it was a haunted house.

Duan Yun quickly decided to rent it.

Because it indeed was the lowest-priced house he could rent at the moment.

He was only renting for three months, and few landlords were willing to rent it out, otherwise, they would ask for a high price.

After all, Qingcha Market had a thriving tea business, and with merchants and salesmen coming and going, good locations were never lacking tenants.

Moreover, his main goal was to avoid the Xuanxiong Gang and concentrate on his training; he needed quiet, as too many people and prying eyes would be detrimental.

After touring around, Duan Yun found nothing else to fault besides a cemetery not far behind the house.

Five pieces of silver per month, what more could one want?

Duan Yun even liked this place, especially because there was a Bi Lake in front of the small courtyard. Looking through a collapsed part of the courtyard wall, the view was picturesque.

In his previous life, this would definitely be considered a lakeside house.

At that moment, Duan Yun suddenly saw a broken stone with a human-like face carved on it among the overgrown grass in the courtyard.

"What is this?"

The landlord glanced at it and explained, "This is, of course, a divine protector known as Shi Gandang brought here to guard the house. I told you before that there was a cemetery at the back, my nephew cared about that, so he brought this here."

The landlord had mentioned that this house was originally his nephew's before it was handed over to him.

"I see," Duan Yun replied.

"Are you going to rent it or not? Running back and forth over this little amount of silver is tiring for me."

It was apparent that the landlord had little patience; to him, Duan Yun, a short-term tenant renting for only three months, totaling less than two taels of silver, was marginally better than nothing.

After all, he still operated a sizable tea shop, and this was just pocket money, enough perhaps for a drink.

Duan Yun didn't fret over it, signed the contract, and paid the rent.

After the landlord left, Duan Yun looked around again and was still quite satisfied with this residence.

Aside from being a bit old and dusty, it would certainly provide shelter from wind and rain and keep mosquitoes away.

For the next two or three months, he'd have to make this place his home.

The bamboo hut lacked a well, but it was not far from the lake.

Duan Yun carried a large water jar, which had been left unattended for who knows how long, to the lake.

It was now afternoon, and the weather was slightly overcast.

The lake water was clear, with many water plants growing at the bottom, presenting a tranquil, deep green expanse.

The water at this edge of the lake was clear to the bottom, while the color turned dark and depths unclear further out.

Duan Yun washed the dust off the water jar, relieved that it was still usable, otherwise, he would have had to go to the market to buy a new one.

Having filled the water jar, he carried it back to the house.

Ever since he started practicing "Jade Sword True Understanding," Duan Yun's body felt much better than before.

Just last night, he walked over a hundred miles in one breath, and could still continue training for most of the night, which was unimaginable before he started sword training.

The benefits of sword training once again became evident.

Afterward, Duan Yun cleaned the room and collected some dry grass to spread on the bed, making the bamboo house barely habitable.

Unknowingly, it was almost dusk.

He hurried to the market to buy enough rice, meat, and vegetables to avoid going out for several days and focus on his cultivation.

This Qingcha Market was busier than Lishui City, as merchants and vendors still needed to eat and live.

After buying some rice, meat, vegetables, salt, and Sichuan pepper, Duan Yun headed back home.

As the sky darkened, Duan Yun walked along the small path by the lake, where wild grass grew on the shores and aquatic plants spread under the water.

Approaching home, Duan Yun suddenly looked in one direction.

There was a chest in the lake.

A very large chest.

About the same as those used by guards transporting valuables in TV dramas of his previous life.

Even larger.

The chest was submerged near the lakeshore, half buried in the mud, half exposed, with a lock on it.

Duan Yun looked around, feeling curious.

Although he lived on the outskirts of the city, it was not far from Qingcha Market, and some tea farmers lived nearby.

At noon when he was looking at the house, Duan Yun had seen some tea farmers passing by.

However, the chest was sunk there, not far from the road and the lakeshore. He definitely wasn't the first to see it.

Didn't anyone else get curious?

Didn't anyone retrieve it to have a look?

Such a large chest, even carved with delicate patterns and locked, does not seem empty.

It might contain treasures.

Yet it lay sunk at the bottom, as if it had been there for a long time, ignored, partly entangled with aquatic plants.

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Honestly, this object piqued Duan Yun's curiosity.

However, he resisted the urge.

Yes, the chest might contain treasures, but it might also contain other things.

Others avoided it, so he too would for now.

Duan Yun returned home, started a fire, and cooked.

This would be his first night in his new home, a new beginning, so he placed half of a smoked meat he just bought on top of the white rice.

It was necessary to have a good first meal.

The rice cooked with the meat absorbed the fats from the smoked meat, which, paired with the white rice, didn't feel too greasy.

Afterward, Duan Yun used his sword to slice the smoked meat and began eating heartily.

Compared to his previous life, these rice grains were much coarser, but nothing beats the flavor of the meat.

Sitting on the steps with a bowl in hand, eating rice and looking at the ancient, overgrown courtyard, Duan Yun suddenly realized deeply that he indeed wasn't in his original timeline anymore.

This world had many bizarre and terrifying people, filled with murder and deceit, but it also had moments of peace like now.

He, Duan Yun, would surely lead an exciting life in this world.

Yes, at least more exciting than living like a walking corpse working as a corporate slave in his former life.

Even now, recalling past events from his former life, Duan Yun couldn't think of anything that made him feel proud or deeply nostalgic.

This was another kind of sadness.

This life must not be the same!

Moonlight sprinkled across the courtyard, Duan Yun picked up his sword, practicing under the moonlight.

Right here, he would become stronger!