Chapter 005: Difficult Choices

Leaving the bookstore, Li Mu had already formed a preliminary idea in his mind

As the two entered the courtyard, Li Qing turned to look at him and said: "The Seven Souls are the foundation of the physical body. If one loses the Seven Souls, the physical body will gradually decline, and the Three Spirits will also be burdened by the physical body. On the day of physical death, the moment the soul dissipates, at that time, there will be no way to return, and even immortals will be unable to save you. You have just lost the Seven Souls not long ago. If you wish to survive, there are two paths you can choose from. Which one you specifically choose needs to be decided by you."

Swallowing the thief's soul governs the immune system. Refining the thief will render one immune to all diseases and resistant to myriad evils

Unable to find anyone, nor could he think of a way to make money, standing on the street, Li Mu let out a long sigh, when suddenly a voice of reprimand came to his ears

He bought some rice, flour, and vegetables at the market, and from a distance, he saw Li Qing standing there as he walked home

After all, Li Mu's ideal is not to become a wealthy landowner. In this world full of mysterious temptations, not cultivating immortality would be a disservice to his death.

... ...

Having the rare opportunity to live again, he certainly would not choose to be a ghost while he still has the chance to be human

Last month you said this month, and this month you are saying next month, are you playing with me

Upon seeing someone enter the store, a shop assistant approached with a smile and asked, "Esteemed guest, what book would you like to purchase?"

Writing books is indeed a good way to make money, as it does not violate the law and is more respectable. The problem is that although Li Mu has read quite a few books, he does not possess the same photographic memory as other predecessors who have traversed to this world. He does not have a library in his mind, and without deliberate memorization, it is simply impossible for him to fully recount the content he has read just once.

At the very least, one should be able to live in another way, to gather the seven souls. It is exceedingly difficult, and in the event of failure, you will be completely shattered, with not even the chance to become a ghost

Of course, during this month, if there are no other means of making a living, he can only be accompanied by thin porridge and pickled vegetables

Zhang Shan and Li Si, these two colleagues, may be stingy, but when Li Mu truly encountered difficulties, they did not stand idly by

After briefly introducing him to the matters of cultivation, Li Qing looked at him again and said: "Ordinary people in cultivation need to refine the seven souls. Since you have completely lost your seven souls, you will first need to condense them. The difficulty of condensing the seven souls is far greater than that of refining them, but the advantage is that your seven souls will be condensed by yourself. Once condensed, you will be able to control them freely, without the need for further refinement"

The urgent priority is to earn some money first to improve the quality of life. It is not necessary to have lavish meals every day, but it is essential to ensure the nutritional needs of the body are met

"Of course, it is these storybooks." The attendant led Li Mu to a row of the largest bookshelves and said, "Here are the latest and most popular editions, please take a look first..."

Li Mu walked up quickly and asked eagerly, "Boss, have you found a solution?"

After a month, only three lines of text have been produced; can this meal still be eaten

Li Mu hurriedly asked: "Which two?"

... ...

After speaking, Li Qing reminded him: "This path is extremely difficult, and there is a high likelihood of failure. Once you fail, you will have no further opportunities."

After spending a quarter of an hour browsing through the titles on this row of bookshelves, Li Mu already had a rough idea in his mind

The higher-ranking officials naturally have ways to exploit the loopholes in the law. Li Mu, being merely a low-ranking clerk, would face consequences for violating the regulations, the lightest of which would be dismissal and investigation for this incident

This is not discrimination against merchants; firstly, officials hold power, and if they interfere in commercial matters, it is difficult to ensure that they will not exploit their authority for personal gain, thereby undermining market fairness and leading to social unrest. Secondly, it is also to encourage officials to focus more of their attention on their official duties.

Without the Seven Souls, his body, which is already weaker than that of an average person, will inevitably deteriorate further over time

He cannot engage in business; given his status, deceit and trickery are certainly not viable options. After much contemplation without any fruitful outcome, Li Mu ultimately decided to take a walk outside

If you don't submit the manuscript by tomorrow, do you believe I will twist your head off!

The phrase "雀阴" refers to a specific term or concept that may not have a direct translation in English. It is often used in a cultural or contextual sense. Without additional context, it is challenging to provide a precise translation.

Li Mu walked leisurely into the bookstore, which was quite spacious, filled with rows of bookshelves, where various books were neatly arranged and categorized on the shelves

Li Mu straightforwardly asked, "What books sell the best here?"

In front of a bookstore, a young scholar listened to the shopkeeper's reprimand, his expression awkward, as he defended himself, saying: "Writing books is a matter of inspiration..."

Compared to other historical and scholarly books, novels are closer to life and are not as dull and tedious to read. When Li Mu walked over, many people were lingering in front of this bookshelf.

Li Mu pondered for a long time, let out a light sigh, and said: "I choose the first option"

Li Qing asked: "So do you want to condense the non-toxic first or swallow the thief?"

"An affront to culture, an affront to culture..." The young scholar sighed a couple of times and walked away, shaking his head.

Since you have chosen to pursue the path of cultivation, I respect your decision. Li Qing nodded and said: "The seven souls arise from the seven emotions, and each soul has a different method of condensation. Which soul do you wish to condense first?"

Is that being a ghost

Although he is unable to engage in business, the income he earns through his physical and mental efforts, in addition to his salary, is both reasonable and lawful

First, to seek inspiration for making money, and second, to try my luck to see if I could encounter that old Taoist again. Unfortunately, he has wandered all over the county town, yet I did not catch a glimpse of that old Taoist.

Moreover, his only chance of survival currently lies with Li Qing; he must stay by her side to have any hope of living. Losing the silver and the job is not worth it.

Li Mu firmly stated: "There is no need to consider it; I simply enjoy challenging difficulties"

Li Qing spoke of the profound and the mysterious, and by this point, Li Mu could hardly comprehend it. However, combining it with his knowledge of the Seven Souls, he had nearly understood the earlier sentences.

Li Qing looked at Li Mu and slowly said: "By mastering the seven souls and refining the seven souls, one can dominate the physical body, remain free from ailments, and be impervious to all evils..."

The shopkeeper spat and scolded, "Nonsense inspiration, I will give you three more days. If you do not submit the manuscript in three days, be prepared to lose money!"

Li Qing looked at him and said again: "Refining the Seven Spirits anew is extremely difficult. This matter concerns your life. I will give you three days to consider."

The bookstore appears to be doing well, and Li Mu stands at the entrance, his expression contemplative

Li Qing nodded and said, "Come in, please."

Although Li Mu was bedridden for those years, he could only pass the time by reading due to boredom. His knowledge was extensive, and like other time travelers in online novels, it was not difficult for him to come up with ways to make money. However, the "Great Zhou Code" stipulated that all officials of the Great Zhou, regardless of rank, were prohibited from engaging in business. This single rule turned many of his ideas into mere illusions.

Li Qingdao: "Before your three souls are burdened by the flesh, abandon the body, transform into a ghostly practitioner, and from then on exist in the world in a state of soul..."

However, since ancient times, making money has never been an easy task

He can only process and refine a narrative based on some vaguely remembered storylines, and before that, he also needs to conduct some market research

Li Mu has approximately 2 qian of broken silver in hand. If he spends it sparingly, he should be able to get through the month without any issues

The best-selling titles in this bookstore are almost all related to supernatural and ghostly tales, with the narratives predominantly consisting of bizarre and fantastical stories. Occasionally, they are interspersed with elements of romance or eroticism, serving as enticing hooks.

Although the idea of being free from daily troubles and immune to all ailments sounds quite tempting, one must also consider the risks. Li Mu decided to compare the options before making a decision and asked, "What about the second option?"

The first aspect is cultivation. All living beings in the world can engage in cultivation. In the realm of cultivation, demons have their own paths, ghosts have their own ways, and the methods of cultivation for humans are also diverse. What I practice is the method of the Daoist school. The first stage of Daoist cultivation is referred to as 'Refining the Soul'

The foul lung spirit governs the internal breath. Refining the foul lung can regulate breathing and heartbeat, reduce bodily functions, and achieve the effect of prolonged fasting.

This is not surprising; the world he currently inhabits is inherently mysterious and bizarre. What are considered fictional fantasies of demons and spirits in another realm are, in this context, vivid accounts closely related to everyday life. The sense of immersion for people is stronger here, and naturally, it is more popular.

Humans possess seven souls, each with distinct functions

Non-toxic spirit, primarily related to sleep. After refining the non-toxic substance, one can fall asleep at any time and expel the toxins of cold and heat during dreams

Li Mu scratched his head and said, "My sleep has been extremely poor these past few days, I have caught a cold, and it just doesn't seem to get any better..."

The Corpse Dog's spirit enhances vigilance and perception. After refining the Corpse Dog, one can easily sense danger and, in the face of a crisis, can awaken immediately even from deep sleep