Lin Chen, completely out of ideas, could only steady his breathing.
Jade Turtle Pendant Experience +1!
Notification after notification flashed before his eyes, but Lin Chen ignored them all.
The only thing on his mind was how to help his chickens recover their health.
As he focused on synchronizing his breathing with the chickens', a different kind of notification suddenly appeared before him.
[Jade Turtle Pendant — Level 2 → Level 3]
[Item: Jade Turtle Pendant]
Description: The wearer unconsciously follows the breathing rhythm of a turtle, subtly nourishing both their own body and the living beings nearby.
Lin Chen's face lit up. The pendant's new function was perfectly suited to his current situation.
He calmed himself once more, immersing his consciousness into the turtle's breathing more deeply than before.
Slowly but surely, the effects began to show.
The chicken in his hands grew calmer, and even the others nearby stood still — as if entranced by the serene rhythm of the turtle's breath.
Seeing this, Lin Chen's eyes sparkled with joy. He continued until every chicken around him looked noticeably healthier.
"Hah… finally done!" he exclaimed in satisfaction.
He looked at his now lively, energetic chickens, relief washing over him.
His cheat ability really was useful.
Grrrk…
Just as he was basking in satisfaction, his stomach growled. A wave of hunger and fatigue swept through his body.
"Ugh, I should probably get something to eat."
The turtle's breathing was beneficial, but maintaining that level of focus for so long was utterly draining. Lin Chen was already spent.
He stood up and began walking back toward his house. On the way, his eyes caught sight of a familiar figure — a beautiful woman.
For a moment, he couldn't look away.
In the cold morning air, Liu Ruyan's gentle smile seemed like warmth itself walking toward him.
"Hi, Lin Chen. I heard your chickens squawking last night. You look thin and tired. Wait a second."
Moments later, Liu Ruyan returned with a small piece of spiritual pastry in her hand.
"Here, eat this. Don't push yourself too hard."
Snapped out of his daze, Lin Chen quickly shook his head in embarrassment.
"Ah, it's fine, Sister Liu Ruyan. They were just hungry — hadn't been fed yet. Nothing serious."
"And… thank you for the pastry," he added sincerely.
"Oh, I see. I thought something bad happened. Well, if anything comes up, just let me know. I'll gladly help."
Her warm smile once again left Lin Chen frozen, as if he were gazing at a springtime fairy.
"Y-Yes, Sister Liu Ruyan. I'll remember that!"
He bowed politely and hurried off, trying to hide his shabby clothes.
Shame welled up in his chest — accepting kindness from someone he once looked down on.
Back at home, Lin Chen couldn't stop his thoughts from wandering.
"What a beautiful woman… Are all women in this world this pretty?"
"Why are there no unattractive women in this body's memories? Is it because of qi?"
He pondered briefly, then shrugged it off.
But when his eyes drifted toward the neighbor's house, he sighed.
"Unfortunately, such a kind and gentle woman… works in a brothel."
Lin Chen didn't mean to judge her — his modern mindset simply made him pity her.
Yet remembering his own miserable state — hardly any better — only made him feel ashamed and frustrated.
"Hey, take care of your own problems before judging anyone else," he muttered to himself.
He headed to the kitchen to cook.
But when he opened the rice jar, his throat tightened — there was barely any rice left.
Helpless, he added more water to the pot, hoping the porridge would be enough to fill his stomach.
...
The next morning, Lin Chen was already busy feeding his chickens.
Thanks to the turtle pendant's aura, the birds were far healthier than before.
Even his Chicken Bowl had leveled up to level three, increasing their growth rate.
But his joy didn't last long — a new problem arose: feed.
Because the chickens were growing faster, they also ate more. It wasn't enough to bankrupt him, but it was still a burden.
The feed storage was empty, so he had no choice but to go to the market.
After taking out a jade token and activating his house's basic defensive formation, Lin Chen finally dared to leave.
Though the formation was easy to breach, breaking it required considerable effort.
Besides, anyone who tried would be detected and punished by the city guards.
The world was harsh, but law and order still existed — even if, in the end, the strong always found ways to escape punishment.
Lin Chen walked leisurely toward the market center, his eyes shining with curiosity at the architecture of this world.
The buildings resembled ancient Chinese styles, yet their proportions were inhuman.
To a civil engineer, they would have seemed impossible — as if gravity itself were merely a legend here.
The chatter of vendors and the smell of the market made Lin Chen feel as though he'd been transported back to ancient China.
But the magical sights around him reminded him that this was a world where immortals and demons truly existed.
He stopped by a farm supply store.
"Hello, sir. How much for the husk and chicken feed?"
"Ten kilograms of husk for fifty spirit sand. Ten kilos of weeds for ten, and ten kilos of spirit insects for twenty," the shopkeeper replied.
Lin Chen thought for a moment before deciding to buy ten kilos of husk, thirty of weeds, and ten of spirit insects.
He left the store with a pained heart — just one month's worth of chicken feed had cost him an entire spirit stone.
After that, he planned to stop by a familiar grocery store for some rice. But suddenly—
Ding!
Lin Chen's eyes widened. He immediately stepped aside to check the notification.
[Item: Woodcutter's Axe]
Description: A simple tool that has been used for years to chop countless logs.
A grin spread across his face. "Looks like my third equipment slot is about to be filled!"
He turned and spotted a quiet stall with a worn-out axe displayed on the table.
"Excuse me, sir. How much for this axe?"
"Oh, that one? Cheap, fellow cultivator — ten spirit stones," the vendor said casually.
Lin Chen blinked. "Ten? That's expensive!"
"Not at all," the vendor replied calmly. "It's a low-grade magical tool. That price is a bargain."
Lin Chen smirked faintly. "Boss, you and I both know this axe is damaged. Its aura is barely there. For a low-grade weapon that can only cut firewood, ten spirit stones is too much."
The man squinted at him. "Then how much are you offering, kid?"
"Two spirit stones," Lin Chen said confidently.
"That's the price of the raw materials."
The vendor snorted. "Final offer — five spirit stones. Take it or leave it."
Lin Chen sighed, realizing the man wouldn't go any lower.
"Fine, five spirit stones," he said in resignation. "I'll fetch the money. Wait here."
The boss nodded lazily. Lin Chen hurried off, heart heavy. He needed to find three more spirit stones somehow.
...
Some time later, Lin Chen arrived at the meat market.
"Hello, Boss Chen. Business going well?"
"Oh, Lin Chen! Good, good. What brings you here? Don't tell me you're buying spirit meat?"
"No, Boss Chen. I just wanted to ask… does my father's deposit still exist?"
The smile on Boss Chen's face immediately faded.
A bad feeling struck Lin Chen's chest.
He remembered from the body's memories that his father — a hunter — used to sell his game to Boss Chen and sometimes left the payment with him for safekeeping.
But from the look on the man's face, Lin Chen already knew the answer.
"Ah, Lin Chen… didn't your father's hunting buddies already give that money to you?"
"No, Boss Chen. I haven't seen them since — not even at my father's funeral."
Boss Chen's expression stiffened, then softened with a sigh.
"A few months ago, they said they'd hand the money to you. I thought they did… I didn't expect they'd pocket it themselves."
He looked down, regretful. "If I'd known, I would've stopped them. My fault — I was afraid of gossip."
Lin Chen stood silently, his chest tight.
He nodded, said his goodbye, and walked home with heavy steps.
He never imagined that those uncles — the ones who once treated him kindly — could be so shameless.
Boss Chen had no reason to lie about something so small.
The walk home felt endless, grief weighing down every step.
When he finally arrived, loneliness greeted him like an old friend.
Just as he was about to enter the house, a familiar figure caught his eye.
"Brother Hao Ran! Just got back from hunting?"
Hao Ran turned briefly. "Ah, yeah. Just returned."
Remembering their once-friendly relationship — Hao Ran had even been called his father's disciple — Lin Chen spoke up.
"Brother Hao Ran, do you happen to have some spare spirit stones? Could you lend me a few? I promise I'll repay you by the end of the month."
Hao Ran's expression shifted instantly.
"Ah, Lin Chen… it's not that I don't want to, but I really don't have any to spare. You know the Immortal Conference is in three months — I'm saving up for that."
"But, Brother Hao—"
"Anyway, I'll head inside first. I'm exhausted from hunting," he cut him off, quickly retreating indoors.
Lin Chen stood frozen.
What hurt wasn't the refusal — it was the disgust he saw in Hao Ran's eyes.
That look made him feel like a parasite in a world that had once been kind to him.
When his father was still alive, everyone had been friendly.
Now, with his father gone, it felt like the whole world had turned its back on him.
"This world… only respects the strong," he murmured.
As he turned to leave, his eyes fell on several slabs of tier-one monster meat hanging to dry in Hao Ran's yard — far more than one person could eat.
A bitter smile tugged at his lips.
"With that much meat… is he really unable to help me, or just unwilling?"
"He learned my father's hunting skills well — but not his gratitude."
Just as Lin Chen was about to step into his house, a soft, familiar voice called out to him.
"Hey, Lin Chen… what happened to you?"