Simultaneous travel: I am rampant in the domestic area

"How so?" Russell asked.

“You should know about my five dreams and seven heart-shaped aspects,” Lu Chen said.

Russell nodded.

The Five Dreams and Seven Hearts are the foundation for Lu Chen's union with the Dao.

The five dreams are: a Taoist dreaming of a Confucian scholar named Zheng Huan; a living person dreaming of a skull while pillowing their head; a dream of a living oak tree while dreaming of a dead tortoise; a dream of transforming into a butterfly and not knowing who one is; and a dream of a dead oak tree while dreaming of a living tortoise.

The seven auspicious symbols are the wooden rooster, the Chinese toon tree, the mole, the roc, the yellow sparrow, the phoenix, and the butterfly.

Each of them was a divine soul separated from Lu Chen, each with its own manifestation of the Great Dao and its own innate divine power.

With each dream he deciphered and each mental image he gathered, Lu Chen's cultivation level would increase by one point, especially his Dao heart, which would not only approach perfection by one point, but would become more and more perfect.

Once all five dreams and seven mental images are retrieved, it will be the time for Lu Chen to attain the fifteenth realm of enlightenment.

Lu Chen frowned, seemingly recalling his first meeting with Russell.

"When I first met you, I felt that your aura was extremely similar to that of my avatar, which was created from the Five Dreams and Seven Hearts. My first reaction was that someone had embarked on this path before me and had already achieved results."

"So you came to me?" Russell suddenly realized, no wonder Lu Chen was so nice to a complete stranger.

“Exactly.” Lu Chen smiled faintly. “After that, I observed you for a very long period of time until you entered the upper five realms: Jade Purity, Immortal, and Ascension. The aura on your body also became fainter and fainter until now, it has completely disappeared. No, I can’t say that. I should say that your realm has reached a certain level that I can no longer detect it.”

"Understood, let's continue." Russell nodded, finally resolving a major issue that had been weighing on his mind.

"No, why aren't you reacting at all? Shouldn't you be in a daze, excited, and loudly questioning the heavens why they are treating you this way?"

Lu Chen grabbed Russell's sleeve and observed his expression with puzzlement. When he confirmed that Russell was indeed completely calm and even seemed to want to laugh, Lu Chen himself could hardly hold back.

"Get lost." Russell slapped the sword case behind him in annoyance. The Zhuxian Sword hummed softly, and only then did Lu Chen release his grip.

Is this right?
If one day someone tells him that Lu Chen is nothing more than an incarnation that others can take back at any time, he might not burst into tears, but his heartstrings would still be slightly trembling.

How could he be so completely silent?

Or rather, it was suspiciously calm.

Lu Chen also realized what was going on: "Did you already know?"

"That's a possibility," Russell nodded.

"So what do you think?" Lu Chen asked.

"Do it this way, do it that way, do it that way." Russell waved his hand and walked forward on his own.

Anyway, there are tall people to hold up the sky if it falls.

In terms of cultivation, he is neither the strongest nor the weakest among all the heavenly Russells. Even if he were to die, no matter which way you start counting, he would not be the first.

Besides, there's no point in this thing resisting.

The difference in levels is too great.

They're practically a multiverse, their boxes are probably stacked up to the sky, even if he, a little karami, cultivates to the fifteenth level, he wouldn't be able to be crushed by their one hand.

Instead of living in constant anxiety, it's better to live in the present.

Furthermore, Russell himself had discussed this matter internally.

Anyway, if the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up. If we can live, we live; if we can't live, we die. If we die, we all die together. The main goal is for no one to live.

"You have such a good attitude... Wait for me!"

Lu Chen clicked his tongue in amazement for a while, and then hurriedly followed.

After they left, the old sword hanging under the covered bridge swayed gently.

……

"Mud Bottle Alley is just ahead, and that's where you'll be staying from now on."

Lu Chen led Russell deeper into the alley.

As its name suggests, the alley is narrow and damp, with mottled earthen walls on both sides and moss spreading along the base of the walls.

This place is inhabited by poor people. It is one of the narrowest and most cramped alleys in the town. Except for a very few families, most of the houses have very low earthen walls.

“This is your home,” Lu Chen said, pointing to a spot.

The place was deep in the alley, right next to the most dilapidated courtyard, where even the door was crooked and creaking.

"..." Russell was silent for a moment, then decisively drew the Zhuxian Sword and placed it against Lu Chen's neck: "Say it again."

"Fighting is prohibited in this town, don't break the rules." Lu Chen chuckled. "Don't let the dilapidated appearance of this house fool you, its location is superb. See that house over there?"

Russell looked in the direction Lu Chen was pointing and saw a house with a serene and tranquil atmosphere.

"That's that person's residence. Look at their level of awareness, and then look at yourself." Lu Chen looked at you as if you had gotten a great deal.

Russell chuckled.

That person naturally refers to Mr. Sanshan Jiuhou.

He pioneered the art of talismans and is known as the ancestor of all methods and the ancestor of earth immortals. Mount Tai, one of the Five Sacred Mountains of ancient times, was one of his sacred sites.

At the same time, this old gentleman is also one of the creators of the "Benming Porcelain".

However, if he remembers correctly, Mr. Sanshan Jiuhou should have lived next door to Chen Ping'an's ancestral home.

At this point in time, Chen Ping'an should have been four or five years old, presumably because Chen Quan had already shattered Chen Ping'an's natal porcelain.

Perhaps we could go and take a look.

"Alright, I've delivered the person, I'm off now." Lu Chen waved his hand and left as if fleeing without waiting for Russell's reply.

Russell tidied up his room briefly and then went out as well.

His destination was Yang's Shop.

As I said before, since we're already here, we should at least pay a visit.

Once inside, Old Man Yang sat on a rattan chair in the courtyard, puffing on his old pipe, the smoke swirling around him.

"It's rare that someone would actually come to see me," Old Man Yang said, squinting his eyes.

To be honest, he couldn't see through the sword cultivator in front of him.

Although he is called a sword cultivator, his skills are quite diverse.

While he may not be a sword cultivator, his aura clearly indicates that he is a pure sword cultivator at the fourteenth realm.

"We should still pay our respects, so as not to be impolite," Russell said with a smile.

The person in front of me is no small fry.

Old Man Yang's real name is Qing Tong Tian Jun, also known as "Dong Wang Gong". He is the ancestor of male earth immortals and one of the twelve high-ranking deities of the old Heavenly Court. He is in charge of the last ascension platform in the human world.

Putting everything else aside, the fact that the protagonist Chen Ping'an was able to survive until he was served at the table was largely thanks to this old man, Mr. Yang.

"Have you found a place to stay?" Old Yang asked.

“Lu Chen borrowed a room in Mud Bottle Lane,” Russell replied.

“Mud Bottle Alley, ha…” Old Man Yang snorted coldly and said no more.

Russell, naturally, didn't want to make a fool of himself, so he shrugged and took his leave.

It was already dark when Russell returned to his residence.

The house was small, only a dozen square meters, much like the cramped rental apartment Russell lived in after graduating from university before his time travel.

Back then, a room that could fit a bed, a table, and a wardrobe was enough for him. Now, even just a bed is sufficient.

Of course, ten square meters is not a small area; it's at least bigger than Chen Ping'an's house next door.

He made a point of checking on the room when he returned, and there was only a sickly-looking woman inside.

Well, parents' love for their children is always great.

Russell stood outside for a long time, not making a move.

Chen Ping'an's natal porcelain was shattered, and he could no longer retain his fortune.

Any act of charity from him, whether intentional or unintentional, could be a devastating blow to Chen Ping'an.

He needs to find a way that satisfies both sides.

……

The next morning, the weather was clear and sunny.

The stingy sunlight struggled to squeeze through the high walls on both sides, casting a few long, slanted spots of light on the narrow alleyway, and the musty smell in the air was slightly reduced by the sunlight.

Russell moved a low stool and sat down at the foot of the wall outside his yard. In front of him was an ordinary piece of pine wood, and several carving knives of different sizes were scattered at his feet.

The alley was quiet, with only the faint sounds of the city in the distance and the chirping of sparrows on the nearby wall.

In about an hour, several well-made wooden carvings appeared next to the low stool.

There's a young man standing on a giant cauldron, a giant onion with six tentacles exuding the aura of the Holy Spirit, a divine monkey wielding a golden cudgel with great spirit, and a giant octopus with eight tentacles full of eerie energy...

Besides these, there are also some ordinary things.

At a glance, one can tell that it is no ordinary object.

As the sun rose higher, the dappled sunlight in the alley gradually retreated to the base of the wall. Russell put down his carving knife, gently brushed away the fine wood shavings from the last piece of wood carving, and prepared to get up.

Just then, a series of hurried, light footsteps broke the tranquility of the alley.

A boy of about four or five years old, wearing a coarse cloth short jacket with several patches and faded from washing, and shoddy straw sandals that obviously didn't fit properly, was running back from the alley entrance.

He clutched a vegetable basket tightly in his hand, which was mostly filled with unwanted wild vegetables. His thin face was unhealthy and pale, and fine beads of sweat glistened on his forehead.

As he passed by the courtyard, the boy immediately spotted the unfamiliar neighbor who had moved in the day before, sitting at his own door. He paused instinctively, glanced quickly at the lifelike wooden carvings at Russell's feet, and rushed into the house without looking back.

Before long, a wisp of smoke rose from the low, dilapidated mud house next door.

Russell stood at his front door, peering through the crack in the crooked door into the house.

In the dimly lit kitchen, little Chen Ping'an struggled to drag a worn-out stool over, step onto it, and lean forward with his small body to barely reach the iron pot that seemed too big for him.

Russell watched quietly, letting out a barely audible sigh.

This is indeed a difficult situation.

He could indeed bring Chen Shu back to life at will, but the consequences of doing so would be something that neither the mother nor the son could bear.

Everything must be exchanged for something of equal value.

Just like what Old Man Yang did.

What you give away is nothing; only what Chen Ping'an can keep is truly useful.

In the afternoon, the sunlight in the alley slanted even more.

Chen Ping'an carried his simple little basket woven from rags and bamboo strips on his back, and held a sharpened bamboo pole in his hand as he was about to go out.

His face held an almost sacred sense of mission—to try his luck in the river and see if he could catch a few small fish and shrimp to supplement his sick mother's diet.

"Little Peace".

Chen Ping'an paused, turned around in surprise, and saw Russell standing at the door next door.

He seemed a little flustered, quickly turned around, awkwardly wiped his small hands on his worn-out clothes, and looked up at the ground: "Y-you, hello..."

Russell walked up to him, squatted down, and leveled his gaze with the boy's.

"My name is Russell, and I am a woodcarver."

Chen Ping'an glanced at the wooden table in the courtyard, which was covered with lifelike wood carvings.

Russell continued, "I'd like to ask you for a favor."

"Please speak," Chen Ping'an said earnestly, his small face full of concern.

Russell said in a gentle tone, "I'm new here and don't know anyone. I'm thinking of opening a wood carving shop, but I need an apprentice. I was wondering if you would be willing to help."

"A shop! Me!?" Chen Ping'an was somewhat flattered, his mouth slightly agape.

After his father died and his mother fell ill, he only had three options left to live.

They either relied on the fish and shrimp in the stream to make a living, or they collected herbs to repay Old Man Yang's debts, or they relied on the charity of their neighbors.

He subconsciously looked at the wood carvings, one by one, and even though he didn't understand anything about them, he knew they were precious.

Russell looked at Chen Ping'an's eyes, which were gradually widening, and continued, "As compensation, I can give you five coins a day, which is a base salary with no performance targets. For every wood carving you sell, you will get 10% of the sales at the end of the month. What do you think?"

“You can go back and discuss it with your mother. If you agree, you can come to my house tomorrow. I’m always here. We can draft the contract together,” Russell said calmly.

"Okay...okay!" Chen Ping'an nodded repeatedly, glanced back at his own little house, and continued towards the stream with his bamboo basket on his back.

Things should be done one at a time. Tomorrow's problems are tomorrow's problems. This afternoon, he needs to go fishing and bring back some fish.

If the mother agrees, these fish can also serve as a gift for the apprenticeship ceremony.

And so, the night passed quickly.

The next morning, Russell opened the door and saw a small, hesitant figure outside the courtyard.

Chen Ping'an stood a few steps away from the threshold, clutching a small bag that was barely wrapped in a lotus leaf, its contents bulging.

When he saw Russell come out of the door, Chen Ping'an visibly flinched, then puffed out his thin chest as if to encourage himself, and took a small step forward.

"Have you thought it through?" Russell reminded him, "Doing this will give you calluses and blisters on your hands. You have to be patient and practice over and over again. It's very tedious."

His tone was calm, as if he were stating a perfectly ordinary fact.

"I've made up my mind!" Chen Ping'an nodded emphatically.

This was their only chance to survive, and he had to seize it no matter what.

“I can endure hardship! I… I’m not very strong, but I can learn! I will definitely learn well!” he promised eagerly, as if afraid that Russell would change his mind.

"Then come in." Russell led Xiao Ping'an into the courtyard, walked into the room, took out two contracts and a piece of inkpad, and placed them in front of him: "Take a look first, and if there are no problems, then sign them."

Chen Ping'an looked at it carefully. There were quite a few words on the two copies of the contract, and he didn't recognize many of them.

However, he had no other way to go.

For his mother's sake, he had no choice but to take a gamble.

Giving himself a pep talk, Chen Ping'an pressed his thumb into the inkpad and then onto the two contracts.

Russell's lips curled into a smile.

Once the contract is established and the cause and effect are set, he has many more things he can do.

"Are you my master now?" Chen Ping'an asked timidly as he put away the contract.

"No rush." ​​Russell's voice remained calm and composed. "Becoming an apprentice is a big deal. You've only just begun; you don't even know how to hold a carving knife yet. Calling someone 'master' is too early. For now, just call them 'boss.'" (End of Chapter)