Chapter 70: Chapter 68: A 600-Jin, Tier Ten Mutated Black-Maned White-Toothed Beast Invades

It was like having a bunch of bananas—some good, some rotten. Naturally, you’d eat the good ones first. Why insist on picking out the rotten ones? Once you finished the rotten ones, more would appear. As long as you chose to endure hardship, there would be an endless supply of it.

So, when it was time to enjoy life, he was going to enjoy it. Whether you called it finding joy amid suffering or simply having a positive outlook, Li Xiang refused to live a miserable existence.

...

The world was a blanket of white, draped in a silver mantle. With plenty of food and drink at home, the snowy landscape was truly beautiful.

But it wasn’t pure white.

In Li Xiang’s backyard, dozens of "red lanterns" hung from the top of the tall persimmon tree. A splash of red against the vast white made for a stunning view.

The persimmons were resilient, refusing to fall despite the freezing cold. A few small, unidentifiable birds landed on the branches, chirping noisily as they pecked at the fruit’s flesh. The surface of the persimmons seemed to be coated in a layer of ice, but the birds’ beaks were so sharp and hard they managed to break through it.

At a corner of the covered walkway, Li Xiang had brought out the table for a tea-brewing brazier. He lit the charcoal, set a pot of black tea to boil on the grill, and arranged an assortment of snacks, fruits, nuts, and pastries on it to roast.

Red dates, peanuts, tangerines, bananas, longans, chestnuts, sweet potatoes, beef jerky, preserved plums, cookies, homemade dried persimmons, and even the large *guokui* flatbread he’d tried making himself. Cut into small triangular strips and toasted over the fire, they made for a wonderfully fragrant tea snack.

The *guokui* he’d learned to make was similar to the *dadunbing* from Shan Province—the kind you could practically use as a shield.

It wouldn’t spoil in the snowy weather and would keep for at least twenty days. Of course, it probably wouldn’t last that long, since he’d only made five of them, each weighing about 600 grams. Toasted and eaten with chili sauce, it was absolutely divine.

’Isn’t this way better than those big Western sourdoughs?’

After all, China’s steamed buns had won major awards in international bread competitions, and in Li Xiang’s opinion, *guokui* was even more delicious than steamed buns.

Li Xiang, Jiang Cai’Er, his grandmother, and Third Granny sat around the charcoal fire, a picture of cozy harmony.

Jiang Cai’Er had come over almost every day of the break, often freeloading meals and drinks. Of course, she also brought her homework. Under Li Xiang’s guidance, she would diligently complete three or four practice exams each day.

With the severe weather continuing and transportation at a standstill, it was uncertain when school would resume. But Jiang Cai’Er figured they would most likely have to start online classes soon.

Third Granny’s daughters and sons-in-law had all called to check in. The heavy snow blocked the roads, so they couldn’t come help repair her house. Her eldest daughter made a special trip to bring cigarettes and liquor to thank Li Xiang, while the other two offered him money, which he refused.

They had wanted to take Third Granny to their own homes, but it was too far and inconvenient. They were also worried the journey would be too much for her to handle.

It was good for her to stay at Li Xiang’s place. It was just a matter of setting out an extra pair of chopsticks, and having Third Granny around meant his grandmother wouldn’t be so bored.

By now, the villagers truly trusted Li Xiang. Luckily, they lived in the countryside, so there was no shortage of rice and vegetables. If they were really desperate for meat, they could slaughter a chicken, though most families were reluctant to do so.

When it came to the most abundant supply of food and drinks, Li Xiang’s family was unmatched. Their home was filled with a dazzling array of meat, vegetables, fruits, and snacks.

The two Dahuangs and the kittens had also gathered around, drawn by the warmth of the brazier.

Worried they might be cold, Li Xiang lit another large fire basin for them. The cats and dogs lay beside it, enjoying the occasional tasty morsel their master tossed their way. They were in a state of pure bliss.

The little calico female was the closest to Jiang Cai’Er. Perhaps it was because Cai’Er doted on her the most, petting her a few extra times. This time, the little creature climbed right onto Jiang Cai’Er’s lap.

The kittens were bigger now, and he could start to tell the males from the females.

Xiaobai, the racoon cat, and the cow cat were males, while the calico and the little orange were females.

Three of them—Xiaobai, the racoon cat, and the calico—had Extraordinary potential and were definite keepers. But they were still males and females.

This presented Li Xiang with a dilemma. Cats have no sense of kinship and would mate indiscriminately. The offspring from inbreeding could have problems.

If they were just pets, it wouldn’t matter if they were born a bit slow or simple-minded, so long as they were cute.

However, if it affected their Extraordinary constitution, the loss would far outweigh the gain.

’I’ll just have to keep a close eye on them,’ Li Xiang thought. ’Or wait until spring, then go buy some more kittens. With a larger group, the chances of inbreeding will be much lower.’

He already had a plan to go "shopping" for more than just kittens. He figured he could pick up some puppies, chicks, ducklings, and goslings as well.

Li Xiang had also taken out the three stalks of Tier One Spirit Grass Bamboo Swallow’s Nest from last time. He stewed them in a clay pot with silver ear fungus, lotus seeds, red dates, and rock sugar. He had ladled the mixture into four small bowls, which were now being kept warm by the charcoal fire, bubbling softly and releasing a fragrant, refreshing aroma. There was one bowl for each of them.

He also took the opportunity to teach Jiang Cai’Er some Breathing Technique skills, but she found it too troublesome and wasn’t keen on learning.

"I hate gym class the most. I’d be up for dancing, but I have no interest in serious, proper exercise."

So Li Xiang fibbed, "This is a beauty regimen. Look at me. The reason my complexion is so radiant even in this snowy weather is because I practice this."

As soon as he said that, Jiang Cai’Er was tempted. She couldn’t help but steal a glance at Li Xiang. ’His face is as fair as a peach blossom, even better than a lot of girls’ skin,’ she thought. ’So that’s how he does it! I have to learn this.’ And so, she became very focused.

Her aptitude was actually quite good, and she surprisingly got the hang of it quickly, her practice already looking quite impressive. Whenever she struggled, Li Xiang would teach her a little trick, and whenever her rhythm was off, he corrected it.

Li Xiang didn’t hide it from his grandmother or Third Granny. His grandmother had tried it before, but it was too difficult, and she’d quickly given up. At her age, there was nothing more to be done.

Third Granny found it so complicated just from listening that her head spun, so she didn’t bother trying to learn either.

It really came down to natural talent and aptitude.

It was just like the college entrance exams. Anyone could buy the same textbooks and practice materials. Many people used the exact same test papers as the top students, and some even had better resources, but how many of them actually got into Tsinghua and Peking University?

Li Xiang never had any intention of jealously hoarding his knowledge. If he were to build an Underground City in the future, he planned to open a school there to preserve civilization. He would publicly teach simple Breathing Techniques that anyone could practice, and then use that as a way to screen for exceptional individuals to whom he would impart more profound Magic Skills.

In the Apocalypse, the Human Race was weak. If they continued to hoard what little they had, would the species ever have a chance to make a comeback?

Sometimes, you couldn’t afford to have a narrow perspective.

In his system, Li Xiang could redeem all sorts of Breathing Techniques. To his surprise, the Breathing Technique he had obtained in his previous life was rated very highly in the system’s evaluation. If practiced to an advanced level, it could even absorb and incorporate other Breathing Techniques with different Attributes, allowing for "evolution." Its potential was practically limitless.

Its only drawback was that progress was extremely slow.

It was precisely because of this shortcoming that few people had chosen to practice this Breathing Technique in his past life, which was why it had been relatively easy to obtain.

In this life, with the system’s help, Li Xiang was confident that reaching the Saint Tier would be no problem at all.

Just as Li Xiang and the others were eating, drinking, and chatting cheerfully, he suddenly froze, his gaze fixed on a corner of the backyard. At the same instant, the two dogs leaped to their feet, barking wildly, and tore off into the snow.

"What’s wrong? What happened?"

"Wild boar!"

Li Xiang shot to his feet and dashed into the storage room to grab the steel fork and High-Density Blade. At the same time, Jiang Cai’Er escorted his grandmother and Third Granny into the kitchen to hide.

Who cared about the brazier outside or the table laden with food?

The kittens panicked, meowing as they scrambled to their mother’s side for protection. With a low "MROWL," the old mother cat—the racoon cat—led her little ones and followed Jiang Cai’Er and the others into the kitchen.

At the same time, the birds pecking at the frozen persimmons in the tree were also startled, flapping their wings and scattering in all directions.

Li Xiang had just gotten his hands on the Three-pronged Steel Fork and the High-Density Blade when he heard a bloodcurdling scream.