Chapter 104: Four Years (Seeking Monthly Votes)
Chapter 104: Four Years (Seeking Monthly Votes)
Winter passed, spring arrived; summer departed, autumn came!
The plants around Emerald Cliff turned yellow then green again, and in the blink of an eye, four cycles of winter and summer had passed!
Underground cavern.
"Counting on my fingers, I'm twenty-eight this year. . ."
Fang Xi slowly ceased his cultivation, the verdant spiritual light on his body gradually calming.
At this moment, his cultivation had surprisingly reached the sixth level of Qi Refinement!
With a cultivation chamber possessing a first-order spirit vein, Fang Xi's 'Longevity Art' progress accelerated, reaching the peak of the fifth layer within a few years.
Then, he attempted to push through the bottleneck, unexpectedly breaking through with ease.
Fang Xi's expression grew a little serious.
Many Qi Refinement cultivators fail to break through this barrier and advance to the late stage of Qi Refinement in their entire lives!
Especially for someone with his inferior spiritual roots!
In the Myriad Islands Lake region, cultivators in the late stage of Qi Refinement can already firmly hold the position of island master on smaller islands, just like Ruan Xing Ling!
"Fortunately, I have enough time. I'll slowly grind away. . . Perhaps with enough grinding, I might even cultivate a Spirit Body!"
Fang Xi rose, his mood quite good.
He was clad in a green robe, and the four years that had passed seemed to leave no trace on him; instead, he appeared even younger.
Simply standing there silently, he resembled an elegant jade tree, serene and profound. . .
"Wood-element cultivation arts inherently have a youth-preserving effect, and I've also been cultivating my mind and body, so I can barely pass it off. . ."
Fang Xi glanced at the Demonic Tree of Primordial Beginning behind him; the tree was now a startling two zhang tall, with black aerial roots and vines hanging down, and a verdant canopy. . . It already possessed some of the grandeur of the Progenitor Demonic Tree.
"I didn't expect there would be some pleasant surprises."
Fang Xi stood beneath the tree, letting a vine from its canopy retrieve a dusty, grey seed.
This was a Demonic Tree seed!
He examined it, then grabbed an ordinary wild rabbit from a cage in the corner and tossed the seed onto it.
The next moment!
The seed erupted with countless tentacles, penetrating the rabbit's body, even beginning to devour its bone marrow, causing the rabbit to wail in agony. . .
Moments later, the tree seed had completely replaced the rabbit's bones, eerily standing upright and performing various actions according to Fang Xi's will. . .
"The puppet art I've been searching for has actually been right beside me all along. . ."
The Demonic Tree of Primordial Beginning inherently possessed the ability to control puppets and servants.
This method of parasitic tree seeds was also something Fang Xi had gradually stumbled upon later.
The Demonic Tree of Primordial Beginning could control its seeds, and since he could control the Demonic Tree of Primordial Beginning, he could indirectly manipulate the puppets, forming a unique 'Wood Puppet Art'!
"However. . . the puppet seeds are a level lower than the parent tree."
Fang Xi took out another seed, feeling that it was a full major grade lower compared to the Demonic Tree of Primordial Beginning behind him.
If the Demonic Tree of Primordial Beginning behind him was second-order, then this seed would be at most first-order!
"The seeds I obtained were likely also a tier lower than the Progenitor Demonic Tree. . . but after bringing them to the cultivation world and absorbing a large amount of spiritual energy, they underwent mutation and breakthrough?"
Fang Xi rubbed his chin, growing more curious about that Progenitor Demonic Tree.
At the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief.
He no longer had to worry that if these seeds flowed out, others would cultivate Demonic Trees identical to his own.
After all, they were all weakened versions of the seeds.
"One day, my Demonic Tree of Primordial Beginning might just be able to devour the Progenitor Demonic Tree!"
Fang Xi secretly harbored a bold ambition in his heart.
His Demonic Tree of Primordial Beginning was a weakened version of the Progenitor Demonic Tree; even with the enhancement of spiritual energy, it might not be enough for him to cultivate the 'Eternal Evergreen Body'!
One day, if he truly wished for eternal life, he would eventually have to contend with the Progenitor Demonic Tree!
...
After cutting off some Taisui meat to feed the Demonic Tree of Primordial Beginning, Fang Xi then inspected his spirit beasts one by one.
The Big Green Fish remained as listless as ever; there hadn't been much change in it over the years.
Conversely, within the specially designated insect chamber, among the numerous black-patterned scarab beetles, faint specks of green occasionally appeared.
Seeing this, Fang Xi's expression subtly brightened. He formed a hand seal, collecting the few green-patterned scarab beetles, intending to cultivate them separately later.
These types of insect demon beasts weren't powerful on a large scale, ultimately possessing little great might.
For now, cultivating them for fun, besides honing his beast-taming skills, they could also serve as a visible trump card.
Indeed, the publicly known Fang Xi also needed a few killer moves!
...
"I can't leave the range of the Demonic Tree of Primordial Beginning; I can't even go to Mirror Moon Lake, which is quite troublesome. . ."
"I've refused several summons from the island master these past few years; I feel like Ruan Xing Ling is almost getting angry. . ."
"And there are always some unexpected small items that need to be purchased, all requiring a helping hand."
"I can't just have someone bring me a corpse and then make it into a wood puppet, can I?"
Fang Xi walked among the fields, occasionally pulling the stopper from the wine gourd at his waist and pouring a mouthful of spirit wine into his mouth.
After living here for several years, he had become intimately familiar with every blade of grass and every tree on Emerald Cliff.
Even more so. . .
Control!
Fang Xi stamped his foot, and a root from the Demonic Tree of Primordial Beginning emerged, then swiftly retracted.
"These roots of the Demonic Tree of Primordial Beginning grow so fast; it won't be long before they cover the entire Emerald Cliff, will they? "He walked to the edge of the cliff, gazing at the rippling lake surface, lost in thought: "Perhaps. . . I should loosen its restrictions a bit, for example, allowing it to extend its tentacles into the lake daily to catch fish?"
Only when the Demonic Tree of Primordial Beginning acquired more blood-food would the life vitality it returned be more abundant.
Rather than how it was now, returning only half a day's lifespan each day.
Fang Xi had actually been restraining the Demonic Tree of Primordial Beginning's craving for flesh and blood, which was why he hadn't allowed it to turn the entire Peach Blossom Island into a demonic domain.
This was also a form of cultivating the mind!
...
That afternoon.
Fang Xi was brewing tea, slowly savoring it.
In his courtyard, over a dozen peach trees had already been planted, all sent by Ruan Xing Ling.
Reportedly, they were all cuttings from that second-order spirit peach tree, barely qualifying as spirit plants.
Using his own expertise as a spirit farmer, Fang Xi had successfully planted all these transplanted peach trees, which even surprised Ruan Xing Ling a little.
"Now that these spirit plants have adapted to the local soil, I presume there will be peaches to eat next year. . ."
He leaned back against the tree, letting peach blossoms fall onto his shoulders: "Hmm. . . With these peach blossoms, I can brew peach blossom wine. . . In the 'Wine God's Compendium,' there's exactly a wine recipe that can enhance floral fragrance. . ."
The afternoon sun was warm and intoxicating, perfect for a spring nap.
Fang Xi yawned, just about to drift off to sleep, when his restriction token began to flash with light!
"Which uninvited guest is it this time?"
He infused a stream of magic power into the token, opening the formation, and saw a person wearing a jade crown, dressed in brocade clothes, with an extraordinary demeanor, floating over on a white feather artifact.
"So, it's him!"
Fang Xi muttered to himself.
It was Feng Man Lou who had arrived!
After accepting his fate, this person had married and had children on Peach Blossom Island, working hard to ease relations with the three major rogue cultivator families, proving quite adept at diplomacy.
Even Fang Xi, due to the need to maintain a channel of communication, had shown Feng Man Lou a more pleasant demeanor, and gradually, they had become friends.
In contrast, Mo Qing Yu, who still hadn't learned to restrain himself after the death of the Mo family's old ancestor, had been expelled from the island by Ruan Xing Ling a few years ago and was now nowhere to be found. . .
Feng Man Lou dismounted his artifact and saw Fang Xi's relaxed, leisurely, and somewhat lazy demeanor, which couldn't help but stir a hint of jealousy: "Brother Fang, I truly envy you, farming and raising fish, undisturbed by external affairs. . . Your life is truly like that of an immortal. . . Eh? You've broken through?"
Sensing Fang Xi's sixth-level Qi Refinement cultivation, he became even more surprised.
His cultivation had already caught up to Feng Man Lou's.
After all, even for disciples of Qi Refinement families, the late stage of Qi Refinement was a major hurdle.
Feng Man Lou had reached the sixth level of Qi Refinement long ago, but he had been stuck at the bottleneck, only to be caught up by Fang Xi instead.
"It took a full five years just to advance one level, alas. . ."
Fang Xi shook his head, looking rather disappointed in his own aptitude.
Feng Man Lou felt a pang of sympathy and likewise sighed: "I've heard that for disciples of Foundation Establishment sects and prominent families, breaking through to the late stage of Qi Refinement before thirty is considered a sign of potential for Foundation Establishment. . . In our Qi Refinement families, if one can break through to the late stage of Qi Refinement before forty, it's already enough to be taken seriously and cultivated. Brother Fang, don't be disheartened, there's still hope. . ."
"I've only just advanced; accumulating magic power takes time, not to mention there's still a major bottleneck ahead."
Fang Xi gave a bitter smile.
The last time he was at the Treasure Ship Market, he hadn't managed to purchase any pills that could assist in breaking through to the late stage of Qi Refinement.
Such pills were not only precious but also exceedingly rare.
Once they appeared, they were invariably bought instantly.
Unless one staked out an auction, there was only a slight chance of encountering one or two.
Other than that, cultivators wishing to break through bottlenecks could only rely on slowly grinding away with time, or achieving sudden enlightenment through a life-or-death battle.
"Brother Fang, I truly admire your single-minded, arduous cultivation, staying indoors for five years and ultimately advancing to the sixth level of Qi Refinement."
Feng Man Lou bowed solemnly, then put on a smiling face: "May I trouble you for a cup of spirit wine? To share in your good fortune!"
"Haha, you always have your eye on my good stuff."
Fang Xi chuckled, but still went to retrieve a bottle of Vermilion Blood Wine and tossed it to Feng Man Lou: "Last year the weather was favorable, and my wine was brewed as if divinely aided; it's definitely the best batch."
"Many thanks."
Feng Man Lou pulled out the stopper, sniffed the wine's aroma, but didn't drink it. Instead, he quickly tucked it into his embrace.
He had already married and had children. Although his children were still young and couldn't have their spiritual roots tested yet, this spirit wine could enhance their vital essence, and drinking it would make their bodies strong and immune to all illnesses, which was excellent.
Feng Man Lou still yearned for the fruits borne by that second-order spirit peach tree, which was why he had been exceptionally diligent in running errands for Ruan Xing Ling recently.
'Alas. . . Once a dashing young man, he's now become a greasy dad. . . '
Seeing this scene, Fang Xi felt a surge of emotion.
He continued to drink his spirit tea. Half a day later, Feng Man Lou shamelessly asked for more spirit tea.
Fang Xi rolled his eyes, but still poured Feng Man Lou a cup: "You never visit without a reason. Has something happened on the island recently?"
"Haha, you finally asked!"
Feng Man Lou tipped his head back, draining the spirit tea, then said: "This year's Spirit Testing Assembly was exceptionally lively. . . Of course, you never like crowds, but this time is different. This year truly gave the island master both joy and shock!"
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