Chapter 1058: Consumption
Chapter 1058: Consumption
The mass grave.
Fang Xi gently plucked a small white flower, carefully setting it aside.
This was the 'Solitary Tomb Flower'!
"With both this Solitary Tomb Flower and the Water Ghost's Blood as spiritual materials, my advancement to [Water Controller] actually faces no obstacles now."
"But it's quite clear that this path, simple at its start, will only grow more troublesome later, perhaps even entangling me with the Eldritch Evil Gods at its apex. . ."
Naturally, he wouldn't be so unwise. He still decided to walk the [Qi Refiner] path he had researched himself.
Even if it might halt him at the Eighth-rank or Seventh-rank. . . it was still sufficient.
"After I go back, I'll check out those few shops that frequently swindled my previous self. . ."
He had even joined a small group that enjoyed tales of the strange and anomalous.
Fang Xi pondered as he descended the mass grave.
Suddenly!
In the Black Marsh River not far away, a splash suddenly erupted, and a figure swiftly lunged out.
The concealing cloak it wore had long since shattered, allowing Fang Xi to see an aged figure with tattoos covering its face.
On parts of its exposed skin, there were even scale-like markings, akin to those of a fish.
"Anomalous Being? !"
"How is it that my previous self didn't encounter one for over a decade, but I run into one today?"
"By the looks of it, this spells trouble. . ."
Fang Xi's movement technique was like a butterfly flitting through flowers, as he continuously retreated backward with explosive speed.
Splash!
Suddenly, another surge of water erupted, and a strange sailboat emerged from within the Black Marsh River.
This sailboat seemed to have surfaced from underwater, with a layer of translucent film on its surface that kept it completely dry!
From the sailboat's deck, a figure appeared, executing a movement technique like a fleeting shadow, stepping onto the water's surface to approach!
"Hmph!"
The opponent roared, their entire body erupting with blood-qi, as if a small sun had appeared between heaven and earth.
"Blazing Sun Eight Palms!"
Zhang Long Yi roared, swiftly striking out with eight palms.
His palms were fiery red, like glowing branding irons, and the sky was filled with phantom palm strikes, engulfing the fleeing merman monster.
The merman, Yin Jiu, let out a howl, and an ominous aura swirled around his body, from which dark water currents surged forth.
"Calamity Force? !"
Fang Xi's eyes narrowed slightly, as he watched Zhang Long Yi's palm shatter the black water barrier and heavily strike the merman.
Thwack!
Yin Jiu's chest caved in, and he flew a distance, blood spilling from his lips, his shattered internal organs expelled. It was clear he wouldn't survive.
"Good! Elder Zhang's palm technique truly melts gold and dissolves iron, invincible!"
Another figure leapt down from the sailboat, gazing at the seemingly gravely wounded and dying Yin Jiu, then reached both hands into the void.
Gurgle!
A dark piece of flesh was solemnly pulled out by him, then hastily shoved into a tattered pouch.
"That was close! If he had swallowed this 'Vortex Ape Meat,' he would certainly have died, but the mutated monster he'd become before dying would likely have been comparable to an Eighth-rank, or even a Seventh-rank existence. . ."
"I hate you!"
Yin Jiu had been plotting to drag everyone down with him in a final mutual destruction, but his own treasure was skillfully stolen away, causing his eyes to nearly burst with rage. At that moment, a thin embroidery needle pierced the center of his chest.
"Too much talk."
A lavishly dressed woman flicked her hands continuously, and fine threads landed on Yin Jiu's corpse. Like a carpenter's ink line, they snapped out crimson traces, forming a large net that firmly sealed his body.
"This job turned out pretty well. . . thanks to us preparing this 'Water-Evasion Skiff' beforehand. . ."
The glamorous woman said with a smile, "Otherwise, that old monster really would have escaped. . . For this, even paying the price of halving our mission reward is worth it."
"You all handle this side; I have something to do."
Zhang Long Yi, however, paid no further attention to Yin Jiu. Instead, he casually strolled over to the mass grave.
Ever since witnessing this chase, Fang Xi had returned to the mass grave, concealing his presence.
After all, he never liked getting splattered with blood.
Yet, Zhang Long Yi seemed to have discovered him long ago, coming directly into the mass grave.
"Ninth-rank. . . If I were to provoke that Corpse-Eating Fox and create chaos, I should be able to kill him. . ."
Fang Xi's heart stirred, then he walked out and said, "Greetings, Uncle Zhang. . ."
"It truly is you? What are you doing here?"
Zhang Long Yi frowned.
"I previously saw an ancient text that mentioned 'Solitary Tomb Flower' as an ingredient in a secret medicine, so I specifically came to collect it. . ."
Fang Xi replied with a smile.
"So that's it. . ."
Zhang Long Yi recalled the mission scroll he had read earlier, and a hint of a smile appeared on his face. "Did you know, just now when we apprehended that demonic individual, we also caught a few accomplices, and Fang Cheng Dong was among them?"
"Hm?"
Fang Xi was startled. "Then won't he face imprisonment?"
"Precisely. . . you. . ."
Zhang Long Yi was about to say something else when he heard Fang Xi remorsefully say, "In that case, what about the silver he owes me?"
He was rendered speechless for a moment, feeling that his grand-nephew's line of thought was a bit erratic. He immediately said, "In any case. . . there's probably nothing that can be done about it. However, that person won't be able to cause you any more trouble. . ."
"So that's how it is. Thank you, Uncle Zhang. . ."
Fang Xi cupped his hands in salute.
"If you are truly determined to walk this path, remember not to commit evil deeds or crimes, otherwise the Anomaly Suppression Division exists precisely for you!"
Zhang Long Yi sighed, turned, and departed, then added, "If one day you truly consume the elixir and enter the Dao, and wish to find work, you can come find me at the Martial Ancestor Temple. . ."
‘It seems. . . the imperial court's suppression of Anomalous Beings isn't very strong? ’
Fang Xi watched the man's departing back, muttering to himself.
Then, he smiled.
Regardless of others, he only needed to focus on his own affairs.
After Zhang Long Yi departed, Fang Xi caught a glimpse of a streak of white from the corner of his eye, and immediately, he too swiftly descended the mountain. . .
...
Deep into the night.
"Song San, Fang Cheng Dong. . . plotting with tigers for their hide, their deaths are not to be pitied."
Inside the residence in Old Locust Alley.
Fang Xi sat cross-legged, various spiritual materials laid out before him.
One bottle contained over half a bottle of 'Water Monkey's Blood. ' Besides that, there was a 'Solitary Tomb Flower,' a crimson shard of rock, and half a shriveled wing. . .
These were Fang Xi's gains for the day.
Aside from the Solitary Tomb Flower and Water Monkey's Blood, which he had gathered himself, the crimson shard and half-dried wing were acquired from visiting a few old shops.
"I must say, my previous self did have some channels to collect so many tales of the strange and anomalous. . ."
"In those shops, there were actually quite a few good items."
"But the most suitable for me were this 'Fire Heart Stone' and 'Wind Transformation Wing'. . ."
Fang Xi muttered to himself.
According to the shopkeeper, this 'Fire Heart Stone' was extremely potent; there were even Daoists who specifically bought it to cultivate lightning techniques capable of destroying cities and leveling mountains.
Of course, the amount of Fire Heart Stone required for that was terrifyingly immense.
The current piece, merely the size of a fingernail, did not possess such power.
As for the 'Wind Transformation Wing,' it came from a mutated bat-beast. Although the shopkeeper praised this beast to high heaven, Fang Xi estimated it was probably just on par with a water monkey.
Furthermore, it was only a half, incomplete wing, which was practically useless after being air-dried. He bought it along with the rest.
"I didn't expect to be unable to gather all Five Elements and Yin-Yang in the end. . . it still ended up being the Four Symbols of Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water."
Fang Xi smiled slightly and took out a clay pot.
The clay pot was filled with distilled water.
Although secret medicines were best concocted with rootless water, distilled water wasn't a big issue either.
As for any supplementary materials, Fang Xi simply disregarded them.
He then lit a fire under the clay pot, like brewing medicine, and added the ingredients one by one.
First, a small piece of 'Fire Heart Stone' was added. As it entered the water, it began to slowly dissolve, exuding wisps of crimson color.
Next came the 'Wind Transformation Wing,' 'Water Ghost's Blood,' and 'Solitary Tomb Flower'. . .
After the materials of Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water attributes were added, strange changes immediately occurred within the clay pot.
Fang Xi slowly increased the heat, controlling the intensity with the seasoned expertise of an alchemist.
Unconsciously, several hours passed, until the night gave way to dawn.
Beneath the clay pot, the charcoal fire gradually extinguished.
Fang Xi opened it, only to see that the water in the pot had almost completely evaporated, leaving behind a layer of black paste at the bottom of the pot.
"If I were to roll it into pills and seal them with wax, it would be the most common form of elixir in the cultivation world. . ."
He secretly sighed with emotion, indeed, his alchemy skills hadn't been neglected.
However, Fang Xi had no interest in rolling pills at this moment; he simply scraped up the paste.
Although the paste was pitch black and unappealing, it carried a refreshing fragrance.
He thought for a moment, then directly popped it into his mouth.
In an instant, a taste that was both bitter and sweet swirled through his mouth.
"A bit like chocolate sauce. . ."
Fang Xi quipped inwardly, then felt his spiritual insight explode.
Within his body, strange wisps of power were born, precisely the transcendent path of this world—Anomalous Force!
And with the aid of this surging Anomalous Force, his body underwent transformation from the most minute aspects, even gaining several innate-like abilities.
"Earth Spike Art, Gale Wind Art, Fireball Art, Water Elemental Art. . ."
"Encompassing means of attack, movement, healing, and so on. . . but it's far too rigid. Is this what you call a cultivator? This is more like a sorcerer, isn't it?"
As Fang Xi advanced, his mind surprisingly still had spare capacity, allowing him to fully grasp the power within the secret medicine.
Concurrently, his spirit ascended infinitely, seemingly piercing through the illusions of this world, sensing many peculiar minor realms!
The Netherworld, the Mortal Realm, the Time Realm, the Machine Realm. . .
Numerous hidden minor worlds opened their gates one by one, and within them, terrifying and unfathomable existences seemed to reside.
[Nether Emperor], [Heavenly Mother], [Martial Ancestor], [Water Ancestor]. . .
"Worship gods?"
"Not even a dog would worship them!"
Fang Xi smiled faintly and began to draw upon his true self.
This would ordinarily be impossible, but with the power of the All-Heavens Precious Mirror, the power of his true self was ubiquitous.
Within his mind, the figure of a green-robed youth suddenly appeared.
Nine flying swords encircled his body, each emanating its own unique radiance.
A layer of reincarnation black hole seemed to swallow the youth whole, or rather. . . he stood within the reincarnation black hole, imperishable through ten thousand eons, truly Fang Xi's true self, the Reincarnation Dao Monarch!
A wisp of Reincarnation True Intent descended, granting Fang Xi another spell beyond his four innate ones—'Communicate with the Underworld'!
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