Chapter 107: The Art of Alchemy (For the Silver Alliance! )
Chapter 107: The Art of Alchemy (For the Silver Alliance! )
“Planting a tree in the Dantian, to seek longevity. . . ”
Inside the underground cavern.
Fang Xi sat cross-legged beneath his Demonic Tree, a spiritual root connecting his back to its crown.
With the daily infusion of refined primordial qi, his physique grew increasingly vibrant.
Even the progress of his cultivation in the 'Longevity Art' advanced by leaps and bounds.
Now, when he used his spiritual sense to observe internally, he could perceive a faint, almost imperceptible emerald-green network spreading from his Dantian Qi Sea outwards, reaching his meridians, bones, and flesh. . .
This was the process of constructing the 'Azure Wood Spirit Body'!
“In a few more years, the 'Azure Wood Spirit Body' should be perfected, right? ”
Once the 'Azure Wood Spirit Body' was achieved, his low-grade wood spiritual root aptitude would be comparable to that of superior-grade spiritual root geniuses.
Yet, Fang Xi's ambition didn't stop there!
He wanted to cultivate at least the 'Wood Spirit Body'!
There were only fragmented rumors about this type of spiritual body in the cultivation world, but it was certain that cultivators possessing this spiritual body, as long as they didn't perish halfway, would almost all become Nascent Soul Grand Cultivators!
Given the growth rate of his Demonic Tree, it wasn't impossible to condense the 'Wood Spirit Body' within a few decades!
After his daily cultivation, Fang Xi routinely inspected the spirit fields.
“Ooh ooh! ”
On the field ridge, a little kid, still bare-bottomed, was happily running around, with a tiger automaton beast in front of him, slowly scurrying on all fours.
“Xiao Hu, where did this tiger automaton beast come from? ”
Fang Xi stopped and casually asked.
“My mama just got back from Spirit Sky Island market, she bought it for me. ”
Xiao Hu sniffled, answering with a silly grin.
“Alright, go play! ”
Fang Xi patted Xiao Hu's head, feeling a little vexed: 'Damn it, how many years have I searched without finding a single trace of puppetry arts. . . yet now that I'm growing trees, the works of a puppet master appear in the Spirit Sky Island market? Are you playing with me, heavens? '
'Forget it, six or seven out of ten things in life don't go your way. Must have a calm mind, a calm mind. . . '
He secretly admonished himself.
Isn't it just a puppetry art inheritance? As long as I live long enough, I'll eventually get one.
“Master! ”
Upon arriving at Widow Wang's wooden hut, Widow Wang immediately came out with a beaming smile to greet him: “That Spirit Sky Island market is so big and beautiful, and the spiritual energy is abundant there. . . I even specifically bought a pack of spirit tea for Master, and was just about to send it over to you! ”
“Hmm, thank you. ”
The spirit tea wasn't worth a single spirit stone, but it was at least a gesture of goodwill.
If Fang Xi hadn't accepted it, Widow Wang would have worried instead.
Seeing him accept it with a smile, Widow Wang's face broke into an even wider grin: “I also went to see the Island Master's shop in the Spirit Sky Island market; it's called 'Fire Refinement Pavilion', and the Grand Shopkeeper is Mu Wen! ”
Fang Xi wasn't particularly surprised by this outcome.
After all, Feng Man Lou didn't want to contend with Mu Wen at all.
Mu Wen, on the other hand, had become utterly ruthless, actually mortgaging several mu of his family's spirit fields to borrow a large sum of spirit stones, pulling strings and bribing officials.
Coupled with Feng Man Lou's voluntary withdrawal, Ruan Xing Ling couldn't say much either, and could only give the position to him.
“. . . I think the Dragon Fish Zhong Clan has accepted this matter, after all, if our Thirty-Six Islands truly unite, the late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators would be at least several times that of the Zhong Clan. . . forming a joint enforcement team, the public order around the islands is particularly good, I didn't see any bandit cultivators the whole way. . . ”
Widow Wang said with a hint of envy: “I think that Mu family head gambled correctly this time, he's going to make a fortune. . . ”
“In that case. . . that's also good! ”
Fang Xi revealed a smile.
No matter why the Zhong Clan held back, not fighting was always a good thing.
He was growing his tree here and needed a peaceful and stable environment.
As for Mu Wen's small-minded success? Let him enjoy it for now; a momentary surge of success is nothing.
A hundred years from now, we'll see if he's still around!
“Auntie Wang! ”
Just then, another person arrived at Widow Wang's home: Lu Guo!
Upon seeing Fang Xi, he habitually shivered, then bowed in greeting:
“Master! ”
“Hmm. ”
Fang Xi nodded, discovering that this boy had remarkably already guided qi into his body, becoming a first-layer Qi Refinement cultivator!
'As expected of a mid-grade spiritual root aptitude, it's only been a few months? '
'How long did my original body take to advance to the first layer of Qi Refinement back then? One year? Or two years? '
'Forget it. . . a calm mind, a calm mind! '
He forced himself to suppress the twitching in his eye, then walked out, not disturbing Widow Wang and Lu Guo's conversation.
Not long after, he saw Lu Guo emerge from Widow Wang's home, holding a small wooden knife in his hand.
After injecting a trace of spiritual power, the wooden knife actually floated in mid-air!
'Low-grade artifact? '
'No. . . not an artifact, just a trifling little toy, probably worth a few spirit crystals. . . '
Fang Xi recognized it at a glance. This kind of small trinket was just like Xiao Hu's automaton beast, possessing no lethality, entirely a toy for children.
Even so, Lu Guo carefully wiped the wooden knife and solemnly tucked it into his waistband.
“It seems. . . it's also time to transmit the later layers of the 'Evergreen Art'. ”
Seeing this scene, Fang Xi immediately fell into thought.
A mid-grade spiritual root aptitude was indeed much better than a low-grade spiritual root.
Coupled with cultivating in a spirit land since childhood, there was still a possibility of him breaking through to the late Qi Refinement stage in the future.
He wondered what Ruan Xing Ling was truly plotting.
...
Summer passed and autumn arrived.
In the blink of an eye, it was the end of the year again.
Fang Xi inspected the five mu of spirit fields, then split the profits with Widow Wang six-four, allowing Widow Wang to have a prosperous year.
Compared to this, Lu Guo seemed quite desolate, still living in a wooden shack.
On this day, amidst a riot of blooming flowers, Ruan Xing Ling's artifact landed within the Small Cloud Rain Formation.
“Island Master's grand presence graces us, brightening this humble abode! ”
Fang Xi came to greet her, smiling: “I have already prepared 'Green Bamboo Wine', may I ask the Island Master to favor me with a drink. ”
“Mm! ”
Ruan Xing Ling and Fang Xi came to the peach blossom tree and opened a bottle of Green Bamboo Wine.
For some reason, Ruan Xing Ling just loved this particular taste.
Fang Xi, however, had a complex palate; he could drink Green Bamboo Wine, Red Blood Wine, and recently he had even brewed a batch of Peach Blossom Wine.
This wine had a peach blossom fragrance and was much loved by some female cultivators.
But for some reason, Ruan Xing Ling still favored the Green Bamboo Wine more.
“Lu Guo has already reached the first layer of Qi Refinement; I think he might advance to the second layer next year. . . ”
Fang Xi poured a cup of wine for Ruan Xing Ling, and said lightly.
“A mid-grade spiritual root is indeed not bad, but it's still a bit inferior to Dan'er. ”
Ruan Xing Ling's expression was calm, showing no discernible joy or anger, and instead, she began to show concern for Fang Xi: “You are now twenty-eight years old and already at the sixth layer of Qi Refinement. If you can break through to the late Qi Refinement stage within a few years, there's hope for Foundation Establishment in the future! ”
“Island Master must be joking. . . ”
Fang Xi's face was full of bitterness: “I've only just entered the sixth layer; accumulating and refining spiritual power alone will take several years. Without five or six years of cultivation, I won't reach the perfected sixth layer, not to mention the major bottleneck of the late stage. . . If I can break through to the late Qi Refinement stage before forty, I'd thank the heavens and earth. ”
“The bottleneck from mid to late Qi Refinement is indeed very troublesome. . . ”
Ruan Xing Ling thought of the Feng and Mo families; when their late Qi Refinement stage family heads died back then, both clans were indeed chaotic for a while.
It was only after she went to help and support them. . . and expended a large amount of her family's foundation to purchase two breakthrough pills from the market, that she successfully cultivated two late Qi Refinement stage clansmen and stabilized the situation.
For rogue cultivators, they usually can't even afford pills to increase spiritual power, let alone breakthrough pills?
“Aside from insect pests, your spirit rice here yields bountiful harvests almost every year. If you accumulate for a few more years, you should have no problem bidding for breakthrough pills at the market auction. . . ”
Ruan Xing Ling seemed to be genuinely planning for Fang Xi.
With the cultivation resources from these dozen or so mu of spirit fields, Fang Xi still had a chance to attempt the late Qi Refinement stage.
Even if the output wasn't enough, mortgaging a few mu of spirit fields, like Mu Wen, and killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, would definitely be sufficient!
“Alas. . . ”
When this was brought up, Fang Xi let out a long sigh, filled with lament: “Actually, there's not much spirit rice left in my granary. ”
“Hm? ”
Ruan Xing Ling was somewhat surprised: “Could it be that you've used it all for brewing wine? ”
“Not at all! ! ”
Fang Xi smiled bitterly and led Ruan Xing Ling to the alchemy chamber he had set up.
This was a space he had specifically opened up for practicing alchemy. The room was filled with the pungent aroma of medicinal herbs, and in a corner, large quantities of spirit wood and spirit charcoal were piled up.
In the center of the room, a three-legged, two-handled purple copper cauldron was placed, astonishingly of low-grade artifact level!
“You. . . are studying the art of alchemy? ”
Ruan Xing Ling's beautiful eyes brightened: “Any gains? ”
“Currently, if I refine 'Grain Abstention Pills', I can barely break even. . . anything else is still a huge loss! ”
Fang Xi answered expressionlessly: “Alchemy impoverishes three generations, array studies ruin a lifetime. This humble one has truly witnessed it. . . ”
“Alas. . . ”
Cultivators capable of refining Grain Abstention Pills were everywhere; one simply couldn't earn spirit stones through it.
Ruan Xing Ling looked at the alchemy cauldron, the spirit herbs. . . and knew the cost must have been considerable.
Regarding Fang Xi's expenditure of spirit rice to purchase spirit herbs for practice, she couldn't help but feel disapproving: “The art of alchemy is vast and profound. After discovering one has no talent, one should immediately cut losses. How can you continue like this? ”
In truth, these materials and failed pills were all purchased by Fang Xi using other spirit stones.
His main source of income had always been from monster beast materials, not from farming spirit rice.
Setting up the alchemy chamber here was to create an excuse for the consumption of spirit rice.
Now, it seemed Ruan Xing Ling genuinely believed him.
“Alas. . . my aptitude is poor, so I thought about refining pills to earn resources. . . but then the investment grew too large, and I couldn't bear to let go, so I could only continue to invest. . . ”
Fang Xi wore an expression as if he had cultivated alchemy to the point of qi deviation.
“You. . . alas! ”
Ruan Xing Ling repeatedly shook her head: “It's fortunate that you haven't delayed your cultivation. From now on, suspend alchemy, and focus on cultivating, accumulating spirit rice. . . In the future, after another round of struggle, it's not impossible to secure the resources for a breakthrough to the late Qi Refinement stage before forty. ”
“Well. . . right now I just want to cultivate steadily to the late Qi Refinement stage. As for the age of forty limit? If I succeed, I'll be pleased; if I fail, then it's simply my fate! ”
Fang Xi sighed and downed the Green Bamboo Wine in one gulp: “Cultivation families pursue reaching the late Qi Refinement stage before forty simply to contend for a sliver of Foundation Establishment opportunity. I have already let go of my obsession with Foundation Establishment. Being able to peacefully wear away the bottleneck isn't bad either. . . Anyway, I intend to farm and fish on Peach Blossom Island for the rest of my life, living out my days in peace. . . ”
Ruan Xing Ling was instantly speechless at Fang Xi's 'idler' demeanor.
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