Chapter 111: Rumors (Congratulations to Silver)
Chapter 111: Rumors (Congratulations to Silver)
Several days later.
Lu Guo returned to Emerald Cliff, bringing back two spirit beast pouches for Fang Xi.
One of them was surprisingly water-attributed, likely knowing that Fang Xi kept a spirit fish.
This cleverness made Fang Xi regard him with higher esteem.
As long as Lu Guo could handle affairs, and handle them well. . . it was perfectly understandable for him to occasionally skim a little profit along the way.
As for the small stash he secretly kept, Fang Xi simply turned a blind eye.
...
Half a month later.
His hair was black, tied into a topknot, casually pierced with a peach wood hairpin, and he wore white robes, his expression focused as he carved the branch in his hand.
Peeling, drying, carving array patterns. . .
When all the procedures were complete, the peach wood branch had transformed into the pole of an array flag.
Immediately after, Fang Xi took out a flag surface woven from spirit silkworm silk, combined the two in refinement, and infused them with spiritual power.
Buzz! Buzz!
On the array flag, lines of array patterns lit up, forming a restriction, without the slightest hindrance or malfunction.
Witnessing this, Fang Xi couldn't help but smile, knowing that this array flag had been successfully refined.
The next moment, he patted his storage pouch, and two more identical array flags appeared, along with a small Bagua array disc completely inlaid with spirit stones.
"Minor Illusion Array, rise!"
He sent the three array flags flying, spreading them around the pond, and injected a series of incantations into the array disc.
In an instant, layers of mist appeared, shrouding the pond's vicinity.
Various lights flickered one after another, and then the original location of the pond transformed into ordinary walls and green brick slabs, as if the entire pond had vanished without a trace.
Through the array disc, one could still see the bottom of the pond, where a seemingly bewildered Green Horned Dragon. . . was visible.
The Minor Illusion Array — barely qualifying as a low-grade first-order array, possessing only the abilities of concealment and illusion. Its range and power were far inferior to the Minor Cloud Rain Array.
It was primarily used by those secular cultivators, specifically to deter mortals!
However, its significance was immense, as it was the first array artifact Fang Xi had successfully refined!
The more he researched array formations, the more Fang Xi felt their infinite profoundness; it seemed even a cultivator's entire life's effort might not be enough to truly grasp their fundamentals.
Such was the case with array formations, and alchemy, artifact refinement, and talisman creation were not far off.
Therefore, his auxiliary cultivation focused solely on the art of alchemy.
And his achievements were quite gratifying.
Because he could use his divine consciousness to probe into the pill furnace and directly observe the changes in medicinal properties, gaining many conveniences compared to ordinary Qi Refinement alchemists, Fang Xi's progress in alchemy could be described as advancing by leaps and bounds. He had already begun attempting to refine low-grade first-order detoxification and healing pills, no longer the novice who could only refine grain-avoiding pills.
The consequence of this was the rapid consumption of various materials.
Even though Fang Xi had prepared early, he felt his storage was rapidly depleting. . .
"Perhaps. . . once my alchemy reaches minor completion, I should start refining pills for profit?"
Fang Xi habitually kept his array formation skills hidden.
Furthermore, alchemy only required others to bring materials, whereas array formations might necessitate on-site setup and debugging. . . which completely went against his principles.
...
"Master!"
A few days later, Widow Wang came to visit, her expression indignant.
"Fellow Daoist Wang, why are you so angry?"
Fang Xi smiled, appearing as light as a cloud and calm as the wind.
"It's those old hags, slandering Master behind your back, speaking ill of you. . . I couldn't stand it, so I cursed them all back!"
Widow Wang was, in fact, quite feisty by nature; otherwise, she wouldn't have dared to flee to an outer island with her child to become a tenant farmer.
"Oh? What did they say about me?"
Fang Xi's interest was piqued.
"Those bitches said. . . they said Master was ungrateful, an old turtle who only cared about his own small plot of land. . ."
"And, they said Master had long been severely injured, and any action would worsen his injuries, so he dared not lift a finger against anyone. . ."
Widow Wang repeated the rumors one by one.
Fang Xi, however, found it quite amusing to listen to.
Seeing that he genuinely didn't mind, Widow Wang felt that this Master was truly tolerant.
"My personal honor and disgrace are minor matters. The key to Peach Blossom Island still rests with the Island Master. . . What was the previous decision?"
Fang Xi inquired about the crucial point.
"It's been decided. In two months, the Island Master will personally take action and challenge the Golden Tooth Old Freak!"
Widow Wang's face was filled with worry: "The wager will be three shops in the Spirit Sky Island market. It's not about victory or defeat, but whether the Island Master can withstand the Golden Tooth Old Freak for more than the time it takes an incense stick to burn. If she loses, the contracts for the three shops will naturally be handed over. If she wins, the Golden Tooth Old Freak will no longer interfere with the three shops and will have to pay a sum of spirit stones in compensation!"
"A combat agreement, then?"
Fang Xi murmured to himself.
Ruan Xing Ling's spiritual root aptitude was much better than his own previously, being of superior-grade. Now, ten years later, she must have cultivated to at least Qi Refinement Level Nine!
For someone at the peak of late-stage Qi Refinement to face a Qi Refinement Perfected cultivator, the possibility of holding out for the time it takes an incense stick to burn was fifty-fifty.
However, Fang Xi believed that since Ruan Xing Ling dared to propose a wagered combat, she naturally had some confidence.
And it was also normal for the Golden Tooth Old Freak to agree.
This was a demonstration of strength!
If Ruan Xing Ling could withstand him for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, then in a large-scale cultivator battle, the disciples of Golden Flame Island would surely suffer heavy casualties!
Not to mention, with the aid of the array formations on Peach Blossom Island, the Golden Tooth Old Freak definitely couldn't defeat Ruan Xing Ling, thus he could only retreat a step!
Ruan Xing Ling also couldn't remain trapped on Peach Blossom Island, and there were cultivators from White Feather Island and Black Sand Island; if the Golden Tooth Old Freak disregarded his reputation and specifically launched sneak attacks on low-level cultivators, it would be difficult to handle.
Therefore, a mutually compromising wagered combat was the most suitable solution.
‘The cultivation world isn't all about fighting and killing. When powers are relatively equal, human relations and worldly wisdom become very important. . . ’
Fang Xi mused thoughtfully, then dismissed Widow Wang.
He returned to his cultivation chamber and began cultivating the 'Evergreen Art' technique.
Ever since he successfully cultivated the 'Wood Spirit Body', Fang Xi's cultivation speed had increased severalfold compared to before, and the smooth, seamless rise in his spiritual power was simply intoxicating!
According to Fang Xi's estimation, relying on a first-order spirit vein, even without consuming any pills, he was confident he could advance one level every five years, reaching Qi Refinement Level Nine within ten years!
Continuing to cultivate and break through in late-stage Qi Refinement was inherently much more difficult than in mid-stage Qi Refinement.
Being able to advance one level every five years was the speed of a superior-grade spiritual root aptitude!
Like Ruan Xing Ling!
Back then, she was at Qi Refinement Level Seven. Now, ten years later, her cultivation was around Qi Refinement Level Nine!
Fang Xi estimated that if he still possessed a low-grade spiritual root, reaching the full cultivation of Qi Refinement Level Seven would require at least a decade of arduous cultivation, not including breakthroughs for minor bottlenecks!
"Even if I'm forty-three after another decade, at Qi Refinement Level Nine, and then spend another ten years to reach Qi Refinement Perfected, starting preparations for Foundation Establishment at fifty-three. . . this is already considered the standard for an ordinary prodigy in a Qi Refinement family."
As for disciples within Core Formation sects?
Those disciples who enjoyed third-order spirit veins, received personal guidance from elders and masters, and had a supply of pills, combined with their already superior spiritual root aptitudes, often reached Qi Refinement Perfected in their twenties or thirties, then attempted to break through to Foundation Establishment. Such individuals were numerous.
Fang Xi disdained comparing himself to them!
Alright. . . in truth, he really couldn't compare to those damn people. . .
...
Time flew by.
Two months swiftly passed.
On this day, it was precisely the time Ruan Xing Ling had scheduled her combat challenge against the Golden Tooth Old Freak.
Lu Guo rose early, wanting to head to the agreed combat location—a desolate reef—to wait, but he was troubled by having no one to accompany him and didn't quite dare to leave.
He possessed nothing of value, not even a single flying artifact. Once off the island, he would have no choice but to swim. . .
"Master!"
Widow Wang, accompanied by Xiao Hu, dressed quite formally: "The combat is at noon. When do you think it would be best to depart?"
"Never mind. You all go, I won't join in the excitement."
Fang Xi shook his head.
He wore a wide-sleeved robe, his hair loose, his hands clasped within his voluminous sleeves, appearing like a carefree crane among the clouds.
"But. . . this is the Island Master's battle, concerning everyone on Peach Blossom Island. . . Haven't you always been on good terms with the Island Master, Master? Around the end of each year, the Island Master always comes to your place to sample new wine. . ."
Widow Wang was somewhat confused.
Could it be that Master Fang was truly as the outside world said, severely injured, and dared not leave Peach Blossom Island?
Alas, she didn't dare to ask, and could only take Lu Guo and Xiao Hu, piloting a small spirit boat, to join the other cultivators from the island in heading to the reef to observe the battle. . .
...
After these few left, Emerald Cliff instantly fell silent, desolate and cold. . .
"Finally. . . they've all left. It's truly peaceful!"
Fang Xi picked up the gourd at his waist, pulled out the stopper, and took a swig of peach blossom wine.
As the spirit wine flowed down his throat, a faint peach blossom fragrance permeated his teeth and cheeks.
He chuckled lightly and stepped out of Emerald Cliff.
Beneath Fang Xi, demonic tree roots grew and spread. . . seemingly following his footsteps at all times. . .
...
"Peach Blossom Island is truly desolate now. . ."
By Mirror Moon Lake.
Fang Xi took another swig of spirit wine, appreciating the scenery of the spirit lake.
The lake water was clear, with lush fragrant grass within, and small fish and shrimp swam about.
It was said that spirit fish were also raised within the lake!
Although they weren't as good as the Dragon Fish Zhong Clan's Green Jade Carp, they were fish fry that Ruan Xing Ling had purchased at great expense. They had now gradually grown in scale, earning a substantial amount of spirit stones each year.
And the current Peach Blossom Island, peaceful and tranquil, also attracted many rogue cultivators to settle, either becoming guest elders or renting cultivation caves.
Once the immortal seedlings from previous Spirit Measurement Assemblies matured, it would indeed be the burgeoning form of a prosperous force.
There were also few people near Mirror Moon Lake.
Presumably, even those who disliked paying attention to combat had to go and show their loyalty to the Island Master.
Fang Xi pondered for a moment, then ascended to Twin West Peak.
Near the spiritual land of Twin West Peak, there was surprisingly a layer of mist.
"A low-grade first-order — Illusion Array?"
Fang Xi was slightly surprised: "Did Fellow Daoist Hua actually manage to put together an array formation?"
Seeing this array formation, he couldn't help but feel a little antsy, releasing his divine consciousness to begin searching for its weak points.
This array formation was of a low grade and the worst kind of 'dead array,' so finding its flaws posed no challenge to Fang Xi, who had become an array master.
A moment later, he walked into the mist, sometimes advancing, sometimes retreating. . .
After taking two more steps, his vision suddenly cleared, and he arrived in a flower-fragrant valley.
"Who are you?"
As Fang Xi was cupping his hands, appreciating the flowers and plants, a clear and pleasant voice suddenly rang out.
He looked down and saw a little girl with a chubby, clean face, two bun-shaped topknots on her head, and wearing a pure white short skirt. She looked exceptionally adorable, blinking her large, dark, sparkling eyes, curiously surveying him from head to toe.
"Me?"
Fang Xi's lips curved into a slight smile: "I'm your uncle. . ."
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