Chapter 112: Fairy Peach Bell (Requesting Monthly Votes)
Chapter 112: Fairy Peach Bell (Requesting Monthly Votes)
"Uncle?"
The bun-faced girl looked somewhat confused, then shook her head: "You're lying! I don't have an uncle. . ."
"Haha!"
Fang Xi couldn't help but rub the bun-faced girl's cheek again, chuckling, "Your name is Wei Yi Xi, isn't it? If I didn't know you, how would I know your name?"
Wei Yi Xi's two pretty little eyebrows furrowed. She annoyingly wanted to bite her finger, seemingly deep in thought about how this stranger knew her name, wondering if he really was her uncle.
"Good girl, Yi Xi. . ."
Fang Xi's expression softened: "Uncle accidentally took a wrong turn. Can you open the formation and let Uncle out? Uncle will bring you good food later. . ."
"Mm!"
The next moment, she smiled slyly, suddenly jumping far away and waving the token.
A misty veil instantly appeared, separating the two.
"You're lying!"
Wei Yi Xi scraped her own cheek: "If you were my uncle, how could you not know the trick to entering the formation? Mommy! Mommy, hurry, there's a bad person!"
Her clear, childish voice echoed far, far away in the valley. . .
"What audacious scoundrel dares to trespass upon my West Peak? !"
Along with a sharp shout, a streak of artifact light enveloped a person, rapidly descending from mid-air to reveal a middle-aged woman.
Upon seeing Fang Xi, she was momentarily startled.
"Fellow Daoist Hua, ten years no see. . ."
Fang Xi solemnly clasped his hands, feeling a pang of emotion.
Hua Chan Juan was no longer the graceful figure she had been ten years ago. On the contrary, wrinkles lined her eyes, her back was slightly hunched, and her hair was streaked with grey and black, making her appear like a mortal woman in her forties.
Cultivators normally wouldn't age so rapidly, but her relentless labor over the past decade—accumulating Spirit Stones, purchasing formations—had clearly taken a toll, showing signs of chronic fatigue.
"Is it. . . Fellow Daoist Fang Xi? !"
Hua Chan Juan found it hard to believe her eyes.
Although his face was identical, the Fang Xi of before had an ordinary demeanor, marked by the cautiousness of a Spirit Farmer.
The current Fang Xi, however, was like a jade tree in full bloom, radiating a vigorous, thriving aura. Just standing there, he resembled a towering, verdant pine, brimming with such vitality that Hua Chan Juan felt herself grow a few years younger just by looking at him.
"Mommy. . . who is this?"
Wei Yi Xi tugged at Hua Chan Juan's sleeve, asking in a low voice.
It was the first time she had seen her mother treat an outsider cultivator with such a pleasant expression, which made her very curious.
"It's Uncle Fang Xi, the one Mommy told you about. He's a good friend of Mommy and your father. . ."
Hua Chan Juan's expression was complex. She turned to Fang Xi and said, "It's been ten years. Fellow Daoist, please come in and have a cup of honey water. . ."
"Thank you!"
Fang Xi cupped his hands and followed Hua Chan Juan into the house.
Wei Yi Xi continued to stare at Fang Xi with profound curiosity, as if trying to etch every detail of this "big uncle's" appearance and smile into her memory.
"Xi Xi, aren't you going to call him 'Big Uncle'?"
Fang Xi took a sip of honey water and started teasing the child again.
"Big Uncle!"
This time, Wei Yi Xi obediently called out, then suddenly remembered something and clapped her fair, tender hands: "I remember now! You're the uncle who, like my mommy, always stays cooped up on Emerald Cliff and never comes out!"
"Cough, cough. . ."
Fang Xi nearly choked, while Hua Chan Juan admonished her daughter: "How can you speak like that? Be polite to outsiders. . ."
"But didn't Mommy say there are many bad people down the mountain? " Wei Yi Xi asked, confused.
Hua Chan Juan was speechless and could only bow to Fang Xi: "My child speaks carelessly; please don't take offense, Fellow Daoist."
"Not at all, not at all. Xi Xi is innocent and adorable; I quite like her."
Fang Xi laughed heartily, then asked about the little girl's spiritual root.
He found that Hua Chan Juan had quite good luck: Wei Yi Xi possessed a mid-grade water spiritual root aptitude.
The offspring of cultivators have a higher chance of developing excellent spiritual roots than those born from cultivators and mortals.
Given this result, Fang Xi wasn't surprised.
"Fellow Daoist, you rarely leave your home. Why have you come to my humble abode today?"
Hua Chan Juan hugged her daughter, her expression turning serious.
"Alas. . . the Island Master has challenged the Golden Tooth Old Freak today, and I feel a little uneasy. . ."
Fang Xi explained the situation: "So I wanted to ask Fellow Daoist for advice, but I didn't expect that you had already set up a formation here. I accidentally trespassed; please do not take offense, Fellow Daoist!"
He rose and sincerely apologized.
Regardless, trespassing on someone else's formation was wrong.
"So that's what it is!"
Hua Chan Juan's face was as cold as ice: "Some people came to me before about this, but I only have one thing to say. . . whoever dares to try and snatch West Peak, I will kill them! This is the only memento my late husband left for me and Xi Xi! As for the Island Master's victory or defeat? It's none of my business!"
Fang Xi keenly sensed that Hua Chan Juan seemed to harbor some resentment towards Ruan Xing Ling.
Perhaps, deep down in her heart, she still suspected that when Wei Yi Xin met his misfortune, Ruan Xing Ling might have been involved, or at least tacitly allowed it to happen!
"I have been cultivating diligently. Now that we part ways today, I don't know when we'll meet again. Fellow Daoist, please take care!"
Finally, Fang Xi cupped his hands in a salute, preparing to bid farewell.
"Big Uncle!"
As he was about to step out of the formation, Wei Yi Xi chased after him, raising her small fist and shouting, "Don't forget, you promised me you'd bring me good food. . ."
Children likely rarely encountered other people, so her guard was still a bit low.
Fang Xi nodded, planning to have someone send her some snacks later. Teasing children like this was quite enjoyable....
Emerald Cliff.
The setting sun cast a golden glow across the lake.
"Master, we're back."
Widow Wang returned to Emerald Cliff with Lu Guo and the other two, her face beaming with joy.
"It seems the Island Master won the wager today."
Seeing this, Fang Xi couldn't help but smile.
Ruan Xing Ling's victory was in his interest.
"That's right! It's such a pity you didn't go, Master. . ."
Widow Wang began to chatter excitedly: "Today, the Island Master, in her red robes, displayed immense divine power. . . she actually fought the Qi Refinement Perfected Golden Tooth Old Freak to a draw, only acknowledging defeat and leaving the stage after a stick and a half of incense had burned. . . In my opinion, that Golden Tooth Old Freak couldn't possibly have defeated the Island Master!"
"Yes. . . as soon as the Island Master made her move, there were waves of bell sounds, and anyone who got close felt their Sea of Consciousness obscured, unable to move. . . After today's battle, the Golden Tooth Old Freak politely compensated with Spirit Stones and even bestowed the Island Master with the elegant title 'Fairy Peach Bell'."
Lu Guo added from the side.
'It seems Ruan Xing Ling has indeed cultivated to the peak of Qi Refinement Level Nine, or perhaps even the Great Perfection of Level Ten. . . '
Fang Xi mused inwardly, while also chuckling, "It seems from today onwards, the name 'Fairy Peach Bell' will resound throughout Myriad Islands Lake."
At the same time, the Golden Tooth Old Freak had lost both his reputation and resources, which would certainly delay his progress toward Foundation Establishment. For Fang Xi, this was excellent news.
"After this battle, our Peach Blossom Island will be considered a formidable presence among the Thirty-Six Islands. No short-sighted fool will dare to covet our market stalls again."
Widow Wang was radiant, then seemed to recall something and spat: "I think the happiest one is Mu Wen. I heard the Island Master greatly appreciates him after his recent report and will let him continue as Grand Manager!"
"Is that so."
Fang Xi wasn't bothered by this.
Only when Mu Wen broke through to the late-stage Qi Refinement would he even spare him a second glance.
"I've actually heard some news about Mu Wen."
Lu Guo suddenly spoke up.
"Oh? Tell me about it. . . " Fang Xi revealed a faint smile: "If it's valuable, Master will instruct you in spells for a day. . ."
"Thank you, Master. " Lu Guo quickly expressed his gratitude, then shared what he had heard: "I squeezed among the Mu family children and overheard them saying that the Mu family has been in an uproar recently. . . Apparently, the Patriarch wants to mortgage all their spirit fields, and even their ancestral spirit residence, to borrow a large sum of Spirit Stones to buy a shop in Spirit Sky Island Market. . . Some of the elders disagreed and are clamoring for a family division!"
"He's addicted to speculative risks, huh. . ."
Fang Xi murmured, reminded of the second-generation rich heirs from his previous life.
As long as they didn't start a business, invest, or gamble, they could squander their family fortune for decades. . .
But once they embarked on major ventures, major investments, they were fraught with risk!
Perhaps a very few succeeded, but most failed.
Mu Wen must have tasted success from his previous speculation and now wants to try something big!
If he succeeds, the Mu family will be rooted in the second-order spirit vein of Spirit Sky Island Market!
As for failure?
This person probably believes he will never fail.
"I think it's feasible. That's a shop in a second-order spirit vein market; it could definitely support several generations."
Widow Wang's face was filled with envy: "Especially now, who would dare to target our Peach Blossom Island cultivators?"
"Lu Guo, what do you think?"
Fang Xi looked at Lu Guo.
"Master, I think farming is more reliable! " Even though he still harbored thoughts of venturing out, Lu Guo remained very steady.
"Very good. Tomorrow, I will instruct you in spells. . ."
Fang Xi nodded in satisfaction.
How the Mu family fared actually had little to do with him.
He just felt a touch of sentimentality thinking about Mu Wen's past.
...
The next day, Fang Xi instructed Lu Guo on the intricacies of the 'Spring Wind Transforming Rain Art' and the 'Geng Metal Grass Slicing Sword', then sent him off to deliver some pastries to Twin West Peaks.
Fang Xi was a man who kept his word.
Autumn, laden with fruit.
The spirit fields once again yielded a bountiful harvest.
During this rush to harvest spirit rice, let alone Fang Xi, even Xiao Hu was dragged to the fields by Widow Wang to pick up any stray grains.
Though arduous, seeing the granaries full of spirit rice brought a deep sense of accomplishment.
Fang Xi, however, secretly noted the fertility of the spirit fields, planning to reserve an acre or two for planting spirit herb seeds next year.
His alchemy required a large amount of materials for practice, and his current stock was gradually diminishing, necessitating replenishment from external sources.
Growing his own was undoubtedly the most cost-effective method.
It would just mean Lu Guo would have to work hard again next year, learning how to plant several other types of spirit herbs. . . but then again, he would be teaching Lu Guo the path of a Spirit Planter, and other Spirit Farmers would be overjoyed!
Winter.
Outside, heavy snow fell.
Fang Xi activated the Small Cloud Rain Array, keeping the inside of the formation warm as spring, with peach blossoms blooming beautifully in the courtyard.
Beneath the peach tree, a dark table was set, holding a green bamboo wine bottle and two cups.
Fang Xi quietly poured himself a cup; the taste was still bitter.
This year, Ruan Xing Ling had not come. . .
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