Chapter 156: Killing for Treasure (Congratulating the Divine Alliance Leader! )
Chapter 156: Killing for Treasure (Congratulating the Divine Alliance Leader! )
Several months later.
“Young Friend Zhang, this is a ‘Purple Wood Pill’. . . ”
Peach Blossom Pavilion.
Fang Xi handed a bottle of pills to an elderly cultivator dressed in a green robe.
“Many thanks, Senior Fang! ”
The elderly cultivator was already at the Qi Refinement Perfected stage, the head of a small Qi Refinement family affiliated with White Peace Immortal City. This Purple Wood Pill was sought for a talented junior in his family.
Incidentally. . . it was also a way to build a connection with this Foundation Establishment senior.
The two conversed very happily. It was only when Jin Ling came in to announce another guest's arrival that Patriarch Zhang stood up and took his leave.
Fang Xi swept his Divine Consciousness over the Spirit Stones left by the other party, counting them, and couldn't help but reveal a satisfied smile.
This transaction not only brought him a sum of Spirit Stones but also the pill formula for the ‘Purple Wood Pill’!
In truth, breakthrough pills for the Qi Refinement stage, such as the Purple Wood Pill, were indeed precious. However, this was White Peace Immortal City after all; if one searched carefully in the large merchant guilds, they would always find them!
‘This person deliberately sought me out for alchemy, clearly intending to build a connection. . . ’
‘Not bad, not bad. . . What a pity, I absolutely won't leave the city to serve as a Grand Elder for small families or minor sects. . . ’
Fang Xi picked up a white jade wine cup, took a sip of peach blossom wine, and then saw Jin Ling lead another person in.
“Junior Tie Xueyi, pays respects to Alchemist Fang! ”
Tie Xueyi bowed, offering several jade slips: “Fortunately, I did not fail the mission. . . This trip was very smooth. Here is the reply from Peach Blossom Island! ”
Fang Xi took one of the jade slips, and as his Divine Consciousness entered it, he saw Ruan Xing Ling's handwriting.
This woman merely offered respectful congratulations on his successful Foundation Establishment and stated that she would personally come to White Peace Immortal City to meet him during the Grand Auction several years from now.
‘Polite, yet with a hint of distance. . . Could Island Master Ruan be feeling inferior? ’
Fang Xi stroked his chin.
In reality, Ruan Xing Ling was outwardly gentle but inwardly resolute, extremely decisive. Otherwise, she wouldn't have rejected the proposal of becoming a Daoist Companion back then.
He then read Wei Yi Xi's reply.
This half-disciple of his was as quirky and mischievous as ever, starting by congratulating 'Uncle' on his successful Foundation Establishment, then clamoring to come to White Peace Immortal City to play. . .
Thankfully, the lass hadn't forgotten the important matters and mentioned the situation of those at Emerald Cliff.
During the battle of Dragon Fish Island, Lu Guo and the other two had returned completely unharmed. However, Hai Da Gui and Xiao Hu were unlucky; not only did they fail to gain any spoils of war in the final battle, but they were severely injured again, forced to return to Emerald Cliff to recuperate, which also delayed their cultivation.
Conversely, Lu Guo, for reasons unknown, had a fortuitous opportunity and broke through to late-stage Qi Refinement upon his return.
But regarding the matters of Dragon Fish Island, he remained tight-lipped.
After this battle, the Tai Shu, Yu Chi, and Xiahou families established their rule over Myriad Islands Lake, lavishly enfeoffing rogue cultivators as spirit island masters, earning them much praise. Myriad Islands Lake thus entered a period of peace and stability.
Of course, Wei Yi Xi, however, made a sarcastic remark, believing that the three major families had lost too many people in the final battle—it's said even their family heads perished in battle. . . their strength greatly declined, and only then did they reluctantly fulfill their promise.
‘Xi Xi believes. . . if Uncle were to claim a cultivation spot, now is a heaven-sent opportunity. . . if he were to make some moves back in Myriad Islands Lake, Dragon Fish Island might be unattainable, but he could at least obtain Spirit Sky Island. . . ’
In the end, the little lass even offered such advice, looking as if she feared there wouldn't be enough chaos in the world.
‘Myriad Islands Lake. . . I will naturally return, but not now. ’
Fang Xi muttered to himself.
He could imagine that, taking advantage of this opportunity to enfeoff numerous island masters, the Heaven Extermination Alliance must have infiltrated countless people.
It's highly likely that more than half of the newly appointed island masters are their people.
Currently, Myriad Islands Lake closely resembled a demonic cultivator stronghold, and even Ye San Ren, the Foundation Establishment guest elder of the Thirty-Six Islands Alliance, was involved in murky affairs.
Fang Xi would be a fool to return now.
Not only did he not want to go back himself, but if possible, he also wanted to lead everyone from Peach Blossom Island away from the demonic mire first.
But. . . this matter couldn't be stated explicitly.
“You've worked hard, Alliance Leader Tie. ”
Fang Xi read the letter, saw that Tie Xueyi was still respectfully standing by, and couldn't help but smile, handing over a small bag of Spirit Stones.
“To be honest, the Island Master has already given a reward for this mission to Peach Blossom Island; I truly dare not take more. . . ”
Tie Xueyi repeatedly waved his hand.
Watching the man's departing back, Fang Xi fell into thought.
He also lacked a capable person in the lower echelons of White Peace Immortal City; perhaps he could try to cultivate one?
...
After finishing his alchemy and receiving guests for the day, Fang Xi returned to his cultivation chamber and began cultivating the Thousand Silks Puppet Control Art.
His Divine Consciousness was powerful, making the cultivation of this art quite easy. Over several months, he had gradually mastered the basics.
At the same time, he was openly collecting raw materials for puppet arts, preparing to practice himself and also to modify second-order puppets in the future.
After his puppet arts practice, came the daily time spent observing the Shard World.
...
Shard World.
Still the same river.
Fang Xi's Divine Consciousness extended, reaching a mere five zhang. He didn't know how much it was consumed after experiencing world transitions.
However, the range of his Divine Consciousness extension seemed a little further than before, and he didn't know if it was an illusion.
Fang Xi secretly noted this small discovery, guessing that his Divine Consciousness, by relying on the spiritual treasure to travel between two worlds, would always gain some benefits. At the very least. . . it should also have the effect of tempering Divine Consciousness!
“After this period of exploration. . . my Divine Consciousness seems to still have some use. ”
Fang Xi's Divine Consciousness entered the mirror fragment, and the incomplete bronze mirror fragment actually began to glow faintly.
Furthermore, on the mirror's surface, lines of text appeared. . .
“Using Divine Consciousness as a pen and the mirror's surface as paper, by consuming Divine Consciousness power, one can leave behind writing. . . ”
This was a small function he had discovered during this period.
Overall, he could impersonate an artifact spirit to deceive people, though. . . it still seemed to have no major use.
“Hmm? Someone else has arrived! ”
Fang Xi released his Divine Consciousness and found that another person dressed in animal hide had come to the riverbank.
The other party had a sturdy build, but his face still seemed somewhat childish. He carried a large water skin, and bluish-black tattooed patterns adorned his body.
“Or. . . should I give it a try? ”
Fang Xi was pondering whether to lure this person over to pick up the fragment.
Suddenly, an unexpected turn of events occurred!
Just as the young man was drawing water, a youth dressed in black animal hide crept nearby. His physique was sleek, and he held a black dagger, like a hunting leopard, crawling forward through the grass, then erupting to injure someone!
Pfft!
Caught off guard, the young man's back was instantly slashed open by the dagger, forming a large wound. He looked at the attacker and let out a strange sound.
‘Ah. . . sure enough, it's a foreign language, I don't understand it. . . ’
Fang Xi muttered a complaint, but carefully memorized the pronunciation.
Ever since cultivating Divine Consciousness, he had become a minor genius. Not only did his previously difficult immortal cultivation arts make rapid progress, but learning various mortal skills also came easily to him.
The two young men exchanged blows rapidly. Although they possessed immense strength, in Fang Xi's eyes, they were only at the level of mundane martial artists.
In Da Liang, they would barely be at the Blood-Qi Third Transformation stage, not even martial arts hall masters!
The attacking youth also shouted a few words loudly, his eyes filled with eagerness.
‘It doesn't look like a revenge killing; instead, it's more like killing for treasure? ’
Fang Xi carefully observed the pronunciation and expressions of the two as they spoke. . . Although the water-drawing young man's martial arts were slightly more profound, he suffered a great loss due to being ambushed and injured.
He gradually fell into a disadvantage, and the wounds on his body multiplied.
Finally, this person scattered a large handful of sand, forcing back the attacking youth, then shouted, flinging a bag far away.
At the same time, he secretly tossed an item into the river behind him.
Fang Xi swept his Divine Consciousness over it, discovering it was a dull, grayish object, much like an ordinary pebble.
The attacking youth's movement technique was like a flying bird. He grabbed the small bag and pulled out an identical dull stone from it, his expression showing great joy.
Immediately, he looked at the young man, his expression turning ferocious.
After a few more moves, the young man was stabbed through the heart with a dagger, fell to the ground, and completely lost all signs of life.
The youth laughed triumphantly, kicked out, and sent the young man tumbling into the river.
Streaks of bright red blood spread through the river water, drifting towards the edge of the bronze mirror fragment.
Fang Xi silently watched the young man's corpse.
‘Indeed, you are not the protagonist. . . ’
He quipped to himself, his Divine Consciousness continuing to observe the inconspicuous pebble.
‘Hmm, it really isn't an ordinary item. There seems to be spiritual energy inside? ’
This pebble was just two zhang away from the mirror fragment, not very far.
Fang Xi pondered, but had no intention of warning the one who killed for treasure.
He considered himself not a good person, but not a bad person either.
As an ordinary person like him, he naturally still hoped for more and more good people in the world.
Even bad people, for that matter, would rather deal with good people, hoping for more good people in the world.
“My lifespan is long, no hurry, no hurry. . . I'll continue to wait for the opportunity. . . ”
Feeling the consumption of his Divine Consciousness, Fang Xi actively withdrew it.
...
Southern Barrens Cultivation World, White Peace Immortal City, Peach Blossom Pavilion.
Fang Xi opened his eyes, feeling as though he had just woken from a dream.
“It’s just. . . this dream felt a little too real. . . ”
“That world. . . seems quite primitive. . . ”
Thinking of the animal hide clothing worn by the two, and the crude dagger, Fang Xi fell into contemplation.
“Aside from that. . . the spiritual energy of heaven and earth should be more abundant than in the Da Liang world. . . spiritual items are not uncommon either. At least, two little fellows at the Blood-Qi Third Transformation stage could find them. . . I just don't know what their use is? ”
“From the perspective of the cultivation system, it's currently only at the level of mortal combat techniques. . . I haven't seen any demons or monsters. . . nor any demon beasts in the river. ”
He continuously summarized what he had seen and heard during this period.
“Overall, I don’t know what value that world holds? ”
Fang Xi thought for a moment. His short-term goal in the Shard World should be non-material things like cultivation methods, secret arts, or knowledge. . .
After all, he couldn't take anything over himself, nor could items from there be transmitted over.
So wasn't it the case that he could only acquire intangible wealth like knowledge?
“And the long-term goal. . . is to continuously explore methods to transmit objects or even people. . . At the very least, I must recover that bronze mirror fragment! ”
Regarding this supreme treasure capable of traversing myriad worlds, Fang Xi was determined to obtain it!
“Such an immortal item. . . why was it damaged in the first place? ”
He recalled the past, and couldn't help but fall silent. . .
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