Chapter 18: Summer Bamboo Shoots and Brewing (Seeking Recommendations)
Chapter 18: Summer Bamboo Shoots and Brewing (Seeking Recommendations)
Outside Black Stone City.
Near the trade route.
From within the void, the sound of thunder suddenly erupted!
Bang!
A massive black wolf, twice a man's height and with two heads, crashed heavily to the ground.
Linghu Yang landed lightly, his two thick, large hands instantly restoring to their jade-white appearance.
"Uncle-Master Linghu's Five Thunder Hand has become even more profound," Chunyu congratulated softly. "To think it killed this demonic wolf in a single strike!"
"If Uncle-Master Linghu continues, he is sure to become an elder of our Yuan He Mountain. Even the Sect Master position holds great promise for him. . . " Jiao Wu Chang said, his face wreathed in smiles.
Chunyu and Jiao Wu Chang exchanged a glance, a slight chill running down their spines.
These aberrant demons, originally from deep within the mountains and old forests, suddenly rushed out of their territory. Perhaps. . . there were even stronger aberrant demons, or even. . . demons, emerging within their territory!
But seeing the assisting martial arts hall masters nearby, the two exchanged another look and did not speak.
After Linghu Yang left, Jiao Wu Chang looked at the reeking demonic wolf corpse and waved his hand in disgust below his nose. "You. . . properly process this demonic wolf and send it to Yuan He Mountain, understand?"
"Understood!"
"At once!"
The several martial arts hall masters exchanged glances. Though somewhat humiliated, they still agreed.
This time's demon cleanup was led by the government, which issued the order, with Linghu Yang of Yuan He Mountain as the main force.
These martial arts hall masters, usually so imposing within the city, now found their martial arts strength inferior to others. They were truly relegated to mere assistants, ordered about at others' whim.
Fortunately, processing a demon beast, while a bit dirty and tiring, wasn't dangerous, and they could even take a bit of the scraps as a benefit.
"Brother Feng, let's get to work! " A martial arts hall master in black robes spoke, watching the Yuan He Mountain contingent gradually depart.
"Hm, this beast is quite heavy. I reckon we can at least get several thousand catties of good meat from it. " Brother Feng smiled, secretly calculating how many catties of demon beast meat he could embezzle and how much silver he could sell it for.
This demon beast's hide, fur, blood, and flesh were incredibly tough. Even an ordinary Blood-Qi Transformation martial artist might not be able to break through it; only martial arts hall masters had some use.
At this moment, they each stepped forward, skinning and dismembering, busily working with great delight.
"Alas. . . Yuan He Mountain truly is Yuan He Mountain. Look at this Five Thunder Palm, its force is as fierce as heavenly punishment. . . " Brother Feng was peeling off a piece of wolf meat along the wound, murmuring something, when he suddenly shrieked, "Oh no!"
"Hm? " The other martial arts hall masters were startled and quickly retreated several steps, adopting their martial stances.
"There's. . . something. . . moving! " Brother Feng stammered, his back to the others.
Meanwhile, a bizarre scene was unfolding on the wolf corpse lying on the ground.
One black, vine-like tendril after another drilled in and out of the demonic wolf's corpse, seemingly replacing its blood vessels and bones, re-supporting the flesh.
Snap, crunch. . .
Teeth-grating sounds continuously echoed, as the vines gnawed at the demon wolf's bones, slowly replacing them. . .
"Howl!"
In the blink of an eye, the demonic wolf, which had been dead, shakily stood up again. Blood still dripped from its wounds, but it let out a roar, its lifeless, pale eyes staring blankly at everyone present!
"Gurgle. . ."
A martial arts hall master's face turned pale. "Brother Feng, this. . . what do we do?"
"How. . . should. . . I know?"
Brother Feng turned around, and from his mouth, nostrils, and ears. . . tiny rootlets emerged.
They looked just like the roots of some plant!
Without a doubt, he too had fallen victim.
"Oh no, Brother Feng too. . ."
"Wicked creature, take my Rushing Thunder Hand!"
Various enraged shouts erupted in succession, only to transform into screams.
Finally, all sounds vanished without a trace, leaving only tiny gnawing noises that continued to echo.
Then, one after another, incomplete human bodies shakily stood up, lining up beside the wolf corpse. They gazed in the direction of Black Stone City, a stiff smile stretching across their ashen faces. . .
...
Fang Xi was unaware of the events unfolding outside Black Stone City. He had already returned to the South Barrens Cultivation World.
Whether for cultivating martial arts or the Longevity Art, the environment of the South Barrens Cultivation World was superior.
Arriving in his own courtyard, Fang Xi saw Chen Ping, who had just returned from outside.
Hm, the other party's steps were light and unsteady; his figure inexplicably reminded Fang Xi of Old Mai Tou.
"Fellow Daoist Chen," he greeted first.
"Fellow Daoist Fang," Chen Ping returned the gift, a look of contentment on his face, mixed with a touch of gratitude. "That Crimson Bee Fairy truly is very understanding. . . I must thank Fellow Daoist for telling me last time."
"Not at all, not at all. " Fang Xi exchanged a few polite words, and after discussing their respective insights, he immediately felt their relationship had grown much closer.
"I've long wanted to forge more friendships with fellow Daoists, but alas, I've always been reclusive and couldn't bring myself to do it. . . " Fang Xi finally voiced his own troubles.
Upon hearing this, Chen Ping immediately burst into laughter. "I have quite a few acquaintances among fellow Daoists in the market. When the time comes, I'll introduce them to Fellow Daoist, and we can all go together. . ."
Watching the man's retreating back as he returned to his house, Fang Xi nodded, then shook his head.
In truth, if Chen Ping could transfer his infatuation with Fellow Daoist Lu Zhi to that Crimson Bee Fairy, it might actually be a good thing. . . probably?
After all, it's a case of one willing to give, and one willing to receive, isn't it? It just costs a bit of Spirit Stones.
...
Spring departed, summer arrived.
As summer's thunderbolts began to boom, Fang Xi, clad in a straw rain cape, arrived at the verdant Green Bamboo Grove.
"Spring Wind Transforming Rain, Myriad Things Sprout, Haste! " Within the bamboo grove, Fang Xi's expression was solemn as he formed hand seals.
As the spiritual power within his body rapidly dissipated, a hand seal also emerged in his palm, gradually becoming clear, then flying up into the air.
One cloud of mist after another appeared out of thin air, enveloping this small patch of land, and then rain began to fall in fine threads.
Fine and wispy, like a dream, like mist.
Spring Wind Transforming Rain Art!
This art not only summons rain but also infuses the rainwater with faint spiritual energy, effectively promoting the growth of spirit bamboo!
Rustle!
The spirit-infused raindrops fell upon the earth, quickly penetrating the soil and seeping into the roots of the spirit bamboo.
Beneath the earth, a tenacious life force broke through the soil, and tiny bamboo shoots barely revealed their pointed tips.
"Spring arrives, summer comes, myriad things sprout forth, it's truly marvelous. . . " Fang Xi spread his hands, even lifting his head, allowing the spirit-infused rain to strike his straw cape and sprinkle onto his face, a look of contentment upon him.
At this moment, it was time for the summer planting of spirit bamboo rice.
As a Spirit Farmer, every so often, one had to come and perform the 'Spring Wind Transforming Rain Art' to provide nourishment for the spirit bamboo shoots.
This was intimately linked to the next year's harvest, and no Spirit Farmer dared to be negligent.
Including Chen Ping!
Although very reluctant, according to what he said, he had recently reduced the number of times he met with the Crimson Bee Fairy.
There was no other way; his talisman-drawing skill wasn't yet enough to support his cultivation, and for now, he still had to rely on cultivating spirit fields to make a living.
"My Qi Refinement third-level cultivation is still too low. " After performing one spell, feeling half of his spiritual power consumed, Fang Xi's expression was very displeased.
The high consumption of the Spring Wind Transforming Rain Art was one aspect. The other was that his cultivation was too low, and his cultivation method's tier was also too low.
This resulted in a situation where he simply couldn't cast many spells.
"What a pity. . . changing cultivation methods is truly too fantastical a notion. I can't even gather a single Spirit Stone right now. . . " Fang Xi, back in his shed, couldn't help but smile bitterly.
He went to the cellar, where in one corner, several wine jars had already been piled up.
This was the primary reason for his recent Spirit Stone consumption.
After visiting the Pill Cauldron Pavilion earlier, Fang Xi had conceived the idea of brewing spirit wine himself.
Spirit bamboo rice was readily available, and by chance, he had acquired a small bottle of spirit wine yeast from a vendor at a market stall.
Though he had no recipe, he simply began experimenting with brewing.
Of course, Fang Xi wasn't foolishly bold; he controlled variables for each jar, creating several reference groups.
Furthermore, very little spirit rice was used in each jar, so even if he failed, the loss wouldn't be too great.
This way, by next year, a more suitable spirit wine recipe might be discovered through trial and error.
'One portion of wine yeast alone cost me a Spirit Stone. '
Fang Xi looked at the wine jars, then solemnly buried them again.
This was an important harvest for next year; if he accidentally knocked over a jar, his heart would ache terribly.
He picked up the last jar of wine, scrutinized it, then wrote a flowing inscription on its sealed surface: "Spirit Bamboo Rice Wine, made with two catties of spirit rice, one tael of wine yeast, early spring snow water. . . buried deep with summer thunder, awaiting next year's spring dawn. . ."
Burying the last jar of wine underground, Fang Xi let out a long breath.
After finishing these chores, he once again began to consume Taisui meat, then practiced the White Cloud Palm and Red Snake Leg.
During these days, relying on Taisui meat, spirit bamboo rice, and the spiritual energy environment of the cultivation world, his accumulation in blood-qi had advanced by leaps and bounds, long since leaving Mu Piao Miao far behind.
By now, hearing the summer thunder, he faintly felt signs of a breakthrough!
'There are too many experts in the cultivation world. What if a Foundation Establishment cultivator just happened to pass by and their Divine Consciousness swept over me during my breakthrough? That wouldn't be easy to explain. . . '
'I wonder how significant the commotion will be when I break through to the Martial Arts Hall Master realm, but safety comes first. '
With a thought from Fang Xi, the surrounding world instantly shifted.
When he looked again, he was already in the Da Liang world, in the Fang residence!
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