Chapter 170: Black Market (Please Subscribe)
Chapter 170: Black Market (Please Subscribe)
White Peace Immortal City.
As time continued to pass, news from the distant Myriad Islands Lake kept reaching Fang Xi and Ruan Xing Ling's ears.
It was said that the Song Clan's cultivator army had suddenly attacked Myriad Islands Lake, almost annihilating the Tai Shu family and the other two major families.
After all, these three families served as the leaders of the Thirty-Six Islands Alliance, and the crime of colluding with demonic cultivators was undeniable.
And Ye San Ren was also confirmed to be a remnant of the Heaven Extermination Alliance, now wanted throughout the entire State of Yue.
It was said that this person's cultivation had reached the mid-stage Foundation Establishment realm, and with several formidable demonic secret arts at his disposal, he truly caused significant casualties among the Song Clan cultivators during his breakout, even gravely wounding a Song Clan Foundation Establishment cultivator. . .
The Song Clan's Young Master Song Qing was enraged. He used even more ruthless methods to cleanse the entire Myriad Islands Lake. It was said that every cultivator had to undergo interrogation on the "Heart-Questioning Platform," with not a single one missed, which indeed led to the capture of many dark agents of the demonic path.
Many island masters who had risen to power after the fall of the Dragon Fish Zhong Clan were ruined this time. Blood flowed like rivers throughout Myriad Islands Lake; it was said to have dyed the lake surface red. . .
Azure Wave Cave.
Clang, clang, clang. . .
As the hammering sounds ceased, an artifact blank was forged once more.
Fang Xi glanced at it, then immediately set up a formation to inscribe artifact patterns onto the artifact.
"Done!"
After a period of busy work, he looked at the iron shield artifact in his hand and nodded with satisfaction.
He held the iron shield artifact and imbued it with a trace of spiritual power.
Buzz! Buzz!
The iron shield hummed, and a fireball was released.
"The inheritance you received is excellent. These artifact patterns have the effect of turning decay into magic. . . The materials used for these artifacts are typically for forging low-grade artifacts, but after inscribing the patterns, they are comparable to ordinary mid-grade artifacts."
Ruan Xing Ling sighed beside him: "Pity. . . they're only cleverly conceived."
At the Foundation Establishment level, artifacts were essentially useless.
During this period, Ruan Xing Ling had been responsible for forging the artifact blanks, while Fang Xi was in charge of inscribing the patterns.
Through extensive experimentation, Fang Xi felt he had gained a deeper understanding of the Shard World's artifact patterns.
In the future, when truly forging spirit artifacts, having a clear approach would allow him to operate with greater ease.
As for the secret leaking problem?
Ruan Xing Ling wasn't a formation master, making it difficult for her to discern too many profound mysteries.
Moreover, these were merely Qi Refinement-level artifact patterns; a Foundation Establishment cultivator having secrets of this level was entirely manageable to keep.
And no matter how imaginative Ruan Xing Ling was, she could only surmise that Fang Xi had acquired some obscure inheritance; it was impossible for her to connect it to something as outlandish as transmigration.
"You've worked hard during this time. . ."
Fang Xi put away the artifact and smiled at Ruan Xing Ling.
Ruan Xing Ling had essentially forgone cultivation during this period, merely forging artifact blanks for Fang Xi to continuously attempt inscribing patterns.
For a second-order artifact refiner, this was a complete loss.
"Brother Fang, why say such things to Xing Ling?"
Ruan Xing Ling gave a charming smile.
The two walked out of the artifact refining room, and Ruan Dan had already set up a banquet for them to enjoy.
"Pity. . . Brother Fang's artifact patterns, though good, are too fragmented and incomplete. . . making it difficult to unleash greater power."
Ruan Xing Ling drank the Green Bamboo Wine, sighing to herself again.
"About that, I do have some ideas. . . You've also seen my Golden Flood Dragon Shears."
Fang Xi picked up a piece of demon beast meat with his chopsticks. This first-order demon beast from the Myriad Beast Mountain Range, prepared by a spirit chef, had a tender and elastic texture, coupled with an indescribable flavor that truly made one crave more.
"Combined artifacts? ! " Ruan Xing Ling's eyes lit up.
"Precisely. . . Unfortunately, the special patterns from that inheritance are too broken. . . I am currently striving to attempt some new combinations."
Fang Xi held his wine cup, taking a gentle sip.
In truth, he was waiting for Qing Lang to make contact with the "Wind Spirit Pattern"!
That was the true key to upgrading an artifact's power!
However, with his long lifespan, there was no need to rush this matter.
Qing Lang would eventually improve and gain access to the Black Mountain Tribe's supreme inheritance.
...
After the banquet, Fang Xi slowly ambled back to Peach Blossom Pavilion, secretly making calculations.
"The Golden Flood Dragon Shears' power is only average among low-grade spirit artifacts; in the future, it will be a mere piece of scrap!"
"And I'm not accustomed to using scissors. . . I truly should refine a powerful and handy spirit artifact."
After all, since the Longevity Art wasn't specialized in combat, he could only enhance a cultivator's strength through other means.
"Perfect, I'll inscribe the Shard World's artifact patterns and spirit patterns onto it. . . to create a top-grade spirit artifact!"
"Considering the bearing capacity, and leaving room to add other spirit patterns or even treasure patterns in the future. . . it's best to use third-order spirit wood materials!"
"It's time to start looking out for them."
Third-order spirit wood was extremely rare and precious, but Fang Xi would eventually need it.
After all, when he formed his Core in the future, his true treasure would at least require materials of this grade to refine!
For cultivators practicing wood-element cultivation methods, true treasures were generally made primarily from high-grade spirit wood.
As Fang Xi thought this, he had just entered Peach Blossom Pavilion when Wei Yi Xi rushed over, her eyes red: "Uncle. . . my home is gone. . ."
Seeing this, Fang Xi fell silent.
Peach Blossom Island was also within Myriad Islands Lake; it was naturally destined for disaster this time, so he hadn't spent much thought on it.
"What happened?"
He offered a few words of comfort and then asked.
"The Song Clan has taken over the entire Myriad Islands Lake and announced that they will select a Foundation Establishment rogue cultivator to support as one of the Seven Great Families of the State of Yue, to govern the entire Myriad Islands Lake. . . They've recently sent messages throughout the State of Yue, stating that all previous spirit island land deeds will be rendered void if their identities are not confirmed within a fixed period! "Xiao Hu, standing nearby, also had red eyes.
He had just received news that his mother had survived the demonic cultivator chaos, but many of his relatives and friends had been affected and died terribly. . .
"As expected of the Song Clan, their actions are always overbearing."
Fang Xi sighed, then looked at the two of them: "What's a mere spiritual land? As long as people are still alive, there will always be a chance to reclaim it in the future. . ."
In reality, he felt that with a cultivator's shrewdness, no one would risk conflict with a Foundation Establishment cultivator over a single Peach Blossom Island.
Thus, Wei Yi Xi was simply worrying for nothing.
'Even. . . if Xing Ling were to seize this opportunity to return to Myriad Islands Lake. . . she might even be supported by the Song Clan to become one of the Seven Great Families of the State of Yue, replacing the original Zhong Clan's position. It could be said to be a meteoric rise. . . '
After all, Ruan Xing Ling was a local of Myriad Islands Lake, and the various island cultivators had a high acceptance of her.
'Unfortunately. . . it's still muddy waters. '
Out of caution, Fang Xi decided to wait and observe further.
He was certainly not going to rush back, and as for Ruan Xing Ling?
This woman was intelligent, and presumably, she wouldn't either.
Even if Ruan Xing Ling made other choices, Fang Xi would not abandon his principles for her sake.
...
Three-Forked Mountain.
This mountain was located a hundred li east of White Peace Immortal City, already nearing the Myriad Beast Mountain Range.
The nearby ground was bare, with only three abrupt peaks, making it very easy to recognize.
Furthermore, there were no spirit veins or anything of the sort here; it had always only been frequented by wild beasts.
One day, however, black mist began to rise, enveloping the middle peak of the Three-Forked Mountain.
Subsequently, various concealing escape lights converged from all directions towards this spot.
This was the stronghold chosen for the recent black market sessions.
On this day, Fang Xi, also concealing his figure and wearing a bamboo hat, rode a cloud of black mist to the entrance of the black market.
"Fellow Daoist. . . do you wish to enter the black market?"
The two masked late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators guarding the entrance habitually swept their gazes over him. Upon sensing the spiritual power fluctuations on Fang Xi, suppressed to Qi Refinement Perfected using the "Breath Concealment Art," their expressions grew more serious.
"Indeed!"
Fang Xi casually tossed out a credential token, one he had acquired from the immortal city.
"Mm, confirmed. Please enter, Fellow Daoist. . . Magical combat is forbidden within the black market, and once you leave, we do not guarantee the authenticity of any goods. . ."
The cultivator on the left reminded him, waving his hand to cast a spiritual power spell.
The black mist parted, revealing a passage.
Fang Xi nodded and strode into the passage.
The passage was short, reaching its end quickly. It led to a platform on the mountaintop, without any buildings. All cultivators were simply setting up stalls like rogue cultivators.
Various hooded and masked cultivators, few in number, browsed among the different stalls.
Everything looked rather crude, but the items on the stalls were bizarre and varied.
All sorts of demonic materials, unorthodox artifacts, and even female cultivation cauldrons. . . were openly displayed for sale.
Many were "forbidden items" in White Peace Immortal City!
But this was precisely where the black market's vitality lay.
"'Blood Grudge Silk' refined using boys and girls born in Yin years, Yin months, Yin days, and Yin hours. . . this is excellent material for crafting demonic banners. . ."
"Ghost Face Jujubes, only two hundred Spirit Stones each, selling cheap. . ."
"Refined corpses, many and cheap and useful refined corpses. . ."
...
Fang Xi casually walked around, observing, and saw many demonic treasures and artifacts.
The three states of Mu, Yue, and Wu were all considered orthodox factions, and overtly, they did not allow the presence of demonic cultivators or demonic forces.
However, it was said that in countries further south, a major demonic sect ruled an entire nation, with its populace reduced to mere ants, confronting the various orthodox sects of the Yuan Kingdom.
"Pity. . . nothing catches my eye."
After browsing for a while, Fang Xi chose a few stalls and sold all the demonic materials from Situ Jia's storage bag, obtaining over two thousand Spirit Stones.
Next, he stopped at a stall selling cultivation methods.
"Oh? . . . Is Fellow Daoist also interested in my demonic cultivation methods?"
The stall owner was not wearing a bamboo hat. He had a strange appearance, with three topknots on his head and a face covered in overlapping wrinkles, not looking like a righteous person.
"I'm rather interested in secret arts. . ."
Fang Xi casually picked up a jade slip, seeing the incomplete spell art within—the "Hundred Illusions Art," a secret art that could conceal one's figure, change one's appearance, and even slightly alter one's spiritual power aura.
"This secret art is not bad. What's its value?"
"Two hundred Spirit Stones, and this old man swears it's an authentic copy. " The old man with three braids smiled, revealing his yellowed teeth: "Here with this old man, all kinds of demonic secret arts, we have everything you could possibly want. . ."
"Oh? I wonder if you have any that consume lifespan?"
Fang Xi's eyes lit up as he casually asked.
"Your preferences, honored guest, are quite peculiar. . . " The old man was somewhat speechless: "Aren't we cultivators striving for eternal life?"
"My family happens to be training deathsworn. Just tell me if you have any or not? " Fang Xi's voice carried a hint of impatience.
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