Chapter 185: Rumors (A Celebration for the Silver Grand Alliance Leader! )
Chapter 185: Rumors (A Celebration for the Silver Grand Alliance Leader! )
Whoosh!
The Green Reaping Sword transformed into a streak of light, piercing through the vitals of the second Thunder Horned Python.
Thud!
The enormous python corpse crashed heavily to the ground, and the surroundings seemed to experience a small earthquake.
Even then, the already dead serpent body continued to twitch incessantly, a powerful vitality still lingering within it.
"Many thanks for your assistance, Brother Fang!"
The Yellow Sand Daoist tidied his dishevelled Daoist robe and bowed solemnly to Fang Xi in thanks, a hint of uncertainty and surprise in his tone: "Could it be that Brother Fang has already broken through to the mid-stage Foundation Establishment realm?"
Otherwise, how could you so easily slay two mid-grade, second-order Thunder Horned Pythons?
"Moreover, demon beasts of the same rank are often not as formidable as we cultivators."
Fang Xi waved his hand, a look of calm indifference on his face.
"Not at all, not at all. . . " The Yellow Sand Daoist, disbelieving him utterly, his face brimming with smiles: "Both of these Thunder Horned Pythons were slain by Brother Fang, so this humble Huang will not take a single coin from the demon beast materials. . ."
'Not bad, this old fella knows how to conduct himself. '
Fang Xi gave a noncommittal shrug, sweeping his Divine Consciousness across them, confirming that neither Thunder Horned Python had formed a demon core, and thus losing much interest.
Of course, he generally didn't pay much attention to the Yellow Sand Daoist, that ugly fellow.
"Immortal Ruan, how is the battle situation at the city wall? Are you injured?"
Ruan Xing Ling replied gracefully, maintaining proper decorum in front of outsiders.
The Yellow Sand Daoist looked at Ruan Xing Ling, then at Fang Xi, and remained silent.
Ever since Immortal Taoling became famous, numerous admirers had pursued her, yet she had always been distant with everyone.
Now, this amiable and pleasant demeanor could explain many things.
But just with that one sword strike Fang Xi unleashed earlier, the Yellow Sand Daoist felt that even if all those admirers were to come and fight him, they would fundamentally suffer a crushing defeat.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Fang Xi gazed at the ravaged southern district of the city, and suddenly sighed with emotion: "My properties are still here. . ."
Ruan Xing Ling thought of the location of the Pill Cauldron Pavilion, which was indeed not far from here, and was momentarily speechless.
...
Thanks to Chief Steward Ouyang's burst of power, the Immortal City today was ultimately held.
By nightfall, the southern district of the outer city was ravaged, with occasional sporadic first-order demon beasts emerging, forcing the law enforcement cultivators into a desperate struggle.
Rogue cultivators suffered heavy casualties, some dying to demon beasts, others to the chaos—after all, once the Immortal City descended into disorder, rogue cultivators who were usually docile and compliant could turn into plunderers at any moment!
If the Yellow Sand Daoist hadn't been guarding his own shop, it would surely have been ransacked long ago!
Corpse after corpse of cultivators was cleared out, filling almost half of a plaza, covered with white cloths, with blood continuously seeping and dripping from beneath them.
Within the households that still remained, and were fortunate enough to survive, cries of lament could be heard.
The outer city's law enforcement teams were busy hunting down demon beasts and plunderers, while array masters were busy repairing the city wall.
Within the inner city, it was quite peaceful.
Peach Blossom Loft.
"Today's events truly scared this humble one to death. . ."
When Jin Ling spoke of today's events, she still felt lingering fear: "This humble one has lived in the Immortal City for so many years, yet I have never seen the city wall breached. . . Fortunately, the inner city was still relatively safe today, and afterwards, Senior Ruan Dan emerged from seclusion, deterring those scoundrels. . . Only then were Wei Yi Xi and I safe."
With such a major event occurring, Ruan Dan also had no choice but to emerge from seclusion early.
With her presence, Fang Xi's prepared trump card—the Green Corner Fish Dragon—did not need to make an appearance, still playing dead in the pond.
In the Peach Blossom Loft, the three Foundation Establishment cultivators gathered together, their expressions all very solemn.
"The Immortal City's third-tier grand array is still very powerful. Today, it was simply subjected to continuous attacks from a massive number of demon beasts, causing its spiritual energy to be excessively depleted, which allowed a third-tier Demon King to seize the opportunity and destroy the city wall with a single strike. However, most of its power remains, and Demon Kings dare not rashly intrude. . . With repairs by array masters, subsequent issues should not be significant."
"The biggest problem now is the condition of True Person Baifeng, and if he's injured, how severe are his injuries. . . And how many third-tier Demon Kings are there outside. . ."
Fang Xi took a sip of bamboo wine, feeling its bitter essence spread: "Also. . . if the battle turns unfavorable, and Baifeng Mountain forcibly conscripts all Foundation Establishment cultivators, Ruan Dan, how will you handle yourself?"
Ruan Xing Ling had already gone to battle at the city wall, while Fang Xi was a logistics cultivator.
The one who truly needed to consider this question was only Ruan Dan.
"Of course, I will go with Master, and enter the battle to slay demons!"
Ruan Dan said with a resolute expression.
"Mm. . ."
Fang Xi gave a noncommittal hum, then immediately noticed a disturbance in the formation, indicating someone had arrived outside his immortal cave.
He opened the formation, and saw a graceful female cultivator walk in, bowing to him: "Senior Fang, wuwuwu. . . my husband. . . he. . . died in battle. . ."
"Hm? Brother Luo actually. . ."
Fang Xi recognized this woman. She was Luo Gong's twenty-seventh concubine. He had even attended their wedding banquet back then.
It was just that too many cultivators had perished in battle today, and he hadn't expected Luo Gong, a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, to be among them!
"Tell us the details!"
Ruan Xing Ling, who was beside them, spoke.
"Yes. . . this humble one only heard it from others, My husband displayed great power on the city wall today, but was too reckless. When the city wall was breached. . . he found himself surrounded by several second-tier demon beasts. Ultimately. . . not even his bones remained. . ."
The young concubine wept, her tears falling like pear blossoms in the rain: "As soon as my husband died, many of his other 'sisters' simply packed up his inheritance and fled. . . This humble one, remembering the small affection we shared, set up a mourning hall, and came to ask all you seniors to uphold justice. . ."
"Alas. . ."
After a long while, Fang Xi let out a faint sigh, feeling the bamboo wine in his mouth grow even more bitter: "Brother Luo was a respectable man in life. . . I will naturally go to offer my respects. As for upholding justice? That is a matter for Baifeng Mountain. There's no need to seek me for it."
Luo Gong possessed excellent aptitude, and had achieved Foundation Establishment on his own. His future was boundless.
Who knows. . . he might even have had a sliver of hope for Core Formation in the future!
But now, a dead genius is no longer a genius.
'Charging forward with fierce progress isn't always wise. . . '
Fang Xi secretly cautioned himself: "'Succeeding by risking your life once or twice, will there be a third time? Keep gambling like that, and you'll eventually lose everything! '"
'Furthermore. . . A tree that stands out in the forest will be felled by the wind. . . '
'This person reached mid-stage Foundation Establishment around fifty or sixty years old. Even without mentioning Core Formation in the future, at least advancing to late-stage Foundation Establishment wouldn't have been much of an issue. . . In the Immortal City, how conspicuous he must have been, how much envy he must have attracted? '
'His death today, might not have been without foul play. . . '"
After seeing off the young concubine, Ruan Xing Ling and Ruan Dan exchanged glances, speechless.
"Senior Luo," Ruan Dan began, "I had also heard of his great name. Back then, he advanced courageously and diligently, his magical power surpassing others. . ."
Ruan Dan, who had been full of ambition just moments ago, finally calmed down at this moment: "Even a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator ended up like this. . . I've only just entered Foundation Establishment. . ."
"This is the brutality and danger of war," Fang Xi said. "That's why I've always disliked fighting. Because as long as you enter the arena, there's a chance you might lose!"
Fang Xi sighed once more, poured a cup of bamboo wine, and spilled it onto the ground, to honor his old friend.
In fairness, although Luo Gong was a bit fond of showing off, he was still a decent Daoist friend.
At the very least, he had diligently carried out the several tasks Fang Xi had entrusted to him.
Moreover, he had even tried to secure an opportunity for Fang Xi to refine a Foundation Establishment Pill before. . .
"What a pity, how tragic, how lamentable. . . To die overnight, and have one's Dao path come to naught. . . ""
...
Over the next few days, rumors filled White Peace Immortal City.
Most of them were not good news.
Such as 'True Person Baifeng and two great Demon Kings both suffered severe injuries', 'White Peace Immortal City is short on troops and will forcibly conscript all rogue cultivators', and so on.
The most outlandish of them all was 'True Person Baifeng has passed away, and the Baifeng Mountain lineage is preparing to abandon the city and flee'!
In short, the streets were filled with panic, and the shops of large merchant guilds were all tightly shut, presenting a picture of impending doom.
"Even an Immortal City will have a day like this?"
After visiting Luo Gong's mourning hall with Fang Xi to pay their respects, Ruan Xing Ling recalled the scene of the remaining concubines fighting and tearing at each other for inheritance, and seeing the devastation all around, she couldn't help but sigh.
"Although Daoist friend Luo had a fondness for beautiful women, he had no children. Because he was single-mindedly devoted to the Dao, he used a secret art to lock away his primordial yang, allowing his cultivation to advance by leaps and bounds. Now. . . even if I wanted to help out, I wouldn't know who to help. . . ""
"In this world, is there truly anything eternal and indestructible?"
Fang Xi also seemed to be filled with many emotions.
Ruan Xing Ling subtly glanced at Fang Xi, feeling that he was not much different from Luo Gong. . .
Upon returning to the Peach Blossom Loft, they discovered that there was actually another person waiting at the entrance.
"Dongmen Ying greets you two seniors!"
This person was indeed Dongmen Ying, but his face was haggard, and his eyes were bloodshot.
"So it's you. What brings you here today? What is the matter?"
Ruan Xing Ling asked: "It shouldn't be time for the ten-year lease to expire, should it?"
"To be frank with you two seniors, my Dongmen family suffered heavy casualties when the southern city wall was breached recently. . ."
Although Dongmen Ying appeared haggard, his cultivation had surprisingly reached the perfected Qi Refinement stage: "After much thought, I decided to enter seclusion to attempt Foundation Establishment. . . However, I still lack a large amount of spirit stones, to purchase war merits. . ."
Although White Peace Immortal City had issued repeated prohibitions, the private buying and selling of war merits was impossible to truly stop.
"Oh? You want to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill?"
Fang Xi gazed at Dongmen Ying with interest.
"Precisely. . . Immortal Taoling's reputation is renowned. If you are willing to lend three thousand merit points, this humble one is willing to exchange it for a shop deed!"
Dongmen Ying said with a resolute expression.
"A deed for war merits? " Even Ruan Xing Ling was somewhat surprised.
This was like selling a hen that lays eggs for money, truly a loss-making endeavor.
But soon, she understood.
The Pill Cauldron Pavilion was also located in the southern district of the outer city, and happened to be affected by this beast tide. Coupled with the widespread panic, its value had plummeted.
Moreover, this Dongmen Ying possessed the ambition of a formidable figure. For the sake of his own Foundation Establishment, sacrificing his entire clan's future gains was not impossible.
"Three thousand merit points is truly too much. . . ""
Ruan Xing Ling was actually already tempted, and began to haggle.
"Then how about two thousand five hundred? " Dongmen Ying hesitated for a moment, and surprisingly, actually conceded.
Seeing this, Fang Xi's eyes flashed with a sharp glint: "Three thousand merit points it is, then. But Daoist friend must swear to tell us the truth, otherwise, with Foundation Establishment heart demons interfering, it will be extremely difficult to succeed!"
"What?"
Dongmen Ying was startled: "Why should this humble one make a heart demon oath? What truth?"
Seeing this scene, Ruan Xing Ling also felt a chill in her heart.
"Your reaction already speaks volumes. Perhaps by tomorrow, all these war merits and land deeds will be nothing but waste paper. . ."
Fang Xi, however, adopted a placid, seasoned look: "Tell us everything you know now, and we can complete this transaction smoothly, wouldn't that be convenient for both of us? We can guarantee that we will absolutely not disclose this matter! ""
Compared to them, two Foundation Establishment cultivators who were outsiders, the Dongmen family was deeply rooted in White Peace Immortal City. Perhaps their intelligence network was even more extensive, with 'rat-paths and snake-trails', allowing them to obtain important information from the upper echelons!
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