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Chapter 195: Breaking Through to Mid-Stage (Please subscribe)

Chapter 195: Breaking Through to Mid-Stage (Please subscribe)

Southern Barrens Cultivation World.

Dragon Fish Island.

'Good heavens. . . Dan Ya's talisman mastery is actually so formidable? '

After returning from the Great Liang world, Fang Xi once again observed the Shard World, and then received news that utterly astonished him.

Relying on Chen Ping's quasi-third-order talisman Dao inheritance, Dan Ya, in the way of talismans, had simply advanced by leaps and bounds.

She had even already begun attempting to refine the 'Vertical Earth Golden Light Treasure Talisman'.

Although she had failed many times, relying on the abundant resources of the Shard World, Fang Xi felt that she had a complete possibility of success!

"Moreover. . . there were traces of demonic cultivation on her body, meaning she must have successfully mastered the Five Extremes Origin Demonic Art."

Fang Xi mused thoughtfully.

The physical constitution of the Wu people differed greatly from that of humans in Great Liang and even the Southern Barrens, allowing them to open spiritual apertures.

Fang Xi had long known this, and had even conducted many experiments.

But he hadn't expected that they could actually cultivate the techniques of the cultivation world!

'As for Dan Ya now, she doesn't need me to issue tasks; she's frantically searching for 'Treasure Glyphs' herself. . . wanting to forge them one by one into third-order talismans. By then, truly, few Wu Kings would be her match. '

'It's just a pity that that Eastern Tribe is too powerful; I can't get the 'Five Elements Treasure Glyph' for now. . . My Green Reaping Sword can't be upgraded. . . '

'I really envy Dan Ya. She just chops down third-order spirit wood whenever she wants, peeling it to make talisman paper without even blinking an eye. In that mystic realm, the resources are truly abundant. . . '

'Unlike me, now that I need to re-refine the 'Earth-Shaking Grand Array', I still have to go gather materials. . . '

Of course, Fang Xi now absolutely dared not swagger through markets under the identity of 'Daoist Mu', and then visit cultivation cities controlled by the Black Heaven Sect.

Over the past few years, the inside story of the Song Clan's destruction in that battle had gradually spread. . .

Subsequently, Fang Xi's avatar, 'Daoist Mu', became famous throughout the Three Kingdoms, hailed as a suspected third-order formation Grandmaster!

The 'Earth-Shaking Grand Array' he pioneered could actually damage spirit veins, causing third-order formations that even third-order formation-breaking talismans were helpless against to lose most of their power source, which could be described as utterly insidious and malicious—the Song Clan's Moon-Gazing Mountain had now largely collapsed, and even its spiritual energy had fallen back to the second-order level, which was the best proof!

Of course, regardless of what was said openly, regarding this treasure capable of destroying third-order formations, all major Core Formation forces were secretly searching for it; perhaps one day it could deliver a fatal blow to their enemies!

For instance, White Peace Immortal City had offered the high position of vice city lord, claiming that as long as Daoist Mu was willing to go, the position would await him.

Alas. . . Fang Xi regarded all of this as a joke.

Unless he was out of his mind, he wouldn't go to those Core Formation forces and expose his identity.

'Now, even buying raw materials for refining formation flags and arrays has to be done secretly. It's best to use several different identities, prolong the time, and put in more effort to prepare. . . '

As for the ultimate life-saving 'Vertical Earth Golden Light Treasure Glyph', even if Fang Xi immediately picked up talisman crafting skills now, he might not quickly advance to a second-order superior-grade Talisman Master, so it could only be listed as a backup plan. . .

...

Time flew by like water.

In the blink of an eye, another three years had passed.

Inside the Evergreen Pavilion, in the seclusion chamber.

Fang Xi circulated the 'Green Wood Longevity Art', his entire body enveloped in a verdant glow, like rippling waves, each stronger than the last.

On this very day, leveraging the benefits of the second-order superior-grade spirit vein, even though he hadn't consumed many pills in recent years, he had expanded the liquid magic power within his Dantian's sea of qi to the limit of the Green Wood Longevity Art at the early Foundation Establishment stage!

Then, he naturally began to break through the bottleneck!

Feeling the process after breaking through a certain barrier, under the powerful spiritual pressure from the outside world, where vast amounts of heaven and earth spiritual energy converged in his Dantian, and were continuously refined into liquid magic power, a faint smile couldn't help but appear at the corner of Fang Xi's mouth.

At this moment, he had successfully broken through the barrier, advancing to become a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator!

"This breakthrough during seclusion felt very natural. . . If I had forcefully broken through when I only had forty drops of liquid magic power, it would undoubtedly have been extremely difficult, and I would have needed the aid of realm-breaking pills at that time."

"But I was neither arrogant nor impatient, polishing my early Foundation Establishment stage magic power to its absolute limit, and although my spiritual roots were ordinary, with the blessing of the Wood Spirit Body, there was no bottleneck. . . Thus, I naturally broke through."

Fang Xi released his Divine Consciousness, and found that his Divine Consciousness limit had astonishingly reached one hundred fifty zhang, comparable to a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Moreover, his lifespan had also increased, to around four hundred fifty years!

"An increase of thirty years of lifespan? Ordinary cultivators breaking through minor realms absolutely wouldn't experience such a large increase. It's probably due to my Wood Spirit Body, plus cultivating a wood-element technique?"

Not only that, when he inwardly observed with his Divine Consciousness, he found that his Dantian's sea of qi had expanded once more, and astonishingly, there were seventy-five drops of liquid magic power within it, condensed into a secluded pool.

"When I was at the peak of early Foundation Establishment, my liquid magic power was fifty drops. Then, breaking through to mid-stage Foundation Establishment, my magic power surged by half, adding twenty-five drops of liquid magic power. . . No wonder cultivators advocate for realm suppression. Just my Green Wood Longevity magic power alone right now should be able to crush early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators practicing top-tier techniques, right?"

"Although the Green Wood Longevity Art is inferior to top-tier techniques, it's still a small masterpiece. Crushing those sect geniuses across realms is absolutely no problem!"

"And my Divine Consciousness, it actually increased by so much?"

Fang Xi thought for a moment, and did not immediately exit seclusion. Instead, he struck while the iron was hot, cultivating the third layer of the 'Thousand Strands Puppet Control Art'!

He had long since memorized the cultivation incantations for the third layer, but had been unable to cultivate it successfully, simply because his Divine Consciousness hadn't met the requirements.

Now that his realm had broken through, with his Divine Consciousness similarly surging, it wasn't long before he cultivated it to perfection with utmost smoothness!

"Having mastered the third layer's incantations, I can now split eight threads of Divine Consciousness. . ."

"However, this is also the limit of this puppet art."

Fang Xi assessed his combat strength, and after re-refining several second-order puppets, a hint of satisfaction couldn't help but appear on his face: "With my current mid-stage Foundation Establishment magic power, Divine Consciousness comparable to a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, and the Green Reaping Sword along with seven second-order puppets. . . even without using the Vermilion Bird Ring talisman treasure as a trump card, I should be able to contend with a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. . ."

The reason there were only seven second-order puppets was because he still had a thread of Divine Consciousness hidden deep within his sea of consciousness, communicating with the 'All-Heavens Precious Mirror'.

"Having been at Foundation Establishment for over thirty years, and now ninety years old, I've finally broken through to mid-stage Foundation Establishment!"

"Today is a great day for celebration. It should be celebrated!"

Fang Xi cast a 'Cleaning Art' on himself, removing the slight grime that came with his cultivation breakthrough and the cleansing of his muscles and marrow, and emerged from seclusion feeling refreshed.

Before exiting seclusion, he thought for a moment, and secretly cast a spell.

This was the 'Aura Concealment Art' recorded within the 'Green Wood Longevity Art', which he had been cultivating all along!

The next moment, the aura around Fang Xi's body greatly diminished, maintaining the level of an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

'With my current cultivation, even a late-stage or perfected Foundation Establishment cultivator might not be able to see through my disguise. . . '

Fang Xi calmly walked out of the cultivation chamber. Maidservants had long since noticed him, and they immediately bowed, then scurried off to inform Xiahou Ying.

"Congratulations on exiting seclusion, Island Master!"

Xiahou Ying's cultivation had now also broken through to mid-stage Qi Refinement, and she had lost much of her shyness. She stepped forward with a smile and bowed.

"Mm, during the time this young master was in seclusion, did anything happen on the island?"

Fang Xi changed into a new magic robe, assisted by Xiahou Ying, and asked casually.

"Nothing. . ."

Xiahou Ying looked at Fang Xi, who showed no signs of aging at all, his face still as handsome as a young master's, and a blush flashed across her cheeks: "My clan brother, however, has successfully cultivated second-order Dragon Scale Spirit Rice, and was just about to report the good news to the Island Master. . ."

"Oh? That's good news."

Fang Xi chuckled, "This young master will surely reward you handsomely. . ."

...

After some playful banter, Fang Xi changed into another magic robe, and went to the Spirit Herb Valley.

"Greetings, Island Master!"

Xiahou Zun quickly brought several old farmers forward to pay their respects.

"Dispense with the formalities. Lead me to see the second-order spirit fields. . ."

Fang Xi flicked his sleeve, and arrived at the second-order spirit field area, where he saw a vibrant expanse of spirit grains.

Each grain of this Dragon Scale Spirit Rice resembled a dragon's tooth, was the size of a fist, and each grain was as white as jade, with dragon-scale-like patterns on its surface.

Although it hadn't fully matured yet, a clear fragrance already permeated the air.

"Reporting to Island Master, this Dragon Scale Spirit Rice indeed requires water from where the Spirit Venerable resides to grow. . ."

Xiahou Zun reported with a face full of joy, he had already grown into an excellent spirit plant cultivator.

"Good, keep up the hard work!"

Fang Xi then checked the growth of the medicinal herbs in the spirit medicine fields, encouraged Xiahou Zun with a few words, and only then leisurely returned to the Evergreen Pavilion.

At the highest point of the Evergreen Pavilion.

Fang Xi stood with his hands behind his back, by the window, gazing at the scenery of the fish farm and the Spirit Herb Valley. He mused to himself: 'My cultivation has greatly advanced now, and in recent years, I've occasionally gone out disguised to purchase materials. Now, I only lack five-hundred-year Heavenly Silkworm Silk, then I can re-refine the 'Earth-Shaking Grand Array', and then explore the Demonic Tree's demon domain. '

That Demonic Tree wasn't one to just take root and stay put.

According to reports from the Martial Gods left behind by the Martial God Gate, the tree had left the lifeless Three River City a year ago, and then occupied another mortal city, transforming it into a purgatory.

This gave Fang Xi a sense of urgency, as the Demonic Tree was clearly growing, and its speed, whether in devouring or other aspects, was accelerating!

'As for the five-hundred-year Heavenly Silkworm Silk, I've already inquired about it clearly. . . It's sold in the cultivation cities near the Ethereal Moon Sect. '

Not counting the Black Heaven Sect, the State of Yue previously had seven great aristocratic families and five major sects, all widely renowned.

The Ethereal Moon Sect was one of the five major sects, only accepting female disciples, and was famous for raising various spirit silkworms.

By now, with the Song Clan's demise, the power of Foundation Establishment families had greatly declined, while the five major sects had all expanded their territories, devouring all the benefits that spilled out from the Song Clan's downfall.

Just as Fang Xi was pondering, a pink escape light flew from outside Dragon Fish Island, its escape speed incredibly fast; it was a Foundation Establishment cultivator!

Fang Xi swept with his Divine Consciousness, revealed a smile, and actively opened the formation.

The escape light flew directly to the top of the Evergreen Pavilion, revealing a female cultivator with a rosy face and a hint of sternness; it was precisely Ruan Xing Ling!

"Fairy Ruan's esteemed presence is truly rare. . ."

Fang Xi smiled faintly, "Would you like to sit down for a cup of spirit tea?"

Ruan Xing Ling, however, looked at Fang Xi, her expression slightly dazed.

Having not seen him for several years, Fang Xi's appearance remained unchanged. This was not unusual; many cultivators could achieve it.

But the aura of tranquility and detachment, yet full of vitality, emanating from him, was something no one could imitate.

Her expression turned serious, and she said in a deep voice: "Fellow Daoist Fang, Myriad Islands Lake has not been peaceful lately. I fear there are undercurrents hidden!"