Chapter 220: Foundation Establishment Bandits (Please subscribe)
Chapter 220: Foundation Establishment Bandits (Please subscribe)
Several years later.
A shocking piece of news spread throughout the Three States!
Bai Feng Zhenren had, at some unknown time, actually gone missing!
White Peace Immortal City was in utter chaos, and people were panicking. Only Ouyang Zhen, wielding a third-order magic artifact, barely managed to step forward and stabilize the public mood.
Affected by this, a large number of cultivators left White Peace Immortal City and flowed into the Three States.
Too many cultivators suddenly poured into the State of Yue, leading to frequent incidents of combat and robbery as they competed for resources. Even the Black Heaven Sect found it difficult to curb this trend.
...
“Young Master. . . ”
Zhong Qi's cultivation was still at Qi Refinement Layer Seven, but he was experienced and cautious, often dispatched by Fang Xi to procure materials outside.
Unexpectedly, this time he had caught up with the market being plundered, and almost hadn't made it back.
“Old Zhong, you’ve worked hard. Afterward, take some spirit stones and a small Green Dragon to express our regards. . . ”
Fang Xi waved his hand, looking rather unenthusiastic.
Xiahou Ying withdrew, her expression somewhat puzzled.
In recent years, Yan Hong Xiu, aside from serving Fang Xi, had been single-mindedly cultivating diligently.
She, on the other hand, had a good relationship with Zhong Hong Yu.
Seeing Zhong Hong Yu sweeping, she immediately stepped forward and whispered, “What’s wrong with the Young Master? Why does he seem so down? ”
Zhong Hong Yu stuck out her small tongue, pulled Xiahou Ying into a bedroom, and pasted a ‘protective talisman’ before lowering her voice: “The Young Master received a message from Peach Blossom Island today, saying that Fairy Wei has passed away. . . ”
“Passed away? ”
Xiahou Ying was startled, then suddenly had a realization: “Ah, yes, if you count the days, she was already over a hundred years old. . . ”
Although the lifespan limit for Qi Refinement cultivators is two Jiazi cycles (120 years), it’s generally difficult to live that long, unless one excels in health preservation or cultivates wood-attribute techniques.
Wei Yi Xi didn't specialize in either, and in her early years, she had even suffered damage to her primordial qi due to a failed Foundation Establishment breakthrough, so passing away at a hundred years old was quite reasonable.
“The Young Master losing his niece would naturally feel sad and grieved. . . ”
As Xiahou Ying spoke, her expression grew somewhat strange.
After all, the Young Master was still in the prime of his life, even seeming to grow younger with each passing year. Who would have thought that he had already “sent off” his own niece.
“Sigh. . . Foundation Establishment. . . Foundation Establishment, ah. . . ”
Xiahou Ying sighed faintly and looked at Zhong Hong Yu: “Your Aunt Ying doesn’t hold much hope for this life anymore, but you, lass, have actually broken through to late-stage Qi Refinement, and the Young Master values you, so there’s hope for your Foundation Establishment. You absolutely must focus on the Dao path! ”
“Aunt Ying, I understand. ”
Zhong Hong Yu solemnly promised.
Ever since she was young, she had been sent to the Changqing Pavilion. The only people she was close to, besides the Young Master, were Aunt Yan Hong Xiu and Aunt Xiahou Ying.
Upon hearing the other party’s earnest advice, she naturally took it to heart.
“Eh? Something’s not right. . . ”
Suddenly, Xiahou Ying thought of something else that wasn’t right: “Since Fairy Wei passed away. . . why didn’t our Young Master go to offer condolences? ”
“The Young Master decided not to go to Peach Blossom Island, and had already sent away the messenger of death. . . ”
Zhong Hong Yu was clearly also somewhat puzzled.
Meanwhile, Xiahou Ying, after mentioning the news that Youyue Market had been breached and that a group of Foundation Establishment bandits had fled into the Myriad Islands Lake, her eyes darted around: “Could it be. . . that the Young Master is worried about being ambushed by those bandit cultivators if he goes out? ”
“Surely not? ”
Zhong Hong Yu was somewhat surprised, but immediately covered her mouth, not daring to say anything more.
After all, Fang Xi gave off the impression of being a complete homebody. How many years had it been since he left Dragon Fish Island?
Relying on the protection of the second-order grand array on the island, he truly exuded an air of being unperturbed by any upheaval and calmly observing the turns of events.
...
On the other side.
Fang Xi strolled leisurely on Dragon Fish Island, arrived beneath a peach blossom tree, and gazed at a storage bag in his hand.
After Wei Yi Xi passed away, she had left a will instructing someone to send this item to him.
Upon opening it, it contained resources worth over a thousand spirit stones. Clearly, the girl still remembered his joke from back then.
“Sigh. . . ”
“Seeing those he was familiar with depart one by one, was this the sorrow of a long-lived being? ”
Fang Xi thought of the news he had received before the New Year: the Yan family patriarch had also passed away. Yan Hong Xiu had wept bitterly over this and returned home for the funeral.
It was said that the Yan family was now left with only a handful of members. In the end, having no other choice, they had appointed Yan Dong Qing, a Qi Refinement Layer Five cultivator, as the new patriarch.
All the cultivators in Myriad Islands Lake were speculating that the time for the Three Divisions Hall to annihilate the Yan family was not far off.
As a result, Yan Hong Xiu had been unhappy during this period, which had also diminished much of Fang Xi’s enjoyment.
“However, if this is the price of longevity, then I am willing to bear it! ”
Fang Xi arrived beneath the Demonic Tree. A spiritual root extended and connected to the tree trunk.
Through the Demonic Tree, he could clearly see within the tree’s body a dark wooden seal that was almost completely fused with it.
“Wood essence imbued into me, seeking longevity through the Dao. . . ”
He closed his eyes and once again entered cultivation of the ‘Longevity Art’. . .
...
In the dead of night, Myriad Islands Lake was still stirring with ripples.
On a desolate island not far from Dragon Fish Island, a group of bandit cultivators were gathered, looking in the direction of Dragon Fish Island: “That old tortoise. . . did he hear the news early? Otherwise, why wouldn’t he come out for the funeral, even after his niece died? ”
“Among us, there must be a traitor! ”
A Foundation Establishment cultivator with blue light gleaming in his eyes glared fiercely at everyone present.
Among these people, Li Lei and the previous black-clothed man were strikingly present.
Besides them, they were all cultivators above late-stage Qi Refinement!
This blue-eyed cultivator, with the Daoist title ‘Qian Xinzi’, his cultivation had surprisingly reached mid-stage Foundation Establishment, and he had cultivated a spiritual eye technique, was extremely skilled in combat, and was the boss of this bandit cultivator group.
Below Qian Xinzi was the second-in-command, the black-clothed man, named ‘Li Kong’.
As for Li Lei? He had concealed his appearance and was originally the open fence for this group of bandit cultivators.
With three Foundation Establishment cultivators and over ten late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators, the strength of this bandit cultivator group was formidable.
Only with such strength could they plunder Youyue Market and even kill the female Foundation Establishment cultivator from Youyue Sect stationed there.
“Boss Qian Xinzi. . . Perhaps it’s not like that. ”
Li Lei hastily said, “I also understand Fang Xi’s character. He is indeed like a tortoise, disliking leaving his island. . . Perhaps the recent job we pulled off at Youyue Market scared him stiff, or perhaps he has a heart of stone, so much so that he wouldn’t even pay respects even if his niece died. . . ”
“Since things have come to this, we can only launch a full assault on Dragon Fish Island. The second-order formation there is troublesome. . . ” Qian Xinzi said.
After all, Dragon Fish Island isn’t a market town; it’s impossible for most of them to casually blend in.
“Please rest assured, Boss, I’ve long been prepared. ”
Li Lei chuckled, took out the previous wooden box, and upon opening it, he drew out a talisman gleaming with silver light.
“A second-order formation-breaking talisman? You really outdid yourself! ”
Blue light blazed in Qian Xinzi’s eyes, and he laughed, asking: “Aren’t you afraid of losing money? ”
“Don’t worry, I’ve already investigated thoroughly. Fang Xi is a real miser, only taking in and never letting out. . . The spiritual rice and spiritual fish harvested annually on Dragon Fish Island are definitely piled high in his storages. And he himself frequently refines pills and talismans, entrusting others to transport them to the markets for sale. . . He’s absolutely rolling in wealth! ” R`A`noBES
Li Lei said with full confidence.
If he had conducted an on-site investigation, he would have discovered that the spiritual rice granary Fang Xi had built was so empty that even mice would weep upon seeing it—if there were any mice, that is!
“Mm, on Dragon Fish Island, there should also be a Terrestrial Baleful Lake, which would soon produce baleful qi. . . In addition to that, there’s also a flood dragon bloodline demon beast, which might yield a second-order demon core. . . ”
Qian Xinzi looked at his Qi Refinement cultivator subordinates and chuckled: “As long as we break through Dragon Fish Island, these two Foundation Establishment spiritual items will be yours! ”
“Boss, let’s do it! ”
A perfected Qi Refinement bandit cultivator immediately shouted, his eyes gleaming.
“Charge into Dragon Fish Island! Seize the Foundation Establishment spiritual items! ”
The eyes of the other Qi Refinement bandit cultivators also turned red.
“Good, let’s make our move tonight! ”
Qian Xinzi nodded with great satisfaction.
...
Under the cover of night, Dragon Fish Island was enveloped as if by a layer of thick, black mist, resembling a large bowl.
A massive spirit boat carried the bandit cultivators as one and arrived before Dragon Fish Island.
“Later, be careful not to expose yourself. . . ”
Li Kong said to Li Lei: “We’re still waiting for you, Island Master Li, to eliminate evil and defend the Dao, to help the weak and suppress the strong, haha. . . ”
“Don’t worry. . . ”
Li Lei replied expressionlessly. His appearance had long since become completely different from before, and even his Divine Consciousness and magic power aura had slightly changed.
If one hadn’t seen him in person, they would certainly have thought he and ‘Li Lei’ were two different people.
“This formation. . . ”
Blue light emanated from Qian Xinzi’s eyes as he continuously scrutinized the Profound Wood Grand Array. His expression grew extremely solemn: “My spiritual eye technique actually can’t penetrate it. I’m afraid its grade has already reached the superior second-order level. . . ”
“This Dragon Fish Island Master really has spirit stones! ”
Li Kong mumbled: “Previously, Youyue Market was only guarded by a mid-grade second-order formation. . . ”
“A superior second-order formation. If a second-order formation-breaking talisman isn’t detonated from the inside, a frontal assault from the outside can only open a single passage and briefly suppress the formation’s power. . . Once a certain time limit is exceeded, the formation will recover, and it’s possible for us to be caught like a turtle in a jar. ”
Li Lei’s expression also became unprecedentedly grim: “Therefore, the key to this battle is to capture and kill Fang Xi within a short time! Without him, a Foundation Establishment cultivator who controls the formation, the remaining cultivators are completely insignificant! ”
“Leave him to me! ”
Qian Xinzi said confidently.
After all, he was a master of mid-stage Foundation Establishment. Even in White Peace Immortal City, he was considered a notable figure.
And he had cultivated a secret art. Taking down a mere early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator would not be a big problem.
“Begin! ”
Li Lei’s expression was solemn. He took out the second-order formation-breaking talisman and struck it into the Profound Wood Grand Array.
Rumble!
The formation began to fluctuate. Countless grey-black dense mists dispersed, revealing a passage and faintly showing the scene inside Dragon Fish Island.
The surrounding mist rapidly dissipated. The power of the grand array seemed to be suppressed at this moment.
“Charge! ”
Qian Xinzi controlled the spirit boat, and in an instant, followed the passage, killing his way into Dragon Fish Island.
“Kill, kill, kill! ”
The eyes of the bandit cultivators turned bloodshot; that was the thirst for slaughter.
They had done the same thing many times before.
Comments