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Chapter 233: Scheming (Please Subscribe)

Chapter 233: Scheming (Please Subscribe)

Dragon Fish Island.

Fang Xi stood on the pier, watching the departing ships, lost in thought.

He had just seen off Yan Hong Xiu.

The woman was already over seventy years old. Ever since her last failed Foundation Establishment breakthrough, her health had been steadily declining.

As time passed, the effects of the 'Youth Preserving Pill' were also gradually fading.

After all, this pill was merely a second-tier spirit pill, only capable of maintaining one's youthful appearance for a few decades. . .

Coupled with Yan Dong Qing, the Yan family head, visiting recently, Fang Xi simply went with the flow and granted Yan Hong Xiu's request to depart.

She wished to return to Spirit Sky Island to live out her remaining years, and with her late-stage Qi Refinement cultivation, she could still provide some assistance to her family.

Fang Xi shook his head, retracting his Divine Consciousness.

Among his maidservants, Xiahou Ying actually had the same problem, but he already had a solution for her.

"Young Master. . ."

Fang Xi turned around and saw a young female cultivator with a charming smile, alluring eyes like silken threads, and gazes that seemed to speak.

"Yan Ying, after you go back, study well with Xiahou Ying. . ."

Fang Xi waved his hand. This woman had come with Yan Dong Qing, supposedly to take over Yan Hong Xiu's position.

Her looks were even better than Yan Hong Xiu's, and she seemed to have undergone specialized training, which pleased him greatly.

...

Occasionally spending time with younger people made Fang Xi feel good.

After all, though his body had always remained exceptionally youthful, his mind sometimes underwent subtle changes.

Being around younger people more often made him feel as if his heart had also grown much younger.

"After all, I'm already an old man of over one hundred and forty years. . ."

"Well, compared to my long lifespan, I'm only in my teens. . ."

In the Evergreen Pavilion, Fang Xi, clad in his robes, gazed at the scenery outside.

Suddenly, he looked towards the northern part of Myriad Islands Lake, his brow subtly furrowing.

...

A few days later, explosive news spread throughout Myriad Islands Lake.

An ancient ruin had been discovered in the northern region of Myriad Islands Lake!

The commotion caused by the ruin's appearance was too immense for even Liu San Qi to conceal, leading to its discovery by a vast number of cultivators, and the news then swept across all directions like a tidal wave!

Within a short time, it even spread like wildfire throughout the State of Yue and began to diffuse towards White Peace Immortal City, the State of Mu, and the State of Wu.

For rogue cultivators, exploring ancient mystic realms was a journey fraught with both opportunity and risk. Many cultivators flocked in, causing Myriad Islands Lake, which had only recently settled, to once again feel as though a storm was brewing.

Inside the Evergreen Pavilion.

Fang Xi sat in the main seat, with Ruan Xing Ling and Zhong Hong Yu by his side, listening to Liu San Qi recount his experience.

"So that means. . ."

Ruan Xing Ling held a cup of green bamboo wine in her hand. "The restrictions on Emerald Island are so strong that even a mid-stage Foundation Establishment Daoist like yourself couldn't break through?"

Emerald Island was the name cultivators had given to the island where the ruin was located.

It was named so because the spiritual light of its restrictions was predominantly green, making it look like a giant emerald from afar.

"Precisely. . ."

Liu San Qi's face still held a trace of lingering trepidation. "However, even from searching the outermost periphery, I found several rare spirit herbs, which speaks volumes about the abundance of resources within the Emerald Island ruin. . . According to my observations, as time passes, those originally damaged restrictions will lose their power to prevent us from entering, and the ruin will eventually open. . ."

"Myriad Islands Lake is about to become a place of great trouble. . ."

Fang Xi sighed.

The four Foundation Establishment cultivators present had once wielded immense influence in Myriad Islands Lake. Yet, now that news of the ruin had spread, it was possible that even Foundation Establishment experts from neighboring countries would come seeking treasures and secrets, truly making it a murky situation.

"Daoist Fang, Daoist Ruan, Daoist Zhong. . . I have some experience in identifying and finding spirit medicines. Would you like to explore it together?"

Liu San Qi extended an invitation.

Though his cultivation had reached the mid-stage Foundation Establishment, his magical power was still inferior to Ruan Xing Ling's. He naturally feared the dangers from the ruin and from other cultivators, hence his suggestion, primarily hoping to pull in Fang Xi, the foremost cultivator of Myriad Islands Lake!

After all, last time, this individual was capable of overpowering a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, his magical power among the most formidable in the State of Yue, which could avert many dangers.

In exploring ruins, the most perilous things, besides restrictions and traps, were other cultivators!

"Exploring secrets, you say?"

Fang Xi thought for a moment. He realized he had never actually tried exploring ancient ruins before.

What a pity. . .

He shook his head. "I have no interest in ruins. . ."

"What? " Liu San Qi was greatly astonished. "We rogue cultivators lack resources, our cultivation is stuck at bottlenecks, and now is truly a heaven-sent opportunity! Emerald Island is right here in Myriad Islands Lake; if we explore it together, we'll hold all the geographical advantages! Who knows. . . there might even be spiritual items suitable for us to break through, or even form our Golden Cores!"

"I wish I could. . . but unfortunately, I can't go. "

"Besides. . . even if there were Five Elements Fruit Trees within, they wouldn't be as important as my own safety. . . "

Fang Xi's expression turned serious. "I am a cultivator dedicated to arduous cultivation; I disdain using external objects to breach bottlenecks. . ."

In reality, the first time he attempted to break through to the late-stage Foundation Establishment bottleneck, if he had possessed an auxiliary pill, he might have broken through long ago.

Liu San Qi gazed at Fang Xi, his lips moving, but in the end, he couldn't utter a word.

Since the man didn't even need pills to aid his cultivation breakthroughs, then ancient ruins truly held no attraction for him.

"However, though I won't go, Hong Yu and Immortal Ruan, you two could venture forth together to seek your fortunes. . ."

Fang Xi sighed.

After refining the Wood Spirit Body, he was quite confident in forming his Golden Core, but Ruan Xing Ling and Zhong Hong Yu did not have such good fortune.

If they didn't seize this opportunity to try their luck in the ancient ruin, they might never hope to achieve Core Formation in this lifetime!

Even without him saying it, Ruan Xing Ling already seemed to be in agreement.

"Besides. . . Myriad Islands Lake will likely be even more dangerous this time than before."

Fang Xi made his judgment.

Last time, it was merely an incident in White Peace Immortal City, and some rogue cultivators came here to seek refuge; the highest cultivation among them was only at Chong Ru Hu's level.

But this time, with an ancient ruin appearing, it was completely different!

Late-stage Foundation Establishment, or even perfected Foundation Establishment experts, would appear!

Furthermore, it wasn't impossible for even Core Formation ancestors to be lurking in the shadows!

The danger level had instantly skyrocketed!

"This matter is indeed highly concerning. . . " Ruan Xing Ling's expression also turned solemn.

The last time a mystic realm appeared in the State of Yue was the 'Purple Mystical Mountain Mystic Realm' a hundred years ago!

After that incident, the nearby Situ Clan and Red Leaf Valley were annihilated!

Regardless of the schemes involved, there were always factors like "an innocent man is guilty only because he possesses a treasure" at play.

"It can't be that bad, can it. . ."

Zhong Hong Yu murmured, "As long as there's no Core Formation opportunity, it shouldn't attract too many Foundation Establishment experts. . ."

Upon hearing this, Liu San Qi's expression shifted.

It seemed that he, as someone who had personally experienced such events, suspected that the scale of this mystic realm was even greater than the Purple Mystical Mountain mystic realm, potentially capable of attracting Core Formation ancestors to descend!

"Then what should we do?"

Ruan Xing Ling looked towards Fang Xi.

"The three of you can form a small team and look out for each other. . . and move some of your kin and disciples to Dragon Fish Island."

Fang Xi smiled. "Since I'm not going to the mystic realm, I can guard your home base for you, ensuring your retreat is secure. . . Furthermore, why not do some business?"

"What kind of business? " Liu San Qi asked curiously.

"In the future, Myriad Islands Lake will gather many cultivators, including many mid and high-level cultivators who will need spirit residences, spirit rice, and talismans and artifacts consumed during ruin exploration. . . all will need to be replenished nearby, and there's a lack of a trade hub. And Treasure Ship Market only has a first-order spirit vein, and it's too far away. . ."

Fang Xi smiled faintly. "Why not reopen the Spirit Sky Island market? At that time, just renting out spirit residences should be a huge business!"

Gold miners might not always strike it rich, but the various service industries around the gold mine would definitely fill their coffers!

The Yan family would surely fully support this matter.

"This. . . is indeed very promising."

Ruan Xing Ling's eyes lit up.

Compared to engaging in a brutal struggle in the ruin, opening a market was much safer, and they could conveniently earn spirit stones.

"I can provide a set of second-tier, superior-grade formations, taking thirty percent of the shares. The remaining shares will be divided, with Immortal Ruan, Daoist Liu, and Immortal Zhong each taking twenty percent, and the last ten percent going to the Yan family. . ."

Fang Xi stated his proposal. "Normally, only one Foundation Establishment cultivator needs to guard the market. . . Of course, since I'm providing the formation, I won't personally guard it."

"This matter. . . is indeed quite feasible, and the Yan family will certainly be willing. " Liu San Qi pondered for a moment, and found this strategy to be quite excellent.

During the period when Emerald Island ruin was popular, the market's foot traffic would surely be considerable, allowing them to earn many spirit stones!

Moreover. . . some rogue cultivators might fortuitously acquire treasures without realizing their true value, selling them cheaply in the market.

These were all opportunities for them, the behind-the-scenes managers!

In truth, when it came to safety and abundant spiritual energy, the cultivation islands of the various Foundation Establishment cultivators were naturally more suitable.

However, Fang Xi, like the others, was unwilling to have his home base frequently entered and exited.

And Spirit Sky Island, having been a market in the past, naturally possessed very suitable geographical advantages.

Therefore, this matter was thus decided.

A few days later, Yan Dong Qing, who had visited once before, returned to Dragon Fish Island with a strange look on his face. Seeing that all four Foundation Establishment cultivators had agreed to the plan of opening the market, he naturally nodded repeatedly, assuring that the Yan family would fully support it.

Fang Xi had long known that this man was clever; giving him a ten percent share was more than enough to make him a market manager.

He retrieved a set of 'Six Hexagonal Tortoise Shell Array' from his storeroom and handed it to Ruan Xing Ling.

This array, a second-tier, superior-grade formation inherited from the Song Clan, was water-attributed. When deployed on Spirit Sky Island's second-order spirit vein, with a Foundation Establishment cultivator guarding it, it should be sufficient to handle ordinary situations.

Of course, with so many cultivators gathered now, there would likely be many rogue cultivators, and it was even possible they possessed second-tier restriction-breaking talismans.

However, Fang Xi had already made it clear to the three Foundation Establishment cultivators that if the situation became untenable, they could simply abandon the market and flee.

Ruan Xing Ling and Liu San Qi were both mid-stage Foundation Establishment, so they would be fine.

The only one he was concerned about was Zhong Hong Yu, who was under Fang Xi's wing.

After all, she had only just achieved Foundation Establishment, her magical power was not yet profound, nor had she cultivated any powerful spells.

But relying on the few second-tier talismans Fang Xi had given her, combined with the unexpectedness of 'Flash Step Art', her self-preservation should not be a problem.