Chapter 29: Scheming (Please collect)
Chapter 29: Scheming (Please collect)
Black Stone City.
At the border between the inner and outer city districts.
Fang Xi strode purposefully down the middle of the street, like a living monster lure.
Thump, thump!
The nearby monsters, as if spotting some delicious food, surged madly towards him.
“Die! ”
Fang Xi casually struck out with a palm.
Bang!
One should know that these cursed figures were beings that even martial artists in the Blood-Qi Transformation stage would find difficult to subdue, possessing incredibly tough bodies.
Yet at this moment, in Fang Xi's hands, they were like fragile wood!
Rip!
He grabbed a cursed figure's arm, and with a gentle tear, the arm snapped off at the root, blood gushing forth.
“It feels roughly the same as tearing apart a beggar's chicken by hand. . . ”
Fang Xi frowned, evading the splattering gore.
Although he wasn't afraid of the demonic curse-force poison, he found it a bit messy.
“If cursed figures are like this in my hands, wouldn't ordinary people be like paper? ”
His right leg swept horizontally, kicking away a circle of cursed figures nearby.
The next moment, he saw a wooden figure charging at him, its skin appearing to conceal countless insects wriggling restlessly beneath.
Puff, puff!
Just as it charged to Fang Xi's front, the wooden figure's skin burst open, and countless plant roots surged out from its muscles and seven orifices, lashing out at Fang Xi!
Amidst thousands of lashing shadows, a few were particularly devious, attempting to burrow into Fang Xi's body.
Clang, clang!
The sound of clashing metal suddenly erupted!
The diamond-drill-like roots, stabbing at Fang Xi's skin, could only futilely leave behind white dots, which then rapidly dissipated.
“The defense of the Iron Garment Art is indeed formidable! ”
Fang Xi used his hand as a blade, severing several vines that were coiling around him.
Then, a talisman appeared in his hand.
“Fire! ”
A ball of spiritual fire materialized, landing on the wooden figure.
The wooden figure let out a shriek, turning into a pile of ashes.
“Immortal cultivation spells are quite lethal against demon servants! ”
Fang Xi nodded, then his expression shifted.
Aided by the Heaven-Gazing Earth-Listening Art, his eyesight and hearing had both vastly improved.
At this moment, he could sense several wooden figures surrounding him!
“Wasting talismans is shameful. ”
After testing his own strength, he was about to leave when, with a sudden glance from the corner of his eye, he discovered a dusty gray seed amidst the wooden figure's ashes.
“It can survive the scorching of an immortal cultivator's spiritual fire? ”
Fang Xi was slightly surprised. He sealed the seed into a jade bottle, then placed several layers of spiritual power seals upon it.
Only then did he leisurely employ the Red Snake Leg technique to depart, leaving a few wooden figures roaring and chasing in vain. . .
“Whoosh, whoosh! ”
After shaking off the wooden figures, Fang Xi gazed at the demonic tree, his expression gradually growing solemn: “This demon's servants are growing in number, and its aura is becoming stronger; I'm afraid it's about to advance. . . I must leave this place before it does! ”
But to leave, he needed a barrier-breaking talisman. Fang Xi had specifically inquired about it in the market this time; it was worth around thirty-five Spirit Stones!
In addition to that, he still owed a fellow Daoist five Spirit Stones in rolling interest!
“I had originally wanted to further hone my martial arts. . . ”
“Now, it seems I should immediately go search for True Vigor martial arts techniques, break through to the second stage of body cultivation, and open up the two-world trade. . . ”
......
East City Gate.
White Cloud Martial Arts Hall encampment.
“Senior Brother Fang is back! ”
Upon seeing Fang Xi, Liu Tao Tao's eyes immediately lit up as she stepped forward to bow.
“Mm! ”
Fang Xi casually tossed over a bag of grain, immediately drawing everyone's attention.
In this time of dwindling resources, every time he went out, he returned fully loaded, practically feeding more than half the martial arts hall's occupants.
In fact, if Mu Cang Long knew that Fang Xi had given nearly a thousand catties of grain to Han Pang Zi this time, he would undoubtedly be even more astonished.
“Senior Brother Fang! ”
Tang Xuan and the others quickly took the grain bags, their heavy weight bringing expressions of joy to everyone's faces.
Fang Xi swept his gaze around, and surprisingly, he even saw Hao Lan.
This unlucky child's martial arts hall master father had died in battle on the day of the demonic disaster, and his Boulder Martial Arts Hall had also been wiped out. After scrounging free meals at the White Cloud Martial Arts Hall for some time, he brazenly apprenticed himself to Mu Cang Long, becoming Fang Xi's junior brother.
As for Tang Xuan, he had been quite smug lately, his face beaming with a ruddy glow, clearly enjoying his time with Bai.
After greeting Bai He, Mu Piao Miao, and the others one by one, Fang Xi arrived at the much smaller training ground and began his martial practice.
On the training ground, there were also some targets brought over from the White Cloud Martial Arts Hall.
One of them was the heaviest, surprisingly made of iron, with a layer of hemp rope tied around its exterior; this had always been Mu Cang Long's personal training dummy.
However, at this moment, it was naturally being used quite unceremoniously by Fang Xi.
Bang, bang, bang!
His fists and palms struck the iron dummy, producing a teeth-grinding sound.
Hao Lan watched this scene, swallowing a mouthful of saliva. He felt that his previous challenge to Senior Brother Fang had truly been an overestimation of his own abilities, and he was lucky to have escaped unscathed. . .
“Wait, this is. . . ”
After watching for a while, he suddenly gaped.
He saw that under Fang Xi's assault, the hemp rope originally wrapped around the iron dummy had snapped, revealing the dark iron dummy itself.
And at this moment, one fist print after another, and palm print after another, distinctly appeared on the iron dummy!
“Not enough, still not enough! ”
Suddenly, Fang Xi let out a long cry, his single hand forming a blade.
Thwack!
His palm was like some divine weapon, unleashing a single hand-blade strike that, when it landed on the iron dummy, actually chopped off a section of the adult-thigh-thick iron dummy, sending it flying.
Clang!
The massive iron dummy smashed into the wall, causing the wall to tremble violently and dislodge a significant amount of dust.
This scene was witnessed by many, each one gaping in astonishment.
“Fang Xi. . . ”
Mu Cang Long had arrived at the edge of the training ground at some unknown point, and gazing at the broken iron dummy, his expression was agitated: “Could it be. . . that you have already broken through the human limit and become a True Vigor Martial Master? ”
“Just a little more! ”
Fang Xi retracted his hand-blade, feeling the changes within his body, a touch of regret in his heart.
With the aid of blood-qi pills, breaking through the human limit and developing True Vigor seemed not far off.
Based on his current True Force refining marrow realm, he could likely develop True Vigor in a few more months, at most a year, breaking the curse that prevented Da Liang's local third-rate martial arts from advancing!
Unfortunately, this speed was still a bit too slow.
‘Therefore. . . I still need a True Vigor martial art technique. ’
Fang Xi's eyes flashed as he looked at Mu Cang Long: “Master, has anything happened recently? ”
“Other matters are fine, I can handle them all. ”
Mu Cang Long hesitated for a moment, then spoke: “It’s just that recently, a messenger came from Yuan He Mountain at the South City Gate, demanding that we obey their orders, saying that their Guardian Emissary might have a way to get out. . . ”
“A way to get out? ”
Fang Xi immediately became interested: “What exactly is it? ”
“I don’t know the specifics, but Yuan He Mountain demands that we obey their command, including surrendering our grain. . . In return, they can give us a few quotas to leave. ” Mu Cang Long’s expression was extremely conflicted.
Clearly, he thought this matter was unlikely to succeed, but he couldn't bear to give up.
A drowning person will not let go of even a single straw of hope.
“Our martial arts hall will not participate in this matter for now; we'll observe for a period before deciding. ”
And within the White Cloud Martial Arts Hall, any decision he made, even Mu Cang Long found difficult to overturn.
At this moment, he took the handkerchief Bai He offered, wiped his hands, and casually said: “Also. . . I plan to go out for a period. ”
“Going out again? ” Mu Piao Miao felt a pang of sadness: “We have enough grain to eat for many days now. . . ”
“It’s not about the grain. . . As for inside the martial arts hall, if any enemies come knocking, just let them take a look at this iron dummy. ”
Fang Xi's decision to go out was naturally to target Yuan He Mountain.
Both the growth of the demonic tree and the pressure of his five Spirit Stone debt compelled him to quickly sell Da Liang's resources in the South Barrens Cultivation World to acquire Spirit Stones.
And to do so, he would at least need mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivation.
In the short term, Fang Xi believed his Evergreen Art was fundamentally unable to break through to the fourth layer.
That left only the martial path, which he could rapidly improve.
Alas, though his martial path had seen tremendous progress, he was still some distance away from developing True Vigor.
“Throughout Black Stone City, perhaps only Yuan He Mountain’s secret martial arts have reached the True Vigor level; they would definitely accelerate my progress. ”
Fang Xi's eyes gleamed faintly as he walked out of the White Cloud Martial Arts Hall encampment, swiftly disappearing into the desolate streets.
......
South City Gate.
“Guardian Emissary. . . I have already contacted the various martial arts hall masters one by one. The Red Rock Martial Arts Hall and the Three Flowers Martial Arts Hall have both agreed to our demands. They will soon send over a large amount of supplies, manpower, and their sect's treasured martial arts techniques, along with spirit intention diagrams! ”
Jiao Wu Chang bowed respectfully as he reported.
Facing him was Linghu Yang, whose aura grew increasingly profound, like a god or a demon.
“Understood. ” Linghu Yang nodded.
“Guardian Emissary. . . ” Jiao Wu Chang gritted his teeth: “It’s just. . . about the matter of the quotas to leave the city that we promised them. . . ”
He actually had some misgivings about this matter.
Although, as an insider, Jiao Wu Chang clearly knew that within the demonic domain, even ghosts and gods found it hard to escape!
“Are you doubting me? ”
Linghu Yang gazed coldly at Jiao Wu Chang.
“This subordinate wouldn’t dare. ” Although he had long since stepped into the realm of a True Force martial artist, Jiao Wu Chang had no doubt that Linghu Yang could easily kill him. Hearing this, he immediately knelt on the ground: “Guardian Emissary, please, in consideration of this humble one’s diligent efforts. . . point me to a path of survival! ”
“A way out. . . naturally exists. ”
Linghu Yang closed his eyes: “I have already perfected True Vigor. . . Next, I will assault the Grandmaster realm. Once I achieve Grandmaster, perhaps I can leave. . . ”
“Grandmaster? ” Jiao Wu Chang’s eyes widened.
Such a realm, throughout all of Yuan He Mountain, perhaps only one legendary ancestor had ever reached it.
Moreover. . .
Sure enough, the next moment, Linghu Yang said: “Unfortunately. . . the Yuan He Five Thunder Hand technique within the sect only taught me the Martial Master portion. As for how to achieve Grandmaster, I still have some difficulties. . . ”
“As expected of Guardian Emissary. ”
Jiao Wu Chang’s eyes lit up, then he spoke with a sinister glint: “So that’s why you ordered those martial arts hall masters to hand over their martial arts techniques? Is it to draw on the strengths of a hundred schools? ”
“Heh heh. . . What’s worth learning from third-rate martial arts techniques? ”
Linghu Yang shook his head in denial: “I am merely going to give them a grand gift, and then. . . let them use their flesh and blood to pave my path to Grandmaster. . . I’m giving you a task: starting today, capture people for me, capture those martial artists who refuse to submit, the more the better! ”
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