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Chapter 371: Barely There (Seeking Subscription)

Chapter 371: Barely There (Seeking Subscription)

After Horned Dragon was promoted to a third-tier azure flood dragon, the demonic blood flood dragon could finally honorably retire, completely handing over the heavy duty of pulling the carriage to it.

Less than two years after this flood dragon's promotion, a Core Formation phenomenon once again manifested over Dragon Fish Island. This time, it was for a human cultivator of orthodox lineage.

After obtaining the demon beast inner core supplied by Fang Xi, Tai Shu Hong cultivated assiduously in seclusion, finally condensing a False Core in one go and stepping across the threshold into the realm of Core Formation cultivators!

Although his path forward was now cut off, for the three families of Myriad Islands Lake to have a Core Formation descendant back then was surely enough to bring joy to all their ancestors, right?

Boom!

Tai Shu Hong felt the heaven and earth spiritual energy madly pouring into him, forming a gray Golden Core within his body. He couldn't help but let out a joyful, drawn-out roar.

Sword light flashed!

He emerged from seclusion lightly and immediately saw Fang Xi, smiling cheerfully, standing atop the azure flood dragon, observing him.

Tai Shu Hong immediately reined in all his arrogance and bowed respectfully.

"Mm, your formation of a False Core is just at the right time."

Fang Xi casually tossed over a jade slip: "This is a distress jade slip from Li Shu of the Jade General Sect. . . This person claims that the Yan family and You family of Ethereal Valley Sect are fighting each other, making the entire Wu Kingdom suffer unspeakably, crying for me, this great cultivator, to preside over justice. . . I considered it thoroughly, and the Ethereal Valley Sect is an excellent spiritual vein. Without a Core Formation cultivator to guard it, the Ethereal Valley Sect would be considered destroyed. . . You go clean up the mess."

"Yes!"

Tai Shu Hong respectfully assented, transforming into a streak of sword light and heading directly southwest.

For him, the Wu Kingdom now had no Core Formation battle power remaining. Rectifying and subduing it was indeed a sure thing.

Even without a handy magical artifact, a False Core cultivator was enough to suppress any Foundation Establishment cultivator!

...

Indeed, three months later, news spread of Tai Shu Hong pacifying the Wu Kingdom and occupying the Ethereal Valley Sect.

Fang Xi then leisurely brought out his carriage, letting Horned Dragon and Little Azure pull it together.

An azure escape light meandered past, with the mingled cries of dragon and phoenix reverberating for several miles. In no time, they arrived before the Black Heaven Sect's gate.

A streak of escape light flew out from within the sect gate. It was precisely Zhang Zhu Sheng.

He gazed at Horned Dragon pulling the carriage, his eyelid twitching slightly. He mused inwardly: 'This one is truly magnificent in his actions. This azure flood dragon isn't the black flood dragon from before; it's actually another third-tier demon king. . . Sigh, so many demon beast inner cores from the beast tide were all obtained by this person. No wonder Core Formation phenomena have been frequently appearing on Dragon Fish Island recently. . . '

"Fellow Daoist Zhang. . ."

Fang Xi's voice drifted out from the carriage: "My visit, I'm afraid, is to make yet another unreasonable request."

"Haha. . . Fellow Daoist, please speak freely. As long as my Black Heaven Sect can do it, we will absolutely not refuse."

Zhang Zhu Sheng replied with considerable generosity, almost to the point of exhausting the Black Heaven Sect's resources to please the Dragon Fish Island Master.

"It's nothing major. . . Dragon Fish Island's spirit vein is, after all, barren and not suitable for our cultivation. Therefore, I wish to borrow a cave dwelling from the Black Heaven Sect to cultivate for a period of time."

Fang Xi said with a faint smile.

"A cave dwelling? " Zhang Zhu Sheng was surprised: "Didn't Fellow Daoist already instruct Fellow Daoist Tai Shu Hong to take down the Ethereal Valley Sect?"

"The Ethereal Valley Sect is too far. I like it here at the Black Heaven Sect, because it's close to home."

Fang Xi answered frankly.

'Close to home? '

Zhang Zhu Sheng's cheek muscles twitched, but he quickly agreed: "My own cave dwelling has the most abundant spiritual energy in the Black Heaven Sect. Please wait for a day, and I will immediately clear it out for fellow Daoist. . ."

"Many thanks."

Fang Xi replied with a faint smile.

This Zhang Zhu Sheng was quite discerning and sensible. In reality, he had no choice but to humble himself.

Otherwise, without Fang Xi and Green Fire Luan even needing to act, Tai Shu Hong, bringing Horned Dragon along, might very well have been able to exterminate the Black Heaven Sect. . .

After a busy period, Fang Xi entered Zhang Zhu Sheng's cave dwelling, looked around, and couldn't help but feel quite satisfied: "The level of spiritual energy abundance here is comparable to a Minor Chill Grotto. . ."

He immediately took out another set of formations, sealing off the entire cave dwelling. After sweeping it thoroughly with his Divine Consciousness, he finally arrived at the seclusion chamber, took out a cushion, and leisurely sat down cross-legged.

"After wandering about for so long. . . it's time to resume cultivating."

Fang Xi closed his eyes and immediately immersed himself in the cultivation of techniques.

...

Time flowed like water, years flew like shuttles.

In the blink of an eye, six or seven years had passed.

On this day, Fang Xi, who had been meditating and cultivating, suddenly opened his eyes and took out a "thousand-mile communication talisman" from his hand.

Lines of text appeared on the jade talisman, and a hint of enlightenment flashed in his eyes: "Zhong Hong Yu has finally reached Foundation Establishment Perfected and is ready to attempt to break through to Core Formation?"

Seeing this, he no longer hesitated and walked out of the cave dwelling.

His Divine Consciousness swept out, and he found Green Fire Luan and Horned Dragon in the spirit medicine garden, immediately smiling.

After transmitting a few messages, not long after, a dragon-phoenix carriage left the Black Heaven Sect.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, your hospitality is too great, no need to see us off. . ."

Fang Xi's voice faintly trailed, eventually disappearing.

Zhang Zhu Sheng watched the carriage disappear, and waited for another half an hour before his face gradually fell, transforming into a mournful expression: "They're gone. . . They're finally gone. . . This one truly could not be afforded to serve. It's one thing for him to occupy my cave dwelling, but those two spirit beasts. . . Sigh. . ."

"Grand Elder. . ."

The Black Heaven Sect Master, standing beside Zhang Zhu Sheng, also wore a face that longed to cry but couldn't: "Those two spirit pets almost completely ruined our spirit medicine garden. . . What are we to do?"

...

"The heavens of this State of Yue aren't anything special either, are they. . ."

Sitting in the dragon-phoenix carriage, Fang Xi muttered.

The actions of Green Fire Luan and Horned Dragon over the years had actually been at his secret instruction.

After all, while the Black Heaven Sect had no overt conflict with him, as the behind-the-scenes chess player back then, wantonly manipulating pieces led to the Situ Clan's destruction, Green Bamboo Mountain's chaos, his own homelessness. . . and several subsequent schemes. As a part of the overall situation, he had been quite affected and oppressed.

'From now on, our accounts are truly settled. . . '

Fang Xi closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, he had already returned to Dragon Fish Island.

Evergreen Pavilion.

"Island Master!"

Zhong Hong Yu respectfully paid her respects. She had indeed reached the Foundation Establishment Perfected realm, and her spiritual power foundation was quite solid.

"Very good. . ."

Fang Xi observed her with his Divine Consciousness, then flipped his palm, and two jade boxes appeared.

"This is. . ."

Zhong Hong Yu opened the jade boxes, allowing red and blue spiritual light to fill the room, and a hint of intoxication appeared on her face.

"I have already prepared the Mystic Crystal Essence and Heavenly Fire Glaze for you. . . and the secret technique for refining the Water-Fire Core Formation Pill. If you have any difficulties, you can freely bring them up."

Fang Xi sat cross-legged and inquired.

"Island Master, I indeed have a few questions. The first is. . ."

Zhong Hong Yu immediately raised several questions regarding her cultivation and the secret technique. After receiving Fang Xi's answers, a look of sudden enlightenment immediately appeared on her face.

"Besides that. . . for a cultivator to form their Core, it is best done in a third-tier spirit vein location. What do you think of the spirit veins of the Black Heaven Sect and Green Wood Sect? Or do you wish to form your Core in the Ethereal Valley Sect? Or are you preparing to form your Core on Dragon Fish Island?"

Fang Xi asked finally.

Although Dragon Fish Island was only a second-tier spirit vein, with the help of a spirit gathering formation, its spiritual energy could be temporarily raised to the third tier, but it certainly couldn't compare to those superior-grade third-tier cave dwellings.

Zhong Hong Yu was slightly moved, but then she shook her head firmly: "Hong Yu wishes to condense her Golden Core on Dragon Fish Island, after all. . . this place is Hong Yu's homeland, and it also holds the fortune of the Island Master and many spirit beast cultivators having successfully formed their Cores here. . ."

"Fortune. . . Forget it, do as you please."

Fang Xi stroked his chin and said no more.

On Dragon Fish Island, there had not yet been a single case of failed Core Formation. It truly seemed to be a blessed land.

In some small circles of cultivators, talk of destiny and opportunities also existed.

Regardless of whether this talk of destiny was true or false, as long as Zhong Hong Yu firmly believed it, the Core Formation enhancement brought about by it would surpass that of an ordinary superior-grade third-tier cave dwelling!

When breaking through a major realm, conviction. . . is sometimes quite important.

"However. . . when you form your Core, I will be nearby, observing slightly."

Fang Xi slowly said.

"Of course. Please, Island Master, act as my protector then."

Zhong Hong Yu's cheeks flushed crimson as she nodded in agreement.

After dismissing the girl, Fang Xi stroked his Dantian Qi Sea and fell into contemplation.

The reason for his enthusiasm was, of course, for those Void Runes.

His Second Primordial Spirit, having obtained the Star-Patterned Chessboard, a void spiritual treasure, was comprehending it day and night. Combined with the Nascent Soul's teleportation ability, though not advancing a thousand miles in a day, it could be said to have barely grasped the basics of Void Runes.

The ripple effect of this allowed Fang Xi to solve some difficult problems with teleportation formations.

Although he couldn't fully set them up yet, he felt that as long as he broke through a few more bottlenecks, setting up short-distance teleportation formations shouldn't be a problem.

The four arts of immortal cultivation, and even cultivation techniques and divine abilities. . . all showed commonalities at higher stages, which Fang Xi found quite interesting.

And once the foundation of the Path of Void was solid, he felt that his process of exploring the All-Heavens Precious Mirror would also make great progress.

Who knows, perhaps his vision of freely teleporting anywhere in this world would truly come to fruition then!

...

A month later.

Zhong Hong Yu fasted and bathed, formally entering seclusion.

Fang Xi, however, did not directly squat by her side. Instead, he opened a separate chamber near her seclusion chamber and monitored her every move with his Divine Consciousness.

Otherwise, if he were constantly present, Zhong Hong Yu might feel like thorns on her back, lowering her chance of successful Core Formation.

Days passed one by one.

Fang Xi sat cross-legged, his patience excellent, watching Zhong Hong Yu gradually readjust her mindset, then use the Mystic Crystal Essence and Heavenly Fire Glaze, entering the Core Formation process.

One year, two years. . .

Three years!

On this day.

Over Dragon Fish Island, winds rose and clouds surged once more. A large amount of spiritual energy gathered, forming a vortex.

The rogue cultivators on the island had grown used to this by now.

Only Zong Linghu and other Foundation Establishment cultivators who knew the inside story looked towards the spiritual energy vortex with faces full of envy.

That Dragon Fish Island Master definitely possessed Core Formation opportunities; alas, they couldn't obtain them. What a true regret!

At this moment.

Zhong Hong Yu, inside the secret chamber, subtly changed her expression, and her delicate body trembled.

"Hm? This spiritual energy vortex, it formed somewhat reluctantly. . ."

Fang Xi swept it with his Divine Consciousness, and his expression tightened.