Chapter 436: Imparting the Arts (Please Subscribe)
“The Heavenly Phoenix Clan? ”
Fang Xi wore a thoughtful expression.
The Green Fire Luan had been stuck at the third-order for quite some time. Perhaps. . . it was time to feed it a few Heavenly Phoenix Demonic Cores to bolster it, and maybe it would even advance to the fourth-order!
‘The Heavenly Phoenix Clan claims to inherit a portion of the True Spirit Phoenix’s bloodline, but the Green Luan bloodline should also be quite prevalent. . . After all, the Phoenix gave birth to the Green Luan; they're all one family. . . ’
‘This time, the Southern Desolate Cultivation World is primarily facing the Heavenly Phoenix Clan, so it's quite an opportunity. ’
He then looked at Gui Shan, saying, “Since you know of the Nine Leaves Sect, do you know of any more secrets? ”
After all, this was a native demon beast, always lurking within the Myriad Beast Mountain Range; it might just know some intelligence.
“My Lord, please forgive me. . . This old one doesn't know much about the Nine Leaves Sect either. After all, many years passed since the Nine Leaves Sect's demise before this old one gained sentience. . . I only know that this sect had a very formidable origin, and its founding ancestor was a Nascent Soul cultivator. . . Its true legacy technique, the ‘Withered Glory Chant,’ was exceedingly potent, allowing its practitioners to dominate among Core Formation cultivators. . . ”
Gui Shan explained.
This turtle demon possessed a long lifespan; if it were to learn the Withered Glory Chant, it would simply complement it perfectly.
“My Lord. . . humans cannot learn many demon beast cultivation methods, and we demon cultivators likewise find it difficult to learn some human cultivation methods. The Withered Glory Chant is among them. . . This old one, out of curiosity back then, even acquired a scroll of the ‘Withered Glory Chant’ and read it. . . ”
Gui Shan said with a bitter smile.
“So demon beasts can't learn the ‘Withered Glory Chant’? ”
Fang Xi stroked his chin, realizing that his cultivation had been shallow back then, and his knowledge limited, so many of his conjectures had been wrong.
The Withered Glory Chant was incredibly difficult to cultivate, especially its divine ability, the ‘Withered Glory Mystic Light. ’ Without the secret techniques passed down by the Green Emperor Mountain sect, one could only rely on forcibly cultivating the ‘Wood Spirit Body,’ making it an extremely difficult cultivation method and divine ability to master.
And since the physical structures of humans and demon beasts are different, it was reasonable that some cultivation methods could not be practiced by both.
‘Good thing. . . otherwise, if I were to run into a demon beast adept at wielding the ‘Withered Glory Mystic Light’ right outside, then the Southern Desolate Cultivation World. . . no, the entire Human World, would be doomed. . . ’
‘Indeed, a demon beast's demonic core is entirely different from a Withered Glory Golden Core. How could they possibly unleash the ‘Withered Glory Mystic Light’? ’
For some reason, Fang Xi felt a sense of relief. He figured Gui Shan wouldn't dare to deceive him at this point.
What's more, if this demon beast truly could learn the Withered Glory Mystic Light, it would have fought him to the death during their previous battle. . .
...
Fang Xi asked many more questions about the demon beasts, finally staring at Gui Shan and falling into contemplation.
“My Lord, regarding the beast tide. . . ”
Gui Shan was uneasy, raising the matter first: “This humble old one deserves death; I shall immediately go and restrain the third-order demon beasts under my command. . . Currently, among the demon beasts of the three countries, this old one holds the highest rank. As long as I give the word, those third-order demon beasts cannot refuse. . . ”
“If you rashly stop the beast tide, wouldn't that inform the Heavenly Phoenix Clan that you've already defected? ”
Fang Xi shook his head, saying, “The beast tide doesn't need to stop, but we can put on a show. . . You can come and attack Emerald Island, then be repelled by this Lord, and from then on, be more restrained; that would be excusable. . . ”
“Yes, My Lord is wise. ”
Gui Shan nodded repeatedly, secretly thinking that this Lord was a cautious sort, just like him.
The more this was the case, the more he felt that true freedom and ease were slipping further and further away?
Fang Xi questioned him a few more times, finding that this demon beast had no knowledge of the precise details of Green Emperor Mountain's destruction. After all, too much time had passed, and Gui Shan was a native demon beast who hadn't been considered a confidant by the Heavenly Phoenix Clan, nor would he have been taught any secrets.
‘What a waste! ’
He cursed inwardly, then dismissed Gui Shan.
‘However, after subduing this demon, at least the situation of the three countries can be controlled. . . ’
Fang Xi glanced at the Green Qilin Puppet silently standing nearby, deep in thought: ‘This engagement has also proven that my Second Primordial Spirit, combined with this wood puppet, possesses divine abilities and magical power that can surpass ordinary mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators. . . With this level of combat strength, I can now venture into the fourth world. ’
Since advancing to the Nascent Soul realm, Fang Xi's refinement of the ‘All-Heavens Precious Mirror’ had deepened even further. Now, he could even summon the mirror's true form.
Moreover, he could sense the presence of a mirror fragment in that world, and it seemed to be a relatively large piece.
‘Now that the first wave of Realm Descent between the Human World and the Ancient Demon World has ended, there should be a period of stalemate and buffer. . . This is the perfect time to prepare. ’
...
Three years later.
Inside the alchemy chamber.
Fang Xi cast a hand seal, and the Universe Cauldron rumbled, as red-hued, fourth-order pills, emanating auspicious phenomena, flew out one by one.
“Lihe Pills, the success rate is finally barely acceptable. . . ”
He held a warm pill in his hand, then went to the adjacent meditation chamber, tilted his head back, swallowed the pill, and began quietly refining the surging and pure spiritual energy within it.
As the ‘Withered Glory Chant’ circulated, green and yellow light continuously flickered around Fang Xi's body.
The spiritual energy from the fourth-order spirit vein and various spirit-eye objects was continuously refined by him, yet compared to the power of the pill, it was only a negligible trace.
Within his Dantian Qi Sea.
His plump and robust main Nascent Soul also sat cross-legged, its small mouth open, drawing streams of pure magical power into its body. Its face glowed faintly, and its form seemed to grow taller by a tiny bit, even its features maturing slightly. . .
A long while later.
Fang Xi opened his eyes, exhaled a mouthful of turbid air, and a hint of joy appeared on his face: “This ‘Lihe Pill’ is quite effective. One pill is almost equivalent to a year's worth of my meditative cultivation. . . ”
He possessed the ‘Wood Spirit Body,’ and with the aid of a fourth-order spirit vein and numerous spirit-eye objects, although his spiritual roots were a hindrance, his usual cultivation progress should be slightly equivalent to that of an ordinary early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.
This meant that the effect of this ‘Lihe Pill’ on other old Nascent Soul monsters should be similar.
“A pity. . . the raw materials are insufficient, and my craftsmanship is limited. . . At most, a few dozen pills, saving merely a few decades of arduous cultivation. . . ”
Fang Xi also knew that ordinary old Nascent Soul monsters wouldn't dare to consume pills in such a manner; instead, they would cherish and preserve any one or two pills they occasionally obtained, choosing to use them only when attempting to break through bottlenecks.
Only he, with his abundant resources, could afford to consume them without restraint, rapidly increasing his strength.
With the Wood Spirit Body and the Wood Immortal Body Secret Art, he didn't need to worry much about pill toxins or similar issues.
Fang Xi exited the meditation chamber and entered the puppet crafting workshop, continuing to delve into the ‘Thousand Mechanisms Secret Manual. ’
Although he already possessed a fourth-order wood puppet, no one would ever complain about having too much combat power of this kind.
To repair those two damaged fourth-order puppets, Fang Xi needed to cultivate his puppetry art to at least the peak of the third-order.
However, nowadays, Fang Xi's motivation was increasingly waning.
He merely treated it as a form of recreation and amusement after cultivation.
‘I subdued a fourth-order turtle demon a few years ago. . . The fourth-order combat power around me is growing steadily. Perhaps by the time I can truly repair fourth-order puppets, I'll have already broken through to mid-stage or even late-stage Nascent Soul, with a horde of fourth-order demon beasts and wood puppets under my command. . . ’
‘Therefore, orthodox puppetry arts have very low cost-effectiveness; my wood puppet technique is still the most practical. . . As for the inheritance of puppetry arts, as long as I learn how to repair and control them, it won't be a big problem. . . ’
Just as Fang Xi was immersed in the memories of puppetry, time outside was also slowly slipping away.
Spring departed and autumn arrived. . .
One day.
Above Emerald Island, surging spiritual energy gathered, forming a vortex that emitted a Core Formation-level spiritual pressure!
“A Core Formation Heavenly Phenomenon? ! ”
A streak of light flew out from a cave-dwelling, revealing none other than Zong Linghu!
The woman was clad in talisman armor, and though her bearing was graceful, a hint of sorrow lingered between her brows: “Looking at this direction. . . it must be Zheng Shan from the Green Wood Sect. . . This woman is truly fortunate to have received a third-order Inner Core bestowed by the True Monarch. . . ”
A bitter feeling arose in her heart. She vaguely knew that her actions back then had displeased Zhong Hongyu, and the True Monarch was even more of a supremely detached being. The grace of a gentleman does not extend beyond five generations; he treated her merely as an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator, offering no opportunities or benefits.
On the contrary, Zheng Shan, for some unknown reason, had caught the True Monarch's eye. Not only was she promoted to his private spirit herb garden, but she also occasionally received rewards.
As a result, this woman, despite her ordinary aptitude, had later surpassed others, cultivating to the Foundation Establishment Perfected realm.
And now, she was even on the verge of forming her Core!
“Heaven protect us! ”
Within a Green Wood Sect disciple's cave-dwelling on the island, Cang Qingzi, with a head full of white hair, had tears in his eyes: “My Green Wood Sect. . . finally has another Core Formation Ancestor! ”
He laughed three times heartily, but his head slowly drooped.
“Sect Master. . . ”
The Green Wood Sect elders immediately burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably.
Cang Qingzi was already very old; it was only because he cultivated wood-attribute cultivation methods and knew how to maintain his health that he had lived for a few more years.
But now, he was gradually reaching the end of his lifespan.
Seeing Zheng Shan form her False Core today, the worried heart he had been clinging to finally dropped, and he directly passed away. . .
Between this withering and flourishing, this life and death, it was as if a cycle of reincarnation. . .
...
A green light flashed.
Fang Xi's figure also appeared high in the sky, looking at the location of the Core Formation Heavenly Phenomenon.
“Indeed, it's a False Core phenomenon. . . ”
“By supporting this woman in forming her Core, my ties with the Green Wood Sect are severed. . . ”
He nodded, then shook his head, preparing to treat the Green Wood Sect members in the future just like Zong Linghu.
Although Zong Linghu was a descendant of his old acquaintance, countless generations had passed, and he had already helped her ancestors. There was no longer any debt of gratitude, so he could naturally act as he pleased. . .
Now that Zheng Shan had formed her Core, it had also exhausted the last bit of connection he had with the Green Wood Sect. . .
As this thought crossed his mind, Fang Xi saw a man resembling a wealthy squire, also observing the Core Formation Heavenly Phenomenon, with an envious look on his face. . .
“Hai Da Niu. . . This person can be considered fortunate. He originally had no hope of forming a Core, but now, cultivating on a fourth-order spirit vein, he has continuously broken through bottlenecks. . . He'll probably reach the Foundation Establishment Perfected realm soon. At that time. . . perhaps I can bestow a demonic core upon him? ”
“Like this. . . my karmic ties with the Hai family will also be concluded. ”
Fang Xi thought to himself.
Helping a few Foundation Establishment Perfected cultivators achieve False Cores was no difficulty for him at all.
With a casual command, Gui Shan would obediently deliver the demonic cores.
Moreover, Fang Xi couldn't be bothered to bestow Core Formation Spiritual Items, as with the aptitude of Hai Da Niu, Zheng Shan, and others, reaching the Nascent Soul realm was essentially hopeless.
It was better to form a False Core!
A False Core cultivator has no future prospects and cannot improve their cultivation. Therefore, they don't need to cultivate intensely; they only need to meditate for a short time each day to recover their magical power, leaving them with plenty of free time.
Therefore, many False Core cultivators, on the contrary, diligently delved into the Hundred Arts of Cultivation, researching for hundreds of years, often achieving great accomplishments!
In some major sects, there were also cultivators nurtured in this way, typically developing in logistics and support roles.
Fang Xi decided that when the time came, he would select a portion of the Hundred Arts of Cultivation he had compiled, especially the ‘artifact refining inheritance,’ and impart it, raising a group of capable subordinates for himself.
This way, in the future, whenever he wanted to refine artifacts, he would always have a few reliable people at hand.
The reason Nascent Soul cultivators established forces was, in large part, precisely for this purpose!
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