Chapter 54: Yuan He Mountain (For the Alliance Leader Cramp's Night! )
Chapter 54: Yuan He Mountain (For the Alliance Leader Cramp's Night! )
Half a month later.
Fang Xi sat cross-legged, his eyes vacant, holding a jade slip in his hand.
Before him, a simple Three Talents Formation had been laid out with stones.
The three stacked stones subtly seemed to contain countless permutations and combinations.
Nearby lay a pile of counting rods, along with his own equations, various key points, and notes. . .
"I've got it!"
Suddenly, a gleam flashed in Fang Xi's eyes, and he began to calculate.
A moment later, he slumped back down. "No. . . it's all wrong. . ."
When thirsty, he drank mountain spring water; when hungry, he popped a grain of 'Grain Abstinence Pill', frantically trying to conquer the first part of the 'Preliminary Explanation of Formation Dao'.
This section contained only the most basic 'Three Talents Formation Rune', requiring the reader to decipher it and use it to form a minor restriction, serving as a small test.
It was also a method to assess a cultivator's aptitude and comprehension in the formation dao.
It was later mentioned that true formation geniuses could decipher it at a glance.
Those who could decipher it within a day were considered to have excellent aptitude in the formation dao.
Within three days was considered average.
Within seven days, though a bit slow, was still barely enough to enter the path.
But now. . . Fang Xi had been studying for fifteen days.
His complexion was haggard, like an old scholar who had exhausted himself with texts, bloodshot veins appearing in his eyes:
"How does 'Formation' decipher? Why does every stroke feel wrong. . ."
"Damn it. . . damn it all!"
Smack!
He suddenly stood up and kicked the scattered Three Talents stones. "I must be insane. . . A person who gets stumped by civil service math problems trying to decipher otherworld formations. . . I'm truly foolish, truly!"
"What kind of crap formation is this? I'm not learning it, I'm going to practice martial arts!"
The Three Talents Formation Rune seemed simple, but it actually required solving problems from multiple dimensions, far beyond Fang Xi's current mathematical prowess.
This period of intense study had finally made him realize one thing: he was definitely not a formation dao genius!
Therefore, Fang Xi gave up, choosing to be a 'salted fish'!
Oh, no, that's not right—he started practicing martial arts!
He opened a small jade bottle and poured out an 'Emerald Bone Pill'.
The pill was pure white and carried a milky fragrance, yet when tasted, it left a bitter aftertaste.
Most importantly, after refining the medicinal power, Fang Xi felt his entire skeletal structure tingle and go numb.
It felt as if countless ants were crawling and gnawing on his bones. . .
Not long after, this sensation transformed into a burning heat. . .
This alternation continued for nine cycles before everything gradually subsided.
By this time, his pores had expelled some yellowish impurities.
"Bone Refinement?"
Fang Xi mused, lost in thought.
The progression from a second-step Martial Master to a third-step requires refining steel-like tendons and iron-like bones. This is a slow, meticulous process, demanding daily stimulation of one's bone marrow with True Force. Even a slight mistake can lead to disability and paralysis, so it absolutely cannot be rushed!
However, with the support of spirit pills from the cultivation world, his bone refining speed was incredibly fast!
After thoroughly refining the medicinal power of the 'Emerald Bone Pill', Fang Xi took out some 'Tiger-Leopard Tendon Easing Ointment' and applied it to the major tendons in his thighs and arms.
Once the ointment was applied, a cool sensation spread throughout his body.
Seizing this opportunity, Fang Xi stood up and performed a set of fist techniques.
Bang! Bang!
Each punch he threw, though seemingly casual, produced terrifying tearing sounds in the air.
Indeed, with every strike, Fang Xi could feel his tendons and bones being torn apart and then rapidly regenerating, becoming even more resilient. . .
Half an hour later.
Fang Xi stopped, exhaling a long breath.
This long breath shot out like an arrow, several feet into the air, before slowly dissipating.
"Before I finish consuming these pills, I will definitely break through to third-step Martial Master!"
"And then, it's 'Spirit and Force Unification' of fourth-step martial arts?"
"That's right! This is the normal progression! Fist-to-flesh combat, flying on a sword like an immortal, and achieving eternal life—that's the romance for men of our generation. . . Formation masters can go die somewhere!"
Fang Xi was quite satisfied with his martial arts talent (and financial backing).
He closed his eyes and inwardly examined his body.
After consuming the pills, he needed some time to adapt and also expel any lingering pill toxins.
Thus, he preferred not to consume 'Emerald Bone Pills' consecutively.
Even so, Fang Xi was confident he could refine steel-like tendons and iron-like bones within a month, directly achieving the third-step Martial Master realm!
But the final step, 'Spirit and Force Unification', was an epiphany, a spiritual state.
Currently, Fang Xi was completely at a loss.
Even the 'Heavenly Wind Secret Scroll' described it in extremely vague terms, only saying that some Martial Masters comprehended it during life-or-death battles, at the brink of death, while others achieved it naturally by observing the blooming and wilting of flowers.
Even more third-step Martial Masters never managed to grasp 'Spirit and Force Unification' until their dying breath!
"The Huang family's secret manual is indeed a bit crude. . ."
Fang Xi gazed towards Yuan He Mountain, lost in thought. "Perhaps. . . I should borrow another secret manual to study? Conveniently, I also have many questions about a Grandmaster's 'Union of Man and Heaven'. . ."
...
Yuan He Mountain.
This mountain is located north of Three Yuan City, only a few dozen miles away.
Three Yuan City lies at the junction of two great rivers, with mountain ranges providing natural defenses to its north.
Upon entering the mountain range, one can see five peaks rising into the sky, resembling a human hand.
The only path up the mountain is a narrow, single-file gorge.
This is the gate of Yuan He Mountain—the 'Blood Gate'!
To enter Yuan He Mountain, one must pass through the Blood Gate!
This gate, leveraging the advantageous terrain, served as an impenetrable barrier, warding off countless powerful enemies for Yuan He Mountain in the past.
Even the nearby rocks had turned blood-red, supposedly stained by the fresh blood of their foes.
Although Yuan He Mountain now dominated Ding State with no one daring to defy it, its past caution remained. The Blood Gate's narrow pass was heavily guarded by numerous Yuan He Mountain disciples, with no shortage of checkpoints and hidden sentries.
Even within some special strategic openings, crossbows were positioned!
Under such defenses, even if the Da Liang imperial court were to launch tens of thousands of troops in an attack, the mountain could hold out for a long time—it was truly impregnable!
Deep night!
The cold wind howled, but the Yuan He Mountain disciples guarding the Blood Gate remained energetic, their movements disciplined whether standing, walking, or sitting.
But none of this concerned Fang Xi in the slightest. . .
A dark cloud slowly drifted across the sky.
"Fooled you, didn't I? I can fly!"
Fang Xi controlled his refined flying artifact—the 'Black Cloud Pouch'—directly soaring over the perilous Blood Gate and entering the heart of Yuan He Mountain.
"With my current strength, those first and second-step Martial Masters are just seeking death!"
"Only third-step Martial Masters with steel-like tendons and iron-like bones, whose skeletons have been strengthened, are somewhat difficult to kill. . . but even they are like paper in front of the 'Golden Flood Dragon Shears'. . ."
After all, these weren't Body Cultivators from the South Barrens Cultivation World; those Body Cultivators had learned their lesson long ago. Before every battle, they would invariably don a full set of artifact-grade armor, becoming true humanoid beasts!
Cultivators were a group of people very adept at utilizing external aids.
Fortunately, these Martial Masters didn't have artifact armor to wear.
"Besides them, there's only the legendary Grandmaster."
Fang Xi's eyes were deep.
"But it doesn't matter. . . I can fly! Even if I can't beat him. . . with a superior-grade artifact in hand, I can kite him to death!"
Yuan He Mountain has five peaks, each with a different landscape and completely different status within the sect.
The 'Snow Soul Peak', resembling a thumb, was where the Yuan He Mountain Sect Master and the main discussion hall were located.
The 'Myriad Bone Peak', like an index finger, was the gathering place for martial artist deacons and Martial Master elders.
As for the two peaks representing the ring and pinky fingers, they were where the disciples and laborers resided.
Finally, there was the 'Thunder Peak', the middle finger!
This peak was the tallest, yet also a forbidden area for Yuan He Mountain disciples, serving as the burial ground for successive Sect Masters and elders.
However, there were also rumors that Yuan He Mountain's sole Grandmaster, a Martial Saint, lived in seclusion on Thunder Peak!
Under the cover of night, Fang Xi brazenly landed on the summit of Thunder Peak.
Because it was a forbidden area, no disciples patrolled it normally.
It was likely that no one in Yuan He Mountain ever imagined an enemy could invade from the sky!
"Nice view!"
Fang Xi stood with his hands behind his back, taking leisurely steps as he wandered freely within this forbidden area of Yuan He Mountain.
At the summit of Thunder Peak, there was a small lake.
At the edge of the lake lay a stretch of white cemetery, with gravestones and burial mounds all white. . . appearing quite peculiar.
"I wonder if the occupants of these tombs brought any martial arts secret manuals, or their beloved gold and silver treasures, or rare curiosities as burial goods. . ."
Fang Xi muttered to himself, suddenly getting an urge to act as a 'tomb raider'.
"Hehe. . . most of our sect's ancestors were poor devils; they didn't have much in the way of burial goods."
Suddenly, a voice emerged from the darkness.
Fang Xi's expression remained unchanged. He secretly clutched a 'Goldenlight Cover Talisman' in his hand, his Profound Iron Sword ready to fly out from his storage bag at any moment.
The 'Goldenlight Cover Talisman' was a mid-grade first-order defensive talisman he had found among his spoils, offering quite decent defense.
At the very least, it could block a single blow from a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator without any problem.
With these two trump cards, his demeanor was utterly uninhibited and relaxed: "Old Grandmaster of Yuan He Mountain? May I know your name?"
"Haha, no need for formalities. . . I am Linghu Shan!"
A green-robed old man appeared slowly from the moonlight, his hands clasped behind his back.
His head was large, his skin pale, and white hair fell to either side, making him appear quite ancient.
But Fang Xi could sense an incredibly condensed blood-qi from him!
As if he wasn't facing a mortal, but a fierce beast hidden beneath human skin!
At this moment, Linghu Shan had approached Fang Xi, his cloudy eyes sweeping over him before he shook his head. "My sect disciples are unworthy. Our ancestors' good stuff was already dug up by previous Sect Masters. . . even I didn't get much, what a pity. . ."
Fang Xi was somewhat startled. Da Liang generally respected its ancestors and masters.
But the man before him was a ruthless individual who dared to dig up his own ancestors' graves!
Linghu Shan suddenly looked at Fang Xi. "You are. . . the Ghost of Misfortune who caused such a ruckus in Three Yuan City, aren't you? Could it be that this time you're interested in our sect's Grandmaster martial arts?"
Fang Xi's expression remained neutral. "How did you know?"
"Hehe. . . although people say the Ghost of Misfortune is unpredictable, I carefully reviewed the intelligence. . . and found that you were actually after the Huang family's secret manuals, and the Huang family ancestor was only a fourth-step Martial Master back then. . ."
Linghu Shan dug his ear. "Therefore, I guessed you would definitely visit Yuan He Mountain. If you want Martial Master techniques, you certainly wouldn't miss out on Grandmaster ones."
"Precisely. " Fang Xi laughed. "So, will you give them to me?"
"Yes! " Linghu Shan answered seriously.
"If you don't, I'll. . . Hmm? " This unexpected answer made Fang Xi momentarily stunned.
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