Chapter 653: A Lucky Find
Chapter 653: A Lucky Find
Earthly Immortal World.
Two colossal Bodhi trees stood opposite each other, their trunks soaring like clouds, their canopies shaking the heavens and shrouding the sun, almost entirely obscuring the seven suns in the sky. . .
Upon their trunks were grand and vast cultivators' cave dwellings, where one could see chains, flying bridges, and streaks of escape light, constantly rising and falling between the canopies and the trunks. . .
Every now and then, winged exotic beings circled the colossal trees, responsible for trimming branches and maintaining order. . .
This was a sacred land of the human race, renowned throughout—the Po Suo Twin Cities!
Even Void Amalgamation cultivators had to maintain reverence within this tree-city, because this was the spiritual meridian dao field of one of the Human Race Five Sons—Long Qingzi!
Deep within the Po Suo Twin Cities, in a cave dwelling entwined with spiritual plants.
Misty spiritual energy converged, transforming into various flowers, birds, grasses, and beasts, roaming everywhere.
Clad in green robes, he had a refined appearance, and bore a faint resemblance to the young Earthly Immortal Fang Xi had seen before!
Suddenly, he opened his eyes and murmured, "Supreme Pole Star Life-Ending Divine Light. . . Divine ability? Is this connected to my main body's sudden demise earlier?"
Barely an instant after Long Qingzi opened his eyes, a streak of light flew in, transforming into a winged exotic being.
"Master!"
This exotic being actually possessed late-stage Return to Void cultivation, and respectfully knelt on the ground: "The 'Heaven-Monitoring Plate' has stirred. . . according to the Welcoming Immortal Platform's calculations, it's from the Minghuan World!"
"Minghuan?"
Long Qingzi's expression shifted slightly. He recalled his main body's descent to a lower realm hadn't been to this particular one.
So, did that perpetrator escape that realm and enter the Minghuan World?
"Prepare yourselves, and send a Winged Race member at the early Return to Void stage to the lower realm!"
Long Qingzi said slowly.
Sending a Return to Void cultivator to a lower realm consumed enough resources to severely damage even his current foundation, and cause him immense heartache.
For a short period, it could only be done once.
Furthermore, due to the suppression of the lower realm's laws, sending a late-stage Return to Void cultivator was less effective than having an early-stage Return to Void servant act.
"As you command. . . Great Master, our race currently has twelve early-stage Return to Void cultivators. They will engage in sacred domain duels to compete for the strongest, and accept the Master's dispatch!"
The Winged Race member said respectfully.
The Winged Race was a minor race in the Earthly Immortal World; the strongest among them merely at the Void Amalgamation stage. Later, they were subdued by Long Qingzi after he killed their strongest, taking the entire race as servants, normally responsible for managing the affairs of the Po Suo Twin Trees.
After the servant departed, Long Qingzi, however, fell into hesitation.
He recalled the previous times he had sent people to lower realms; the consequences had been quite unfavorable.
This time, sending someone to a lower realm required consuming a very precious 'World Transformation Crystal' to counteract the suppression of the realm's laws, and it might be hundreds of years before a second attempt could be made. . .
"Still, one must be more cautious. . ."
Long Qingzi's eyes were profound, and then he flicked a finger.
Tendrils of vines, like a cage, shrouded the sky and blocked out the sun, transforming into profound restrictions, completely enveloping this entire area.
Light flashed in his hand, revealing an ancient bronze mirror.
On the back of the mirror were inscribed various complex and profound runes.
At this moment, Long Qingzi chanted a spell and exhaled a puff of green qi onto it.
A brilliant light flashed on the mirror's surface, and then a figure clad in a five-colored feather robe appeared.
This figure had an ancient face, but his tone was quite flippant: "Isn't this Long Qingzi? What made you think of coming to find this old geezer?"
"Five Elements Child. . ."
Long Qingzi looked at the elder in the five-colored feather robe, a hint of apprehension appearing on his face.
After all, this was an existence ranked among the Human Race Five Sons, just like him, who had cultivated the 'Five Elements Body' to its extreme. His five-element divine abilities possessed infinite power!
In the Earthly Immortal World, apart from Mahayana Rogue Immortals, they were supreme!
Furthermore, because most Mahayana cultivators lived in seclusion, focusing on dealing with the nine layers of Rogue Immortal heavenly tribulations, the Five Sons were often able to handle the vast majority of the human race's affairs!
"I recall, the last time it was the Three Realms Mountain's turn for duty, the ascended cultivators from the Minghuan World were all under your command, weren't they?"
Long Qingzi said faintly.
"Precisely. . . These ascended cultivators are indeed excellent talents; some have already advanced to Return to Void, and I suppose there's some hope for them to advance to Void Amalgamation in the future. . ."
Five Elements Child replied with a beaming smile.
"I want these people, as well as the 'Realm-Breaking Incense' you use to contact the lower realms! I'll take them all!"
Long Qingzi said.
"Oh?"
Five Elements Child's eyes lit up: "I recall for some time, Long Qingzi, you were very keen on going to lower realms. Why have you picked up this interest again now? Have you forgotten how you nearly went bankrupt those previous times?"
Long Qingzi's face was cold: "Five Elements Child, are you giving them or not?"
"Giving them! Of course I'll give them!"
Five Elements Child said with a grin: "But you'll have to trade something for them! I'm in a sorry state, ah. . . Earlier, I encountered a late-stage Void Amalgamation primeval desolate beast, and after a great battle, I truly depleted a great deal of my vital essence. I need ten, no, eight 'Purple-Veined Longevity Pills' to recuperate. . ."
"Dream on? !"
A flash of green qi flickered across Long Qingzi's face, and then, suppressing his rage, he said: "The 'Purple-Veined Longevity Pill' uses rare ingredients, and I only have three on me. . ."
"Three it is. " Five Elements Child's face showed a hint of a triumphant smile: "Plus that piece of hundred-thousand-year-old 'Purple Profound Wood'. . ."
"You. . ."
Long Qingzi suddenly became expressionless: "As you say. . ."
"Good, Long Qingzi, you are truly a pillar of our human race, so straightforward in your dealings. The people and the Realm-Breaking Incense will arrive shortly. . ."
Five Elements Child let out a hearty laugh, the light on the bronze mirror receded, and there were no more images or light.
Snap!
Long Qingzi put away the bronze mirror, but a faint smile also appeared on his face: "Old geezer, I'll indulge you and let you live a few more years for now. Once this seat obtains that Immortal Abode Rare Treasure, I'll make sure you get what's coming to you!"
...
Minghuan World.
Taiqing Sect's mountain gate, Ancestor Hall.
On this day.
Three streaks of escape light converged, gazing at the portraits hanging there, their expressions slightly agitated: "The Ancestor has manifested, sending a cross-realm message?"
Min Hongru's expression was incredibly solemn. He first bowed respectfully with his two junior brothers and junior sister, only then looking towards the highest seat in the Ancestor Hall.
There, a purple jade tablet was flashing with strange light.
Subsequently, a circle of radiance spread out, attaching itself to a portrait.
Within the portrait was a young scholar-cultivator, in the posture of drinking wine beneath the moon.
"Is it the thirty-second generation Ancestor manifesting?"
A male cultivator at the mid-Divine Transformation stage said in surprise.
The founding ancestor of the Taiqing Sect sadly passed away after cultivating only to the Nascent Soul realm, but the second-generation ancestor was exceptionally talented, advancing to Divine Transformation and establishing the vast foundation of the Taiqing Sect. Thereafter, there was almost a Divine Transformation cultivator in every generation.
The thirty-second generation Ancestor was even more so a prominent figure of his time!
"The Ancestor sending a message. . . this has not been seen for several millennia. I wonder what great change it signifies. . ."
The last Divine Transformation cultivator sighed.
She was a beautiful woman in a pink dress, with gentle features and a graceful demeanor.
"It's here!"
Min Hongru suddenly spoke, and the divine consciousnesses of the three Divine Transformation cultivators focused on the purple jade tablet.
They saw the void shatter, and phoenix seal characters appear one by one, drifting erratically.
From the great void passage, a wisp of green smoke suddenly crossed realms, landing on the purple jade tablet, revealing faint writing.
The three Divine Transformation cultivators glanced at it, and then exchanged bewildered looks.
After a long while, the junior sister at the early Divine Transformation stage finally spoke: "Senior Brother Min, you should make a decision on this matter. . . The Ancestor actually wants us to capture the one who caused the bloody rain phenomenon! How does the Ancestor know what's happening in this realm? And he even promised that if we succeed, he would guarantee our breakthrough to Return to Void after ascension? !"
The junior brother at the mid-Divine Transformation stage was clearly moved. After all, for cultivators, every opportunity to break through a major realm was something to fight for with one's life!
"That Yun Jizi is not easy to deal with."
Min Hongru hesitated somewhat. He had truly met Fang Xi before and knew that cultivator was extremely troublesome.
Moreover, he possessed that unknown great divine ability!
"Hmph, we needn't be too intimidated by the descriptions in ancient texts. . . " The junior brother at the mid-Divine Transformation stage scoffed: "If our Taiqing Sect's Divine Firmament Lightning Art is cultivated to the grand completion stage, it should be only a hair's breadth away from the rumored great divine ability. . . And with the Ancestor's profound heritage backing us, even if the opponent is a great divine ability cultivator, could they really fight across realms against a Return to Void cultivator?"
"Our sect's heritage is sufficient for self-preservation, but far from enough for offensive action. . . And that Yun Jizi wouldn't willingly trap himself in a death trap."
The graceful beautiful woman said softly.
"However. . . we might not be the only ones taking action this time."
Min Hongru seemed to have thought of something, his expression suddenly turning a little strange. . .
...
Meanwhile.
Ligou Immortal City.
"I wonder if a Return to Void cultivator will descend to the lower realm. . ."
Fang Xi, having mastered the 'Supreme Pole Star Life-Ending Divine Light', did not leave Little Moon Lake, but continued his secluded cultivation and comprehension.
With a great divine ability now at his command, even when facing a Return to Void cultivator, he could use ten years of his lifespan to exhaust one year of the opponent's lifespan.
Though it seemed quite wasteful, in reality, with the Ancestral Demonic Tree in hand, his lifespan was inexhaustible, so he didn't care about this small expenditure at all.
Therefore, he could remain calm and at ease.
What's more. . . If the enemy was too strong, he could simply pack up and leave.
Lower realms were as numerous as grains of sand, and even for a Return to Void cultivator, crossing the great void was not easy. He could just let them search one by one.
Even if they found the Human World. . . he could simply hide in the Earthly Immortal World!
With the 'All-Heavens Precious Mirror' in his possession, his advance and retreat were equally unhurried.
It was precisely for this reason that Fang Xi chose to temporarily stay for a period, at least until he participated in the Minghuan World's century-old grand auction before leaving.
Previously, with his vocal support, Ligou Immortal City was still hosting this grand event, which was equivalent to having a market open right at his doorstep, which was quite convenient.
On this day.
Fang Xi exited his cave dwelling, his aura suppressed to the Core Formation realm, and came to the market.
Although he had been diligently practicing divine abilities recently, he also discovered that trying to advance the 'Supreme Pole Star Life-Ending Divine Light' one more time to the minor accomplishment stage was incredibly difficult.
Thus, he temporarily set this matter aside in his mind, planning to participate in this grand auction first.
Many of the Minghuan World's specialties were good, and some top-tier spiritual items were even extremely rare in the Earthly Immortal World. Fang Xi couldn't help but make a few moves, acquiring the prized treasures of several shops.
Most cultivators had sharp eyes. Even if they couldn't immediately discern the origin of a treasure, they could usually determine it was a treasure, and most were marked with a sky-high price.
Unfortunately, no matter how cunning or sly they were, for Fang Xi, who could trade across multiple realms, there were still several, even dozens of times, the profit after acquiring them!
'After returning this time, I must seclude myself for arduous cultivation, and begin refining the 'Earthly Immortal Spiritual Realm', striving to open the 'Spiritual Domain' as soon as possible! '
Fang Xi secretly made up his mind.
The core of the Earth Immortal inheritance lay in the 'Earthly Immortal Spiritual Realm', which was equivalent to a portable realm.
Once the Spiritual Domain was opened, he would be able to resist the laws of lower realms, and even use it against enemies, yielding many benefits.
Fang Xi, possessing the Earth Immortal inheritance, had pondered for a long time on how to construct the 'Earthly Immortal Spiritual Realm', and had gained quite some insights now.
"Earthly Immortal, Earthly Immortal, the key lies in the word 'Earth'! Within the Spiritual Realm, the primary focus is still on management and operation, but one can also construct a defensive system. . . My formation arrays and puppet arts will both have their uses."
"Even more crucially, the Earthly Immortal and the Spiritual Realm grow together. . . if the Earthly Immortal Spiritual Realm flourishes, it can, in turn, stimulate one's own cultivation to advance rapidly, and even break through major realms!"
"It seems I'll have to buy more books on farming in the future, and my spirit farmer skills can't fall behind either. . ."
Fang Xi had long since acquired both common and uncommon spirit farmer inheritances from the Ligou Immortal City market, and purchased a large quantity of seeds along the way.
Basically, any spiritual seeds that could be sold in the Minghuan World, he had a backup of!
Not only that, in the Red Sun Realm, Kyushu World, and so on, he also planned to do the same, and even purchase from the Earthly Immortal World. . .
"My 'Earthly Immortal Spiritual Realm' should begin to have a blueprint constructed. . ."
Fang Xi, clad in green robes, his demeanor leisurely, with his hands clasped behind his back, strolled among the many rogue cultivator stalls.
After purchasing items from the shops, he was still not satisfied, and intended to try and pick up a bargain.
'After all, I'm already a Divine Transformation cultivator, and my horizons and knowledge have been broadened by the Earthly Immortal World. . . I refuse to believe that I can't find anything good! '
Fang Xi's divine eyes swept like lightning across each of the stalls.
Suddenly, he stopped before a stall owner.
This rogue cultivator, who was running the stall, was a grim young man exuding killing intent. He sat cross-legged, with numerous magic tools and spirit artifacts laid out before him, some already broken.
Seeing Fang Xi approach, and sensing his Core Formation-level spiritual power, the grim young man showed no great alarm.
After all, it was merely Core Formation; in the current Immortal City, even Nascent Soul True Monarchs were not uncommon!
"This item. . ."
Fang Xi squatted down, picked out something that looked like a fragment of a magic treasure, and asked with a smile: "What's the price?"
This fragment resembled a pitch-black blade tip, with streaks of bloodstains on the blade itself, exuding a chilling killing intent, and was clearly extraordinary at a glance.
"This magic treasure fragment was something I stumbled upon by chance. . . Its material is indestructible, and it should contain precious materials like 'Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Iron'. . ."
The grim young man spoke volubly: "If this senior likes it, you can take it for a hundred superior-grade spirit stones. . ."
"Superior-grade spirit stones, huh. . ."
Fang Xi sighed with emotion. How long had it been since he'd seen such a low price?
In the Earthly Immortal World, he at least settled accounts with supreme-grade spirit stones.
However, one hundred superior-grade spirit stones for a fragment of a Numinous Treasure was actually quite a bargain.
Fang Xi had already discerned that this item was absolutely not a fragment of a magic treasure, nor even a spirit treasure, but rather a fragment of a Numinous Treasure!
'I wonder how this item shattered back then. . . But I can indeed faintly sense its spirituality. Perhaps an artifact spirit is still dormant within? If a novice cultivator who had just started cultivating were to pick it up, and even awaken the artifact spirit, wouldn't that be textbook protagonist treatment? '
Unfortunately, for the current Fang Xi, he already possessed several complete Numinous Treasures; a mere fragment was truly nothing.
But at this moment, he still had to feign a bit of hesitation and heartache, otherwise, the stall owner wouldn't easily concede, and would feel he had sold it at a loss, who knows how much trouble that would cause.
Living in the mortal world, one should immerse oneself in it.
This was also a form of cultivation for the heart.
"One hundred superior-grade spirit stones is too expensive. How about ninety?"
He began to try and haggle.
"Ninety. . . " The stall owner was clearly a little hesitant: "This is a broken magic treasure! If it were complete, who knows how many spirit stones it would be worth. . . If fellow Daoist finds a highly skilled artifact refiner to extract the main material from it, you might even make a fortune from it. . ."
"Generally, materials used in refining magic treasures and artifacts are mostly rendered useless afterwards. . ."
Fang Xi shook his head, just about to argue a few points, when a voice suddenly came from beside him: "A hundred spirit stones it is, this old man will take this fragment."
He saw a plump man in golden robes walk over from not far away. His attire was extremely lavish; all ten of his fingers were adorned with various thumb rings, his wrists also bore all sorts of bracelets, and his waist jingled with numerous pendants and various ornaments.
The entire person, as he walked over, was utterly laden with jewels and treasures, looking exactly like a nouveau riche in the cultivation world.
But Fang Xi's eyes narrowed slightly, recognizing that these were all magic treasure level items. Even if a few weren't, they were still spirit artifacts with excellent functions.
As this jewel-laden plump man approached, the stall owner couldn't help but stand up and bow respectfully: "So it is True Monarch Wanbao who has graced us with his presence, this humble one is greatly honored. . ."
This jewel-laden plump man was surprisingly a Nascent Soul True Monarch, and his cultivation had even reached the mid-stage level.
Fang Xi was too lazy to inquire about market intelligence, but this stall owner knew there was indeed such a Nascent Soul True Monarch, who most enjoyed wandering the market picking up bargains, and even more so because he cultivated a 'Many Treasures Eye Technique', which allowed him to accurately identify treasures without fail, and had a great reputation in Ligou Immortal City.
Now that the other party had taken a liking to his own magic treasure fragment, could it be that. . .
The stall owner immediately regretted it, wanting to raise the price or refuse to sell, but facing a Nascent Soul True Monarch, he dared not do so at all, and could only look at Fang Xi with expectant eyes.
He hoped Fang Xi could at least start bidding, to raise the price a little, so he wouldn't feel he had lost out. . .
The thoughts of these two individuals were crystal clear to Fang Xi.
However, he didn't really value this fifth-grade fragment much to begin with, and was too lazy to contend with anyone over it. . .
Immediately, he smiled faintly, stood up, and walked away.
In his heart, he couldn't help but sigh: "I truly have no fate for picking up bargains. . ."
"This Core Formation cultivator is interesting!"
True Monarch Wanbao rubbed his chin, which seemed to have countless layers, then looked at the stall owner again: "My young friend, one hundred superior-grade spirit stones, an honest deal!"
"Yes, this fragment now belongs to senior."
The stall owner's face was filled with an expression of heartache, but he could only cup his hands and say.
Even though Ligou Immortal City had strict rules, and Nascent Soul True Monarchs couldn't openly bully the weak, what happened in secret was another matter entirely.
If customers were to contend, he might still dare to profit from their dispute, but now, he dared not speak or move rashly at all.
At this moment, Fang Xi had arrived at a corner of the market.
Most of the stalls nearby were selling various spirit grasses and spiritual medicines, which looked very fresh, presumably just harvested.
His divine consciousness swept over, and he stopped before a young girl's stall.
"Senior, do you see anything you fancy?"
The young girl was dressed in animal skin clothes, her hair braided into a thick plait, her hair black and lustrous, her large eyes seemingly capable of speech, carrying a wild charm.
Fang Xi's gaze swept past some herbs and spiritual grass seeds on the stall, and he noticed an earthen pot beside them.
This earthen pot looked like an ordinary object, without any spiritual energy; its surface only bore some blue-brown patterns, and it contained some stones.
"What is this item?"
Fang Xi stared at the earthen pot with great interest.
"This is something I accidentally dug up while collecting herbs. . . a magic tool, I guess. . ."
The young girl replied with some confusion: "It can't be refined with spiritual power, but if you put some stones inside, after some time, they'll automatically turn into mortal gold and silver. . . So I call it the 'Gold-Silver Urn'. . ."
For cultivators, if it were a large amount of gold, they could still extract some materials from it for refining magic tools and spirit artifacts.
A small amount of gold and silver held little value.
"Quite interesting, indeed. . . How much for this Gold-Silver Urn?"
Fang Xi's divine sense swept over it inch by inch, already discerning a hidden secret within the earthen pot, and couldn't help but ask with a smile.
"This. . ."
The young girl hesitated: "This item only has a clever trick; it's not worth any spirit stones at all. . ."
Fang Xi glanced at her and smiled: "I see your cultivation has reached the ninth level of Qi Refinement, just a step away from reaching the perfected Qi Refinement realm. How about. . . a Foundation Establishment Pill?"
"Foundation Establishment Pill?"
The young girl's eyes lit up: "Thank you, Senior, I'll trade!"
For Qi Refinement cultivators, a single Foundation Establishment Pill represented the hope of achieving Foundation Establishment!
It was only after Fang Xi traveled to multiple worlds that he discovered similar 'Foundation Establishment Pill' formulas existed everywhere; though the prescriptions were largely similar, and the medicinal effects were more or less the same.
One could only say that all three thousand Great Daos lead to the same destination. For Qi Refinement cultivators, the Foundation Establishment Pill was the best spiritual item for Foundation Establishment!
Those alchemists who delved into the three treasures of essence, qi, and spirit of Qi Refinement cultivators would ultimately develop formulas similar to the 'Foundation Establishment Pill'.
As for this young girl, even though she knew this transaction might be a great loss, only the benefits obtained were truly her own.
Holding the Gold-Silver Urn, she might only obtain a little mundane gold and silver, but by getting the Foundation Establishment Pill, she could become a Foundation Establishment cultivator, with a lifespan of two hundred years!
"Good!"
Fang Xi nodded and handed over a jade bottle.
At the same time, he picked up the Gold-Silver Urn.
"Hold on. . ."
Just then, a somewhat familiar voice suddenly came.
Fang Xi, however, completely ignored it. Light flashed in his hand, and the Gold-Silver Urn disappeared.
"This True Monarch wants that earthen pot! I'll give you several Foundation Establishment Pills and pills to increase spiritual power in return, how about it?"
True Monarch Wanbao looked at Fang Xi, his eyes filled with surprise and delight.
His 'Many Treasures Eye Technique' had seen a treasure light even more dazzling than the Numinous Treasure fragment from before.
Fang Xi frowned: "Before, when I hadn't concluded the transaction with the stall owner, your interference would have been acceptable. . . But now, you still come. . ."
"This True Monarch truly loves collecting all sorts of rare and exotic treasures. I ask this young friend to part with it out of goodwill. . ."
Fang Xi, however, couldn't be bothered to chatter with this person. Seeing the crowd that was starting to gather, he even less did he want to show off and embarrass someone here, becoming a spectacle for others.
He thought for a moment. Light flashed in his hand, and a string of black wood and golden thread prayer beads appeared, which he slowly began to twirl.
Upon seeing this string of prayer beads, True Monarch Wanbao's eyes went wide, his mouth slowly falling open, his legs went weak, and he almost knelt down. . .
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