Chapter 788: Escape
Chapter 788: Escape
White Sweet Village.
Under the peach tree.
Fang Xi bit into a peach, red-tinged and white within. With a thought, a water mirror appeared.
His large black fish puppet, lurking at the riverbed, had already seen Gan Yu board the awning boat, heading towards White Sweet Village.
"Dao Laws?"
He muttered.
The spiritual energy of this world was difficult to stir; even Soul Transformation cultivators found it hard to break through the net of Dao Laws!
But cultivation itself was an act against the heavens, seizing the creation of the world for oneself. Otherwise, why would there be heavenly tribulations?
Upon reaching the Return to Void stage, one could directly manipulate the primal energy of heaven and earth, allowing them to break through the blockade of Dao Laws.
Every time he cast a spell now, it was tantamount to challenging the Dao Laws.
Of course, anyone below Return to Void would still inevitably fall.
If he were to go to the Heavenly Court and face Heavenly Rules even more stringent than the Dao Laws, even the current Fang Xi wouldn't have much confidence. . .
"Fortunately, it's still enough for the lower realms. . ."
Fang Xi finished his peach. With a light wave of his hand, several items appeared before him.
First was a pitch-black pearl, heavy as a mountain, dull in color, carrying an inexplicable aura, subtly feeling out of place with this world.
Besides that, there was a rusted arrowhead, a tattered piece of cloth seemingly from a banner, and a heavy cast-iron piece. . .
These three pieces of scrap metal, however, had no sense of incongruity. Instead, they were brimming with spiritual energy, each manifesting extraordinary qualities.
"I asked my main body for support, and my main body gave me this trash!"
Fang Xi pursed his lips, feeling a little displeased.
Ever since thoroughly understanding the rules of this world, he had seized an opportunity to return to Trapped Sky Island and seek help from his main body.
His main body, quite generous, waved a hand and gave him these items.
"Not even a single incomplete Immortal Abode Rare Treasure, just these fragments. . ."
He sighed.
This arrowhead, cloth piece, and iron piece. . . were indeed all fragments of Immortal Abode Rare Treasures!
After all, even if Trapped Sky Island didn't have complete Immortal Abode Rare Treasures, there were still quite a few fragments of Immortal Abode Rare Treasures in the possession of Void Amalgamation cultivators.
And previously, his main body had annihilated the Black Market's master and several great Void Amalgamation foreign races, acquiring such spoils.
It was just a pity that there were no incomplete Immortal Abode Rare Treasures.
His main body couldn't be bothered with these fragments, so it naturally tossed them all over here like garbage.
Anyway, he wouldn't feel any pain if they were lost.
"It's all me. Cursing him is cursing myself. I'm not angry, not angry. . . Wait, why am I so petty?"
Fang Xi let out a long breath and picked up the last pitch-black round pearl.
This pearl was quite a treasure, coming from the Black Market's master.
This late-stage Void Amalgamation grand cultivator was a peculiar foreign race, unable to even form a stable clan, existing only as a few individual entities.
The true form of this foreign race was a mountain range, majestic and vast. Both their physique and spiritual power far surpassed cultivators of the same stage, even allowing them to fight above their level.
Alas, when they encountered Fang Xi, who didn't play by the rules, they were instantly killed. . .
"This 'Mountain Peak Pearl' is the core of the Black Market's master. . . it's a rare and precious treasure, a top-grade material for refining an External Avatar. As long as a wisp of divine soul is refined into it, a complete avatar can be obtained. . . and it has many wondrous uses."
"My main body didn't refine it himself, but gave it to me to refine. It seems he still has many reservations about the Divine Dao?"
"So, I'm the firewall? If the Divine Dao avatar has any drawbacks, he can just sever ties with me?"
There were only three main categories of methods to condense a divine position.
One was conferral by the Dao Court. This was the most common, but also the most difficult, especially now with the increasingly severe problem of redundant officials in the Dao Court. Even Imperial Scholars found it hard to obtain actual positions.
The second was through widely spreading faith and collecting incense offerings to self-condense. However, such positions were not recognized by the Dao Court and were deemed evil cults and obscene shrines, thus subject to suppression.
The last method was for innate deities, where heaven and earth naturally bestowed a divine position.
From the perspective of origin, the last method was naturally the best, and it could even be free from the Dao Court's interference and influence.
As for the Heavenly Emperor? For any deity born in these worlds, it was virtually impossible to completely sever ties with him.
The avatar refined from this 'Mountain Peak Pearl' was naturally equivalent to a mountain transforming into a spirit. It would be very easy to comprehend heaven and earth and obtain such a divine position.
Fang Xi muttered, having gained some understanding of his main body's thoughts. With a flash of light in his hand, he stored away the four items.
Immediately after, he took out his talisman brush and talisman ink, and began to try and decompose and copy divine script, referencing the 'Supreme Child Spirit Official Decree' from the Well Dragon King and the 'Bull Head Mountain Ancient Well Water Transfer Envoy' from his memories!
Divine script was obtained by the Heavenly Emperor through comprehending the Great Dao, and it was also the foundation for forming divine decrees, representing certain origin laws.
He had only dabbled a bit, yet he felt that every stroke contained endless mysteries.
A single divine script was simply all-encompassing. Whether it was spatial laws, time laws, or other laws. . . traces and underlying principles could all be found within it.
It was as if. . . it was interpreting the 'Great Dao' from another perspective!
Moreover, the opportunity for his own path of talismans to advance to the seventh or even eighth rank lay right here.
...
The next day.
Fang Xi pushed open his door and stretched languidly, seeing Gan Yu already waiting outside.
"Greetings, Master."
Gan Yu still had some dampness about him, evidently having been waiting here quite early.
Such conduct could be called revering teachers and valuing the Dao, a highly regarded virtue in this world.
"Ah Yu, is it. . ."
Fang Xi smiled. "Perfect. The peaches are ripe today, you can pick a few to eat. . ."
"Thank you, Master. . ."
Gan Yu thanked him, then sat with Fang Xi under the peach tree and set up the chessboard.
This time during their game, Fang Xi felt that Gan Yu was indeed different.
"Not bad. You're placing your pieces with measure. This trip to the county town, experiencing the ways of the world, has truly tempered you."
He praised him. A black piece fell, and he slaughtered a large dragon of white pieces. "Master proceeds steadily and cautiously. I admit defeat."
Gan Yu glanced over the chessboard. In the end, he couldn't hold out for a hundred moves and helplessly admitted defeat.
"For a beginner to be like this is already quite good. . . Besides, playing chess is just for entertainment. The Daoist classics are paramount."
Fang Xi collected the chess pieces one by one. "Looking at your calm and composed demeanor, Ah Yu, there's quite a bit of hope for this child examination."
"I have done my best, now I leave it to fate."
Gan Yu, hearing this, gave a bitter smile, then added, "I had originally intended to stay in the county town for a few more days to find some work. . . but a major case occurred at the county yamen. I hope it doesn't affect this imperial examination. . ."
In truth, the Well Dragon King had long since been subdued by Fang Xi, making it impossible for him to cause trouble for Gan Yu again.
But Fang Xi naturally wouldn't tell Gan Yu this.
"A major case at the county yamen? What kind of major case?"
Fang Xi's interest was piqued.
"It is said. . . a fierce criminal attempted to assassinate Assistant Magistrate Cao. Although he failed, he still killed several yamen runners and managed to escape successfully amidst a city-wide search. . ."
Gan Yu recalled the situation that day, still feeling shaken.
"To think there's such a fierce criminal. Who could it be?"
Fang Xi asked.
He wasn't entirely clear about the situation in the county town. After all, a cultivator's divine consciousness was quite restricted in this world.
Moreover, within the county town, there was the protection of the divine laws represented by the City God.
His divine consciousness wasn't unable to break through, but he avoided it to prevent beating the grass to scare the snake.
"I heard. . . it was Daoist Mei Changkong. His martial arts are highly skilled, and he's also proficient in Dao Arts. . ."
Gan Yu replied.
"Daoist Mei Changkong?"
Fang Xi was quite interested and had Gan Yu explain the man's situation. At the end, he said, "You are solely focused on the imperial examinations. It's best not to even listen to such matters. If you get involved in such things, don't expect to gain fame and recognition again. . ."
"Your teachings are right, Master. I understand the stakes involved."
Gan Yu, hearing this, humbly took the lesson to heart. . .
...
Whoosh whoosh!
The strong wind was fierce.
Deep within the dense forest, a figure moved with light steps, like a large bird, gliding between the treetops, vanishing in an instant.
"Woof woof!"
Not long after, the sound of hunting dogs echoed. Several constables, leading black hounds, pursued them. The iron rulers in their hands had long been replaced by sharpened long blades: "He's right here! That person can't escape. . ."
A middle-aged man, appearing to be a constable captain, looked at a footprint, a flash of joy crossing his face: "This is a major criminal wanted by the Dao Court! If we capture him, we're sure to get a promotion by one rank!" RAn~o+bE!s
Constable captains and constables belonged to the petty officials, essentially having no hope of promotion their entire lives.
If they could get a promotion by one rank and gain official status, the path to advancement would open.
Many people yearned for this their entire lives, yet found it difficult to achieve significant merit.
Now, with merit before them, everyone eagerly forged ahead.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a black shadow flashed, and several pebbles flew out.
"Ooooh. . ."
Several hunting dogs were instantly struck in the head, collapsing to the ground with blood oozing from their mouths and noses.
Following this, Mei Changkong's eyes were dark. Holding a three-foot azure blade, he arrived gracefully.
"Crow Formation!"
He formed a hand seal with one hand, and several dark, mysterious array patterns flashed through the dense forest.
The constable captain and constables cried out miserably. Their vision went dark, as if they had become blind.
No matter how skilled one's martial arts, sudden blindness had a significant impact in actual combat.
Puff puff!
In an instant, Mei Changkong stabbed out several swords.
When he struck, he was almost silent. Only when he was near the men did a piercing sword cry erupt.
Several splatters of blood flew out, and several constables lay sprawled in the wilderness.
The constable captain clutched his throat, blood seeping through his fingers, an expression of disbelief flashing in his eyes: "Impossible. . . you were clearly severely injured. . . how could you still. . . cast Dao Arts?"
Mei Changkong gave no reply, turning to flee into the jungle.
Only at this moment did a flash of paleness cross his face, and his aura also became somewhat listless.
Whoosh whoosh!
A moment later, a chilling wind swept through the area.
One black and one white figure materialized. Seeing the corpses strewn about, they formed a hand seal.
With a flash of golden light, yin souls appeared, blood flowing from their seven orifices, their expressions blank.
"This criminal possesses an exotic treasure, having cultivated his spiritual power to a profound level. He actually managed to escape with his life even when facing a seventh-rank Assistant Magistrate. . ."
The Yin God dressed in white spoke, his voice indifferent: "Separated by yin and yang, even we were bewitched by his Dao Arts. . . We've only just caught a trace of him now."
"No need to overestimate this person. Assistant Magistrate Cao hasn't truly become a god yet; his divine power merely circulates spontaneously for self-protection. . . If this person were to encounter the Martial Judge, he would absolutely not escape. . ."
The black-clad Yin God had peculiar markings on his face. He let out a soft cry: "Where did the criminal flee?"
The yin souls, blood flowing from their seven orifices, mechanically raised their hands, pointing in the direction Mei Changkong had fled. . .
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