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Chapter 81: Lord of Peach Blossom Island (Seeking Monthly Votes)

Chapter 81: Lord of Peach Blossom Island (Seeking Monthly Votes)

Six months later.

Treasure Ship Market.

Fang Xi, disguised as a hunchbacked old man, walked out of the Dragon Gate Pavilion with an arrogant air.

Behind him, Zhong Wangu bowed respectfully, seeing him off.

During this period, he had constantly changed his disguise, appearing as various individuals to deal with the materials from Old One-Eye, Great Peng King, and the other seven great demon kings of Ding Province.

Incidentally, he also made multiple purchases at the Dragon Gate Pavilion under different guises.

The "Myriad Beast Body" cultivation technique, talisman-making inheritance, and other items were all acquired.

After all, he was going to be stuck cultivating the Demonic Tree in one place for many years, so all necessary preparations had to be made.

This orthodox immortal body cultivation technique was not only incredibly difficult but also consumed truly terrifying amounts of resources.

This art had a total of four layers!

Cultivating the first layer alone required resources worth dozens of Spirit Stones. Once mastered, a cultivator would become a first-tier Body Cultivator, capable of rivaling an early Qi Refinement cultivator.

However, reaching the second layer demanded medicinal baths exceeding a hundred Spirit Stones, along with various demon beast essence blood to temper the body.

The third layer approached a thousand Spirit Stones and allowed one to cultivate the "Beast Transformation Secret Art," but it was not only challenging but also extremely prone to qi deviation.

As for the final fourth layer. . .

'Damn it, it actually requires the essence blood of specific second-order demon beasts. . . How am I supposed to get my hands on that? '

'And the cost is astronomical! No wonder body cultivators are all poor devils! The third layer alone needs nearly a thousand Spirit Stones, what about the fourth layer? '

'My Primordial Chaos True Art only cost a total of less than two hundred Spirit Stones in pills to cultivate to the "qi pervading the entire body" stage! '

Fang Xi thought, feeling a little vexed.

Fortunately, he had acquired this body cultivation art purely to cross-reference it with his Primordial Chaos True Art.

With the extensive research on "True Vigor Transformation" from the Grandmaster Society's side, combined with the secrets of this four-layered body cultivation art,

Fang Xi now had some ideas for the subsequent breakthroughs of his Primordial Chaos True Art.

'Still, I should visit this Dragon Gate Pavilion less in the future. . . Although I've tried to space out my visits, it's still a bit conspicuous. . . '

After wandering around the cultivation city for a few rounds to ensure he wasn't followed, Fang Xi left the Treasure Ship Market.

After reverting to his original appearance, he changed direction, stepping onto his Green Reaping Sword, and flew discreetly back to his cave abode.

At the entrance of his cave abode, a sound transmission talisman hovered by the door, emitting a faint spiritual light.

"Oh?"

Fang Xi's expression shifted. He reached out and snatched the sound transmission talisman into his hand.

After injecting a wisp of spiritual power, Old Daoist Drywood's voice emerged: "Fellow Daoist Fang. . . the gathering is about to begin. You may come to the teahouse tomorrow for a meeting."

"It seems. . . Old Daoist Drywood has found another way?"

Fang Xi wore a thoughtful expression.

...

The next day.

Inside a private room at the teahouse.

Fang Xi entered and found several people already seated.

Old Daoist Drywood was naturally present. Besides him, there were three other cultivators: one man and two women.

One of the female cultivators had an unremarkable appearance, dressed in a peach-colored palace dress, with two silver bells wrapped around her left wrist.

The other man and woman appeared intimate, seemingly a Daoist Companion couple.

Old Daoist Drywood chuckled as he introduced Fang Xi to the three, then said to Fang Xi, "This is Fellow Daoist Ruan Xing Ling, a first-order mid-grade artifact refiner. And these two are the esteemed couple Wei Yi Xin and Hua Chan Juan!"

"Greetings to the three of you!"

Fang Xi wore a gentle smile on his face. After sitting down, he subtly scrutinized the three individuals.

Ruan Xing Ling's cultivation was at Qi Refinement Layer 7, placing her in the late Qi Refinement stage. As an artifact refiner, her status was the highest among them, and she sat in the seat of honor.

Her appearance was plain, but her skin was fair, delicate, and luminous, giving her a naturally gentle and refined temperament, like that of a demure young lady.

In truth, the higher a cultivator's cultivation, the more their physique would be refined through continuous tendon and marrow cleansing during cultivation breakthroughs, typically resulting in handsome men and beautiful women.

Especially breakthroughs to major realms could achieve an effect similar to cosmetic surgery.

However, some cultivators went against this, deliberately maintaining or even disfiguring their appearance to show their single-minded devotion to the Dao, unconcerned with romantic entanglements.

Comparatively, Hua Chan Juan possessed bright, alluring eyes and a charming smile, far surpassing Ruan Xing Ling in looks, but her temperament was nowhere near as refined.

Both she and her Daoist Companion Wei Yi Xin were at Qi Refinement Layer 5. Wei Yi Xin, clad in black, had a cold and stern demeanor with resolute features, clearly a person of unyielding will.

Old Daoist Drywood scanned the group, then spoke with a smile, "This old Daoist won't keep you in suspense. The reason I've invited you all today is that Fellow Daoist Fang and the esteemed couple Fellow Daoist Wei's requests have finally seen some progress. . . Fellow Daoist Ruan, what do you think of these three?"

Ruan Xing Ling nodded, her voice slow and steady: "Of course, I trust those introduced by Fellow Daoist Drywood. These three Fellow Daoists are all at mid-Qi Refinement, and their cultivation is barely sufficient. . . But, it seems we are still missing one person!"

Old Daoist Drywood's smile remained unchanged: "How about this old man? To be frank. . . this old bag of bones of mine also fancies a bit of action!"

"If Fellow Daoist Drywood is also willing to lend a hand, then I have no objections."

Ruan Xing Ling seemed to recall something, a flicker of joy quickly passing across her face.

"Ahem. . . Fellow Daoist Drywood, what exactly is going on here? " Fang Xi had a slight guess, but still frowned in dissatisfaction.

"Hehe, it was this old Daoist's oversight. . . Fellow Daoist Fang, haven't you always wanted a large spiritual land to cultivate? " Old Daoist Drywood's voice held a hint of reverence: "This Fellow Daoist Ruan is none other than the Lord of Peach Blossom Island!"

"Peach Blossom Island?"

Fang Xi was startled, then recalled the geographical gazetteer of Myriad Islands Lake, vaguely remembering it as one of the Thirty-Six Islands.

But he remembered the island lord's surname was Lu, not Ruan.

"Fellow Daoist Drywood flatters me. This concubine is merely like a stray dog without a home. . . " A bitter smile appeared on Ruan Xing Ling's face.

After Old Daoist Drywood explained again, Fang Xi generally understood.

This Ruan Xing Ling was the daughter of Peach Blossom Island's former island lord.

Peach Blossom Island possessed a first-order spirit vein. Hundreds of years ago, the Ruan family ancestors discovered and occupied it, then generations continued to grow and prosper, forming a small Qi Refinement level cultivation family—the Peach Blossom Ruan clan!

However, several decades ago, the main branch of the Peach Blossom Island Ruan family suffered from a thin bloodline; even several generations of male descendants lacked spiritual root aptitude.

After the Ruan family's late Qi Refinement Grand Elder passed away, the family suffered successive calamities, losing several Qi Refinement realm clansmen.

Seeing this situation, among the invited guest elders, a cultivator surnamed Lu seized the opportunity to collude with others and rebel, nearly annihilating the entire Ruan family and brazenly occupying the whole island.

Fortunately, a direct descendant of the Ruan family still survived—this Ruan Xing Ling.

When her family met with disaster, she happened to be traveling abroad. At the time, she was only at the early Qi Refinement realm and could only flee far away with tears, leaving her home.

It wasn't until her cultivation recently broke through to the late stage that the thought of revenge arose, leading her back to Myriad Islands Lake.

"After the matter is concluded, Immortal Ruan is willing to share Peach Blossom Island with us. The esteemed couple of the Wei family are weary of conflict and wish to retire to the countryside and establish a family. Peach Blossom Island has two peaks and one lake; one peak can be given to the Wei couple, and as for the other peak, this old man will unceremoniously accept it. As for Immortal Ruan, she will naturally oversee the main spirit vein, Mirror Moon Lake, and be the Lord of Peach Blossom Island!"

Old Daoist Drywood looked at Fang Xi with a smile: "As for Fellow Daoist Fang. . . Peach Blossom Island also has a place called 'Emerald Cliff. ' It's a branch of the island's first-order spirit vein. Although its spiritual energy grade is unranked, it's sufficient to open up over ten mu of spirit fields. Immortal Ruan is willing to grant Fellow Daoist a long-term lease for a hundred years without collecting Spirit Stones, as long as you lend a hand this time."

After hearing Old Daoist Drywood's words, Fang Xi felt a wave of speechlessness in his heart.

'Damn it, cultivators at Qi Refinement Layer 4 have no human rights, do they? Am I just here to make up the numbers? '

'You all think you're great just because your cultivation is higher than mine, huh? Want to step into the arena and try? I'll even fight you with one hand tied behind my back! '

However, he quickly calmed down and carefully considered the pros and cons of the entire situation.

Such a matter could be verified by simply inquiring, so Ruan Xing Ling's identity as the former island lord's daughter should be genuine.

At this moment, Fang Xi even felt a slight lingering fear:

'That was close, I almost walked the path of that Lu fellow's script. . . '

'This is a lesson: from now on, when eliminating enemies, I must cut the roots, otherwise, there will be endless trouble! '

'However, a hundred-year lease on an unranked spiritual land is indeed good, worth making a move for once! '

'Wait a minute. . . '

Fang Xi looked at Old Daoist Drywood: "Fellow Daoist Drywood, are you also going to participate?"

"Indeed. . . " Old Daoist Drywood gave a bitter laugh: "This old Daoist often heard you speak of your persistence in this matter, and it sparked a few ideas in me too. After all, being an island lord, farming and raising fish, living a free and unfettered life, is always better than relying on one's old face to scrounge for a living in the cultivation city. Besides. . . this old Daoist is nearly at his lifespan's end; I must consider my descendants."

Fang Xi secretly scorned this old geezer, then asked Ruan Xing Ling: "Fellow Daoist Ruan. . . when that Lu fellow committed his atrocities, did you not appeal? Or did the Thirty-Six Islands Alliance not intervene?"

Ruan Xing Ling replied with a bitter smile: "The Thirty-Six Islands Alliance has a loose structure, and its members even hold deep-seated grudges against each other. . . Mutual attacks are also common. As long as it's not the Dragon Fish Zhong Clan attacking, everything is fine. . . Back then, my Ruan family naturally had a few in-laws, but after that Lu fellow plundered my family's resources, he quickly broke through to late Qi Refinement, and then forcibly married a daughter from a collateral branch of the Ruan family, taking on the role of island lord as a live-in son-in-law. Thus, the Feng family of White Feather Island and the Mo family of Black Sand Island did not intervene. . ."

"How convoluted and bizarre. . ."

Fang Xi sighed with emotion, secretly commenting in his heart: 'Small temple, much evil wind; shallow water, many turtles. . . '

"Today, I implore all of you to assist me in my revenge. This concubine is willing to make a heart demon oath that all promises made will surely be fulfilled."

Ruan Xing Ling rose and gracefully curtsied to the others.

As she moved, the bells on her wrist jingled, making one's heart settle a little.

"Fellow Daoist, rest assured. To eliminate evil and promote good is our duty as cultivators; we shall not shirk!"

Wei Yi Xin was the first to pledge.

"This old Daoist will certainly lend a hand as well! " Old Daoist Drywood said, brimming with murderous intent: "To be frank. . . this old Daoist also has some connections within the Thirty-Six Islands. Fellow Daoist Ruan's revenge as a direct descendant—as long as that Lu fellow is killed, absolutely no one will be able to say anything!"

"About that. . . may I ask the current strength of the bandits on Peach Blossom Island? " Fang Xi, finally, asked with a hint of awkwardness.

"That 'Lu Jing Qing' broke through to Qi Refinement Layer 8 a few years ago, and he has four mid-Qi Refinement subordinates. . ."

Ruan Xing Ling stated truthfully: "At that time, Lu Jing Qing will be handled by this concubine, and those subordinates will be entrusted to all of you!"