Cultivating Immortality in a World of Chaos

Chapter 75: Withered Wood

Clang!

The emerald-green venomous drill, possessing power akin to a high-grade magical artifact, was mere moments away from piercing Fang Xi’s forehead.

In an instant, a crimson glow suddenly appeared on Fang Xi’s forehead, resembling a helmet.

When the toxic horn struck the helmet, it resounded loudly and was immediately deflected!

“How is this possible?”

“Could he have concealed another high-grade defensive artifact? But where does he find the magical energy to activate it?” Miao Dong’s expression drastically changed.

Meanwhile, a faint smile emerged on Fang Xi’s face.

With a swift cry, his body darted like a serpent, taking eight quick steps across the water surface before reaching Miao Dong.

“Secret Technique: Limitless Primordial!”

Fang Xi raised his hand, unleashing a surge of astral energy that descended with thunderous force!

Boom!

The gold-backed sea turtle let out a pitiful shriek as its protective shield exploded, turning into a mist that filled the air.

Undeterred, Fang Xi unleashed another punch, striking Miao Dong directly on the forehead as he failed to evade in time!

Crack!

Miao Dong’s head burst like a watermelon, splattering red and white matter everywhere.

“Zzzt!”

“Ahh!”

Behind Fang Xi, Qing Er emitted a sorrowful cry and also lost her breath simultaneously.

Even the gold-backed sea turtle beneath Fang Xi let out a pitiful cry and instantly perished!

When Beastmasters form contracts with mythical beasts, they typically establish a servitude bond. Upon the Beastmaster’s death, the contracted beast inevitably meets its demise… unless alternative methods like using a Beast Control Token or voluntarily dissolving the contract are employed, otherwise it is certain to perish!

“You thought I was only at the fourth level of Qi Refinement, but little did you know, I’ve reached the third stage of Body Tempering, capable of facing Late Stage Qi Refinement cultivators…”

Fang Xi sighed, beginning to clean up the battlefield.

The gold-backed sea turtle and water crow were low-rank first-tier mythical beasts, while the jade-blooded python was mid-rank first-tier, all worth a significant number of spirit stones. However, selling them directly at the Treasure Ship Market could be problematic.

In mid-air, the Golden Flood Dragon Sword pressed down the black claw before returning to Fang Xi’s hand.

Inspecting it, he noticed that the mid-grade magical artifact’s black claw was heavily damaged, nearing the point of irreparable ruin, causing him to sigh involuntarily.

His Black Iron Shield had also suffered, corroded by the jade-blooded python’s innate toxic mist, leaving its surface pitted and severely weakened.

“If there aren’t any gains from this, it’ll be quite a loss.”

Finally, Fang Xi retrieved Miao Dong’s bag of holding, destroyed the corpse to erase evidence, then gathered his barely recovered magical energy to depart on the Black Cloud Pocket.

Within Wan Island Lake, numerous islands were scattered like stars across the sky, with many barren ones devoid of spiritual energy being commonplace.

Fang Xi selected one such island and discreetly carved out a hidden immortal’s cave.

Inside the cave, he produced Miao Dong’s bag of holding. After considerable effort to erase its magical energy imprint, Fang Xi emptied it onto the ground.

With a rustling sound, a large assortment of items spilled forth.

Apart from some clothing, the majority consisted of various bottles and jars. Upon inspection, Fang Xi realized they likely contained food for those three spirit beasts.

Additionally, there were several dozen spirit stones and a few low-rank paper talismans.

Among these, he found a piece of animal hide inscribed with numerous blood-written symbols - it was the ‘Blood Pact Document’!

“Seems like Beastmasters aren’t particularly wealthy; probably investing most of their resources into their spirit pets…” Fang Xi mused somewhat wistfully.

In truth, Miao Dong’s strength wasn’t lacking; even against a cultivator at the seventh layer of Qi Refinement, his spirit pets could have held their own through coordinated tactics.

Unfortunately, he fell prey to Fang Xi’s feigned weakness, gradually lured into a trap.

The characteristics of Great Liang’s Qi and Blood martial arts differed significantly from those of the southern wilderness body cultivation techniques, making them easily overlooked - perfect as Fang Xi’s trump card.

He glanced at the remaining jade slips and books, flipping through each one.

“Wan Island Lake Geography? Quite useful…”

“The Metal-Water Art”? Suitable for cultivators with Metal-Water spiritual roots? Combining Metal and Water elements seems slightly better than common dual-element techniques?”

“Yue Kingdom Gazetteer? I’ve already read this…”

After examining several jade slips, Fang Xi found no signs of Beast Control legacy teachings, feeling somewhat disappointed.

Fortunately, he wasn’t someone who demanded perfection in every aspect. He casually opened a few more books:

“Accidentally obtained a Blue Blood Snake egg, named it Qing Er. Used ‘Hundred Fragrant Snake Fruit’, ‘Wood Spirit Liquid’… mixed with spirit stone powder to create a spirit solution for soaking… emerged after one month…”

“Second month, the water crow was greedy and brought back a ‘Fruity Carp’, abandoning the ‘Turquoise Jade Carp’. Punished with three days of fasting…”

On the yellowed pages, meticulously documented were Miao Dong’s records of feeding his three spirit pets! This was indeed a Beast Control journal.

“Despite lacking complete legacies, most methods for nurturing these three types of spirit beasts are detailed here… Could this serve as a fragmented legacy?”

Fang Xi rubbed his chin, feeling it wasn’t entirely a loss.

Half a month later.

Fang Xi discreetly arrived at Treasure Ship Island and hid for several days within nearby mortal towns, moving between different locations. Eventually, using Fang Xi’s true appearance, he approached the entrance to the Treasure Ship Market.

“Immortal Master, would you like a guide?”

Once again, a group of local guides surrounded him, including Mo Qingyi, seemingly unaware of Miao Dong’s fate.

“How much do spirit stones cost?” Fang Xi asked with an innocent demeanor, dressed in a patched-up green mage robe, clearly indicating his modest financial status.

“Just one spirit crystal per day!”

“That’s too expensive, no thanks!” Fang Xi immediately shook his head and entered the market on his own.

“Ah… Looks like this Immortal Master is quite strapped for cash; no business today,” sighed multiple guides in disappointment.

Inside the market, at a certain teahouse, Fang Xi arrived at the information exchange spot that Mo Qingyi had previously mentioned.

Entering the teahouse, Fang Xi ordered a pot of spirit tea and found himself momentarily captivated by the rising white mist from his cup.

Within the tea, leaves shimmered with spiritual light, transforming into vibrant, colorful fish playfully chasing each other.

“The spiritual content in this tea is quite ordinary; hence, the proprietor focuses on enhancing its taste and novelty…” Fang Xi, now more discerning than before, carefully inspected the tea, confirmed it was safe, and took a sip.

A black fish disappeared, causing the remaining fish to dart around even faster.

At that moment, he overheard a conversation between a man and woman at a nearby table: “The market hasn’t been peaceful lately… Several Daoist friends have gone missing. It’s likely the work of those ‘Kou Clan Fiends’ again.”

“Originally, there were three Kou brothers, but somehow the youngest one met his end. Unable to maintain their position at Qingzhu Mountain, they’ve come here to cause trouble for us. Truly despicable!” The second speaker, a burly man with a purple face, seemed well-informed as he spoke angrily.

Fang Xi’s immediate reaction was - ‘Could they be seeking revenge against me?’

However, he quickly realized that Kou’s third brother had been killed by Situ Qingqing, and she only knew she was saved by an unknown body cultivator. What could this have to do with him, a weak and impoverished spirit farmer?

‘Best not to openly display the Golden Flood Dragon Sword or those three bags of holding…’

‘In fact, it aligns perfectly with Fang Xi’s persona as a poor spirit farmer. I should switch back to using the Qinghe Sword anyway…’

After some thought, Fang Xi concluded there were no obvious flaws in his cover. He lowered his head again, casually playing with the spiritual energy fish.

Throughout the day, he overheard plenty of gossip and refilled the teacups several times until the fish within became faintly visible due to diluted tea.

Finally, Fang Xi rose and approached an elderly man in a Daoist robe.

The old man had silvery-white hair, a meticulously groomed goatee beard, and sharp, spirited eyes.

Upon seeing Fang Xi approach, he smiled warmly, “What question does this Daoist friend seek to ask? I am well-informed about various secretive channels within the market, including news from Wan Island Lake.”

This venerable Daoist turned out to be another ‘Mr. Know-It-All,’ but undoubtedly, his knowledge far surpassed that of ordinary individuals like Mo Qingyi.

Consequently, his services came at a cost.

“I’m familiar with your rules. Let’s go to a private room and order a pot of premium ‘Spring Rain’ tea!” Fang Xi nodded, following the old Daoist to a secluded booth within the teahouse.

Upon entering, all external sounds were instantly muffled, clearly indicating soundproofing restrictions in place. Using such a private booth typically cost at least one spirit stone per session.

However, when Fang Xi saw what was meant by ‘Spring Rain’ tea, he realized it was merely common brew for mortals, causing his lips to twitch slightly.

The price paid here wasn’t for the tea itself, but for the information and intelligence it represented!

“Old humble servant, Xiu Mu Daoist, at your service. May I inquire what matters Xiao You wishes to discuss?” The Xiu Mu Daoist courteously bowed with clasped hands.

“No need for formalities, Daoist friend. My name is Fang Xi, just a spirit farmer from Qingzhu Mountain Market…” Fang Xi replied candidly, then hesitantly asked, “I’ve come to Wan Island Lake seeking a quiet place for rigorous cultivation. Could you recommend any options?”

“A dedicated cultivator like yourself! Quite intriguing,” Xiu Mu Daoist responded, surprised. “Would Daoist friend be interested in joining any influential group? Several clans and sects are always recruiting spirit farmers.”

“Not interested, truly wish to avoid further constraints.” Fang Xi answered with a wry smile.

“Then perhaps renting an immortal’s cave long-term near the market might suit you?” suggested Xiu Mu Daoist.

“Well… to be honest, I desire a larger spirit field. And having been a tenant enough, now I wish to become a landlord,” Fang Xi revealed his inner thoughts. After all, planting trees would indeed require a substantial piece of land.

“A large spirit field, a landlord…” The corners of Xiumu’s mouth twitched as he began to grasp Fang Xi’s desires. “I see, Daoist friend seeks unclaimed lands with spiritual veins, perhaps even becoming an island lord? Unfortunately… hundreds of years ago, unowned spirit islands were quite common, but in recent decades, it’s rare to hear about any being discovered.”

“That is truly unfortunate…” Fang Xi shook his head, appearing genuinely disappointed.

“Daoist friend need not despair. Occasionally, the Dragonfish Zhong Clan leases out islands with lesser-grade spiritual veins for long-term rentals by rogue cultivators, which could still present an opportunity… Alternatively, some Daoists on existing spirit islands might seek partners and offer generous terms. This could include long-term leasing of vast spirit fields or even positions like second or third island lords… If interested, you can leave your information here, and this old Daoist will keep an eye out for such opportunities.”

“Many thanks, Daoist priest.” Fang Xi felt genuinely grateful, expressing his appreciation sincerely before asking, “In the market, where can I find formations for sale? I’m looking to purchase one for protecting my immortal’s cave…”

“The Dragon Gate Pavilion offers formations up to high-tier first-order, such as the ‘Cloud Mist Thunderclap Array’… Additionally, there is a resident array master named Xu here in our market. With sufficient payment, he can be commissioned for mid-tier first-order formations…” The old Daoist, Xiu Mu, spoke with a cheerful smile.

As for tier-two formations? Similar to second-order Barrier Breaking Talismans, they were considered strategic resources and typically unavailable unless one belonged to a major power, lacking any direct channels for trade.

Fang Xi asked several more questions before steering the conversation towards Foundation Establishment cultivation methods at the Dragon Gate Pavilion.

Xiu Mu shook his head repeatedly, “Would those Foundation Establishment immortal clans truly provide us rogue cultivators with genuine top-notch techniques? Most released methods are mediocre or even exceedingly difficult… Especially those body tempering techniques, many are outright traps. They claim that mastering them could rival a Foundation Stage cultivator, but in reality, they’re filled with numerous bottlenecks, making it exceptionally hard to break through even to the third stage of Body Refinement…”

His tone carried a hint of bitterness, “Body tempering consumes vast resources; spending hundreds or thousands of spirit stones without guaranteed advancement beyond the third stage of Body Refinement isn’t worth it. It’s better to save up instead and bid on a Foundation Establishment Pill at Baize Immortal City!”

“Baize Immortal City auctions Foundation Establishment Pills? Do you know their selling price?” Fang Xi’s eyes lit up curiously.

“It has appeared in several major auctions before, with a starting bid at three thousand spirit stones, no upper limit…” The old Daoist, Xiu Mu, continued with a meaningful tone, “But obtaining one is not enough; holding onto it safely requires true skill.”

His words clearly implied that each Foundation Establishment Pill auction inevitably followed by waves of bloody chaos!

Just contemplating this scenario sent shivers down Fang Xi’s spine!