Chapter 112: Chapter 111 Fairy Taoling (request for monthly ticket)_1 Chapter 112: Chapter 111 Fairy Taoling (request for monthly ticket)_1 “Uncle?”
The little girl with the round face looked puzzled, then shook her head, “You’re lying! I don’t have an uncle…”
“Ha ha!”
Fang Xi couldn’t help but rub the round face’s cheeks again and laughed, “Your name is ‘Wei Yixi’, right? How would I know your name if I didn’t know you?”
Wei Yixi’s pretty little eyebrows furrowed together, and she seemed a bit annoyed as she pondered biting her finger. Could it really be that this stranger was her uncle?
“Good Yixi…”
Fang Xi’s expression became gentle, “Uncle took a wrong turn. Can you open the array and let uncle out? Uncle will bring you some tasty treats afterward…”
“Mmm!”
Wei Yixi nodded her head, taking a token from her little bag.
The next moment, she gave a sly smile, suddenly jumped back a great distance, and waved the token.
A mist instantly appeared, separating the two of them.
“You’re lying!”
Wei Yixi scraped her own cheek, “If you were my uncle, how could you not know the trick to entering the array? Mother! Mother, come quick, there’s a bad person!”
Her crisp childish voice echoed far and wide through the valley…
“Who dares to trespass on my West Peak?!”
Accompanied by a stern shout, a magical artifact’s light enveloped a figure that descended swiftly from midair, revealing a middle-aged woman.
When she saw Fang Xi, she paused in surprise.
“Hua, it’s been ten years…”
Fang Xi bowed respectfully, feeling a little sentimental.
Hua Chanjuan had long lost the graceful and charming appearance of ten years ago. Instead, she had wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, a slightly hunched back, and hair streaked with white, looking almost like a mortal woman of about forty.
Immortal Cultivators normally wouldn’t age like this, but Hua Chanjuan had worked herself to the bone over the past ten years, accumulating Spirit Stones, purchasing arrays… and had already shown signs of wearing herself out.
“Is it… Mr. Fang Xi?!”
Hua Chanjuan seemed to find it hard to believe.
Although the face was the same, the Fang Xi from the past was unremarkable in demeanor, bearing the cautiousness of a Spirit Farmer.
The Fang Xi of now; however, stood proud like a verdant pine tree, emanating vitality and growth. Just by standing there, he seemed like a towering green tree, exuding such energy that even Hua Chanjuan felt herself grow a bit younger in comparison.
“Mother… who is this?”
Wei Yixi tugged on Hua Chanjuan’s sleeve, asking in a low voice.
It was her first time seeing her mother treat a visiting cultivator with a smiling face, so she was extremely curious.
“This is Uncle Fang Xi who mother has told you about, a friend of your father and mother…”
Hua Chanjuan’s expression was complicated as she addressed Fang Xi, “We haven’t seen each other in ten years. Please come in and drink a cup of honey water…”
“Thank you!”
Fang Xi bowed his hands and followed Hua Chanjuan inside the house.
Wei Yixi continued to gaze curiously at Fang Xi, as if she wanted to firmly remember everything about this uncle.
“Xixi, aren’t you going to call him uncle?”
After Fang Xi took a sip of honey water, he started to tease the child again.
“Uncle!”
This time, Wei Yixi obediently called out, and suddenly remembering something, she clapped her little white hands, “I remember now, you’re that uncle who, just like my mother, stays inside Jadeite Cliff and never comes out!”
“Cough cough…”
Fang Xi choked a bit, while Hua Chanjuan admonished her daughter, “What kind of way is that to speak? You must be polite to strangers…”
“But didn’t mother say there are lots of bad people at the foot of the mountain?” Wei Yixi questioned in confusion.
Hua Chanjuan was speechless and could only bow to Fang Xi, “I apologize for my child’s rude words, Sir. Please don’t be offended.”
“Not at all, Xixi is innocent and adorable. I like her very much.”
Fang Xi laughed heartily and then inquired about the little girl’s Spiritual Root.
He found out that Wei Yixi, fortunately, was a medium-grade Water Spiritual Root.
The likelihood of a cultivator’s offspring being born with an exceptional Spiritual Root is somewhat higher than between a cultivator and a mortal.
Finding this out didn’t surprise Fang Xi in the slightest.
“Sir, you seldom leave home, so what brings you here today?”
Hua Chanjuan, holding her daughter, became serious once more.
“Sigh… it’s because the Island Master is dueling Old Gold Teeth Weirdo today, and I’m a bit anxious…”
Fang Xi explained the situation, “So I wanted to ask you for some advice, but unexpectedly, I intruded upon your array by mistake. Please excuse my error!”
He stood up, sincerely apologizing.
After all, trespassing on another’s array without permission was incorrect.
“That’s what this is about!”
Hua Chanjuan’s face iced over, “Some have already come seeking my advice, but my response is the same… Whoever dares to threaten West Peak, I shall kill them! This is the only memory left to me and Xixi by my late husband! As for the outcome of the Island Master’s duel? It has nothing to do with me!”
Fang Xi sensed that Hua Chanjuan seemed to hold some resentment towards Ruan Xingling.
Perhaps, deep in her heart, she suspected that Ruan Xingling might have played a part, or at least turned a blind eye, in the incident that caused Wei Yixin’s demise.
“I am focused on diligent cultivation. Having said our goodbyes today, who knows when we might meet again, take care, Madam!”
In the end, Fang Xi bowed and prepared to take his leave.
“Uncle!”
As he was about to step out of the array, Wei Yixi ran after him, raising her little fist and shouting, “Don’t forget, you promised me, you said you would bring me tasty treats…”
The child rarely saw other people, and her guard was still a bit low.
Fang Xi nodded, preparing to have someone send her some snacks and small treats in the future, as indulging a child could also be quite fun.
…
Jadeite Cliff.
The setting sun cast a golden glow over the surface of the lake.
“Master, we have returned.”
Widow Wang, accompanied by Lu Guo and the other two, returned to Jadeite Cliff, her face brimming with joy.
“It seems that today, the Island Master has won the bet.”
Seeing this scene, Fang Xi couldn’t help but smile.
Ruan Xingling’s victory was in line with his interests.
“Indeed! Master, it’s a pity that you weren’t there…”
Widow Wang rattled on excitedly, “Today, the Island Master donned a red robe and displayed her God’s Prestige… She actually fought the Qi Refining Great Perfection Old Gold Teeth Weirdo to a standstill, and it wasn’t until after a stick and a half of incense had burned away that he gracefully admitted defeat… In my opinion, that Old Gold Teeth Weirdo stood no chance against the Island Master!”
“Yes… As soon as the Island Master made a move, it was like the ringing of bells; anyone who drew near felt their Sea of Consciousness clouded, unable to move… After today’s battle, Old Gold Teeth Weirdo apologised very politely and compensated with Spirit Stones, and even bestowed upon the Island Master the elegant nickname of ‘Fairy Taoling’.”
Lu Guo also added from the side.
‘It seems that Ruan Xingling really has cultivated to the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining, and could possibly even be at the tenth level Great Perfection…’
Fang Xi mused to himself and also remarked with a smile, “It looks like from today onwards, the name of Fairy Taoling will be known throughout Thousand Island Lake.”
At the same time, having lost his wife and his troops in the bet, Old Gold Teeth Weirdo would definitely delay his progress in reaching Foundation Establishment, which was great news for Fang Xi.
“After this battle, our Peach Blossom Island will be considered one of the established islands among the Thirty Six Islands, and no one will dare to think of causing trouble in our market shops.”
With her face glowing, Widow Wang added, as if thinking of something, she spat out, “I think the happiest of them all is that Mu Wen. I heard that this time the Island Master appreciates him a lot and has allowed him to continue as the chief steward!”
“I see.”
Fang Xi was indifferent to this.
Only when Mu Wen breaks through the late phase of Qi Refining will he gain Fang Xi’s admiration.
“Regarding Mu Wen, I’ve also heard some news.”
Lu Guo suddenly spoke up.
“Oh? Let’s hear it…” Fang Xi replied with a faint smile, “If it’s valuable, Master will instruct you in spell techniques for a day…”
“Thank you, Master,” Lu Guo quickly expressed his gratitude, and then shared what he had learned, “I sneaked into the group of children from the Mu Family, and heard that their family is in quite an uproar recently… They say the family head not only plans to pawn all the Spiritual Fields but also to put up the Ancestral Home of the Spirit Land as collateral to borrow a large sum of Spirit Stones and purchase a shop in Ling Kong market… Some of the elders disagree and are causing a fuss about splitting the family!”
“That’s someone addicted to risky speculation…”
Fang Xi muttered, reminded of the rich second generations from his former life.
As long as they don’t venture into starting businesses or gambling, they could keep squandering the family fortune for decades…
But once they decide to make big moves and significant investments, the risks are great!
There might be a very few who succeed, but the majority will fail.
Mu Wen must have tasted success in his previous speculations and now wants to go big!
If he succeeds, from then on, the Mu Family will be a rooted family in the second-order Spiritual Vein market of Ling Kong!
And if he fails?
He probably believes he will never fail.
“I think it’s feasible. Those are shops in a market situated on a second-order Spiritual Vein; they can definitely support several generations,” Widow Wang said enviously, “Especially now, who would dare to target the cultivators from Peach Blossom Island?”
“Lu Guo, what do you think?”
Fang Xi looked towards Lu Guo.
“Master, I think sticking to farming is more stable!” Even though he still harboured thoughts of going out and making his mark, Lu Guo remained composed.
“Good, I’ll teach you the techniques tomorrow…”
Fang Xi nodded in satisfaction.
Whatever happened to the Mu Family, it wasn’t of much concern to him.
It was just that thinking about Mu Xiu from the past stirred some emotions.
…
The next day, Fang Xi passed on some insights about the ‘Spring Rain Skills’ and the ‘Metal Grass Mowing Sword’ to Lu Guo, and then sent him off to deliver some pastries to Gemini West Peak.
He, Fang Xi, was a man of his word.
Autumn, a season of bountiful harvest.
The Spiritual Fields once again yielded an abundant harvest.
During the busy time of reaping the Spirit Rice, not just Fang Xi, but even Wang Xiaohu was hauled by Widow Wang into the fields to pick up the rice grains missed on the ground.
Though exhausting, the sight of the granaries filled with Spirit Rice brought a profound sense of achievement.
Fang Xi quietly noted the fertility of the Spiritual Fields, planning to set aside one or two acres next year to switch to cultivating Spirit Medicine seeds.
His Alchemy Skill required a massive amount of materials for practice, and his stock was gradually running low; he needed to replenish from the outside world.
Growing his own was undoubtedly the most cost-effective option.
It just meant that next year, Lu Guo would have to work hard, learning the cultivation methods of several other Spirit Plants… but passing on the ways of the Spirit Plant Farmer to him was something other Spirit Farmers would be more than happy to learn!
Winter.
Heavy snow was flying outside.
Fang Xi activated the Little Cloud Rain Array, maintaining a spring-like warmth within the array, and the courtyard bloomed with the blossoms of peach trees.
Underneath the Peach Blossom Tree, there stood a pitch-black desk, on which lay a bottle of Green Bamboo Wine and two cups.
Fang Xi silently poured himself a cup, and sure enough, it still had a bitter taste.
This year, Ruan Xingling had not come…