Chapter 132: Chapter 131 - Flesh Body Foundation Establishment (Please Subscribe!) _1
Two years later.
Jadeite Cliff.
"Master... is there any latest battle report?"
Widow Wang, now looking like an old woman, anxiously waited at the doorstep, her humble and pleasing demeanor made Fang Xi feel slightly reluctant, "Come in..."
Two years ago, the tide of war had changed.
The Thirty Six Island Alliance formed an allied army to attack the Dragon Fish Zhong Family!
The war spread to every corner of Thousand Island Lake; the allied force, lacking manpower, actively recruited Individual Cultivators, offering them extremely generous terms.
High on the Merit List, there were even Base-building Spiritual Objects available for exchange!
In addition, the Thirty Six Island Alliance also promised that Cultivators could use their war merits to directly choose unclaimed spirit islands to establish a Family or Sect after the war, without any interference from the alliance!
This attracted a large number of Cultivators. It was said that many old cultivators were holding on with their last breath, determined to die on the battlefield to pave the way for the future.
Although such cultivators were weak in magic power, they were often very terrifying!
And then... Lu Guo, Hai Dagui, and even Widow Wang’s son Xiao Hu couldn’t help sneaking away to sign up for the battlefield.
Widow Wang worried day and night, coming to Fang Xi every day for news.
"Don’t worry, Xiao Hu and the others joined the team led by the young island master; they are naturally taken care of..."
Fang Xi smiled, "Recently, hasn’t it been said that they have already taken ’Small Ring Island’? Once this island falls, Dragon Fish Island’s gate will be wide open, the war will soon end, and Xiao Hu and the others will return..."
"In war, how can there be no deaths? Especially in Sect warfare, when attacking the Mountain Protecting Array, it’s like filling it with lives..."
Widow Wang looked at the lake at the edge of the cliff, becoming even more worried, "I should have been heartless back then, even if I had to break Xiao Hu’s leg... it would be better than now, I was so foolish, truly..."
Fang Xi sighed, watching Widow Wang, who was turning into the likes of Xianglin’s wife, and quietly started weeding, harvesting the undergrowth.
Now amidst the war, even tenants couldn’t be found for farming.
Even he, Fang Xi, the great lord, had to take to the fields himself.
In fact, Ruan Dan had also come to ask him to leave his seclusion, clearly stating that with the current situation, fighting a war with the wind at their back had absolutely no danger and could earn much merit.
In the future, even owning an entire spirit island wouldn’t be a big deal, but Fang Xi had still refused.
Even though many people didn’t understand his decision, he was undisturbed by it.
As long as no one disturbed him from planting trees.
...
Night.
An underground cavern.
Beneath the Monster Tree, Fang Xi grasped a Qi Root, drawing the life primordial energy from within.
The Qi Root trembled, trying to retract, showing resistance.
Pfft!
Half a day later, he let go of the Qi Root, which immediately curled back into the canopy.
The whole Monster Tree trembled, seemingly releasing its displeasure and rage!
"This situation is getting more serious!"
Seeing this scene, Fang Xi frowned deeply.
Ever since he decided to fully extract the Monster Tree’s life essence to break through to the True Gang transformation as soon as possible, the Monster Tree’s resistance grew stronger.
Even with the tricks of the ’Longevity Skills,’ there were signs of backlash that couldn’t be suppressed.
This made Fang Xi even more certain of one of his suspicions.
The Monster Tree’s instinct... was awakening!
It was starting to affect him in return!
And the ’Yi Wood Magic Body’ was still not achieved.
Tonight, the Monster Tree was even unwilling to connect with him; in the end, he had to actively grasp the Qi Root to squeeze out the last bit of essence!
"After all, it’s a Demon of the Great Liang, not the same thing as the Heaven and Earth Spirit Root of the cultivation world!"
Fang Xi sighed, a hint of blood shimmering in his eyes.
The next moment, he stood above a ground formed by countless banyan roots, gently lifting his hand!
Boom!
Such a simple action, but it was as if a round of a great blood sun rose behind him, like a full day’s sun, covering his whole body, radiating light and heat outward!
Hiss!
The tangled banyan roots instantly dispersed, revealing rocks and layers of soil buried for many years.
"White Cloud Palm!"
Fang Xi took up his stance and began to practice the martial arts he had learned, each move deliberate and precise.
"Red Snake Leg!"
"Heaven Earth Listening Skill!"
"Yuanhe Wulei Hand!"
...
As time elapsed, his movements became faster, yet each detail remained clear to see, presenting a paradoxical sharpness.
Boom!
As martial arts continued to evolve, streams of True Gang emerged around Fang Xi, also changing, consolidating...
"Emperor Dragon Fist!"
At last, Fang Xi unleashed a punch!
Roar!!
Behind him, countless True Gang converged, forming a blood-red flood dragon visible to the naked eye!
The flood dragon was three Zhang long, and each of its scales appeared crystal clear, just short of condensing into a reverse scale!
As it appeared, it seemed as though a great force was bestowed upon Fang Xi!
"The Emperor Dragon Fist is truly an unparalleled secret skill!"
"But the foundation of my Martial Arts will always be the Mixed Origin True Skill!"
Fang Xi’s hands moved as though drawing Tai Chi symbols, and the blood dragon behind him instantly dissipated.
Then, streams of True Gang gathered again, forming a vague figure!
This figure was six Zhang tall, standing behind him, its face and figure strikingly similar to Fang Xi’s.
Six Zhang golden body!
No!
This was a terrifying creation based entirely on a foundation of blood and True Gang, a breakthrough in form!
"Mixed Origin Real Body... Condense!"
Fang Xi bellowed, bringing his hands together.
Behind him, the enormous Gang Qi shadow instantly made the same motion, sweeping its large arm across the cave, causing countless stones to fly and the Monster Tree’s roots to retreat...
"After thirty years, True Gang takes form... I’ve finally achieved it!"
Fang Xi felt that with the completion of the True Gang transformation, a terrifying force was refining his limbs and bones, his dantian’s meridians, once again strengthening his muscles, skin, and flesh...
At this moment, his body underwent an extremely fearsome enhancement, making him impervious even to upper-grade magic weapons with bare hands!
In the Da Liang Martial Arts, he was the first to break through to the realm of True Gang transformation!
A new realm that generations at the Grandmaster Conference pursued in vain!
Now, it was in Fang Xi’s hands!
"Beyond the Martial Saint... is the Martial God, the Divine of Martial Arts!!"
Having cultivated for thirty years, the now fifty-three-year-old Fang Xi finally stepped into the realm of Martial God!
In this moment, the teachings of Demon Refining Secret Skills once narrated by Dugu Wuwang became crystal clear in Fang Xi’s mind again.
"Only with the physique of ’True Gang transformation’ and the extreme spirit of a Grandmaster, can one truly refine and assimilate... Demon!!!"
In Fang Xi’s mind, it seemed as if a string had snapped.
His Sea of Consciousness was cool and clear, as countless thoughts surged:
"When did I become constrained by the ’Yi Wood Magic Body’?"
"While waiting for the ’Yi Wood Magic Body’ to materialize, I’ve been ignoring the emergence of numerous dangers around me without intervening..."
"And as the end approached, the concentration of the ’Yi Wood Magic Body’ slowed even further, yet I didn’t feel any anomaly?"
The next moment, Fang Xi’s eyes flashed like lightning, fixating on the Monster Tree!
The Monster Tree shuddered, and all the dried-up corpses hanging from the breath roots suddenly opened their eyes, emitting a blood-red glow!
"It’s the Monster Tree... the Monster Tree’s instincts are influencing me!"
Fang Xi shouted loudly, now understanding everything.
’Longevity Skills’ are after all just Immortal Path techniques and don’t delve much into ’Demons,’ with some oversights in purification with magic power.
And initially, his Demon Refining Secret Skills were not fully accomplished, lacking the crucial physique of ’True Gang transformation’!
There remained a sliver of the Monster Tree seed!
After lying dormant for decades, this sliver of residue finally became the Monster Tree’s instinct, turning against its own master!
Because the Monster Tree was initially one with Fang Xi, its instincts also subtly influenced Fang Xi’s character!
’Had I not broken through to the True Gang transformation realm in response to a sense of crisis, I might have indeed been gradually captured by instinct... and become unwilling to move, turning into a real hermit... just like a tree?’
"Kill!"
In an instant, comprehending the causes and consequences, Fang Xi, filled with rage, punched at the Monster Tree!
Whoosh!
Behind him, the six-zhang-high ’Mixed Origin Real Body’ made the same move, throwing a punch like lightning, overtaking the former and striking the Monster Tree!
Crackle!
A huge fist mark appeared on the trunk of the Monster Tree, and from the torn dark bark around it, flowed bright red blood!
"It hurts!"
"I’m in so much pain!"
From atop the Qi roots, the hanging corpses uttered sounds of varying pitches.
The next moment, threads of black mist suddenly began to form around the tree’s body and spread outwards...
"Demon Realm?!"
Fang Xi’s eyes twitched.
He didn’t have a habit of drying corpses like jerky; that he left behind the bodies of those cultivation-robbers must also have been under the influence of the Monster Tree!
"Die!"
For Fang Xi, autonomous will was of utmost importance; without it, even the Eternal Green Body would be no more significant than a fart!
He spread his arms wide, the ’Mixed Origin Real Body’ mimicking his motions exactly, grabbing hold of the Monster Tree’s trunk, infusing terrible strength into his arms.
Boom!
At this moment, the entire Jadeite Cliff shook as if hit by an earthquake!
The terrifying blood qi turned into a scorching sun and even began to evaporate the dark fog...
Plop, plop!
Within the crown of the Monster Tree, numerous Qi roots, like serpents, attempted to burrow into Fang Xi’s body, only to be blocked by the gigantic Mixed Origin Real Body.
The roots that barely penetrated the Mixed Origin Real Body were instantly incinerated by the True Gang ten times stronger than before, turning to ashes in a flash!
"No..."
A corpse cried out in agony: "Why... why..."
"You should not have developed consciousness, even if it’s just instinct!"
Fang Xi’s gaze was icy as the words of Dugu Wuwang’s Demon Refining Secret Skills etched into his mind.
The next moment, he opened his mouth wide, biting down fiercely.
Even Demons, when facing the Martial God, must have a piece bitten off!
Swallow!
The six-zhang-tall blood-red giant, towering up high, lifted the Monster Tree with broken roots and swallowed it bit by bit.
In this moment, Fang Xi’s consciousness overflowed with countless fragments.
Some were bits of nature, others were grand visions like supernovae exploding in the vast cosmos...
The only thing in common was their indifference and ruthlessness, seeming to push him towards madness!
This was the inevitable encounter when assimilating a Demon!
Luckily, Fang Xi’s Monster Tree had gone through multiple purifications as a Demon Seed, having already shed much of its madness and contamination.
At this point, only a trace of resurgent instinct remained.
Furthermore, under the ’Longevity Skills,’ this Monster Tree was like a part of him, its power greatly suppressed.
Otherwise, another Martial God approaching it might not have been able to overcome it.
With the experience of the former, the Monster Tree’s consciousness fragments were digested and suppressed by Fang Xi’s Divine Consciousness with the Demon Refining Secret Skills...
Time passed unknowingly, and the cave was littered with debris and burning roots. Taisui trembled in a corner.
Fang Xi stood still, the ’Mixed Origin Real Body’ behind him having disappeared.
His Divine Consciousness could see a huge black banyan tree tattoo on his back, as vivid as a real tattoo...
"The Monster Tree has been completely suppressed and refined by me..."
"’Longevity Skills’ have failed..."
Fang Xi could feel that his internal silver runes, representing the ’Yi Wood Magic Body,’ had become stagnant and dim, having lost their original luster.
Although there was some regret, compared to the looming threat of the Monster Tree’s revival, it was indeed very worthwhile.