Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Summer Bamboo and Winemaking (Seeking Recommendation)_1 Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Summer Bamboo and Winemaking (Seeking Recommendation)_1 Outside Black Stone City.
Near the trade route.
In the void, suddenly came the sound of thunder!
Bang!
A giant black wolf with two heads, as tall as two people, crashed to the ground with a thud.
Linghu Yang floated gently to the ground, and his two thick palms instantly returned to their original jade-white appearance.
“Master Linghu’s Five Thunder Hands have become even more profound.”
Chun Yu congratulated in a soft voice, “To think that he killed this monster wolf in one strike!”
“Given time, Master Linghu will surely become an elder of Yuanhe Mountain. Even the position of sect leader holds great hope for him…”
Qiao Wucha said with a smile on his face.
“It’s only the most inferior little demon among the strange demons… It’s nothing to speak of.”
Linghu Yang waved his hand, his expression indifferent as if this was not something to be proud of: “Clean up here, I’ll be heading back first… Recently there have been frequent appearances of demon species outside the city. There might be some inside story—I need to write to the sect to inquire.”
Chun Yu and Qiao Wucha exchanged glances, their backs slightly chilly.
These exotic monsters that normally lived deep in the mountains had suddenly left their territories, which might mean… even stronger exotic monsters, or even… demons had appeared within!
But, seeing the other martial artists helping nearby, neither of them spoke out.
After Linghu Yang departed, Qiao Wucha looked at the stinking corpse of the monster wolf, waved his hand in front of his nose with disgust, and ordered: “You… handle this monster wolf properly and deliver it to Yuanhe Mountain, understand?”
“Understood!”
“As you command!”
A few Masters of the Martial Arts School exchanged glances. Although they felt humiliated, they still agreed.
The cleanup of the exotic monsters was led by the government, with the order issued, and Linghu Yang of Yuanhe Mountain as the main force.
These Masters, normally imposing figures in the city, now faced someone whose martial power surpassed their own, leaving them no role but to assist and be ordered about.
Fortunately, processing a monster beast, despite being dirty and tiring work, posed no danger and allowed them to take some scraps as a perk.
“Feng, let’s get to work!”
Watching Yuanhe Mountain’s people gradually depart, one of the martial artists in a black robe spoke up.
“Hmm, this beast is quite heavy; I reckon at least several thousand pounds of good meat could be salvaged.”
Feng smiled as he calculated how much monster beast meat he could skim off and how much silver he could make.
This monster beast’s skin and flesh and blood were extremely tough, not something ordinary Three Transformations of Qi and Blood martial artists could break through—only a Master had some use here.
They all stepped forward, skinning and deboning, busy and joyous at their task.
“Sigh… Yuanhe Mountain is indeed Yuanhe Mountain, look at this Five Thunder Palm, the power is as ferocious as divine punishment…”
As Feng peeled off a piece of wolf flesh along the wound and was about to say something else, he suddenly screamed, “Not good!”
“Hmm?”
The other martial artists were startled, and they hastily stepped back several paces, assuming martial stances.
“Something… something is moving!”
Feng’s back was to the others as he spoke in a halting voice.
And on the ground, above the wolf corpse, an eerie scene unfolded.
One after another, black vine-like tendrils were wriggling in and out of the monster wolf’s body, seemingly replacing the creature’s blood vessels and bones, and propping up its flesh and blood anew.
Crack, creak…
That grating sound kept echoing, the tendrils were gnawing at the monster wolf’s bones and gradually taking their place…
“Awoo!”
In the blink of an eye, the once-dead monster wolf stumbled to its feet. Blood continued to drip from its wound as it let out a howl, its dead eyes lifelessly staring at everyone present!
“Gurgle…”
One martial artist turned pale: “Feng, what… what do we do now?”
“How… how would I… know?”
Feng turned around, and from his mouth, nose, and ears… thin roots also emerged.
It looked as though the roots of some plant had taken hold!
It was unquestionably clear; he too had been afflicted.
“Not good, Feng is also…”
“Evil spawn, face my Charging Thunder Hand!”
Various angry shouts were heard one after another, followed by screams of terror.
Eventually, all sounds vanished, leaving only the low, continuous sound of gnawing.
And then, one by one, maimed human bodies shakily stood up alongside the wolf corpse, facing in the direction of Black Stone City, their pale faces twisting into a rigid smile…
…
Fang Xi was unaware of the events unfolding outside Black Stone City.
He had already returned to the Southern Wilderness Cultivation Realm.
The environment here was more conducive for practicing martial arts and the Eternal Spring Skills.
As he entered his yard, Fang Xi saw Chen Ping, who had just returned from the outside.
Indeed, the figure with weightless steps reminded Fang Xi involuntary of Old Mai.
“Mr. Chen.”
He greeted first.
“Mr. Fang.”
Chen Ping returned the greeting, a look of satisfaction spreading across his face, tinged with gratitude as he spoke, “That Fairy Red Bee indeed understands people well… I also must thank you again for what you told me last time.”
“It was nothing.”
Fang Xi exchanged courtesies for a few sentences, then discussed their insights with each other, feeling their relationship had grown much closer.
“I’ve long wanted to make more friends like you, but I’ve always been reticent, unable to lower my pride…”
In the end, Fang Xi also expressed his own troubles.
Upon hearing this, Chen Ping immediately laughed heartily: “I have several acquaintances in the market whom I’d like to introduce to you, Sir. Together we can…”
As he watched the man return to his house, Fang Xi nodded, then shook his head.
Actually, if Chen Ping could shift his infatuation with Miss Lu Zhi to Fairy Red Bee, that would turn out to be a good thing… perhaps?
After all, it was a case of a willing partaker of blows and a willing thrower of punches, wasn’t it? It’s just a bit of a waste of Spirit Stones.
…
Spring passed and summer arrived.
With the thunderstorms of summer, Fang Xi, dressed in straw raincoat, arrived at the green Emerald Bamboo Forest.
“Spring Rain Skills, where all things sprout, go!”
In the bamboo forest, Fang Xi looked solemn as he formed a magic spell with his hands.
As the magic power within his body swiftly drained, a seal also emerged in the palm of his hand, becoming clearer and clearer before ascending into the sky.
Clouds of mist appeared out of thin air, enveloping this plot of land that was a little over an acre, and then rain began to fall.
Thread by thread, wisp by wisp, like a dream, like fog.
Spring Rain Skills!
This spell not only summoned rain but also mixed a faint spiritual energy into the rainfall, effectively promoting the growth of Spirit Bamboo!
Rustle! Rustle!
The Spirit-infused raindrops fell to the earth, quickly penetrating the soil and reaching the roots of the Spirit Bamboo.
Below the ground, a tenacious vitality broke through the soil, and the new shoots barely peeked out their tips.
“Spring arrives and summer solstice comes, all things sprout, it’s indescribably wonderful…”
Fang Xi spread his arms, even tilting his head up, letting the Spirit-filled rain drench his straw coat and splash upon his face, a look of contentment on his features.
Now was the time to plant the summer Spirit Bamboo Rice.
As a Spirit Farmer, one must come here every so often to perform ‘Spring Rain Skills’ and provide nutrients for the Spirit Bamboo shoots.
This was closely related to next year’s harvest, and no Spirit Farmer dared neglect it.
Including Chen Ping!
Despite his reluctance, he had recently reduced his visits to Fairy Red Bee, as he had said.
There was no other choice, his level at crafting talismans was still insufficient to support his cultivation. For now, he still had to rely on farming his Spiritual Field to sustain his livelihood.
“The cultivation level of Qi Refining third layer is still too low.”
After executing the spell, feeling over half of his magic power exhausted, Fang Xi’s expression was very grim.
The great consumption of the Spring Rain Skills was on one hand.
On the other, it was his low cultivation level and the low rank of his skill.
This led to the situation where he could not perform the magic spell several times.
“Unfortunately… the idea of changing my cultivation techniques is really too fanciful. I now cannot even piece together a single Spirit Stone…”
Fang Xi returned to the hut and couldn’t help but smile wryly.
In one corner of the cellar, several wine jars had accumulated.
This was the main reason for his recent depletion of Spirit Stones.
After visiting the Pill Furnace Pavilion, Fang Xi had come up with the idea to brew Spirit Wine himself.
The Spirit Bamboo Rice was readily available, and he had incidentally acquired a small bottle of Spirit Wine Song from a peddler at the market stall.
Though he lacked a proper recipe, he had still started experimenting with brewing.
Of course, Fang Xi wasn’t reckless. He controlled the variables and created several reference groups with each batch.
Additionally, he used very little Spirit Rice in each jar, so even if he failed, he wouldn’t suffer a big loss.
In this way, by next year, he might have discovered a suitable recipe for Spirit Wine.
‘One bottle of Spirit Wine Song cost me a Spirit Stone.’
Fang Xi looked at the wine jars and solemnly buried them back in their place.
This was an important harvest for the coming year, and if he accidentally overturned a jar, that would truly be a pity.
He picked up the last jar of wine, examined it carefully, and then left a flourish of small characters on the seal: “Spirit Bamboo Rice Wine, with two jin of Spirit Rice, one liang of Spirit Wine Song, early spring snow water… hidden deep in summer thunder, awaiting the spring morning of the next year…”
After burying the last jar of wine in the ground, Fang Xi took a long breath.
Having finished these miscellaneous tasks, he began to consume Taisui Meat, and then practiced the White Cloud Palm and Red Snake Leg.
During these days, relying on Taisui Meat, Spirit Bamboo Rice, and the environment of spiritual energy in the Cultivation World, the accumulation of his Qi and Blood had advanced by leaps and bounds, far surpassing Mu Piaomiao.
Nowadays, at the sound of the summer thunder, he faintly sensed the signs of a breakthrough!
‘There are too many masters in the Cultivation World; if by chance a Foundation Establishment cultivator happens to pass by and sweep his Divine Consciousness over me while I’m breaking through, that would be difficult to explain…’
‘Also, I’m not sure how much commotion it will cause breaking through to the Master of the Martial Arts School Realm, but safety comes first.’
With a thought from Fang Xi, the surroundings immediately transformed.
When he looked again, he found himself in the world of Great Liang, at the Fang Residence!