Chapter 215: Chapter 214: Support (Congratulations to the Silver Alliance!)_1
"Who are the elites that the family is preparing to send?"
Yan Hongxue asked. Hearing several names, they were all the remaining Qi Refining mid-stage experts in the family.
Generally, for Qi Refining families with Foundation Establishment hopefuls, it was essential to have the family’s support for them to attempt Foundation Establishment in a Sect.
For instance, deploying experts to help complete Sect missions or gathering precious Spiritual Objects, allowing Foundation Establishment hopefuls to present them to the Sect to earn merit rewards...
However, since the disaster on Ling Kong Island, the Yan Family had fallen on hard times; struggling to support the cultivation of just two disciples was already a stretch, causing many elders to halt their own cultivation progress.
Other options were basically unworkable, leaving only the deployment of experts to help Foundation Establishment hopefuls complete perilous hunting missions, risking their lives against Evil Cultivators and Monster beasts!
Typically, such tasks were undertaken by elderly family members nearing the end of their lifespan or Cultivators with no prospects in their Taoist Path.
But after some consideration, Yan Hongxue was shocked: "Dongqing is going too? He’s just twenty years old and has reached the fourth level of Qi Refining, he’s the family’s future hope, how can we send him?"
Seeing the bitter smile of the seventh son of the Yan family, Yan Hongxue instantly understood.
The Yan Family... had no one left.
Therefore, even something as desperate as killing the goose that laid the golden eggs had become an option!
"These past few years... the situation of the family has actually been quite poor..." Faced with helplessness, the seventh son of the Yan family could only reveal part of the harsh reality: "Two years ago, we had no choice but to marry off Hongye as a concubine to the Dragon Snake Island Master..."
"The little sister?"
Yan Hongxue was shocked: "Have you gone mad? Although the Dragon Snake Island Master is at the peak of Qi Refining, he’s notorious for practicing dual cultivation techniques, and likes to absorb the feminine essence from female Cultivators... By becoming a concubine in name, she’s actually turned into a cauldron. Isn’t this like throwing our little sister into a pit of fire?"
"Sigh... I didn’t want this either, but there was no other way... In the past few days, to scrape up some Spirit Stones, the last two female Cultivators in the family were hastily married off..."
The seventh son of the Yan family wept: "I’ve come to you today to make my last will and testament. If I die out there... you’ll have to take care of all the family affairs."
Yan Hongxue felt a surge of stifled frustration in her chest, not knowing how to release it, and felt almost like vomiting blood.
Upon reflection, she flew towards Dragon Fish Island without looking back.
"Hongxue, what are you doing?"
The seventh son of the Yan family was startled.
"I shall beg the Young Master, even if I die kneeling in front of Evergreen Pavilion, I must ask for his help..."
Yan Hongxue clenched her teeth.
Moreover, she knew that recently, the Young Master was cultivating Zhan Tu, hoping to use this as an opportunity to foster a closer relationship with the Mysterious Heaven Sect and to create an additional channel of support. But Zhan Tu was at most at the early stage of Qi Refining, so how could he compare to Xiao Shijiu?
Perhaps if she reasoned along these lines, there might still be some hope?
...
Atop the Evergreen Pavilion.
Fang Xi sat leisurely, with Xiahou Ying massaging his shoulders from behind.
"Oh? I didn’t expect that the member of the Yan Family who was sent to the Mysterious Heaven Sect all those years ago would achieve such success?"
He took a sip of Spiritual Tea, looking at the kneeling Yan Hongxue and the seventh son of the Yan family, his expression indifferent.
Thinking back, it had been over twenty years since the Yan Family had sent their member with the best talent to the Mysterious Heaven Sect as a pledge.
The one who was sent to the great Sect must have had an excellent Spiritual Root.
Having cultivated above a third-grade Spiritual Vein with an excellent Spiritual Root, and with the help of Masters and pills, breaking through to the peak of Qi Refining around the age of thirty was genuinely enviable.
’What was I doing when I was thirty?’
Fang Xi felt a twinge of melancholy: "Being at such a level at thirty is definitely a prime candidate for Foundation Establishment, indeed not bad at all..."
Yan Hongxue knew that their family’s Young Master barely managed to reach Foundation Establishment close to sixty, and shivered inwardly, quickly saying, "Changkong has only progressed slightly faster in his cultivation due to the Sect’s rich spiritual energy... As for Foundation Establishment, that still depends on fate. I hope the Young Master can give him a hand. If Changkong is fortunate enough to achieve Foundation Establishment, the Young Master will then have a supporter within the Mysterious Heaven Sect. It would be a mutually beneficial arrangement."
"Hmm, but... without any kinship or obligation, why should I help?"
Fang Xi, feeling the slight change in Xiahou Ying’s massaging hands, smiled even more.
Yan Hongxue glanced at the seventh son of the Yan family.
The seventh son of the Yan family immediately kowtowed: "In the name of the patriarch of the Yan Family, I am willing to hand over our Family’s cultivation methods and heritage... all of it!"
The Yan Family, after all, was a Foundation Establishment Family and had some heritage.
Unfortunately, to Fang Xi, it was a joke.
After asking a few questions and learning that the Yan Family’s core heritage consisted merely of a nearly second-grade Talisman inheritance, he immediately lost interest.
The seventh son of the Yan family read the situation, and took a deep breath: "Besides that... The Yan Family is willing to offer a second-grade Spiritual Vein as collateral!"
This sincerity was quite commendable.
Fang Xi had not heard of second-grade Spiritual Veins being sold, but their value should be on par with Foundation Establishment Pills.
After all, Foundation Establishment Pills often had a price but no market.
’What a pity... throughout the entire Thousand Island Lake, there are but a few who could afford the price.’
’Moreover... currently, Thousand Island Lake actually isn’t lacking in Spiritual Veins... Golden Turtle Island is still vacant, where the spiritual energy is even better, classified as medium-quality in the second-grade...’
’Also, if you gave me a second-grade Spiritual Vein, would I be able to use it? I can’t even leave half of Dragon Fish Island at the moment!’
Even though the Demon Tree was growing rapidly, it had just barely managed to spread its roots over half of Dragon Fish Island, restricting Fang Xi’s activities to this area.
It would take decades before there was a possibility of the roots encompassing the entire Dragon Fish Island.
At that time, even if there was a third-grade Spiritual Vein in the outside world, he would be unable to use it.
The Yan Family thought they were putting up their most valuable assets as collateral, not realizing that in Fang Xi’s heart, their value was almost the same as a stone by the roadside.
"Mortgaging a Spiritual Vein is too much... It wouldn’t sound good if word got out."
Fang Xi took another sip of Spiritual Tea, picked through a pile of jade slips, selected the Yan Family ancestor’s cultivation method for Foundation Establishment, the near second-grade Talisman inheritance, and a second-grade Spiritual Object: "I’ll just take these three items... As for support? There’s no way I’m going out to fight to the death for your family’s Cultivator. I can only offer some Spirit Stones at the most... These three items, I’ll consider them worth a thousand Spirit Stones, how does that sound?"
"The Young Master is magnanimous!"
Yan Hongxiu immediately agreed, knowing that even if they auctioned off the last of their family assets, they might not be able to get as many Spirit Stones.
This was indeed a significant subsidy from the young master.
However... it was still somewhat regrettable that they couldn’t invite a Foundation Establishment Cultivator to take action.
After all, even if one accumulated enough meritorious deeds, there was still a queue to receive Foundation Establishment Pills from the Mysterious Heaven Sect.
Rankings were compiled based on factors such as Spiritual Root aptitude, background power, and Sect merits, and then the exchange proceeded from highest to lowest.
If the relatives of the Core Formation ancestors or the Sect Master cut in line, there was nothing one could do but watch helplessly.
Even if Yan Changkong, the seventeenth son of the Yan family, accumulated enough good deeds, his ranking in the queue for the Foundation Establishment Pill at the Mysterious Heaven Sect would inevitably not be very high; it was still very dangerous.
If there was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator as a backer, at least that could add some points to their background... Of course, an external Foundation Establishment backing would obviously not be as robust as having a Foundation Establishment mentor from one’s own Sect.
Regrettably, although Yan Changkong had taken a Foundation Establishment Cultivator as his mentor, he was only a nominal disciple and was relying on the past relationship with Yan Wuxu.
Once the Yan family’s old ancestor died, the relationship immediately became distant, and it was impossible to expect strenuous efforts for his Foundation Establishment.
...
"Young master..."
As Fang Xi watched Yan family leave, Xiahou Ying’s enchantingly tender voice gently rose from behind him, blowing towards his earlobe like fragrant orchids, "You are really good to Hongxiu’s family..."
"What? Little girl, are you envious?"
Fang Xi teased as he embraced Xiahou Ying in his arms.
"Of course... my family and the other two are not without cultivators with good qualifications..."
Xiahou Ying panted softly, but her tone carried a hint of resentment.
"Hmm, it’s a pity that this young master does not plan to send more people to the Mysterious Heaven Sect..."
Investing in two disciples for the Mysterious Heaven Sect was already enough.
Any more would suggest that he was a complete fool, providing free support to build up the Mysterious Heaven Sect.
One to gather information at the lower levels, and another to potentially climb to the middle levels... indeed, that was enough.
"However... if you serve well, this young master is not without the ability to cultivate someone from the Top Three Families..."
Fang Xi suddenly revealed an evil and charming smile.
"Hmm..."
Xiahou Ying timidly agreed, a sudden blush blooming on her cheeks: "Honestly... I have cultivated a certain Secret Skill too. Would you like to see if it’s more powerful than Hongxiu’s?"
...
"Hiss..."
Fragment World.
Fang Xi, hiding in the bronze mirror, involuntarily drew a cold breath inward, appearing extremely shocked.
’That battle just now... Danya almost got killed, it was truly tragic...’
Previously, Danya took him to the Tribe of Five Elements, where they encountered two great Sky Demons.
The young man with a carefree smile was manageable, but the other, a Body Refining Cultivator, was terrifying indeed, seemingly having cultivated his Body Refining technique to the Core Formation Realm, and even possessing a Body Divine Skill!
It was the most devastating defeat Danya had ever suffered.
Even with her third-rank talismans, she could hardly inflict any damage on that ’Brother Ma’, nearly getting counter-killed in the process!
If it hadn’t been for a surprise trigger of the ’Vertical Ground Golden Light Talisman,’ perhaps Danya would have become one of his trophies as well.
"Judging from the previous tragedy in the City of Five Elements... it doesn’t seem like those two great Sky Demons were the ones taking action..."
"Occupying the east, the strongest of the Tribe of Five Elements... Could it be over?"
Golden Light flashed.
Danya had arrived at a desolate plain, by the entrance to a canyon.
It was only after entering that she discovered an entirely different world inside.
Many of the Shaman Race gathered together, distinguishable by their tattoos and physiques as coming from different tribes.
"Sky Demons slaughtered my tribe... using the living’s flesh and blood to refine their war drums..."
"Revenge, revenge!"
Many Big Shamans gathered, tears of blood flowing from their eyes.
This was the experience the Shaman Race had summarized several times after encounters with the Sky Demons, creating a refuge, and pre-emptively moving some of the lower-ranking tribesmen for shelter.
There were many such refuges within the Black Witch Secret Realm, and the disciples of the Holy Sect would often deliberately overlook them, preserving seeds of the Shaman Race for the future.
"Witch King Danya? Why have you come here?"
An elder holding a white bone staff, with a large string of white bone necklaces hanging from his chest, stepped forward: "You must leave... the Witch King is too big a target, it will attract the Sky Demons’ attention..."
"I’m just here to find someone... Are there people from the Tribe of Five Elements here?" Danya asked loudly.
A Shaman with reddish skin and towering height stepped forward: "My name is Xue Ku... a Big Shaman of the eastern Tribe of Five Elements..."
"Good, give me the Treasure Pattern of the Five Elements!"
A hint of satisfaction appeared on Danya’s face: "I will give you an absolutely safe place to hide... and allow the heritage of the Five Elements Shaman to continue."
Xue Ku shook his head: "No... the Treasure Pattern of the Five Elements is the most fundamental heritage of our tribe; I cannot give it to you..."
Danya frowned: "At this time, do you still think you can protect your heritage?"
A terrifying power erupted from her, nearly causing these remnant Shamans to cry out in pain, thinking Danya had joined the external Sky Demons and was coming to slaughter them!
"But... I can give you other Treasure Patterns, as long as you are willing to protect the children of the Tribe of Five Elements..." Xue Ku sighed heavily, helplessly responding.