Chapter 220: Chapter 219 Foundation Establishment Cultivation-Robber (Seeking Subscription)_1
Several years later.
A shocking piece of news spread across the three nations!
Master Bai Feng had mysteriously gone missing!
Baize Immortal City was in complete chaos, with people in a state of panic; only Ouyang Zhen, wielding a third-grade magic weapon, could barely make an appearance to stabilize the populace.
As a result, a large number of cultivators left Baize Immortal City, flowing into the three nations.
Within Yue Country, the sudden influx of cultivators fighting over resources led to frequent battles and murderous robbery incidents, to the extent that even Mysterious Heaven Sect struggled to curb this trend.
...
"Young Master..."
Xiahou Ying hurried over with a very unpleasant look on her face, "Zhong Qi has reported... Dark Moon Market has been plundered, and the culprits are suspected to be Foundation Establishment robbers who infiltrated the array and suddenly attacked... Even a female cultivator at the initial stage of Foundation Establishment from Gloomy Moon Sect has been brutally murdered... The Grand Elder of Gloomy Moon Sect descended in rage but failed to catch any trace of the enemy... According to speculation, that group of robbery-cultivators may have fled all the way to Thousand Island Lake!"
Zhong Qi, who is currently at the seventh level of Qi Refining but with rich experience and known to be cautious and meticulous, is often assigned by Fang Xi to go out and purchase supplies.
Unexpectedly, he nearly failed to return this time as he had come across a market being raided.
"Old Zhong has worked hard. Later, take some Spirit Stones and a Little Green Dragon to visit and console him..."
Fang Xi waved his hand, appearing not particularly enthusiastic.
Xiahou Ying left, her expression somewhat puzzled.
Recently over the past few years, Yan Hongxue, apart from serving Fang Xi, has been solely devoted to austere cultivation.
She, on the other hand, had a rather good relationship with Zhong Hongyu.
Seeing Zhong Hongyu sweeping and cleaning, she immediately approached her and asked in a low voice, "What’s the matter with the young master? Why does he seem so downcast?"
Zhong Hongyu stuck out her tongue and, pulling Xiahou Ying into a bedroom, affixed a ’Protection Talisman’ before whispering, "Today, young master received a message from Peach Blossom Island, and Fairy Wei has passed away..."
"Passed away?"
Xiahou Ying was shocked but then seemed to realize something, "That’s right, if we count the days, she was over a hundred years old..."
Although Qi Refining cultivators have a lifespan limit of one hundred and twenty years, it’s generally hard to live that long unless one is skilled in health preservation or cultivates the Wooden Element.
Wei Yixi was involved neither in health preservation nor the Wooden Element, and she had even suffered loss of primordial energy due to a Foundation Establishment failure in her early years, so passing away at the age of one hundred was within reason.
"The young master has lost his niece, it’s only natural for him to feel sorrow and grief..."
As Xiahou Ying continued speaking, her expression took on a strange tinge.
After all, young master is still in the prime of his life, even appearing to become younger as the years pass; who would have thought he had already outlived his own niece.
"Sigh... Foundation Establishment, Foundation Establishment..."
Xiahou Ying sighed deeply and then looked at Zhong Hongyu, "It seems that your Aunt Ying no longer has any hope in this lifetime, but you, my girl, have already broken through to the late Qi Refining stage, and the young master values you, so there is hope for your Foundation Establishment. You must focus on your Taoist path..."
"Aunt Ying, I understand."
Zhong Hongyu promised solemnly.
Having been sent to Evergreen Pavilion from a young age, apart from young master, the only people she was close to were her two aunts, Yan Hongxue and Xiahou Ying.
Hearing the advice, she naturally took it to heart.
"Huh? That’s not right..."
Suddenly, Xiahou Ying thought of something amiss, "If Fairy Wei has passed away... Why didn’t our young master go to offer his respects?"
"Young master decided not to go to Peach Blossom Island and has already sent away those who came to report the death..."
Zhong Hongyu was obviously puzzled as well.
Xiahou Ying shared the news of Dark Moon Market being breached and the Foundation Establishment robbery group escaping into Thousand Island Lake, and then her eyes moved, "Could it be... the young master is worried about being attacked by the robbers while he’s out?"
"Surely not?"
Zhong Hongyu was surprised but then quickly covered her mouth, not daring to say any more.
After all, Fang Xi had the impression of being a hermit, having not left Dragon Fish Island for many years. Relying on the protection of the second-grade Great Array on the island, he indeed seemed unperturbed, watching the highs and lows of the world with a smile.
...
Meanwhile.
Fang Xi strolled around Dragon Fish Island, coming to stand beneath a Peach Blossom Tree, looking at a Storage Bag in his hand.
After Wei Yixi passed away, she had left instructions for someone to deliver the item to him.
Upon opening it, he found goods worth over a thousand Spirit Stones, clearly she still remembered the joke he had made back then.
"Sigh..."
"Is this the sorrow of the everlasting—sending away each person I’m familiar with one by one?"
Fang Xi thought back to the news received at the beginning of the year about the Yan Family patriarch sitting and transforming, which had caused Yan Hongxue to weep and return home for the funeral.
It was said that the Yan Family was left with only a few members, ultimately appointing Yan Dongqing, a Qi Refining fifth-level cultivator, as the patriarch.
All cultivators of Thousand Island Lake were guessing that it wouldn’t be long before the Three Points Hall annihilated the Yan Family.
The incident had left Yan Hongxue gloomy these past days, depriving Fang Xi of much of his enjoyment.
"However, if this is the price of immortality, then I am willing to bear it!"
Fang Xi stood beneath the Demon Tree, a Qi Root extending out to connect with the trunk.
Through the Demon Tree, he could see clear into the tree, where a Black Wood Stamp was almost fully integrated with the tree.
"The Wood nourishes me in my quest for longevity..."
He closed his eyes, sinking once more into the cultivation of ’Longevity Skills’...
...
The deep night over Thousand Island Lake still stirred with unrest.
Not far from Dragon Fish Island, on a desolate island, a group of cultivation-robbers gathered together, looking in the direction of Dragon Fish Island: "That old turtle... Could it be that he has already heard the news? Otherwise, why wouldn’t he come out to mourn even after his niece’s death?"
"Among us, there must be a traitor!"
A Foundation Establishment cultivator with blue gleams in his eyes glared fiercely at everyone present.
Among these people, Li Lei and the previously encountered man in black were also present.
Moreover, all of them were cultivators at the late stage of Qi Refining or above!
This cultivator with the gleaming blue eyes, who went by the Daoist name ’Gan Xinzi,’ was actually a mid-stage Foundation Establishment expert. He had cultivated a set of Spiritual Eye Skills and was extremely adept at combat, serving as the boss of this band of cultivation-robbers.
Below Gan Xinzi was the man in black, who assumed the role of the second-in-command and was known as ’Li Kong’.
As for Li Lei? He had disguised his appearance and identity; he was originally the band’s fence operating openly.
With three major Foundation Establishment cultivators and over a dozen late Qi Refining stage cultivators, this group of cultivation-robbers was quite formidable.
Only with such strength were they able to raid the Dark Moon Market and even kill the female Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Gloomy Moon Sect guarding it.
"Boss Gan Xinzi... maybe it’s not quite like that."
Li Lei hastily said, "I also understand the character of Fang Xi. Indeed, he’s like a turtle, not fond of leaving the island... Perhaps our recent heist in the Dark Moon Market frightened him, or maybe he has a heart of steel and wouldn’t mourn even if his niece were dead..."
"Things have come to this; we can only forcefully attack Dragon Fish Island now. The second-level Array there is a bit of a problem..." Gan Xinzi said.
After all, Dragon Fish Island wasn’t a market; it wouldn’t be possible for most of them to easily infiltrate it.
"Please rest assured, boss. I have already made preparations."
Li Lei chuckled, took out the wooden box from earlier, opened it, and retrieved a shimmering silver talisman.
"A second-level Prohibition-breaking Talisman? You really are something!"
Gleaming blue light shone in Gan Xinzi’s eyes, and he laughed, asking, "Aren’t you afraid of making a loss?"
"Don’t worry, I have already investigated thoroughly. That Fang Xi is greedy like a Pixiu, only collecting without spending... Dragon Fish Island’s annual harvest of Spirit Rice and Spirit Fish... definitely fills the storerooms to the brim. And he himself often concocts pills, talismans, and has them sold in the markets... absolutely filthy rich!"
Li Lei asserted confidently.
If he actually inspected the site, he would find that the Spirit Rice storage built by Fang Xi would make even rats cry upon seeing it—if there were any rats, that is!
"Hmm, there should also be a Ground Evil Lake on Dragon Fish Island, and it’s about time for it to produce Evil Qi... Furthermore, there’s also a Monster Beast with the bloodline of a Flood Dragon; maybe we can harvest a second-level Demon Pill from it..."
Gan Xinzi looked at the Qi Refining cultivators below him and chuckled: "Once we break through Dragon Fish Island, these two Base-building Spiritual Objects will be yours!"
"Boss, lead us into battle!"
A late-stage Qi Refining cultivation-robber immediately shouted with eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Charge into Dragon Fish Island! Snatch the Base-building Spiritual Objects!"
The eyes of the other Qi Refining cultivation-robbers turned blood red as well.
"Good, we’ll make our move tonight!"
Gan Xinzi nodded with satisfaction.
...
Under the veil of night, Dragon Fish Island seemed to be enveloped in a layer of pitch-black mist, shaped like a huge bowl.
A massive Spirit Boat loaded all the cultivation-robbers and brought them to the front of Dragon Fish Island.
"Take care not to expose yourself later..."
Li Kong said to Li Lei, "We are still relying on you, the great Island Master Li, to eliminate demons and protect the Dao, to root out the strong and aid the weak, haha..."
"Rest assured..."
Li Lei replied expressionlessly. His appearance had already completely changed from before, and even his Divine Consciousness and Magic Power had undergone slight changes.
If one didn’t meet him face-to-face, they’d definitely think he was a different person from Li Lei.
"This Array..."
Gleaming blue light flashed in Gan Xinzi’s eyes as he scrutinized the Profound Wood Formation, his expression growing grave: "Even my Spiritual Eye Skills are unable to penetrate it; I’m afraid its grade has reached the upper level of the second tier..."
"This Dragon Fish Island’s Lord Master really has Spirit Stones!"
Li Kong muttered, "The Dark Moon Market before was only guarded by a second-tier mid-grade array..."
"A second-tier upper-grade Array, a second-tier Prohibition-breaking Talisman—if not detonated from inside, attacking from the outside can only open up a single pathway and momentarily suppress the array’s power... Once a certain time limit is exceeded, if the array recovers, we might end up like sitting ducks in a jar."
Li Lei’s expression became unprecedentedly solemn: "Therefore, the key to this battle is to capture and kill Fang Xi within a short amount of time! Without him, the Foundation Establishment cultivator and the controller of the array, the remaining cultivators are not to be feared!"
"I’ll take care of him!"
Gan Xinzi said confidently.
After all, he was an expert at mid-stage Foundation Establishment, already a significant figure even in Baize Immortal City.
Having cultivated secret skills, subduing a mere early Foundation Estate should be no issue.
"Let’s begin!"
Li Lei, with a solemn expression, took out the second-level Prohibition-breaking Talisman and injected it into the Profound Wood Formation.
Boom! Rumble!
The Array began to fluctuate; countless grey-black fogs dispersed, revealing a passageway, giving a glimpse of the interior scene of Dragon Fish Island.
The fog surrounding it was dissipating fast, and the power of the Great Array seemed to be suppressed at this moment.
"Charge!"
Gan Xinzi operated the Spirit Boat, and in an instant, he led the charge along the pathway into the interior of Dragon Fish Island.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
The group of cultivation-robbers’ eyes turned blood-red, signifying their thirst for slaughter.
This was an act they had committed many times before.