Chapter 237: Chapter 236: Exchange Meeting (Request for Monthly Tickets)_1
"Kuyong Mysterious Light!"
Fang Xi’s divine thought focused on the description and magic spell of this secret skill within the jade slip, his eyes slightly brightening.
This secret skill can be said to be the most powerful method for a cultivator practicing the ’Kuyong Skills’ after Core Formation, as it is based on the cultivator’s lifespan as the foundation. It emphasizes first refining one’s essence blood and primordial energy, which are associated with the lifespan, into a ’Kuyong Mysterious Light’!
Once released, this mysterious light can ignore most magical artifacts and spells’ defenses, directly reducing the enemy’s lifespan!
"A secret technique that directly attacks the lifespan? Quite interesting!"
Fang Xi stroked his chin and continued to ponder, only to find that this secret technique had significant limitations.
Although it could directly attack the enemy’s lifespan, Kuyong Mysterious Light first harms oneself before harming the enemy... This means that to reduce the enemy’s lifespan, one must first decrease their own!
Moreover, Kuyong Mysterious Light also had different realms of mastery, such as beginner, small accomplishments, and Mahayana level!
The beginner level of Kuyong Mysterious Light could only reduce about ten years of one’s own lifespan to diminish one year of the enemy’s lifespan... It was simply not worth the loss!
Even though a Core Formation ancestor had a lifespan of five hundred years, each year was precious and could not be wasted so recklessly.
The small accomplishments level of ’Kuyong Mysterious Light,’ which weakens three years of one’s own lifespan, could take away one year of the enemy’s lifespan!
It was barely usable in real combat, but still not ideal.
At the Mahayana level, the ratio of lifespan consumption reached one-to-one, which was considered a desolate, if not desperate, measure!
’However, if used cunningly, a cultivator at the initial stage of Core Formation might even have the potential to slay an enemy with a shorter lifespan in the later stages of Core Formation... Unfortunately, it does not work on Nascent Souls!’ Fang Xi noted.
According to Fang Xi’s understanding, if ’Kuyong Mysterious Light’ were used against an enemy who was an entire level higher in cultivation, the backlash would increase exponentially, resulting in a loss far outweighing any gain.
"This secret technique... it’s just... it doesn’t seem to be crafted for the human race, but rather as if it was tailored for those Transformed Great Demons."
Fang Xi shook his head and put down the jade slip.
Monster beasts reach Monster King status at the third rank, and upon reaching the pinnacle of the third rank, they must face the ’Transformation Heavenly Tribulation’!
Once they overcome the Transformation Heavenly Tribulation, they will advance to the fourth rank, becoming Transformed Great Demons!
This rank of the Monster Clan can transform into human form, retaining only some monster beast characteristics, capable of practicing various Monster Clan skills, possessing great spiritual wisdom, and even learning the Hundred Arts of Immortal Cultivation, truly extraordinary.
If a third-rank Monster King confronts a Core Formation cultivator of the same rank, they will often be at a disadvantage, but a fourth-rank Transformed Great Demon is recognized as surpassing a cultivator by a margin at the same rank!
Moreover, most monster beasts have long lifespans, far longer than that of humans. For them, consuming lifespan to defeat powerful human adversaries is a quite worthwhile trade!
’However... I can somewhat make use of it as well, after all, I live long... If one day I run out of lifespan, I could always plant more trees to compensate...’
’Still... I must wait until after Core Formation to properly practice it...’
...
Fang Xi left the closed-door cultivation room and entered the Pill Refining room.
After sitting quietly for a moment, he touched his Storage Ring and took out a dozen jade boxes.
Among them, there were even several stalks of aged Golden Jade Ganoderma!
With the current relationship between the three of them, Fang Xi merely had to express his need for a large amount of Spirit Medicine for his Alchemy Skill practice, and he managed to obtain most of the Golden Jade Ganoderma from Ruan Xingling and Liu Sanqi’s holdings, preparing to refine several furnaces of authentic Foundation Establishment Pills.
’If it weren’t for the emergence of the ruins recently, it would have been somewhat troublesome to use so many precious Spirit Medicines for honing my alchemy.’ Fang Xi pondered as he caressed his palm, projecting a beam of Yi Wood Divine Light.
This divine light wrapped around the second-rank Pill Furnace, moving to the bottom of the furnace, and transformed into raging green Yi Wood True Fire.
Ever since the cultivation of the ’Yi Wood Magic Body,’ Fang Xi’s Innate True Fire also advanced, turning into this Yi Wood True Fire. Whether used against enemies or Talisman forging, it was extremely sharp, and it had a unique usefulness in alchemy.
"Go!"
He picked up a piece of dark auxiliary medicine and directly threw it into the Pill Furnace...
...
Months later.
Liu Sanqi and Ruan Xingling, having healed their injuries, emerged from their closed-door cultivation.
Fang Xi had just finished refining the last furnace of ’Rushing Essence Pills’ and called the two of them to the Evergreen Pavilion.
"Liu Sir, Ruan... these are your shares."
He first handed the pills to the two of them, after all, the main ingredients were supplied by them. As an alchemist, it was an unspoken rule to retain some from each furnace, but one must not be too excessive.
Nevertheless, since the main material for the ’Rushing Essence Pills’ had already been offered to him by Liu Sanqi, Fang Xi still gave one pill to each of them.
"Rushing Essence Pill? Thank you, Island Master!"
Liu Sanqi gratefully expressed his thanks.
Ruan Xingling also showed joy in her eyes as she looked at the pill in her hand.
With this pill, both of them had a solid chance to break through from the peak of the middle phase of Foundation Establishment to the later stage.
"Mhm, I have a task for you," Fang Xi said to Liu Sanqi.
Since the man had already shown a submissive attitude, there was no need for Fang Xi to be overly polite.
He waved his hand, and seventeen streaks of light floated in mid-air, transforming into black wooden talismans.
"These are single-use messenger talismans with a date inscribed on them, allowing entry into the Dragon Fish Island Array within a specified period..."
Fang Xi spoke indifferently, "I plan to hold a private trading event at the Evergreen Pavilion in a few months. Aside from the two of you, others will need a talisman to participate... At that time, I will release items such as the ’Rushing Essence Pill’, ’Foundation Establishment Pill’, and ’Second-rank Prohibition Breaking Charm’. I’ll also spend a large amount of Spirit Stones to purchase the materials I need... Please spread the word to your peers, and also distribute the talismans to other Foundation Establishment Cultivators in the market..."
These seventeen talismans, in addition to Ruan Xingling and several others with Fang Xi, made exactly twenty.
This number was neither too many nor too few, and Fang Xi felt he could still control the situation.
At least, even if they attracted the attention of a Core Formation elder, within the Nine Nether Profound Wood Array, he wasn’t too afraid.
Hmm, as long as it wasn’t more than three Core Formation elders, or if they encountered one particularly adept at breaking arrays, there shouldn’t be a big problem...
But such a small-scale exchange event was unlikely to attract such individuals. Even with the worst luck, it was improbable to draw two of the four Core Formation elders from the three nations.
According to the information Fang Xi had recently received, the Yiling Valley elder and the Green Wood Sect elder were both stationed in their respective sects.
It was estimated that before the core area of the Jade Island Ruins opened, these highest-ranking cultivators would only occasionally pay attention.
Moreover, Foundation Establishment Pills were needed by any Foundation Establishment elders with disciples to care for, the Rushing Essence Pill was a rare medicinal pill for breaking through bottlenecks, and the Second-rank Prohibition Breaking Charm was in high demand in the Jade Island Ruins, with prices skyrocketing to the point of being unavailable for purchase.
With these rare Spiritual Pills and talismans, there was no worry about not attracting Foundation Establishment Cultivators!
"Rest assured, Island Master, I shall handle this matter properly."
Liu Sanqi bowed respectfully and assured.
"Hmm, you may go..."
Fang Xi waved his hand to dismiss Liu Sanqi, then turned to Ruan Xingling, "Sir Ruan, what do you plan to do next?"
"Since you are planning a small-scale trading event and it’s only a few months away, I might as well wait here."
Ruan Xingling smiled, then suddenly turned to the two maidservants, "You’ve changed maidservants again?"
"Ah... I’m someone who can’t bear to see heroes in their twilight years or beauties age..."
Fang Xi let out a long sigh in response.
...
A few days later.
Underneath the Demon Tree.
Fang Xi activated the ’Thousand Thread Puppet Controlling Skills’, manipulating his main battle Puppets to serve as the seven most important Array Eyes.
Then, one by one, the wooden Puppets took their places in supportive positions, simultaneously releasing a stream of Demon Qi, triggering numerous Array Flags and Array Disks.
With flickering glows, array patterns and prohibitions lit up one after another, forming the Great Array.
Howl, howl!
Amidst desolate howls, the Array activated, and a Sky Wolf Phantom slowly emerged.
After continuous adjustments, Fang Xi had become quite proficient at manipulating this ’Sky Wolf Battle Array’, which was an adaptation of the ’Sky Wolf Howling Moon Array,’ and could be flexibly applied in real combat.
In addition to the ’Nine Nether Profound Wood Array’ and the third-rank magical artifact ’Green Barley Sword’!
This was the basis for Fang Xi’s confidence in hosting the small-scale trading event!
Even when facing one or two Core Formation elders, this setup should be enough to make them wary.
"It seems in the tales of this world, the heroes always go shopping in the markets, then attend private exchanges... Sometimes they even get hunted by villains..."
"Why is it that when it comes to me, I turn out to be behind-the-scenes, running a market and hosting a trading event..."
"Feels like I’m getting further and further down the path of the villain, doesn’t it?"
Fang Xi retracted his Puppets, rubbed his chin, and felt something was off.
However, this reflection and self-mockery were brief, and soon after, he approached the Demon Tree, stretching out his palm to the dark tree trunk.
Through the ’Treasure Planting Jue’ connection, he could sense the nascent ’Green Wood Seal’ life-bound magical artifact being nurtured inside the heart of the tree!
Yet this nascent artifact had already turned completely black, so calling it the Black Wood Seal would be more appropriate.
"The longer the ’Treasure Planting Jue’ plants, the more powerful the magical artifact becomes... I’ve planted for several decades, and considering the Demon Tree’s growth rate, that’s equivalent to much more than a thousand years..."
"After a thousand years with the ’Treasure Planting Jue’, the power of this ’Black Wood Seal’ seems to be around the lower to middle third rank. This Wooden Element artifact refining spell truly is rather mediocre..."
"Fortunately... I still have time. I’ll just keep on planting, and one day it will transform into a high-grade or even peak third-rank magical artifact."
Fang Xi connected to the Demon Tree with his thoughts, and this Demon Tree became something like an extension of himself, silently refining the magical artifact for him.
At that moment, looking at the ’Black Wood Seal’, a section of the ’Kuyong Skills’ technique came to mind.
This technique, which was meant to store ’Kuyong Mysterious Light’, required life-bound magical artifacts to perform.
"Although I’m not a Core Formation Cultivator, I’ve already started refining my life-bound magical artifact... If I begin studying it in advance and lay some groundwork within the artifact, it seems this wouldn’t be the wrong approach."
With this in mind, Fang Xi didn’t hesitate any longer, and keeping one hand on the Demon Tree, he recalled the ’Kuyong Mysterious Light’ technique, incorporating the method of refining a life-bound magical artifact into the ’Treasure Planting Jue’.
After all, the ’Treasure Planting Jue’ was merely a nurturing spell, and the final form of the magical artifact depended on what kind of seed was planted at the beginning.
What Fang Xi was doing now could be seen as a subtle modification during the unrefined stage of the process. With the Demon Tree’s full cooperation, there shouldn’t be any major issues.