Chapter 246: Chapter 245: Bloodwood Crystal (Congratulations to the Silver Alliance!)_1
"Turbulence stirs again in the Cultivation World..."
"Numerous paragons re-enter the Martial World..."
"Yet I still silently plant trees on Dragon Fish Island..."
While humming his self-composed tune, Fang Xi arrived at the location of the fishery.
"Island Master..."
"Island Master, my respects..."
Along the way, many Qi Refining cultivators paid their respects with reverence by the roadside.
Ever since a large number of Qi Refining families moved here, Dragon Fish Island had become overcrowded with too many people and too little land. The number of dongfus suitable for cultivators to cultivate in kept decreasing, and yet Fang Xi continued to raise rental prices, causing a large number of cultivators to start inwardly competing.
Even working at the fishery became a highly desired job.
"Island Master..."
At the fishery, by the lakeshore.
Zhong Lu, drenched in sweat, explained, "I don’t know why... Lord has barely eaten anything for the past two days..."
He was afraid that Fang Xi would become unhappy and relieve him of his position as the head of the fishery—a job many Qi Refining cultivators were eyeing.
"Oh? Let me have a look..."
Fang Xi approached the lakeside, his Divine Consciousness diving into the water. The normally pitch-black lakebed became crystal clear in his vision.
At the bottom of the lake lay an Azure Horn Fish Dragon, its waist as thick as a water bucket, seemingly even fatter than before.
Not only that, Daqing occasionally let out a low roar, rubbing its scales and hide against the lakebed’s rocks and grinding a large number of stones into dust.
It seemed impatient and also appeared to be in some pain.
"Hmm? I never noticed before, but has your Demon Qi reached the peak of second rank inferior grade? Are you preparing to advance?"
Seeing this scene, Fang Xi became thoughtful.
Considering the time, it had been seventy to eighty years since Daqing advanced to the second rank lower grade; was it finally about to break through to the middle grade of the second rank?
However, it seemed that this breakthrough was a bit forced.
He thought for a moment and stroked the Storage Ring on his finger.
With a flash of white misty light, a pitch-black box appeared in Fang Xi’s hand.
Upon opening it, inside were blocks of crystals with a blood-red appearance yet with a verdant green inside, exuding an aura of vigorous vitality.
"Bloodwood Crystal!"
Fang Xi murmured the name of this material.
These were spoils he had found in Old Ling’s Storage Bag, considered to be a top-grade material of the second rank superior grade for the Demon Path.
Not only was it rich in Blood Qi, but it also harbored abundant vitality within.
He did not find any memories about this substance in the fragmented memories of Old Ling because the time spent in puppet refinement was very brief and Old Ling’s lifespan was too long.
However, judging by its value, this Bloodwood Crystal was likely worth about as much as a late-stage Foundation Establishment puppet.
’It must have been traded by Zhan Tu... Not just any alchemist can refine this Bloodwood Crystal... Could it be that his luck has something to do with the Demon Path? Even possibly...’ Fang Xi’s mind slowly formed a conjecture.
Unfortunately, the Bloodwood Crystal wasn’t of much use to him, and while cultivators couldn’t consume it, demon beasts with their strong physiques could swallow it whole, using it as nourishment for advancement.
Such use, however, was somewhat wasteful.
Typically, Bloodwood Crystal could practically be sufficient on its own as an aid for matching second rank middle grade demon beasts to advance to the superior grade.
Feeding it to the Azure Horn Fish Dragon, at best, it could utilize the abundant vitality and Blood Qi inside—the rest of the spiritual power would be wasted.
"But I don’t raise demon beasts... Feeding it to the Demon Tree is even more extravagant, after all, it eats anything... Nevermind, nevermind."
Considering the Azure Horn Fish Dragon as his mount, which always got stepped on without a word of complaint whenever he took the stage, Fang Xi casually tossed the Bloodwood Crystals into the lake.
At the bottom of the lake, upon receiving a Divine Consciousness Transmission, Daqing immediately roared and opened its gaping maw.
The lakebed seemed to form a whirlpool, drawing in large amounts of water, including fish, shrimp, crabs, and even those Bloodwood Crystals, all into its belly.
Half an hour later.
Splash! The lake surface exploded with a huge spray of water, dampening the surroundings as if a torrential rain had fallen.
Amidst the rain and mist, a vast expanse of vapor rose, followed by a huge blue shadow that shot straight into the clouds.
It was none other than the Azure Horn Fish Dragon having advanced to a second rank middle grade demon beast!
Now, this Azure Horn Fish Dragon was seven or eight zhang long, it had grown thicker, and its scales had turned from green to dark green. A ring of black appeared around the scales, indicating some sort of bloodline mutation might have occurred.
Its horns had become more pronounced, appearing even more majestic.
"I never expected my spiritual beast to catch up with my cultivation level..."
Seeing that there were Qi Refining cultivators present, Fang Xi let out a long sigh, pretending that he had failed while attempting to break through using Rushing Essence Pills.
"This is meaningless, it’s purely a fit of mischief, just wanting to fish."
Blue light burst forth from his body as he leaped over ten meters in a single bound, landing on the head of the Azure Horn Fish Dragon, and shouted, "Let’s go!"
With a roar of pride, the Azure Horn Fish Dragon carried Fang Xi as they circled Dragon Fish Island, a deterrent to the petty and weak.
...
Not far from Dragon Fish Island.
A pale blue aurora enveloped a cloud of ghost mist, and inside, there was a monstrosity with a human head and a bird’s body, its body covered in dark grey feathers. Through the sparse feathers, one could occasionally see blood-red tendons as it emitted a shrill cry.
The cry of this human-headed bird was harsh and grating, and it even had the ability to shake one’s divine soul.
But the pale blue aurora continued to press down, gradually eroding the ghost mist around the creature.
"Go!"
Not far away, an escape light flew in, and from it shot out a streak of green sword qi.
The green sword light plunged straight into the dark grey ghost mist, engaging in battle with the human-headed bird.
Seizing the opportunity, the pale blue aurora pressed down further, wearing away the ghost mist until it was almost gone.
The human-headed bird let out a miserable scream as it was struck by a blue bowl within the pale blue aurora, its feathers fluttering wildly in the sky.
Seeing this, the green flying sword’s light surged, decapitating the human-headed bird in one blow.
This ghost creature, a match for a Foundation Establishment cultivator, ultimately turned into a large cloud of mist under the refining of the two streaks of light and then vanished into nothingness.
"Phew... Thousand Island Lake really is plagued with ghost creatures. I just went out for a walk, and I encountered a Foundation Establishment ghost creature. If I run into several, even I would be in a great deal of trouble..."
Yan Changkong muttered to himself, retracting the blue bowl.
Before long, the green light approached, and the escape light faded to reveal Yan Dongqing inside, "Uncle Changkong... I received your Voice Transmission Talisman and rushed over immediately. Are you alright?"
"Just about... Alas, after the death of this Foundation Establishment ghost creature, it simply dissolves into a wisp of yin qi and vanishes... leaving nothing behind. This battle really cost us dearly."
Yan Changkong looked at the slightly damaged spiritual bowl with a pained expression on his face.
"Alas... who isn’t losing out here."
Yan Dongqing, a middle-aged man, also smiled bitterly. Precisely for that reason, if it were not for the ghost creatures attacking the island’s protective array, he would have been too lazy to take action, "These ghost creatures form and disperse unpredictably, and that’s a hassle... Thankfully, we cultivators have our strategies. Uncle Changkong, if you have to travel, you should wear a ’Concealing Qi Talisman’ to hide your living essence, or take a ’Yin Soul Pill’... This pill could cause a cultivator’s aura to carry a trace of ghost qi, making it easy for the simple-minded ghost creatures to mistake them for their own kind, avoiding a lot of trouble..."
"I see..." Yan Changkong listened carefully; these were precious experiences summarized with the lives of many cultivators.
"By the way, Uncle Changkong, what brings you to Thousand Island Lake this time?"
After chatting for a bit, Yan Dongqing inquired curiously.
"This time... Alas..."
Yan Changkong gave a wry smile, "Do you know about Elder Bai Feng of Baize Immortal City, who is close to sitting and transforming into death?"
"This... I live in seclusion on the periphery of Thousand Island Lake, and I’ve been mostly preoccupied with the ghost calamity, so I really hadn’t heard about it."
Yan Dongqing was startled.
"When Elder Bai Feng sits and transforms, the original balance will be broken, and a battle will surely ensue!"
Yan Changkong’s brow carried a hint of ferocity, "Elder Bai Feng dared to scheme against Elder Zhang back in the day, that grudge... our Mysterious Heaven Sect has not forgotten it."
"I see... Could it be... an Upper Sect conscription order?" The thought struck Yan Dongqing, and his expression changed drastically.
Strictly speaking, Thousand Island Lake is also under the rule of the Mysterious Heaven Sect, and it is natural to call upon subordinate cultivators for a major battle.
However, the Mysterious Heaven Sect has ignored the ghost calamity in Thousand Island Lake for many years, thereby losing the moral high ground.
If conscription is enforced, wouldn’t it just arouse resentment and indignation among the local cultivators?
"Uncle Changkong... Thousand Island Lake is already withering, just dealing with the ghost calamity has taken all our efforts..."
Even Yan Dongqing, himself, was reluctant to be conscripted into a major battle.
After all, on a battlefield where only Core Formation elders could bully others, a mere early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator could easily perish!
"I am well aware of this... In fact, our sect has not decided to conscript the cultivators of Thousand Island Lake."
Yan Changkong sighed, "This time, it was I who volunteered to come here, hoping to persuade the Island Master of Dragon Fish Island that if he volunteers to fight, wouldn’t it be the best of both worlds? After all, the strength of Thousand Island Lake is not to be underestimated nowadays..."
Yan Dongqing was stunned.
Truth be told, while the lower ranks of Thousand Island Lake’s cultivators have declined, the high-level Foundation Establishment cultivators are indeed far from weak!
Ruan Xingling and Liu Sanqi both have advanced to the late Foundation Establishment stage! Counting Fang Xi as well, that makes three powerful late-stage Foundation Establishment combatants!
There are also the Azure Horn Fish Dragon, Zhong Hongyu, and Yan Dongqing himself, three strong Foundation Establishment cultivators!
Such power has long exceeded that of the Dragon Fish Zhong Family of the past, and even the five great sects of Yue Country may not compare!
Well... according to reports, the Great Elder Li Rujian of the Spirit Sword Sect, unlucky as he was, has fallen on Jade Island, greatly weakening the Spirit Sword Sect’s influence.
And the Great Elder You Yuezi of the Gloomy Moon Sect, who was reportedly on Jade Island at that time, has also greatly drained his primordial energy to escape.
In that case, if Thousand Island Lake were to be unified into a new sect, it might even overtake the five great sects and other Foundation Establishment noble families, vying for the throne of the number one sect under the Mysterious Heaven Sect!
Although... Fang Xi surely wouldn’t want to unify it that way. After all, a tall tree catches the wind, and becoming the number one power under the Mysterious Heaven Sect would surely mean constant concern from Elder Zhang...