Chapter 291: Chapter 290: Golden Core Sitting and Transforming (Congratulating the Silver Alliance)_1
Three years later.
In the Emerald Bamboo Forest, inside the cultivation room.
Fang Xi exhaled a wisp of cyan core fire, which descended into the base of a medicine furnace in front of him.
Around the furnace flickered halos of various colors, which eventually turned to crimson, continuously overflowing with an astonishing fragrance of medicinal herbs.
Unfortunately, these various extraordinary phenomena, upon reaching outside of the alchemy room, were again obstructed by layer upon layer of array prohibitions, not a hint leaked out.
His hands formed seals, channeling streaks of magic power continuously into the medicine furnace.
Time passed unknowingly, and the medicinal fragrance within the alchemy room grew increasingly rich.
Threads and strands of pale red radiance filled the room, indistinctly forming shapes like that of spirit ganoderma.
"Open!"
A purple light flashed in Fang Xi’s eyes as he seemed to see the formation of the pills within the furnace, and he immediately cast the pill collection magic spell.
Buzz!
The furnace opened, and one pill after another of crimson dan medicine flew out, landing in Fang Xi’s hands.
Boom boom!
Two of the pills exploded, turning into a cloud of pitch-black powder, while two more had wisps of greyish-black emerging on their surface.
"One furnace yields thirteen pills, with two wastes and two inferior... not too bad, I guess."
Fang Xi collected these ’Vermilion Purple Pills’ carefully, a trace of joy appearing on his face.
The pill recipe for ’Vermilion Purple Pill,’ which utilized the vermilion fruit as the main ingredient and was intended to improve magic power, was something he found within the depths of Baize Immortal City’s legacy, an ancient pill recipe without marked grade.
After all, vermilion fruits are extremely rare in the cultivation world nowadays; ordinary cultivators who obtain them fear holding a treasure, often simply eating them raw, wasting half of the medicinal power is also considered unavoidable.
But Fang Xi himself is an alchemist, so he isn’t worried about the problem of secrets being leaked.
"This Vermilion Purple Pill is overbearing in medicinal power, suitable for cultivators in the later stages of Foundation Establishment to enhance their magic power... it can barely be used by those in the early stages of Core Formation as well."
"Fortunately, I have a lot of main ingredients, and I have a reserve of supplementary spirit medicines on hand... after ruining several furnaces at the beginning, it’s been smooth sailing from there."
Fang Xi went to the closed-door cultivation room, swallowed a still-warm ’Vermilion Purple Pill,’ and began to cultivate with closed eyes.
As the Kuyong Skills circulated, alternating cyan and yellow auras flickered around him. Under the powerful spiritual pressure from the third-grade spiritual vein, he absorbed threads of spiritual energy into his body, transforming them into spiritual liquid within his dantian, to be assimilated by the ’Kuyong Golden Core.’
In this profound moment, Fang Xi felt that his ’Kuyong Golden Core’ seemed to have grown stronger again, becoming more dazzling and brilliant.
When he opened his eyes, he exhaled deeply, with a flash of cyan across his face.
"Calculating by my fingers, it turns out I’ve been in closed-door cultivation for seven days already..."
"Now, I am one hundred eighty-nine years old. Relying on a dongfu with a third-grade spiritual vein, and with the ’Yi Wood Magic Body’... the efficiency of absorbing spiritual energy is already astonishingly high, and with the aid of ’Vermilion Purple Pills’... within twenty to thirty years, I can definitely cultivate to the pinnacle of the early stages of Core Formation and try to break through to the middle stage!"
"Very good... very good..."
Fang Xi enjoyed this kind of peaceful life, disliking unexpected factors.
That’s why he didn’t flee to places like Yuan Country, after all, even Yuan Ying True Monarchs are there, it’s truly somewhat dangerous.
It’s better to wait until later, at least until he reaches the middle or late stages of Core Formation, before trying to explore further.
Moreover... since I’ve killed the Supreme Elder of Yiling Valley and offended Old Yan, it’s quite possible that my name and portrait have spread throughout the Mixed Origin Sect.
Perhaps Old Yan’s friends in the Mixed Origin Sect will not go so far as to kill their way to this remote place, but it’s hard to say whether they might make a move if they see me by chance in Yuan Country...
All in all, the outside world is too dangerous, better to first stay low and develop strength.
Wait a few decades or a century, and the attention will have passed...
Anyway, my lifespan is long, I can live past two thousand years!
If I can outlive my enemies one by one, that would be quite excellent.
This is also why Fang Xi does not wish to openly raise a flag and claim a territory in the three countries.
With a name comes a target, making it easy to become a target.
Third-grade arrays are good, but Old Yan has ’Sealing Spirit Stakes,’ and who knows what other array-breaking methods he might have.
Without array protection, with Fang Xi’s current strength, at most he could fight against a mid-level Core Formation cultivator.
What if three or four Core Formation cultivators launch a sneak attack?
What if Old Yan invites cultivators in the later stages of Core Formation or even those with Perfect Core Formation?
What if the opponent has a method to seal the Void, able to break through the ’Vertical Ground Golden Light Talisman’?
At that time, should I have to reveal my cheater to escape?
’For Sect Core Formation cultivators, individual Core Formation cultivators are ultimately unstable factors... that’s why I have to create the illusion of traveling far away...’
’As for the Fragment World? It’s ultimately a secret realm of the Demon Path, I don’t know if there are any monitoring methods... moving from place to place and temporarily scavenging some cultivation resources is fine, but considering it a long-term cultivation ground, well, better not...’
In fact, Fang Xi was already well aware of the resource levels in the Fragment World.
After all, it is only a secret realm the Demon Path has opened up for Foundation Establishment disciples. The main resources are primarily for Core Formation.
It’s unlikely that there are any Infant Condensing spiritual objects and opportunities.
In contrast, those Demon Path true disciples, with real cultivation only at the Foundation Establishment level, rely on body refining, external pills, and other means to possess Core Formation combat power, and are truly not to be underestimated.
"I still need to work hard at cultivation... striving to make a big score during the next Heavenly Demon Catastrophe. I couldn’t beat these true disciples during my Foundation Establishment, but after reaching Core Formation, even at the middle stage, I would be able to suppress them with realm..."
Fang Xi had realized that the greatest wealth in the Fragment World might actually lie with those Demon Path disciples!
"Make a big loot in a few decades, and then that Demon Path sect will surely be enraged... but I can also temporarily abandon the Fragment World to avoid them..."
"After all, having completed that one big job, even the situation with the Mysterious Fire Zombie might have a solution... By that time, there will be a third world to explore."
Last time, ’Brother Ma’s Demon Path body refining technique had left a deep impression on Fang Xi.
And within the Fragment World, the main resources were primarily those for the later stages of Foundation Establishment, with the vermilion fruit being produced in only one place.
For Fang Xi, these decades were about first accumulating enough ordinary resources. When the century-long Heavenly Demon Catastrophe comes, he would strike forcefully, capturing all the top-tier resources sealed by prohibitions in one fell swoop, and incidentally killing a few Demon Path disciples, ensuring a huge harvest.
However, such an act could only be done once, and must not be attempted again in the future.
Otherwise, one might run into disguised Golden Core or even Demon Path Yuan Ying old monsters.
Even if the resources in the secret realm are not suitable for enhancing his magic power, the Core Formation spiritual objects he could sell would definitely be enough to support his cultivation all the way to Perfect Core Formation.
...
Fang Xi stepped out of the closed-door cultivation room and came outside the Dongfu.
Outside the Dongfu, there was a Spiritual Medicine Garden that was considered a third-grade Spirit Land.
Fang Xi didn’t waste any time, planting various Spiritual Trees and Spirit Medicines, including the Dragon-transforming Ginseng.
Even without meticulous care, the growth of these Spirit Medicines was extremely pleasing.
After all, for Fang Xi, the ’Yi Wood Magic Body’ had endless uses, enabling him to be close to Spirit Medicines and even sense their condition.
Whenever he encountered any that were on the verge of withering or dying, a beam of Yi Wood Divine Light would revive them to a large extent.
He marveled several times that the ’Yi Wood Magic Body’ was truly the ultimate talent for a Spirit Plant Farmer, perfectly suited for farming.
Fang Xi went to the Emerald Bamboo Forest, pulled up a bamboo shoot, and prepared to complement it with some wild game for a delicious meal.
Through the fog of the Emerald Bamboo Forest, his pupils flashed purple as if he saw the ’Ten Thousand Sea Bamboo Forest Array’ outside in the world!
"This Array is ranked as mid-grade in the third-class... it requires some effort to break through..."
"But I don’t need to completely decode it, as long as it can work in tandem with the near-third-grade concealed Array I’ve set up here... to mask the fluctuations of my own shuttle through the Void, it will be enough."
Back in Baize Immortal City, Fang Xi was wary of the third-grade Arrays and didn’t dare to traverse within the city.
Recently, having advanced to a third-grade Array Master and understanding more, he had fewer concerns.
As he was contemplating which pot of Spirit Wine to open, a flash of firelight appeared outside.
A green Voice Transmission Talisman was flickering at the edge of the Emerald Bamboo Forest, but it was blocked by a layer of green prohibition.
Seeing this, Fang Xi smiled and waved his right hand.
A green magic power hand swept over and caught the Voice Transmission Talisman, bringing it to his side.
After listening for a few sentences, he left the Emerald Bamboo Forest, rode a Spiritual Instrument, and arrived at Zheng Tie’s Dongfu.
Although Fang Xi mostly kept to himself, maintaining the persona of a diligent cultivator, some necessary social interactions still had to be attended to.
For instance, he couldn’t refuse an invitation from Zheng Tie.
"Nephew has arrived?"
Zheng Tie was in a hall, drinking wine and enjoying the flowers. Seeing Fang Xi’s arrival, he immediately waved him over.
"Uncle Zheng..."
Fang Xi slightly bowed in greeting, noticing that there was a maidservant pouring wine behind Zheng Tie.
This maidservant was dressed in Green Wood Sect disciple attire, and astonishingly, she also had the cultivation of the seventh layer of Qi Refining.
’Cultivating above a third-grade Spiritual Vein does indeed yield rapid progress... Seeing this girl’s appearance, her Spiritual Root aptitude doesn’t seem very good...’
He gracefully took a seat and smiled, "What good wine do you have today, Uncle Zheng?"
"This is the ’Nine Spirits Fragrance’ that cost me a fair amount of Spirit Stones to buy from Martial Kingdom... Come, have a taste!"
Zheng Tie poured Fang Xi a cup of Spirit Wine, and they both drank it in one go. Shortly after, Zheng Tie sighed, "It’s good that you are dedicated to diligent cultivation, Nephew, but you should also go out and mingle, meet your peers... Discussing cultivation insights with others is very beneficial for your practice."
"Thank you for the reminder, Uncle Zheng. I’m just not used to cultivating on such a good Spiritual Vein and got a bit too absorbed..."
Fang Xi’s face showed a perfectly timed hint of embarrassment.
However, in his heart, he snickered:
’Major Sects have always been wary of outside Individual Cultivators joining... Even you, Uncle Zheng, deep down must harbor some doubts about your nephew Cao Chongyun...’
’But I act openly and honestly. Everyone knows that spies and informants who join a Sect either make a lot of friends and gather information, or they do everything they can to worm their way into critical departments to seize secrets... I do the opposite, I don’t socialize, I don’t inquire, I focus solely on cultivation... No spy has ever acted like this.’
’Moreover, time will reveal a person’s heart. I can act for three years, and I can continue to act for thirty years, three hundred years... well, maybe not three hundred years...’
’By then, wouldn’t all suspicions be gone?’
...
"Shan, why haven’t you poured wine for your Master Cao yet?"
At this moment, Zheng Tie ordered the female disciple behind him to pour wine for Fang Xi.
The girl had delicate features and an air of vigor about her. She stepped forward with respectful obedience and poured Fang Xi wine while calling him ’Master Cao’.
"Hehe... This girl happens to be a distant relative of mine with poor Spiritual Roots. It’s only through my influence that she was accepted into the Sect... She’s currently in need of contribution points within the Sect, Nephew. Your Emerald Bamboo Forest has a vast Medicine Garden; could you perhaps use a helping hand?"
Zheng Tie asked with a smile.
"I actually am in need of a few hands for rough work. Zheng Shan, was it? Come to the Emerald Bamboo Forest to receive orders tomorrow..."
Fang Xi raised an eyebrow and immediately agreed.
He indeed needed some rough workers, and such disciple contributions would be issued by the General Affairs Hall. Normally, they would only need to live in simple huts in the Emerald Bamboo Forest and would not disturb the Dongfu.
’After all, I’m supposed to maintain the image of a diligent cultivator, not a flirtatious young master...’
"Thank you, Master Cao!"
Zheng Shan bowed gratefully, her face beaming with joy.
Working for a Foundation Establishment Master would naturally yield high contributions, and moreover, she could also cultivate using the third-grade Spiritual Vein.
As an Outer Sect disciple, she knew that the spiritual energy in her Dongfu was far inferior to that of the Emerald Bamboo Forest, and she had already felt her cultivation progress slowing down.
She had Zheng Tie to thank for this opportunity!
Just as Zheng Tie was about to say something else, a deep bell chime suddenly rang in the ears of both.
Ding!
Ding ding!
The bell rang a total of thirteen times, vibrating through the entire Green Wood Forest.
"This... this is..." Fang Xi inwardly sighed but appeared shocked on the outside.
"The ’Green Wood Bell’ ringing thirteen times... this means... Old Ancestor Qing... has passed away..."
Zheng Tie turned ashen, muttering subconsciously as Zheng Shan beside him looked utterly distraught.
Although they were psychologically prepared, the passing of Lu Qing meant that the sky of Green Wood Sect... had collapsed!