Chapter 428: Chapter 426: The Three Treasures (In honor of the Silver Alliance!)_1
Fang Xi carefully examined the old man’s stall and discovered that it mostly contained some odd bamboo tubes and golden boxes.
There were sounds similar to insect chirping faintly emanating from within the bamboo tubes.
Worm cultivators differ from bug cultivators, as bug cultivators are just a minor branch of beast-controlling skills, adept at nurturing and commanding various spiritual insects.
However, worm cultivators refine a variety of ’worms’ through secret techniques, which are said to have all kinds of incredible uses.
In Fang Xi’s understanding, bug cultivators are like breeding masters, while worm cultivators have reached the level of bioengineering.
"Not in a hurry... You first tell me, what kind of worms do you have on this stall?"
Fang Xi became interested and began to chat with the worm cultivator.
"These worm creatures, varying greatly in kind depending on the secret technique, can generally be divided into four ranks—Heaven, Earth, Black, Yellow!"
The worm cultivator smiled, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth, and spoke briskly, "Qi Refining Stage worm cultivators can mostly only refine ’Yellow’ rank worm creatures, which can replace the functions of some minor magic spells, such as the ’Wind Control Worm’. After refining, one can ride the wind, and in terms of casting speed, it’s even faster than incanting spells and casting charms... Those who can refine ’Black’ rank spiritual worms are already elites among worm cultivators. As for the Earth rank worms? I’ve only seen one once... and ’Heaven’ rank worms, I reckon they are even rarer than Nascent Soul elders, said to possess might comparable to that of Nascent Soul cultivators."
"I see..."
Fang Xi briefly rummaged through the stall, showing little interest in the lower-level ’Sleepy Worm’, ’Gold Toad Worm’, and the like.
Instead, he picked up a bamboo scroll titled "Worm Cultivation Essentials" and read with great interest after briefly flipping through it.
This essentials guide did not contain any secret worm cultivation techniques or any methods for refining a particular worm creature, but it did record certain worm cultivator’s experiences, which were quite eye-opening for him.
"The path of worm cultivation lies in the survival of the fittest... hiding different insect beasts within magical cauldrons, refining them with secret techniques, stimulating them to consume each other, and the ultimate victor becomes the ’worm’!"
"There are countless kinds of worm creatures, but the strongest is undoubtedly the ’Golden Silkworm Worm’!"
"If this worm is cultivated to the ’Earth’ rank, it can be elevated to a Hundred Poison Worm, and then used as the raw material for a worm cultivator’s magic treasure, whether it is the ’Hundred Poison God Destruction Flag’ or the ’Gold Silkworm Sword’... all have their unique wonders and are considered top-tier magic treasures."
"Rumors say that ’Heaven’ rank worms possess supreme divine skills; if one has already refined it into a personal life-bound worm, when hearts and minds connect, it can even serve as the vessel for cultivators to practice the Nascent Soul second body secret technique..."
Quite satisfied with what he saw, Fang Xi tossed a few medium-grade spirit stones and bought the book, continuing his stroll around the market.
’Who says Immortal Cultivators can’t find bargains...’ recently
’Here in Tianwei City, there are leaks everywhere... Just buy a few spirit medicines, spiritual instruments... Returning to South Wilderness could at least double the profit...’ yet,
’But does this profit compare to the treasury of the Green Leaf Commerce Association? Not at all...’
After reaching the Nascent Soul stage, such small leaks no longer interested Fang Xi, which he found quite regrettable.
His desire to find bargains from the days of Qi Refining would probably remain unfulfilled forever.
"Eh?"
At this moment, he came upon a stall selling jade slips and cultivation techniques and was slightly surprised by a few pieces of beast skin and fragments in the corner.
Fang Xi picked up a piece of beast skin and saw strange symbols written in a greenish ink upon it.
He had never seen these symbols, which appeared to be some form of writing, in any ancient cultivation world books.
Yet, somewhere deep within, they seemed akin to the Void Symbols he had contemplated, possibly related.
"Sir, are you also interested in this Monster Text?"
A white-robed Core Formation cultivator, holding a scroll, saw this and asked with a smile.
"Monster Text?"
Fang Xi looked at the greenish script on the beast skin, "Are these actually Monster Clan script?!"
"Exactly... I enjoy reading and studying ancient scripts; I’m also quite infatuated with this Monster Text but have found it difficult to master..."
The white-robed Core Formation cultivator said, "Because this Monster Text is only likely to be carried by high-ranking monster cultivators, and after fierce battles, the spoils are often damaged... More importantly, we of the human race are mostly unable to use the Monster Clan’s cultivation secret skills, just as the Monster Clan can’t learn many of our human cultivation techniques and secret skills... Thus, not many cultivators are interested in studying it. Perhaps only those Nascent Soul elders have such boundless time and energy to decipher Monster Text one by one..."
Upon a close look, Fang Xi realized that the Monster Text for sale was indeed mostly incomplete.
Some were even directly on fragments of metal, with no telling what kind of cauldron or defensive treasure the pieces were from...
In the end, he took out a few high-grade spirit stones and bought all the Monster Text from the stall.
"We indeed share similar interests, Sir. I am ’Zeng Wanshu’, and I can offer these Monster Texts at half price. If Sir manages to decipher any of them later, I’d be grateful to be informed, even just a little,"
Zeng Wanshu bowed deeply, earnestly saying.
With his nose in a book, he seemed to be a fellow bibliophile.
"Full price is fine... I always enjoy roaming the four seas and would rather not owe you a favor..."
Fang Xi laughed heartily, insisted on paying the full price, took the beast skins and fragments inscribed with Monster Text, and left nonchalantly.
Zeng Wanshu watched Fang Xi walk away, stroking his chin thoughtfully with a shrewd look flashing across his face: ’Heh heh... Who would have thought anyone would want this junk, and I even sold it for five high-grade spirit stones, what a profit... Pretending to be a book lover certainly gains a lot of favor with fellows.’
He picked up the scroll in his hands and pretended to read again while casually pulling out a few more scrolls of Monster Text from his storage bag and tossing them in the corner of his stall...
...
"The Merit List!"
After casually browsing through some stalls, Fang Xi arrived beneath the Merit List.
The first thing he saw was the number one exchange item on the list, the Nascent Soul spiritual object—the ’Infant Transformation Pill’!
This pill was an imitation of the ancient ’Infant Condensing Pill’, and due to the lack of a few key heavenly and earthly spiritual medicines, its efficacy was only two or three tenths of the original.
Even so, it was an item that in the Western Desert Cultivation World could only be scarcely assembled once in a few hundred years with the combined efforts of the eight great Nascent Soul sects.
Fang Xi looked at the merits required, curled his lip, and said, "It feels like I’ll need to slay a few shape-shifted Monster Cultivators to have enough. What a rip-off..."
His gaze shifted downwards and he immediately saw several appealing rewards.
After searching again, right in a conspicuous spot, he found the item he wanted:
"Demon Slaying Sword, Thousands Demon Banner, Demons’ Mirror... These three kinds of magical treasures are collectively known as the ’Three Demon-Slaying Treasures’. The methods for replicating the magical and Spiritual Instruments are quite cheap. Even the genuine methods for forging them would barely be enough with the merits from slaying a few third-tier Monster Beasts."
Fang Xi glanced again at the Merit List, then headed to a registration desk.
"Sir, are you here to take on a task?"
The one in charge of registration was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, who always held a Demons’ Mirror in his hand. Seeing Fang Xi approaching, his demeanor immediately became more respectful.
"Mhm, I need to handle some formalities, I’m going to hunt Demons outside the city," Fang Xi said, tossing out his yellow command token.
Individual Cultivators mostly dislike being confined by the city walls, even if the merits are higher. Most choose to venture out alone with their swords or form small teams to exterminate Demons.
"The junior understands... May I inquire the venerable name of the senior?"
"Master Mu!"
The Foundation Establishment quickly registered the information: "Senior’s command token privileges have been updated, and you can now use the teleportation array to and from the Monster Clan area once. Please keep this Shadow Stone safe as proof of your merits... If lost or damaged, key materials from the Monster Beasts can also serve as proof."
Fang Xi nodded to indicate his understanding, then proceeded to another part of the city.
Just upon entering, he saw teams of high-level Cultivators forming enforcement squads, flying across the sky.
If one cultivated the Spiritual Eye Skills, it was even possible to see the various colors of magic spells and spiritual lights constantly flickering above the city’s fortress nearby.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense, as if he had stepped into a war zone!
At that moment, another team of Cultivators passed by, casting a glance at Fang Xi.
But the yellow command token at his waist emitted a burst of hazy yellow radiance, as if confirming his identity.
The team was led by a proud female Cultivator who slightly nodded her head without any intention of engaging in conversation, and they passed by each other.
Following the map, Fang Xi soon arrived at a heavily guarded hall.
A subtle Divine Consciousness swept over him in an instant.
’A Nascent Soul old monster is stationed here, but it’s only in its early stages...’ Fang Xi thought to himself, pretending to be unaware as he entered the hall.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Pillars of thunder stood from ground to sky, as if holding up the entire hall.
Beneath the Thunder Light, there were several small Short Distance Teleportation Arrays.
"Short Distance Teleportation Array!"
Fang Xi’s eyes lit up slightly—He was capable of setting up such an array himself and was indeed eager to examine the handiwork of his peers in the Western Desert.
"This Sir, are you planning to venture out of the city to hunt Demons?"
A burly man at the Core Formation late stage immediately approached, extending an invitation: "My name is You Tianhao. How about we form a team?"
"I apologize, but I prefer to travel alone."
Fang Xi flatly refused, not minding the man’s displeased expression. He approached one of the teleportation arrays, showed his command token, and then stepped on it.
"This teleportation is random, Sir. You will land in any spot within a certain area, which we have already scouted thoroughly. The Monster Clan appears less frequently there."
"I wish you a triumphant return, Sir!"
The Cultivator responsible for the teleportation solemnly congratulated him and cast a Magic Spell.
Silver Light flickered.
Heaven and Earth changed in an instant!
"This discomfort from the Short Distance Teleportation Array is indeed much lesser compared to the ancient arrays," Fang Xi murmured, observing the array’s radiance in the sky and the grassland beneath him, contemplating.
Just then, a Flame Wolf-like third-tier Monster Beast was passing by not far from him. It was mountainous in size and wrapped in flames.
Upon seeing Fang Xi, it instantly pounced towards him!
’This is considered a low frequency of Monster Beasts?’
Inwardly speechless, Fang Xi opened his mouth and exhaled a jet of pitch-black flames.
The Flame Wolf, upon seeing Fang Xi’s Magic Power fluctuate no more than Core Formation, roared boldly and spat out a crimson flame.
But as soon as the pitch-black flame appeared, the red fire was rapidly consumed by the black flame.
Then... the connection through the fires reached the Flame Wolf.
Crackle!
The black flame instantly engulfed the Monster Beast, and before it could even howl, it turned to a pile of ashes!