Chapter 459: Chapter 457 Seven Emotions (Seeking Monthly Pass)_1
"My second Nascent Soul has not been damaged in its Primordial Energy..."
Fang Xi stroked his chin, seemingly reminiscing, "I was just wondering if there were any trading platforms nearby, that’s all..."
In the past decades, he had spent most of his time planting trees in the three countries, and many of the materials he carried were significantly depleted.
He indeed wanted to replenish his supplies, but, with the Monster Clan descending into chaos, many of the usual markets had vanished...
"Trading platforms?!"
Nangong Li pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "There is indeed one. It’s a private exchange meeting for Nascent Soul Cultivators like us... There are many good things, but it’s also quite dangerous."
"Oh? Is it hosted by the Departure Demon Palace?" Fang Xi’s interest piqued.
At the mention of this, Nangong Li’s expression suddenly became a bit odd, "No... the private exchange is organized by ’Unfettered Duke’!"
"Unfettered Duke?"
Fang Xi’s gaze sharpened slightly, and then he remembered.
He had heard of this person’s great reputation when chatting with his three companions about wine and meat.
The Unfettered Duke was a famous figure in Jiang Country, a mid-stage Nascent Soul Cultivator with an unparalleled mastery of the ’Cloud Escape Skill’!
Moreover, he was an Individual Cultivator, not cultivating at a rank four Spiritual Vein, alone without any kin or disciples...
In other words, he really didn’t have any weaknesses, and so he was incredibly defiant and took vengeance for every slight.
There was a rumor that a Core Formation heir of the Death Demon Palace had offended him and had his soul drawn out and refined...
Latter, the Demon Lord Tian Du personally took action and fought a great battle with him. Although Tian Du won, he still allowed the Unfettered Duke to escape successfully!
Since then, his name echoed throughout both the right and wrong paths!
He was also one of the old Nascent Soul monsters who clearly stated his neutrality since the descent of the Monster Clan!
"It’s actually him!?"
Fang Xi was somewhat astonished, "That does sound promising..."
"You will not be disappointed, sir. It is said that this private exchange is a joint effort by him and a few other fellows... They don’t question the trader’s background or even race!" Nangong Li hinted meaningfully, particularly emphasizing the last word.
"Race?"
Fang Xi was shocked, "Could it be that members of the Monster Clan are participating as well?!"
"Why not? For beings like us, who have already stood at the pinnacle of our respective realms, why should we fight to the death over the illusory fortunes of the two races? Even though there are some powerful figures pressuring us openly... what’s wrong with conducting trade in private?"
Nangong Li smiled gently, "The Unfettered Duke has not just organized this kind of private exchange once or twice, and the number of participants is increasing! Moreover... the Monster Clan has not only came from a higher realm; some native rank four Transformed Great Demons actually have quite a bit of rapport with our human race’s Nascent Soul cultivators... "
"With such an intersection between the two worlds, there are bound to be many rare and exotic treasures indeed..."
Fang Xi took a deep breath, "In that case... I would need you to introduce me, sir."
"Hehe, naturally. But you need to be careful to conceal your identity, or else with your notorious fame, the moment you appear at the auction, you may be surrounded by the Monster Clan!"
Nangong Li laughed, shaking like a flower in the breeze, his curiosity apparent, "Did you really kill a mid-grade rank four Wind Wing Tiger?"
"Oh? Has that news already spread?"
Fang Xi nodded, "Indeed... I even skinned its hide, took its Demon Pill... I wonder if anyone would dare to buy them at the exchange?"
"I’m afraid there will be many interested..."
Nangong Li replied with a smile.
...
Several days later, Fang Xi transformed into a streak of black light and left Ruyi Valley.
Although the Eighteen Heavenly Demons Dance was indeed beautiful, too much of it would also become tedious.
Moreover, he was carrying the ’Resented Spirit Trace’, making it very unsafe for him to attend such a perilous exchange meeting.
Therefore, before participating, he decided to meet with the Demon Lord Tian Du first.
Icefiend Lake.
The place had long since become a forbidden zone, with only the cities built by Cultivators still standing resolutely.
Array after Array rose up, filled with Evil Qi.
In the sky above, a Seven-colour Tower Ship floated, seemingly suppressing everything.
’Compared to the Patrol Sky Warship of The Nine States, it still lacks a certain flair...’
From afar, with a flicker of black light, Fang Xi’s figure appeared.
He landed outside the Array, and a Voice Transmission Talisman flew out.
Before long, a streak of Escape Light came flying in, revealing a Core Formation Demon Cultivator, "Mr. Yun Jiezi, please wait aboard the Seven Treasure Building Boat. The Supreme Elder is in seclusion and will meet you shortly..."
"Hmm!"
Fang Xi, with a stern expression, followed him onto the Seven Treasure Building Boat and was arranged to wait in a side hall.
He looked around at the furnishings, quite satisfied, and sat down cross-legged to quietly recover his spirit.
After several hours, a powerful Divine Consciousness swept across.
Then, the young-looking Demon Lord Tian Du with a pair of silver eyebrows and a vermilion mole between them appeared at the door, "Mr. Yun Jiezi, you have finally arrived."
"When the Demon Lord calls, I dare not disobey!"
Fang Xi gave a slight bow, "According to our last agreement, one move in exchange for the method to dispel the ’Resented Spirit Trace.’ Do you perhaps want me to attack ’Tianli Plains’?"
"Sir already knows," came the reply.
Demon Lord Tian Du’s expression remained unchanged, "In such a grand battle, we need an expert like yourself... and rest assured, I will also take part in the battle."
"How does the Monster Clan’s power compare to those of our rank on our side?"
Fang Xi did not agree immediately. After pondering for a while, he first inquired about the strength of the Monster Clan.
"Tianli Plains should be personally guarded by the elders of the Heavenly Phoenix Clan. That Monster Bird has the power of a fourth-grade superior, and I will hold it off... Apart from this, there are no fewer than twenty Transformed Great Demons of the fourth grade, and a large Monster Army," said the Demon Lord Tian Du. "But Mr. Yun Jiezi, you mustn’t take them lightly..."
’No, I do care a lot,’ Fang Xi thought to himself, then frowned, "This battle is too dangerous, what about the thing you promised me?"
Demon Lord Tian Du smiled slightly, "The methods you entrusted to deliver for the refinement of the ’Three Demon Slaying Treasures’ and the ’Beast-controlling Ring’ really helped us immensely. Even if you hadn’t asked, I had decided to give you your reward first."
He gestured with his hand, and a jade slip glided smoothly to float in front of Fang Xi.
Without moving his hands, Fang Xi used a streak of blue Magic Power to form a large hand that grasped the pitch-black jade slip.
Then, he sent his Divine Consciousness into it and was slightly shocked, "The Seven Emotions and Sorrows Script? It’s a Secret Skill for cultivating the Divine Soul? Using the seven emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, aversion, and desire to temper one’s Divine Consciousness..."
"The Resented Spirit Trace originally has no solution. It is derived from my cultivation of a Secret Skill, which is the ’Seven Emotions and Sorrows Script.’ To dispel the Resented Spirit Trace, you must cultivate the first level of this Secret Skill..." Demon Lord Tian Du said with a faint smile, "This is a rare Secret Skill to enhance Divine Consciousness, definitely worth more than its weight in gold... If it had been another fellow cultivator rather than yourself, I really would have had to consider it."
Fang Xi rapidly scanned the cultivation technique with his Divine Consciousness and saw indeed the method to break the curse, nodding slightly, "No wonder the Resented Spirit Trace is so troublesome... Rest assured, Sir. On the day of the decisive battle, I will surely fight..."
He bowed to take his leave, transformed into a demonic light, and left the Seven Treasure Building Boat.
Demon Lord Tian Du watched Fang Xi’s departure with an unfathomable look in his eyes.
...
Inside a temporary Dongfu.
Fang Xi set down the ’Seven Emotions and Sorrows Script’ he had been pondering for quite some time, "Such a Divine Consciousness technique naturally can’t be mastered overnight... One must cultivate the first level to turn the ’Resented Spirit Trace’ into nourishment for the Divine Consciousness and gradually refine it... How did Demon Lord Tian Du come up with such an ingenious method? It seems... he also once bore many Resented Spirit Traces..."
He currently could not master the first level of the technique quickly but had found a compromise.
"Seven Emotions Locking Soul... This Secret Skill can temporarily conceal the fluctuations of my own Resented Spirit Trace? It can also be used in an emergency..."
He sat cross-legged, silently recalling the incantations.
After this period of contemplation, Fang Xi had gained a deep understanding of the ’Seven Emotions and Sorrows Script.’
Moreover, he didn’t need to master the skill now; just using part of it was not a big problem with his powerful Divine Consciousness.
"The five colors blind the eye, the five sounds deafen the ear, the five flavors dull the taste... Joy brings worry, extreme anger causes harm, sorrow leads to a dead heart, fear makes one’s gallbladder cold..."
Fang Xi silently chanted the incantations, and suddenly his hand gestures changed.
Around him, a mask representing joy, bright red with a grotesque, smiling face, emerged.
Next was a pitch-black mask representing anger...
And a dark green mask of sorrow...
One by one, the masks glowed and began to revolve around Fang Xi...
"Seven Emotions Locking Soul, Seal!" Fang Xi changed his hand seals and shouted.
In an instant, a mask representing ’desire’ covered his face, twisting his features.
Next was a mask representing the emotion of ’disgust’...
One by one, the masks covered his face, completely hiding his original appearance.
After this, Fang Xi could feel seven different emotions come to various parts of his Sea of Consciousness, each acting like a nail, fixing a part of his Sea of Consciousness...
’Sure enough, the Resented Spirit Trace targets the Divine Soul... Even if I were to undergo Soul Possession and reincarnate, I would probably still not be able to shake it off.’
An epiphany emerged in his mind.
Once everything was complete, Fang Xi, wearing the seven masks, dispelled his Magic Power.
The masks seemed to merge into his face completely, causing a layer of dreamlike, seven-colored mist to appear on his face.
’This technique was originally an auxiliary method for hiding one’s form and aura, but Demon Lord Tian Du discovered it could be used to temporarily seal the traces of the Resented Spirit Trace...’
’I’ll use it for now and go to the auction... Once the auction and the battle are over, there will be enough time to practice the Magic Spell, completely eliminating the hidden danger.’
Fang Xi pondered for a moment and exhaled a long breath.
...
Several months later.
Two figures, clad in pitch-black cloaks completely hiding their identities, arrived at a desolate wilderness.
"Is this the meeting point chosen by the Unfettered Duke?" Fang Xi, wearing a rattan wood mask and with an obscure aura, asked.
"Indeed, this place seems ordinary, but there are other secrets underground..." Nangong Li laughed, "And there is not a single Prohibition or Array, it is a completely open marketplace..."