Chapter 595: Chapter 593: Five Sworn Brothers (Seeking Monthly Tickets)_1
"Recently venturing a million miles deep into the Mysterious Dark Abyss, the dangers of Ghost Gate Reef are enough to bring about the fall of Core Formation cultivators, though it’s hard to say for Nascent Soul cultivators..."
"Another three million miles inward lies the ’Misty Sea,’ and the rumored ’Sea Eye Land’ at the center of the Mysterious Dark Abyss. What unknown perils might be hidden there?"
Fang Xi muttered to himself as the Core Formation Puppet beside him deftly arranged a series of items.
Among them was a fishing net woven from ’Black Nirvana Silkworm’ threads, as well as a fishing rod made of bamboo, the main material being ’ten thousand year iron bamboo.’ Its surface emitted a dark iron hue, yet it possessed an unbelievable resilience. The fishing line was naturally made from the silk of the ’Black Nirvana Silkworm,’ but this particular silk came from the king of silkworms.
Although he wasn’t really a professional angler, Fang Xi liked to have the best preparations when enjoying life.
He steered the Spirit Boat into the Ghost Gate Reef area, and stopped in front of a reef that resembled cattle horns, then went to the bow with his fishing rod and net.
He first tried casting the net a few times, bringing up nothing of value, save for a few Black Fish and snakes that launched surprise attacks, which Fang Xi easily sliced into pieces, planning to make a pot of snake soup.
Next, he picked up the fishing rod and strung a red worm onto the hook before casting it into the black waters.
The ’Red Iron Worm’ he used was a favorite of the Black Water Giant Salamanders. Fishing with this bait, one could expect spectacular results.
The bait was also purchased from the Kong Sang Market, and it wasn’t exactly cheap.
One can only say that Black Water Sect truly monopolized the entire supply chain, having these fishing cultivators firmly in their grasp.
Fang Xi held the fishing rod in one hand and yawned with the other.
Several hours later, he suddenly jerked the rod back.
Whoosh!
The Mysterious Dark Heavy Water parted, and a Giant Salamander as thick as an adult’s arm was pulled out.
This Giant Salamander was blue-black all over, with a crimson belly speckled with blood spots, four limbs, and a head and tail that moved like a Flood Dragon.
"Indeed a dragon breed, with quite a rich Bloodline energy... But this one is a bit pitiful, only possessing twenty or thirty years worth of Monster Qi cultivation... it’s insignificant, wouldn’t fetch much at the market."
Fang Xi grabbed the Giant Salamander, played with it briefly, then carelessly threw it back into the water.
This kind of Giant Salamander often needed at least two hundred years of cultivation to be of great use.
At five hundred years of cultivation, they would grow horns on their heads and further undergo a Dragon Transformation. They were among the best of the third-order Monster beasts, and capturing one would be quite the effort.
And according to legend, these Black Salamanders would truly transform into dragons after a thousand years of cultivation, and not just any dragon like the mixed-breed Daqing, but one with a Bloodline rich in True Dragon heritage, even among the Monster Clan, they could be recognized as princes of the Flood Dragon race...
"It’s just that a thousand-year-old Giant Salamander, after its Dragon Transformation would likely be as formidable as a Transformed Great Demon... Ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators would just be delivering themselves as food..."
"Black Water Sect has always had a bounty for this kind of Giant Salamander, could it be they are after the purified dragon blood? Could this sect possess special refinement secrets for Essence Blood?"
All Fang Xi could do was speculate.
The Essence Blood of the Monster Clan’s kings is useful whether for cultivating Divine Skills, refining treasures or even practicing special cultivation techniques.
If the human race could modify Demon Cultivator techniques from the Ancient Demon Tribe, the Monster Clan’s techniques could certainly be adapted too.
In the Earth Immortal Realm, there were also some people from the human race who practiced as ’Monster cultivators,’ most of whom possessed half-monster bloodlines. There were also proud individuals who practiced both human and monster techniques to prepare for a ’human-monster union’ and break through to the Returning to Emptiness realm in the future.
Of course, Fang Xi didn’t care about purified dragon blood; after all, he already had fifth-order Crocodile Blood.
At this moment, he was merely fishing for fun and cast another line.
As he waited for a bite, suddenly a Spirit Boat approached.
Several cultivators stood faintly on the boat, both male and female, led by a man in a purple robe who was handsome, had a commanding presence, and whose cultivation seemed to be in the later stages of Core Formation.
Among a group of fishermen, he could already be considered deeply cultivated.
Upon seeing Fang Xi fishing alone, he instinctively wanted to move forward and strike up a conversation. However, after scanning with his Divine Consciousness, a cold sweat formed on his forehead.
The people of the Earth Immortal Realm were far from peaceful, especially so in the Mysterious Dark Abyss, where it was normal for cultivators to die daily.
Meeting a high-level cultivator here might not be a good thing.
"Big brother, Ghost Gate Reef is so vast, and to encounter a fellow cultivator truly seems fated... but it looks like he has taken a few good spots that we had scouted out before..."
A blue-robed scholar frowned and said through Divine Consciousness Transmission.
With inferior cultivation, he couldn’t see through Fang Xi’s true power, but he still knew that cultivators who fished alone at sea were not to be trifled with, as they were sure to possess some unique skills.
"Don’t be rude, this is a Nascent Soul cultivator. He wouldn’t compete with us over such small catches..."
The purple-robed man had just reprimanded when he heard his little sister cheer, "I got one..."
He looked over to see the senior had reeled in his rod, pulling up a black salamander.
"How is it you again?!"
Fang Xi looked at the Giant Salamander he had just released, feeling extremely speechless.
And the Giant Salamander also looked back at him with wide eyes, appearing very innocent.
This reminded Fang Xi of a certain Dead Salted Fish that had tricked its way into Transformation by deceit and free meals, causing him to sneer, "Thinking of more freeloading? I’m not falling for that..."
With a wave of his hand, a surge of Magic Power enveloped the Giant Salamander and flung it far away.
"Oh!"
At that moment, from a Spirit Boat not far away, a young girl dressed in a peach-colored skirt exclaimed in surprise, "That person... why did you let the Large Salamander go? Although that Large Salamander seemed to have a weak cultivation base, if taken to a medicine shop, it could fetch quite a few Spirit Stones!"
"Little sister must not be rude!"
The man in the purple robe, startled, scolded hurriedly before bowing to Fang Xi, "We have disturbed the elder, please do not take offense!"
The little sister, with only Foundation Establishment cultivation, looked at her elder brother and then at Fang Xi, somewhat incredulous.
Was this black-clad cultivator actually a Nascent Soul ancestor?
Why did he appear so young?
Although Fang Xi had concealed his true face, he did not intentionally disguise himself as an old man; his face was handsome, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes. Apart from the hint of Evil Qi between his brows, he was quite striking.
"It’s fine, you all come over here, I have something to ask."
Fang Xi put away the fishing rod, saying casually.
When those cultivators came aboard Fang Xi’s boat, they saw Core Formation Puppets bringing out tables and chairs, setting up a banquet, which caused them to feel even more awe.
’Does this elder’s Puppets possess the strength to easily take us down... and near the Mysterious Dark Abyss, is there a Nascent Soul cultivator famous for their Mechanism Puppeteer Skills?’
The man in the purple robe felt a chill in his heart, and then he clasped his fists and bowed, "My name is Meng Zhuzi, and I have had the honor to meet the elder."
"I am Zhu Hong, and I have had the honor to meet the elder!" Zhu Hong, dressed like a scholar with his Core Formation at the mid-phase, looked very shrewd.
"Tao Zilan... I have had the honor to meet the elder!" Tao Zilan was the girl in the peach-colored skirt who had spoken earlier, with her cultivation only around Foundation Establishment.
Afterward, two more cultivators stepped forward to pay their respects.
...
Among these five cultivators, three were at Core Formation, two at Foundation Establishment, which was a basic configuration for a small team in the Mysterious Dark Abyss.
It was evident; Meng Zhuzi was the leader, with Zhu Hong acting as the brains of the operation.
Even though their cultivation bases were different, these five were sworn brothers and sisters, bound by duty and honor, and had been making a living in the Mysterious Dark Abyss for decades.
"So you all are here for fishing as well..."
Fang Xi laughed heartily, "It seems I have occupied your treasured spot. Consider this meal an invitation from me as repayment for the causality incurred."
Meng Zhuzi was about to refuse when he saw Zhu Hong signaling him, and immediately changed his tone, "In that case... many thanks to the elder."
Fang Xi clapped his hands, instructing the Puppets to serve the prepared Black Snake and Black Fish on the table, and then opened a jar of Spirit Wine.
Zhu Hong and the other person managed alright, but Tao Zilan was taken aback, "This is a third-grade Black Water Demon Beast... The Black Water Mysterious Snake is extremely difficult to kill, and yet it has been made into a rare delicacy..."
"As long as you like it," Fang Xi raising his cup, "Cheers!"
As a Nascent Soul proposing a toast, these cultivators naturally did not dare to refuse, and they all drained their cups.
After three rounds of drinks, once they started discussing other matters, they began to loosen up a bit more.
Fang Xi then learned that these five had joined forces to come to the Mysterious Dark Abyss mainly to gather various items needed for their cultivation.
Not to mention the Condensation Infancy Pill spiritual objects for the two Foundation Establishments, their elder brother, at a young age, had already reached the late phase of Core Formation and needed to prepare for the Infant Condensing phase. Without coming to the Mysterious Dark Abyss, even spending all their family wealth wouldn’t guarantee them a single Infant Condensing spiritual object.
"Once every hundred years, the Black Water Sect holds a grand auction where Infant Transformation Pills, Condensation Infancy Pills, and other Infant Condensing spiritual objects frequently appear..."
Tao Zilan remarked with emotion, then suddenly realized something and turned to say, "Although Ghost Gate Reef is among the four danger zones the least perilous, one can still perish by accident... It’s said that last year, someone encountered a fourth-grade Demon Beast undergoing a fifth-grade Transcendent God Heaven Tribulation in the Misty Sea and was so frightened they fled in panic..."
Fang Xi silently chuckled to himself, aware that this small team might have some savings. Tao Zilan’s reluctance to elaborate further indicated she feared that their Nascent Soul cultivator might turn to robbery.
However, he became interested in the fifth-grade Transcendent God Demon Beast, "So there are Transcendent Great Demons as well? This Mysterious Dark Abyss is indeed fraught with immense dangers..."
"Indeed... the Sea Eye Land of the Mysterious Dark Abyss is even more so. After all, this endless Mysterious Dark Heavy Water is connected to an unknown underground water vein, fraught with danger at every turn. Even Transcendent God cultivators dare not probe too deeply into the Sea Eye..."
Zhu Hong explained with a smile, while subtly probing the reason for Fang Xi’s visit to this place.
After all, ’Ghost Gate Reef’ was typically a place for Core Formation and Foundation Establishment cultivators to explore. A Nascent Soul cultivator was somewhat overqualified.
"I actually wanted to see the sights of the Mysterious Dark Abyss... It’s just that I’m somewhat afraid of dying, so I didn’t want to go to the more dangerous places. I came to ’Ghost Gate Reef’ to vacation and have a bit of fun..."
Fang Xi was candid.
And the cultivators like Tao Zilan were left speechless.
They had struggled in the Mysterious Dark Abyss for a bit of cultivation resources, while he was here for leisure...
Well, as a Nascent Soul cultivator, one just needs to be careful. In the Ghost Gate Reef region, it indeed seemed like the risk was not too high as long as they did not venture further.
This elder seemed to be very cautious in his approach.
Fang Xi was about to lift his cup for another drink when his Divine Consciousness swept over something, and his expression suddenly changed!