Chapter 606: Chapter 604: Annihilation (Seeking Subscription)_1
"A draw?"
A bitter smile appeared on Wang Lingdao’s face as he acknowledged that the cultivator before him was formidable with demon fire, and that he was no match for him whatsoever.
The other party was affording his ancestor some respect.
"Sir, your divine skills are astonishing, and I am truly no match..."
He sighed, "Regarding today’s matters... I admit defeat wholeheartedly and unreservedly."
"That’s great."
Within the array, smiles of joy emerged on the faces of Meng Zhuzi and the other two.
"Then, according to our previous agreement of ten moves, it seems I can make a small request within my capabilities?"
A mischievous smile curled on the corners of Fang Xi’s lips, "Since that’s the case, my request is... should the Wang family take control of the market, this dongfu will remain in my possession, and in addition, I’ve taken quite a liking to the nearby scenery."
As soon as these words were spoken, Meng Zhuzi and the others were stunned.
Wang Lingdao had a moment of realization, "Indeed, a dongfu within a radius of five hundred li is indeed confining for someone of your stature. I promise, should our Contrary Water Alliance seize control of the market, a thousand li of territory will be designated for you!"
"That would be splendid."
Fang Xi, seeing the other party so accommodating, did not mind granting him some face.
The power of the array roared, and Meng Zhuzi and the other two were sent out.
Meng Zhuzi, Ke Pingyuan, and Zuo Xiaoxuan were intimidated by the magic power of the two Nascent Soul cultivators; their hearts felt as if sinking into an abyss.
Suddenly!
Meng Zhuzi stepped forward with a deep bow, "Your insightfulness is clear, sir. On the day when the Transcendent God Demon acted, I was always within the market, and Mr. Qing Hezi along with many others can bear witness for me!"
This person was also a figure of some mettle, aware that the Wang family’s true concern was not the insignificant matter with Tao Zilan but the situation with the Transcendent God Demon!
Although the three of them had been interrogated by the Black Water Sect several times, it was confirmed that they were not greatly involved.
But it would not be surprising if the Wang family wanted to confirm this themselves.
Such a grand Transcendent God force naturally regarded the life and death of a few Core Formation cultivators as insignificant as ants and would not hesitate to use the most brutal Soul-Searching Secret Skills to ensure the most accurate restoration of the situation!
Therefore, it was imperative to clear his name first!
As soon as these words were spoken, Ke Pingyuan and Zuo Xiaoxuan wore incredulous expressions, "Big brother... you..."
"Haha!"
Wang Lingdao burst into a hearty laugh upon seeing Meng Zhuzi’s actions, "You do know the current affairs... However, the Black Water Sect has already investigated the matter of the Transcendent God Demon and found no clues. Clearly, you are unaware... Today I’ve decided to do Mr. Qing Hezi another favor and let you off... Haha..."
With a hearty laugh, he transformed into a golden light and headed in the direction of the market.
Fang Xi watched this scene speechless.
But this was probably a common affliction of high-level cultivators, who, upon acquiring power, believed they could dominate the fate of lower-level cultivators and toy with their lives.
Meng Zhuzi watched Wang Lingdao leave, his face turning extremely dark in an instant. He turned to Fang Xi and bowed, "Sir, I shall take my leave!"
Immediately turning into a streak of light, he also made his way towards the market.
"Stop right there... All the savings of our many years have always been with you, and now that our bonds are severed, give them back to me."
Ke Pingyuan roared in distress, but Meng Zhuzi, as if he hadn’t heard him at all, quickly disappeared from view.
"Hehe... it turns out our Qing Mountain Five Righteousness was a joke from the very start!"
Zuo Xiaoxuan watched this scene and couldn’t help but sneer.
Within her laughter, it seemed as if glistening tears quietly slid down...
Fang Xi watched this scene silently.
He had long seen all the facets of the mortal world and was not surprised at this point...
...
The chaotic night finally passed.
Fang Xi rode a beam of demon light, returning once again to Kong Sang Market.
By now the market was without array protection, with its gates wide open.
Buildings on either side of the streets had collapsed in many places, and the ground was crisscrossed with gullies, most of which were created by the bombardment of magic tools and spells.
Among the ruins were also corpses that had been plundered by individual cultivators, their storage bags and even spiritual robes had been completely stripped away...
Passing cultivators were mostly in a rush, unable to hide joy or sorrow on their faces.
In front of the Black Water Pavilion, there was a special group of cultivators in dark black robes, presumably from the ’Contrary Water Alliance.’
Surrounding them was a circle of individual cultivators, pointing and commenting towards the middle.
With a sweep of his divine consciousness, Fang Xi saw Manager Liu’s body, suspended in the air with a hollow abdomen, as if the viscera had been scooped out...
Beneath the corpse, there was also a golden oil lamp, glittering with light, a flame constantly burning a patch of golden clouds above it.
Within the golden light, it appeared as though there was a Nascent Soul trapped.
Looking at its features, it vaguely resembled Manager Liu...
Around Manager Liu, there were many other corpses, likely disciples of the Black Water Sect.
"Everyone..."
At this moment, Wang Lingdao walked out from the Black Water Pavilion and flicked his finger.
The old signboard of the Black Water Pavilion shattered, "Today is the auspicious opening day of our Wang family’s ’Wanbao Pavilion,’ and we kindly ask everyone to show their support..."
Inside Kong Sang Market, Array Masters had begun to repair the arrays; everything was in a state of needing to be revitalized.
’Heaven and Earth turned upside down, the sea becomes mulberry fields... This is all.’
Fang Xi didn’t linger in the market too long but went straight back to Mount Sang Qing.
It wasn’t long before Wang Lingdao personally made a visit, exchanged a new contract and Prohibition Order Token, and designated Mount Sang Qing as well as a thousand miles of land to Fang Xi, even waiving a hundred years of rent.
Fang Xi, of course, accepted with a smile, effectively choosing his side and setting Wang Lingdao’s mind at ease.
"Recently, it truly is... a vast expanse of nothingness. Quite clean indeed."
After a moment of sentiment for the Black Water Sect, he took out a Voice Transmission Talisman and flicked it casually.
The talisman turned into a streak of firelight and shot out instantly.
Half an hour later.
A figure arrived in front of the Peach Blossom Forest at Mount Sang Qing and bowed respectfully, "Zuo Xiaoxuan pays respects to the elder."
"Hmm, where is your third brother?"
Fang Xi leaned against a peach tree, arms folded, and casually inquired.
"Third Brother has lost all hope and has decided to return to his hometown..."
Zuo Xiaoxuan replied.
"It’s for the best... At least he can stay far from strife and live an ordinary and stable life, to flourish and prosper..."
Fang Xi smiled faintly, "Then why haven’t you left?"
"Because... I am not content!"
Zuo Xiaoxuan clenched her teeth and knelt down, displaying her curvaceous figure before Fang Xi.
The woman’s appearance was above average, but what truly stood out was her vibrant and spirited demeanor.
"You want to avenge your elder brother?" Fang Xi asked with interest.
"He is not my brother!"
Zuo Xiaoxuan bit her lip hard.
"Interesting..." Fang Xi responded noncommittally as he juggled a fruit in his hand, tossing it up and catching it at will.
"A Five Elements Spirit Fruit?!"
Zuo Xiaoxuan’s eyes lit up at the sight of the Five Elements Spirit Fruit.
This was something that could change her fate!
"Judging from your aura, the quality of your Spiritual Root is quite mediocre. It seems you’ve attempted Core Formation once before and failed... Without the aid of extremely rare spiritual objects, you probably have no hope of achieving the Golden Core Grand Path in this lifetime..."
Fang Xi’s gaze moved over Zuo Xiaoxuan as he asked, "The question is, why should I bestow this fruit upon you?"
Zuo Xiaoxuan bit her lip, "What that person has done for you, I can also achieve!"
"Oh? Then tell me, what is the current state of affairs between the Contrary Water Alliance and the Black Water Sect?"
Fang Xi asked offhandedly.
Although such intelligence would eventually spread, it was still good for testing.
"It is... rumored that last night, the Black Water Sect was crushed by the ’Dragon Controlling Sect’, and someone saw that the Returning to Emptiness old dragon took action. Under its strike of Heaven and Earth Primordial Energy, the sect’s gate was obliterated, leaving only an unfathomable claw print behind..."
Zuo Xiaoxuan answered, her body trembling.
"The Returning to Emptiness Dragon tribe..."
Fang Xi mused poignantly.
Returning to Emptiness cultivators could directly manipulate the Power of Heaven and Earth, which could subdivide into Immortal Origin Energy, True Demon qi, and Sky Demon Qi.
And within the Immortal Origin Energy, there came divisions like Fire Spiritual Power, Wood Spiritual Power, Wind and Thunder Spiritual Power, and so on.
Thus, what Returning to Emptiness cultivators could control was a Power of Heaven and Earth far surpassing that of Perfect Transcendent Gods!
Even a casual display of a single spell could reverberate across ten thousand miles!
"With Black Water Sect reduced to such a state, the Wang family must have made considerable effort..." Fang Xi sighed, "What happened to the three Transcendent God cultivators?"
The fate of the other Black Water Sect members wasn’t important—the key lay with the three on the Transcendent God level!
"It is said that the Great Elder, who was in the midst of Transcendent God stage, used an Array to briefly impede the old dragon, and then he, along with the entire Black Water Sect’s Great Array, were crushed into dust... Of the other two Transcendent God cultivators, one was overtaken and killed by the Dragon Controlling Sect, while the whereabouts of the last one remain unknown..."
Zuo Xiaoxuan said.
"That Great Elder truly met a fitting end... After all, he didn’t have many years remaining." Fang Xi reflected, at first thinking that the old dragon from the Returning to Emptiness stage was showing leniency with one escaping! However, considering that the Black Water Sect’s Great Elder could stall a power of the Returning to Emptiness stage with an Array, it didn’t seem unreasonable.
As for the Dragon Controlling Sect, the rest were only on the Transcendent God cultivation level. So if they possessed any Divine Mysterious Escape Skills or Life-saving Secret Skills, it was possible for someone to escape.
’Speaking strictly, even though the Dragon Controlling Sect has forces on the Returning to Emptiness stage, their upper ranks don’t exceed the Transcendent God cultivation level... Seems like I don’t fear them either. What joy would it be to annihilate the Dragon Controlling Sect and seize the Blood Soul Order Token that controls the old dragon, wouldn’t it?’
A hint of greed flashed through Fang Xi’s mind.
He, better than anyone, understood that his true self could not guarantee a win against a Transcendent God from the Demon tribe.
But up against a Perfect Transcendent God from the human race, it would be utterly decisive, earning him the title of Illusionary God in civil strife!
The Dragon Controlling Sect was famous for its Beast-controlling Skills, so that old dragon at the Returning to Emptiness stage must have been under specific Prohibitions, controlled by a token.
Fang Xi had also cultivated some Beast-controlling Skills and thus had a good understanding of the principles involved.
The first-generation beast controllers would have signed extremely stringent Master-Servant Contracts with Spiritual Beasts, just like Fang Xi. Should his current true self die, both Daqing and Xiao Qing, Taisui, and even the Ancestral Demon Tree would undoubtedly perish!
On the other hand, the Land Mountain Turtle and Demon Lord Chi Lian, whose Divine Souls were under Prohibition, still had a chance of survival.
Because controlling their life and death was not the Divine Soul of Fang Xi’s true self, but rather objects like the ’soul tablets’ where their Divine Souls were stored!
Fang Xi surmised that the Dragon Controlling Sect’s ancestor probably also started with a tyrannical enslavement contract on that old dragon.
When the ancestor was approaching his end and could no longer avoid it, he extracted part of the dragon’s Divine Soul. Then after imposing harsh prohibitions, he crafted a Blood Soul Order Token to control it, leaving the Returning to Emptiness might to his descendants.
Otherwise, the old dragon would certainly have entered extinction alongside the ancestor of the Dragon Controlling Sect, which would have been a great loss...
Many beast-controlling families have done this, raising powerful Spiritual Beasts, then applying Prohibitions, and leaving them for their progeny as a legacy.
Therefore, in the Cultivation World, the older the beast-controlling famiły is, especially those with ancestors who were powerful cultivators that commanded long-lived Spiritual Pets, the more daunting they are, for no one knew how many family heirloom Spiritual Beasts were hidden within their beast pens!