Chapter 735: Chapter 681: Congratulations (Best Wishes for the Cunning, Brave, and Spiritual Alliance Master)_1
Lake Heart Island Dongfu.
"Silly turtle, what are you afraid of?"
Fang Xi’s Divine Thought swept through and saw the Little Mysterious Turtle playing dead, prompting a laugh and a teasing remark.
Only then did the Little Mysterious Turtle cautiously poke its head out from the bottom of the lake, shrinking to the size of a palm, and settled behind his pant leg.
It blinked its watery eyes, watching two orbs of light descend.
Inside those orbs were, strikingly, two cultivators at the Returning to Emptiness stage!
One of them had a large head with only a sparse ring of white hair—it was none other than Chi Laoguai.
The other person had a stern expression and carried a long sword on his back, seemingly a sword cultivator.
"Sir, are you the Wang Family Ancestor?"
Chi Laoguai took the lead in clasping his hands and bowing, "I am ’Chi Songzi’, along with ’Guang Qianjian’, Sir Guang. Both of us are elders from the Elder Council of Moon Invitation Immortal City. Congratulations to Friend Wang on your breakthrough to Returning to Emptiness, becoming one of our peers!"
Guang Qianjian also performed an ancient courtesy.
Fang Xi’s gaze was immediately captured by the simple sword on Guang’s back.
Despite being sheathed, the sword possessed an unyielding sword intent, striking a note of awe even in Fang Xi.
’It must be a sixth-order sword artifact...’ he assessed internally.
Seeing this, Chi Songzi said with a smile, "Sir Guang is a sword cultivator, and this ’Thousand Thunder Sword’ that he treats as his life. Once unsheathed, its sword light is indeed splendidly peerless..."
"So it turns out you are a sword cultivator. My apologies for my oversight!"
Fang Xi replied with several courteous words, smiling.
Sword cultivators had always been known for their sharp offensive prowess among cultivators of the same level. Sword cultivators at the Returning to Emptiness stage could certainly dominate in the Earth Immortal Realm.
But to him, that was just the way it was.
Although not a pure sword cultivator, a swing of the fifth generation Green Barley Sword would reduce any sword cultivator, any Jianzi, to ashes...
’Hmm, after reaching Returning to Emptiness, I should be barely able to activate that damaged sword of the Immortal Mansion Rare Treasure level...’
’It seems that even without using the Supreme Northern Dipper Life-controlling Divine Light, my combat power amongst Returning to Emptiness cultivators is quite formidable...’
Fang Xi silently estimated, drawing a conclusion.
If he didn’t spare his Primordial Energy, both Chi Songzi and Guang Qianjian would merely be taken down with one strike from him...
If he employed the ’Supreme Northern Dipper Life-controlling Divine Light’, he might even be able to slaughter all the Returning to Emptiness cultivators of Moon Invitation Immortal City by himself!
After all, having just broken through a major realm, now he was on the same level as those Returning to Emptiness cultivators; using this great Divine Skill would not only avoid backlash, but also enhance it!
That is to say, targeting Returning to Emptiness cultivators, he could now reduce about ten years of their lifespan in just one year.
Only when facing Integration cultivators, he could shave off around one year of their lifespan every ten years...
And once he advances this great Divine Skill to the level of Small Accomplishments, it could become three years of lifespan shaved for every one year of an Integration cultivator!
With this confidence, Fang Xi’s interactions became very calm and natural, inviting the two Returning to Emptiness cultivators into the Dongfu for tea.
Chi Songzi followed Fang Xi into the Dongfu, his heart secretly marvelling.
Recalling his caution when he had first advanced, facing cultivators of the same level, he couldn’t help but feel that this ’Wang Family Ancestor’ had quite the demeanor of a great household, as if accustomed to grand scenes.
"This ’Five Colored Cloud Peak’ is something I stumbled upon by chance. The taste is quite unique, please have some!"
Fang Xi held up his teacup.
In his teacup, the tea leaves of five colors materialized like mist, taking the shape of pine and cypress trees.
Upon tasting the Spiritual Tea, a cool sensation flowed down his throat - indeed quite remarkable.
"Thank you..."
After expressing their thanks and savoring the tea, Chi Songzi and Guang Qianjian began to discuss some cultivation tips after reaching Returning to Emptiness.
As Fang Xi had just made his breakthrough, listening to these experiences for solidifying the early stage of Returning to Emptiness was quite beneficial. Realizing that the others were intentionally offering friendly advice, he quickly expressed his gratitude.
He too shared some of his own cultivation insights and experiences, which made Chi Songzi nod in approval.
"After a sword cultivator refines the sword into threads, the next step is to purify sword qi and sword intent, and ultimately nothing can withstand the cut... One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Laws!"
Guang Qianjian also spoke of his cultivation experiences.
Though his path as a sword cultivator differed from the others, Fang Xi still found it immensely intriguing.
"In this life, my grand ambition is to enter the Sword Realm and seek advice from the Sword Pavilion!"
In the end, Guang Qianjian revealed his aspiration.
"Sword Realm..."
Fang Xi was quite moved; after all, it was one of the 99 territories of the human race, a holy land for sword cultivators.
The Sword Pavilion was the largest Integration sect within the Sword Realm, housing even Integration-level sword cultivators.
It was rumored to have once produced one of the Five Sons of Human Race, who ruled supreme with his sword.
However, after that great figure’s Sitting and Transforming, the Sword Pavilion had fallen into a bit of decline.
"I’ve heard that the Sword Pavilion recently took in a disciple who caused the pavilion’s guardian sword to roar upon his initiation... That is an Immortal Mansion Rare Treasure level sword artifact. Although damaged, it is by no means ordinary... The head of that generation’s Sword Pavilion, wielding this sword, became one of the Five Sons of Human Race and even managed to dominate over the other four sons, leading gloriously for tens of thousands of years!"
Fang Xi commented emotionally.
"Right! That ’Sword Bearer’ is the greatest goal of my life..." Guang Qianjian’s eyes blazed with intense fighting spirit.
Fang Xi witnessed this scene, but shook his head in secret.
Although it was admirable for a sword cultivator to be indomitable, such a belligerent and mad style really wasn’t to his taste.
As a result, even though his Sword Path realm was commendable, he didn’t consistently delve into it.
Or rather, his sword techniques were filled with the essence of technology and brutality, brimming with a craftsman’s spirit, clearly not something that would catch Guang Qianjian’s favorable eye, so there was no need to embarrass himself by showing it.
"Speaking of geniuses, that disciple from the Star Sect of our territory with the ’Star Saint Body’ isn’t bad either, he has recently achieved Transcendent God, hasn’t he?"
Chi Songzi was quite sentimental, "What’s more admirable is that this person is adept at cultivating an invincible aura, hardly needing any rare Spirit Medicine to aid in the sprint to higher realms... Such cultivators, it is said, find it much easier than us to break through major realm barriers."
Fang Xi smiled faintly, knowing this person was probing the origin of his Returning to Emptiness, and said, "I’m not so lucky, I need essential aids to break through major boundaries... This time I was fortunate, found that evil dragon from the Dragon Controlling Sect in Mysterious Dark Abyss, killed it, obtained treasures, barely surpassed the bottleneck of Returning to Emptiness..."
Although he had altered the appearance of the Mixed Origin Heavenly Umbrella, it was used in facing the Major Heavenly Tribulation, and had already fallen into Moon Invitation Immortal City’s view; such Treasures of Thunder Transformation were incredibly rare, and a little guesswork revealed their origin.
As the Wang Family Ancestor came from the Mysterious Dark Abyss and was a local powerhouse, he discovered the grievously injured evil dragon, killed it, and acquired Dragon Controlling Sect’s millennia of accumulation. Although somewhat challenging, it was not impossible to understand—there are even more precious and whimsical opportunities in the Cultivation World...
Having acquired the Dragon Controlling Sect’s millennia of accumulation and the ’Mixed Origin Heavenly Umbrella’, it wasn’t an impossibility for the Wang Family Ancestor to make a breakthrough in Returning to Emptiness.
As for the subsequent coveting?
As a cultivator who had Returned to Emptiness, he already had the capability to guard these treasures, so Fang Xi wasn’t afraid of exposure.
After all, the most critical ’Mixed Origin Heavenly Umbrella’ was merely a sixth-tier treasure, of no use to the tribulation of the Integration cultivators, hence it couldn’t attract the attention of those cultivators.
And as for the cultivators who had Returned to Emptiness?
Even in the face of the peak powers of Returning to Emptiness, Fang Xi saw them merely as bearers of treasures and Immortal Jade!
"So it turns out Sir had acquired treasures from the Dragon Controlling Sect... No wonder your cultivation has progressed leaps and bounds."
Chi Songzi and Guang exchanged a look, both somewhat skeptical.
The person smiled slightly and presented a gift box: "I am here on behalf of Moon Invitation Immortal City to congratulate Sir on breaking through to Returning to Emptiness. May I inquire if Sir is interested in joining the ’Elder Council’?"
That was a direct offer of alliance.
After all, the Wang Family Ancestor with a clean background and status as a Returning to Emptiness cultivator, was well worth courting.
"That..."
Fang Xi hesitated for a moment.
"In Moon Invitation Immortal City, only Returning to Emptiness cultivators of the same level address each other as ’Sir’, absolutely without any coercion. Moreover, if Sir agrees, you could even relocate the Wang family here... With Sir taking residence, the Wang family would become a major power in the Returning to Emptiness Immortal City..."
Guang Qianjian spoke impassively of the benefits of joining Moon Invitation Immortal City.
While such advantages might make the Horse Family’s eyes light up, Fang Xi was disinterested.
Nevertheless, for the sake of maintaining the persona of the Wang Family Ancestor, he still had to listen.
After a moment’s silence, he finally said, "I have heard that within your esteemed Immortal City, there is also the position of guest, like the ’Master Zi Feng’ from the Profound Mystery Trade Association, who is an Immortal City guest?"
Chi Songzi nodded, "That’s correct, although being a guest is in name only... It doesn’t come with many benefits. However, if the Immortal City requests a guest to take action, they must negotiate the compensation in advance, and the guest has the right to refuse."
"In that case, I would be willing to serve as a guest for the Immortal City."
Fang Xi smiled faintly.
"A guest... so be it!"
Inducting a new Returning to Emptiness cultivator into the Elder Council would mean yielding many resources.
Becoming a guest would not necessitate such, aligning with Chi Songzi’s minimal expectations.
Subsequently, the three engaged in an exchange of profound topics, and Chi Songzi was the first to suggest taking leave.
After all, having just made a breakthrough in Returning to Emptiness, the Wang Family Ancestor needed time for seclusion to consolidate his cultivation...
...
After seeing off the two guests, Fang Xi slightly repaired the Array damaged by the tribulation and instructed the Little Mysterious Turtle, "I’m going into seclusion, do not let anyone disturb me!"
Thereupon, he entered the depths of his Dongfu and shut the doors of the secret chamber firmly.
Inside the quiet room, Fang Xi sat cross-legged, finally having the leisure to examine his own condition.
"After Returning to Emptiness, the Magic Power of the Kuyong Skills within has transformed, turning into Immortal Origin Energy! This energy, when used to refine my life-bound magical artifact, should swiftly promote the ’Life-Death Seal’ to the sixth tier... In addition, there is that ’Mysterious Dark Banner’ and the ’Divine Infant Sword’..."
Beyond these, most of Fang Xi’s fourth and fifth tier treasures could basically be discarded.
The Life-Death Seal and the Divine Infant Sword at least counted as life-bound magical artifacts and were easier to upgrade.
As for the ’Mysterious Dark Banner’, it was purely because of its excellent material, already half a sixth tier, that it had the potential for a straightforward promotion to the rank of a sixth-tier Returning to Emptiness treasure.
As for the other treasures, though not impossible to upgrade, the cost was too great, and the time required too long, and they could be directly abandoned.
Fang Xi extended his Divine Consciousness, and in an instant, he could barely sense a thousand miles around him.
"After breaking through to Returning to Emptiness, the range of Divine Consciousness has expanded, from Transcendent God’s couple hundred miles to over a thousand miles... Of course, the most important is lifespan! My lifespan has increased by about ten thousand years..."
A Perfect Transcendent God in the Earth Immortal Realm had a lifespan of around five thousand years; a breakthrough in a major realm would double that lifespan to ten thousand years.
That is to say, lifespan extension by five thousand years!
However, Fang Xi, possessing the ’Eternal Green Body’, saw his lifespan extension functionality greatly enhanced, actually extending an additional ten thousand years!
"As of now, my lifespan is close to the significant juncture of fifty thousand years... Even the regular Integration cultivators don’t live as long as I do..."
His expression shifted, the light of the Heavenly Spirit flashed, and his main Green Grain Nascent Soul emerged.
At this moment, the main Nascent Soul looked like a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old Fang Xi, with a somewhat youthful appearance.
He formed hand signs, continually channeling magic power into the ’Fifth Generation Green Barley Sword’.
This green sword with wood grain patterns suddenly roared to life, with strands of dark green radiance emerging, coalescing into a sword blade...