Several days later.
Within a dense forest.
The light was dim, with only a few luminous pearls suspended high above, radiating a soft, glimring glow.
Amid layered shadows, several figures with concealed faces drifted in.
Fang Qing wore a bamboo hat and was draped in a black cloak, mingling among them as well.
Clearly, he had co again to attend an exchange gathering—one with the nature of a black market.
‘This ti, I must reveal a bit of wealth—just enough to attract a few bandit cultivators, but not so much that it stirs the Dao Foundation.’
Fang Qing’s gaze flickered as he prepared to employ his True Power, forcibly converting a fated individual into a disciple to serve as his eyes and ears here.
With his current Eighth Layer Qi Ingestion True Power, combined with a full set of top-grade magical artifacts and Second-Tier talismans, even if he encountered an expert at the Ninth Layer of Qi Ingestion, he could defeat them. As long as he did not provoke those of the Dao Foundation Realm, he had little to fear.
Naturally, before acting, he would certainly divine auspiciousness and misfortune to avoid entangling himself.
At this mont, he had concealed four layers of cultivation using the Dao-Birth Pearl, appearing as a cultivator at the Fourth Layer of Qi Ingestion.
It was not that he wanted to go any lower, but if a minor fellow at the First or Second Layer of Qi Ingestion displayed wealth at an exchange gathering, it would instead make others feel as though he were fishing for prey.
He leaned halfway against a pine cypress tree. After waiting a mont, more than thirty people had gathered around.
“Everyone… you all know the rules, right? Money and goods settled cleanly; once outside the forest, no acknowledgnt.”
A tall male cultivator with a hoarse voice spoke first. His Ninth Layer Qi Ingestion cultivation sufficed to intimidate the entire crowd.
“Of course… This old man has a portion of ‘Enduring Sweet Rain’ and wishes to exchange it for pills to advance cultivation…”
Before the burly man finished speaking, a hunched old man shaped like a dwarf hurried forward to begin trading, displaying his spiritual resources.
“Mm… the water is profoundly pure, with Qi dark and heavy… indeed Qi Ingestion spirit water. This ‘Enduring Sweet Rain’ must be taken from a place once densely populated but now reduced to broken walls and ruins, calculating the precise ti and casting the technique each ti to collect it. A single portion would take several years of effort… it is laborious work.”
Fang Qing glanced at it and made an appraisal, yet he had little interest.
This water was of little use to him, and the quantity was too small.
The other cultivators, however, were quite interested and began offering prices. “Old man… want blood pills? I have three ‘Blood-Sinking Pills’!”
“Three are too few—at least five.”
The dwarf old man refused outright.
Unfortunately, the appeal of his spiritual item was insufficient. After asking around, he had no choice but to retreat in disappointnt.
“This little woman has a stalk of ‘Yin-Sinking Flower’ and wishes to exchange it for three ‘Blood-Nucleus Dates.’ If none are available, mortal blood and qi will also suffice—but the quantity must be large…”
A petite female cultivator with a voice like a warbler leaving the valley stepped forward next, displaying a strange spiritual plant with a pitch-black stem and petals emitting a pale glow.
This item proved quite popular. Perhaps because the female cultivator could accept blood and qi, there were many bidders. In the end, she chose the one offering the greatest amount of blood and qi and concluded the trade.
Soon, it was Fang Qing’s turn.
After a mont’s thought, Fang Qing took out several boxes and opened them. Multicolored brilliance instantly flared forth.
“That is… ‘Blazing Sun Flower Essence’?”
“Radiant White Gold Essence? Such a large piece?”
“And a ‘Heavenly Spirit Flower’?”
Cries of astonishnt erupted all around, and many cultivators’ gazes turned greedy.
Watching this scene, Fang Qing sighed inwardly: ‘This world truly lacks spiritual items… re Qi Ingestion-level objects draw so many covetous eyes.’
He could sense that after realizing he was only at the mid-stage of Qi Ingestion, their gazes beca even more fervent and undisguised.
“Ahem!”
Seeing this, the burly man who had spoken first stepped forward to barely suppress the restless crowd. Yet his gaze toward Fang Qing was equally unfriendly. “What do you wish to exchange for?”
“Zhen Water cultivation thods, Ji Water spiritual items… all must be at the Dao Foundation tier.”
Before Fang Qing finished speaking, both the dwarf old man and the petite female cultivator laughed. “Wildly delusional! re Qi Ingestion spiritual resources, yet you want Dao Foundation spiritual items?”
“Of course not directly… I rely wish to exchange for channels and information.”
Fang Qing’s expression remained unchanged. “But if there is confird intelligence, and I verify it, I will reward with one of these items.”
“I know!”
“Heh heh… this old man also knows.”
Upon hearing this, quite a few imdiately responded.
Naturally, it was not that they truly knew any treasure’s whereabouts; rather, they intended to use this as bait to hook Fang Qing, the big fish.
Fang Qing, however, remained good-tempered. He left contact thods and addresses one by one, preparing to see later which among them possessed such fortune as to be converted by him.
…
After the exchange gathering ended, the cultivators did not depart.
The burly man at the beginning laughed loudly. “Fellow Daoists, it is ti again for our discussion session… The most clamorous matter in Ba Commandery recently must be the sword cultivator’s Cave Dwelling discovered near the Floating Boat Market, yes? This has even suppressed the chaos in Tianshui. Many fellow Daoists originally in Tianshui have gone together in search of opportunities… Does anyone know the inside story?”
“I have also heard of this matter.”
An aged voice sounded. “It is said to be a Cave Dwelling left by a Dao Foundation sword cultivator… there are quite a few benefits within.”
“Heh… old sir, you know only half of it… That Cave Dwelling is rely an appetizer. According to cultivators who obtained the Cave Dwelling master’s testant in the first wave, it is inferred that the master was a direct disciple of the once-renowned Purple Palace sword cultivator—Smoke-Wave Master.”
Another middle-aged female voice rang out. “Speaking of Smoke-Wave Master, he was a fad great sword cultivator of the Land of Ancient Shu. His sword ‘Must All Be Drunk’ slew how many Purple Palace great powers?”
“The disciple’s Cave Dwelling of Smoke-Wave Master?”
“Smoke-Wave Master was the model of loose cultivators, advancing to Purple Palace as one…”
At the ntion of a Purple Palace True Person, the cultivators’ reactions grew even more fervent.
“Hmph!”
The petite female cultivator who had earlier taken out the Yin-Sinking Flower sneered. “Loose cultivator? Do you truly believe that? An ordinary rootless loose cultivator cannot even gather a Dao Foundation cultivation thod—how could they speak of Purple Palace secrets? Moreover, even if by chance they inherited a predecessor’s legacy, where would they obtain the Qi and resources for cultivation? Not to ntion being a sword cultivator fad for killing power!”
“In our Land of Ancient Shu, forget Purple Palace—even if a Dao Foundation with no background appeared, those above would thoroughly investigate…”
At this point, all cultivators fell silent.
Fang Qing likewise felt as though a great stone weighed upon his heart. ‘This wretched place… control is rather strict.’
‘If I reach Dao Foundation in the future, I will likely need to find myself a backing; otherwise, it will be difficult to say…’
In this regard, he had already vaguely ford a plan.
“Heh heh… I care not how Smoke-Wave Master’s disciple was. I only know that Smoke-Wave Master was Purple Palace and had the ability to construct a Blessed Land… You ntioned Smoke-Wave Master—could it be that there are clues to the Smoke-Wave Blessed Land?”
An old woman looked toward the burly man at the beginning, her tone inquisitive.
“Smoke-Wave Blessed Land?”
So loose cultivators present were confused, while those knowledgeable grew excited. “Opportunity! A grand opportunity! A Blessed Land gathers spiritual vitality and produces many spiritual items… far superior to the outside world. Not to ntion it being the resting place of a Purple Palace cultivator—if found, would not the Purple Palace thods and that flying sword ‘Must All Be Drunk’ all be within reach?”
The atmosphere gradually heated, yet Fang Qing inexplicably recalled the noblewoman at the Kitchen God Temple exchange gathering who had once sought clues about ‘Must All Be Drunk.’
‘Could this ergence of the sword cultivator’s Cave Dwelling be related to that woman?’
Fang Qing pondered inwardly. Of course, even without divination, he knew that if the Smoke-Wave Blessed Land erged, the scene would be even more grand—and dangerous!
‘In any case, I certainly will not go. Then it has nothing to do with .’
…
After the exchange gathering ended, Fang Qing was the first to leave.
He took out the long-unused Green-Leaf Flying Vessel and drifted leisurely through the air.
Sure enough, before long several streaks of light rushed toward him, brimming with ill intent.
“Those courting death have arrived.”
Fang Qing laughed loudly and raised his hand, releasing three Firecloud Talismans!
Sizzle!
Scorching fire spiritual power surged skyward, transforming into masses of red clouds vast beyond imagination, enveloping the several escape lights behind him.
Boom!
In an instant, several bandit cultivators were reduced to charcoal before even uttering a scream.
Only two streaks of light—one pink, one pitch-black—sacrificed magical artifacts and barely withstood the attack, landing upon the ground.
Fang Qing descended and saw a dwarf old man and a petite young woman, both with terrified eyes. “Eighth Layer of Qi Ingestion?”
“Haha, fish have taken the bait—is this not delightful?”
He laughed, yet his gaze swept toward a distance.
“So it truly was fishing.”
The Ninth Layer Qi Ingestion burly man from the exchange gathering felt his hair stand on end. He did not dare engage in battle. Forming a hand seal, he transford into a dark escape light and vanished…
“Rather cautious. That escape technique is not bad—what Dao thod was it?”
Fang Qing comnted.
“So that my lord knows, that man is the one behind this exchange gathering, nad ‘Murong Jiu.’ He is usually timid as a rat and fond of hiding, fad for his ‘Vast Mysterious Wave Steps’…”
The dwarf old man bowed deeply. “I beg my lord to spare this old one’s life. This old one will serve before and after my lord, and capture that man’s whereabouts… To speak frankly, this bandit cultivator matter was entirely orchestrated by Murong Jiu behind the scenes.”
“Oh? Is that so?”
Fang Qing glanced again at the petite female cultivator. She had already removed her veil, revealing delicate features.
Combined with the large expanse of spring scenery exposed where her garnts had been burned away by the Firecloud, it stirred an indescribable impulse.
“Who are you? What orthodoxy do you cultivate? What is your cultivation?”
He turned his face and looked at the dwarf old man.
“This old one is Xu Hei and cultivates Fang Day…”
“Fang Day?”
As Fang Qing was about to say sothing, the old man’s hands suddenly shot forward, erald-green fingernails springing out, gleaming with crystalline luster.
In that instant, swift as a hare and fierce as a falcon, the old man displayed superb martial skill and movent—clearly having reached the realm of an Innate Grandmaster!
Had it been an ordinary Qi Ingestion cultivator, ambushed at close range by a martial grandmaster in such a manner, they would likely have suffered greatly!
But Fang Qing rely smiled faintly. His right hand took on the hue of brass as he slapped out.
Smack!
Under the force of the gale, those fingernails snapped and flew backward. The old man let out a scream, his chest caving in as he fell like a broken rag doll.
“What a formidable physique.”
The female cultivator did not attack. Instead, she licked her cherry lips. “This concubine is Bai Ling and cultivates Fang Day. Greetings, fellow Daoist!”
“Fang Day? What relation do you have with the Joyful Union Sect?”
Fang Qing’s expression imdiately turned extrely solemn.
“Fellow Daoist even knows of the great na of Joyful Union? The cultivation thod this concubine practices indeed originated from the Joyful Union Sect…”
Bai Ling smiled charmingly—and then saw a fist enlarging infinitely before her eyes.
“I originally intended to choose you, but it seems you had better die!”
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