"This fellow Daoist looks quite unfamiliar."
Upon seeing Fang Qing enter, a gold-robed elder rose to greet him.
The elder carried himself with impressive bearing and a face as refined as carved jade. In his youth he must have been an exceptionally handso man. An ancient sword still in its sheath rested on his back, and every movent he made carried a sharp, keen aura. Clearly, he was a sword cultivator. "This old man is Zhao Gongming. I suppose I can be considered the nominal host here. My juniors have caused so disturbance earlier. Please do not take offense, fellow Daoist."
"So it is Fellow Daoist Zhao. My condolences."
Fang Qing returned the greeting with a bow, realizing this man was most likely the Zhao Family Ancestor who cultivated the [Kang tal] thod.
After taking his seat, Fang Qing casually glanced around. Among the Dao Foundation cultivators present, the only one he recognized was Pi Xiuyuan, who sat in a corner with a grave expression.
"Hmm?"
At that mont, Fang Qing sensed a gaze falling upon him.
He looked up and saw a Dao Foundation cultivator wearing a bamboo hat, his entire body shrouded in a black robe.
The person's aura was concealed and unclear—likely using so masking treasure. The mont he noticed Fang Qing looking over, he imdiately averted his eyes.
Fang Qing's heart tightened slightly. He quietly raised his guard.
"Fellow Daoists, we have gathered here today rely to exchange information and share what we have. With chaos spreading across Ancient Shu and the fall of Purple Mansion cultivators being no small matter..."
Zhao Gongming delivered a brief opening speech.
"The fall of a Purple Mansion cultivator? I only know that the Black Gu Sect's Purple Mansion fell in the Yanbo Blessed Land, but I am unclear on the details."
Fang Qing spoke up to inquire.
"This... this old man has only heard rumors. So say Lord Teng died at the hands of Spiritual Master San Ji, while others claim a demon race Purple Mansion was involved. In any case, the Black Gu Sect has declined. It is only a matter of ti before Ba Commandery falls into the Pu Family's hands."
Zhao Gongming spoke with evident satisfaction on this point. After all, he was affiliated with the Pu Family.
The Pu Family claid the lion's share of Ba Commandery's benefits, but so scraps naturally trickled down to families like the Zhaos.
"I see."
Fang Qing nodded and said no more. He listened quietly to the rest of the intelligence and the various cultivators' cultivation insights.
Several hours later, the exchange portion began.
"Fellow Daoists, allow this humble one to throw out the first piece. I possess a portion of Yin Wall Sinking Water and wish to exchange it for beauty-preserving spiritual items—such as Mont Thousand Fragrances, Youth-Retaining Pills, and the like."
A female cultivator in a purple gauze skirt with her hair pinned in a spirit-snake bun and adorned with a jade hairpin spoke up. She held a jade bowl in her palm.
Inside the bowl lay a substantial volu of grayish flowing water.
"Yin Wall Sinking Water? It must be a spiritual item belonging to the [Bi Water] category. But Youth-Retaining Pills?"
Fang Qing had read about this pill. It was a specialty of Ancient Shu that allowed female cultivators to preserve their youthful appearance—though the effect lasted only about a century.
In the pill books of the Blue Sea Sect, a similar formula existed called Fixed Appearance Pill, ranked as third-rank, with effects lasting up to five hundred years.
After waiting a mont and receiving no response, the female cultivator sat back down with visible regret.
Another Dao Foundation cultivator imdiately stood up and cupped his fists in all directions. "This one possesses a piece of Heavenly Brightness Full Stone and seeks a fellow Daoist skilled in artifact refining to forge a Dao Foundation spiritual artifact."
Soon enough, it was Fang Qing's turn.
Fang Qing gave a light chuckle. Mana lifted several jade boxes into the air and slowly opened them. "This one has several pills suitable for water-virtue cultivators to enhance their mana, along with a few materials produced by [Zhen Water] demon beasts. I wish to exchange them for several taels of Celestial Axis Star Sand!"
Heavenly Xuan Star Sand could be used not only to refine flying swords but also for crafting other Dao Foundation treasures. There was no risk of revealing anything unusual.
Zhao Gongming, however, glanced at Fang Qing with so surprise.
If his mory served correctly, that rogue cultivator had also been searching for Celestial Axis Star Sand spiritual material.
Yet one was a Qi Ingestion sword cultivator, while the other was a [Ji Water] Dao Foundation cultivator. They clearly were not the sa person.
"Could this person have so connection to that rogue cultivator? Perhaps even his senior?"
Zhao Gongming's gaze deepened.
Unbeknownst to him, Fang Qing was at that mont secretly touching the Fire Bird Talisman and other items hidden in his sleeve, feeling a faint anticipation in his heart.
A clash between Dao Foundation sword cultivators—how effective would that be?
Before leaving he had divined his fortune for this trip and received a great auspicious on. Perhaps this person carried the Celestial Axis Star Sand he needed?
He waited a mont, but no cultivator responded. With a slight sigh of disappointnt, he stored away his spiritual items.
At that instant, a quiet voice transmission sounded beside Fang Qing's ear. His heart stirred, though his face remained impassive. He waited until the exchange eting concluded, then stepped onto a wave and departed Yuanqing Market.
A hundred li outside Yuanqing Market.
"Fellow Daoist, please show yourself."
Fang Qing arrived at the edge of a stream and spoke in a deep voice.
Light and shadow twisted. A figure fully cloaked in black robes materialized—the very cultivator who had been sizing him up during the exchange eting!
"Fellow Daoist, you sent a transmission earlier saying you had a lead on [Celestial Axis Star Sand]?"
Fang Qing looked at the man, a trace of surprise in his heart.
If the divination hexagram had not shown great auspiciousness, he might not have co.
"I possess exactly three taels of [Celestial Axis Star Sand]!"
The black-robed man spoke, his voice hoarse and grating.
"Three taels? That should be sufficient. What does Fellow Daoist require in exchange? I cultivate the [Long-Awaited Sweet Rain] technique. If those few spiritual items do not interest you, my Sweet Rain Water is an excellent healing redy."
Fang Qing smiled.
"I want none of those. I only need you to help with one task."
The black-robed man let out a laugh as unpleasant as a night owl's cry. "That Zhao Family Ancestor, Zhao Gongming, clearly harbors ill intentions toward you. Cooperate with to lure him out and kill him. The three taels of [Celestial Axis Star Sand] will be yours imdiately!"
Fang Qing listened in silence for a long mont before suddenly speaking. "Brother Li?"
The black-robed man shuddered. He tore open his robes, revealing a body covered in golden scales and horns sprouting from his head. Who else could it be but Li Rulong, now half-demonized?
"How did you recognize ?"
Li Rulong narrowed his eyes. Around him appeared images of moonlit cold pools, frost, wind, rain, and snow.
Fang Qing sighed. "Among Dao Foundation cultivators, you are the only one who gives a sense of familiarity. Moreover, you have a grudge against the Zhao Family. A casual guess was all it took."
Back then, he and Li Rulong had shared quite a good relationship.
Even though Li Rulong never knew that Luo Dacheng had ultimately been his planted chess piece, the sentint remained the sa.
"When the few of us entered Floating Boat Market all those years ago, I never imagined so many things would happen afterward. And I certainly never expected that you would one day forge a Dao Foundation."
Li Rulong stared at Fang Qing, his gaze carrying a mix of envy, jealousy, and regret.
"Sigh... It is rely struggling in the sea of bitterness. Rember, every gift already bears its price marked in the shadows."
Fang Qing let out a long sigh, as though he truly had no choice but to join the Buddhist path in order to advance to Dao Foundation.
Li Rulong gave Fang Qing a deep look and actually believed it!
After all, he knew full well how difficult it was for rogue cultivators to forge a Dao Foundation. This man, like himself, had surely paid an unimaginable price.
"Very well. Now that everything is out in the open, are you willing to join in dealing with Zhao Gongming?"
Li Rulong extended the invitation.
"My Dao Foundation is profound but unsuited for combat."
Fang Qing shook his head. "On the other hand, Brother Li... you have already been wanted by Purple Mansion forces. How dare you swagger about so openly in Ancient Shu?"
"Hmph. The Black Gu Sect's Purple Mansion has long since fallen. As for the Pu Family Ancestor, Pu Shanjun? I am waiting to see his downfall!"
Li Rulong snorted coldly, exuding an air of disdain for all under heaven. "As for ? Naturally, I have a Purple Mansion covering my tracks. As long as I do not expose too many clues, I can still conceal my movents for the ti being."
'So Li Rulong has thrown in with the demon race of Descending Phoenix Mountain... Looks like more trouble is brewing.'
'This man seems particularly pessimistic about Pu Shanjun. Or perhaps there was enmity to begin with.'
Fang Qing thought for a mont and probed. "The Pu Family Ancestor is Purple Mansion, after all."
"Hehe... This man's first half of life was filled with good fortune, yet he offended the taboo of Cloud Grazing Cliff. They planted a strand of Residual Tribulation Embers Fire in him. Now his Dao path has been severed forever. He is dood to remain at early Purple Mansion for the rest of his life."
Li Rulong chuckled coldly without end.
"Pu Shanjun... was sched against by soone from the cliff?"
Fang Qing was not surprised that Pu Shanjun had been plotted against. After all, the man was not originally from Cloud Grazing Cliff; strictly speaking, he was a rogue cultivator.
What puzzled him was this: for fire virtue cultivators, swallowing a heterogenous fla was supposed to greatly benefit one's Dao attainnt and mana. How could it instead sever the Dao path?
"Pu Shanjun cultivates the [Tail Fire]. Though nad 'Tail,' it is also known as 'First-Rising Fire' or 'Branch-Top Fire'—drawing from the imagery of flas just beginning to ignite."
Li Rulong laughed, clearly relaying soone else's words. "Swallowing a heterogenous fla is fine for most spiritual fires. But there are a few rare [Chamber Fire] types whose imagery directly opposes it. Refining them rashly severs the Dao path and makes it impossible to sense other [Tail Fire] divine abilities."
"This Residual Tribulation Embers Fire belongs precisely to the [Chamber Fire] category."
"What a ruthless calculation!"
Fang Qing recalled how, when he first heard tales of this Pu Family Ancestor, the man had seed like a classic protagonist from a novel.
In his youth he encountered one strange opportunity after another. By chance he obtained a Purple Mansion inheritance, forged his Dao Foundation, and erged into the world. From then on he remained undefeated. He even found a heaven-and-earth spiritual fire, successfully refined it, and dominated Ancient Shu at late Dao Foundation—invincible beneath Purple Mansion.
Who could have imagined that his Dao path had actually been severed long ago?
He was rely a pawn, a plaything in the hands of soone from the cliff.
'Indeed, every realm in the Qi Ingestion Dao path has its pitfalls. Once I advance to Purple Mansion, who knows what massive traps await ... Oh? I have the Dao-Genesis Pearl? Then never mind.'
This was also why Fang Qing had taken up other Dao lineages.
As long as he stepped into enough pitfalls, the pits would never catch up to him!
"So, what do you say, Fellow Daoist Fang? For the sake of our past friendship, I have spoken everything I know without reservation. Will you join in dealing with Zhao Gongming?"
Li Rulong waited a mont. Impatience flashed across his face, and a dangerous aura began to emanate from him.
Fang Qing's heart tightened. 'After demonization, he truly has changed. This transformation into a half-demon affects one's temperant as well?'
The current half-demon Li Rulong was completely different from the upright hero who once stood tall for the common people.
On the contrary, he now seed bloody, vicious, and cunning.
Just as Fang Qing prepared to refuse, his divine sense stirred. He sensed soone approaching at high speed.
Li Rulong burst into loud laughter. "It seems... Fellow Daoist has no choice but to help now."
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