Lying Low While Cultivating Immortality in Two Worlds Chapter 98

"I am rely a rogue cultivator who cannot stand to see the demonic path run rampant. You all may go your own way."

Fang Qing had no intention of revealing his identity. Maintaining his aloof and distant deanor, he directly mounted his sword and flew away.

Whoosh!

After flying several dozen li, he slowed the sword light and took out a black jade slip.

"Baleful Blood Art?"

A sweep of his divine sense brought the technique recorded within the jade slip into view.

"A demonic path thod that emphasizes rapid advancent. Although this Baleful Blood Art only covers the Foundation Establishnt portion, its advantage is that even those with poor aptitude can progress at a decent speed. Moreover, when encountering mid-stage or late-stage bottlenecks, one can break through by refining the essence blood of Foundation Establishnt cultivators. The effect is slightly inferior to consuming a Barrier-Breaking Pill."

Fang Qing studied it for a mont and felt a chill run through him.

Demonic path techniques truly offered great advantages in progression, yet they also carried a far higher risk of deviation and madness.

According to the Blue Sea Sect's records, using a cultivator's essence blood to force breakthroughs might bring astonishing speed in the early stages, but in the later stages it often led to even more stubborn bottlenecks, trapping one for life.

It had both advantages and drawbacks.

On the Ancient Shu side, he had never heard of bottlenecks arising from consuming blood and qi. Truly, the demonic path flourished there.

He flipped through the other jade slips as well but found no trace of the famous black demonic fire secret art that had once burned Senior Brother Tianding bald.

There was only one secret technique that damaged the body's potential and burned blood essence to rapidly restore mana.

Fang Qing glanced at it once and set it aside without interest.

It seed the early Foundation Establishnt cultivator he had killed held only an average position in the Sea-Destroying Alliance. Neither the techniques nor the secret arts were anything exceptional; at best they broadened his horizons a little.

Recalling the earlier battle, Fang Qing realized that Ancient Shu Dao arts carried sothing of a dinsionality reduction strike when used here—they ignored raw numbers entirely and relied purely on chanics!

Sancai Island.

This island consisted of one main island and two secondary ones arranged in the Three Talents formation, each protected by a grand array.

Sancai Market lay on the main island, while the two smaller islands were occupied by the two major Foundation Establishnt families: the Lu Family and the Jiang Family. Both families were also major shareholders in Sancai Market.

The Lu Family possessed three Foundation Establishnt cultivators, one of whom had reached the mid-stage and stood at the peak of prosperity.

The Jiang Family had only one early Foundation Establishnt ancestor, yet they controlled a second-rank mid-grade spirit beast known as the Longevity Turtle. This turtle had an extraordinary bloodline. Though its growth was extrely slow, its innate talent was exceptional, granting it barely late Foundation Establishnt combat power. It had once slain two early Foundation Establishnt bandit cultivators.

Because of this, the Jiang Family's status subtly surpassed that of the Lu Family. They were one of the behind-the-scenes sponsors of this black market auction and provided high-level martial protection.

"This auction is a black market affair and will not be held within Sancai Market itself. Quite the attempt to cover their tracks."

A faint smile curved Fang Qing's lips as he stepped into Sancai Market on the main island.

The streets were bustling with people, most of them Qi Refining cultivators. Stalls lined both sides, displaying spirit herbs, dicine bottles, ancient coins, magical artifacts, raw ores, and various miscellaneous goods.

"A Foundation Establishnt senior?"

"This senior looks so young..."

As Fang Qing walked, he made no effort to conceal his Dao Foundation aura. Instantly, the surrounding cultivators stepped aside in awe and reverence.

His expression remained indifferent. Occasionally his divine sense swept over the spirit herbs and minerals on the stalls, and he could not help but shake his head inwardly.

'Perhaps I have simply grown accustod to seeing too many good things in the sect. Looking at these now, they are almost unbearable to behold.'

Most of these ores and herbs were first-rank inferior grade, with even mid-grade ones being rare. Fang Qing found the sight truly speechless.

He had heard tales of rogue cultivators who once picked up incredible bargains—even ancient spiritual treasure fragnts—and soared to greatness overnight.

'Yet I am proficient in the lower calculations of fate and divination. How is it that I have never picked up such a leak?'

The occasional seemingly interesting fragnt or remnant, once swept by his divine sense, revealed itself completely: artificially aged and deliberately placed to trap those hoping to pick up a bargain.

Several first-rank superior or quasi-second-rank spiritual items lay casually discarded in corners by their stall owners, who nevertheless kept glancing over with barely concealed intent. Clearly they were fishing for buyers.

'The cultivation world here... the waters are only average in depth. At least they cannot drown . That must count as simple and honest folk customs.'

Fang Qing sighed inwardly and turned his steps toward a shop.

The shops in Sancai Market did contain so decent items. At the very least, their signature treasures had reached the second rank.

In one herb shop he purchased several stalks of second-rank spirit herbs, then changed direction and entered a pavilion marked with a red-sleeve signboard.

'Today I have nothing pressing. Let visit the pleasure quarters and listen to so music.'

Several days later, on a small reef island not far from Sancai Market.

Two ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivators, their bodies wreathed in baleful qi, stood guard at the entrance to the black market auction.

As night gradually fell, occasional streaks of light descended. Most concealed their figures, presented their credentials, and entered the venue.

"Halt! Auction credentials—one credential allows entry for one person only."

At that mont, the two guards blocked an elderly man and his granddaughter who appeared to be ordinary cultivators from entering the auction.

"Fellow Daoists, this old man rely wishes to bring his granddaughter to broaden her horizons. Please show so leniency."

The grandfather, who possessed mid-stage Qi Refining cultivation, wore a face full of smiles and secretly slipped a few spirit stones into their hands.

"Hmph. Do you take our auction for so charity hall?"

"Keep making noise, and we will kill you outright!"

The two ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivators flew into a rage and slapped the spirit stones away.

Just then, a flash of sword light appeared. A young figure descended onto the reef.

"Senior, please enter!"

The two ninth-layer experts imdiately changed their tune. They bowed and nodded with extre enthusiasm.

"Mm."

Fang Qing swept his divine sense over the veiled young girl. She had peach-like cheeks and almond-shaped eyes, her skin delicate enough to break with a breath. She could barely be considered a little beauty.

Unfortunately, after the past few days he had grown sowhat numb to such sights and could not be bothered to pay further attention. He strode straight into the auction venue's passage.

Behind him ca the indignant voice of the little girl: "Why can he enter without even showing credentials?"

"Haha... Little girl, because he is a Foundation Establishnt senior, of course. You youngsters really do not understand these things. We brothers are keeping you out for your own good. With your grandfather and granddaughter looking so naive and inexperienced, you must be rogue cultivators fresh to the immortal path, right? If you really went inside, who knows—you might end up as rchandise by tonight."

'Hmm? Those two fierce-looking guards actually have so humanity after all.'

Fang Qing nodded inwardly. Upon entering the auction venue, he saw an underground cavern that had been remodeled with a semicircular high platform.

Jade-green palace lanterns lit up one after another, illuminating the various private boxes.

Below the boxes were rows of seats, many already occupied by cultivators sitting cross-legged—mostly mid to late-stage Qi Refining cultivators.

"Another Foundation Establishnt senior has arrived!"

Upon seeing Fang Qing, many cultivators looked at him with awe mixed with a trace of envy. "A new face. Lately there have been quite a few unfamiliar Foundation Establishnt cultivators showing up."

"I heard that within the Sea-Destroying Alliance, not only are large quantities of Foundation Establishnt Pills being handed out as rit rewards, but there is also a secret thod that allows ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivators to break through without needing a Foundation Establishnt Pill at all!"

"Hmph. Breaking through to Foundation Establishnt with demonic path quick-success thods? You will probably lose a great deal of lifespan, and you might even be stuck at early Foundation Establishnt forever."

An older cultivator sighed.

"But if it ans becoming a Foundation Establishnt senior, what does losing so lifespan matter?"

A younger cultivator, unaware of how precious youthful lifespan truly was, spoke with shining eyes.

Fang Qing naturally ignored these discussions entirely.

The mont he entered the venue, a gray-robed woman ca forward to greet him. "Esteed guest is a Foundation Establishnt senior. Please proceed to a private box. In our venue, aside from the Heaven-grade rooms, Fellow Daoist may choose any unoccupied box. If the lantern in the room is not lit, no cultivator is inside."

"Mm."

Fang Qing was sparing with words. He casually flew into one of the boxes.

The box was protected by a layer of restrictive formation. After he infused it with mana, a jade-green palace lantern imdiately lit up.

On the table inside lay a catalog.

He opened it at random and found it was the list of items for tonight's auction. The very first lot was a first-rank superior pill—the Jade Marrow Pill!

This pill could assist a cultivator at the perfect sixth layer of Qi Refining in breaking through their bottleneck and advancing to late-stage Qi Refining. It counted as a minor supre-grade item.

Beyond that ca a pile of superior magical artifacts, talismans, pills, and similar goods.

"Hmm? They even have turtle eggs laid by a second-rank Longevity Turtle?"

Fang Qing glanced over it and felt little interest in such a spirit pet.

After all, the Longevity Turtle was infamous for its extrely slow growth—one turtle could outlive three generations of owners.

Moreover, if he truly wanted to cultivate helpers, casually empowering a few quick-success Foundation Establishnt cultivators would be far simpler.

"Found it. Second-rank superior spirit herb 'Qionghua Branch.' It appears among the later lots."

Fang Qing looked toward the final few highlight items. The Qionghua Branch was only average by comparison.

The most anticipated lot should be a genuine Foundation Establishnt Pill!

Even managing to procure a Foundation Establishnt Pill—this auction possessed so real capability.

He scanned further and noticed several other appealing items, such as a second-rank mid-grade spiritual artifact and a secret technique inheritance!

"Xun Wind Shadowless Escape? The first three layers of this escape art are suitable for Foundation Establishnt cultivation, while the latter four require Core Formation or higher. It is said that in the early stages it rely boosts escape speed, but in the later stages it allows the cultivator to comprehend Wind Escape Techniques. This escape art ranks among the fastest in the cultivation world, on par with Thunder Escape and Sword Escape."

"Of course, what the auction offers is only the incomplete version with the first four layers. Moreover, it requires a wind spiritual root or wind-attribute spiritual body to cultivate, which reduces its value considerably."

Fang Qing read through it and fell into thought.

His natal foundation was [Ji Water], and [Ji Water] favored wind. He usually found wind-attribute spells quite easy and natural to cultivate.

Perhaps he could purchase it and study it for reference?

After becoming a cross-realm rchant between the two worlds, he no longer lacked even basic spirit stones.

While Fang Qing pondered, a stir suddenly arose in the auction venue.

"Hmm?"

Fang Qing's divine sense detected the arrival of a late-stage Foundation Establishnt cultivator, accompanied by a rather powerful demonic qi.

"Two late Foundation Establishnt combat powers? The security here is passable, I suppose. Unfortunately, they do not have the talisman treasures I most desire!"

He was simply overthinking it. Talisman treasures required a Core Formation True Personage to sacrifice the power of their own magical treasure to refine. Each one left traceable marks and could hardly circulate freely.

Unless a cultivator got extraordinarily lucky and stumbled upon a cave residence left behind by a deceased Core Formation predecessor.

Even then, as one of the few powerful talismans that even Qi Refining cultivators could activate, they would almost certainly be kept as life-saving trump cards rather than sold.