October 23, 2023 Author: Wen Chaogong
Baochuanfang Market.
Cave number thirty-seven in the Bing District.
This is the cave that Fang Xi rented directly from the market after coming out of the teahouse.
It only costs one low-grade spirit stone per month, but the cave is quite spacious, including a practice room, kitchen, study... it can be said to be small but complete.
Moreover, the spiritual energy is quite abundant.
At least, it is much richer than where Fang Xi lived when he was still a spiritual farmer, already meeting the standards of a first-order spiritual vein.
Swoosh!
Fang Xi washed himself again, making sure not to leave any trace of aura.
Since suffering a loss from the Azure Blood Python, he always washes multiple times when returning to the cave, even purchasing a type of skincare spirit liquid favored by female cultivators in the market, claiming to remove any scent from the body.
Feeling like he had shed a layer of skin, he changed into clean clothes and sat cross-legged in the practice room.
On the mat, Fang Xi circulated the 'Changchun Technique,' and a faint layer of green spiritual light suddenly burst out from his body.
Feeling the strong spiritual pressure outside, the spiritual energy entered his body at a faster rate than usual, circulating through his meridians and finally returning to his dantian sea of qi in a misty form. A hint of joy appeared on Fang Xi's face.
Under the operation of the Changchun Technique, his whole body seemed to be full of vitality, every inch of muscle, fascia, and bone thirsting like a traveler bathed in heavenly rain.
Although the Changchun Technique had reached a bottleneck, making it difficult to break through, the nourishment of the wood attribute spiritual energy on the body was still excellent.
"Indeed... the higher the concentration of spiritual veins, the better the cultivation effect."
"If possible, it would be best to obtain a first-order spiritual vein in the future... but it's probably highly unlikely. Even a lower-grade one would suffice..."
Fang Xi planned to stay in Baochuanfang Market for a few months, exploring various avenues, and then planning for a spiritual land.
Even with spiritual land, careful surveying of the terrain, thorough understanding of the surrounding forces, getting acquainted with neighbors, and making thorough preparations were necessary before planting trees and starting the practice of the 'Eternal Life Technique.'
All of this might take several years.
Such a long time certainly could not be wasted.
Therefore, he rented a cave to focus more on practicing the Changchun Technique.
"Prepare for the worst..."
"Even if in the end, the Eternal Life Technique falls short, relying on persistent cultivation on spiritual land, as long as the cultivation level of the Changchun Technique improves, it's still a gain."
After circulating his cultivation, Fang Xi began to contemplate the choice of spiritual land.
"The Lingdao Longyu Zhong family is offering long-term leases on Ling Island, which is quite attractive... as long as you lease it, you can pull their tiger skin and gain protection, ensuring safety... but the price is bound to be high. As a mere fourth-level Qi Refiner, suddenly taking out a large sum of spirit stones for a lease of several decades would be too conspicuous... and if the Zhong family calls me to battle in the future, should I comply or not?"
"Joining a small Qi Refining force would easily lead to internal strife, but it would also provide much more freedom..."
"It's best to join a particularly weak one, then eliminate all rebels... openly occupy an island, as long as I'm not besieged by demonic cultivators..."
Fang Xi thought about the situation and found it somewhat speechless.
"Forget it... let's see what opportunities arise first... it's important to keep a low profile, a low profile."
Although the spiritual vein resources in Wan Dao Lake seemed to be richer than Qingzhu Mountain, opportunities were not always available.
Moreover... even if there were opportunities, they were not necessarily meant for a mere fourth-level Qi Refiner like him.
Fang Xi thought for a moment, then patted his storage bag.
A roll of snake skin and a bundle of huge snake bones suddenly appeared on the ground.
The snake skin was dim and mottled, with scales on it.
The snake bones were grim, exuding a slightly chilling aura.
These were the skin and bones of a snake dragon!
"It's a good item, but it's a bit eye-catching. Without a trusted channel, it's not easy to sell..."
Fang Xi touched his chin, feeling a bit regretful.
In fact, he didn't really want to sell these precious resources.
After all, from Miao Dong's performance, it was clear that this snake dragon was a first-class material. Selling it would be a loss, especially since he wasn't particularly short of spirit stones at the moment.
"Fortunately, the snake dragon is quite large... wasting a bit is no big deal."
Fang Xi spread out the snake skin with scales, which had already been preliminarily processed and had no hint of a foul smell.
It was very tough, and even pulling it with both hands was difficult.
He thought for a moment, then gripped the 'Golden Dragon Sword' in his right hand, pressed the tip of the sword against the snake skin, activated his true essence, and finally managed to cut the snake skin with difficulty, drilling out small holes.
Then he threaded snake tendons through them, creating an extremely rudimentary inner armor.
After putting it on, he covered it with an outer robe, making it impossible to discern anything.
"This is not a magical weapon... but it can still block most attacks. However, it's difficult to avoid secondary attacks like shockwaves penetrating, but as a body cultivator, with a strong physical body, I'm not afraid of these secondary injuries..."
Fang Xi looked at the snake bones again, realizing that he was powerless and needed to find a trustworthy artifact refiner.
Now that he had settled down, he could first buy some auxiliary elixirs for cultivation, see if he could break through to the fifth level of Qi Refining, and then take his time to find a skilled and reputable artifact refiner.
The next day.
Inside a teahouse.
Fang Xi ordered another pot of 'Five Carp Playing with Pearls' spirit tea, sipping it while listening to the idle chatter of the tea guests around him, feeling a sense of leisurely watching the flowers bloom and fade, observing the clouds roll and disperse.
However, this time there was no major news, mostly just some minor events like a certain Qi Refiner making a breakthrough and advancing to the later stage of Qi Refining, or someone having good luck catching a spiritual fish in the lake, and so on.
After the tea was brewed three times, Xiumu Laodao specifically came over with a hint of joy on his face. "Friend, great news!"
"Oh? What's the good news?" Fang Xi asked, but suddenly felt a stir in his heart.
Could it be that the spiritual land had been secured?
"Well... of course... hehe!" Xiumu Laodao smiled and pointed to a private room.
A moment later, inside the private room.
Fang Xi didn't even look at the ordinary tea water, waiting for Xiumu Laodao to speak.
"Upon the friend's request, I have been investigating related information for the friend, and finally have some reliable news!" Xiumu Laodao said with a hint of pride. "The Longyu Zhong family is expected to release two contracts for insignificant Ling Islands this year. This is a great opportunity to become the lord of an island!"
"Oh? What are the requirements?" Fang Xi asked calmly, continuing to inquire.
"The requirements? The first is to protect the mortals on the island from natural disasters and possible attacks by monsters... the second is to become a guest official of the Zhong family, and when necessary, to assist the Zhong family. Of course, the Zhong family will provide compensation as needed..." Xiumu Laodao said with a smile.
"How many years is the lease? And what is the price?" Fang Xi sighed inwardly. Indeed, it wasn't so easy to take advantage of major powers. Although he had already rejected most of it in his mind, he still wanted to hear the price.
"One hundred spirit stones per year, with a minimum lease of ten years!" Xiumu Laodao stared at Fang Xi.
"A thousand spirit stones for ten years? If I take it out, I'm afraid this Xiumu Laodao will have ulterior motives!" Fang Xi rolled his eyes inwardly, with a wry smile on his face. "It's so expensive? Forget it... I won't become the island lord. Are there any other options?"
"Sigh... it's a bit expensive, but after becoming the island lord, the entire island will be open for development. This is the foundation of many small families and sects... However, as a lone cultivator, it doesn't seem quite suitable." Xiumu Laodao sighed. "Apart from this... the Lord of Xiaoye Island in the Thirty-Six Islands Alliance, Guoye Shangren, wants to recruit a guest official for the sect. I mentioned your situation, and he is very interested, promising to allocate ten acres of spiritual farmland for you to cultivate."
"The Thirty-Six Islands Alliance?" Fang Xi had heard of this power, said to be a union of Qi Refining forces that stood against the Longyu Zhong family. Not knowing the specifics, he asked directly.
"The so-called 'Thirty-Six Islands' is indeed one of the two major Qi Refining forces on Wan Dao Lake... but it is a union of several Qi Refining forces, some of which even have grudges against each other and attack each other... only when facing pressure from the Zhong family do they unite against external threats..."
Xiumu Laodao stroked his beard and smiled.
"The Thirty-Six Islands Alliance originally did not have a Foundation Establishment cultivator, but they pooled resources to invite a lone Foundation Establishment cultivator as a figurehead... to pull the other side's banner... The Zhong family has shown no intention of expansion in recent years, so both sides have been at peace."
"I see, so how is the cultivation level of this Guoye Shangren? What is his character like? Are there any enemy forces?" Since he had paid for the private room and the spirit stones, Fang Xi naturally wanted to get a clear picture.
"Guoye Shangren was originally a fisherman who later fell into the water, luckily stumbled upon an ancestor's cave, received a heritage of techniques, and has a medium-grade spiritual root... Later, he cultivated to the middle stage of Qi Refining, killed the original owner of Xiaoye Island, and established the 'Guoye God Sect,' becoming the sect master... Enemies? I haven't heard much about it, but within his sect, there are probably not more than ten Qi Refining cultivators." Xiumu Laodao seemed to be suppressing a smile.
"An sect with fewer than ten Qi Refining cultivators? And the sect master is only at the middle stage of Qi Refining?" Fang Xi couldn't help but feel a bit itchy when he heard this.
But after thinking about it, he had come here to plant trees for decades, so it was best not to make enemies if he could avoid it.
Even if he killed all his enemies, it was easy to be besieged by the righteous path if his reputation was tarnished, which was not good!
Repeatedly reminding himself to keep a peaceful attitude, he finally calmed down and said, "I wonder, what is the grade of Xiaoye Island?"
"It barely has a low-grade spiritual vein, and the richness of spiritual energy is much lower than in Baochuanfang Market!" Xiumu Laodao shook his head.
"Well..."
After thinking for a moment, Fang Xi spoke, "I am somewhat interested. How can I contact this Guoye Shangren?"
Xiumu Laodao nodded. In his expectation, this spiritual farmer would probably choose to join a Qi Refining force. "Half a month later, Guoye Shangren will personally escort a batch of spiritual rice to Baochuanfang Market for sale. If the friend is interested, you can discuss it in detail here. I will act as a mediator for both parties..."
This was one of his business ventures, and he could even get an additional commission!
(End of this chapter)