Star Sky Professional
Chapter 678 - 576 Double Nine

Chapter 678: Chapter 576 Double Nine

"Previously, the five of us used some petty tricks, which surely made Daoist laugh..."

Old Lv, with a solemn expression, bowed: "But now, our Poison Dragon Slope has reached a critical point of survival... Over these years, I have figured it out. The Fei Family selected their Family Head intentionally to set a trap, instigating inner conflicts among us, depleting high-ranking forces, and now they deal with us one by one... After Green Pond, it’s likely Poison Dragon Slope’s turn next!"

"So, you’re marrying into the Fei Family for time, yet also coming to me for help?"

Fang Xing found it somewhat amusing: "Why do you now think I’m more reliable than the Fei Family?"

"To test jade, one needs a full three days of fire; to discern talent, one must wait seven years..." Old Lv coughed: "With our friendship of ten years, naturally I’m very assured about Daoist..."

"Yes, it’s been ten years already..."

Fang Xing felt strangely sentimental.

"Humph, we helped Fei ascend, but he turned on us afterwards... My brother is severely injured, and I can’t even get a single high-grade Spirit Pill..."

Old Lv said: "Since then, I realized that maintaining deep ties with the Qingli Fei Family is unwise... But it’s too late now, already riding the tiger."

He looked at Fang Xing, with cloudy old eyes filled with anticipation: "How long until Daoist breaks through the seventh stage of Qi Sensing? The Sha Xue at East Peak can be used freely by Daoist..."

Currently, Fang Xing’s cultivation level appeared to be at the peak of the sixth stage of Qi Sensing.

"Old Lv, you’re a bit impatient..."

Fang Xing shook his head.

"Indeed, with the ten-year period approaching, and moreover... Fei Tianbao has been in closed-door cultivation to establish his Dao Foundation for almost five years... Whether alive or dead, there will be a result. Originally, I thought since the Fei Family and my family are in-laws, whoever ascends will be lenient to us, but who would’ve thought... Alas..."

Old Lv sighed: "Now I’ve seen clearly, if Fei Tianbao succeeds, with the Fei Family having two Dao Foundations, they’ll surely want us five families to submit even more... If he fails, similarly, there would be an impact on the five families, taking advantage of us..."

"Isn’t it always like this between Lords and their vassals?"

Fang Xing sighed: "Although I’m now at the sixth stage of Qi Sensing, breaking through to the post stage of Qi Sensing requires talent, opportunities, and understanding... If it’s really impossible, Spirit Pills are needed."

Mentioning this, the muscles on Old Lv’s face seemed twisted: "Currently, our families truly can’t produce talismanic money, let alone purchase breakthrough Spirit Pills."

Breaking through from middle to post Qi Sensing is even more difficult than the challenges Song Yunyun faced, naturally not easy to overcome, and Old Lv had little doubt about it.

"If it comes to the worst... we hold fast to Poison Dragon Slope, rely on black snakes for protection, and hibernate for some time."

Fang Xing said: "As for being bled by the Fei Family, that’s all we can do..."

As those at the bottom, whatever hardships are faced, isn’t all one can do but grit one’s teeth and endure?

Moreover, unlike those Loose Cultivators who can only lay idle, he can level up while enduring.

"Alas... indeed." Old Lv said solemnly: "Although we Five Friends of the Floating Cloud cannot earn breakthrough Spirit Pills for Daoist, we can guarantee Daoist won’t suffer from the Fei Family’s labor or tribute demands."

"Hmm, once I reach the seventh stage of Qi Sensing, I’ll naturally secure East Peak... After all, we’ve had ten years of friendship."

Fang Xing also made a promise.

"If so, thank you..."

Old Lv once again performed a salutation, departing with a somewhat desolate air.

"All is suffering in this world, separation from love, desires unfulfilled..."

Fang Xing watched this scene, feeling quite wistful.

Such is the suffering of the world.

Just like Song Yunyun, she thought she could resist and rebel... But failed to realize the path her mother arranged was the best.

As a result, missed the opportunity with Qingmu Ridge, and now could only marry someone.

Truly an example of rebelling to the end only to trap oneself.

His gaze shifted, scanning the attribute bar:

[Name: Fang Xing]

[Age: 26/225]

[Profession: Druid Level 9]

[Realm: Ninth stage of Qi Sensing]

[Talent: Natural Affinity, Wilderness Transformation, Plant Growth, Toxin Immunity, Youthful Forever, Thorny Technique, Tree Bark Skill, Natural Healing, Tree-man Conversion]

[Skill: All-Complete Hand (Grandmaster Level 336/800), Paper Folding Technique (Skilled 5/100), Insect Control (Grandmaster Level 13/800), Qi Concealment (Master Level 391/400)]

...

"Five years of cultivation, both the Druid and cultivation systems have advanced rapidly..."

Fang Xing observed the attribute bar, silently in introspection.

"Life span has increased to over two hundred years... This is the longevity only Dao Foundation cultivators possess. Druid reached Level 9 and the growth is entirely in spell classes, but how are they categorized as talents? Is it because Druid spells are naturally awakened, automatically mastering proficiency, similar to the innate spellcasting of magicians?"

"While the skills cultivated acquire proficiency gradually..."

Fang Xing speculated on this.

And the effects of the four major spells need not be elaborated; Thorny Technique and Tree Bark Skill are combat spells, one offensive, one defensive.

Natural Healing is a healing ability, more effective than healing berries.

The final, Tree-man Conversion, requires a Spirit Plant as a carrier, to transform into a tree-man.

In the eyes of cultivators, it turns into a tree demon, and according to Fang Xing’s current Druid level, can convert a few tree-men comparable to the ninth stage of Qi Sensing.

It can be said that sweeping through the rest of the Qingli Swamp wouldn’t be a big problem for the other four families.

As for magic, there’s no need to mention it. With just a slight bit of effort, I have cultivated the All-Complete Hand to the all-perfect stage. Now, there are no failures in folding paper soldiers, paper cranes, or paper kites.

Even without much cultivation, the paper folding secret technique has automatically reached the skilled stage.

Combined with the master-level technique of Qi concealment, even a Dao Foundation expert facing me may not be able to discern my depths.

"With my current combat power, if a lower Dao Foundation enters my domain, there is a possibility of falling..."

Fang Xing has a very clear understanding of himself.

He is dual-system combat power, definitely much stronger than a single cultivator.

If I enlighten a few tree-men, combined with grandmaster-level Insect Control and various spells to besiege, an ordinary Dao Foundation cultivator might suffer a great loss.

Of course, those in the later stages of the Dao Foundation or of upper Dao Foundation quality are another matter.

"The next stage is also very crucial for me."

Fang Xing looked at the attribute bar and pondered silently.

"The Green Wood Skill has already been cultivated to the ’Mixed Element Dragon Snake Qi’, and there is no further to go. The next step is to forge the Dao Foundation... This step is extremely dangerous; failure means death."

"I have heard that there are spiritual objects in Qingmu Ridge that can assist, but they are extremely rare... Even the Fei Family can only exchange a sixty-year cycle’s worth of Dragon King Ginseng liquid, not to mention a loose cultivator can forget about it..."

"This matter can be set aside for now... First, let’s raise the Druid level."

According to Fang Xing’s calculations, Druid level 10 is equivalent to the Dao Foundation in this world.

More importantly, compared to the Dao Foundation, he is more knowledgeable about the Druid legacy, and there are no bottlenecks in advancement.

As long as the experience is gained, a smooth promotion is possible!

By then, perhaps it could also aid in forging the Dao Foundation.

"Moreover... Druid level 10 is the time to truly choose whether to focus on the animal or plant domain. Once the plant domain is chosen, I will gain the ’Tree Shepherd’ talent, and the experience gained from planting trees will soar. If the animal domain is chosen, the ’Beast Master’ talent is acquired, and experience gained from planting trees will remain the same as now... Instead, experience from herding and breeding will soar."

Currently, the experience gained by Fang Xing from planting trees is earned through natural affinity and perceiving nature.

Once the ’Tree Shepherd’ talent is acquired, future advancement will be faster.

"Five years from Druid level 5 to level 9... is actually not much..."

Previously, it took five years to go from level 4 to level 5, primarily because Fang Xing deliberately suppressed the level, and secondarily because the number of bamboos grew in the subsequent five years, naturally harvesting more experience.

Furthermore, suppressing the level does not mean not gaining experience.

It’s just that this experience has been stored, and Fang Xing only chose to level up in the latter five years.

"However, the experience needed to go from level 9 to level 10 is somewhat excessive... It might take another one to two years, even three to four years..."

Fang Xing looked towards the direction of East Peak: "Once Druid level 10 is reached, I will announce externally a breakthrough to Qi Sensing seven layers..."

He was quite indifferent about this, just that the Wuyun Five Friends had to endure for a while longer.

...

Several days later.

East Peak of Poison Dragon Slope.

The area was adorned with lights and decorations, and a long, red procession was sending off Song Yunyun for marriage.

After the procession had left, a young man remained standing on the hillside, staring blankly at this scene, seemingly with tears in his eyes.

"Lv Feng... why aren’t you going to join the feast?"

A voice suddenly came from behind.

Lv Feng turned his head and was startled: "Un... Uncle Fang, I, I..."

"Sigh... You and Yunyun have known each other since childhood, were childhood sweethearts, I know..." Fang Xing sighed, gazing into the distance.

He had rarely stepped out of the bamboo forest today, just to see the commotion.

"Fei Family!"

Lv Feng clenched his fists tightly, clearly holding an unending grudge over the theft of his beloved.

Regrettably, Fang Xing had no intention of playing the role of a benefactor for him.

After Lv Feng left, Fang Xing waited for a while and saw Song Yunqian approaching.

"You have always valued your daughter; why did you agree to send her to the Fei Family?"

Fang Xing asked curiously.

"Parents’ love for their children makes them plan far ahead..." At this moment, Song Yunqian’s face was cold as ice: "Yunyun couldn’t get into Qingmu Ridge, so the best path has been blocked. What isn’t good about marrying into a Dao Foundation family? Moreover... I never thought that several of us could hold out under the Fei Family... Although there is no historical record in the Outer World, among loose cultivators, it is said that those who received the Land Reclamation Order and ultimately successfully upgraded to a Dao Foundation family are less than one in a hundred!"

’This is absolutely not optimistic about Poison Dragon Slope...’

Fang Xing couldn’t help but silently remark: ’So you send your daughter away to seek a slim chance of survival? Why not marry into another Dao Foundation family?’

’Uh, perhaps I overestimated them; having a family like the Fei Family willing is already fortunate enough...’

Moreover, such matrimonial alliances with major forces are often a means of engagement, equivalent to hostages.

Even if the Fei Family were to force Poison Dragon Slope cultivators to battle to the death in the future under the guise of righteousness, they would certainly appear to console and properly care for the widows in public.