Star Sky Professional
Chapter 703 - 601: Beauty Fades Easily

Chapter 703: Chapter 601: Beauty Fades Easily

The Five Friends of Floating Cloud were once minor characters in Cloud Coming Square.

Five loose cultivators with low aptitude, who would never touch upon the edges of forging a Dao Foundation in their lifetime.

Yet one among them, seemingly possessed some hidden physical talent, was refined into a Dao Foundation zombie after death, which could be considered some luck.

Fang Xing moved unhurriedly, following behind a gray-white Tunneling Light, his mind racing:

’Lin Xu’s body should have fallen into the hands of the Xie family in Shanyin... it belongs to the influence of the Corpse Chasing Sect, but now it’s being used as a trap to lure me... Could it be that the Corpse Chasing Sect has allied with the Blood Shadow Sect?’

’This is not good news for Qingmu Ridge...’

’Isn’t the Corpse Chasing Sect at war with the Feijian Sect? It seems they have gained some advantage, able to make moves on the sidelines?’

’The status of Feijian Sect as the top of the top ten seems a bit overrated...’

He chuckled inwardly.

If not for his amazing perception, he would not have discovered that Lin Xu was a refined corpse.

The trap set by the other party was clearly to use Lin Xu to lure Fang Xing out of Poison Dragon Slope before making their move.

Why lure him out before making their move?

They must have suffered a setback at Poison Dragon Slope.

They even believe that Poison Dragon Slope is so dangerous that it surely hides some secret, prompting them to capture Fang Xing in a hurry.

’Wait... there’s another point, how did they catch the brief moment I came back?’

Fang Xing’s eyes narrowed with a hint of coldness: ’Unless... there’s a spy in Qingmu Ridge for the Blood Shadow Sect, or a cultivator from Qingmu Ridge purposely sold me out!’

This is actually quite common.

Others are fighting and dying on the frontlines while he’s safely farming at the rear, gaining a lot of merit, which is indeed quite conspicuous, easily drawing resentment.

Although the disciples and relatives of Yin God Real People and Yang God True Monarchs also have this privilege, ordinary Dao Foundation cultivators dare not resent these second-generation immortals, only someone at their similar level.

With no background, gaining contributions and exchanging for Divine Skills’ Fundamental Diagram in abundance, Fang Xing naturally stands out.

’It’s human nature to bully the weak and fear the strong.’

’I hope this time the traitor will also be present so I can rightly cut them down...’

After all, colluding with the Blood Shadow Sect to attack Qingmu Ridge’s Dao Foundation is a clear act of betrayal!

’Though I am dedicated to farming, being kind can lead to being bullied... it’s necessary to display certain combat power to avoid being coveted.’

’The best combat power would naturally be the Paper Folding Technique!’

After all, cultivators who practice the Paper Folding Technique are all madmen!

Just like ordinary people, cultivators fear those who are aggressive and those who don’t fear death.

...

’Lin Xu’ flew over a swamp and stopped moving.

Fang Xing looked at him and suddenly smiled: "Should I call you Lin Xu, or Xie Songshan?"

"Oh? You actually recognize me?"

Xie Songshan was slightly taken aback.

"Of course... After all, Lin Xu perished during the Xie family’s battle back then, and you similarly possessed a Dao Foundation refined corpse, ambushed the Fei Family’s patriarch."

Fang Xing said: "I suppose your Dao Foundation Divine Skills are ’Twins’ and ’Corpse Guardian’, which allow you to divide your spirit into thoughts and possess a Dao Foundation refined corpse?"

"As expected of a loose cultivator who achieved Dao, indeed clever."

Xie Songshan chuckled: "I am most satisfied with this refined corpse. I’ve completely concealed the corpse qi, yet you still saw through it... but since you’ve seen it’s a trap, why do you seek death yourself?"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Before his words fell, several Tunneling Lights appeared, sealing Fang Xing from all sides.

Among them, one person wearing a crimson magic robe, with an old demeanor, should be Xie Songshan of the Xie family.

The other three were disciples of the Blood Shadow Sect.

The leader was a man with crimson eyebrows, his cultivation obviously reaching the peak of the Middle Realm of Dao Foundation.

Additionally, another cultivator of the Blood Shadow Sect in the Middle Realm of Dao Foundation was a pale-faced old man.

As for an old woman in the Initial Realm of Dao Foundation, Fang Xing found her strangely familiar.

"Hmm?"

He looked at the old woman, barely finding a touch of familiarity from her features and expression.

But the old woman wore an icy expression, as if facing a stranger.

"Blood Shadow Sect’s Shadow Puppet lineage, Crimson Eyebrow Immortal."

Fang Xing nodded, looking at the other two Dao Foundations: "These two should be from the Paper Folding lineage, right?"

"Indeed... Fang Xing, I didn’t expect a mere runaway from our sect’s Paper Slave Valley to advance to Dao Foundation."

The old man in the Middle Realm of Dao Foundation chuckled: "If not for me originally being a steward disciple of Paper Slave Valley and you not changing your name, I might not have recognized you."

"I see, may I know this Daoist’s name?"

Fang Xing turned to the old woman again.

"Hehe, this is my Dao companion—Tao Hong, once also a paper slave. Do you recognize her?"

The old man smiled smugly.

"Five Dao Foundation battle forces... truly honoring me with great face."

Fang Xing nodded, his aura suddenly surging.

No longer an Initial Realm, but a Middle Realm Dao Foundation!

"Middle Realm Dao Foundation?"

Crimson Eyebrow Immortal’s expression shifted as he saw the surrounding trees shatter, shrouded in a hazy light.

It was the Upper Dao Foundation—Luxuriant and Verdant!

He tore open his robe, revealing a strange demon beast tattooed across his chest.

But before the shadow puppet could possess him, a sharp wooden spike pierced through his dantian.

"You... are not an ordinary Middle Realm Dao Foundation!"

Red-Brow Immortal wanted to speak, but was swallowed by the shadows of the trees.

In a flash, this ruthless figure met his demise.

He was unfortunate, as his cultivation was the highest, and he was the first target for Fang Xing as he wasn’t from the Paper Folding branch.

After securing an initial advantage, Fang Xing used countless tree shadows to obscure the vision, making every cultivator fight on their own.

Pop pop!

An elder born in the Valley of Paper Slaves, clad in paper armor and wielding a paper knife, guarded by two paper puppets, tore through the shadows, only to witness a scene that made his eyes burn with rage—

"Ah!"

An Upper Post Realm Paper General, who knows when it arrived on the battlefield, its horse trampling on Young Master Lin Xu’s Dao Foundation corpse, lifted Xie Songshan with a spear.

Crash!

The Paper General gave the spear a shake, and Xie Songshan’s entire body shattered into pieces.

"Upper Post Realm Paper General? To reach such cultivation, at least a full cycle of sixty years of life must be sacrificed?"

"You actually refined such a fearsome thing? Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

The elder’s expression changed drastically.

"Oh? It requires a cycle of sixty years of life?"

Fang Xing neither confirmed nor denied.

It seemed that either his Grandmaster-level Paper Folding Technique and All-Complete Hand, or the fact that he had already advanced to a level 15 Druid, meant that the cost of his lifespan for paper folding was much less than that for the Blood Shadow Sect’s Paper Folding branch’s Dao Foundation.

"Go!"

He pointed out with his hand, and the Paper General immediately rode forward, unstoppable, taking out one paper puppet with each strike.

Just as the elder thought to flee, suddenly a piece of white paper covered his face, and his entire body froze: "Wretched maid..."

Fang Xing saw clearly that it was Taohong who, after the elder’s two paper puppets were slain, used a secret technique to ambush the elder.

"Fang Xing... it’s been a long time."

After completing all this, Taohong looked up at Fang Xing, the wrinkles and age spots on her face unmistakable.

"Indeed, long time no see, you’ve aged as well."

Fang Xing sighed: "But I don’t think our little bond is enough for you to ambush your Dao companion."

"Dao companion?" Taohong’s expression twisted: "Rather than calling him a Dao companion, it’s better to say I was his furnace... This cursed man cultivated the ’Yin Yang Resentment’ Dao Foundation and could plunder my lifespan through dual cultivation..."

"I see."

Fang Xing’s expression was calm, as if he had already guessed the truth.

After a couple more questions, he learned that Taohong had been lucky to receive a large sum from him back then and was eventually noticed and favored by a steward disciple, allowing her to escape the Valley of Paper Slaves.

Unfortunately, after joining the Blood Shadow Sect, she, as a disciple who rose from being a slave, still faced discrimination.

Later, it was this elder who helped her rise through cultivation, ultimately establishing a Dao Foundation.

Alas, this elder was not well-intentioned either, having had Taohong cultivate the corresponding Dao Foundation, ’Reversing the Jade Wheel,’ to his ’Yin Yang Resentment.’

This elder had secretly planned long ago while he was a steward disciple of the Valley of Paper Slaves, selecting exceptional female slaves to cultivate as ’Reversing the Jade Wheel’ furnaces.

His ’Yin Yang Resentment’ could indeed siphon lifespan through dual cultivation, but required Dao Foundation female cultivators of a specific type.

Among those selected, only Taohong had achieved a Dao Foundation.

"He treated my lifespan as his own... He wouldn’t even let me cultivate the Paperman Technique, fearing it would deplete my lifespan..."

Taohong’s face was full of resentment: "Had the siphoning of lifespan not needed to be done slowly, I might have already died of old age..."

"So, the Blood Shadow Sect’s Paper Folding branch Dao Foundation is like this? Able to increase lifespan or reduce lifespan consumption types?"

"Even so, the Paper Folding branch is so short-lived..."

Fang Xing sighed with emotion.

However, he thought Taohong’s luck wasn’t bad.

Those paper slaves born in the same batch as them, their bones likely turned to ash by now.

To live until now, it is lucky!

"Fang Xing..."

At this time, Taohong seemed a bit embarrassed: "For the sake of our past hardship shared, could you give me this person?"

"Oh? Why do you want him?"

Fang Xing looked at the elder covered in paper, seemingly turned into a mindless zombie, curious.

"I’ve secretly practiced a secret technique that should be able to reverse the yin and yang, taking back his lifespan... Unfortunately, there’s always a loss in such lifespan-stealing methods; the give and take consumes too much lifespan, even if I take all his lifespan, it won’t compare to that of a normal Dao Foundation cultivator."

Taohong gritted her teeth, evidently this resilient woman had been waiting for an opportunity to turn the tables.

"Is that so? That’s feasible... but I want to use the Enchanting Soul Skill to interrogate him first, and also question about the Paper Folding scriptures."

Fang Xing nodded.

"Of course, after his Dao Foundation, he took a Yin God cultivator as his master and received transmission of the ’Blood Paper Secret Scripture’..."

Taohong showed a hint of interest on her face, seemingly interested in this secret transmission as well.

"Hmm, besides that, for this trap, there must be cooperation from someone in Qingmu Ridge, do you know the internal details?"

Fang Xing asked.

"I don’t know, but it was this old undying who handled communications with that person. He surely knows!"

Taohong pointed at the elder, a hint of joyful smile flashing across her face.