Stealthily cultivating in the chaotic world of demons and martial artists
Chapter 1123 - 977: Mirage on the Sea

Chapter 1123: Chapter 977: Mirage on the Sea

On the shores of the East Sea.

There lies a harbor where countless azure pebbles pave the ground, creating a splendid scene.

At night, numerous blue jellyfish ebb and flow in the sea water, emitting a faint glow, making the scenery extremely beautiful. It’s known as ’Blue Star Bay’.

However, it was occupied by a group of ’Tyrant Sharks’. These sharks are born an exotic species, immensely strong, capable of spitting out filthy evil Qi, and they attack passing ships with vicious ferocity. Thus, it’s a place seldom visited by humans.

But a few months ago, several Sword Lights descended and cleared out the Tyrant Sharks.

Then from the East Sea, countless treasure ships arrived.

These Baochuans were enormous, laden with all sorts of pearls, corals, and sharkskin unique to the East Sea. Linked together by bridges and footpaths, they resembled a gigantic island.

There were also Cultivators coming and going, trading items such as deep-sea cold iron and East Sea-specific spirit medicine, attracting a large number of Cultivators from the central plains, thus forming a sea market.

The customs of the East Sea differ from those of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Not only are there diverse customs from countless nations, but due to harsh living conditions with frequent wind and water disasters, mortals must rely on the protection of Cultivators to survive.

As for the merchants who cross the sea, they must worship Cultivators, otherwise, they would find it difficult to pass through.

Therefore, in the midst of the East Sea, the boundary between the mundane and the Cultivators isn’t so clear.

At this moment, Cultivators and ordinary people mingled together, also attracting the distant Rakshasa and natives from South Island to come for trade. A variety of races gathered together, witches and wizards, and Immortals traveled on the same roads, creating a scene somewhat reminiscent of a ’World Expo’.

"This Blue Star Bay is indeed bustling."

A flying vessel anchored down, and Fang Xi, along with Tian Ku Monk, Jade Wave Fairy, and Qingniu looked on at this scene, all feeling that there was too much to take in.

"I didn’t expect a mere sword fighting event to create such a grand spectacle," Fang Xi said with a slight nod.

"I’d like to stroll around the sea market first. Why don’t we part ways for now and agree on a time to meet up later?" Jade Wave Fairy said with a light smile.

"That suits me just fine," Qingniu readily agreed.

"Very well. However, our friends from the Three Mountains and Five Peaks are mainly here to support Yue Hu from the ’Peach Plum Fairy’. We must not be late. Should you encounter swordsmen from the East Sea, you need to be extra cautious..."

Tian Ku Monk left some instructions and hurriedly took his leave, evidently on his way to meet a friend.

Fang Xi watched the man’s retreating figure, a slight smile on his lips.

’Although Tian Ku Monk comes from a minor sect, he has obtained a Buddhist treasure blade. I fear he will have quite a destiny with the Buddhism Sect in the future... He will end up devoting himself to the sect and will no longer enjoy his freedom.’

’Does he think the treasures and Heavenly Books of this world are that easy to obtain?’

’Even I, despite my profound cultivation, can only suppress it temporarily... Although I seem commanding at the moment, the time will come when I will have to pay with my life! Though I do have many lives, that is...’

Clothed in a green robe, Fang Xi leisurely strolled through the sea market with his hands behind his back.

He saw various stalls set up on the connected decks.

There were three-foot-tall multicolored corals, fist-sized night pearls, treasures swords from Middle Earth, ivory and rhinoceros horn from the southern islands... and even living creatures like the sea-green dragon and the White Bird... a myriad of wonders, everything one could wish for.

There were also items for cultivation such as sea-bottom cold iron, Spirit Pearls, East Sea specialty spirit algae, Spiritual Pills, all openly displayed.

Unfortunately, although these items might be prized by ordinary Sword Immortals and swordsmen, they no longer caught Fang Xi’s eye.

He wandered around and stopped in front of a stall.

The owner of the stall was a woman dressed in green, radiating a sharp aura, surrounded by a faint Wood light, clearly a female Sword Immortal from the East Sea.

Moreover, she seemed to be a disciple of Divine Wood Island.

Fang Xi looked at the several hundred-year-old ironwood plants on the stall and a small segment of thousand-year-old ironwood, feeling somewhat regretful.

If there were a piece of ten-thousand-year-old ironwood, perhaps he himself could have refined a wood-attribute Flying Sword.

’The collection of the eight Flying Swords is a dual approach...’

’In the True Immortal Realm Abundant Karma House, another incarnation of mine is also paying attention to this matter...’

’Given time, gathering eight Immortal family Flying Swords should not be too difficult.’

Fang Xi pondered in his heart and looked towards another section.

Next to the ironwood, there were several peculiar ore stones.

The female disciple smiled when she saw him looking, "Sir, may I know what has caught your eye?"

She spoke with a hint of an East Sea accent, her manner straightforward and without the coy demeanor of Middle Earth women.

Fang Xi picked up a fist-sized black and white ore stone from the stall without saying much.

This ore stone was extremely heavy but apart from that, it didn’t seem special.

"This exotic stone was spewed out from a well of ’Origin Magnetism’ deep on our island... Our master and senior brother cultivate the Innate Origin Magnetism Magic Power, using it to sense the magnetism of both poles, to comb the earth’s Qi, accumulate external power, and occasionally some underground treasures will spout out... My master and senior brother have both seen this stone and said it is a ’Life and Death Fetus’. Originally, once it develops nine orifices, it could break from the stone and transform into an extraordinary creature. Unfortunately, due to insufficient luck, the incubation period was too short and it was ejected from the crust before even three orifices could form... turning into a stillborn. The perpetual energy of creation dissipated and its value plummeted."

The Divine Wood Island female disciple said with a smile, "However, it remains a rare and exotic treasure. If the price you offer is not to my liking, I might not sell..."

Fang Xi observed carefully and saw indeed two holes on the ’Life and Death Fetus’, resembling orifices, and a third vaguely-shaped hole. He nodded and then shook his head, "It’s a pity... If it had developed six or seven orifices, even as a stillborn, it could have been refined into a decent treasure."

"When that time comes, this item will no longer be something I, as a junior sister, can offer for sale," said a female disciple from Divine Wood Island with a charming smile. "I am Wenwan of Divine Wood Island, may I ask Sir..."

"Green Grain Mountain’s Fang Xi."

Fang Xi pondered for a moment, then asked, "I wonder how this Life and Death Fetus is to be sold?"

"As Cultivators, we naturally do not desire worldly gold, silver, and common items..." Wenwan had not heard of Green Grain Mountain, assuming it to be an ordinary sect, and after some thought, she said, "It depends on what you have that could move me."

Fang Xi pondered again.

He had not been practicing Cultivation for long, and Green Grain Mountain had only been established in recent years. Even if he had planted some Spirit Medicine seeds, they had not yet fully grown.

However, he did have some treasures on his person, but their karma was heavy; it remained to be seen whether Wenwan would dare to accept them.

He immediately said with a smile, "I have a volume of the Earth Origin Gold Book, which can make one an Earth Immortal if cultivated. There’s also a volume of ’Heaven Devil Record’ which details the ’Five Poison God Evil Qi’, ’Five Poisons Immortal Sword’, as well as many techniques of the heterodox and Demon Path, and there’s a carcass of a Dragon Turtle too, though it’s missing its Inner Core. Besides, I have a bottle of ’Five Poisons God Evil Qi’; if the right Gang Qi is found, it can turn into a superior pill! Which of these would Sir prefer?"

These words startled Wenwan.

’Surely this senior is some Individual Immortal or Earth Immortal who has accumulated years of wealth and treasures?’

Although she was a disciple of Divine Wood Island, she was only a junior sister who had not received the true teachings of her sect.

If she had a volume of the Earth Origin Gold Book, wouldn’t becoming an Earth Immortal be within reach?

Yet Wenwan could only let out a wry laugh and said, "I am a disciple of Divine Wood Island and dare not betray my sect to learn the techniques of others..."

Her words made Fang Xi look at her in a new light.

Though he had offered the Earth Origin Gold Book earnestly, the book’s karma was substantial, and without sufficient foundation, it was more likely to be a curse than a blessing.

The ’Heaven Devil Record’ was even more so, not to mention the karma associated with Liang the Devil of West Kunlun.

Furthermore, cultivating techniques of the Demon Path can easily bewitch Cultivators, giving rise to all sorts of cruel, violent, and malicious thoughts. One misstep could even cost one their life.

"The Dragon Turtle has a trace of dragon’s blood and is most suitable for alchemy... I choose..."

Wenwan immediately decided on the Dragon Turtle carcass, perfect for sacrificial refining a pill that would greatly benefit her cultivation.

"I’ll take that ’Five Poisons God Evil Qi’."

Just then, a deep voice interrupted them.

"Senior Brother?"

Wenwan turned to see a man approaching and couldn’t help but be stunned.

Fang Xi looked over and noticed a man with bronze-colored skin, a square face, and wearing a green robe. There was a faint circle of Origin Magnetism Magic Power around him, and he nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

’Indeed he has cultivated the power of Origin Magnetism... But to obtain the true methods of Divine Wood Island, which is protected by Earth Immortals, will be very troublesome.’

In such a major sect, it’s likely that only a few disciples receive the true teachings.

Let alone Wenwan, she definitely would not have them.

Even this Senior Brother of Divine Wood Island might only know some parts, and not the entirety.

To get the full transmission of Origin Magnetism, one would probably have to ask the prime ancestor of Divine Wood Island!

"My name is Duanmu Long, and I’ve come to meet Sir. The ’Five Poisons God Evil Qi’ you have is of great use to me, would you be willing to part with it?"

Duanmu Long gave Fang Xi a bow.

"I’m only discussing with Junior Sister Wen."

Fang Xi shook his head and turned to Wenwan.

Clearly hesitating, Duanmu Long immediately said, "I know Junior Sister seeks the Dragon Turtle for a specific purpose. I have a gourd of Green Sun Pill that would be exactly what Junior Sister needs, and I am willing to offer it to her!"

Upon hearing this, Wenwan’s delight was evident.

Cultivators know that concocting pills in the cauldron can be extremely troublesome, not to mention the difficulty of gathering hundreds or thousands of Spirit Medicine ingredients at first.

Moreover, the pill-making could lead to various tribulations.

Pill Tribulation, Human Tribulation, Karma Tribulation...

One could lose both the pill and their life at any time!

Even Wenwan, who counted on her sect’s protection and the help of her fellow siblings, only had a sixty to seventy percent chance of succeeding.

Duanmu Long’s offer to give her a Spiritual Pill saved her immeasurable trouble.

She immediately replied cheerfully, "We’ll trade for the ’Five Poisons God Evil Qi.’"

"Mhm."

Fang Xi directly tossed the jade bottle containing the Evil Qi to Duanmu Long, then smiled and said, "Observing Sir, your innate Origin Magnetism Magic Power seems deep and pure, you surely are not diverting from the Inner Core Path... Perhaps you are intending to help a friend?"

"Ha ha... Sir must be a Middle Earth Person here for the sword fighting event?"

Duanmu Long shook his head and said, "But Sir might not be aware that the cultivation techniques of Hua Mountain Sect are unique, centered around Inner Core Skills, and known as the Golden Pill Grand Path!"

"Yue Hu himself has already achieved a superior Golden Core and doesn’t need it. But he has a little junior sister whom he adores madly; having obtained an opportunity recently, I fear he’ll be regretting it enough to bang his head on the ground..."