Stealthily cultivating in the chaotic world of demons and martial artists
Chapter 1149 - 1003 Old Friend

Chapter 1149: Chapter 1003 Old Friend

Fiery Sun Immortal City.

A Spirit Boat suspended high in the sky.

Fang Xi stood with his hands behind his back, gazing downward from the deck.

Wherever his eyes landed, there was nothing but a blend of gold and crimson magma!

Countless streams of lava flowed recklessly, as if forming a sea of red and gold!

"The Great Sun of the Fiery Sun Immortal City has collapsed, and now it has become the Sunset Immortal City... This sea of magma, stretching tens of thousands of miles, is the most beautiful scenery of the Sunset Immortal City."

Immortal Xuan Qing, having arrived at Fang Xi’s side at some unknown time, sighed.

In front, Huang Xie, who was piloting the Spirit Boat, trembled his palms, a trace of sadness flashing in his eyes.

This Fiery Sun Immortal City was a place of growth, bearing countless memories of joy and tears.

Now, it had all turned into a sea of fire.

"Even the life-bound Immortal Weapon has shattered... It seems that Immortal Lie Ri is truly more unlucky than fortunate."

Fang Xi lamented.

Unexpectedly, the Sky Demon Jun Xie, along with the forces behind him, had actually managed to destroy an Immortal!

"After this battle, the smaller forces in the Beichen Immortal Domain will probably be on edge."

The so-called small forces naturally referred to schools and families like the Divine Wood Palace, which had only one or two Immortals.

As for forces without an Immortal, they could not even be considered a force!

"However, it’s not good to be too definitive... We Immortals are beings of Long Life and extended vision. Within the long eons, we have enough time to refine our Magic Power to the current bottleneck and to learn many auxiliary and life-saving Secret Skills..."

"Even when facing powerful enemies, survival should not be a big problem."

Fang Xi looked thoughtfully at Immortal Xuan Qing: "Xuan Qing, where do you think we should start?"

"Naturally, we should first head to the nearby outpost of Abundant Karma House."

Immortal Xuan Qing replied as a matter of course.

...

Black Marsh Market.

Before the Octagonal Jade Archway.

Several Cultivators were already standing there.

One of them, an old crone leaning on a mulberry wood staff, coughed occasionally, as if plagued by illness.

Another, clad in beast hide, had a fearsome appearance and stood over ten feet tall.

The last one appeared the most normal, a mere everyday Human Cultivator, in the guise of an elderly scholar.

At this moment, the beast-hide-clad giant turned to the old woman: "Granny Ming... when will those two great ones arrive?"

"Cough cough... those two are Immortals of eternal life. How could an old and infirm crone like myself fathom the thoughts of such exalted figures above?"

Granny Ming coughed, then said: "This old woman is a subordinate of Abundant Karma House, hence the waiting here. If you two are impatient, you’re free to leave..."

"Humph."

The giant in beast hide’s face changed, and then he said: "Hai Wanzhen merely admires Immortals and wishes to meet them. Not to mention waiting for a few more days, even a few more years would be of no concern!"

"Both of you are pillars of this market, why bother with this?" the ordinary-looking elderly scholar Cultivator intervened with a smile.

Granny Ming, however, sneered: "Yi Xi, there’s no need for you to play the good guy. Your ’Qi Yun Sect’ has done so many things in secret; you think the old woman is unaware?"

Yi Xi’s face changed, turning extremely unsightly at once.

’Heh heh, Yi, there’s no need to stoop to this old crone’s level. Her favorite disciple happened to be in the Fiery Sun Immortal City when the disaster struck; reportedly, not even his bones remained, what a tragedy...’

Just as Yi Xi was about to retort, a voice transmission from Hai Wanzhen reached his ear, prompting him to fall silent.

All three were the highest in Cultivation within the market, able to secretly communicate with each other beyond the detection of Granny Ming.

Half a day later, a flying boat appeared in the sky.

With just a flash, it reached above the Octagonal Jade Archway.

"I did not expect that I would have a day of revisiting old places," Fang Xi mused with his hands behind his back, feeling quite emotional.

Upon seeing the arrival of the flying boat, Granny Ming became very excited, thumping her mulberry wood staff and transforming into a Blue Light, taking the initiative to fly up and welcome them: "Abundant Karma House’s Protector, Ming Yulan, greets the two Immortals!"

"Granny Ming, who are these two?"

Immortal Xuan Qing scanned them with his Divine Thought without any reservation, causing Hai Wanzhen and Yi Xi to turn pale.

"To the Immortals, these two are the heads of the largest forces in the market," Ming Yulan hurriedly answered: "They are Hai Wanzhen of the Ten Thousand Beast Trade Association and Yi Xi of the Qi Yun Sect..."

The Ten Thousand Beast Trade Association mainly dealt in the business of Spiritual Pets, while the Qi Yun Sect was involved in many miscellaneous businesses, doing essentially anything that could earn Spirit Stones and Immortal Jade.

Both of their Cultivations were not weak, being in the Mahayana Period.

"Immortals, after your long and arduous journey, I have already prepared a feast..."

Hai Wanzhen approached, his face full of smiles.

"No need,"

Immortal Xuan Qing was cold by nature, dismissing them with a wave of his sleeve: "Granny Ming, let’s go..."

He always had little desire to interact with the dubious characters of the market.

What did it matter if they were Mahayana Monks?

Without transcending tribulations to become an Immortal, after a hundred thousand years, they would still end up as a handful of yellow soil!

However, Fang Xi took a slightly surprised glance at Yi Xi.

This Mahayana Monk had aged quite a bit compared to those years ago, and his cultivation had also improved greatly.

Surely during such a lengthy period, there must have been some miraculous encounters.

"Senior, do you recognize this old man?"

Yi Xi, truly someone who started off as a receptionist, immediately sensed something and respectfully saluted.

"Not at all, it’s just that you bear some resemblance to an old friend of mine, that’s all."

Fang Xi laughed heartily, walking shoulder to shoulder with Immortal Xuan Qing.

"Not bad, younger brother..." Just as Yi Xi was deep in thought, Hai Wanzhen approached him, "Could it be that you have some direct kin who are elders, and you even have connections with the Immortals of Abundant Karma House?"

He was shrewd with age, seeing very clearly.

Although Immortal Xuan Qing’s presence was overwhelmingly powerful, there was a subtle sense that Fang Xi seemed to take precedence.

It was evident that even among Immortals, this person was extraordinary.

"This... the old man also does not know."

Immortal Cultivators all possess the ability to never forget anything they have seen, and by the Mahayana Period when the Nascent Soul is perfected, even the smallest details are remembered.

However, Yi Xi had only seen Fang Xi after his disguise at the time and naturally did not feel any familiarity.

"Sir, have you been to this market before?"

Xuan Qing entered a Dongfu, curious.

"Back when I was staying in Fiery Sun Immortal City, I once came here briefly; that person was but a mere receptionist at the time with terrible cultivation... Who would have thought that he is Mahayana now."

Fang Xi felt quite nostalgic and saw no need to hide anything.

"That’s normal. Sometimes, after we emerge from retreat, those who were once Qi Refining Cultivators have transformed into Mahayana ancestors."

Xuan Qing, however, was indifferent, as if he had seen it all before: "It is also possible that after a long period of seclusion, all the people one knew have undergone Sitting and Transforming... Such a tragedy of utter solitude in the world is indeed unbearable."

A touch of sorrow appeared in his eyes, but it quickly dissipated as he laughed: "I see that Yi Xi’s foundation is mixed and it seems that he has also converted to Buddhism Sect magic power. It is a miracle that he broke through to Mahayana, and there is hardly any chance for him to become an Immortal."

"I perceive it in the same way," Fang Xi nodded slightly and after a brief comment, called over Ming Yulan.

"What exactly happened in Fiery Sun Immortal City that day?"

"Reporting to both Immortals, on that day, I had just gone to Fiery Sun Immortal City to find my disciple. Although I was inadvertently injured by fire poison, I also happened upon a coincidence and recorded a segment using the ’Shadow Staying Wall’..."

Ming Yulan pulled out a black rock and injected magic power into it.

Fang Xi and Xuan Qing, as if present at the scene, saw the Great Sun Immortal Furnace in the distance breaking apart, collapsing... A sun falling into the city!

Terrifying temperatures instantly caused countless prohibitions and living creatures to evaporate...

Then, there was a surge of molten gold lava wreaking havoc and rolling towards them!

"Oh? Judging from your unstable aura, the metallic Qi in your lungs is damaged, clearly indicating that the Nascent Soul has been burned by the True Fire of the Great Sun..."

The Shadow Staying Wall broke off at that point, leaving Fang Xi and Xuan Qing lost in thought.

After a long while, Fang Xi finally spoke.

"Cough cough... The Immortal has keen insight; due to concern for my disciple’s safety, I entered the sea of fire with an ice-attribute Immortal Weapon to protect myself. I managed only a few hundred miles before my Nascent Soul was injured by the fire poison, and I had to retreat in a disheveled state..."

Ming Yulan’s face was filled with bitterness.

In her attempt to save her beloved disciple, not only did she fail, but she also suffered, losing a lot and gaining nothing.

"Here is an ’Ice Frog Pill’, which is extremely effective in treating your injury, so I bestow it upon you."

Xuan Qing nodded and tossed her a jade bottle.

Ming Yulan caught it and saw that inside the semi-transparent jade bottle, a snow-white pill emitted astonishing coldness.

In the center of the pill, the pill patterns seemed to come alive, turning into a red-eyed ice frog, making her overjoyed: "Thank you for the gift, Immortal."

"You’re welcome. How many people from my Abundant Karma House are left now?"

Xuan Qing asked casually.

"Everyone in Fiery Sun Immortal City turned to dust. Afterwards, I did my best to gather people, but only found three stewards and seventeen disciples, all of whom had left the city before the incident and are now staying in the market,"

Ming Yulan reported in detail.

"That will suffice, you may step down."

Xuan Qing nodded, dismissing Ming Yulan, and Huang Xie stepped in, "Senior Fang, Yi Xi seeks an audience, claiming to have information about Fiery Sun Immortal City..."

’Not surprising for someone accustomed to being a receptionist, seizing the opportunity to rise. This ability to read situations and go with the flow has indeed reached the apex.’

Admiring Yi Xi in his heart, Fang Xi said, "Let him come in."

"Yi Xi pays respect to the Immortal!" Yi Xi saluted with utmost respect and presented a Shadow Staying Wall, "This is the intelligence I have gathered, hopeful that it will be useful to the Immortal."

"Oh?"

Fang Xi was surprised, looking at the light and shadows on the Shadow Staying Wall.

The Shadow Staying Wall, crafted with Immortal Realm technology, not only perfectly recreated the scene at the time, making those watching feel as if they were there, but also retained the aura of the Divine Skills unleashed by the people involved that day!

It exposed many details about the opponent.

Yi Xi’s piece was clearer than what Ming Yulan had provided earlier; the angles were also entirely different.

Although the figures were just flickers of light and the battle concluded in an instant,

Fang Xi’s Divine Thought was so meticulous that he still saw a Cultivator with flaming red hair — none other than Immortal Lie Ri!

"Is it indeed the Sky Demon Jun Xie?"

Fang Xi murmured to himself upon seeing Immortal Lie Ri clashing fiercely with Sky Demon Jun Xie.

It was then that the Void suddenly broke open, and a Sword Light emerged, dealing a heavy blow to Immortal Lie Ri!

"This person is..."