Stealthily cultivating in the chaotic world of demons and martial artists
Chapter 1200 - 1054 Yin Dog

Chapter 1200: Chapter 1054 Yin Dog

On the bookshelf.

Various ancient texts, fragmented scrolls, and illustrated books were piled up haphazardly.

Besides, on the bottom shelf, there was a pile of objects in disarray.

Including a broken sword, a blood-stained wooden fish, several unidentified ores, and a scroll depicting a demon, among other things...

These were all carefully collected by the predecessor during his interest in studying the strange and peculiar, each item accompanied by a thrilling story—although most were fabricated.

Fang Xi ignored these and directly pulled out three books, precisely the "Strange-telling Book," the "Desolate West Record," and the "Garden Spectrum."

Among these, both the "Strange-telling Book" and the "Desolate West Record" were thread-bound ancient copies, with pages yellowed and showing signs of water damage and insect infestation.

The content described therein was mostly of oddities passed down orally, and, because the author seemed not to have taken writing seriously, was recorded sporadically, mixed with many meaningless words and phrases that easily put the reader to sleep.

The predecessor had casually flipped through a few pages, felt annoyed and troubled, and tossed it aside.

The "Garden Spectrum" looked even worse---merely a few torn pages, barely bound into a small booklet.

Its paper was smooth, apparently made of skin paper.

Fang Xi touched it, his expression slightly changing.

The paper was smooth to the touch, thick and firm, providing an indescribable sensation of pleasure upon touching.

It was as if he was caressing the most delicate skin of a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old girl...

"It’s tanned human skin..."

He murmured to himself, realizing the origin of the paper—human skin!

Indistinctly, as he rubbed his fingertips over the textured surface of the skin paper, Fang Xi seemed to hear faint gasps of a girl by his ear, his thoughts momentarily sinking into some sort of rosy dream.

The scenery in the dream was charming, indeed not suitable to be shared with strangers.

Fang Xi indulged for a moment, then sneered coldly, "A mere illusion of beauty, trying to disrupt my Tao Heart?"

His gaze was as clear as ever. Now looking at the "Garden Spectrum," he saw the text as before, but the meanings seemed to have changed.

He seemed to have stared at it for too long, having forgotten the original meanings and pronunciations of those words...

Even, he began to imagine the origin of this damaged booklet.

It seemed a long time ago, a cultivator known as the ’Master of the Garden’—originally one of the world’s renowned chefs who later turned to cultivation and collected many recipes to compose this "Garden Spectrum"... only for the ’Master of the Garden’ to later face great calamity, causing the "Garden Spectrum" to scatter.

Among these few remaining pages, only a few recipes for consuming Secret Medicine were recorded.

One recipe was that of a Yin Mountain cultivator’s Secret Medicine.

Of course, if he were to follow the prior interpretations for concocting it, he would certainly end up busying himself for nothing.

"Take three tears from a fifty-year-old white ox just before its death, mix with two leaves of the ’Ghost-face Willow’, combine with six maces of cinnabar, three maces of pearl powder, and mix with Rootless Water... After consumption, one may obtain the ’Spirit Eye,’ discern Yin-Yang, and communicate with Deities... advance to a Ninth-rank Fengshui Master..."

"A Ninth-rank Fengshui Master?"

Fang Xi’s thoughts stirred, "Is this the transcendent system of this world?"

He looked further and found another recipe that could only be taken by a Ninth-rank Fengshui Master, which would allow one to advance to an Eighth-rank Fengshui Master...

Beyond that point, the pages were completely damaged, only mentioning a Seventh-rank position—Yin and Yang Master!

"Based on the description, this Ninth-rank Fengshui Master seems to have mediocre strength at best, with only a pair of Spirit Eyes capable of seeing geomantic properties... enough to make a living in the Martial World without starving."

Fang Xi smirked.

Unfortunately, it’s hardly easy to advance as even a Fengshui Master. Ordinary oxen generally die within twenty to thirty years, and it’s quite rare to find an old white ox that lives past fifty.

Furthermore, that ’Ghost-face Willow’ was something the predecessor had never heard of.

He flipped through and found a few more recipes for Secret Medicines recorded not for advancement, but for treating illnesses or even stopping infants’ nighttime crying, which involved mostly simple materials, but all required an infusion of ’peculiar power’ in the end.

Fang Xi estimated that this peculiar power was the transcendent force possessed by a Ninth-rank Fengshui Master.

Without such peculiar power, those other healing medicines and charms would be as elusive as the moon reflected in water, a flower in a mirror.

"Eh?"

As Fang Xi flipped to the end, another recipe for advancement emerged in his mind.

However, this time the recipe was only ninth-rank.

"Take twenty drops of Water Ghost blood, one Lonely Tomb Flower, mix with three water weeds, four taels of gypsum... mix with Rootless Water... after consumption, one may obtain the ’Power of Calamity,’ advance to a Ninth-rank Water Controller..."

"Water Ghost, Lonely Tomb Flower?"

He muttered to himself.

He wondered whether the monster that nearly killed him counted as a Water Ghost?

And the Lonely Tomb Flower was rumored to be an ominous flower found on the Chaotic Burial Mound, which he had indeed seen a few times.

This type of flower, being associated with unclean things, had no practical use, and nobody bothered to pick it.

If he wanted it, he would just have to be careful to avoid that Corpse-eating Fox; it should not be a big issue.

Gypsum was available in any general store, and Rootless Water was even simpler—it was just rainwater.

"This transcendent recipe from another world is indeed interesting—just a simple mix, and it’s done?"

Fang Xi smiled.

At this moment, it seemed he had no better options...

Becoming a Ninth-rank Water Controller and mastering the "force of calamity" allowed one to achieve transcendence in a single step and gradually climb until one could invoke the Law itself!

"The deities of this world are not so simple..."

"This path of cultivation often ends up requiring one to worship gods; future pitfalls are not out of the question..."

"Although I am an Externalization, I do not wish to die so senselessly..."

Fang Xi commented, merely remembering this information and gaining some understanding of the extraordinary ways of this world before turning his attention to the pile of sundry items.

Broken swords, wooden fish... they were all merely mundane objects; his former self had truly been swindled.

Even the scroll depicting evil spirits was rather ordinary; the painter’s skills were even somewhat clumsy...

He picked up a piece of ore.

The ore was pitch-black with flecks of purple.

Because it was very heavy, it was considered a strange oddity and had been collected by his former self.

Fang Xi held it in his hands, yet felt something distinctly different.

Inexplicably, the ore in his hand seemed to be alive, still breathing continuously.

A hazy illusion enveloped him.

"Interesting..."

Fang Xi’s lips slightly curled.

The transcendental paths of this world were not only dangerous but also seemed to be tinged with madness, much like a Heart Demon.

Ordinary mortals had to be wary, lest they fall into madness.

Of course, such a minor emotion was a joke if it thought it could shake the state of mind of a Prime Taoist Master.

’However, if I don’t indulge in the illusion, it seems I may not be able to clearly understand the origin of this item?’

Thinking this, Fang Xi slightly relaxed his mind.

Then, his thoughts appeared to merge with the ore, his consciousness vaguely seeing a hunting dog that had run out from the netherworld.

This black hound was almost as tall as a building, its form akin to a house, and its eyes were as large as water jars.

It devoured humans voraciously, then a certain light splintered.

A piece of bone was buried into the earth, after countless years of incubation, transformed into the strange ore in Fang Xi’s hand.

Gazing at the opponent’s black fur and ferocious fangs, an inexplicable piece of information arose in his mind: "From the Netherworld, the ’Yin Dog’ capable of traversing spirits, feasting on humans..."

"Yin Dog Bone!"

He looked at the ore in his hand and assigned an appropriate name.

Just as Fang Xi was about to further understand the function of this object, suddenly tumult erupted from outside.

He perked up his ears, then with a slight smile, walked out of the room.

"Song San, who beat you up like this?"

A scholar-looking person leading a group of tooth-pullers entered the yard, and seeing Song San lying on the ground, couldn’t help but startle.

"Of course, it was me!"

Fang Xi pushed open the door and walked out, recognizing the scholar as his distant relative from his previous life, Fang Chengdong.

Seeing him, Fang Chengdong was startled again: "Fang Xi?! You... weren’t you dead?"

"You’re the one who’s dead!"

Fang Xi sneered, "I merely lost my breath for a moment yesterday, and you directly threw me onto the Chaotic Burial Mound; we haven’t settled that account yet. What now, did you hire Mrs. Liu today to sell my property?"

Mrs. Liu was one of the tooth-pullers who mingled in this area, naturally well-acquainted with everyone.

Seeing Fang Xi unharmed, she immediately laughed: "Not at all... I was just dragged here by Fang Chengdong... Seeing young brother Fang safe and sound today, truly a joy from heaven, I will treat you to a drink in the future..."

Although she coveted bargains, she also knew that this house had an owner; if Fang Xi was dead, everything was easy to discuss, but if not, even if she obtained the property deed, she couldn’t get past the official bureaus!

Mrs. Liu backed off, causing Fang Chengdong’s face to flash between green and white, stammering for a long time, unable to speak.

"Fang Chengdong, I recall that you relied on my family’s guarantee to study in the old master Gu’s classroom in the city, right?"

Fang Xi sneered, "Afterward, for living expenses, you borrowed silver from my family, every detail I remember. Shall we calculate it all together?"

"No, no..."

Fang Chengdong frantically waved his hands, unable to believe that his typically dazed little sibling had seemingly become a different person.

His forehead drenched in sweat, he couldn’t even care about Song San still lying on the ground, fleeing immediately.

Seeing this, despair filled Song San’s face...

But Fang Xi didn’t bother with him and returned directly to his room to comprehend the "Yin Dog Bone."

It turned out there was also a Netherworld in this world, which notably matched his specialty in the Reincarnation Rule.

If he comprehended it quickly, perhaps at the seventh, eighth, or even ninth rank, he could invoke a sliver of the Law’s power.

At that time, even the vastness of heaven and earth would be open for him to travel.

Song San wailed miserably for a while, seeing that no one paid him any mind, he scowled bitterly at Fang Xi’s room before crawling out.

A figure peeked out stealthily from outside, it was Fang Chengdong!

Seeing that Fang Xi hadn’t come out, he immediately dashed over and picked up Song San to leave...