Stealthily cultivating in the chaotic world of demons and martial artists
Chapter 170 - 169 Black Market (Seeking Subscriptions)_1

Chapter 170: Chapter 169 Black Market (Seeking Subscriptions)_1

Baize Immortal City.

As time continuously passed, news from the distant Thousand Island Lake kept reaching Fang Xi and Ruan Xingling’s ears.

It was said that the combined forces of the Song Family’s cultivators had launched a surprise attack on Thousand Island Lake, virtually annihilating Taishu and the other leaders of the Top Three Families.

After all, as the ruling families of the ’Thirty Six Islands’ alliance, they couldn’t escape the charge of conspiring with demon cultivators.

And ’Ye Sanren’ had been confirmed to be the remaining evil of the Destroy Heaven Alliance, wanted throughout Yue Country.

It was said that this person’s cultivation had reached the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, and he had several powerful demon path secret skills at his disposal. During his escape, he truly inflicted heavy casualties on the Song Family’s cultivators, even severely injuring a Song Family member at the Foundation Establishment level...

The young head of the Song Family, Song Qing, was furious. He cleansed the entire Thousand Island Lake with even more ruthless methods. It was said that every cultivator had to be interrogated on the ’Heart-questioning Platform,’ not a single one could be missed, and indeed many demon path sleeper agents were caught.

Many island masters who had risen to power after the fall of the Dragon Fish Zhong Family stumbled this time, and the entire Thousand Island Lake ran red with blood, reportedly tinging the surface of the lake itself...

...

Bi Bo Cave.

Ping ping pong pong...

Accompanied by the sounds of hammering, another rough artifact had been forged.

Fang Xi gave it a glance, immediately arranged an array, and branded array patterns onto the artifact.

"Done!"

After busying himself for a while, he looked at the iron shield artifact in his hand and nodded with satisfaction.

He took the iron shield artifact and input a stream of magic power.

Buzz buzz!

The iron shield roared, and a fireball was released.

"The legacy you’ve obtained is remarkable; these array patterns can turn decay into magic... The materials used for these artifacts are all common for forging low-grade spiritual instruments, but after branding the array patterns, they can even compare to average medium-grade spiritual instruments," Ruan Xingling sighed on the side, "It’s just a pity... they are only ingeniously conceived."

At the level of Foundation Establishment, artifacts were fundamentally of little use.

For this period of time, Ruan Xingling had been in charge of forging the artifact embryos, while Fang Xi was responsible for branding the array patterns.

Through lengthy exploration, Fang Xi felt that his understanding of the array patterns from the Fragment World had deepened.

When it came time to forge real spiritual instruments in the future, he would have a clear idea and could accomplish the task with ease.

As for the issue of leaking secrets?

Ruan Xingling was not an Array Master and could not discern too many secrets.

Moreover, these were only Qi Refining level array patterns. A secret of this level could be completely kept secure by someone at Foundation Establishment.

And no matter how imaginative Ruan Xingling was, she would only think that Fang Xi had inherited some quirky legacy; she could never jump to something as far-fetched as transmigration.

"You’ve worked hard during this time..."

Fang Xi put away the artifact and smiled at Ruan Xingling.

In this time, Ruan Xingling might as well not have cultivated at all, just forging artifact embryos for Fang Xi to constantly try branding with array patterns.

For a second-tier talisman forger, this was a complete loss.

"Why would Fang bother saying such things to Xingling?"

Ruan Xingling smiled charmingly.

The two left the talisman forging area and had Ruan Dan arrange a banquet to start enjoying.

"It’s a pity... Fang’s array patterns are good, but they are too fragmented and incomplete to form a greater power," Ruan Xingling lamented while drinking Green Bamboo Wine.

"I have some ideas about that... You’ve seen my Gold Dragon Scissors," Fang Xi picked up chopsticks full of Monster Beast Meat. The meat from a first-order Monster Beast from the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range, after being cooked by a Spiritual Chef, had a tender and springy quality with an indescribable flavor, truly irresistible.

"Combined artifacts?!" Ruan Xingling’s eyes shone.

"Exactly... Sadly, the unique array patterns from that legacy are too broken... I am currently trying some new combinations," Fang Xi said, clutching his wine cup and taking a light sip.

In reality, he was waiting for Green Wolf to come into contact with the ’Xun Wind Spirit Pattern’! This was the real key to upgrading the power of the artifacts!

But with a long life span, there was no need to rush this matter.

After all, Green Wolf would gradually improve and eventually encounter the supreme legacy of the Black Mountain Tribe.

...

After the feast, Fang Xi slowly walked back to the Peach Blossom Pavilion, quietly contemplating.

"The power of the Gold Dragon Scissors is average even among low-grade spiritual instruments, and it will become useless in the future!"

"I’m not accustomed to using scissors either... Indeed, it’s time to forge a high-powered, handy spiritual instrument."

After all, the ’Green Wood Longevity Skill’ was not adept at combat, so one could only strengthen an Immortal Cultivator’s power in other ways.

"Just right, I’ll brand the array patterns and spirit marks of the Fragment World onto it... to create a high-quality spiritual instrument!"

"Considering the need for carrying capacity, and leaving room for the future addition of other spirit marks and even treasure patterns... it’s best to use third-grade Spiritual Tree materials!"

"It’s time to start paying attention to this."

Third-grade Spiritual Tree materials were incredibly rare and treasured, but Fang Xi would need them sooner or later.

After all, once he reaches Core Formation, the talisman will at least require materials of this level for forging!

For a cultivator who practiced the Wooden Element skills, talismans were commonly made using high-grade Spiritual Trees as the main material.

Fang Xi thought so and had just entered Peach Blossom Pavilion when he saw Wei Yixi rush over, her eyes red: "Uncle... my home is gone..."

Seeing this, Fang Xi fell silent.

Peach Blossom Island was also within Thousand Island Lake, and this time it was doomed from the start, so he had not bothered to pay much attention to it.

"What’s happened?"

He said a few words of comfort, then asked.

"The Song Family has taken over the entire Thousand Island Lake, and then announced that they will select an Individual Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment level to support as one of the Seven Major Clans of Yue Country, taking command over the entire Thousand Island Lake... The message has already been sent throughout Yue Country; all previously held Spirit Land deeds will be voided if one’s identity isn’t confirmed within a set period!"

Wang Xiaohu on the side also had red rims around his eyes.

He had just received the news that his mother was safe amidst the chaos caused by Demon Cultivators, but many of his relatives and friends were affected, dying tragically...

"Indeed, such is the Song Family’s way, always domineering in their actions."

Fang Xi lamented briefly, then looked at the two: "What is a mere patch of Spirit Land worth? As long as we are alive, there will always be a chance to take it back..."

In reality, he felt that no Immortal Cultivator with shrewdness would clash with another cultivator over a Peach Blossom Island for one who is at the Foundation Establishment level.

Hence, Wei Yixi was purely worrying for nothing.

’Even... if Ruan Xingling takes this opportunity to return to the Thousand Island Lake... it’s quite possible that she could even be propped up by the Song Family as one of the Seven Major Clans of Yue Country, replacing the original position of the Zhong Family, which would be a rapid ascension...’

After all, Ruan Xingling is a local of Thousand Island Lake, and the cultivators of the archipelago have a high acceptance of her.

’It’s a pity... it’s still a murky situation.’

Out of caution, Fang Xi still planned to wait and see a bit longer.

He was certainly not in a hurry to return, and as for Ruan Xingling?

She was intelligent and no doubt she wouldn’t do so hastily either.

Even if Ruan Xingling made other choices, Fang Xi wouldn’t abandon his principles for her sake.

...

Trifork Mountain.

This mountain is situated a hundred li east of Baize Immortal City, almost entering the area of the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range.

The nearby ground is bare, with only three steep peaks that are distinctively recognizable.

And, this area has no Spiritual Vein or the like, and is usually active with only some wild beasts.

However, one day, dark mist began to rise, enshrouding the middle peak of Trifork Mountain.

Subsequently, various stealthy Escape Lights came from all directions, converging towards this place.

This was the chosen location for the black market in the last few gatherings.

On this day, Fang Xi, also concealing his figure and wearing a conical hat, rode upon a cloud of darkness, descending at the entrance of the black market.

"Do you wish to enter the black market, sir?"

The two late-stage Qi Refining cultivators guarding the entrance swept over him as a matter of routine and upon sensing Fang Xi’s magic power fluctuations, which were suppressed to the late Qi Refining stage using ’Breath Concealment Skills,’ their expression grew more solemn.

"Indeed!"

Fang Xi casually threw a talisman that was the token of access he had purchased from Fairy City.

"Hmm, verified correctly, please enter, sir... Combat is forbidden within the black market, and we take no responsibility for the authenticity of goods once you’ve left the door..."

The cultivator on the left reminded him, then waved his hand, emitting a blast of magic power.

The dark fog dispersed, revealing a pathway.

Fang Xi nodded and strode into the passage.

The corridor was short and soon came to an end at a platform located at the mountaintop; there were no buildings, and all the cultivators had set up stalls like Individual Cultivators.

The cultivators, many of them hiding their identities under hoods and masks, were sparse in numbers, wandering between the various stalls.

Everything looked very primitive, but the items on the stalls were odd and varied.

Various materials for the Demon Path, peculiar artifacts, and even female cultivators’ cultivation furnaces... were all openly displayed for sale.

Many of these were ’prohibited items’ in Baize Immortal City!

But this is the vitality of the black market.

"The ’Blood Grudge Silk’ refined using a boy and a girl born at the most Yin time of the Yin year, Yin month, and Yin day... This is excellent material for making Demon Banners..."

"Ghost Face Dates, only two hundred Spirit Stones each, selling cheaply..."

"Corpse refining, plenty, cheap, and easy to use corpses for refining..."

...

Wandering around, Fang Xi saw many treasures and artifacts of the Demon Path.

The three countries of Mu, Yue, and Wu are all under the influence of the Righteous Path and openly prohibit the presence of Demon Cultivators and forces of the Demon Path.

However, it is said that in further southern lands, there are countries ruled by great sects of the Demon Path, where citizens are reduced to mere ants, confronting the major Righteous Sects of Yuan Country.

"What a pity... none catches the eye."

After browsing a while, Fang Xi selected a few stalls and sold all the Demon Path materials in Situ Jia’s Storage Bag, earning more than two thousand Spirit Stones in total.

He then paused in front of a stall selling cultivation techniques.

"What is it... you’re interested in our Demon Path cultivation techniques?"

The stall’s cultivator was not wearing a hat, his appearance unusual with three braids sticking straight up and his facial wrinkles overlapping, not resembling someone of righteous bearing.

"I am more interested in secret skills..."

Fang Xi casually picked up a jade slip and saw the fragmented magic spell within—’Hundred Illusions Skills,’ a secret skill that could obscure one’s appearance, change facial features, and even slightly alter the magic power aura.

"This secret skill is not bad, what is its price?"

"Two hundred Spirit Stones, I swear this is the original," the old man with three braids smiled, revealing his yellowed teeth. "Here at my stall, there’s a wide range of Demon Path secret skills, indeed everything you could want..."

"Oh? Do you have any that consume lifespan?"

Fang Xi’s eyes brightened and he asked casually.

"Unique taste you have there, customer," the old man was almost speechless: "Aren’t we cultivators seeking Long Life above all?"

"I happen to be training expendable soldiers at home, so just say whether you have it or not?" Fang Xi said with a hint of impatience in his voice.