Stealthily cultivating in the chaotic world of demons and martial artists
Chapter 320 - 318 - Seeing Through (Congratulating the Alliance Leader Huo Yu Bing Feng!)_1

Chapter 320: Chapter 318 - Seeing Through (Congratulating the Alliance Leader Huo Yu Bing Feng!)_1

The territory of Yuan Country is vast, and even for a Core Formation Cultivator traveling at high speed using their escape light from south to north, it often takes ten days to half a month.

Not to mention, Fang Xi would not fly at full strength, but instead needed to travel around various markets to purchase and dispose of stolen goods.

Fortunately, even though he was only at the early stage of Core Formation, he was considered a high-level cultivator in Yuan Country. He frequented the markets for transactions, but the amount for each transaction was not too large, and he had changed his appearance, thus there had been no incidents of cultivation-robbers coming to his door seeking trouble.

After leaving the last "Mei Mountain Market", Fang Xi sighed.

By now, he had mostly disposed of the lower-grade Demon Path materials and elixirs in his storage bag that he had no use for, exchanging them for a few dozen top-quality spirit stones.

As for the high-grade and fine materials?

Small markets might not always have cultivators who recognized their value, and such transactions often reached the stage of bartering goods, beyond what spirit stones could measure.

Fang Xi was preparing to find another opportunity to sell them at the Sky Mountain Big Auction.

’However, I did take the opportunity to inquire about Ruan Xingling’s whereabouts... but there’s been no news at all... Where on earth did this woman go?’

After pondering for a while, Fang Xi decided not to waste any more thought on it and transformed into a streak of blue light, heading towards Hovering Mountain.

He was rather looking forward to this grand auction there.

It was said that in order to increase the popularity of the market, the Green Leaf Commerce Association claimed they would auction many rare and exotic treasures, and there might even be Infant Condensing spiritual objects and Spirit Eye items!

...

One month later.

Surrounded by Yi Wood Divine Light, Fang Xi watched the scenery on both sides quickly pass by.

"Judging by the distance... I should be almost there, and it happens that the date of the grand auction is close..."

After flying out another hundred miles, Fang Xi suddenly stopped his escape light and looked ahead, his face showing astonishment.

He saw Mid-Air Mountain!

No... rather... a giant mountain floating in mid-air!

Under the morning sun, a mountain full of spiritual energy hovered tens of thousands of meters in the sky, sparkling and glowing, with palaces, halls, and pavilions on it.

Below this mountain, a large number of Immortal Cultivators gathered, with streaks of escape light flying in and out of Hovering Mountain...

It looked... as if it was a true celestial mountain, with tens of thousands of immortals coming to pay homage!

"Hehe... Sir, is this your first time seeing Hovering Mountain?"

A golden escape light approached, revealing a carriage made entirely of gold, with two bronze horses snorting at the front.

And a laughing voice came from the carriage.

’A Core Formation Cultivator?’

Fang Xi inwardly braced himself, his ordinary face displaying a smile, "Indeed... may I ask who this fellow cultivator is?"

"Haha, I am the Supreme Elder of the Golden Sword Gate—Li Haifeng. You seem unfamiliar, friend; could it be that you are a newly advanced Core Formation Cultivist?"

Li Haifeng wore a robe embroidered with golden coins, his facial features gentle and his face always smiling, appearing like a wealthy merchant from the mundane world, though his cultivation was at the peak of mid-stage Core Formation.

Furthermore, within his Dantian, there was a faint sharp aura of Metal, clearly not to be underestimated.

In the Cultivation World of the Three Countries, he would likely be able to sweep through Masters like Bai Feng and Elder Zhang...

"That is correct, my last name is Cao!"

Fang Xi bowed, "Indeed, it is my first time coming to Hovering Mountain."

"No wonder... First-time visitors are always shocked by the sight of Hovering Mountain... This place not only has a spiritual vein underground but also an extremely large Origin Magnetism mine vein..."

Li Haifeng seemed intent on becoming friends, elaborating, "It is a marvel of creation; otherwise, just relying on arrays to keep this huge mountain suspended in the sky would consume how many spirit stones each day? Even Nascent Soul sects would find it unsustainable... Later, the ’Green Leaf Commerce Association’ invited a fourth-grade Array Master here, who laid out a ’Nine Palace Origin Magnetic Array’ by utilizing the underground Origin Magnetism mine vein. It relies on the magnetic force of the place... the mountain as Yin, the earth as Yang; once fully activated, the Divine Light of Biyi Magnetism penetrates heaven and earth, giving even the Nascent Soul old monsters a headache."

"I see..."

Fang Xi responded with a smile, whilst inwardly taking the information very seriously.

This ’Nine Palace Origin Magnetic Array’ was likely a fourth-tier array!

The power of the Green Leaf Commerce Association was indeed unfathomable.

He exchanged a few perfunctory words with Master Li and arrived at the outskirts of the Hovering Mountain Market.

A large number of Cultivators piloting flying artifacts stopped atop a few jade platforms, waiting for inspection and entry.

"Ordinary Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment Cultivators... naturally need to queue, but we high-ranking Cultivators need not do so."

Li Haifeng laughed heartily, leading Fang Xi to a special high platform made of jade.

The cultivators coming and going here were few and far between, but they all seemed to be at the Core Formation stage.

"Bi, the old ghost, I’m here, have you prepared the Jade Heart Wine for me this time?"

Li Haifeng maneuvered the carriage, landing on the jade platform, and called out loudly.

"Hehe, with Elder Li’s honored presence, of course everything is well-prepared."

In a flash, a strange Core Formation Cultivator, clad in a jade-green robe with dual pupils, appeared. His cultivation level seemed to also be around mid Core Formation.

He first exchanged a few jests with Li Haifeng, then turned to look at Fang Xi, his eyes revealing a hint of surprise: "This Sir appears quite unfamiliar..."

"My surname is Cao... indeed, it’s my first time coming to Hovering Mountain," Fang Xi replied with a slight smile, introducing himself, conveying a reluctance to talk more.

"So you’re Mr. Cao, what a pleasure to meet you!"

Bi chuckled and cupped his fists in greeting: "May I ask where your immortal abode is located, Sir?"

"Just an Individual Cultivator, with no fixed residence..."

Fang Xi remained composed.

"Enough, Bi, why do you prattle so? Hovering Mountain Market has no restrictions for visiting Cultivators... To my knowledge, there are also numerous Core Formation Cultivators from other countries who have come to join this grand event," Li Haifeng said impatiently.

"I spoke out of turn... Here is your identity jade token, Sir, please keep it safe... If it’s lost, you might be marked by the Great Array and subject to patrols by the enforcement team," Bi said lightly, laughing in apology, as he handed a white jade token to Fang Xi: "As a high-level Cultivator, with this token, you can stay for three months for free at the ’Guest Welcome Building’..."

"Thank you," Fang Xi voiced his gratitude, playing with the jade token in his hand.

The jade token was smooth and exuded a faint, pleasant fragrance, evidently made of materials that were extraordinary.

"Well, now that business is taken care of, how about we go to Bi’s Dongfu for a drink together? What do you say?" Li Haifeng suggested.

"Hehe... I have duties to attend to here, I’m afraid I cannot join Brother Dao," Bi said as he shook his head.

"I would also like to take a look around the market, so I’ll take my leave first."

With a cupped fist salute, Fang Xi also transformed into a blue light, entering into the Array from the jade platform, and in an instant, disappeared without a trace.

"Li... could it be you intend to befriend this person?" Bi’s smile gradually turned cold as he watched Fang Xi’s departing figure.

"Why... could it be you noticed something amiss?" Li Haifeng knitted his brows, knowing full well that Bi was born with ’Spirit Communicating Cleaving Eyes,’ and had cultivated a Spiritual Eye Skill, which together allowed him to see through most concealments. Otherwise, he would not have been assigned to specifically guard the market’s entrance.

"Not just amiss, it’s greatly amiss!"

Bi shook his head: "His appearance is a facade, you might have seen his true face... However, his cultivation indeed seems like the early stage of Core Formation."

"I have?" Li Haifeng couldn’t quite believe it: "Impossible... although I’m not as adept as you, the thorough sword heart that I cultivate, if it’s seen this person before, would never make a mistake upon seeing him again."

"It’s not seeing face-to-face but seeing this person’s portrait..." Bi laughed softly, taking out a jade slip from his Storage Bag and tossing it to Li Haifeng.

Li Haifeng received it, swept over it with his Divine Thought, and saw a portrait inside, it was of a young Cultivator, lifelike, and it was indeed Fang Xi’s true face!

"So it’s this wanted notice... These events go back several decades, during the Great War between immortals and demons, Mixed Origin Sect issued this wanted notice, but the reward wasn’t high, it didn’t seem to be taken very seriously... It must have been because this person had offended some Core Formation Elder from Mixed Origin Sect," Li Haifeng suddenly understood: "But this Core Formation Cultivator never appeared again and the matter gradually faded away... although Mixed Origin Sect never revoked it."

"Exactly, since this person has offended Mixed Origin Sect, Brother Li, if you wish to draw him in, it would be wise to consider carefully," Bi advised earnestly.

"Thank you for the reminder, Sir. Now that I know the gravity of the situation, naturally I will not go looking for trouble..." Li Haifeng answered ruefully but was also curious: "Since you saw through him, why didn’t you..."

"Humph, this place is a market, where even Demon Cultivators are allowed to come and go; unless someone goes too far, we turn a blind eye..." Bi smiled mysteriously: "After all, our commerce values peace above all... Moreover, the reward offered by Mixed Origin Sect isn’t that generous. For such a meager gain, why would I confront a fellow of the same rank and risk our lives? Although he’s only at the early stage of Core Formation, who knows which high-grade cultivation technique he’s mastered, along with any trump card treasures or Secret Skills he has... If the attempt to catch him fails, we might suffer greatly."

"Indeed..." Li Haifeng nodded in agreement repeatedly: "I didn’t expect that after so many years, you, Bi, are still as shrewd as ever, haha, let’s go drink instead..."

"Right, although it is my duty to stand guard, allowing a few Foundation Establishment disciples to temporarily take over is permissible..."

Bi laughed heartily and, in a flash of light, transformed into an Escape Light, heading back to his Dongfu with Li Haifeng to feast.

...

Fang Xi was unaware that his Mirage Bead, an Exotic Treasure, had been seen through due to its too low grade by a Core Formation who had cultivated formidable Spiritual Eye Skills.

His own cultivation level, however, wasn’t exposed thanks to the high-grade secrecy of the Kuyong Skills.

At that moment, he first visited the ’Guest Welcome Building’ and chose a Dongfu. Finding that it possessed Grade Three top-quality spiritual energy, he was quite satisfied.

’I can also stay here for three months free of charge... After the big auction, cultivating here for a while would be beneficial too,’ he thought.

After settling in, Fang Xi, with hands clasped behind his back, began to wander through Hovering Mountain Market with interest.

Because of the imminent big auction, the market was bustling with Cultivators coming and going, and many stalls displayed fine items.

Of course, there were also plenty of deceits and swindles.

As Fang Xi looked around, he came to understand the pricing for most Cultivation resources in Yuan Country.