Lying Low While Cultivating Immortality in Two Worlds

Sangji had entered closed-door seclusion. The Wusheng Temple continued operating as usual.

After all, breaking through to Purple Mansion and attaining the position of Dharma King generally required decades.

In the first ten years, there would hardly be any noticeable change.

“This is the last bit of time Sangji can buy me”

“How to run, and where to run. I still need to calculate it properly first.”

Inside his cave, Fang Qing sat cross-legged before a large brazier with flames crackling inside.

Joining a force at the True Lords and Immortals brought far too many benefits. He truly felt reluctant to leave.

Cultivating at the Wusheng Temple meant spiritual materials were delivered straight to his door, any artifact he wanted refined could be arranged, and even when he wished to deepen his divination arts, there were suitable scriptures ready for him to study.

Fang Qing had now absorbed the essence of the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury’s fate-calculation and fire-offering techniques. He felt his own divination had advanced considerably.

Aside from matters concerning his own safety, he could scarcely divine anything at all.

“If I head east at this time, small ominous.”

“Pity. If I were still in the Minor Huan Sea, I should have been able to calculate the source of the danger.”

Fang Qing shook his head. A flurry of plum blossom phantoms rose in his mind as he derived the hexagram.

“If I head west or north, it becomes ‘great ominous’?”

“The west is the Hidden-Treasury Domain itself; that would be walking straight into the trap. As for the north, could it still be that evil entity causing trouble?”

The Su Wu Demon King had failed its attempt to attain Golden Core and transformed into a Purple Mansion peak evil entity. It now rampaged across the northern border, reportedly devouring several Purple Mansion great demons and developing other strange, sinister changes.

The Azure Bird Tribe had certainly suffered a severe blow, but the Descending Phoenix Mountain still stood. Once it contacted the other Purple Mansion peak great demons, the matter could ultimately be resolved. The Azure Bird Tribe’s original schemes, however, had been completely ruined.

Even if any remnants of that evil entity lingered, the Azure Bird Tribe no longer had any say in the matter.

“Heading north right now. I might run into a Purple Mansion great demon, which is why it shows great ominous?”

“Heading south… fortune and misfortune mixed. Strangely enough, staying put right here turns out to be ‘neutral’, yet there is faint tribulation qi brewing. I fear that as time passes, it will shift into an ominous hexagram, possibly escalating from small ominous to great ominous!”

Fang Qing did not even need to perform a divination to understand why.

As time dragged on, the phenomena surrounding Sangji’s breakthrough would grow weaker and weaker. Eventually the various Purple Mansion experts would notice, and then the probing would begin. If they confirmed that he had truly failed and perished, the Ancient Shu Purple Mansion forces would swarm in and carve up the Wusheng Temple.

That was the hidden sign of “great ominous.”

“I still need to wait a few more years. Once the north stabilizes, the east might become viable as well.”

“If worst comes to worst, I can simply turtle up inside the Minor Huan Sea for a few decades and return with a new identity.”

“The problem is, without any background or origins, I can still pass among Qi Ingestion and Dao Foundation cultivators. The moment a Purple Mansion expert notices me, it becomes a massive flaw. After all, Dao Foundation cultivators cannot simply appear out of thin air. The cultivators of this world are far too cautious.”

Back in the Minor Huan Sea, resources lay everywhere and opportunities were countless.

A rogue cultivator risking everything to reach Foundation Establishment was not an unacceptable outcome; such things happened every so often.

Here in Ancient Shu, it was different. Anyone capable of forming a Dao Foundation usually possessed fairly high Qi Ingestion aptitude, along with a clear technique lineage, Dao Foundation spiritual items, Dao Foundation pills, and so on. Any investigation would turn up problems.

Autumn departed and spring arrived.

Fang Yixin worked the spirit fields, occasionally forming hand seals to gather qi while he labored.

He carried out the act with extreme secrecy, terrified that outsiders might notice.

Nearby, Hu Quanan stood watch for him.

After Fang Jingchun’s death, Fang Yixin had gradually emerged from his grief and become the true head of the Fang family. His conduct and bearing had grown far steadier.

His two sons had also grown up and both possessed cultivation aptitude. It was time to consider guiding them onto the path of Qi Ingestion.

Fang Yixin knew he had started his own Qi Ingestion late and lacked any resources or backing. He would probably remain stuck at Qi Ingestion for the rest of his life. All his hopes now rested on his two sons.

When he discovered that both boys had cultivation aptitude, he was overjoyed.

A closer examination, however, revealed differences.

His eldest son, Fang Wuchen, had thick brows and large eyes with a simple, honest personality. Hu Quanan took one look and said the boy was not particularly suited to the [Ji Water] path. Instead, he would do very well learning the earth virtue technique from him.

Fang Yixin did not hesitate for a moment. He had his eldest son formally acknowledge Hu Quanan as master and begin cultivating the Treasure Earth Returning Origin Art. The technique was a remnant of a Dao Foundation method that required gathering a fourth-rank low-grade “mid-yellow qi” for cultivation.

This mid-yellow true qi had to be collected from fertile field soil using a secret incantation. Spirit fields naturally produced it faster and in greater purity.

Fang Yixin naturally turned his attention to the spirit fields his own family tended.

He only took a small amount, so it would not affect the land’s vitality or reduce the harvest by much.

After finishing today’s qi gathering, Fang Yixin sealed the earthy-yellow vapor qi into a jade bottle and handed it to Hu Quanan.

“Not bad, not bad. With this additional portion, it will be enough to refine a proper true fierce qi, Wuchen’s entry into the Dao is now within reach.”

Hu Quanan stroked his beard and smiled.

“I must thank Senior for everything.”

Fang Yixin had let Fang Wuchen acknowledge Hu Quanan as master precisely because he had his eyes on the older man’s inheritance.

The Hu family’s destiny was far inferior to the Fang family’s; they had never produced any particularly gifted immortal cultivators.

Once Hu Quanan passed away of old age, the entire Hu family would belong to the Fang family!

“I still have a strand of Earth Origin Tempered True Qi in my hands. It is perfect for Wujiu. He shares the same [Ji Water] destiny as me and can inherit the family legacy perfectly.” Fang Yixin calculated happily in his mind. ‘It is just a pity that the girl from the Yue family has no interest in Wujiu, but gets along wonderfully with my eldest. Wuchen really is blessed with simple fortune.’

As he walked back, he suddenly heard urgent bell chimes ringing out, nine peals in succession that shook the surrounding fields.

All the spirit farmers halted in their tracks, gazing toward the direction of the Zeng family’s main peak with grave expressions.

“The main family is summoning us.”

Hu Quanan’s face shifted through several expressions before he let out a long breath. “I am afraid we are going to have to fight another family again.”

Fang Yixin’s lips turned pale. He clenched his teeth tightly, but he knew there was no way to refuse.

Fortunately, his family was among the lowest-ranking tenant farmers and only needed to send one Qi Ingestion cultivator.

Families with larger holdings like the Yue family might have to send two or three!

The group did not even have time to eat before they gathered in a large courtyard belonging to the Zeng family.

Fang Yixin looked around and saw familiar faces. The Yue family ancestor was present as well, accompanied by two others, one of whom was actually Old Tian!

This sixth-layer Qi Ingestion cultivator had worked hard and honestly, earning the Yue family ancestor’s favor and being promoted directly to permanent laborer.

Now he was being used without hesitation to fill one of their slots. No one knew what private benefits had been promised to make Old Tian agree.

After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, a middle-aged cultivator dressed in luxurious brocade robes, looking like a wealthy household manager, arrived in the courtyard with a stern expression.

This man was Zeng Guangli, at the eighth layer of Qi Ingestion. He was also in charge of the tenant farmers at the foot of the mountain. In previous years, he had led the Zeng family’s clan soldiers to collect rent, earning him considerable authority among the tenants.

At this moment, the usual amiable smile had vanished from Zeng Guangli’s plump face, replaced by a trace of sinister ruthlessness. “Since you have come here, there is no need to say anything more. Follow this old man to kill. Those who accomplish merit will be rewarded: rent exemptions, pills, magical artifacts, talismans, and technique rewards. Even if you die, there will be pensions. Your sons and nephews can continue renting the spirit fields and be exempt from tribute for ten years!”

The tenant farmers naturally shouted their approval loudly. At least on the surface, they set off with high spirits and surging blood qi.

The sky was pitch black, with dark clouds obscuring the moon.

“Dark moon and high winds, truly the perfect time for killing.”

Amid the clouds, Zeng Qingye wore black robes, his eyes seeming to flicker with two points of lamplight.

After waiting a little longer, two Dao Foundation cultivators arrived riding the wind and saluted. “Senior Zeng!”

Both were at early-stage Dao Foundation. One was the ancestor of the Lishan Yuan family, Yuan Bukong. The other came from the Great Lake Xuan family and was named Xuan Lu. “Since the two little friends have arrived, exterminating the Wu family this time is sure to go smoothly.”

Zeng Qingye smiled warmly.

“Not at all, not at all… We must rely on Senior.”

Yuan Bukong and Xuan Lu repeatedly deferred. One cultivated the [Jing Wood] path, the other the [Shen Water] path. Even if Zeng Qingye were only at early-stage Dao Foundation, he could easily defeat them both.

“The Wu family only has one early-stage Dao Foundation cultivator practicing the [Kui Wood] path, which happens to be perfectly countered by this old man. Back then the Wu family fled in disgrace, hiding in Xituo Commandery and wagging their tails for mercy. They have since greatly encroached upon the interests of our families. Now that they have heard Ancient Shu is recruiting and see some benefit, they want to run?”

Zeng Qingye let out a cold laugh. “There is no such cheap deal under heaven.”

“Correct, but have you made the proper arrangements with the temple?”

Xuan Lu still felt a trace of unease.

“Rest assured. I have prepared generous gifts for all five Bright Sons and Wisdom Consorts inside the temple.”

Zeng Qingye smiled. “They will not cause any trouble.”

Yuan Bukong and Xuan Lu exchanged glances. ‘This Zeng Qingye is an old fox. Why the sudden burst of energy? Who knows if he has Esoteric Hidden-Treasury monks backing him? The Wu family has no real foundation anyway. We might as well wipe them out!’

The thought of the accumulated wealth of a Dao Foundation family made both ancestors’ fingers twitch with greed.

A moment later.

Wu family residence.

Ear-piercing battle cries shook heaven and earth as colorful lights from all kinds of techniques exploded chaotically.

The thin protective array was breached in an instant, forcing the Wu family cultivators into close-quarters combat with the allied forces.

Fang Yixin’s cultivation was shallow. He only dared to wave flags and shout from the outer perimeter. With Hu Quanan watching over him, he was truly trembling with fear.

He did see the Yue family ancestor, along with the Yue family head and Old Tian, charge into the enemy formation and vanish from sight in the blink of an eye.

“Who dares invade my Wu family?”

Suddenly a voice rang out, as though its owner had just been startled out of closed-door cultivation.

Black light flashed, and the dozen or so nearest Qi Ingestion cultivators from the various families were sliced clean in half at the waist. Black blood poured from the wounds as their shattered organs and intestines transformed into writhing black vines that thrashed like snakes.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

In the next instant two more streaks of light descended, carrying mana far beyond Qi Ingestion, clearly a sneak attack.

The Wu family ancestor’s figure flickered and vanished, concealed within the void. He reappeared in the clouds, spotted Zeng Qingye and the others, and could not help but start in alarm. “So it is these local tyrants. Even that old bastard Zeng Qingye has come.”

“Wu Qishen has disappeared. He must be using a concealment technique.”

Yuan Bukong’s eyes flashed with spiritual light, but he could not locate the trace and could only look toward Zeng Qingye.

“Heh heh, I have long heard that the [Kui Wood] path excels at concealment. The reputation is well-deserved indeed.”

Zeng Qingye formed a hand seal with one hand, placed it before his lips, and blew gently.

In the darkness, a great river seemed to appear, with a fishing boat floating upon it. A fishing lamp hung from the boat, flickering unsteadily as though it might go out at any moment. Yet beneath the swaying light of that fishing lamp, a figure was illuminated: none other than the Wu family ancestor, Wu Qishen!

Yuan Bukong and Xuan Lu burst into loud laughter as they advanced with their magical artifacts in hand.

Boom!

Fang Yixin looked up and saw colorful lights flashing across the sky. Suddenly they exploded, revealing a streak of verdant true fire.

Countless green flames fell like meteors. Any ordinary Qi Ingestion cultivator who so much as brushed against one had their flesh instantly erased, leaving only stark white bones. In the blink of an eye, the battlefield had turned into a blazing hell!

“This…”

The cultivators fighting on both sides froze in place, exchanging bewildered glances.

“Run!”

In the next instant, someone shouted, and the mass of cultivators scattered in panic, fleeing for their lives with heads in their hands.

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