Lying Low While Cultivating Immortality in Two Worlds

At the Wusheng Temple.

A crow descended from the sky and transformed into a Dharma Protector, chattering noisily in strange tones.

“Damn it… I knew [Kui Wood] was good at hiding things, but I didn’t expect him to be hiding something this big. With such a treasure in hand, and he never thought to offer it up to this Buddha? Wu Qishen deserves to die!”

After listening to a few words, Miaofeng Bright Son immediately began cursing. Without another word, he summoned a violent gale and vanished into the distance.

“This… what happened?”

Fang Qing stepped out from his meditation chamber. Seeing the commotion, he could not help but ask.

“It’s nothing major,” Miaoshui Wisdom Consort replied with a gentle smile. “Cloud Grazing Cliff has been recruiting cultivators. Some Dao Foundation forces that had previously relocated to Xituo Commandery are now thinking of leaving again.”

She spoke leisurely, her tone calm.

“Once one enters our Buddhist path, can they really expect to leave intact without offering up flesh, blood, skin, and bones?”

Miaoshui Wisdom Consort had clearly just communicated with the crow Dharma Protector as well.

“That flame was a deep cyan color. Anything it touched would have its flesh instantly erased, leaving only bone behind. It is ranked ninety-first on the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Flame List, the ‘Withered-Bone Emerald Flame.’”

Her eyes carried a trace of delight.

“This flame is highly compatible with our White Bone Dao. Miaofeng has gone to retrieve it.”

“Heaven-and-earth spiritual flame?”

Fang Qing nodded slightly.

In this world, the Metal and Fire Dao lineage was exceptionally prominent. Not only did it restrain many other lineages, but it also excelled through flying swords and strange flames.

If a Fire-virtue cultivator could refine a heaven-and-earth spiritual flame, it would establish an incomparably solid foundation and fate. It would grant near invincibility among those of the same level.

Take Pu Shanjun for example. His Ember Tribulation Fire was ranked ninety-eighth, even lower than the Withered-Bone Emerald Flame.

By Fang Qing’s estimation, the value of this spiritual flame was nearly equivalent to a five- or six-revolution flying sword.

“This kind of flame is extremely fierce and difficult to store within a storage artifact. However, the Wu Family cultivated [Kui Wood]. With the support of their Dao Foundation mystery, they could barely contain it without anyone noticing… but once he died, it was exposed and caused quite a commotion.”

Fang Qing shook his head.

His first instinct was that someone had set up a scheme.

But upon further thought, it did not quite fit. Sangji had just entered seclusion. Even Purple Mansion cultivators likely could not see that his prospects of breaking through to Dharma King were slim. Moreover, the Wusheng Temple had the backing of the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain. There was no need for such a plot.

‘It could really just be a stroke of fortune…’

‘Even if there are traps later, heaven always leaves a narrow path. A wandering cultivator obtaining a treasure is not impossible.’

‘Miaofeng and the others think the Wusheng Temple is at its peak. They act arrogantly, as if any spiritual item that appears in Xituo Commandery must be destined for the Buddhist path.’

‘All the better. Their arrogance can conceal things at the beginning.’

‘If I acted personally, without genuine belief behind it, it would not feel as convincing.’

As for the Withered-Bone Emerald Flame?

It was indeed valuable, but Fang Qing currently had no Fire-virtue Purple Mansion cultivation method. Ordinary Dao Foundation methods did not interest him.

He certainly would not risk forcibly refining such a flame.

It was better to let Miaofeng fight over it while he remained steady and watched from afar.

‘However… the Zeng Family is involved among those Miaofeng commands. I wonder how Fang Yixin is doing?’

…

That night, emerald streaks of light fell like rain.

For ordinary Qi Ingestion cultivators, even those at the late stage, a single touch of that emerald fire would strip away flesh instantly, leaving only bones behind.

Fang Yixin could swear that in his entire life, he had never seen anything so beautiful… or so deadly.

He and Hu Quanan had been fortunate. Positioned at the outermost edge, they watched the green fire rain down across the land, yet not a single spark touched them.

Even so, panic was unavoidable. They fled alongside the other cultivators in chaos.

With quick reflexes, Fang Yixin even managed to snatch a storage bag and hide it in his robes. After a miserable escape, he finally returned to Zeng Family Town.

Only after asking around did he learn that not only had Zeng Guangli died on the battlefield, even the Zeng Family’s mid-stage Dao Foundation ancestor had yet to return.

Those who had fled back early received no rewards. Instead, they were interrogated before being reluctantly released.

“What a mess…”

Hu Quanan gulped down tea one pot after another, complaining to Fang Yixin. “In last night’s battle, I used up all my life-saving talismans and gained almost nothing.”

“I did manage to pick up a storage bag. Why not open it together and split whatever’s inside?”

Fang Yixin smiled as he took out the bag he had hidden.

“You’re a clever one!”

Hu Quanan’s eyes lit up. He opened the storage bag, only to pour out a pile of spirit grain and a few miscellaneous items.

“Tch… bad luck. Only the storage bag itself has any value.”

He tossed it back dismissively.

Fang Yixin, however, did not mind at all. He happily accepted it.

After all, even that alone was already a gain.

Fang Yixin had no storage artifact on him. Seeing that Hu Quanan possessed one, he had long felt a deep sense of envy.

The two divided up the spirit grain, and Fang Yixin asked, “This Zeng Family…”

“The Zeng Family has three Dao Foundation cultivators. Even if one has fallen, it will not be difficult for them to hold onto their territory.”

Hu Quanan glanced around before lowering his voice to reply.

Just as the two were about to continue speaking, a mournful funeral tune suddenly drifted into their ears.

“This is…”

Fang Yixin stepped outside and could not help but smile bitterly.

The previous battle had been far too brutal. Nearly every cultivator household in the town had hung white mourning banners.

But this mourning music was very close. Fang Yixin looked over and, as expected, it was coming from the Yue Family.

“Sigh… Back then, our Fang, Hu, Yue, and Lu families settled here together. We were neighbors and always maintained good relations. We should go and offer our condolences.”

He still had the Yue Family girl on his mind and was also curious about the current situation of the Yue Family.

Thus, he invited Hu Quanan, and the two headed together to the Yue residence.

“You wretched thing, get lost already!”

The moment they stepped through the gate, they saw a little girl of five or six. She was as delicate as carved jade and snow, yet her eyes were red from being scolded. Crying, she ran out.

Fang Yixin and Hu Quanan exchanged a glance, both feeling slightly awkward.

‘So the rumors were true. The wife of the Yue Family ancestor is also a cultivator, but she is crude, jealous, and favors sons over daughters. Seeing it today, the reputation is well deserved.’

Although the Yue Family was only a Qi Ingestion family, the ancestor had fathered eight sons, each of whom had multiple wives and concubines.

With such rapid expansion, their population had grown to over a hundred people. Only then had they managed to produce a few grandchildren with cultivation aptitude.

As they entered the main hall, they heard Old Tian speaking:

“I saw it clearly. The ancestor and the family head were battling cultivators of the Wu Family when suddenly a speck of green fire fell from the sky… It only brushed the ancestor’s sleeve, yet his entire body turned into white bones. The family head could not escape either. I risked my life to retrieve the body and escorted it back here.”

As he spoke, he took out two storage bags bearing the Yue Family’s markings.

‘This Old Tian, truly an honest man.’

Fang Yixin thought to himself. If it had been him, with no ties or obligations, he would have taken the storage bags and fled long ago. There was no way he would bother returning the bodies.

Most likely, Old Tian had been delayed along the way precisely because of this burden.

“A storage bag?!”

Before the words had even settled, the atmosphere inside the mourning hall shifted.

Several men’s eyes turned green with greed. One of the younger ones, favored by his mother due to his status and slight talent, reached out and grabbed a bag. After opening it, he shouted loudly, “Why is there only this little spirit resource?”

His suspicious gaze fixed directly on Old Tian.

“Ahem!”

At the critical moment, the old matriarch coughed, suppressing the restless descendants.

“Old Tian… our family owes you thanks.”

Though her tone was gentle, a trace of fear lingered deep within her eyes.

After all, with the late-stage Qi Ingestion ancestor gone, the strongest person in the Yue Family now was this hired hand, Old Tian!

“I would not dare. Since the main family has matters to handle, I will take my leave.”

Old Tian cupped his fists and withdrew.

Fang Yixin happened to cross paths with him and felt slightly embarrassed. He then followed Hu Quanan to greet the old matriarch and offered a few words of consolation.

Before long, the two left the Yue residence, both feeling somewhat unsettled.

“With the ancestor gone, the Yue Family is now filled with crude and unruly people. I reckon it will split apart soon. What a waste of that spiritual aptitude.”

Hu Quan’an curled his lips, then glanced at Fang Yixin. Seeing his expression, he chuckled. “Don’t tell me you’ve taken a fancy to it? Though the Yue Family appears to be declining, several of the grandchildren have already stepped onto the path. Those brats have the temperament of wolf cubs. They may be ignorant, but once they turn vicious, their bite will not be light. You should not ruin yourself over this. And that Old Tian is a sixth-layer Qi Ingestion expert. His metal-aspect techniques cut spirit rice swiftly and cleanly. If he were to take our heads, it would not be any slower.”

“Uncle Hu, you jest. How could I?”

Fang Yixin laughed and waved his hands repeatedly. Then he sighed.

“I simply feel some regret. That Yue Family girl has always gotten along well with Wuchen from my family. I hear she was especially favored by the family head, which likely earned her much jealousy. Now that she has lost her support, her fate is worrying.”

“Wuchen?”

Hearing his disciple mentioned, Hu Quanan frowned slightly before relaxing.

“The Yue Family has limited resources. They will likely prioritize the grandsons and neglect the granddaughters. If you are willing after the mourning period, you could propose a childhood betrothal. The Yue Family would probably be happy to cast off such a burden. Heh, an ignorant village girl with cultivation aptitude is something many rogue cultivators dream of. It would be a bargain for our Wuchen. Just act quickly, before other families realize the opportunity.”

“That is indeed the right course.”

Fang Yixin nodded repeatedly.

‘In that case, it will not be a complete loss… If the Yue Family declines further, and we hold this girl in hand, who knows what may come of it over time?’

As he pondered, the two suddenly felt the air grow hot.

Flames flickered across the sky, wavering before condensing into a human figure. It passed boldly overhead, heading toward the mountain.

“That is the Zeng Family’s Ancestor Qingye…”

Hu Quanan’s face lit up with joy.

“The ancestor has returned safely. We can rest easy now… It should not be long before the rewards are distributed.”

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