Lying Low While Cultivating Immortality in Two Worlds

Half a month later.

Taibai Island.

One after another, massive five-toothed warships sailed into the harbor, yet not a single Zhong Family cultivator could be seen anywhere.

Bei Lingshu wore an expression as though trapped in a dream as she made her way to the spirit herb gardens. She discovered that all the mature spirit herbs had already been harvested, while the young seedlings had been carefully left untouched, almost politely so.

The confusion on her face deepened further.

This time, when Fang Qing marched upon Taibai Island, he had brought both her and Xiang Dahu along as well.

According to Ancestor Fang Qing’s own words, Xiang Dahu had endured humiliation and hardship for many years, and during the critical moment when Fang Qing formed his Core Formation, he had risked his life to activate the grand array and protect him. Such merits could not be ignored.

As for Bei Lingshu, though she had lived among the enemy, her heart had always remained loyal to the Blue Sea Sect. That too counted as a contribution.

And yet, the entire “liberation” of Taibai Island had unfolded almost like a joke.

‘As expected of a Core Formation uncle-master. Once he took charge here, the sect was willing to send over an entire third-rank array set… the sect truly bled heavily for this.’

‘It’s said that from now on, Senior Sister Qin Ruxue will remain stationed here year-round to oversee the formation. Xiang Dahu will serve as her assistant, and he seems perfectly content with it.’

‘After going in such a huge circle, aside from adding one extra Qin Ruxue, why does it feel like nothing has really changed?’

‘After all these twists and turns. I’ve somehow ended up right back where I started.’

…

Inside the Ice Soul Cave, Fang Qing stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the Ice Soul Cold Spring before him.

“Although it looks as though nothing has changed, the truth is that everything has changed.”

“The biggest difference is that now, every disciple on this island lives or dies by my will alone.”

“And the spiritual herb gardens, what herbs are planted there, even the Ice Soul Spirit Hearts within this cold spring. I may now dispose of all of it as I please. The public has truly become private.”

He flipped his palm, revealing a Five Elements Spirit Fruit.

This was the one belonging to the Blue Sea Sect.

Ruan Zhixuan had handed it directly to him, saying that when the time came, he only needed to return a genuine Core Formation Pill to the sect. In a sense, it was also compensation.

Combined with the third-rank grand array, the sect’s sincerity had indeed been considerable.

“When refining Core Formation Pills, I can reliably produce two genuine pills.”

“One can conveniently be kept aside for Yu Xiang’er. It may prove useful someday.”

“As for Qin Ruxue and Xiang Dahu, if they ever cultivate to Foundation Establishment perfection, I still have another Five Elements Spirit Fruit on hand.”

If those around him could truly reach the threshold of Core Formation, Fang Qing naturally would not begrudge supporting them.

Unfortunately, most people simply could not reach that stage.

Take himself for example.

If he had not consumed cultivation-enhancing pills that even Foundation Establishment cultivators rarely obtained on a daily basis, how could someone with merely middling aptitude possibly have cultivated his Foundation Establishment mana to perfection by around one hundred years of age?

One had to know that Sect Master Linghu and Sect Master Shi both possessed aptitudes superior to his own, yet they had only barely touched the threshold of Foundation Establishment perfection at around one hundred and fifty years old.

Shi Tiexin had even remained trapped at the bottleneck for many years, only managing to break through with the help of that Great Barrier-Breaking Pill.

“Aptitude and time…”

“A Foundation Establishment perfection cultivator at one hundred years old and one at one hundred and fifty are completely different existences.”

“As for someone nearing two hundred before reaching Foundation Establishment perfection? Such a person has almost no hope of forming a Core Formation at all…”

That was precisely the significance behind the enormous quantity of resources he had consumed previously.

If those same resources had been distributed elsewhere, they would have been enough to allow more than a dozen cultivators with superior aptitude to reach Foundation Establishment perfection within merely a few decades.

Yet for Fang Qing, all of this pressure only meant one thing: he had to reach Foundation Establishment perfection even faster, so he could seize the opportunities within this secret realm and stay one step ahead at every stage.

“As someone with aptitude like mine, I still have to rely on pills.”

“Fortunately, I prepared in advance. With this secret realm opening, I managed to secure seventy to eighty percent of the profits.”

“These spiritual herbs and cultivation resources are enough for me to completely stabilize my early Core Formation cultivation, perhaps even advance another step.”

“And… it is finally time to enter seclusion and break through to the late Dao Foundation stage.”

Back then, after forming his Core Formation, Fang Qing had immediately rushed off to block enemies and kill people. He had not even had time to improve his Qi Ingestion cultivation realm.

Fortunately, his Dao attainment was already sufficient. He did not even require auxiliary pills. The breakthrough would occur naturally on its own.

As for refining Core Formation Pills?

Naturally, that had to wait until after his own cultivation.

Returning to his cave abode, Fang Qing entered the seclusion chamber and connected once more to the Dao-Genesis Pearl. He saw the scene of Zhong Lingxiu gifting the Myriad Longevity Turtle’s demon core to Zhan Hongxiu.

That had, in truth, been done under his instructions.

Zhong Lingxiu was one of the pieces he had placed within the Eastern Sea cultivation world. Naturally, he required capable assistants by his side.

As a child of destiny, Zhan Hongxiu was destined to stir up storms wherever she went.

As long as those storms were not directed toward him, the death of a mere servant hardly mattered. On the contrary, it allowed Fang Qing to see the true faces of more Eastern Sea factions and gather greater intelligence.

As for that Myriad Longevity Turtle demon core, it naturally came from the Myriad Longevity Turtle once raised by the Jiang Family of Sanyuan Island.

“Zhan Hongxiu has probably begun to suspect something. After all, third-rank Body Refiners are exceedingly rare. The chances of two appearing in the same place at the same time are even lower…”

“And when I used my physical body to withstand heavenly lightning, I ultimately revealed some of my hidden cards in exchange for enormous benefits.”

“But regardless of which identity I use, I have shown her favor. There is no need to speak openly about it. Besides, I already paid her enough hush money.”

A faint smile curled at the corner of Fang Qing’s lips.

“I am rather looking forward to seeing what experiences this woman will have within the Eastern Sea cultivation world.”

With that, he officially entered seclusion.

Time flowed onward.

Inside the cave abode, Fang Qing sat shrouded in layers of watery mist. Strands of [Ji Water] radiance enveloped his entire body, making him appear increasingly detached from the mortal world.

“The late Dao Foundation realm… complete.”

Recalling how effortless this breakthrough had been, Fang Qing could not help but sigh in admiration.

“As expected… Dao attainment is the true foundation.”

This period of seclusion had been far easier than when he previously advanced into mid-stage Dao Foundation. Even the time required had been much shorter.

“After Purple Mansion, the requirements for Dao attainment only grow higher.”

“Of course, the dangers cultivators face become greater as well. The risk of Dao assimilation increases more and more. In the end… is the cultivator pursuing the Great Dao, or is the Great Dao pursuing the cultivator?”

Fang Qing let out a quiet sigh inwardly.

Since his seclusion had not lasted very long, he did not hurry to leave. Instead, he spent the time carefully familiarizing himself with each of his Dao Foundations.

His main cultivation method was still the Listening to Mysterious Cavern Spring Scripture. Yet once a Dao Foundation was established, its attainments remained forever. Every one of his other cultivation methods had likewise reached the late Dao Foundation realm, each gaining additional profundities and transformations.

The Dao insights brought by these changes alone were enough for him to study for a very long time.

“Sword.”

Several months later, Fang Qing, dressed in a blue robe, softly uttered a single word.

The light of [Ji Water] gathered throughout the void, condensing into a translucent miniature sword of astonishing sharpness.

In terms of quality, it was already nearly comparable to a one-revolution flying sword.

“Although I experimented with all my Dao Foundations, none feel as smooth and natural as my [Ji Water] Dao Foundation.”

“And the innate talent ‘Words as Spears, Tongues as Swords’ has grown even stronger. At this point, during battles between Dao Foundation cultivators, it can at least be considered somewhat useful.”

Such innate spells were something Fang Qing had only ever seen on the path of his own fate-aligned [Ji Water] Dao Foundation. He had never encountered them among any of his other Dao Foundations.

‘Perhaps it is because my attainment in the other cultivation arts is still insufficient? After all, my [Ji Water] attainment is undoubtedly the deepest.’

At the same time, Fang Qing vaguely sensed something else.

Right now, while at the Dao Foundation realm, his innate spell was merely a minor path. But once he broke through into Purple Mansion and refined divine abilities, when those divine abilities merged with his fate, they would likely give rise to even stranger and more wondrous powers.

‘Now that the Minor Huan Sea has been unified, there are no great wars. The secret realm will not reopen for at least several more decades.’

‘Zhong Lingxiu and the others have also gone to the Eastern Sea cultivation world.’

‘It is time for me to place more attention on Ancient Shu and begin considering my own Purple Mansion path.’

Purple Mansion was difficult. Difficult beyond imagination.

Thinking back to how even Sangji, with all his accumulated foundation, had struggled for decades and nearly failed his breakthrough, only barely succeeding by borrowing the spiritual ambience created from a True Lord attaining their Position and the great rise of Earth virtue, Fang Qing understood clearly that his own path toward Purple Mansion would never be accomplished overnight.

‘And besides, although Duzi can cultivate as well, it feels rather strange and easily attracts attention.’

‘The place for breaking through to Purple Mansion can instead be arranged on the Qi Refining side. I have no desire to be struck by some inexplicable spiritual ambience and die from a failed breakthrough.’

‘This side may not offer advantages, but it also has no disadvantages. In other words, the five-element spiritual ambience here is balanced and incomparably stable, unchanged for ten thousand years.’

Of course, this so-called “stability” did not mean the five elements were perfectly equal. For example, on Taibai Island, ice and cold spiritual qi were more abundant. Yet fire, water, and wood spiritual qi still existed as well.

Moreover, although changes would occur due to cultivator cultivation or shifting formations, those fluctuations resembled the rise and fall of ocean tides. They would eventually settle back to an average equilibrium, unlike the bizarre surges and collapses of Ancient Shu.

Nor would they influence an entire commandery or even the whole world for years or decades at a time.

After converting all of his Ancient Shu Dao Foundations once and carefully experiencing the changes, Fang Qing took out Heiyuan True Personage’s natal magical treasure, the Black Heaven Ge.

He converted back to Qi Refining, Core Formation mana. Within his azure-green True Core, a strand of core flame emerged and began refining the magical treasure.

“There is indeed some resistance, and several portions of its power have been permanently lost. However, because it was Heiyuan True Personage’s natal magical treasure, its quality was originally excellent and it had long been tempered by his core flame. It surpasses ordinary low-grade magical artifacts, though it still cannot compare to the jade flute or the Sea-Transformation Pearl.”

After advancing to the Core Formation realm, the innate true flame he possessed during Foundation Establishment had transformed into the unique “Core Flame” of Core Formation cultivators.

This flame could temper the True Core itself and nourish natal magical treasures. Over long years, it could even allow a natal magical treasure to advance in rank alongside its master’s breakthroughs.

“After reaching Core Formation, the Blue Sea Technique also contains many secret arts that can be cultivated.”

“I could even convert over to the Devouring Sea Art. With the Dao-Genesis Pearl, I can normally disguise myself with other cultivation arts, then bring out the real thing at critical moments without anyone noticing anything strange.”

A strange expression crossed Fang Qing’s face as the aura around him suddenly shifted.

Threads of wood-attributed spiritual qi gathered together, covering his body in a layer of azure radiance.

The Dao-Genesis Pearl spun lightly.

The high-grade True Core within his dantian instantly dissolved away.

In its place appeared a verdant True Core filled with vigorous life force. It was precisely the true core formed from the Tortoise-Crane Longevity Art.

Qi Refining cultivators naturally possessed all five elements within themselves and could therefore cultivate cultivation arts of other attributes. The only issue was extremely low efficiency.

But with the Dao-Genesis Pearl directly supplying the cultivation, Fang Qing did not need to cultivate at all.

“Also of high-grade quality, and still slightly stronger than ordinary high-grade True Cores”

After experiencing it for a moment, Fang Qing’s heart stirred.

“So the quality of all transformed cultivation arts is restricted by the quality of the True Core formed through the Blue Sea Technique? No matter what cultivation art I convert into, the quality can never exceed the Blue Sea Technique True Core?”

Still, the Dao-Genesis Pearl’s ability to dissolve True Cores and freely transform cultivation arts was already astonishing enough.

He was not greedy for more.

After sensing the Tortoise-Crane Longevity Art mana for a while, however, he could not help but shake his head.

“Without a contracted natal spirit beast, the upper limit of this cultivation art stops here. No matter how much I cultivate, it cannot progress further.”

“And there is no life-extending effect either. At this point, it is basically just an ordinary health-preservation cultivation art.”

The true essence of this cultivation method lay in contracting a natal spirit beast. For Fang Qing to cultivate it all the way to Core Formation without such a beast was already blatant cheating.

Of course, he had never intended to truly rely on this cultivation art for anything serious. It was merely a precaution for unforeseen circumstances.

‘After all, this is the cultivation art cultivated by Zhan Hongxiu, that daughter of destiny. It also seems faintly connected to the Zhoutian Star Palace. There may well be opportunities tied to it.’

Some secret realms and treasure restrictions could only be opened through specific cultivation arts.

For Fang Qing, this was the sole value of the Tortoise-Crane Longevity Art.

If he truly wanted a disguise for killing and treasure-snatching, it would be far more effective to use the Black Profound Scripture and convert to demonic True Core instead.

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