Lying Low While Cultivating Immortality in Two Worlds

Several days later.

A group of people carrying a stretcher arrived at Qingli Mountain.

“Meng Qing, steward of the Four Directions Merchant Association, requests an audience with the Lord of Qingli Mountain.”

The leading cultivator at the late-stage Qi Ingestion realm called out loudly.

“So it is Daoist Meng…”

Fang Yixin emerged leaning on a cane to receive them. But the moment he saw the person lying on the stretcher, he froze.

“My grandson?”

In that instant, Meng Qing sensed a burst of killing intent and inwardly shivered.

‘They say this old man of the Fang Family survived countless battles in his youth. As expected, he is no ordinary figure. Even an old tiger still carries its remaining might.’

Fang Wujiu, who had followed behind, examined Fang Shanglin’s condition. The broken bones in his limbs were merely superficial injuries. The true problem lay in the ruined dantian qi sea.

“This… what exactly happened?”

In the end, he possessed greater self-restraint than the others and turned toward Meng Qing.

“To be honest, your young master visited Yuyi Market that day and got into a dispute with members of the Zeng Family. It was originally nothing serious. A few punishments on both sides would have settled the matter.”

At this point, even Meng Qing could not help feeling some admiration.

“Unfortunately, your young master loudly accused a Dao Foundation great cultivator of the Zeng Family of cheating people out of money. A Dao Foundation great cultivator holds exalted status. How could such slander from a mere nobody be tolerated? A cultivator of the Zeng Family immediately stepped forward to discipline him, and your young master ended up in this state.”

“It was only because our elder was kindhearted and could not bear to watch someone die before his eyes, and because of the friendship between our two families, that he ordered us to escort him back here.”

“Lin’er…”

Yue Mingxue burst into tears upon seeing this scene.

No matter how furious she had once been at her son’s incompetence, seeing him truly reduced to a cripple still filled her heart with grief and hatred.

“So that was the matter. This old man has been discourteous. Please, everyone, come inside for tea.”

Fang Yixin cupped his fists in greeting.

“No need for such courtesy. Your clan must have many affairs to handle right now. Another day, our elder will personally come visit the Fang Family.”

Meng Qing smiled politely as he departed with his subordinates. Yet his final sentence carried a faint undertone of warning.

“Father…”

Fang Wujiu’s expression shifted repeatedly. “Shanglin borrowed twenty thousand jin of spirit rice from the Four Directions Merchant Association”

“This old man knows.”

Fang Yixin waved his hand.

“When soldiers come, we block them. When water rises, we dam it. At worst, our family can simply return to being tenant farmers.”

Fang Wujiu immediately fell speechless.

Several servants and tenant farmers nearby had already begun edging closer, but he barked at them sharply.

“This is none of your concern. Return to your work.”

Ever since the Fang Family had reclaimed spirit fields, they had enjoyed a prosperous period. Naturally, they had purchased servants and established themselves as landlords.

After growing accustomed to a life of comfort, how could they possibly accept returning to the old days?

That was simply impossible.

Time flowed swiftly onward.

One month later.

A streak of pitch-black light descended upon Qingli Mountain. It was none other than Xu Hei.

Several cultivators from the Four Directions Merchant Association followed behind him, Meng Qing among them.

“Brother Fang… sigh…”

Xu Hei let out a long sigh, as though forced into making this trip against his will.

Yet inwardly, he was still complaining.

‘That Zeng Family truly deserves their [Zui Fire] lineage. Stubborn to the bone. Even if the young master himself does not care, once Fang Wuchen returns, I fear the Zeng Family will sooner or later end up wandering homeless and destitute. Quite fitting for the drifting omen of [Zui Fire].’

However, news that survivors still existed among those from the [Stomach Earth] configuration was intelligence at least on the Purple Mansion level. How could lower-level cultivators possibly know such things?

Since Fang Wuchen had not returned for so many years, everyone naturally assumed he was dead.

The group entered the reception hall. Fang Yixin ordered tea to be served.

When he saw Xu Hei casually pick up the cup and drink without hesitation, his heart sank slightly.

‘The visitor comes with ill intentions…’

“Senior Xu, have you come today because of the debt my unworthy descendant incurred?”

Fang Yixin took the initiative and spoke first.

“Indeed…”

Xu Hei set down his teacup. “Your grandson used the Qingli Mountain Family Head’s seal as collateral to borrow twenty thousand jin of superior-grade spirit rice from our firm. According to the rules, nine returns become thirteen owed. The sooner you repay it, the better. If this drags on any longer, I fear even Qingli Mountain itself will not be enough to cover the debt. Brother Fang, what do you think?”

“It should be repaid.”

Fang Yixin slowly closed his eyes. “The debt now stands at twenty-six thousand jin. My Fang Family still has twenty thousand jin of spirit rice remaining in storage. As for the remaining six thousand jin… we are willing to compensate with magical artifacts, pills, and spirit materials. I only ask Senior to show mercy.”

“Very well.”

Xu Hei agreed readily, then took out another spirit contract. “There is also the ten thousand jin owed to Master Fayuan. One month has passed already, so it has become thirteen thousand jin.”

“Damn it!”

Fang Wujiu nearly fainted on the spot.

If the debt were only six thousand jin, the Fang Family could still grit their teeth and endure it.

But another thirteen thousand jin on top of that?

Then there would only be one option left…

Selling their fields.

Fang Yixin let out a long breath. “In that case, then…”

“Then use that Azure Mulberry Jujube Tree as repayment.”

A woman stepped into the hall. It was none other than Yue Mingxue.

She bowed first toward her father-in-law and then toward Xu Hei. “This disaster was caused by that wretched child of mine, so naturally it should be resolved by our household. That jujube tree originally belonged to my family anyway. Surely my words still carry some weight.”

“Naturally they do…”

Fang Yixin closed his eyes once more.

“Good. A single spirit root tree capable of Qi Ingestion cultivation shall count as ten thousand jin. That still leaves nine thousand jin unpaid.” Xu Hei smiled faintly. “Let us calculate it at one thousand jin per mu of spirit farmland. I will take nine mu of spirit fields. How does that sound?”

Today, he had come precisely to force the Fang Family into selling land.

Spiritual farmland was entirely different from ordinary fields. It involved the flow of earth qi and the transformation of spiritual vitality. After so many years cultivating Qingli Mountain, the Fang Family possessed less than twenty mu in total.

And among those, three mu belonged to the second branch of the family.

“Agreed!”

Fang Yixin gritted his teeth. “This old man will draft the spirit contract immediately. I ask Senior to deliver it to Master Fayuan’s temple for the transfer procedures. Only… there are tenant cultivators farming those spirit fields. They are honest and hardworking people. I hope Senior will take care of them.”

“Very well.”

Xu Hei chuckled. “Your Fang Family truly is skilled at farming. To be honest, I have even considered hiring your family as spirit farmers.”

Fang Wujiu forced a smile onto his face. Watching his elderly father bow and scrape at such an age, his fists unconsciously clenched tighter and tighter until his nails dug into his flesh.

“Good. This old man will go open the grain warehouse now.”

Fang Yixin took out a small array flag and barked coldly, “Bring that little beast out as well. This old man wants him to watch with his own eyes as the spirit rice leaves the warehouse and the spirit fields are handed over!”

…

Within Wusheng Temple.

After completing his daily body-tempering routine, Fang Qing sat discussing the Dao with Peacock Dumu.

The former Qingling Demon General had become far more dignified and sacred after attaining the status of a Dumu. Behind her shone a ring of five-colored divine radiance that made others instinctively afraid to offend her.

“[Zui Fire]… So your ancestors once attained that position as well? Then I truly must apologize for my disrespect.”

Fang Qing looked rather surprised.

“The phoenix birthed five fledglings. Those original five descendants were each world-shaking great figures.”

Peacock Dumu replied in a somewhat lazy tone, “The Phoenix attained the position of [Yi Fire], and from it gave birth to five descendants. Azure Luan inherited the purest portion and occupied the fire position. Later, after hearing that the one above [Zui Fire] had fallen, she ascended to that position.”

“In that case, the antiquity when the Phoenix attained Dao should have been during the early Ancient Antiquity.”

Fang Qing once again slipped into his habitual “archaeological research” mode. “By the way, Qingling, where is your ancestor now?”

“Naturally fallen. Otherwise, how could this concubine have declined to such a state?”

Qingling sighed softly. “[Zui Fire] is also called ‘Fisherman’s Lantern Fire,’ It governs the meaning of drifting instability… truly an inauspicious sign. Several True Lords occupying that position have already fallen throughout history.”

“If that is the case, why did Ancestor Azure Luan choose to attain [Zui Fire] back then?” Fang Qing asked curiously.

“Naturally because the other Fire-aligned Golden Positions were already occupied… or perhaps there were difficulties impossible to speak of. In any case, not long after Ancestor Azure Luan attained Dao, news of her fall was announced. It seemed to have happened during the same era that the ‘Kitchen Lord’ perished.”

Peacock Dumu pressed her palms together and softly recited a section of scripture before continuing.

“Perhaps because several Golden Core True Lords have already fallen upon the [Zui Fire] Golden Position, some kind of ominous fate has lingered there ever since, Later generations who cultivate [Zui Fire] rarely meet a good end. It may simply be destiny itself. By now, there are no major powers or famous Purple Mansion immortal clans that still cultivate [Zui Fire]. Only a few Dao Foundation and Qi Ingestion factions, ignorant and fearless, still pass it down as their family inheritance.”

Hearing this, Fang Qing’s heart stirred slightly.

‘According to the Taisu Golden Scripture, a single Golden Position can be attained through several methods, meaning more than one True Lord may occupy it. Even if that Phoenix claimed the primary position, surely the sequential, guest, or even deficient positions should still remain available?’

‘Why monopolize it to such an extent, even allowing Azure Luan to fall? Could there be some hidden secret within this?’

Unfortunately, even Qingling herself clearly knew little about matters of this level.

“After some time, the Dharma King has ordered Moonlight White Dumu and me to leave and handle an important matter. During that period, Wusheng Temple will require you to manage it.” Fang Qing spoke calmly.

“I shall obey the Dharma King’s command.”

Peacock Dumu immediately answered with a solemn expression.

Even after disappearing for decades back then, the person before her had returned and still remained deeply favored by the Dharma King, becoming the foremost among the Five Duzi.

Though Qingling felt somewhat puzzled, considering her own status as a Dumu, she could only obediently accept the order.

Moreover, she had already established the “Little Peacock Temple,” allowing the demonfolk who followed her to settle down and survive amid these chaotic times. She desired nothing more.

Naturally, Fang Qing had no intention of truly handling affairs for the White Bone Dharma King. Everything he intended to do concerned only his own matters.

‘Now that things are still relatively stable, it is the perfect time to begin the previous plan.’

At that moment, his heart stirred slightly.

Through the Dao-Genesis Pearl, he saw cart after cart of spirit rice being transported out from the Fang Family treasury, gathering into caravans before heading toward the Four Directions Merchant Association.

Fang Shanglin looked utterly miserable. Yet he had been forced to watch every scene unfold with his own eyes, his complexion deathly ashen.

‘This man is finished…’

‘Injuries to the dantian qi sea for Qi Ingestion cultivators require at minimum a Dao Foundation spiritual item to repair, unless a divine ability expert intervenes personally. Even if he consumed my “Sweet Rain Spring Water,” he would still need to drink it continuously for years before there was any hope of recovery.’

‘Who would possibly pay such a price for him? Unless Fang Wuchen returns after Taihuang Heaven opens.’

Watching this scene, Fang Qing felt somewhat emotional. ‘Even a great family cannot possibly produce wise family heads generation after generation. Encountering someone like Fang Shanglin once is enough to destroy the accumulated foundation of several generations.’

‘It is like those ancient feudal empires expecting every ruler to be as brilliant and heroic as the founding emperor. An absurd fantasy.’

‘The Fang Family still had me secretly watching over it, yet it still declined to such a state.’

‘If it were some ordinary rogue cultivator family, the slightest disturbance would already be enough to destroy the entire clan.’

‘Especially with Wusheng Temple merely making the slightest movement, all the Dao Foundation powers across Xituo Commandery and the surrounding regions begin trembling in fear. A single grain of dust from the upper cultivators falling upon lower cultivators becomes an entire mountain.’

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