The Qi Refining world.
Such a major event ultimately forced Fang Qing out of his secluded cultivation, where he had been refining his Core Formation mana.
“The White Bone Dao… no, the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain is going to wage full-scale war against the Blissful Union Sect?”
He was stunned. “Aren’t they both unorthodox demonic factions? They’re actually going this hard?”
Fang Qing was horrified to discover that he himself had not made the slightest preparation for this development. In fact, perhaps the entire world had been caught unprepared.
Even the temples of the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain were probably completely confused.
After all, how could cultivators at their level possibly understand the intentions of the True Lords and self-realized Buddhas above them?
“Is this a probe? Or something else?”
“Could the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain have allied with the demon race again?”
He knew one thing clearly. If the battle at the Xuantu Sect had merely been small-scale conflict, and the Black Marsh Plains war had been true bloodshed, then this eastward advance of the esoteric monks was a war to the death.
To break through the lands of Ancient Shu, both Litou Commandery, where the Xuantu Sect stood, and the eastern Wushan Commandery would never simply sit back and wait for destruction.
And this route was already the one with the least resistance.
“The White Bone Dao must break through Ancient Shu and enter the territory of the Blissful Union Sect before they can receive support from the Esoteric Dharma Kings. Even if Xuantu Spiritual Master is willing to retreat, there is no way he would withdraw so far as to abandon his own mountain gate. Just how great a price will be paid?”
“This time… people are going to die. A great many people.”
…
The Qi Ingestion world. Xituo Commandery.
Qingli Mountain.
The white mourning banners that had once covered the spiritual mountain had long since been taken down.
Although Fang Yixin had been the ancestor of the Fang Family and the guiding figure who led the clan onto the immortal path, earning immense prestige within the family, after two years even such grief had gradually faded with time.
Upon the spirit fields, Fang Wujiu cast a [Ji Water] spell. Fine rain mist gathered and drifted across several acres of spiritual farmland.
Beside him, Yue Mingxue worked silently at the fields.
A white-haired man sat upon the ridge dividing the farmland. It was Fang Shanglin.
He stared at Fang Shangxuan nearby, no one knowing what thoughts filled his mind.
Back then, Fang Shangqing had survived thanks to a healing pill, but his vitality had ultimately been damaged. He failed to survive the Black Marsh Plains war and was forever buried there instead.
Ironically, Fang Shanglin, though crippled into a useless wreck, had remained safely at home and escaped the catastrophe that swept through the cultivation world.
‘To survive like this… how is it any different from death?’
After the day’s work ended, the family gathered together to eat rice and simple dishes.
“Elder Sister-in-law… last night…”
Fang Wujiu hesitated as he spoke.
“You mean that manifestation of Blazing Yang? It seems the entire Xituo Commandery saw it… It lasted for half an hour.”
A trace of uncertainty appeared on Yue Mingxue’s face.
“To display such a phenomenon, it was likely a Purple Mansion immortal cultivator of the Great Sun lineage,” Fang Wujiu said quietly. “The Great Sun rising in the west, it was probably one of the eminent monks from the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain. Those masters would never reveal such signs without reason. After only two years of peace, I fear more turmoil is coming.”
Yue Mingxue’s eyes dimmed slightly. She touched the Xuanqing dharma sword hanging at her waist.
“Even if we know, what can we do? At worst, we die. In the world today, where is there left to flee?”
Even if the Fang Family abandoned the foundation they had struggled so hard to establish on Qingli Mountain and escaped Xituo Commandery, would the outside world truly be a land of peace?
To the south, the Yin Corpse Sect delighted in manipulating corpses, while Ancient Shu itself remained locked in war with the demon race.
Should they flee eastward instead? The eastern territories belonged to the Blissful Union demonic sect.
As for the west… better not to even mention it.
“I heard that beyond the Blissful Union Sect’s territory lies the orthodox Supreme Unity Mysterious Gate region of the east,” Fang Wujiu said in a lowered voice. “It is supposedly far more righteous.”
“Unfortunately… only Purple Mansion cultivators can cross through the Blissful Union territories safely.”
Yue Mingxue gave no reply and merely lowered her head to continue eating.
There was no meaning in discussing such things.
Fang Wujiu sighed inwardly. He knew he himself could not bear to abandon the foundation his father had spent half a lifetime building. In the end, he could only silently continue eating.
Not long afterward, a monk arrived at Qingli Mountain.
It was Monk Fayuan.
Compared to before, he looked visibly aged. Clearly, he had suffered severe injuries during the previous war against the Yin Corpse Sect.
The moment the Fang Family saw Fayuan appear like a funeral crow, everyone’s expressions turned ugly.
Fang Wujiu, the family’s sole late-stage Qi Ingestion cultivator, stepped forward.
“Greetings, Master Fayuan. May I ask the reason for your visit?”
“Alas…”
Fayuan Monk was likewise gravely injured and still far from recovered. At this moment, he could only force out a bitter smile.
“The White Bone Dao has issued its decree. The Xuantu Sect are enemies of the Buddhist… all Buddhist soldiers are to be mobilized and march east!”
His aura of mana had weakened so severely that he was nearly on the verge of falling back to the early stage of Qi Ingestion. After announcing the temple’s decree, he immediately bowed deeply.
“My lords… please save this little monk. I do not wish to die either…”
Fang Wujiu and Yue Mingxue exchanged a glance, both suddenly overcome with the feeling that the mortal world surged like a boundless tide.
…
Qi Refining World.
Taibai Island.
Fang Qing had no choice but to emerge from seclusion, letting out a sigh.
This secluded cultivation session had been interrupted far too abruptly. In truth, he had only cultivated in isolation for two years. For a Core Formation cultivator, expecting any major progress in refining one’s True Core over such a short span was pure fantasy.
Simply accumulating enough True Core mana to approach the threshold of mid-stage Core Formation could require decades, or even over a century, of painstaking effort.
“Still, the Dao attainment insight I gained from the Core Formation heavenly tribulation infusion, along with the comprehension obtained from gazing upon that Nameless True Lord’s corpse… I have now digested most of it.”
A trace of eagerness appeared on his face as he gazed inward at the azure-green True Core of the Blue Sea Technique within his body.
Fang Qing raised a hand.
True core power surged forth, carrying an indescribable force that instantly tore open the void.
With a single step, his entire body entered the great void itself.
This was not something an ordinary Core Formation cultivator should have been capable of. It resembled the abilities of Qi Ingestion cultivators far more closely.
“So it truly works… I can do it as well.”
Facing the turbulent currents of the void, Fang Qing stood unmoving like an immense reef amidst a raging sea.
“My Dao insight truly was not raised in vain.”
“I already converted Sangji. His Position of Divinity was mine from the start. I simply never understood how to use it before. Now, through my connection with the Dao-Genesis Pearl, I can finally borrow a strand of Divinity authority just like the other Duzi and Dumu.”
Previously, Fang Qing had only been able to vaguely borrow traces of the Dao-Genesis Pearl’s Divinity during divination, understanding the effect but not the underlying principle.
Even now, aside from divination, he still could not truly access the Dao-Genesis Pearl’s greater powers. Of course, its passive activation during life-and-death crises did not count.
However, after his Dao insight improved, he could finally begin harvesting benefits from Sangji.
“Though if things continue like this, the number of Duzi and Dumu under Sangji will truly be reduced to only four… no, two remaining.”
“Would this count as reverse conversion?”
Fang Qing stepped out from the void and discovered he had already arrived at Verdant Jade Island.
He glanced once toward the island and chuckled softly before stepping back into the void again.
On Verdant Jade Island, Ruan Zhixuan, who had been meditating cross-legged, suddenly felt her hair stand on end.
“Why do I suddenly feel this strange premonition? Could it be that Nephew Shi’s Core Formation breakthrough might actually fail?”
…
Tianxin Island.
“Traveling through the void really is convenient.”
“Even if I used a Core Formation treasure to travel through the real world, reaching this place would still take at least half a day. Yet now I arrived in moments.”
Fang Qing swept his gaze across Tianxin Island and, unsurprisingly, saw it had already been reclaimed by the Blue Sea Sect, their banners once more flying above the island.
He shook his head lightly, arrived at the location of the bronze underground palace, and stepped into the void once more.
Crash!
Within the darkness floated a massive, luminous “bubble.” Inside it, one could vaguely make out pavilions, towers, and endless palace halls.
“The Zhoutian Star Palace secret realm…”
Fang Qing studied the void storms surrounding the bubble with slight caution.
“It already carries a hint of isolation from the void itself… though there is still a narrow gap remaining. One could force entry.”
“But with my current level of power, barging in forcibly would likely cause the entire secret realm to collapse instantly, scattering all its treasures throughout the void.”
“That would be far too wasteful. Better to wait.”
He continued traveling through the void, taking only a few steps before emerging once more back upon Taibai Island.
“My current state is rather strange. I possess the Position of Divinity of a Duzi and Dumu, yet my cultivation is based on True Core mana.”
“I’m practically some bizarre hybrid. In the Qi Refining Path, I can still muddle through. But over on the Qi Ingestion side, I’d stand out far too much.”
“Or rather… if discovered, things would become very entertaining.”
A thought stirred within Fang Qing’s mind.
The True Core within his body instantly dispersed, transforming into primordial qi that was stored inside the Dao-Genesis Pearl.
Replacing it was a late-stage Dao Foundation.
The White Bone Contemplation!
At this moment, however, the White Bone Contemplation emitted strands of divine radiance, carrying an unusually mysterious aura.
“I studied Moonlight White and Peacock extensively before.”
“They themselves possessed no divine abilities. They only borrowed a trace of mysterious power, yet they still vastly surpassed ordinary Dao Foundation cultivators.”
“What appears to be ‘mystery’ is merely the surface. At its core, it is still Divinity.”
“In terms of actual cultivation, Duzi and Dumu are roughly comparable to Dao Foundation perfection cultivators.”
“Now my mana has transformed into the Scripture of Nu Earth Expounded By Lord of Charnel Grounds. Qi Ingestion Path, while I also carry a trace of Position Divinity.”
“Even if a late Purple Mansion Great Spiritual Master, or a Purple Mansion Perfection cultivator with complete divine abilities examined me, they would only see me as one of Sangji’s Duzi.”
“…Damn it, why am I insulting myself now?”
“In any case, there is no need to worry about exposing flaws anymore.”
The reason he cared so much about this was naturally because of the Great Sun Buddhist Edict.
Once the eastern campaign began and the Dharma Kings of the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain personally supervised the war, there was no way a “Duzi of Sangji” like him could remain uninvolved. He would inevitably have to appear on the battlefield at least once or twice.
Among those Dharma Kings were beings comparable to late-stage Purple Mansion Great Spiritual Masters, or even Purple Mansion perfection experts.
They were not weak rogue cultivators like Xuantu Spiritual Master, nor sickly mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivators like Bai Mu Spiritual Master.
There was a real possibility they might notice something suspicious.
Thus, disguising himself properly was absolutely essential.
“Bai Mu Spiritual Master…”
“It seems the ancestor of the Bai Family of Eastern Waters urgently requires Golden Peony Yang Essence to preserve his life?”
Fang Qing stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Previously, he had not known where to obtain Golden Peony Yang Essence. But now he was certain that the Purple Mansion cultivators of the Yin Corpse Sect likely possessed some in storage.
If he could trade for a stalk, perhaps he could exchange it with True Bai Mu Spiritual Master for a Purple Mansion cultivation inheritance?
“No… that would be too much of a loss for me.”
“Back then, Bai Mu Spiritual Master merely wanted me to run errands in exchange for a Purple Mansion cultivation method. He never intended to trade Purple Mansion spiritual objects directly.”
Fang Qing shook his head.
“I really am too kind-hearted. Completely incompatible with the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain.”
“Once the war reaches the territory of the Blissful Union Sect, I should simply be the first to attack the Bai Family of Eastern Waters and convert their entire clan.”
“At that point, all their Purple Mansion cultivation methods, Daoist Scriptures, and treasure vaults would naturally become mine.”
“Why would I still need to trade away a Purple Mansion spiritual object?”
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