Chapter 320 - 258: Respect Fate

「Two months later.」

In an elegant pavilion at the Spring Flower Building, Wan Sancai was reassuring a Cultivator of about the same build as himself.

"Old Mo, don’t panic. Elder Jia is a good person. He just wants to meet you and ask a few questions, that’s all."

The Cultivator Wan Sancai called Old Mo was also at the late-stage of Qi Refining. His round, chubby face betrayed his anxiety.

When Wan Sancai had found him and said that a senior Foundation Establishment Cultivator wanted to see him, Old Mo had panicked.

He even suspected he had been exposed and that someone had come to settle a score.

But after learning it was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator he didn’t know, one who merely wanted to ask a few questions, Old Mo mulled it over for a long time and ultimately decided not to run for it.

He had finally managed to settle down in the Iron Wind Islands. ’If I run again, where could I possibly go?’

Running away cost money, and the Teleportation Array on Iron Wind Island was extremely expensive. He didn’t have the nerve to spend over a decade’s worth of savings to go on the run again.

Besides, according to Wan Sancai, if he managed to please this senior, there was even a reward to be had. For a man as short on funds as him, this was a great temptation.

So, for the past half a month, Old Mo had been waiting. Just yesterday, he received word that the senior was finally free to see him.

"Brother Wan, you said the senior is easy to get along with and is also a Pill Master, but you also claim his methods are astonishing. That sounds like a bit of an exaggeration, doesn’t it?"

Old Mo sipped his tea, trying to probe for information about Fang Qingyuan. He wanted to understand more so he would know what to expect.

Wan Sancai glanced at him, knowing what the man was thinking. He remembered Fang Qingyuan’s instructions and began to boast.

"Elder Jia’s abilities are astonishing. He’s no ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Five years ago, we were fishing at Du Feng Cliff when we encountered a Cyan Stone Bone Fish at the Foundation Establishment Stage. Elder Jia reeled it in in just a few minutes. Do you think an ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivator could manage that?"

Most of Wan Sancai’s fortune now depended on Fang Qingyuan, so it was only natural that he held him in the highest esteem. Moreover, boasting about his backer in front of a friend like Old Mo made him look good.

Old Mo offered a placating smile and nodded in agreement. If he encountered a sea beast like a Cyan Stone Bone Fish, his only option would be to flee for his life.

Seeing Old Mo’s expression, Wan Sancai looked even more smug. ’Meeting Elder Jia five years ago, right after he arrived, must have been the result of half a lifetime of my good fortune all paying off at once.’

’Back in the day, Old Mo was doing much better than me. But look at him now. Whether it’s food, clothing, or daily expenses, how can he possibly compare?’

Just as Wan Sancai was about to boast a little more on Fang Qingyuan’s behalf, his ears twitched. He seemed to hear someone outside paying their respects, so he immediately stood up, pulled Old Mo with him, and went to wait by the door.

...

As Fang Qingyuan stepped onto the landing, the first thing he saw was a reverent Wan Sancai bowing to him alongside an unfamiliar Cultivator.

Fang Qingyuan nodded, offered a brief greeting, and gestured for them to go inside to talk.

He had become a regular at the Spring Flower Building over the past few years. The matrons at the entrance knew him well and always bowed and greeted him on sight.

A Foundation Establishment Cultivator was a pillar of any community. Though there were many on Iron Wind Island, compared to the population of several million, they were still a one-in-ten-thousand existence.

Inside the elegant pavilion, Fang Qingyuan naturally took the seat of honor. After he was seated, Wan Sancai clapped his hands, signaling the attendants to serve the dishes.

A spread of exquisite delicacies was served. The Great Zhou followed a system of serving individual portions, so Fang Qingyuan didn’t have to fight Wan Sancai and his companion for food.

Besides, the food served to a Foundation Establishment Cultivator was different from that served to the two at the Qi Refining stage.

After a couple of cups of wine, Fang Qingyuan set down his goblet and spoke to Old Mo.

"I hear you’re a Qi Yun Cultivator, Fellow Daoist Mo?"

Old Mo’s heart skipped a beat. He sat up straight and replied respectfully.

"That is correct. I am a Cultivator from a minor sect in Qi Yun. I ran into some trouble and had no choice but to flee here to seek refuge."

The Outer Sea was always a good place to go on the run. The land was vast and sparsely populated, with no sign of human life for thousands of miles. If one found a remote island to hide on, they wouldn’t have to worry about being discovered for eighty or a hundred years—provided they could endure the loneliness.

The Iron Wind Islands covered an area tens of thousands of miles across. Beyond the archipelago, there were countless smaller islands. These had not been incorporated into Iron Wind Island’s Land Realm, simply because they were impossible to manage.

"Fellow Daoist Mo, you don’t look very old. Perhaps you’ll have a chance to wait for the Great Zhou Academy’s general amnesty. Then you’ll be able to return home openly."

Fang Qingyuan spoke these comforting words, but all three of them knew that who could say how many years it would be before the Great Zhou Academy granted a general amnesty.

In over ten thousand years of recorded history, the Great Zhou Academy had only granted a general amnesty seven or eight times. Each time, it was to celebrate the birth of a new Divinity Transformation Cultivator.

The last Divinity Transformation Cultivator from the Great Zhou Academy was Mr. Yangming of Yangming Mountain, and he had achieved his breakthrough only about five hundred years ago.

After exchanging these pleasantries, Fang Qingyuan gradually got to the point. He asked directly,

"That seed you gave Wan Sancai a while ago—where did you get it?"

Old Mo thought for a moment before replying cautiously,

"It was two years ago. I was with a team on a mission to Fire Melt Island. I found it among the spoils at a Demon Sect outpost. According to the rules, for any non-critical items, it’s finders keepers. So I kept it."

’Fire Melt Island?’

Fang Qingyuan’s eyes narrowed. ’So it really was that place. Fire Melt Island is where the Demon Tide broke out three years ago.’

’Old Mo and his team must have been conscripted for some mop-up missions on the periphery. By that time two years ago, the Nascent Soul Cultivators from the Beast Taming Sect had already taken care of the Demon Sect’s main fighting force.’

’But how could a special Spirit Plant like the Longevity Vine, which feeds on Demonic Qi, appear in a place like that?’

’And why was it discovered as a seed? What secrets did this entail?’

Fang Qingyuan couldn’t figure it out. ’It seems I’ll have to make a trip to Fire Melt Island myself to truly understand what’s going on.’

’Of course, I wouldn’t dare go now. Even though the area has been swept clean many times, I have an inexplicable apprehension about places like Demon Sect ruins. I’ve always made it a point to steer clear of exploration.’

’Perhaps I could hire a Foundation Establishment Squad to carry out the task for me. With a trump card like the Blood Life Pill, why should I have to do everything myself?’

Thinking of the Blood Life Pills, Fang Qingyuan sensed the full eight vials of them inside his Immortal Mansion, and his confidence grew.

’Out of a total of twelve drops of Life Source Liquid, the Bee Queen had succeeded eight times. A two-thirds success rate was quite excellent for her.’

’After all, the Bee Queen is just a Spirit Beast that happens to know Alchemy. Compared to a true Pill Master, there is a huge gap in terms of Talent, methods, experience, and technique.’

’The Bee Queen only seems so gifted in Alchemy because I’m the one she’s being compared against.’

’Furthermore, the Bee Queen’s Seven Treasures Ruyi Furnace has been nurtured for too short a time. If I were to extend that period to a year, with the aid of this Pill Furnace, she might have produced ten vials. But that wouldn’t be worth it. In that time, I could use the Blood Life Pills to trade for more Demon Summoning Soil and obtain even more Life Source Liquid.’

Seeing Fang Qingyuan lost in thought, Old Mo couldn’t help but speak up.

"Elder, if you wish to go to the place where the seed was found, I am willing to lead the way."

Fang Qingyuan smiled faintly. ’Me, go there? You’re overthinking things.’

’Still, this man, Old Mo, has a bit of fortune on his side, even if he ultimately failed to grasp it.’

"There’s no hurry. I heard from Sancai that you make a living completing missions for others. It’s flexible, but not very stable. If you don’t mind, why don’t you help Sancai out for a while?"

Wan Sancai’s face lit up. He quickly said,

"That would be wonderful! I’ve been thinking of opening a branch. Business has been booming recently, and I really can’t manage it all myself. Old Mo, if you come help me, I’ll provide the capital and give you a shop."

Old Mo shot Wan Sancai a grateful glance, then turned to Fang Qingyuan and said,

"Thank you for your consideration, Elder. I, Mo Youqian, am eternally grateful."

Old Mo knew this was all Fang Qingyuan’s doing. Without his approval, how could Wan Sancai have parted with such a lucrative offer? It seemed this was his compensation for contributing the Spirit Seed.

At this point, Old Mo no longer dwelled on how valuable the Spirit Seed might be. It had been in his possession for two years without him discovering its potential, only for it to flourish in another’s hands. It simply wasn’t fated to be his.

Seeing the matter settled, Fang Qingyuan stood up and said to the two men,

"I have other business, so I’ll be going. You two carry on. If you run into any problems you can’t solve, just let me know."

"We respectfully see you off, Elder!"

Wan Sancai and Mo Youqian bowed deeply, only straightening up after Fang Qingyuan was a good distance away.

...

「Five days later.」

The Evergreen was cutting through the waves, speeding onward.

For once, Fang Qingyuan was not in the captain’s cabin but standing on deck, letting the sea breeze wash over him.

Tuoba Ye stood two paces behind him, as still as a statue.

After a long while, a warning sounded from the lookout Array. A Qi Refining Cultivator ran up to report,

"Captain, there are signs of a fierce battle two hundred miles ahead. It looks like pirates are raiding an island. Should we intervene?"

Where there’s an ocean, there are pirates. It was a law of nature.

However, Fang Qingyuan’s ship had a hunting permit issued by the Iron Wind Beast Taming Sect. Under normal circumstances, pirates would not attack a Beast Hunting Sea Ship.

Moreover, Beast Hunting Sea Ships offered little profit and were a tough nut to crack. The Arrays installed on them were powerful weapons, designed to target Foundation Establishment Sea Beasts.

These pirates were the type to bully the weak and fear the strong; they would never pick a head-on fight with a Beast Hunting Sea Ship.

The Beast Hunting Ship was equipped with a surveillance Array that could detect things at ten times the range of a Cultivator’s Divine Sense. Even Fang Qingyuan’s Mind Map hadn’t sensed the disturbance.

Tuoba Ye, standing behind him, immediately stepped forward to add,

"Two hundred miles out is Xiliu Island. Its Island Master is a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, with a dozen or so Qi Refining Cultivators and over thirty thousand islanders. For the enemy to dare attack an island protected by an Island Protection Array, they must be acting on a meticulously-planned operation with a near-certain chance of success. Our odds would not be good."

A competent first mate had to know the surrounding situation like the back of his hand. At this point, the Evergreen was already four thousand nautical miles from Iron Wind Island, having left its safe zone.

’For Tuoba Ye to remember the local powers even at this distance, he must have put in a lot of hard work in private.’

Fang Qingyuan mulled over the development for a moment, then said flatly,

"Natural selection, survival of the fittest. That is the iron law of the sea. Relay my orders: turn the rudder and steer around it."

The subordinate took his orders and left. Sensing the fluctuation in Tuoba Ye’s emotions, Fang Qingyuan added one more thing.

"Drop the hero complex. Respect the fate of others. That’s how we’ll live a long time."

"This subordinate has been taught a lesson!"

Tuoba Ye cupped his fists and bowed toward Fang Qingyuan’s back. Fang Qingyuan did not respond, his gaze still fixed on the horizon.

「Two days later.」

A dark shadow loomed on the horizon, slowly growing larger. Soon, its landmark structure came into view: a massive, black, five-fingered peak standing tall upon an island.

After traveling another six thousand miles, they finally arrived at the Five-finger Bee Black Market, the closest Black Market to the Iron Wind Islands’ sphere of influence.