Chapter 88

“Haha. I was abrupt. Your unyielding temperament suits my taste quite well. May I know your esteemed name?”

Zhao Wufeng laughed heartily as he asked.

“Rogue cultivator Fang Jin.”

Fang Qing’s expression did not change. After leaving the shop, he wandered around the market for a while longer before eventually flying out of the marketplace.

“Fellow Daoist, please wait!”

Before he had flown very far, a voice sounded behind him.

Fang Qing swept his divine sense behind him. It was Zhao Wufeng.

He did not slow his escape light. Only after reaching a place of clear mountains and beautiful waters did he slowly turn around. Zhao Wufeng followed unhurriedly and spoke first.

“Are you a sword cultivator?”

“Correct. You cultivate the path of [Kang Metal]? That would also make you a sword cultivator.”

Fang Qing stood with his hands behind his back, leisurely admiring the scenery.

He had heard a little about the Zhao Family of [Kang Metal]. It seemed they had previously schemed against Li Rulong, only to suffer greatly in return, losing their Dao Foundation seed Zhao Wuxu.

“Haha. As expected.”

Zhao Wufeng laughed loudly and produced a three-foot green sword in his hand.

“I am at the ninth layer of Qi Ingestion. You are also at the ninth layer. Perfect for a duel to the death with our swords. What do you say?”

“You… are you mentally unsound? Or are you planning to use me as a human pill? Unfortunately I cultivate [Lou Metal] while you cultivate [Kang Metal]. They are completely incompatible.”

Fang Qing felt something was strange.

“You only know part of the matter, not the whole truth.”

Zhao Wufeng sneered confidently.

“Within the virtue of Metal exists a Daoist divine ability known as Mutual Slaughter.

“When sword cultivators of the same realm meet, they may initiate a life-and-death sword duel. All external power is forbidden. Victory must be decided solely by the sword in one’s hand.”

“The victor may temper their flying sword with the defeated opponent’s blood, greatly improving both cultivation and their natal flying sword.

“With our current ninth-layer Qi Ingestion cultivation, the winner will certainly be able to forge a Dao Foundation. Fellow Daoist, you are my destined opportunity to achieve Dao Foundation!”

“Oh?”

Fang Qing had to admit that his understanding of the Metal virtue was inferior to those born into Metal lineage families.

“Mutual Slaughter? It only works between cultivators of the same realm? If a lower cultivator defeats someone above them, the benefits should be even greater. But if a higher cultivator kills someone below them, there would be no benefit, correct?”

“Exactly.”

Zhao Wufeng nodded lightly.

“Even a one-revolution flying sword, if it defeats a nine-revolution sword in such a duel, could absorb its essence and advance to nine revolutions.”

“Of course, that is practically impossible. Slaying someone above your realm is extremely difficult. To dominate among peers already marks one as a top-tier sword seed.”

He lifted his sword slightly.

“The name of my sword is 'Green Edge'. What is the name of your flying sword, fellow Daoist?”

“Mine?”

Fang Qing took out his cracked magical artifact flying sword.

“This sword… has no name. Though you are somewhat stronger than Zhao Wuxu.”

“Hmph. That trash only knew how to exploit flaws in cultivation methods and consume human pills to attempt Dao Foundation.”

Zhao Wufeng’s voice was filled with disdain.

“I refuse to stand alongside such a person. He merely relied on being a direct descendant of the Dao Foundation lineage and chose what seemed like an easier road. In truth he had already lost the heart of a sword cultivator. His death and the breaking of his sword were only fitting.”

He looked at Fang Qing’s sword carefully.

“Your flying sword is damaged? As a sword cultivator, how could you treat your sword so carelessly?

“Wait… earlier you were purchasing sword-refining materials. Was that to repair this sword?

“And what if it is?” Fang Qing asked with mild amusement. “Will you give me time to repair it first?”

If Zhao Wufeng truly agreed, that would be rather interesting.

“Are you joking?”

Zhao Wufeng sneered.

“If your flying sword is dull, then heaven itself has granted me an opportunity. Please.”

He flicked the blade with his finger.

The sword rang like a dragon’s cry, and strands of sword qi burst outward.

Clearly, he had already reached the Condensing Sword Qi stage of the Sword Dao. With the sharpness of that sword qi, few Qi Ingestion cultivators could match him.

Whoosh!

Zhao Wufeng thrust his sword forward, striking directly toward Fang Qing’s center like a white rainbow piercing the sun.

Fang Qing’s flying sword flashed.

Sword Motion Like Thunder.

Crack!

Lightning flashed.

Zhao Wufeng suddenly clutched his throat, his eyes gradually losing their light.

“Im… possible…”

“I may still only possess ninth-layer Qi Ingestion mana. But my Sword Dao realm does not disappear.”

Fang Qing’s expression was unreadable.

After killing Zhao Wufeng according to the etiquette of sword cultivators, he immediately felt something change.

Various profound mysteries of Metal virtue surged through his heart.

Even his [Lou Metal] mana surged wildly, as if he had swallowed a powerful tonic. It instantly climbed to its peak, almost forming the ‘Sharp Edge Chapter’ directly.

Not only that, when Fang Qing picked up the Green Edge sword, he sensed a strange connection between it and his own flying sword.

With only a slight refinement using true fire, he could melt the Green Edge sword and merge it into his own magical artifact flying sword.

At that point, this magical artifact sword might even advance into a low-grade spiritual artifact.

‘So by killing an opponent, one gains Dao attainment, mana, and improved sword quality… Is this the power of Mutual Slaughter?’

Fang Qing felt a chill in his heart.

‘If true sword cultivators in this world encounter a bottleneck… they will probably roam everywhere searching for suitable opponents for life-and-death sword duels.’

‘Even if sword refinement fails, they could simply go out, duel someone, and refine their sword through battle.’

‘Wouldn’t that turn them all into reckless madmen?’

Just now, he had clearly sensed a mysterious power within the void.

A ritual power.

Which meant that sword cultivators engaging in life-and-death duels truly aligned with a law of heaven and earth.

Or rather…

A law engraved upon the world by the Virtue Of Metal.

‘If Mutual Slaughter were combined with the human pill method, then the probability of a Qi Ingestion sword cultivator advancing to Dao Foundation would likely reach eighty or even ninety percent.’

‘The manifestation of metal virtue in this world could hardly be more evident than this.’

‘Wait… the more important point should be that the Dao-Genesis Pearl hiding my cultivation can actually deceive the heavens and earth of this world?’

If heaven and earth truly recognized him as a Dao Foundation cultivator, then a superior sword cultivator suppressing an inferior one would never produce any feedback from the Sword Dao.

Yet just now Fang Qing had clearly felt the nourishment of Mutual Slaughter. That confirmed that during the life-and-death sword duel earlier, he had indeed been regarded as a Qi Ingestion sword cultivator.

This was clearly the power of the Dao-Genesis Pearl.

But what was the use of that? The sword insights and mana of a Qi Ingestion sword cultivator were useless to him.

‘If I want to gain real benefits, I still need to find an early Dao Foundation sword cultivator and fight them to the death. The more talented they are, the stronger their fortune, and the more treasures they carry, the greater the reward after victory. Of course… if I die, I cannot blame anyone else.’

Moreover, in a life-and-death sword duel all external assistance was forbidden. Talismans, outside help, or similar methods were clearly impossible. If one tried to force it, the secret rite would certainly fail. Even if one won, there would be no feedback whatsoever.

‘Sword cultivators really are madmen.’

He flicked out a spark of flame, burning Zhao Wufeng’s corpse into ashes.

‘The Zhao Family already lost one Dao Foundation seed before, and now another has died. They probably will not produce anyone capable of reaching Dao Foundation for a century.’

For a Dao Foundation clan, such Dao Foundation seeds were extremely precious.

Losing two in succession was almost equivalent to a generational break.

Fang Qing knew that the Zhao Family now regarded him as a mortal enemy.

Still, it was only a Dao Foundation clan. Their family cultivated the [Kang Metal] lineage, producing many sword cultivators and famed for the Geng Metal Sword Art. Nothing particularly remarkable.

Besides, in a few days he would change his identity and become Fang Shui.

It was Fang Jin, the [Lou Metal] sword cultivator, who killed him. What does that have to do with Fang Shui, the [Ji Water] Dao Foundation cultivator?

A flash of sword light cut through the air.

The rock wall before him shattered instantly. Guided by Fang Qing’s divine sense, the flying sword carved out a crude cave dwelling.

He sat down cross-legged and took out Zhao Wufeng’s Green Edge Sword.

The sword was three chi long, its cold radiance piercing. No one knew what materials it had been forged from, but it had long since fused into a single flawless whole.

Even a second-rank master refiner would find it difficult to melt it down and separate the original ores.

But now, as Fang Qing took out his own magical artifact flying sword and melted the Green Edge Sword using the innate true fire of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, the blade quickly dissolved. Drops of molten metal seeped into the cracks of the artifact flying sword, filling them before wrapping around the entire blade.

After a moment, a fluctuation at the level of a low-grade spiritual artifact emerged.

‘As expected… a second-rank low-grade flying sword. It is complete.’

‘I am not even a second-rank artifact refiner, yet it was so effortless.’

‘But if I tried to preserve this molten metal or use it to repair other artifacts, it would be completely impossible… Is this the power of a divine ability?’

Fang Qing placed the newly formed spiritual artifact flying sword across his knees and sat silently, comprehending what he had gained today.

‘Mutual Slaughter… a metal-virtue divine ability… inscribed into heaven and earth?’

‘Perhaps this divine ability truly belongs to [Lou Metal].’

‘[Lou Metal] occupies the rightful position of metal. And one who holds the rightful position is a ruler. That means the divine abilities of [Lou Metal] influence all cultivators who follow the metal virtue?’

‘If so, the rightful positions of the Five Virtues and the Sun and Moon must be extremely important. They carry powerful symbolic meaning. Perhaps similar to the [Year Arbiter] Fate… or slightly inferior?’

‘Unfortunately my fate aligns with [Ji Water], not the rightful position of water virtue. It always feels like I am somehow one step lower.’

After adjusting his breathing for a while, Fang Qing transformed all his mana into [Ji Water] and nurtured the Long-Awaited Sweet Rain Dao Foundation, becoming a thoroughly orthodox Dao Foundation cultivator.

As for his appearance, it remained that of Fang Shui.

This identity’s Dao Foundation specializes in healing and logistical support. It would be best to maintain good relations with others.

Moreover, his life history was clear and traceable. After revealing himself in the future, everything could be verified.

Several days later.

He stepped upon the waves and returned once more to Yuanqing Market.

This time the atmosphere of the marketplace was noticeably tense. From time to time, several cultivators in golden robes blocked the roads and conducted inspections.

“Hmph.”

Fang Qing snorted coldly.

The golden-robed cultivators immediately changed expressions and bowed respectfully.

“Zhao Dongshan… Zhao Donglai greets Senior.”

“What happened here?”

“Our apologies, Senior. We are members of the Zhao Family. One of our disciples was killed by a rogue cultivator near this market, so we have come to conduct an investigation.”

Zhao Dongshan hurriedly explained.

“I see. I heard there will be a Dao Foundation exchange meeting here soon. Lead the way.”

Fang Qing nodded, his voice calm.

“Yes, Senior. This way, please.”

Zhao Dongshan immediately became extremely respectful and escorted Fang Qing to a teahouse.

The teahouse had three floors. At this moment the first and second floors were empty.

When Fang Qing stepped onto the third floor, he instantly felt the difference.

A faint stream of water appeared in his hand and swept aside an invisible curtain ahead. Immediately several auras revealed themselves.

On the third floor of the teahouse sat several Dao Foundation cultivators in small groups. Some wore wide robes and tall crowns, others looked like old fishermen from cold rivers, and several fairy-like women with distinct temperaments sat among them.

All of their gazes turned toward him.

‘As expected. After reaching Dao Foundation, the circle becomes much larger. This single room contains more Dao Foundation cultivators than I have ever seen before.’