Chapter 136

Inside the Ice Snow Palace.

“This humble one is Greenwater. Many thanks, fellow Daoist, for saving my life.”

Greenwater Rogue Cultivator was a graceful beauty in a green skirt, her bearing elegant and her speech refined.

Behind her stood disciples such as Lu Lingfeng and Zhan Hongxiu.

“I see that fellow Daoist is in high spirits with abundant qi. Your injuries appear to have fully healed.”

Fang Qing had fragrant tea served and responded with a warm smile.

These rogue cultivators were experts at building connections. They never missed any chance to latch onto someone powerful—especially a alchemist grandmaster like him.

As for whether this woman might ask for her disciple’s treasure back?

If she truly was that shortsighted, he could simply kill her and be done with it.

Still, Fang Qing leaned more toward the belief that Zhan Hongxiu had hidden everything even from her own master. The woman knew nothing about the talisman treasure in her disciple’s hands, nor the heavy price paid to obtain the pill.

“I must thank you for refining the Mysterious Soul Nourishing Pill. I have long heard that Island Master Fang’s alchemy skill ranks among the very best in the Blue Sea Immortal Sect. Seeing it today, the reputation is truly well-deserved.”

Greenwater Rogue Cultivator spoke with a charming smile, her tone carrying a hint of deliberate flattery.

Unlike a mere Qi Refining junior like Zhan Hongxiu, who was ignorant of the wider world and assumed Fang Qing had been exiled here, this woman had several Foundation Establishment realm close friends. She knew that within the Blue Sea Sect, Fang Qing might not command the winds and rain, but he possessed considerable connections and was not someone to offend lightly.

Moreover, he had done her a great favor.

Lu Lingfeng watched the scene and secretly praised to himself, ‘So this is what it means to be a Foundation Establishment cultivator from a major sect? Even Master has to lower herself and curry favor… If I could win this man’s favor, I would gain quite a bit of face in front of Master as well.’

His smile grew even more eager, which left Fang Qing feeling somewhat puzzled.

‘This Lu fellow, even though he doesn’t know I killed his three Foundation Establishment ancestors, this flattery is a bit excessive.’

Bei Lingshu and Xiang Dahu were accompanying them. After listening a bit longer, they exchanged a glance. ‘This female cultivator wants the island master to join the Sancai Market and is willing to offer a ten percent silent share.’

Bei Lingshu’s heart stirred. ‘This woman is quite clever. She’s using the pill request to build a connection and offering a silent share means no overt dealings, so it won’t draw the Sea-Destroying Alliance’s hostility. A good plan indeed. With the island master stationed here, he could gain considerable benefits for nothing in return—it would be mutually advantageous.’

Unexpectedly, after listening for a while, Fang Qing politely declined the proposal.

He was earning a fortune every day now and had no interest in such trivial gains.

Besides, if he wanted spiritual materials, he could simply head to Xitu Commandery and extort or engage in risk-free deals, wouldn’t that be much faster?

These meager profits no longer caught his eye.

After seeing off Greenwater Rogue Cultivator and her group, Fang Qing performed another quick divination in his mind. ‘Hmm, it doesn’t seem to be any loose ends from the Sancai Market.’

Last time he had felt a sudden premonition that Zhan Hongxiu’s pill request still had some aftermath.

But from the looks of it now, it was not coming from Greenwater Rogue Cultivator’s side.

“Island Master…”

At that moment, Bei Lingshu approached with a stack of visiting cards and smiled. “The nearby cultivators saw that the island master was focused on bitter cultivation and didn’t dare disturb you. Now that you have emerged from seclusion and even refined a pill for an outsider, they have all sent their cards. They are most likely here to request pills.”

Rogue cultivators and Foundation Establishment clans were no fools. They knew the clear difference between a sect alchemist and a wild fox spirit.

Now that they had finally encountered a alchemist grandmaster, they naturally wanted to build a good relationship in case they needed help later.

“I still need to cultivate. Where would I find the spare time to refine pills for them? Water-method pill refining can take months or even years. This is no joking matter. Reject them all!” Fang Qing waved his hand. If someone could offer a price like Zhan Hongxiu had, he wouldn’t mind making a move.

Unfortunately, such good opportunities were rare even in a hundred years.

“Understood!”

Watching Bei Lingshu’s escape light depart, Fang Qing felt another inexplicable stir in his heart. ‘That’s right. The so-called pill-refining aftermath might not be from Sanyuan Island at all, but rather because I revealed alchemy skills nearly on par with Tianding’s. Naturally, that would attract many covetous eyes—for example. Sea-Destroying Alliance cultivators?!’

After all, the Sea-Destroying Alliance had shallow foundations. That Heiyuan True Personage excelled in arrays but knew nothing about alchemy, and there weren’t many famous second-rank alchemists on Tianxin Island.

“Building a force and accumulating foundations… these things cannot be done overnight.”

“If there is trouble, it should come from this.”

Several months later.

A streak of pitch-black escape light slipped through the night and arrived near Taibai Island, gazing at the snow-covered landscape from afar.

“So this is Taibai Island? Even though its spiritual qi is somewhat damaged, it is still an excellent dao field.”

A pleasant female voice rang out. “It is a pity. That Fang Qing only refined one pill for someone before going back into seclusion. He didn’t even accept my visiting card.”

“This person’s alchemy skill is almost on par with Tianding’s. In terms of age, his talent on the pill path far surpasses Tianding. If I can bring him to Tianxin Island, Master will surely look upon him with favor.”

She smiled charmingly, staring in the direction of Taibai Island.

As for whether the Foundation Establishment alchemist would be imprisoned or have a soul restriction placed on him by Master once he reached Tianxin Island, that went without saying.

With a alchemist grandmaster working day and night, her own cultivation would advance much faster, and she would no longer need to beg everywhere for breakthrough pills.

“It is just that this island is closed off and has few disciples.”

The woman felt a twinge of regret. If Taibai Island opened its gates wide and refined pills for cultivators from all directions, she could easily slip inside.

She had heard that the island master’s aptitude was not high and he was currently only at mid Foundation Establishment. With her methods, she should be able to handle him easily.

“Now, how should I sneak in and take him away without anyone noticing?”

She murmured to herself.

“Oh? I hear you are looking for me?”

Suddenly, a young male voice sounded from beside her.

The woman jumped in fright and saw a blue-robed youth who had somehow appeared just a few zhang away!

“It seems… you are the loose end from my pill refining.”

Fang Qing lowered the Heaven-Shrouding Curtain in his hand and gazed at the late-stage Foundation Establishment female demonic cultivator before him. He spoke slowly.

After testing the artifact just now, he was rather satisfied with it. At the very least, even a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator’s divine sense could not detect the slightest trace of its presence.

“You are from the Sea-Destroying Alliance, correct? You seem to cultivate the charming female method?”

Fang Qing studied the woman ahead. Her revealing attire and thousand seductive charms made him praise inwardly, ‘This is what a true devilish woman should look like. Far better than those Blissful Union Sect demonesses. She can comfort my heart.’

“Correct. This slave is Yu Xiang’er. Greetings to the Taibai Island Master.”

Yu Xiang’er lifted the cloak draped over her shoulders, exposing large swathes of alluring skin. Her features were as lovely as a painting, and her face bloomed with smiles. “Why doesn’t the island master abandon the darkness and join the light?”

“Not bad. This is exactly the flavor I like…”

Fang Qing felt quite pleased, yet he showed no sign of being affected by any charming technique. ‘This woman is quite good. I can use her as a pawn to infiltrate Tianxin Island… Hmm, and I can test my skills while I’m at it.’

He now possessed a full nine ways to instantly subdue this woman.

Still, he decided to spar with her for a few exchanges first so he could test the profundities of his own Dao Foundation.

With a single thought, Fang Qing’s mana silently converted to [Ji Earth].

The White Bone Contemplation Dao Foundation circulated, rendering his mind exceptionally clear. Looking at Yu Xiang’er was like gazing upon a beauty reduced to nothing but withered bones.

Gusts of yin wind swirled around him as black earth began to gather.

“This…”

Yu Xiang’er was momentarily stunned. ‘Isn’t this person a cultivator of the Blue Sea Art? Why does his mana feel even more demonic than our own path?’

She patted her storage bag, and several streaks of black light flew out—several pitch-black jade bottles.

The moment the stoppers were removed, dozens of yin souls emerged.

Several coffins were also taken out. From within them leaped several copper-armored corpses that rode surging corpse qi as they charged straight at Fang Qing.

“As expected, she is full of demonic arts.”

Fang Qing made a quick mental comparison. This woman’s cultivation was deeper than Lu Qianfan’s, and she possessed a complete set of demonic path techniques. In terms of combat strength, she ranked quite well among late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

‘But… using yin souls and refined corpses against me?’

He smiled faintly. Black earth continued to gather, forming grave mounds.

Those refined corpses actually burrowed straight into the mounds, turning into arched burial hills.

The many yin souls did the same, merging into the black earth and vanishing without a trace.

“This…”

Yu Xiang’er had just taken out a high-grade spiritual artifact shaped like a black umbrella. Seeing this scene, she froze in shock.

Aside from his mid Foundation Establishment cultivation matching the reports, everything else about Fang Qing was completely different!

“Damn it!”

She formed hand seals with both hands. The black umbrella floated above her head, shedding layers of dark, hazy radiance that protected her entire body.

At the same time, the umbrella ribs opened, and strands of black fine needles appeared, shooting toward Fang Qing.

This high-grade spiritual artifact known as the Heaven-Encompassing Umbrella was her most prized treasure, excelling in both offense and defense.

Not only could it guard her body, but the ribs and handle concealed eighty-one Black Dark Divine Needles!

These needles specialized in breaking all kinds of protective light shields. Even mid-grade spiritual artifact shields would be pierced instantly. They flew without sound and carried a hidden nature. It could be said that countless Foundation Establishment cultivators across the Minor Huan Sea trembled with fear at the mere mention of this Heaven-Encompassing Umbrella.

Whoosh!

Dozens of Black Dark Divine Needles stabbed forward directly, while several more hid within the darkness, circling around to attack Fang Qing from behind.

Even a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator would be thrown into a fluster when facing this move.

But Fang Qing instantly converted his mana to [Ji Water] and activated the Wind-Positioned Dao Foundation.

Whoosh!

His figure flashed, merging into the wind itself, and vanished in an instant.

“What swift movement! No… it is a wind escape technique?!”

Yu Xiang’er was shocked to see every one of her high-grade spiritual artifact flying needles miss completely. With her keen eyesight, she naturally recognized one of the three great escape techniques of the immortal cultivation world and knew in her heart that she probably could not take this person down today.

Whoosh!

The sound of wind arose as Fang Qing, without anyone noticing when, had already arrived at Yu Xiang’er’s side. In his hand was now a three-foot-long sword!

The sword’s body was bright silver with specks of starlight. It was none other than Wolfbreaker!

Under the enhancement of the Sharp Edge Chapter, Fang Qing thrust out with his sword, striking directly at the surface of the Heaven-Encompassing Umbrella!

“There are many kinds of swords used by sword cultivators. Those without hilts that fly freely back and forth are flying swords.”

“While those held in hand, using movement techniques and sword moves to defeat enemies, are law swords!”

“A one-revolution flying sword is wondrous in both form and essence and can transform freely.”

Fang Qing moved with his sword. Wolfbreaker gave a light flick.

Yu Xiang’er, who had not adapted to this style of combat, paled dramatically. A small nick appeared on the surface of the Heaven-Encompassing Umbrella, and it was flicked away by the sword. Amid the sky full of stars, the sword qi was like smoke and mist, instantly piercing through Yu Xiang’er’s protective light shield and pinning a second-rank talisman.

Fast!

Everything happened in a flash of lightning. Fang Qing had already closed in, nearly face-to-face with Yu Xiang’er.

Two points of golden light appeared in his eyes, like the Great Sun rising. The temperature around them surged instantly, scorching everything in its path.

A palm had somehow already pressed down on Yu Xiang’er’s crown.