Stealthily cultivating in the chaotic world of demons and martial artists

Half an hour later.

Under the Monster Tree.

Fang Xi meticulously fitted an arm onto Old Ling the Demon.

This Cultivator, who had achieved peak Foundation Establishment, had now become one of his wooden Puppets.

Moreover, it seemed his puppet-making skills had improved; the Magic Power could just maintain at the peak of the late Foundation Establishment stage, much to Fang Xi’s delight.

After all, such a Puppet at this level was qualified to become a main Array Eye of the ’Sky Wolf Battle Array,’ its vast Magic Power adding yet another degree of might to the battle array.

"However... it really was You Chong..."

Recalling the memories he had gleaned during the process of creating the Puppet, Fang Xi’s expression darkened.

Sure enough, Old Ling the Demon had been influenced by You Chong to seek trouble with him.

This made Fang Xi secretly resolve that once he left Dragon Fish Island, he would certainly make You Chong regret it.

"Hmm... these Golden Core Sects, each one appears all upright and benevolent on the surface, but behind the scenes, they’re adept at colluding with Demon Cultivators and eliminating dissenters..."

Some of the secrets Fang Xi discovered in Old Ling’s mind were quite astonishing.

Aside from a few eerie Refining Corpses and Demon Path materials in Old Ling the Demon’s Storage Bag, there wasn’t much other good stuff. However, the Demon Saber charm that could still be used a few times was taken by Fang Xi.

Old Ling didn’t have the Demon Skills he cultivated in his Storage Bag, and Fang Xi couldn’t piece together the whole picture from the fragmented memories.

On the other hand, a complete Secret Skill that allowed for an arm to be severed in order to escape death was memorized by Fang Xi.

"The Guardian Beast’s Tail Severing as Sacrifice for Escaping Calamity Great Method!"

"This man was previously able to survive a strike from the Green Barley Sword, indeed there’s some substance to it..."

Fang Xi felt this Secret Skill was quite suitable for him.

Although Old Ling the Demon had to suffer physical mutilation and a great loss of Essence Blood every time he used it,

But with Fang Xi’s ’Yi Wood Magic Body,’ capable of regenerating limbs, the cost was negligible when facing a life and death crisis.

After previous experiments, he also confirmed that even if he relied solely on Yi Wood Divine Light, he could match a Cultivator with full Foundation Establishment; with his other means included, being invincible under Core Formation was not just an empty claim.

’It’s a pity... it is only up to beneath Core Formation... For example, against the strong disciples of the Sky Demon, the outcome of a battle is still uncertain, I must not become complacent...’ Fang Xi thought.

Fang Xi took out the Array Flags and completely sealed off the ’Nine Nether Profound Wood Array.’

Above Dragon Fish Island, a layer of dark canopy descended, enveloping the entire island within it.

After repeating the process several times, he confirmed there were no hidden Cultivators and heaved a sigh of relief, sat cross-legged under the Monster Tree, and took out the Kuyong Skills and Green Wood Longevity Skills to start contemplating.

"The ’Green Wood Longevity Skills’ indeed has eighteen layers, but the Skills can only be considered average..."

"In comparison, the Kuyong Skills are top-tier cultivation methods, both in term of rapid Magic Power refinement and the accompanying Secret Skills they’re quite outstanding..."

"If I am to form my Core, I should start adjusting my cultivation methods right now..."

Fang Xi fell into deep contemplation.

Golden Core without regrets!

To change one’s cultivation method after forming the Core would mean much effort for half the result, and is also quite troublesome.

"But the Kuyong Skills only have seventeen layers... Logically speaking, the legacy of the Nine Leaves Sect cannot be inferior to the unnamed Golden Core Sects that ruled the Wood Kingdom..."

"So... there must be subsequent parts of it that are still within the core ruins of Jade Island, right?"

"Forget it, what am I thinking so much for, in any case, I can reach Nascent Soul. At least until Nascent Soul, there’s no need to worry about my cultivation methods being inadequate."

...

One month later.

Fang Xi ended his closed-door cultivation and sent Ruan Xingling and Liu Sanqi on their way.

At that time, the area near Dragon Fish Island had already returned to calmness, and these two had to return to Ling Kong Island to replace Zhong Hongyu in command.

After all, Zhong Hongyu was also a cultivator who aspired to the Dao, seeking to venture further on her path, and she couldn’t miss the opportunity presented by Jade Island.

Since the breakthrough into the inner circle last time, even more valuable treasures began flowing out from Jade Island, really stimulating many more Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the three nations to come treasure hunting.

As for the terrifying death rate caused by Prohibition retaliation and attacks from cultivation-robbers, it was ignored by the Cultivators.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Ling Kong Marketplace made a nice profit again, making Zhong Hongyu dare not neglect it. Before embarking on her adventure to Jade Island, she made another trip back to Dragon Fish Island, depositing a large sum of Spirit Stones in Fang Xi’s custody.

Ever since he fought the Elder of the Spirit Sword Sect and repelled You Chong, Fang Xi’s reputation as the number one Cultivator in the Thousand Island Lake spread rapidly, not just limited to Cultivators from this lake.

Everyone knew that the Island Master of Dragon Fish was gifted with Divine Skills and Magic Power sufficient to make even late-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators wary.

The fact that he could hold a private trading event was proof of many Cultivators’ trust in him as well as recognition of his strength!

However, Fang Xi didn’t become complacent at all.

With the ’Treasures of All Heavens’ in his possession, he knew the vastness of the world and how it swarmed with various talented individuals pursuing cultivation; his little skills were nothing special.

Compared to fame, solid progress in cultivation was much more reassuring.

So after obtaining the items he needed and trading for a batch of Spirit Medicine using ’Second-rank Prohibition Breaking Charm’ and Foundation Establishment Pills, which he then refined into a number of Spiritual Pills, he entered into closed-door cultivation again.

By this time, he had already decided to switch to cultivating the top-tier method, the Kuyong Skills!

When the time came to form his Core using the Kuyong Skills, it should be a notch better than the Green Wood Longevity Skills.

...

Years later.

Within the secret chamber.

Fang Xi was shaping a spell with both hands, his body alternating between bright yellow and verdant luster constantly flickering.

"Eight thousand years for spring, eight thousand years for autumn, one cycle of spring and autumn makes one Kuyong..."

After a long while, he exhaled deeply: "This ’Kuyong Skills’, truly profound and vast... But my ’Yi Wood Magic Body’ seems to be quite compatible with it..."

Generally speaking, practicing such top-tier cultivation techniques demands extremely high requirements for cultivators.

Fang Xi’s original low-grade spiritual root qualifications would have resulted in a bumpy journey, even if he had access to a top-tier cultivation technique.

However, after refining the ’Yi Wood Magic Body,’ everything changed drastically.

He felt the process of converting to a new cultivation technique was exceptionally smooth and slick, unexpectedly encountering hardly any difficulties or obstacles.

By this time, the liquid magic power inside his body had all transformed into the half-withered yellow and half-vibrant green ’Kuyong Skills’ magic power.

These droplets of liquid magic power continuously emitted two-colored mysterious lights, alternating and moving in a manner that seemed quite extraordinary.

"Longevity Skills... Kuyong Skills... It’s possible that in the ancient Nine Leaves Sect, they were originally a matching set of techniques and secret skills..."

Fang Xi murmured to himself, walking out of the closed-door cultivation room in a good mood.

It was springtime, a season of burgeoning life, and the island was brimming with lush greenery, a scene filled with vibrant vitality.

He walked through the lawn, his face thoughtful.

The next moment, Fang Xi took a deep breath and, surrounded by the fragrance of grass and trees, his hands continuously formed one magic seal after another.

The surrounding vegetation rustled as if they were bending down in submission to their king.

A layer of green and yellow intertwined magic power radiance flickered constantly around Fang Xi, enveloping his entire body.

"Speed!"

Finally, Fang Xi’s hand movements came to a halt, and in an instant, he disappeared.

A hundred yards away, by a peach tree, a flash of green light appeared, and Fang Xi stepped out from it.

"Wood Escape Skill, success!"

He had already been researching this secret technique, and after converting his cultivation technique, the last few minor hurdles were easily overcome, allowing him to perfect this secret art.

"The Five Elements’ Escape Techniques might seem ordinary, but each one is an ultimate divine skill for killing the enemy and saving one’s life..."

"My cultivation of the Wood Escape Skill complements it well... As for the Kuyong Mysterious Light, I suppose it will have to wait until after Core Formation."

Though successful this time, it didn’t guarantee that he could perform it successfully every time in the future.

And, he needed to shorten the casting time as much as possible.

Therefore, Fang Xi continued to form hand signs, moving through the vegetation, feeling the power of the Wood Escape Skill and making various adjustments.

With the help of the ’Yi Wood Magic Body,’ his progress in this Wooden Element secret technique could be described as leaps and bounds.

Later on, he could almost immediately cast the technique upon forming the hand seal, fully capable of applying it in actual combat.

Spirit Medicine Valley.

Fang Xi executed hand seals, his presence becoming increasingly indistinct until it vanished completely.

The ’Kuyong Skills,’ as a top-tier Wooden Element technique, naturally included methods like ’Breath Concealment Skills’—but even more profound and mysterious.

At least, Fang Xi felt that, with his current state of concealment, a Core Formation ancestor distracted for a moment might overlook him.

"Kuyong, Kuyong... from flourishing to withering!"

A mysterious and bead-like magic hand sign materialized in Fang Xi’s hand, and with a sudden rotation, the magic power on his body changed from intermingled green and yellow to completely withered yellow.

Thereafter, his entire presence resembled that of rotting wood by the roadside, easily overlooked if not paid close attention to.

"Hmm... This technique is quite good."

Fang Xi praised softly, patrolling around the Spirit Medicine Valley.

At this time, Xiahou Zun already had a full head of white hair and a hunched back, resting at the edge of the Spiritual Field.

Accompanying him was Taishu Hong, who had matured quite a bit.

"Uncle Zun, take a break..."

Taishu Hong passed over a water flask.

"Sigh..."

Xiahou Zun took a sip of water, sat on a green stone beside the Spiritual Field, pulled out a tobacco pipe from his waist, and began smoking dry tobacco.

The atmosphere seemed somewhat somber.

After a long time, Xiahou Zun finally exhaled a ring of smoke, "Have you heard the news from Ling Kong Island?"

"I heard, the Yan Family’s head, Yan Dongqing, successfully established his Foundation a month ago, and now he has become a Core Formation Cultivator."

Taishu Hong answered with composure.

"The Yan Family... hehe, before the old ancestor Yan Wuxu of the Yan Family had grown up, they were far inferior to my Top Three Families. And now, they’ve become a Foundation Establishment clan, guarding a territory with a second-tier spiritual island, controlling a market, and making money hand over fist..."

Xiahou Zun looked at Taishu Hong, "You have a high-grade spiritual root... This opportunity with the ruins is rare, you must seize it, establish the foundation, establish the foundation!"

"Uncle Zun, I understand."

Taishu Hong lowered his head.

...

"Oh? Yan Dongqing has established his foundation?"

Fang Xi stood to one side, and yet the two men seemed not to notice him at all, chatting about this and that.

He listened for a while and then turned to leave.

It was no surprise to Fang Xi that Yan Dongqing had succeeded in foundation establishment.

Especially lately, as Jade Island’s Spirit Medicine Garden had been overrun and the Golden Jade Ganoderma had been leaked, many individual cultivators indeed seized the opportunity to succeed in foundation establishment.

After all, the Yan Family owned a portion of the market and had the advantage of their location, so getting a Foundation Establishment Pill wasn’t difficult.