Chapter 734: Masks and Jade Flutes

"Who are you all?"

Facing a Nascent Soul old monster, Fang Lang was not particularly afraid.

After all, he had life-saving items on him that Shen Wanshui had specially prepared for him.

Furthermore... he had also comprehended a technique from the Five Elements Profound Light called the 'Five Elements Heaven Escape', which had unparalleled escape speed; even a Sword Cultivator might not be able to catch up!

Relying on this escape technique, he had some confidence in escaping from the hands of a Nascent Soul old monster!

"I am... Fu Zhen of the Xiaoyue Sect, and I have brought my son, Fu Shen... to pay respects to Fang Daoyou."

That Nascent Soul True Person was a middle-aged scholar with a naive and endearing smile, who spoke while bowing.

"Very well, go on..."

Fortunately, he was a person with a firm Dao heart after all, and he began to calculate the future of the family again.

And that great vortex was, without a doubt, the current Spirit Severing great cultivator—Yuxiao Jushi Tu Yao!

The Yaowang Sect had ruled the Central Region for far, far too long.

"Go and experience the mortal world to temper your heart... It just so happens that the Ancestor has an identity here that is very suitable for you..."

At this moment, he was piloting a Dharma Treasure toward Aaron's Cave Abode, because his cultivation had finally reached the False Nascent Soul realm!

Inside the Li Family main hall.

"You possess a Gathering Origin Spirit Pulse body?" He continued to look at Fu Shen, nodding inwardly. Such a Spirit Body was quite rare; if paired with the aptitude of a True Spirit Root, the cultivation speed would not be much inferior to those geniuses.

Inside the Cave Abode, Aaron held a Jade Slip.

"It is naturally true." Fu Zhen smiled faintly: "Can Daoyou see my sincerity? This news... I could have sold it to Sect Master Xue or Bai Junqi... but in the end, I gave it to Daoyou."

The family could actually earn some Spirit Stones from this, and it was even the bulk of their annual income.

"Yuxiao Jushi has truly reached Spirit Severing..."

He swept his Divine Sense over Fu Shen and discovered that the other party was only at the Qi Refining stage, which made him feel depressed.

Aaron put away the Jade Slip and then used his Divine Sense to imprint a message: "Do not worry about him!"

Fang Lang was startled. Recalling the Jade Slip he had read earlier, he knew this person was called Li Shuigen, a Four Spirit Root cultivator with a deficiency of water in the Five Elements, and a lively and active personality...

Furthermore, he had also accumulated enough contributions!

"Fang Lang, requests an audience with Master!"

Fang Lang did not know why, but after walking into the pigsty and smelling that foul stench, he felt like his tears were about to fall...

Clearly, he had gotten into character!

For the Yaowang Sect, this was indeed a huge shock.

"Do not be happy too early. This 'Hun Yuan Ning Ying Pill' was refined by me; I can bestow it upon whoever I wish, but it can only increase the chance of condensing a Nascent Soul by at most fifty percent... The subsequent Heart Demon Tribulation still depends on the individual."

The Li Family Grand Ceremony!

Tianyue Mountain, Li Family.

Fu Zhen threw out a Jade Slip.

He had a son in his old age and valued this son very much.

"Hmm."

Fang Lang was between laughter and tears.

"Yes, I performed Foundation Establishment on my own and luckily succeeded..."

"This person was previously vaguely known as the number one person among Nascent Soul cultivators, and ever since he began cultivating, he has encountered one strange opportunity after another... possessing many Ancient treasures and Secret inheritances... he truly has the air of a Heavenly Mandate child."

"And now... he is even about to reach Spirit Severing."

Fang Lang skillfully clicked the abacus: "This year's family income is two thousand three hundred and fifty-seven Spirit Stones; after deducting various expenses, five hundred and sixty-two Spirit Stones remain..."

Finally, looking at that pile of colorful Low-grade Spirit Stones on the table, he was actually a bit dazed: "Ten years... Who am I? Where am I? What exactly am I doing?"

That thin Spirit Vein made his brows furrow tightly... Ever since he started cultivating, when had he ever used such a poor Cave Abode?

And the Dharma Power and Divine Sense he could use in his body... were all a bit too weak.

Fang Lang took a deep breath: "Then Supreme Elder, I am going..."

By this time, Fang Lang finally knew why the Heaven-Reaching Jade Stele was truly fragrant.

"Uh..."

"What... so desperate, betting the future of the family?"

Outside the Cave Abode, a Qi Refining stage youth saw Fang Lang, and his eyes lit up immediately.

Fang Lang remained calm, swept his Divine Sense over the Storage Bag, and instantly gasped.

The family cultivators were in an uproar, but Fang Lang only said calmly: "My mind is made up!"

After all... the Ancestor was only at the Spirit Severing realm!

"Follow me!"

He coughed and continued to speak.

"To tell you the truth... I came for my son." Fu Zhen gave a bitter smile: "My son was born with a Five Spirit Root body, but he awakened a 'Gathering Origin Spirit Pulse'. His Five Elements are naturally extremely balanced, and he can increase the speed of Spirit Qi gathering, which is no less than a True Spirit Root cultivator... He admires Daoyou immensely and wishes to be accepted as your disciple..."

"If it is true, I naturally appreciate it." Fang Lang cupped his hands: "Your son's aptitude is indeed good, and I like him very much, but taking a disciple is a major matter. If you do not mind, you may return to the sect with me... and wait for news."

Fang Lang took it, swept his Divine Sense slightly, and sensed a milky-white pill inside the jade bottle. His heart was overjoyed: "Many thanks to Master for bestowing the pill..."

With such talent, and happening to be a Five Spirit Root, he would naturally try every means to be accepted as his disciple to seek a bright future!

He could also understand the father's deep love for his son.

"Ahem... also, the Supreme Elder met with me earlier and is preparing to appoint me as the Head of the Family."

"The Yaowang Sect has so many Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivators, yet they cannot produce a single Spirit Severing... When an outsider is about to advance, they rush to call for killing... this temperament is no good."

After all, the Family Elders were only Qi Refining Late Stage cultivators; the one who truly made the decisions was Fang Lang, this Foundation Establishment Dashiu!

……

"Uncle Huo, you went into seclusion for Foundation Establishment; have you finally succeeded?"

Many sects can no longer stand by; they want to realize their own ambitions, and for that, they need chaos!

Thinking of this, Fang Lang waved his hand, and the entire hall suddenly fell silent.

"Head of the Family, fellow Family Elders... the current Immortal Cultivation World is not peaceful; incidents of various Robber Cultivators killing people happen from time to time..."

"Uncle Huo, think twice... This nephew also feels the Yaowang Sect can win, but once a great war breaks out, small powers like us are easily caught in the crossfire and will surely be the first to be wiped out. Why jump into a pit of fire?"

"Yes, yes... The position of Head of the Family has been vacant, just waiting for you, Uncle Huo, to succeed in Foundation Establishment and take the seat."

Aaron waved his hand; in truth... his main purpose was still to find some amusement...

In this way, the Li Family, which took advantage of the chaotic period to buy a small Spirit Vein near the Yaowang Sect, is going to strike it rich!

Then, he flicked his finger, and the Jade Slip turned into a streak of white Light, flying out of the Cave Abode.

But what Fang Lang did not understand was: "Since you want to take me as your Master, why not go to the Yaowang Sect, or ask a middleman to mediate... To block the path so directly, you gave me a fright..."

This was not choosing a side... The Li Family had no qualifications to choose a side at all!

In the blink of an eye, ten years passed.

All the high-level members of the Li Family gathered at the ancestral hall to pay respects to their ancestors, and then began to discuss major affairs.

Fang Lang coughed once and stated his decision.

No wonder everyone panicked when the pigsty rioted!

Fang Lang was silent for a moment.

And Fang Lang was betting, betting that his Master could not only defeat Yuxiao Jushi but even defeat him quickly!

Aaron laughed heartily, and at the same time tossed a jade bottle to Fang Lang.

"I have decided... taking advantage of the falling land prices near the Yaowang Sect, we will use the entire clan's income as collateral, borrow a sum of Spirit Stones, and relocate the family to the vicinity of the Yaowang Sect... Then we will claim the token of the Heaven-Reaching Jade Stele. We won't work for those big families anymore; we will work directly for the sect..."

Fang Lang listened to the latest news, his heart incomparably shocked.

That Fu Shen stepped forward with great discernment and bowed, holding out a full Storage Bag: "Please, Senior, accept me as your disciple!"

The young man cheered, extremely jubilant.

"Haha... your acting skills need improvement."

'So this Li Family is just raising pigs for others...'

"This Li Family Supreme Elder—Li Ruhe—fell outside years ago. I, the Ancestor, saw it, so I took his appearance and returned to the family in his stead..."

At this moment, he had already transformed into the appearance of a middle-aged Foundation Establishment cultivator; both his Divine Sense and Dharma Power were exactly that!

His entire body's Five Elements Golden Core Dharma Power and divine abilities were all firmly sealed within his dantian!

"Master... why is this?"

He knew his guess was wrong; there was no Nascent Soul coming to surround and kill him while carrying a burden.

Time flew by.

As the only Foundation Establishment cultivator in the family, and with the prestige built over ten years, Fang Lang's will was still carried out.

Xiaoqing skipped along, leading the way, and ushered Fang Lang into the Cave Abode, leaving Fang Lang with no place to offer the bribes he had prepared early on.

With his cultivation level, such a Foundation Establishment family, such a Foundation Establishment cultivator... in the past, he could have wiped out dozens of them without blinking. He never expected to have to pretend to live as a cultivator of this clan.

"Don't look down on them. This Li Family is on the edge of my Yaowang Sect's territory, and they have to count every single Spirit Stone they spend; it's not easy... After I come out of seclusion, I will announce you as the Head of the Family; from now on, this Li Family will have to rely on you."

Furthermore, it wasn't long before he received good news: a Foundation Establishment family near the Yaowang Sect's mountain gate wanted to relocate and was selling their original clan land and Spirit Vein!

Fang Lang immediately went to inspect the site and then haggled with the other party...

He simply had confidence in his Master!

Those small families and sects felt the Yaowang Sect's status was being challenged and might be caught in the flames of war, so they were all selling off assets near the Yaowang Sect in large quantities...

Fang Lang listened quietly, though in his heart he understood very well.

This Li is not that Li; the Yaowang Sect's Li Family is a giant Immortal Cultivation family with Nascent Soul monsters, while this Li Family is merely a Foundation Establishment family. Although they also share the surname Li, they have absolutely no connection to the Li Family.

Fang Lang's expression was solemn. Upon seeing Aaron, he immediately performed a grand salute and offered up a Jade Tablet full of Contribution Points with both hands: "Disciple has not failed the mission!"

He looked up at another white-haired Foundation Establishment Late Stage elder and asked.

Fang Lang finally recalled: Black Mountain Pig... a First Tier Monster Beast. It has a strong odor but tastes delicious and helps with Qi Refining. It has always been a favorite food of many great Immortal Cultivation families, but they don't like to raise them, finding them dirty... so they outsourced this task layer by layer, and it eventually fell to Foundation Establishment families like the Li Family.

"Hmm, Xiao San and Xiao Si are doing well. Following the Flying Boat as errand runners, they can smuggle some goods to sell privately; this is a lucrative position..."

"And that batch of clansmen in the Hongshan Town mine, they secretly hid quite a lot of ore, which can also sell for many Spirit Stones in the Loose Cultivator market... Hmm, must tell them not to hide too much, or it will break the rules and make things difficult for everyone later. Also, the payoffs for the overseers and managers cannot be skimped on..."

"So it is Senior Fu. I wonder what brings you here?" Fang Lang asked.

This Central Region is about to produce another Spirit Severing cultivator!

Aaron shook his head: "Your state of mind... still needs tempering. Otherwise... even with Spirit Pills in hand, the chances of condensing a Nascent Soul are not high..."

Fang Lang's eyes widened, and he nearly vomited blood in his heart.

……

Aaron took the Jade Tablet and wiped it casually; the countless star-like Contribution Points inside vanished completely: "If I said now that these Contribution Points were a gift for taking me as your Master... I wonder how you would respond?"

At this time, he looked around the circle and coughed: "Begin..."

The two had just flown a short distance when they saw a commotion not far away.

Sometimes, he couldn't even tell if he was really Fang Lang, the heaven-gifted genius of the Yaowang Sect, or Li Huojia, the Head of the Li Family...

On it, Xue Wuyou and the cultivators of the three sects even united, suggesting they kill Yuxiao Jushi to maintain the rule of the Yaowang Sect.

Aaron smiled: "You can only use Foundation Establishment Initial Stage Dharma Power. During your tenure as Head of the Family, you must use strategy, vision, and tactics to bring the family to a higher level... This is a 'Red Dust Heart-Tempering' task I have specifically arranged for you. If you can achieve this without relying on external force, you will likely be able to pass the Heart Demon Tribulation."

"So that's how it is..."

Arriving outside the Cave Abode, Fang Lang forcibly suppressed his surging emotions and bowed, saying.

The next day.

After all, she is already a Fourth Order Great Demon; she is no longer interested in demanding gifts from mere Golden Core Cultivators.

"Naturally, I can." Fu Zhen agreed immediately, and his candid expression gave Fang Lang eighty percent certainty that the intelligence in the Jade Slip was not fake!

"The price of pork has risen sharply this year, and the profits are excellent..."

Li Shuigen nodded repeatedly.

"Yuxiao Jushi—Tu Yao?"

I always feel like I've been scammed...

Fang Lang replied, feeling speechless inside. Just how destitute must this family be? If they aren't preparing a Foundation Establishment Pill for a clansman's Foundation Establishment, they should at least have a Vein Protecting Pill, right?

"That's great, I'll go tell Uncle Shan and Father immediately..."

Fang Lang took it and looked, his expression changing instantly: "Is this news true?"

"Trash... all of you are trash..."

This Immortal Cultivation World, which is gradually falling into chaos, is actually just ripples caused by that massive vortex...

Fu Zhen gave a bitter smile upon hearing this.

Fang Lang walked out of the Cave Abode and arrived outside.

"To be honest, I have come this time because I have a massive piece of news to pass on to you, fellow Daoist... As long as you take this news back, you will surely receive a heavy reward from the Yaowang Sect. Because the matter is of great importance, I could not find an intermediary and had to presumptuously come to intercept you..."

"The Sanhua Sect has breached Qingmai Mountain... These two great Golden Core Sects are fighting, and the superior sect doesn't even care..."

What's more, he was sick of the high-and-mighty faces of those great cultivation families, with their expressions that working for them was your honor—it was nauseating... Yet, he still had to go and fawn over them.

Only then did he recall that all that talk about the Infant-Condensing Pill was just Shen Wanshui's speculation... Master hadn't said anything at all!

He squeezed out a smile with difficulty: "Master is joking. If Master wants Contribution Points, feel free to take them all..."

Hmm... the Li Family Supreme Elder played by Aaron has already 'passed away'. At this moment, Fang Lang is both the Head of the Family and the successor to the Supreme Elder, so he sat in the primary seat without hesitation.

However, in rumors in the outside world, the Tianyue Mountain Li Family was once a small branch of the Yaowang Sect's Li Family... This was news that this Foundation Establishment family had carefully released to use as a tiger skin!

Fang Lang touched his brand-new face, feeling a bit dazed.

In the blink of an eye, another hundred years passed.

But one must fulfill what one has promised, even if it is with tears in one's eyes...

"Please, Master, give me some guidance..." Fang Lang's old face flushed, and he asked for advice earnestly.

And...

Aaron stood with his hands behind his back and said calmly: "Just treat it as a mask to better experience the life of the bottom layer of the Immortal Cultivation World... After all, having been high above for too long, it is easy to stop hearing the voices from below... As for you, you are Li Huojia, a genius of the Li Family, who succeeded in Foundation Establishment on your own. Hmm... in reality, he failed. In the entire Li Family, there are only the two of us who are Foundation Establishment cultivators. You have my Forbidden Technique on you, so for now, you can only exert the strength of the Foundation Establishment Initial Stage and cannot perform true techniques or divine abilities..."

A curve appeared at the corner of Aaron's mouth.

'It seems that this Li Family's technique, even among Foundation Establishment ones, is not very good...'

Several cultivators were driving their Magic Tools and rushing over. Seeing Fang Lang, their eyes lit up: "Huojia, you've reached Foundation Establishment? Just in time... the 'Black Mountain Pig' in the beast pen is rioting, and we need you to suppress it..."

Just as the Li Family had scraped together every penny to finally secure the spiritual land.

High in the sky ten thousand miles away, a cultivator in fluttering white robes, holding a Spirit Treasure jade flute, was looking toward Medicine King Peak: "The ten-thousand-year-old Yaowang Sect... it is time for it to perish..."

(End of this chapter)