Chapter 240: Refining the Ghost Infant (Bonus Chapter—Requesting Moon Tickets)

A mountain hollow less than a hundred li from Three Serpent Mountain.

Within the valley, malevolent energy surged skyward, countless runes flashing wildly.

The cliff walls were crisscrossed with deep gullies, the ground pitted and uneven, everywhere bearing marks of magical weapon strikes.

Two powerful bursts of Jin Dan late-stage cultivation energy crashed violently, yet all were concealed by a formation above the valley mouth and the heavens—nothing leaked out.

"Huo Huo Moqing! The Profound Heaven Sect will not let you go!"

With a shrill, agonized scream, a middle-aged cultivator wearing a golden crown collapsed to the ground, his chest torn open by a massive wound—as if his true Jin Dan had been ripped out, his eyes wide with unextinguished horror.

"Heh… if I hadn't needed to prevent you from sending even a single message, why would I have gone to such trouble? In a real fight, you wouldn't last ten moves against me…"

Huo Huo Moqing stared at the golden-crowned middle-aged cultivator and sneered several times: "Still, killing a late-stage Jin Dan cultivator from the orthodox sects means a substantial reward when I return."

This late-stage Jin Dan cultivator wasn't just from the Profound Heaven Sect—he had even formed a Superior Jin Dan.

Even among Nascent Soul sects, he was a major figure; this time, he had come on a sect mission to recruit that Immortal Jin Dan cultivator.

He never expected to fall into an ambush and die here.

Huo Huo Moqing wasted no time; he formed hand seals, and a pale green light emerged from behind his head, coalescing into a pale-green pearl.

Within the green spiritual pearl, a nine-headed monster was faintly visible—six of its heads already glowing.

He held the green spiritual pearl in one hand, formed hand seals with the other, and chanted an unknown incantation.

A soul was pulled from the golden-crowned middle-aged cultivator, his face twisted in terror, trying to flee.

Suddenly, a wailing cry like that of a crying infant echoed through the void.

The nine-headed monster within the pearl—Jiu Ying—emerged; one head descended and gently inhaled.

The powerful soul of the golden-crowned cultivator, already at late-stage Jin Dan, offered no resistance—it was swallowed whole by a head that was half-dragon, half-serpent, his screams vanishing instantly.

The spectral Jiu Ying sank back into the green spiritual pearl, seven of its heads now glowing, each one lifelike.

Seeing this, Huo Huo Moqing's face broke into a faint smile; he then activated the Jiu Ying Pearl again, draining every drop of the golden-crowned cultivator's essence and blood.

The Jiu Ying Pearl turned a deep crimson, like fresh blood, then quickly returned to normal.

He touched his crown, and a pale green light emerged; with a single stretch, he retracted the Jiu Ying Pearl.

Huo Huo Moqing fell into thought, then suddenly changed his appearance.

His cultivation energy and soul aura were now identical to those of the golden-crowned cultivator on the ground!

Even more, he opened the dead cultivator's storage bag and took out his Profound Heaven Sect elder token.

He infused a trace of cultivation energy into it—the token immediately glowed, revealing two ancient seal characters: "Xuan Tian!"

To prevent forgery, elder tokens of Nascent Soul sects were forged with specific conditions—only those with matching bloodline, soul aura, and cultivation energy could activate them.

Yet now, this "safeguard" had been broken.

Huo Huo Moqing individually refined the dead cultivator's magical artifacts, speaking in an exact replica of his voice: "We must move quickly… otherwise, if the Profound Heaven Sect detects his life tablet shattering, they'll send investigators soon."

He dismantled the formation, cleaned up the scene, then slapped his storage bag.

A luxurious golden palanquin, seemingly forged from pure gold, materialized; Huo Huo Moqing sat within and infused a trace of cultivation energy.

Golden light flared across the carriage, and it shot toward Three Serpent Mountain at incredible speed.

…

Three Serpent Mountain.

Snakehead Peak.

"Who is it?"

The Yun family elder looked up and saw a golden palanquin, its occupant a golden-crowned middle-aged cultivator whose cultivation energy was utterly unfathomable—he was startled.

"Hmph! The Yun family has grown increasingly disrespectful. I am Jin Liu of the Profound Heaven Sect!"

Huo Huo Moqing stood with his hands behind his back, his spiritual sense sweeping the area: "Yun family, why aren't you all coming out to greet me?"

"So it's an elder of the upper sect! Yun Yun Qingmiao pays homage, Elder!"

A short female cultivator from the third branch flew forward, bowed deeply to Huo Huo Moqing: "Thirty years ago, at the 'Golden City Immortal Assembly,' I was fortunate enough to have seen you once…"

"Enough talk."

Huo Huo Moqing entered the Yun family's grand hall: "Where is that Immortal Jin Dan cultivator?"

"Elder, he is still in seclusion at Serpent Tail Peak…"

Immediately, a Foundation Establishment elder answered with a fawning smile.

"In seclusion? Perfect. Summon all the high-level cultivators nearby."

Huo Huo Moqing sat upon the main seat, his expression unreadable.

His impersonation of the Profound Heaven Sect envoy was merely a casual act.

So far, things looked good—no one had noticed his deception.

But even if they had, what did it matter? He'd just slaughter them all anyway.

Not long after, Luo Tian, the Gu family patriarch, the Li family patriarch, and several cultivators from the Great Luo Alliance arrived.

They looked at the Yun family members, all feeling helpless.

They had prepared thoroughly for this—but now, disaster after disaster had struck.

Could the Yun family truly possess some fortune?

"Elder, only the Immortal Jin Dan cultivator and his elder have not arrived…"

The Yun family's lead Foundation Establishment cultivator glanced around and spoke.

"Good that they didn't come!"

Huo Huo Moqing casually fired a golden cultivation energy blast, sealing the entire hall: "By order of the Profound Heaven Sect, this newly ascended Immortal Jin Dan is a demonic spy—kill him on the spot!"

His words struck like thunder!

"What? A demonic spy?"

Luo Tian stared in shock—he instinctively felt Fang Xing was no demonic cultivator.

But he wouldn't step forward now; he merely exchanged glances with the Gu and Li patriarchs.

"What? You don't believe me?"

Huo Huo Moqing summoned Jin Liu's identity token, infusing it with a trace of cultivation energy.

Two ancient seal characters appeared—"Xuan Tian!"

"This token is as good as the Profound Heaven Sect itself!"

Huo Huo Moqing sneered: "Are you preparing to defy the upper sect's decree?"

"We dare not! We obey your command!"

The Yun family's Foundation Establishment cultivators immediately knelt.

"Please, Elder, instruct us."

The Gu and Li patriarchs had met Jin Liu before.

Seeing the token's reaction, they had no further doubts—only silent despair in their hearts.

Their cultivation was shallow—only early-stage Jin Dan.

Facing an Immortal Jin Dan and his own Jin Dan elder? They had no confidence at all.

"This time, I will act personally. Take this set of 'Flowing Wind Turning Moon Formation' flags and formation discs… and follow my orders."

Huo Huo Moqing swiftly assigned tasks, blending commands with deception.

The point was simple: get these cultivators moving, keep them busy…

Once busy, they'd stop thinking, overlook subtle flaws.

…

Serpent Tail Peak.

Inside the meditation chamber.

Fang Xing's cultivation avatar sat cross-legged, his spiritual sense focused on his Lower Dantian.

Beneath his Immortal Sword Jin Dan, a tiny figure sat cross-legged—Wan Fa Ghost Infant!

Time passed unknown; the Wan Fa Ghost Infant suddenly opened its eyes, revealing two blood-red pupils.

The solar pattern on its forehead blazed brighter, as if about to burst into flames.

The tiny figure raised a hand; an immense torrent of cultivation energy materialized and flooded into the Lower Dantian sea.

The Immortal Sword Jin Dan erupted in brilliant radiance; the core sword within let out a dragon-like sword cry.

"Finally… refined the Wan Fa Ghost Infant!"

Fang Xing opened his eyes and smiled faintly: "Now, in terms of cultivation energy… am I at pseudo-Nascent Soul level?"

He thought: "Since I've already refined the Ghost Infant, I might as well finish the other two tasks."

After refining the Wan Fa Ghost Infant, he possessed vast cultivation energy—but his true combat power still fell short of the former Lord of the Wind Division.

But that didn't matter—Fang Xing had already prepared his next moves.

One of them, naturally, was to comprehend "Sword Intent Becomes Momentum."

Sword cultivators' four stages: Qi, Gang, Yi, Shi!

A Jin Dan sword cultivator who grasps Sword Intent can dominate the Jin Dan realm, earning an undefeated reputation.

A Nascent Soul sword cultivator seeks Sword Momentum; once they achieve "Sword Intent Becomes Momentum," they become a powerhouse among Nascent Soul True Lords!

Fang Xing's sword talent, while not mediocre, was far from extraordinary.

But his main body had cheated his way to the peak of Sword Heart Peak, receiving the transmission from the sect's founding ancestor—Zi Zai Old Man—and had already gained insight into the four stages of sword cultivation.

Now that his cultivation energy had reached the required level, he could easily manifest it.

If a cultivator's realm is a firearm, then all techniques are its bullets.

Fang Xing had previously only possessed a fake Nascent Soul firearm, which had little destructive power, but now, with the sword momentum's "bullets" added, it immediately became a convergence of dragon and tiger—even facing a Nascent Soul beginner, he dared to fight.

"Besides this…"

He paused, then slapped his storage bag.

A somewhat damaged bronze lamp emerged—it was his only fourth-rank spiritual treasure: the Qingyang Demon Lamp!

This trophy was of fourth-rank spiritual treasure caliber; back when Fang Xing was still at Foundation Establishment, he could never have refined it.

Fortunately, his current realm was just sufficient to attempt refinement and use.

Fang Xing had witnessed the Qingyang Demon Lamp's power—it could withstand the full force of the Seven Jin Dan Sword Cultivators' combined True Wu Seven-Star Sword Array without a single scratch, thanks to its innate "Qingyang Shield."

Moreover, it could gather "Qingyang Demon Flame," a famously fearsome demonic spiritual flame; the Lord of the Wind Clan had once used it to unleash devastating power, wiping out four Jin Dan sword cultivators of the Heavenly Sword Sect in one strike!

If not for Fang Xing's strength, the entire force might have been annihilated, crushing the Heavenly Sword Sect to pieces.

After all, these were Jin Dan sword cultivators—slaying ordinary fake Nascent Soul cultivators took barely one or two strikes!

Had the losses not been so catastrophic, so devastating, leaving the mid- and high-ranks nearly emptied, the reckless Chu Chu Kuangtu would never have so readily ceased hostilities, even with mutual wariness toward the Myriad Forms Sect.

Fang Xing toyed with the Qingyang Demon Lamp for a moment, then formed a hand seal; two streams of Nascent Soul spiritual power shot out, enveloping the treasure.

The Qingyang Demon Lamp instantly shrank into a tiny speck of green light, which he absorbed into his Lower Dantian, settling onto the hands of the Ten-Thousand-Methods Ghost Nascent Soul.

The Ten-Thousand-Methods Ghost Nascent Soul, as if receiving a toy, played with it eagerly, a grin spreading across its face—then it opened its tiny mouth, and a wisp of Nascent Soul flame appeared.

A fourth-rank spiritual treasure could only be refined by Nascent Soul true flame.

Moreover, the Ghost Nascent Soul's flame was a green fire, yet threaded with faint crimson strands—likely influenced by the Great Sun Tathagata Spell, elevating its flame's power by several orders of magnitude.

"This cultivation avatar's standard combat power already exceeds mine."

Outside the meditation chamber.

Fang Xing's main body sat cross-legged, sensing all of this, yet felt no worry or unease.

After all, he and his cultivation avatar shared the same consciousness—there was zero possibility of rebellion.

The higher his cultivation avatar's realm, the happier he would be.

Ideally, it would directly ascend to Spirit Transformation—or even beyond—so he himself could act without restraint in the main universe, commanding wind and rain at will!

Suddenly.

He seemed to sense something, and stepped out of his cave dwelling.

Outside, the Three Serpent Mountains had, at some unknown time, been shrouded in a thin mist, veiling the three main peaks in swirling fog, half-visible, half-hidden.

Gentle breezes drifted through the gaps, as if about to transform into bone-scouring gales.

Most crucially, the sky, once clear and boundless, had turned pitch black.

A full moon hung high, casting cold, silvery light.

"A formation? Third-rank upper-grade…"

"What's going on?"

Many cultivators renting cave dwellings rushed out, seeing this sight, and immediately drew forth their magical and spiritual artifacts: "What is the Yun family planning?"

"Everyone, remain calm!"

From the Serpent Head Peak, several streaks of light shot forth; their leader was Yun Clan's Twelfth Elder, in charge of external affairs: "Our clan has no intention of opposing you. We've activated this great formation solely to apprehend a demonic cultivator…"

"Demonic cultivator?" Some wandering cultivators believed him; others grew even more wary.

Then, a golden carriage appeared, bearing a middle-aged man crowned in gold.

His overwhelming Jin Dan late-stage spiritual power silenced every cultivator on the mountain.

"Ah… it's the 'Golden Wind Nine Dragon Chariot'!"

"I've seen this carriage—it's the seat of the Golden Elder of the Profound Heaven Sect…"

…

"I am Jin Liu, here to apprehend the demonic cultivator."

Huo Huo Moqing stood with arms crossed, exuding an aura of lofty mastery, his heart filled with a twisted sense of pleasure: "The demonic cultivator is you!"

He pointed directly at Fang Xing, declaring with supreme authority.

"Finally… but are orthodox methods really this crude? Framing me outright?"

Fang Xing internally scoffed, yet burst into laughter, his gaze sweeping over Huo Huo Moqing, then lingering on the Ancestral Elders of the Guo and Li clans, Luo Tian, and others: "I have no connection to the demonic path. Do you know? You've destroyed the last shred of goodwill I ever held for the cultivation world!"

Of course he wouldn't admit it—he'd stayed behind after condensing his Immortal Jin Dan precisely because he'd been baiting them.

He hadn't expected their methods to be even cruder: just slapping on a label and storming in, without even attempting to recruit him.

"Fine. My cultivation avatar is currently refining the Qingyang Demon Lamp and studying the sword momentum—I'll handle this myself."

Fang Xing made his decision.

"Even if he isn't a demonic cultivator, he's a madman…"

The Yun Clan elders exchanged glances, a sudden thought rising in their minds.

But the next instant, the surrounded youth changed.

From ordinary to a primordial behemoth!

A terrifying martial will, like a mighty river, swept through the minds of all present, instantly knocking out Qi Condensation cultivators and plunging Foundation Establishment cultivators into prolonged dizziness.

Fang Xing spread his five fingers into a palm, as if crushing heaven and earth!

—Covering Heaven Palm!

Beneath the Covering Heaven Palm, all beings were equal—each high-rank cultivator had to endure a single palm strike.

Boom!

The fake Nascent Soul spiritual energy shield shattered like paper; Luo Tian's head was crushed into his chest—this leader of the Great Luo Alliance died in utter humiliation.

Next came the Ancestral Elders of the Guo and Li clans…