Chapter 35: Solution

"Sigh..."

Fang Xing opened the door and sighed.

'Ghost God Blade' is difficult to enter, which means combat power cannot skyrocket in the near future, and there is really no sense of security.

Furthermore, the hatred in the small notebook cannot be avenged!

"Brother Fang..."

At this time, Meng Yi next door happened to walk out and greeted him immediately: "Long time no see..."

"I saw that monster bird was fierce before, so I chose to retreat and hide. I wonder what happened later?" Fang Xing didn't feel embarrassed at all, and asked directly.

"That monster bird has long been taken down by the Zheng family ancestor... A Foundation Establishment great cultivator took action, and it was truly extraordinary. It's a pity Brother Fang didn't see the scene at that time." Meng Yi answered somewhat unfulfilled.

'I don't think you were excited to see the Foundation Establishment cultivator take action, but excited that the robbery harvest was not small, right?'

Fang Xing, who saw this scene, couldn't help but mutter in his heart.

The day he met the monster bird, this Meng Yi let his wife hide in the marketplace, and rushed out with an excited face. It was clearly not to help fight the bird, but to pick up cheap goods!

He chatted with Meng Yi for a few words, and then talked about martial arts.

After all, the other world also had many merits. Combining the strengths of the two worlds was the wonderful use of his golden finger!

"Oh? So Brother Fang is practicing a demonic technique, but is troubled by miscellaneous thoughts and evil thoughts?" Meng Yi's expression was as usual.

After all, he was also a martial artist, and had practiced some so-called 'demonic techniques' in the secular world, so he had no prejudice against this.

"Does Brother Meng have any way?"

Fang Xing saw Meng Yi's expression, his eyes lit up, and he said sincerely: "Please don't hesitate to teach me..."

"Haha, you must know that most of our martial arts are extremely rough in the eyes of cultivators... even the demonic techniques that dominate the martial arts world are the same."

Meng Yi laughed: "The heart demons of cultivators are much more terrifying than the miscellaneous thoughts we encounter when practicing demonic techniques, and it is even rumored that when high-level cultivators break through major realms, there will be extraterrestrial heavenly demons turning into entities and descending to block the path... Therefore, cultivators' experience in dealing with this situation is also much richer than ours, whether it is practicing special techniques, or collecting related pills, magic tools... all have certain effects. Brother Fang can search for them, and should be able to gain something. After all, we are just martial artists, and pills and magic tools that can be effective for Qi Condensation cultivators, or even those that are not so obvious for Qi Condensation cultivators, are enough for us..."

"So cultivators are best at dealing with this situation? Thank you!"

Fang Xing arched his hands and immediately headed towards the marketplace.

He naturally wouldn't fully believe Meng Yi's words, so he was prepared to find others to ask.

That old man Ding Bushan was a good object.

Several hours later.

Qingdan Workshop.

Fang Xing looked up at the plaque and the green leaf mark, and walked into it with big strides.

He had just gone to find Ding Bushan, and under the guise of buying spiritual rice, he asked about some things sideways.

According to this mid-stage Qi Condensation cultivator, there were indeed many means for cultivators to deal with heart demons.

But most of them were not something ordinary Qi Condensation cultivators could covet.

As for martial artists?

That went without saying.

But Fang Xing was still prepared to try.

'Cultivator's secret techniques, special magic tools to protect the heart... even if given to me, I can't use them. It's simply bullying me for not having spiritual roots... besides, these are not easy to find, and the price is especially expensive...'

'As for talismans, there is a kind of 'Calming Heart Talisman' that is particularly suitable for this situation, but the unfortunate thing is that it requires Primordial True Qi to be cast...'

'The only thing left to try is pills...'

While thinking, Fang Xing looked at the girl who came to greet him.

He was lucky. This time he met the woman he encountered when he first came to Qinglin Marketplace, and her personality was very good.

"This guest, what kind of pill do you need?"

The girl smiled beautifully.

"Suitable for martial artists, for dealing with miscellaneous thoughts when practicing martial arts..."

Fang Xing stated his requirements.

The girl listened, pondered for a while: "For the guest's situation, only 'Ning Shen Dan' (Calming Spirit Pill) in this shop is more suitable. This pill can slightly increase the spiritual sense of Qi Condensation cultivators and has the effect of clearing the heart... but..."

"In terms of price, everything is negotiable. How many spiritual stones?"

Fang Xing looked like he didn't lack spiritual stones.

Actually, it was also like this. After all, he had herbs picked by drones. Even if he lacked spiritual stones, he could just take more herbs to sell.

Furthermore, due to the beast tide recently, the danger of going out to pick herbs had increased greatly, and spiritual herbs had risen in price a lot.

The current Fang Xing could easily take out dozens of spiritual stones.

If it weren't for the need for 'Ning Shen Dan

I just don't know if the pills in this cultivation world have a shelf life.

"The Soul-Returning Pill used to sell for thirty spirit stones a bottle... but our shop is currently out of stock..."

The young girl gave an apologetic smile.

"What? Out of stock?"

Fang Xing was slightly taken aback: "Why is that?"

"Refining the Soul-Returning Pill requires a spirit herb called 'Phantom Heart Orchid.' Our shop used to receive a few stalks occasionally, but with the beast tide raging, and the 'Phantom Heart Orchid' having very strict requirements for its growing environment—mostly deep in the Great Wilderness—no herb gatherers can go there anymore, so naturally, we are gradually running out..."

The young girl explained earnestly: "Perhaps after the beast tide, you can come back and check again, guest..."

"Many thanks. May I ask your name?"

Fang Xing prepared to leave, feeling somewhat disappointed, but looking at this young girl, he still felt it would be good to establish a good relationship with her.

After all, he was appearing with his real face now, and if he wanted to explore the potential of this world as much as possible, managing every relationship well was also important.

Cultivation isn't just about fighting and killing!

"My name is Xiao Rui!"

The young girl smiled like a flower: "Next time you come, guest, you can just say you're looking for me..."

"Understood, I'll remember that."

Fang Xing nodded solemnly.

Although he knew this, Fang Xing still wasn't quite ready to give up.

After all, even if the pill shop didn't have the Soul-Returning Pill, there might be some inventory sold previously, or perhaps some available at the stalls.

But after scanning the area, he gave up hope.

Given the nature of rogue cultivators, once they obtain pills beneficial to their cultivation, they basically consume them to increase their strength; few remain.

Furthermore, even if there were one or two pills at a rogue cultivator's stall, Fang Xing might not dare to use them.

He would have to buy enough for a full dose at once, then have a lab mouse test them, and only then try them out, right?

Of course, it would be even better if the original jade bottle were still unopened.

Pills at rogue cultivator stalls, if they were loose goods of unknown origin, would certainly be much cheaper than unopened, authentic goods.

In the Qinglin Market, there were very few stalls selling pills.

The four arts of cultivation—arrays, pills, artifacts, and talismans—the art of pill refining ranks second; not only is the inheritance hard to come by, but the consumption is also terrifying.

Basically, no rogue cultivator would go through the thankless task of taking up pill refining as a side profession.

Even if there were one or two 'pill refiners,' they would specialize in only one or two types of pills, which is very niche.

Often, their competitiveness isn't even as good as the large pill shops.

Precisely because of this, stalls selling pills were very rare and uncommon.

Fang Xing searched for more than half the area before finding a few stalls, and the pills on them were also sparse.

"May I ask if there are any 'Soul-Returning Pills' for sale here?"

He arrived at a stall where the vendor was an old man with his hair tied in a bun with an ebony pin, wearing a robe shimmering with spiritual light.

Hearing Fang Xing's inquiry, the old man's eyes lit up, and he smiled: "Fellow Daoist, you've really asked the right person. In this market, there are very few who have channels for 'Soul-Returning Pills,' but I happen to be one of them..."

"Oh? You have Soul-Returning Pills? What is the price?"

Fang Xing perked up.

"Still in the furnace..."

The old man stroked his beard, looking like an enlightened master.

Fang Xing turned around and walked away immediately.

"Hey, wait... wait a moment, little brother!"

The old Daoist priest jumped up immediately: "Listen to me finish, old man! I am indeed a pill refiner. I obtained the prescription for 'Soul-Returning Pills' in my early years and have a sixty or seventy percent success rate in condensing them. If you don't believe me, little brother, go out and ask about the great name of Wan Fenglin!"

Fang Xing paused slightly: "So... are there any pills?"

"This..." Pill Master Wan chuckled: "I, along with a few other fellow Daoists, have pooled together the materials for a few furnaces of 'Soul-Returning Pills,' we are just missing one ingredient, the 'Phantom Heart Orchid'..."

"That's saying nothing at all..."

Fang Xing continued to turn his head away.

"Why the rush, little brother? I have already discovered a place where 'Phantom Heart Orchid' grows, but it is slightly dangerous, with a group of 'Purple-Winged Scorpions' entrenched there... I am currently preparing to invite fellow Daoists to eliminate this pest. When the time comes, with plenty of 'Phantom Heart Orchid,' wouldn't 'Soul-Returning Pills' be within easy reach?"

"Then I'll come back to buy them when you've refined the pills... the price is negotiable."

Fang Xing nodded and took a deep look at the old man.

"This... little brother, are you interested in coming to help? If the matter is successful, I can waive many of the costs..." Pill Master Wan probed.

"I am merely a Postnatal warrior; what help could I possibly provide?"

Fang Xing sneered, turned his head, and left without the slightest hesitation.

"..."

The old man watched Fang Xing's back, wanting to keep him, but unable to say the words, he could only sigh faintly.

He continued to run his stall, selling low-rank pills like 'Grain-Abstinence Pills,' until sunset, when he slowly packed up and returned to his shack.

Pill Master Wan did not notice that in the corner of the shack, a beetle the size of a fingernail had appeared at some point, quietly lying there.

Because it was so small, it looked more like a dead object, with no trace of spiritual energy.

To Fang Xing, this kind of beetle-shaped listening device was simply a divine artifact.

The old man's behavior today was somewhat suspicious; after all, if he were just promoting pills, he should have asked him to come back in a few days.

What the hell was the point of trying to win over a Postnatal warrior?

Unless the other party knew he wasn't simple!

Therefore, after leaving, Fang Xing immediately deployed the beetle listening device.

The old man returned to the shack, first sat in meditation to rest, then consumed a Grain-Abstinence Pill, and only then went to the workshop next door to process some medicinal herbs.

Everything looked very normal.

It wasn't until late at night that a knock came at the door, three long and two short.

The old man stood up immediately to open the door.

The wooden door creaked open, revealing a figure.

"You've come?"

Seeing the visitor, a trace of dissatisfaction immediately appeared on the old man's face.