Chapter 457: Shenmu Forest

One day later.

Fang Xing stared at the three stone tablets in his hand.

Through varying degrees of rubbings, he could clearly observe the insights of these three individuals.

"Mo Yan… among the three of you, your comprehension is the worst."

He first critiqued the first stone tablet; Mo Yan instantly shuddered, her face turning pale.

"But you've worked hard enough—I'll reward you with a trinket. Go now."

Fang Xing waved his hand, casually dismissing Mo Yan, then picked up the second stone tablet: "Sang Song… in terms of insight recorded on the tablet, you rank second…"

Sang Song's expression darkened, clearly devastated.

"But in reality… you deliberately held back during carving—do you refuse to serve us, outsiders from beyond?"

Fang Xing sneered.

Sang Song's face turned ashen: "My lord… Sang Song would never harbor such thoughts."

The blue markings on his cheeks shifted constantly—this was the unmistakable sign of a Flowerwood clan member pushed to the brink of panic.

Duo Mi, upon hearing this, glanced at this clansman in surprise.

'Who would've thought Sang Song had such cunning… too bad—he vastly underestimates outsiders…'

Duo Mi silently sighed within.

As the Holy Maiden of the Dola Clan, she knew well the hidden thoughts of her people, yet she also knew the outcomes of past elders' resistance.

'Outsiders' secret arts and cultivation methods far surpass ours… they even possess special techniques capable of searching our souls…'

'To want both safety and benefit is impossible. The only path to gain is loyalty!'

Duo Mi pondered, her resolve hardening further.

"Too bad… even accounting for your hidden talent, you're still second."

Fang Xing shook his head and called out Jiao Chi: "Take Sang Song away. Sentence him to hard labor."

The Flowerwood clan's desire to resist was natural; Fang Xing had no intention of killing them for it.

Besides, outright execution was economically foolish.

After all, a Nascent Soul ninth-layer expert, even as a miner, generated more yuan crystals than his worth in death.

Once in the hands of these outsiders, one could not even die without being fully exploited.

"Duo Mi…"

Fang Xing turned to the final female member of the Flowerwood clan.

"My lord…"

Duo Mi bowed low and knelt.

"You're quite excellent…"

Fang Xing caressed the stone tablet: "Your grasp of the Wood Dao is profound, your comprehension astonishing… and crucially—you concealed nothing. Excellent."

The proof was clear: a genius was a genius.

Sang Song's attempt to hide his talent seemed laughable.

Even if Sang Song hadn't held back, Fang Xing still wouldn't have cared for him.

But Duo Mi—her talent was truly impressive. As for loyalty? That was the one thing least worth worrying about.

"Duo Mi pledges her entire heart and soul to my lord!"

Duo Mi's voice carried unwavering resolve.

Fang Xing saw at a glance: this woman intended to sacrifice herself to secure the tribe's future.

"Mm. I see your determination…"

He gave a slight nod: "The Dola Clan will become the most favored faction under Wujie Mountain. I say so."

"Duo Mi thanks my lord."

Instantly, Duo Mi felt relief. With this promise, even if she were sent to die, enslaved, or subjected to unspeakable horrors, she would have no regrets.

"Come with me."

Fang Xing swept his sleeve, transforming into a dark glow that carried Duo Mi to his cave dwelling.

Duo Mi clenched her teeth, trembling with uncertainty, and stepped into the cave.

"I need a servant…"

Fang Xing gazed at Duo Mi, seeing her resolve and quiet acceptance—then suddenly smiled: "But I won't enslave your soul now. I'll only imprint a restriction upon you. We'll discuss soul enslavement after you ascend to Tian Yao."

Soul-slaved servants never betrayed, and had many advantages—but losing free will inevitably crippled potential.

Ascending to Tian Yao was already a stroke of luck; further diminishing potential made failure far more likely—even for an imperial scion.

So it was better to let her grow freely for now.

Even if she did ascend to Tian Yao, she still wouldn't be his match—he had nothing to fear.

"Now, calm your mind. I'm beginning."

Fang Xing formed hand seals, murmuring incantations—but he did not use the Wan Xin Secret Art.

To him, that art was outdated.

Even if the Gray Robe Marquis were reborn, he'd be crushed beneath a single finger.

The highest-level manuals he'd collected were only at the Fa-Zhu realm—equivalent to Heavenly Immortal or Tian Yao.

Compared to the Pan Wu Grand Scripture, they were vastly inferior.

Even the soul enslavement technique—within the Pan Wu Grand Scripture, there were far superior methods.

One could even use certain secret arts to forcibly transfer one's own fragmented Dao insights to a soul-slave.

Had the Creator of the Main Universe known this technique, he might not have had to suffer through childbearing. "Yes…"

Duo Mi tensed, then fainted.

Fang Xing casually waved his hand; crimson runes sank into her body and vanished instantly.

This was not soul enslavement—it was a restriction.

Even if Duo Mi one day ascended to Tian Yao, a single thought from him could detonate it from any distance, obliterating her body and soul.

The principle behind it was profoundly mysterious, involving Dao principles of cause, effect, and fate.

It was a minor technique from the Pan Wu Grand Scripture.

The complexity was necessary—to preserve her free will so she could strive for Tian Yao.

Duo Mi felt a moment of dizziness, then regained awareness: "My lord…"

"It's fine…"

Fang Xing always treated his own people well: "Take this scroll, 'Tian Qing Three Insights.' Study it well—strive to ascend to Tian Yao as soon as possible."

The 'Tian Qing Three Insights' was, of course, purchased by him using merit points from the Tai Xu Illusion Realm.

"Thank you, my lord."

Duo Mi was overjoyed.

Without pledging to her master, how could she ever obtain such a refined lineage?

And her master had only placed a restriction—not enslaved her mind. It was almost unbearably gentle.

…

"Somehow… this Holy Maiden of the Dola Clan feels strange… almost like she has a masochistic streak…"

Inside the secret chamber, Fang Xing formed a hand seal, carefully sensing—then sighed in disbelief.

The restriction he'd placed on Duo Mi didn't enslave her mind, but occasionally collected subtle soul fluctuations.

What he'd just sensed was her internal monologue—so painfully self-indulgent he almost couldn't bear to watch.

"Whatever. As long as the tool works, that's all that matters."

Fang Xing closed his eyes and sank back into the contemplation of the Time Dao.

Even in the Greenwood Realm, few could threaten him—but Dao insights could never be neglected…

…

Shenmu Forest.

A perilous region in the Greenwood Realm, yet frequently visited by cultivators due to the occasional emergence of Biwood Spirit Hearts.

Shhh!

A human Daoist, his beard streaked white, flew through the air, his expression sharp as he continuously cast secret techniques to sense the earth: "... he Shenmu Forest has seen the emergence of Purple Wood Spirit Hearts before. May my Ancestor bless me—let 'San Yuan Daoist' obtain one, ascend to Heavenly Immortal, and glorify my sect."

Suddenly!

His expression shifted; the hand seals in his grasp instantly changed.

"This…"

"This this…"

Sensing fluctuations in the celestial qi, he immediately turned and flew toward a valley.

At the valley's center, swirling streams of xuan-huang qi churned violently, five-colored clouds shooting skyward—their influence so vast it could be sensed clearly across ten million li.

"Xuan-huang qi churning… is a primordial spiritual treasure about to emerge?"

Without hesitation, San Yuan Daoist flung forth a flurry of talismans from his sleeve, attempting to seal the xuan-huang qi's fluctuations.

But it was already too late…

Swoosh!

From the southwest, a dark green light streaked toward him—and upon seeing San Yuan Daoist, immediately attacked.

Shriek!

Accompanied by a long cry that pierced the sky and shattered the clouds, feathers like sharp arrows shot forth.

In the hands of the Daoist San Yuan, a strange shield appeared, and three-colored light curtains surged skyward to block the flying arrows.

Even so, he was forced to retreat hundreds of miles in one breath: "Qingdi Palace? The Demon King of the Wind Demon Division?"

"Since you know it's Qingdi Palace, why not leave at once?"

From within the demonic wind, a bald vulture with a ninth-stage Nascent Soul and a strange growth on its forehead spoke in human voice.

"Your Qingdi Palace is too tyrannical..."

San Yuan Daoist was about to say more when his expression suddenly changed.

Puff!

A streak of green light descended, piercing the three-colored light curtain and instantly impaling San Yuan Daoist clean through.

A demonic figure descended from the sky, wearing a golden crown, with a full forehead and a slightly hooked nose: "The Primordial Spiritual Treasure has emerged—every cultivator within a thousand miles must be silenced!"

"Yes, Lord Jin Yan."

The Vulture Demon King immediately bowed in response.

Lord Jin Yan said no more, gazing at the churning xuan-huang energy in the valley, his eyes filled with longing: "Primordial Spiritual Treasure... Emperor Weapon! Though I am a Nascent Soul overlord, my strength is not among the strongest. If I obtain one such Emperor Weapon, my power will surge!"

What did it matter to strictly seal the news for this?

Even if he angered every major force exploring the Qingmu Realm, he would not hesitate!

What Lord Jin Yan did not know was:

At the very moment San Yuan Daoist died,

in an unnamed cave,

the rock wall cracked open, and a Yuan Pearl emerged.

Within the Yuan Pearl, countless clouds and mists rose and swirled, gaining sentience and transforming until they took the form of San Yuan Daoist.

His face still bore shock and fury, then twisted into a cold smile: "So, Lord Jin Yan... if I hadn't comprehended the 'Three Corpses Dao Principle' and split my three bodies to preserve my life, I'd be dead now... Are Nascent Soul overlords of major factions so impressive? You kill on sight... Heihei, the more you want to bury this, the more I'll make it known to all under heaven!"

San Yuan Daoist knew that if he didn't spread the word, the Primordial Spiritual Treasure would surely belong to Lord Jin Yan.

Conversely, if he muddied the waters, there was still a sliver of chance!

"Hmph, you dare silence San Yuan Daoist... Even if I don't get the treasure, I won't let you have peace!"

San Yuan Daoist gazed toward the Divine Wood Forest, his eyes cold.

Second chapter update later

(End of Chapter)