Chapter 523: Hostility

"Hm? The Starry Rank has changed again?"

In a resting area, several Law Lords looked up, gazing at the vast, majestic Starry Rank.

This time, the Starry Rank's shift was clearly less dramatic than before, but those paying attention could still notice.

"Xiao… broke into the top ten thousand."

A Law Lord whose hair seemed to burn fiercely set down his cup: "One Xiao, one Fang Xing… two outsider Law Lords outshine our own Starry Civilization's newly promoted ones by far."

"Hmph, that Fang Xing has been a Law Lord for how long already? His breakthrough in the Deep Sea Civilization was clearly a disguise, a trap…"

Another woman with long green hair snorted: "Still… Xiao's breakthrough was recent, his talent truly impressive—though his temper is terrible, which makes him inferior to Fang Xing in that regard…"

"What good is a good temper? Fundamental interests can't be reconciled… These outsider Law Lords are eroding our resources."

The Law Lord with burning hair growled: "If not for the military pressure from the Beast Civilization and the Insect Civilization, we wouldn't have to be so desperate—we could focus on cultivating true natives of our Starry Civilization…"

"Enough."

A calm voice came, halting the two Law Lords' argument.

The speaker was a handsome young man, a blue gem embedded in his forehead.

The blue gem appeared split into countless facets, each reflecting strange light, creating a sense of spatial disorientation.

"Big brother…"

The two Law Lords showed deep respect.

"My second brother was right about one thing… Compared to Xiao, that Fang Xing has impacted us more."

The young man with the blue gem smiled faintly: "Besides, Fang Xing joined the Starry Civilization through the S Kai family's introduction…"

The Law Lord with burning hair fell silent—they all knew their elder brother held a grudge against the S Kai family!

Now, with old grudges and new ones combined, hating the person because of the association was only natural.

"I heard from Kun Wu that Fang Xing is trying to buy Destroying Demon Fluid and the Feather of the Mad Warrior Bird?"

The young man with the blue gem smiled: "I happen to have one Feather of the Mad Warrior Bird myself…"

"So you mean… squeeze Fang Xing dry?" the green-haired woman chuckled.

"Even if we gain more, giving cultivation resources to an enemy is foolish…"

The young man with the blue gem smiled: "But we can toy with him, even trick him—so long as we stay within the rules. Who do you think the higher-ups favor: us or an outsider? We don't need his life—just delay his cultivation. That's for his own good, after all; the official policy supports this too."

"You mean… a private deal?"

The Law Lord with burning hair's eyes lit up: "Fine… and that Xiao too—ha! I can't wait to see the look of despair on his face…"

Fang Xing didn't know that even with his reservations, the power he revealed still stood out too conspicuously.

…

"Oh? Any results?"

On the newly built Blue Star, Fang Xing sat upon the majestic throne of the palace, gazing at the Tai Xu Stone in his hand, a hint of delight on his face.

"It's 'Yin Kesi'—he told me he has a Feather of the Mad Warrior Bird and is willing to sell…"

Kun Wu replied quickly: "But… he and his group have a poor reputation among outsiders—judge for yourself."

After this subtle warning, Kun Wu sent Yin Kesi's contact details and ended the communication.

"Oh?"

Fang Xing briefly entered the Tai Xu Universe and found plenty of information on Yin Kesi: a native genius Law Lord of the Starry Civilization who broke through using Spatial Law.

He now possessed a Level Four Law Lord's combat strength, ranked 459th on the Starry Rank.

"This ranking means his strength among Level Four Law Lords is average—if he were stronger, he'd be in the top hundred, even top ten…"

Fang Xing pondered briefly, then directly dialed the contact.

…

Tai Xu Universe.

Inside a conference room.

Fang Xing's figure materialized, facing a young man with a blue gem embedded in his forehead.

The gem on the man's forehead seemed capable of infinite subdivision, creating a sense of spatial confusion.

'Indeed, a Law Lord who achieved his realm through Spatial Law…'

Fang Xing murmured to himself, then spoke: "Yin Kesi… I heard you have a Feather of the Mad Warrior Bird to sell?"

"Yes—but what will you offer to convince me?"

Yin Kesi spun a silver short arrow in his hand, smiling.

"How about this artifact?"

Fang Xing raised his hand, projecting the image and data of the Yuan Zhong Divine Palace.

Though the artifact still rested on Li Ying's person, he could retrieve it anytime.

Moreover, according to Starry Civilization law, any artifact held by his subjects belonged to him.

"Yuan Zhong Divine Palace?"

Yin Kesi shook his head with a smile: "Not enough… not nearly enough."

Fang Xing's expression darkened: "This is already the most valuable item I possess…"

"Most valuable? Unlikely—you still have Blood Origin Mountain, don't you?" Yin Kesi smiled slyly.

"I still need Blood Origin Mountain, and its value far exceeds Yuan Zhong Divine Palace." Fang Xing appeared reluctant, but finally conceded: "Still… I'll make the exchange." "Still not enough," Yin Kesi said. "Blood Origin Mountain is good, but it's a seller's market—I need you to make up the difference… hmm, one hundred cubic units of Source Fluid!"

"You're robbing me!"

Fang Xing appeared furious.

"No, no, no—robbery doesn't make money this fast," Yin Kesi chuckled. "You're a cultivator who values inner strength over external things, isn't that right?"

"Deal…" Fang Xing shot Yin Kesi a long, piercing look; his angry expression vanished instantly, replaced by a mocking smile: "But I require Tai Xu Universe notarization of this transaction, and a neutral third party to guarantee it."

"What did you say?"

Yin Kesi's expression changed.

He had planned a private deal, intending to trick Fang Xing—he never intended to actually hand over the Feather of the Mad Warrior Bird.

But if it went through notarization with a third party, he couldn't do that anymore.

Even though the Starry Civilization's official policy was to squeeze outsiders as much as possible, this was a tacit rule—not something openly acknowledged.

Once exposed, Yin Kesi knew the authorities wouldn't openly protect him.

>

"So… you had no intention of trading."

Fang Xing's projection shook his head, said nothing more, and vanished instantly.

"Big brother…"

The second brother, whose hair burned, entered from outside the conference room: "It fell through?!"

"He never trusted me from the start."

Yin Kesi shook his head grimly: "I even sensed—he never truly trusted the Starry Civilization…"

Those genuinely seeking to integrate into the Starry Civilization naturally felt admiration—or inferiority—toward the native strong, bowing submissively, placing themselves at a disadvantage in dealings, and getting cheated until they bled.

Then they'd be left with nothing but blood on their faces!

But Fang Xing was different!

He never intended to fully integrate—he'd been wary of these people from the start.

A single test revealed the deal was doomed; he wasted no time and left immediately.

"We were careless… If we'd openly welcomed him, played along for years or decades, our success rate might've been higher."

The green-haired woman entered as well, sighing.

"We cultivate to follow our hearts—why waste time playing roles?"

The red-haired second brother countered first.

He had achieved Law Lord status through Fire Law, and his personality was similarly affected—he had no patience for such games.

"In any case, Fang Xing's attitude toward us has changed now—be careful in the future…"

Yin Kesi still didn't take it seriously—he was already a Level Four Law Lord.

In the Blood Prison Civilization, only the strongest Blood Prison Divine Emperor could match him.

And Fang Xing?

He'd once been terrified into fleeing like a stray dog, begging the Starry Civilization for protection.

How could he possibly fear him now?

"Set Fang Xing aside for now—try Xiao next… Heh, the colder he acts, the more he proves he's afraid…"

Yin Kesi analyzed: "On him, our chances of success are higher…"

…

Blue Star.

"So… because I'm an outsider, many Law Lords still look down on me and want to cheat me."

This was still mild—the real traps came through mission sabotage.

Whether framed or forced into becoming cannon fodder, Fang Xing would surely snap—but if he struck back, he'd fall into a lower position.

After all, the Starry Civilization had Dao Lords of the Fourteenth Realm, even Eternal Dao Sovereigns of the Fifteenth Realm!

"This attempt to buy the Feather of the Mad Warrior Bird failed… Yin Kesi might sabotage me next time—it'll be even harder."

"Fortunately, I'm not limited to this one channel…"

Fang Xing shook his head.

Only now did he understand the importance of having a choice.

Although within the human territories of the Great Xia Universe, no force surpassed the Starlight Civilization.

But in the True Immortal Realm, there might well be creatures similar to the 'Crazy Wu Bird'!

Therefore, this matter could still be entrusted to his cultivation avatar.

With this option available, he could advance or retreat at will… making him far more at ease.

……

The True Immortal Realm.

"The True Immortal Realm is boundless; under the rule of the Dao Court, it is divided into thirty-six Immortal Domains… that's at least thirty-six Dao Lords of the Fourteenth Realm…"

Fang Xing's cultivation avatar still appeared as a graceful youth, his hair tied in a topknot, holding a jade tally as he carefully studied something.

"I am in the 'Free and Easy Immortal Domain,' governed by the 'Free and Easy Dao Lord'… under him lie ten thousand immortal cities, countless True Immortal cultivators…"

"The gap between the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Realms is truly a chasm…"

After finishing the "Survey of the Free and Easy Immortal Domain," Fang Xing flew out of his cave dwelling, suddenly formed a hand seal, and a white paper crane descended, transforming into a fair-skinned boy with red lips and white teeth, his voice clear: "True Immortal Fang, Immortal Bi Xia and True Immortal Luo Yunzhen request your presence at the 'Drunk Moon Pavilion'…"

(End of Chapter)