Chapter 572: Painted Skin

"Green Spirit Bamboo has purifying properties and is favored by many female cultivators… This piece here is carefully selected by me and has already become a spiritual plant, with excellent quality."

The vendor smiled: "Unfortunately, ten- or hundred-year-old Green Spirit Bamboo only has this much utility; only after a thousand years, when it matures into 'Green Spirit Iron Bamboo,' can it be forged into a magical artifact, and then it gains real value."

"Legends say that if Green Spirit Bamboo surpasses ten thousand years, it ascends further into 'Ten Thousand Year Spirit Source Bamboo'—but alas, it's merely legend."

Fang Xing nodded, paid the spirit coin, and purchased the small segment of Green Spirit Bamboo.

Bamboo can sprout new shoots; this single stalk of Green Spirit Bamboo may one day grow into a ten-thousand-mu bamboo sea.

"I wonder how long it will take my 'Plant Growth' to bring this Green Spirit Bamboo to ten thousand years…"

"But raising a ten-thousand-year Spirit Source Bamboo now would be suicide… You must have the right identity and strength to do the right thing, or you'll suffer backlash!"

"For me right now, cultivating ten- or hundred-year-old Green Spirit Bamboo is more than enough."

Fang Xing bid farewell to the vendor and arrived at the Four Seasons Tower.

"Hah… Friend Fang has arrived?"

Lao Lütou, Song Yunqian, Hu Liuniang, Tie Luo Sanren, and Lin Xu were all present, their attitudes now very amiable: "Your spiritual plant cultivation technique is truly extraordinary—your Reclamation Order has already been issued."

"Oh?"

Fang Xing's eyes brightened: "Let's discuss this in a private room."

Inside the private room.

Lao Lütou spread out a map of the Qingli Marsh.

The marsh was vast, and a large section had already been dyed green, marked with the character 'Fei.'

"This is the Fei family's territory—we cannot encroach upon it; everything else is open…"

Lao Lütou's gaze gleamed: "I've already inquired—the other four families aim to develop Qingfeng Ravine, San Yue Pond, Burial Ground, and Green Water Pool… Our options are limited, but 'Poisonous Dragon Slope' is perfect."

This had been previously discussed.

Poisonous Dragon Slope doesn't mean there's a poison dragon—it simply means there are many venomous snakes.

"Though desolate, this place has abundant earth vein energy… With proper cultivation, it might indeed nurture a Poison Pit, though initially of low grade—perhaps something like 'Hundred Poisons Qi'…"

Fang Xing pondered and offered his insight: "To inhabit Poisonous Dragon Slope, you don't need to drain the marsh—instead, you must plant vast quantities of purifying spiritual plants on the slope. I've already selected several; Green Spirit Bamboo is ideal…"

"Yes, this part will require your great effort. We can spare five hundred spirit coins for you to purchase spiritual seeds."

Lao Lütou and the others conferred briefly and replied.

"Besides that, antidote pills, various arrays, and basic materials—all represent a huge expenditure."

Song Yunqian calculated and sighed: "After this, we're all bankrupt."

"Hah, once the Qingli Marsh is reclaimed, everything will be fine… Though dangerous, this place has abundant spiritual energy; establishing several Poison Pits is no problem—otherwise, the Fei family wouldn't have chosen it as their ancestral land…"

Tie Luo Sanren chuckled.

"Friends…"

Fang Xing smiled broadly: "Then, should we now discuss the future allocation of the Poison Pits?"

At this, Lao Lütou and the others' expressions shifted slightly, but quickly recovered: "We're eager to hear your thoughts, Friend Fang…"

"My cultivation method is mediocre—I only need to absorb plant essence, so I won't compete with you for a Poison Pit…"

Fang Xing sighed: "But in return, I need a sufficiently large territory to plant trees…"

"Plant… trees?"

Hu Liuniang blinked, surprised by this twist.

"Yes… planting trees. My dream is to grow a ten-thousand-mu forest within the Qingli Marsh."

Fang Xing smiled in reply.

After comparing all options, he had already leaned toward the plant domain.

He'd simply become a hermit cultivator, spending his days planting trees.

After all, as the forest grew, it would continuously provide him experience, enough to support his Druid class advancement.

"Excellent! Friend Fang, your noble spirit!"

Lin Xu clapped in praise.

He was solitary, with no family ties; hearing Fang Xing renounce his claim to a Poison Pit, he naturally approved.

As for ordinary land? What did that have to do with him?

Lao Lütou had shallow cultivation and was old—he was the most concerned about family. He glanced at the others, then nodded: "Very well. I'll go fetch a friend to invoke a spirit—we'll all sign the Spirit Pact together…"

"Perfect."

Fang Xing didn't care. The so-called "invoking a spirit" was usually limited to mountain spirits, the lingering thoughts of dead cultivators, or even living Yin Spirit masters for ordinary hermits.

He never intended to break his word anyway.

Even if he did, as long as he could defeat the spirit summoned as witness, there'd be no problem.

…

Outside Yunlai Marketplace.

Fang Xing stepped out of the marketplace dressed in animal hides.

He moved swiftly, vanishing into a dense forest within moments.

Above the treetops, several sparrows chirped, seemingly speaking.

Fang Xing listened, his eyes flickering slightly.

"Oh? My pre-placed sparrow alarm indicates danger nearby?"

"Nature itself has warned me…"

"Is it because word of my healing berry treatments has spread, and I've earned too many spirit coins? Or because the Reclamation Order drew attention?"

In truth, Lao Lütou had previously warned him similarly, even suggesting a sworn brotherhood to form the "Six Friends of Floating Clouds"—but Fang Xing refused.

He walked normally, but suddenly a paper dagger appeared in his hand, which he casually stabbed into a nearby ancient tree.

Gulu!

Gulu!

A torrent of blood gushed out.

"You… I…"

The bark peeled away, revealing a human form. He lowered his head, staring at the dagger in his chest, unable to speak before dying instantly.

"In a forest, hiding from a Druid with high perception? Impressive."

Fang Xing praised, then twitched his ear and spun around.

Pupu!

Two black orbs struck empty air and exploded.

Countless corrosive black liquids spread, leaving countless tiny holes on the ground.

"One more—only Qi Sensing Sixth Layer…"

"Of course… The mastermind couldn't possibly afford to hire a Qi Sensing Seventh Layer or higher cultivator to kill someone as lowly as me, a mere Qi Sensing Second Layer…"

Fang Xing listened to the sound and pinpointed the location, leaping forward.

Hoo hoo!

Amidst howling wind, a large white-tiger with glowing eyes appeared.

—Mountain Lord Transformation!

Puff!

Fang Xing roared like a tiger, seizing the initiative, then lunged.

Before him, tree shadows parted, revealing a green-robed man, startled, rolling desperately aside in panic.

Pa!

Fang Xing's tail lashed like a steel whip, striking the green-robed man's waist, causing him to scream.

His claws pressed down, pinning the man with the full force of a tiger.

"I'll confess…"

The green-robed man had barely spoken when a strange green tattoo appeared beneath his tongue.

"Cursed script?"

Fang Xing knew he couldn't let the man speak further—the great tiger lunged and bit.

Crunch!

The green-robed man's neck snapped—he died instantly.

After finishing, Fang Xing leapt up, bounding away dozens of zhang in a few leaps.

Nearby, Lao Lütou and Tie Luo Sanren hurried over, their expressions changing upon seeing this.

"Are you… Friend Fang?"

Lao Lütou held back Tie Luo and said: "I just received word that several Reclamation Teams were attacked—I came to check on you… but didn't expect you'd already dealt with them?"

"Who attacked you?"

The giant tiger spoke in Fang Xing's voice.

"Unknown… but likely an enemy of the Fei family. Once you ally with a Dao Foundation clan, such things are inevitable."

Lao Lütou shook his head, then looked at Fang Xing: "Friend, are you cultivating the 'Painted Skin' technique from the Shadow Puppet arts? Legend says this art paints the skin but not the bones—achieving true form and spirit is extremely difficult… You've clearly mastered its essence."

"Correct. I am indeed cultivating the Painted Skin technique."

Fang Xing chuckled, offering no explanation, letting the two guess freely.

The Blood Shadow Sect's two famous divine techniques are 'Shadow Puppetry' and 'Paper Folding.' Shadow Puppetry encompasses countless methods, including Painted Skin, which requires peeling off an entire target's skin and painting their bone-spirit upon it, allowing one to wear the skin and become the target.

Peeling the skin of beasts or demons is easy; peeling human skin is difficult, and crafting the skin-suit is even harder.

As the saying goes, "It's easy to paint a tiger's skin, but hard to paint its bones; you may know a person's face, but never their heart." This is precisely the case.

Old Lv had seen much in his life, but he did not know of the Druid's 【Wild Shape】, and clearly misunderstood it—yet Fang Xing had no intention of kindly correcting him.

He sensed the two old Lv men approaching, yet chose not to hold his ground and wait for reinforcements—naturally, he wished to demonstrate his strength to these allies, to avoid any awkward situations.

He cast a glance at the two, his form flickering, then vanished into the dense forest.

"Big Brother…"

Tie Luo San Ren finally lowered the iron umbrella in his hand: "With your Great Sage's Cloak Fist and my Iron Umbrella, how would you fare against this man?"

"It's… hard to say who would win."

Old Lv sighed deeply, then smiled broadly: "Fortunately, Fang Dao You is our ally… The wilderness expedition is imminent; having another strong ally is always better."

Qi-Perception cultivators, aside from those specializing in body refinement, are only slightly stronger than ordinary people in physical strength.

Only upon reaching Qi-Perception Seventh Layer, when one's Qi carries a trace of lethal energy, can one constantly guard the body, fully distinguishing oneself from mortals.

Before that, if a cultivator unexpectedly encountered a tiger at close range, it was very likely the cultivator who would die!

…

The wooden cabin.

Fang Xing sat cross-legged, silently practicing the Green Wood Technique.

BOOM!

The essence of plants surged toward him, instantly propelling him into Qi-Perception Third Layer.

At the same time, various stats flashed across his status bar:

【You have completed a cultivation session and gained 'Natural Baptism'! You have acquired partial 'Natural Knowledge'!】

【Druid level increased to 4! Obtained 'Immunity to Poison'!】

…

"Finally got the Toxin Immunity talent—its effect is simple and brutal: immunity to toxins…"

Fang Xing nodded in satisfaction, glancing at his status bar:

【Name: Fang Xing】

【Age: 16/40】

【Class: Druid Level 4】

【Realm: Qi-Perception Third Layer】

【Talents: Natural Affinity, Wild Shape, Plant Growth, Toxin Immunity】

【Skills: Wan Quan Hand (Proficient 1/100), Origami Art (Beginner 23/100)】

…

"Has Wan Quan Hand already advanced to the Ten Perfect Hands tier?"

"But the most crucial thing is Toxin Immunity… this is too vague—can I really be immune to the most deadly poisons in the cultivation world?"

"Or is it only natural toxins?"

Fang Xing fell into thought. According to the Natural Knowledge he had acquired, this 'Toxin Immunity' was likely a growth talent—perhaps now it only granted immunity to natural toxins, but as his Druid level increased, he would eventually become immune to nearly all poisons in the world.