Chapter 579: Double Nine

"Earlier, the five of us resorted to petty tricks—truly embarrassing before you, friend..."

Old Lu bowed solemnly: "But now, Poison Dragon Hill stands at the brink of annihilation... Over these years, I've finally seen clearly: the Fei family deliberately set a trap when choosing their patriarch, inciting infighting among our families to weaken our high-tier combat strength, and now they're moving in to pick us off one by one... After Green Water Wang, Poison Dragon Hill will surely be next!"

"So you're pretending to seek peace with the Fei family to buy time... while coming to beg me?"

Fang Xing felt a flicker of amusement: "Why do you suddenly think I'm more reliable than the Fei family?"

"To test jade, you must burn it for three full days; to judge timber, you must wait seven long years..." Old Lu coughed again: "We've shared a decade of friendship—I naturally trust you completely..."

"Yes... ten years already..."

Fang Xing felt an unexpected pang of emotion.

"Hmph. We helped Fei Cai ascend to power, yet he turned on us afterward... My second brother was gravely wounded, and I couldn't even beg for a single high-grade spirit pill..."

Old Lu said: "Since that day, I've known the Qingli Fei family cannot be truly trusted... But we're already trapped on a tiger's back."

He looked at Fang Xing, his cloudy old eyes filled with hope: "How long until you break through to Sensing Qi Seventh Layer? You may freely use the East Peak's Dark Vein..."

Fang Xing's publicly known cultivation level was currently the peak of Sensing Qi Sixth Layer.

"Old Lu, you're rushing things..."

Fang Xing shook his head.

"Indeed, with the ten-year deadline looming—and besides, Fei Tianbao has been in seclusion for nearly five years, forging his Dao Foundation... Whether he lives or dies, there must be an outcome. I originally thought, since the Fei family is our in-law, whoever ascends would treat our family more leniently... but I never imagined..." He sighed.

Old Lu sighed: "Now I see clearly: if Fei Tianbao succeeds, the Fei family will have two Dao Foundations—and they'll demand even greater submission from our five families. If he fails, they'll still crush us, draining our strength as well."

"Isn't that always how lords treat their vassals?"

Fang Xing sighed: "Though I've reached Sensing Qi Sixth Layer, breaking into the later stage requires talent, opportunity, and insight... If all else fails, I'll need spirit pills to help."

At this, Old Lu's facial muscles twisted: "We simply can't afford to buy breakthrough pills anymore—our families have no spirit coins left."

Breaking from Sensing Qi Mid-Layer to Later Layer was harder than what Gu Yun had faced; Old Lu had no doubt about this.

"At worst... we hold onto Poison Dragon Hill, rely on the Black Snake's protection, and lie low for a while."

Fang Xing said: "As for being bled dry by the Fei family... there's nothing else we can do."

For those at the bottom, what hardships arise in life but must be gritted through?

And unlike these scattered cultivators who can only lie down and accept it, I can endure—and still level up.

"Alas... true enough," Old Lu said solemnly. "Though we, the Five Friends of Floating Cloud, cannot secure a breakthrough pill for you, we can guarantee the Fei family's labor duties and tribute will never fall upon you."

"Fine. Once I break through to Sensing Qi Seventh Layer, I'll protect the East Peak—we've shared a decade of friendship."

Fang Xing made his own pledge.

"Then thank you..."

Old Lu bowed again, his departing figure looking bleak and weary.

"The world is full of suffering—separation from loved ones, unattainable desires..."

Fang Xing watched this scene, deeply moved.

The world's suffering lies precisely here.

Like Gu Yun—she thought she could rebel, defy... never realizing her mother had chosen the best path for her.

She missed out on Qingmu Ridge, and now she's only left to marry.

A textbook example of rebellion that ends in self-destruction.

His gaze shifted, sweeping over his status panel:

【Name: Fang Xing】

【Age: 26/225】

【Class: Druid Level 9】

【Realm: Sensing Qi Ninth Layer】

【Talents: Nature Affinity, Wild Shape, Plant Growth, Toxin Immunity, Eternal Youth, Thorn Whip, Barkskin, Natural Healing, Awaken Tree Person】

【Skills: Perfect Hands (Master 336/800), Origami Art (Proficient 5/100), Insect Control (Master 13/800), Qi Concealment (Expert 391/400)】

"Five years of cultivation—both my Druid and cultivation systems have advanced rapidly..."

Fang Xing stared at his status panel, silently reflecting.

"My lifespan has already extended to over two hundred years—that's the lifespan of a Dao Foundation cultivator. At Druid Level 9, all bonuses are spell-based, but why are they classified as Talents? Is it because Druid spells are naturally awakened, automatically mastered like a Sorcerer's innate casting?"

"Whereas skills gained through cultivation develop proficiency gradually..."

Fang Xing had his suspicions.

The four spells' effects were clear: Thorn Whip and Barkskin were combat spells—one offensive, one defensive.

Natural Healing was a healing ability, more effective than Healing Berries.

The final one, Awaken Tree Person, required a spirit plant as a vessel to transform into a tree person.

To cultivators, this was seen as turning into a tree spirit; at Fang Xing's current Druid level, he could awaken at most several tree persons comparable to Sensing Qi Ninth Layer.

In short, he could easily sweep the other four families in Qingli Swamp. As for spells, he'd merely devoted slight effort to Perfect Hands and reached the Perfect stage—his paper soldiers, paper cranes, and paper kites now never failed.

Even without deliberate cultivation, the Origami Secret Art had automatically reached Proficient level.

Combined with Expert-level Qi Concealment, even a Dao Foundation cultivator standing before him might not detect his true strength.

"If a low-tier Dao Foundation cultivator steps into my domain, he might very well perish..."

Fang Xing understood his own power clearly.

He possessed dual-system strength—he was far stronger than any single-path cultivator.

If he awakened a few more tree persons, combined with Master-level Insect Control and various spells in coordinated assault, a normal Dao Foundation cultivator might suffer heavy losses.

Of course, late-stage Dao Foundation or high-quality Dao Foundation cultivators were another matter.

"The next stage is critical for me too."

Fang Xing stared at his status panel, thinking silently.

"I've completed the Qingmu Technique's 'Primordial Dragon-Snake Qi'—there's no further progression possible. Now comes forging the Dao Foundation... a perilous step: succeed or die."

No single word, no single line, no single detail is wrong!

"I've heard Qingmu Ridge holds spirit items that can aid this process, but they're exceedingly rare—even the Fei family can only obtain them by trading a sixty-year-old Dragon King Ginseng Essence. Scattered cultivators can't even dream of it..."

"This matter can wait for now... First, I'll raise my Druid level."

According to Fang Xing's estimation, Druid Level 10 would equate to this world's Dao Foundation.

More importantly, he understood the Druid lineage better than the cultivation path—even his advancement had no bottleneck.

As long as he gained enough experience, he could ascend smoothly!

At that point, it might even aid his Dao Foundation forging.

"And... at Druid Level 10, I must choose between focusing on animals or plants. If I choose plants, I'll gain the 'Tree Shepherd' talent—experience from planting trees will skyrocket. If I choose animals, I'll gain the 'Beast Master' talent—experience from planting trees stays the same, but experience from herding and breeding will surge."

Currently, Fang Xing gains experience from planting trees through Nature Affinity, by sensing the natural flow.

Once he gains the 'Tree Shepherd' talent, his progression will accelerate further.

"Five years from Druid Level 5 to 9... isn't that much..."

Previously, it took five years to go from Level 4 to 5—first because Fang Xing deliberately suppressed his level, second because the bamboo forest expanded over the past five years, naturally yielding more experience.

And suppressing level doesn't mean he didn't gain experience.

The experience was simply stored, and Fang Xing spent it on leveling up over the past five years.

"But the experience needed for Level 9 to 10 is substantial... likely another one to two years, maybe even three or four..."

Fang Xing gazed toward the East Peak: "When my Druid reaches Level 10, I'll publicly announce my breakthrough to Sensing Qi Seventh Layer..."

He didn't care much about it—only the Five Friends of Floating Cloud would have to endure a little longer.

Several days later.

East Peak, Poison Dragon Hill.

Lanterns and red decorations adorned every corner; a long crimson procession was escorting Gu Yun away in marriage.

After the procession departed, a young man still stood on the slope, staring blankly, his eyes glistening with tears.

"Lu Feng... why aren't you at the wedding feast?"

A voice suddenly came from behind.

Lu Feng turned and nearly jumped: "Fang... Uncle Fang, I, I..."

"Alas... I know you and Yunyun grew up together, childhood sweethearts," Fang Xing sighed, gazing into the distance.

Today, he had unusually left the bamboo grove just to witness the spectacle.

"The Fei family!"

Lu Feng clenched his fists—clearly, the theft of his bride was an unforgivable grudge.

Unfortunately, Fang Xing had no intention of becoming his grandfatherly savior.

After Lu Feng left, Fang Xing waited a moment, then saw Song Yunqian approaching.

"You've always cherished your daughter—why agree to give her to the Fei family?"

Fang Xing asked curiously.

"A parent's love for a child means planning for their distant future," Song Yunqian said, her face cold as ice: "Yunyun failed to enter Qingmu Ridge—her best path is closed. Marrying into a Dao Foundation clan is better than nothing. Besides... I never believed any of us could survive under the Fei family's rule. Though the Outlands have no written history, among scattered cultivators, stories are passed down: of those who received Reclamation Edicts, only one in a hundred ever became a Dao Foundation clan!"

【She has no faith in Poison Dragon Hill at all...】

Fang Xing mentally scoffed: 【So she's sending her daughter away to secure a sliver of survival? Why not marry her into another Dao Foundation clan?】

【Wait—I seem to have overestimated them. Just having the Fei family willing is already lucky...】

Moreover, such powerful-household marriages often serve as hostages.

Even if the Fei family later forces the Poison Dragon Slope cultivators to die in the name of righteousness, they will publicly still grant pensions to the loyal dead and properly care for their widows.

(End of Chapter)