Chapter 587: The Passing

Several days later.

Poison Dragon Slope.

Fang Xing received word of the Yin family's destruction and felt no sense of awe.

In truth, he had long ago transformed into an owl and silently observed the Fei family's annihilation of the Yin family.

He was somewhat startled that Fei Shentong had chosen to study origami secrets.

To work so hard even as clan head—he's a ruthless one!

But as for combat power? Just average…

If willing to die, they might surround and kill a Qi Sensing Ninth Layer, but against the Dao Foundation abyss, they remained powerless.

What did leave him speechless, however, was the high-grade origami secret technique the Fei family later sent:

"Though it was offered as compensation for aiding the Xu family…"

"But…"

He gently flipped through a pure white ancient text before him.

This ancient text had been read countless times, yet remained pristine as new—clearly made from blood paper.

Its contents encompassed everything, containing various high-grade origami techniques, far surpassing the inheritance Fang Xing had previously obtained.

"Paper Armor Technique: can be worn by oneself or by paper people and paper beasts to enhance defense!"

"Paper Person Technique: craft paper people from paper and bamboo strips; their strength depends on the lifespan sacrificed… yet even at peak, they rarely cross major realms."

"Paper Palanquin Technique: requires a formation of at least four paper people, capable of protecting the paper master…"

"Paper Double: forge a paper person as a substitute, capable of negating one fatal injury or curse…"

"The Fei family truly deserves to be called a Dao Foundation clan—the origami techniques they've gathered are so advanced…"

Fang Xing sighed: "Except for the legendary 'Spirit Illusion Paper House Realm,' they've nearly got it all…"

That 'Spirit Illusion Paper House Realm' was the secret transmission of the Blood Shadow Sect's origami lineage—a method to create a self-contained realm, nearly impossible to master unless one reached Yin Spirit True Person.

He never expected much; just having these was already more than enough.

Moreover, Fang Xing knew the Blood Shadow Sect's true powerful origami techniques were not these offensive spells.

Youngsters love to compete and fight, so they strain to cultivate powerful techniques.

But seasoned cultivators know lifespan is precious; each strives to preserve health and extend life. In the Blood Shadow Sect's origami lineage, there were similar transmissions—otherwise, even Dao Foundation cultivators struggled to live past a hundred!

For example, the 'Blood Paper Technique,' one of the more successful methods, allows one to substitute another's lifespan for one's own consumption.

Unfortunately, even then, practicing origami still required the practitioner to sacrifice their own lifespan—just slightly less than normal; otherwise, the origami lineage might live even longer.

"Even the Blood Shadow Sect is like this… what about me?"

Fang Xing sneered, tapping the book in his hand with rhythmic fingers.

He had long been interested in origami techniques; otherwise, he wouldn't have cultivated the Wan Quan Hand.

Moreover, with his current mastery of the Wan Quan Hand, crafting ordinary paper people was now flawless—almost never failing.

This saved considerable lifespan.

Even so, he had no intention of delving deeply—only occasionally testing his skills, letting outsiders believe he was hopelessly obsessed with all manner of mysterious arts…

…

Time flowed like water.

Since the Xu and Yin families' destruction, the Qingli Marsh had strangely fallen silent.

The Fei family retreated without hesitation, even surrendering all profits from Yunlai Market to the other Dao Foundation clan on Qingmu Ridge: the Pan family.

The Pan family had three Dao Foundation cultivators, at their peak; after gaining benefits, they gladly supported the Fei family and challenged the Shan Yin Xie clan, holding their own.

The Xie family's ambush of Dao Foundation corpses in Qingli Marsh had been exposed by Fei Shentong to Qingmu Ridge long ago; whether Qingmu Ridge and the Corpse Transport Sect reached any agreement was unknown, but at least the Xie clan ceased their scheming.

With external stability secured, the Fei family focused entirely on developing Qingli Marsh and accumulating profits.

Because Fei Shentong was fair-minded and had already developed profitable sites—Sanyuetan, Qingfeng Ao, and Maigu Land—the Fei family produced several Qi Sensing Post-Layer cultivators, barely emerging from their previous hardship and no longer needing Poison Dragon Slope's support.

In the blink of an eye, over a decade passed.

Poison Dragon Slope.

East Peak.

Due to the Lu family's population growth and repeated expansions of their original structures, the complex now exuded an air of opulence.

Within the Lu family mansion, joy filled the air.

Many Lu family elders gathered, waiting before a sealed chamber.

BOOM!

Not long after, the chamber door burst open, and Lu Feng stepped out, his body wreathed in dense, mountain-like, mist-like aura.

"Hail the Clan Head! Congratulations on breaking through to Qi Sensing Seventh Layer!"

Each Lu family elder beamed with delight.

This was Qi Sensing Post-Layer! Even their ancestral patriarch had never reached this level!

With Lu Feng's breakthrough, he immediately surpassed Tie Luo Sanren and became the top cultivator of East Peak!

This was immensely beneficial to the Lu family.

Over the past decade, though Tie Luo Sanren and Hu Liuniang had tried to nurture disciples and strengthen their foundation, one step behind meant falling further behind…

They simply couldn't match the Lu family's prolific breeding, nor the occasional losses they suffered—East Peak had always been Lu family-dominated, and the old "Floating Cloud Five Friends" were now forgotten.

Moreover, since most guards stationed at Green Water Wang to farm shells were Lu family members, profits gradually favored the Lu family—there was no helping it.

But…

Poison Dragon Slope wasn't just East Peak—it also had West Slope!

Several Lu family elders exchanged glances, secretly smug, thinking:

'That one on West Slope… they say he's obsessed with origami secrets and bamboo planting… still stuck at Qi Sensing Seventh Layer. If not for the Island-Protecting Black Snake, our Lu family would be the top on Poison Dragon Slope…'

"Rise, everyone!"

Lu Feng raised his hands slightly, a look of satisfaction on his face. His talent was the best in the Lu family, though he had once indulged in emotions and neglected cultivation.

Later, ashamed, he spurred himself on—and crucially, with the Lu family's prosperity and access to talisman coins, he acquired abundant cultivation resources, finally breaking through to Qi Sensing Seventh Layer before thirty; he even had a slim hope of reaching Qi Sensing Ninth Layer before sixty!

'Perhaps… I could reach Dao Foundation someday?'

Lu Feng's heart warmed, and he unconsciously glanced toward West Slope: 'All the breakthrough experience the Fei family compensated… it's all with Uncle Fang… someday I must reclaim it—it belongs to the entire Poison Dragon Slope!'

Even if Lu Feng himself had no desire to oppose Fang Xing, the entire Lu family had invested too much in him—binding him with kinship and interest.

Controlling all of Poison Dragon Slope, even Green Water Wang, was the collective will and interest of the Lu family—not subject to personal emotion.

As Lu Feng and the Lu family held their banquet, a Lu family member rushed into the flower hall: "Clan Head, Elders… something's wrong!"

"It's a day of celebration! How dare you speak so carelessly? You deserve a slap!"

One elder frowned in displeasure.

"Forgive me, I spoke without thought."

The Lu family member startled, then added: "But a major event has truly occurred."

No mistake. One word. One fact. One truth.

"Speak."

Lu Feng, dressed in brocade robes, with a pair of mustaches, looked imposing.

"It's… Tie Luo Sanren has just passed away."

The Lu family member reported.

"Uncle Tie Luo…"

Lu Feng paused, then sighed: "Yes… after his last injury, his health never recovered, and… it's been so many years."

Tie Luo Sanren belonged to the same generation as Old Lu.

Though younger than Old Lu, he was the second-oldest among the Floating Cloud Five Friends, and had suffered grave foundational damage.

His passing now was only natural.

Lu Feng stood up, thought for a moment, then said: "Cancel the banquet. Notify Uncle Fang on West Slope, and also Master Song and Hu."

…

West Slope.

Ten thousand mu of bamboo forest shimmered like green water, rippling with the wind.

"Finally reached ten thousand mu…"

Fang Xing watched a paper man he'd crafted diligently planting trees and watering them… and felt deeply satisfied.

After mastering paper crafting, he was freed from grueling labor.

He didn't even need to cultivate daily—thanks to his 【Tree Tender】 talent, he could feel his experience steadily rising.

A perfect example of leveling up while lying down!

'Yet my cultivation remains stuck at Qi Sensing Ninth Layer—still lacking the breakthrough trigger. What could it be?'

As Fang Xing pondered, a paper crane flew toward him.

He caught it, then froze.

Then he clapped his hands.

WHOOSH!

Four paper people appeared, carrying a brightly colored palanquin.

Fang Xing sat down, and the four paper people immediately lifted him, flying swiftly toward East Peak.

These four paper people and the palanquin—naturally, the fruits of his origami secret technique, consuming less than a year of his lifespan.

But publicly, they certainly claimed to have failed many times, suffering severe depletion of essence and blood.

……

East Peak

"This…"

Lu Feng saw four paper dolls descending from the sky, and his expression changed instantly.

The memory of how Fei Shentong had used his origami secret art to surround and kill the Yin family resurfaced in his mind, shattering the faint pride he had felt from his recent breakthrough.

"Uncle Fang… my Uncle Tie Luo is gone!"

Lu Feng stepped forward, his eyes slightly red.

"Mm."

Fang Xing stepped down from the sedan and saw a modest courtyard, far smaller than the Lu family's main residence.

Within, the descendants of Tie Luo the Hermit were few—barely two or three.

"Not only is Tie Luo the Hermit like this; Song Yunqian is alone, and the few descendants brought by Hu Liuniang seem to have a higher probability of accidents and miscarriages?"

Fang Xing's heart stirred, and he glanced at Lu Feng.

Whether or not this Lu family patriarch knew of these matters, he was guilty of dereliction of duty; if he knew and did nothing, his heart was as cruel as a wolf's.

What followed was merely a matter of procedure.

He entered to pay respects, then went to comfort Song Yunqian and Hu Liuniang.

Strictly speaking, these two were his peers.

Both Song Yunqian and Hu Liuniang had aged considerably, with visible white hair, yet their mental states were starkly different.

Song Yunqian still wore her usual cold demeanor, but a faint smile appeared when she mentioned her grandson Fei Yong in the Fei family:

"My grandson has now reached the sixth level of Qi Sensing. He is a core seed the family is nurturing—surely he will break through to the later stage of Qi Sensing, and even have a chance to become family head… If he becomes head, then Poison Dragon Slope will finally be truly secure."

Her implication was clear: she hoped Fang Xing and his group would lend more support.

"Heh…"

Hu Liuniang heard this, glanced at the Lu family members, and sneered: "I've finally seen clearly—what does Poison Dragon Slope have to do with our families? In the future, it'll all be surnamed Lu!"

(End of Chapter)