Chapter 595: Ten Years

Qingyu Garden.

Inside the treehouse.

Fang Xing put down a scroll, containing the follow-up content of the Entry Benefit: Qingmu Art.

Unfortunately, this art could only be cultivated up to the Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment; to break through to the Late-Stage Foundation Establishment, one must cultivate a complementary divine art.

According to the information he just gathered at the Scripture Library, such a complementary divine art was expensive—roughly ten thousand merit points.

At the rate of merit he earned as this garden's overseer, it would take about a hundred years to accumulate enough.

'No wonder few people take the job of garden overseer—it's safe… but the merit points are pitifully low…'

'Divine art? Interesting…'

During this visit to the Scripture Library, Fang Xing specifically searched for materials compatible with his 'Yuconglong' Foundation Establishment.

Whether due to insufficient authority or not, the only thing he could access was one 'Cao Tou Shen,' two pseudo-divine arts that combined to yield 'Three Thousand Manifestations,' also known as 'Scatter Beans to Create Soldiers' or 'Sow Grass to Create Soldiers,' capable of summoning three thousand grass spirits at will—even a surprise assault on Qingmu Ridge could inflict devastating damage.

Yet, it didn't suit him at all.

'The synergy between pseudo-divine arts… is rather intriguing.'

'But if I spent considerable time synthesizing the 'Cao Tou Shen' data… could I deduce a more suitable divine art for 'Yuconglong'?'

'Still, better to leave it for now—summoning three thousand grass spirits doesn't sound bad… or perhaps wait until I can access more compatible arts later?'

Fang Xing smiled faintly.

The Druid's natural perception allowed him to sense that Fei Changnong had never stopped monitoring him.

But he truly had no ill intentions.

'Let time prove everything… though time is priceless, for some, it is the most worthless thing of all…'

…

Time flew swiftly.

In the blink of an eye, ten years passed.

Qingmu Ridge, Qingyu Garden.

Fei Changnong flew into the gorge and froze in surprise.

He had visited Qingyu Garden several times before and never noticed so many Evergreen Trees…

Coupled with the intelligence he'd received, he couldn't help but sigh: 'This younger brother Fang truly loves planting trees…'

At the garden's entrance, he found Fang Xing waiting with Meng Tiandong and the other three.

'Brother Fei, please!'

Fang Xing had once again embraced his true nature in Qingyu Garden, wearing a leather hide garment and a crown woven from branches, still adorned with untrimmed twigs and leaves.

'Younger brother, you…'

Fei Changnong looked pained, then stepped into the garden: 'Huh?'

As deputy head of the Shenong Hall, he too had studied the arts of spirit farming, and now he sensed the garden had grown even better than before.

'Clearly, my younger brother is indeed an excellent spirit farmer…'

Fei Changnong sighed inwardly, first checked the condition of the ten-thousand-year Evergreen Tree, then said formally: 'Have you prepared the herbs for this decade?'

'Naturally!'

Fang Xing clapped his hands, and Meng Tiandong and the other three approached with trays.

'Thirty Qingyu Grasses, twenty Qinglong Flowers, ten Shengguo Fruits… Brother Fei, check the age and medicinal properties.'

Fei Changnong inspected each item, then stored them in his Flying Rat Sack: 'Yes, age sufficient, medicinal properties intact—all top-grade. Per sect rules, you earn 1, 00 merit points.'

He pulled out a jade tablet and had Fang Xing swipe his disciple token across it.

Instantly, specks of merit appeared on the back of Fang Xing's token.

Meng Tiandong and the others received roughly one-tenth—about a hundred points each.

'Hah… younger brother, you've done well. Keep it up.'

Fei Changnong exchanged a few polite words, sipped a few cups of spirit tea, and prepared to leave.

But Fang Xing spoke up: 'After this round, I'd like to request a few days' leave to visit Poison Dragon Slope…'

'Simple enough. I'll grant you half a month.'

Fei Changnong chuckled.

…

Several days later.

Poison Dragon Slope.

Lü Feng, a middle-aged man, looked gloomy, clearly unhappy.

Since Fei Yong became head of the Fei family, he had begun suppressing Poison Dragon Slope.

After all, both the Fei family and Poison Dragon Slope lay within the Qingli Marsh—no matter how close their ties once were, now there could be only one dominant tiger.

Lü Feng felt the same; family interests on both sides left no room for either patriarch to back down.

The result? Lü family suffered a crushing defeat, humiliated and disgraced.

Had Fei Yong held back out of caution, Poison Dragon Slope's Eastern Peak branch of the Lü family might have been wiped out.

More critically, after the losses, Lü Feng turned his eyes to the ten-thousand-mu bamboo forest on the western slope, hoping to secretly seize some land to compensate.

Then he tragically suffered a severe injury from a black snake's tail…

Only then did he realize Fang Xing's pet snake had already reached Qi Condensation Ninth Layer!

After all his scheming, he couldn't even defeat the man's pet.

As he brooded, Lü Feng saw a streak of emerald light descend.

He froze, then stepped forward and bowed respectfully: 'Uncle Fang…'

'Hmm.'

Fang Xing casually slapped him across the face.

Crack!

The Lü family members watched their patriarch become a dark shadow, crashing through a wall.

'Uncle Fang, forgive me…'

Lü Feng spat blood but ignored his wounds, frantically begging. 'Hmph, if I hadn't gone to the western slope, I wouldn't have known you dared encroach on my interests!'

Fang Xing sneered.

The Lü family members first gasped, then immediately pretended not to have heard, returning to their tasks.

Elders disciplining juniors? Nothing unusual.

Besides, the patriarch likely didn't want them overhearing this.

'I was blinded by greed…'

Lü Feng tasted only bitterness.

'Hmph. If you dare again, the Lü family won't survive.'

Fang Xing snorted, swept his sleeve, and walked away.

In truth, this was all an act.

No one, not a single soul, knew the truth!

If Lü Feng could enter the ten-thousand-mu bamboo forest, that would be hilarious.

After all, the strongest fighter in the forest now wasn't the black snake, nor the paper dolls—but little Qing, the Ginseng Spirit!

Fang Xing walked a few steps and arrived at a courtyard.

'Six Grandma, look who's come to see you?'

Several Hu family members, upon seeing Fang Xing, joyfully welcomed him into the courtyard.

'Hu Liuniang, bows to Elder Fang.'

Soon, Hu Liuniang emerged, her face veiled in gauze, leaning on a dragon-headed cane, her hair half-black, half-white.

'Cough… I'm touched, Elder Fang, that you still remember this old woman.'

Her voice was dry and cracked.

Fang Xing frowned, sensing the scent of decaying wood, and sighed inwardly.

Even the best complexion pills were useless when a cultivator's lifespan neared its end.

Watching old friends grow frail while he remained youthful—this was a strange feeling indeed.

Hu Liuniang had once been famed for her beauty; now, veiled in cloth, her mood was surely no better.

'I cultivate on Qingmu Ridge. This ten-year term is over, and I've finally earned leave… next time we meet may be another decade away.'

Fang Xing sighed.

'By then, I fear neither I nor Sister Song will be here…'

Hu Liuniang said: 'Sister Song was smarter—her grandson is now head of the Fei family. Who could've dreamed it? Heh, Brother's wisdom lasted a lifetime, yet still couldn't match Fifth Sister's freedom of heart…'

'Act according to your heart, and you'll never regret.'

Fang Xing exchanged a few more words, found it dull, and took his leave. As he stepped out of the courtyard, he flicked his sleeve, dissolving into streams of emerald light until he vanished.

…

The Qingli Marsh was once mostly barren, hostile land.

But after five families began reclaiming it decades ago, and sustained efforts continued, a portion of the region now had no toxic mists, transformed into wasteland.

Fang Xing descended his aura and stood atop a reef.

Moments later, a man arrived riding a storm of divine energy—Fei Yong.

Compared to Lü Feng, the middle-aged man with unfulfilled ambitions, Fei Yong was a young man full of promise and confidence.

His cultivation had indeed reached the ninth level of Sensing Qi.

"Greetings, Master Shu!"

He landed on the reef and bowed directly.

"Good, good—truly at the ninth level of Sensing Qi… and not just newly broken through; your foundation is deeply solid."

Fang Xing glanced at him and nodded.

"All thanks to Master Shu's efforts."

Fei Yong showed great respect.

After all, he had a powerful family backing him; even though the Fei family had declined considerably, a dying camel is still bigger than a horse, and supporting his Sensing Qi cultivation posed no real problem.

"Heh, you've learned to speak well—since becoming head of your family and marrying into the Pan clan, your manners have improved greatly."

Fang Xing praised him and tossed over a jade vial.

Fei Yong caught it, recognized at once the Dao Foundation Pill he had long yearned for, and burst into joy, bowing deeply to the ground: "Thank you, Master Shu, for this gift—I swear to you… I will protect the ten-thousand-mu bamboo grove of Poisonous Dragon Hill…"

He didn't mention the Lü family even once—clearly, he had been disgusted by them before.

"Hmm, that will do."

Fang Xing would never stand up for Lü Feng; he gave Fei Yong some advice on forging a Dao Foundation, then said: "I've been away from the sect too long—I'm returning now. I look forward to hearing good news when you successfully forge your Dao Foundation…"

Fei Yong remained bent over until Fang Xing's teleportation light vanished completely, then straightened his back; 'So… it really was this easy… Uncle Fang truly is a man of his word…'

…

Fang Xing had no idea that simply keeping his promise had left Fei Yong deeply grateful.

After returning from leave, he went back to Qingyu Garden, informed Meng Tiandong, then returned to his treehouse and resumed seclusion.

"After ten years of cultivation… my Green Wood Art is nearly breaking through to the middle stage of Dao Foundation…"

A faint green glow shimmered across his face; bamboo shadows swayed around him.

"Once I reach the middle stage of Dao Foundation, I can spend ten thousand merit points to exchange for the 'Ultimate Technique Blueprint'…"

A Dao Foundation cultivator can possess only one pseudo-technique, inherently carried by their Dao Foundation; attempting to learn a second is extremely difficult, and at this stage, the Ultimate Technique Blueprint becomes essential.

This is also one of the secret doctrines of the Ten Great Sects—the blueprints are made of unique materials that cannot be copied, not even by Dao Foundation families like the Fei clan.

In other words, Dao Foundation families can at most cultivate their disciples to the middle stage of Dao Foundation; to advance further, they must send them to the sect.

"I wonder… where did the world's first Ultimate Technique Blueprint originate?"

Fang Xing suddenly thought of the Zhou Shenchao: "Could it… be those 'gods'?"

(End of Chapter)