Chapter 596: Shasheng Sect (Happy New Year

The stars shift, time flies.

In the blink of an eye, several more years passed.

Qingyu Garden.

Fang Xing calculated with his fingers and realized it was his sixtieth birthday—unfortunately, no one celebrated.

He made himself a bowl of longevity noodles, added another entry to his little notebook about the Blood Shadow Sect's grudge, and waited for the day he would eradicate the sect to avenge his original body's family.

Several months later.

Inside the treehouse.

Fang Xing sat cross-legged, suddenly feeling the Qi of his Green Wood Art break through a long-standing barrier.

The "Yuconglong" Dao Foundation trembled slightly, having reached its limit.

"Mid-stage Dao Foundation… achieved…"

Fang Xing opened his eyes, a flash of green light darting through them: "After over a decade of practicing this art, I've reached mid-stage Dao Foundation… this progress is acceptable."

In truth, if outsiders discovered this pace, they would be stunned beyond belief.

With a thought, vast amounts of plant essence surged from the lush evergreen forest outside, flooding through his limbs, meridians, tendons, and bones, purifying and strengthening him.

In this state, his attribute bar refreshed continuously:

【You underwent a "Nature Baptism," gaining abundant "Nature Knowledge"…】

【Your Druid level has risen to Level 14, unlocking the talent "Regeneration"!】

Fang Xing suddenly felt a powerful surge of vitality infuse his body—enough to regrow severed limbs.

"Good things come in pairs…"

He sighed, turning his gaze to the detailed stats:

【Name: Fang Xing】

【Age: 60/601】

【Class: Druid Level 14】

【Realm: Mid-stage Dao Foundation (Yuconglong)】

【Talents: Nature Affinity, Wild Shape, Plant Growth, Toxin Immunity, Eternal Youth, Thorn Whip, Barkskin, Natural Healing, Awaken Tree Spirit, Shepherd of Trees, Toughness, Combat Casting, Enlightenment, Regeneration】

【Skills: Perfect Hands (Master 800/800), Origami Art (Master 466/800), Beast Taming Art (Master 800/800), Qi Concealment Art (Master 800/800)】

…

"Druid level growth has slowed—could it be because I've used Enlightenment so many times to awaken ginseng spirits and black snakes?"

"Or is the experience gap simply astronomical at higher levels?"

Fang Xing fell into thought.

The next leap to Level 15 Druid would be a world-shattering transformation, likely requiring even more time!

After all, a Level 15 Druid is equivalent to a Yin Spirit True Person!

"No need to rush—I should first pursue those Divine Technique Root Maps…"

Fang Xing was deeply interested in these Divine Technique Root Maps, for according to descriptions, mastering one could grant a chance to obtain a pseudo-divine technique!

Such divine artifacts could not be created by Yin Spirit True Persons or Yang Spirit True Lords.

They likely originated from the gods of the Zhou Shenchao!

"Previously, this was only rumor—but since joining Qingmu Ridge, I've learned more about the Zhou Shenchao… those lofty gods are to Yang Spirit True Lords as the sun is to fireflies… had they not been bound by restrictions, even the so-called Ten Great Sects of Right and Wrong would have no chance to flee beyond the borders…"

"The so-called lands beyond the borders, the Ten Great Sects—they're merely a pack of stray dogs."

"The power of those gods… truly fascinates me."

Fang Xing considered, then decided not to accept any combat missions to earn merit contributions.

After all, war is perilous.

As long as he didn't step onto the battlefield, he couldn't lose.

Besides, he had no need to fight at all.

His Druid talent "Plant Growth," combined with the "Yuconglong" technique, could easily accelerate a thousand-year spiritual herb to maturity.

Just by forcing a few extra herbs to mature next time he submitted them, ten thousand merit points would be effortless.

Though a thousand-year spiritual herb seems merely ten times older than a hundred-year one, its value is over a hundred times greater.

"Spiritual herb tiers—every hundred, thousand, or ten thousand years mark a major threshold…"

"Truthfully, I needn't submit thousand-year herbs—they'd draw too much attention. Better to win by volume: submit several times more hundred-year herbs. It still shows exceptional farming skill, but won't seem astonishing."

Fang Xing made his decision and stepped out of the treehouse, arriving beneath the ten-thousand-year evergreen.

"Master."

Meng Tiandong and the other two bowed hastily, secretly grumbling.

This master, aside from planting trees, always preferred wandering the wilds—why was he here today?

What sudden whim brought him to the herb garden?

"Are there still many seeds of Qingyu Grass? What about Qinglong Flower and Sansheng Fruit seeds?"

Fang Xing asked.

"Naturally…"

Meng Tiandong nodded. These spiritual herb seeds weren't rare—herbs ten years old could be harvested for seeds using specific methods without harming the parent plant's growth.

Moreover, one herb's seeds could yield at least ten or more new plants.

"Then open a hundred more mu of herb fields—I'll cultivate them myself."

Fang Xing ordered.

"Yes."

Meng Tiandong and the others raised no objections—new fields wouldn't affect the original garden's output.

Any extra yield would benefit them greatly. Besides, though this herb garden master dressed oddly, his spiritual farming skill was undeniably real.

As garden disciples, they knew best.

Proof? Every evergreen Fang Xing planted thrived—none had died.

Any pest or disease in the garden was resolved immediately.

Even Meng Tiandong felt the evergreens grew too vigorously; a few of the earliest planted seemed on the verge of reaching a hundred-year age…

…

Opening new herb fields should have been reported.

But neither Fang Xing nor Meng Tiandong took it seriously.

In the past, such matters were always approved by the Shen Nong Hall—just a formality.

Unexpectedly, several days later:

One by one, the content appeared clearly!

Fei Changnong and a red-robed Dao Foundation female cultivator arrived with several disciples.

"Senior Brother Fei, Senior Sister Hong!"

Fang Xing greeted them, puzzled.

These two were busy people—why had they come here?

"Heh, I heard you opened new fields in Qingyu Garden—I had to come see for myself…"

Fei Changnong smiled, walking to the new herb plot.

Meng Tiandong, Yu Santian, and Hua Qing were tilling the soil; seeing the deputy head of Shen Nong Hall arrive, they bowed hastily.

"Good, good…"

Fei Changnong praised a few times, leaving Meng Tiandong utterly confused.

But he glanced at Fang Xing beside him and immediately understood: "Could it be… because of Senior Brother Fang? Is he here to publicly commend the sect, granting extra merit? This… this… is outright collusion… why didn't I ever have such a benefactor in my day?"

Fang Xing didn't believe he and Fei Changnong were close.

He invited Fei Changnong beneath the ten-thousand-year evergreen, then told Meng Tiandong and the others to brew tea. Only then did Fei Changnong speak: "Your new herb garden lacks sufficient disciples—I'll assign you a few more, how about that?"

"Of course, I defer to the sect's decision."

Fang Xing nodded, puzzled why Fei Changnong was sending him people.

"Excellent…"

The red senior sister smiled: "How about these disciples of ours?"

Fang Xing was slightly startled and looked over.

Each disciple was young and handsome, with strong cultivation—some had even already refined Gangqi into their bodies.

He blinked: "Such fine talents should serve the sect properly—in my care, they'd be wasted."

This red senior sister, introduced by Fei Changnong, practiced seduction arts—Fang Xing always avoided her.

The more beautiful a woman, the more trouble she brought.

"Sigh…"

Fei Changnong sighed: "I won't hide it from you, these disciples are my and your Senior Sister Hong's failures—there may be trouble ahead, so we've sent them here to avoid combat and garrison duties."

Fang Xing understood at once—his guess was correct.

His Qingyu Garden assignment had no real profit, but it was safe.

"Is the sect preparing to go to war with a major sect?"

Fang Xing exclaimed: "And… with your status, couldn't you place them elsewhere?"

"Other places exist, of course—but the sect's True Ones have ordered all long-term assignments frozen… assignments like yours, with a hundred-year term, are no longer being issued."

Fei Changnong exhaled a long breath, his tone complex: "Brother, you're lucky—your assigned mission remains unchanged, and I wonder if, ten or twenty years from now, I'll envy you..."

"So there's a great war coming—my mission has suddenly become valuable, and more importantly, the loopholes are extremely rare..."

Fang Xing nodded, then asked seriously: "Why is that?"

"Hehe... Brother, you needn't worry too much—it's just a guess."

Sister Hong laughed softly, her charm irresistible: "I have connections in the Flying Sword Sect... I know the Zhou Shenchao is launching a full-scale crackdown on the 'Killing Life Sect.' If the Killing Life Sect is driven out of the Zhou Shenchao and enters the Outer Lands, it'll be a powerful dragon—and there'll be no shortage of open and covert struggles..."

The Ten Great Orthodox and Heretical Sects are all losers, and the Killing Life Sect, which has held on until now before being pushed out, is likely stronger than the Flying Sword Sect!

The Outer Lands are this small—anyone wanting to seize territory and interests... must plunge into chaos!

"When?"

Fang Xing seized upon the key point.

"Maybe ten or twenty years from now... or several decades... or perhaps it'll never come at all."

Sister Hong smiled sweetly: "Who knows? The Killing Life Sect might hold on..."

"Then why worry at all?"

Fang Xing was speechless—how renowned was the Killing Life Sect? Could it possibly have frightened Qingmu Ridge this badly?

"The Ten Great Orthodox and Heretical Sects aren't fixed..."

Fei Changnong spoke up now: "The so-called orthodox military strategy is for the strong to kill the weaker... no strong one ever deliberately seeks out another strong one to fight. So before the Killing Life Sect arrives, our Outer Lands sects may first descend into chaos, then select the weakest among them—once the Killing Life Sect comes south, we'll hand them over to be replaced."

"So that's how it is..."

Fang Xing had never before heard someone describe bullying the weak and fearing the strong so elegantly—he felt his horizons had broadened: "Since both Brother and Sister say so, I have no objection..."

(End of Chapter)