Chapter 602: Flesh Tai Sui

Snap!

This talisman was entirely bright yellow, its cinnabar ink radiating astonishing heat—clearly of high rank.

It was unmistakably a high-grade 'Exorcism Talisman'!

As a Yin Spirit True Person who had clashed repeatedly with the Blood Shadow Sect, Fei Changqing had already experienced the power of the Spirit Paper House Realm when he was still Xuanmu True Person.

He had even devised several countermeasures.

This talisman could shatter the boundary between the Yin and Yang realms, allowing him to return to Qingyu Garden.

Then he could call for help!

After all, Qingyu Garden still held a Dao Foundation overseer—and a ten-thousand-year-old Evergreen Tree!

Fei Changqing was confident he could persuade that Fang overseer to hold off for a moment, then activate a secret technique to draw power from the ten-thousand-year-old Evergreen Tree and rapidly boost his cultivation.

Though this would surely expose his presence, it was still far better than being captured by the Blood Shadow Sect!

"Hmm? No wonder you were once a Yin Spirit True Person—your tricks are numerous…"

High above, Fang Xing watched Fei Changqing use the 'Substitute the Peach for the Plum' technique to escape the six paper soldiers' assault, then summon a high-grade talisman—he sighed in admiration: "If I hadn't followed you, you might have caused quite a commotion—but the outcome would've been the same…"

He flicked his tail lightly; a wisp of moisture in the heavens condensed into a thread of water, hurtling down with blinding speed!

Hiss!

The water thread sliced through the bright yellow talisman, instantly severing its cinnabar inscriptions.

Then, it seeped into Fei Changqing's heart and marrow as a chilling coolness.

Fei Changqing shuddered violently, feeling his soul frozen stiff, his limbs and bones locked in ice—unable to summon even a trace of spiritual power.

"This Dao resonance—who among the True Persons struck?"

Fei Changqing's heart turned to ash.

He couldn't fathom why such a minor cultivator—just a newly awakened Qi Sensing cultivator after reincarnation—warranted such serious attention.

Six Dao Foundation late-stage cultivators weren't enough—now an entire Yin Spirit True Person had launched a surprise attack!

Is this really necessary?

Splash!

Amid fluttering sleeves, a figure landed before him.

When Fei Changqing recognized the figure, he froze again: "Master Fang? You?" 【39】 "This Fei Changqing… no, Ye Xuanqing… was truly a dominant figure of his era."

Fang Xing smiled faintly, refusing to waste words with Fei Changqing.

Such Yin Spirit True Persons had lived for centuries—each one cunning and deceitful; interrogation would yield nothing.

His eyes grew hazy; two golden beams shot forth, piercing directly into Fei Changqing's pupils.

Fei Changqing's gaze instantly dulled, vacant.

"A Master-level Soul-Confusing Art against a mere Qi Sensing cultivator… even with the foundation of a Yin Spirit True Person, you're still nothing…"

Fang Xing smiled and asked: "Who are you?"

"Xuanmu True Person Ye Xuanqing…"

Fei Changqing murmured the answer, voice dreamlike.

…

Several hours later.

Fang Xing turned and left; where Fei Changqing had stood, he was now an ice statue.

A breeze passed over the statue, turning it into countless ice shards that scattered into the air, dissolving completely…

"This Fei Changqing… no, Ye Xuanqing… was truly a dominant figure of his era."

Night was silent.

Fang Xing walked through the Evergreen Grove, tending saplings, recalling the intelligence gleaned from the soul-confusing interrogation.

"This Xuanmu True Person was indeed killed by Xielian True Person's ambush…"

"Fortunately, his cultivation was extraordinary—he escaped with a sliver of his Yin Spirit, allowing him to possess a new body…"

"Possession is a grave taboo; possessed cultivators cannot master their original techniques, so he planned to cultivate another set of scriptures to condense the 'Water-M Wood Year Pill'… if completed, this pill would grant him even greater power than his past life…"

"Alas… he met me."

Fang Xing felt no guilt over killing Fei Changqing—this Yin Spirit True Person was no saint.

He came to Qingyu Garden to scheme against Fei Yong, and intended to use the ten-thousand-year-old Evergreen Tree to forge a superior Dao Foundation.

Had he stopped there, it might have been forgivable—but during interrogation, Fang Xing learned this man planned, after achieving Dao Foundation, to use the 'Soul-Stealing and Foundation-Swallowing' technique to devour a Dao Foundation cultivator who had forged the 'Water-Luolong' foundation, to complete the 'Water-M Wood Year' technique!

"The 'Soul-Stealing and Foundation-Swallowing' technique is rampant among demonic sects; officially banned by orthodox sects, yet secretly practiced by countless cultivators…"

"Because the foundational diagrams of techniques are excruciatingly difficult to comprehend—if everyone relied solely on talent and insight, at least half the Dao Foundation late-stage cultivators today wouldn't exist…"

"If one cannot comprehend a technique's foundation, the only recourse is to devour another's Dao Foundation to compensate one's own Dao resonance…"

"This Xuanmu True Person had mediocre relations in Qingmu Ridge, clashed with several Yin Spirit True Persons, feared persecution upon returning, and thus delayed his return—planning to perfect his technique first… and here he is."

Fang Xing had no interest in these grudges and vendettas.

What truly mattered to him was the technique.

"The Yuconglong superior Dao Foundation has few compatible companion techniques—the Grass Spirit is common."

"But those from Qingmu Ridge's inner circle know there's another option: 'Rou Tai Sui'!"

Pairing Yuconglong with Grass Spirit grants the 'Thousand Manifestations' technique—summoning three thousand Grass Spirits, invincible.

Pairing it with Rou Tai Sui grants the 'Flesh and Blood Proliferation' technique—a divine technique of demonic body refinement—granting immense physical strength, blood-rebirth capability, and exceptional survival potential.

Fang Xing had no use for the Thousand Manifestations—he already had tree-spirit awakening; the two overlapped.

But 'Flesh and Blood Proliferation' was excellent: immense physical power, superior in close combat, and capable of blood-rebirth.

As long as he preserved a single drop of essence-blood, even if his body was severed, he could recover instantly!

"Qingmu Ridge must have the foundational diagram for 'Rou Tai Sui'… if I can't exchange for it, I'll have to kill a Dao Foundation cultivator who has perfected 'Rou Tai Sui' and devour his foundation with the 'Soul-Stealing and Foundation-Swallowing' technique?"

If the first option was possible, Fang Xing preferred not to use the second—it contradicted his path of natural harmony.

…

The next day.

Fang Xing was meditating in his treehouse when he heard hurried footsteps approaching.

"Overseer Master, disaster!"

Meng Tiandong and Dong Meier's voices rang in together.

Fang Xing's will shifted; the treehouse split open a path—he stepped out: "What happened?"

"Overseer Master, last night someone secretly entered the valley—Fei Changqing's wooden hut was destroyed, and he's vanished…"

Meng Tiandong's voice trembled: "Suspected to be the work of Blood Shadow Sect demons!"

He was genuinely terrified.

Fei Changqing was at least a Qi Sensing late-stage cultivator—yet he vanished without a trace.

Did that mean the killer could eliminate any one of them just as easily?

"What? I'll go see!"

Fang Xing, startled, rushed to the herb garden.

Sure enough—he saw Fei Changqing's shattered hut.

"Immediately notify Shennong Hall!"

He feigned inspection, face dark as water, issuing orders.

Not long after, Fei Changnong arrived.

'Shennong Hall seems to have been stripped of many personnel—now everything falls to Fei Changnong…'

Fang Xing mentally scoffed, then stepped forward to speak with Fei Changnong.

"Sigh… another demon has infiltrated."

Fei Changnong sighed—he was Fei Changqing's relative.

"Indeed, this place is too remote from the sect, too isolated… fortunately, these are merely Qi Sensing demons—they wouldn't dare attack a Dao Foundation cultivator like me."

Fang Xing sighed: "This man is from the Fei family—I must write a letter to notify Brother Fei Yong."

After polite exchanges, he invited Fei Changnong to his treehouse.

"Brother's dwelling is truly… truly…"

Fei Changnong stared at the bare treehouse, only a few wooden stakes inside, then finally muttered: "Truly simple…"

"Heh, I favor nature, embrace spontaneity…"

Fang Xing smiled as he poured tea for Fei Changnong.

"Brother, you didn't come just for that lowly Qi Sensing disciple, did you?"

Fei Changnong accepted the wooden bowl, smiling.

For Dao Foundation cultivators, the death of a single Qi Sensing disciple was trivial.

"Indeed…"

Fang Xing admitted directly, then brought over a plate of berries: "My humble abode is plain—forgive me, Brother."

"If I'm not mistaken, Brother seeks the foundational diagram of a technique!"

Fei Changnong guessed: "Your farming arts are extraordinary—you've amassed over ten thousand merit points in just thirty years… I sense your aura—you're nearly at Dao Foundation mid-stage, aren't you?"

Though Fang Xing had long been Dao Foundation mid-stage, his Master-level Concealment Art allowed Fei Changnong to perceive only what Fang Xing wished him to see.

"Precisely…"

Fang Xing nodded.

"I wonder what your Dao foundation is?"

Fei Changnong asked with some curiosity.

"Yu Conglong," Fang Xing replied.

"An upper-grade Dao foundation! No wonder your cultivation of spirit farming is so exceptional!" Fei Changnong smiled, a mix of surprise and inevitability: "The Yu Conglong foundation is already documented in our sect—it pairs with the Cao Tou Shen, allowing one to eventually achieve divine penetration, excelling in mass combat…"

"But… I heard there's another fundamental technique in the sect called 'Rou Taishui'?"

Fang Xing said softly.

Fei Changnong was startled and scrutinized Fang Xing closely: "I never expected someone secluded in a remote place like you could have made contact with a True Immortal…"

These technique combinations were secret methods used by Qingmu Ridge to control subordinate Dao foundation cultivators, never disclosed outside.

The fact that Fang Xing knew of them meant he must be connected to some Yin Shen True Immortal—causing Fei Changnong to regard him with new respect.

"I merely happened to obtain some related information…"

Fang Xing waved his hand: "Otherwise, I wouldn't have come to ask for your advice. Would the sect allow me to exchange for the fundamental technique of 'Rou Taishui'?"

"This…"

Fei Changnong looked troubled: "That fundamental technique is only available to our sect's direct disciples…"

"Are there any exceptions?"

"Of course there are exceptions—this is wartime, after all. With sufficient battle merits, many rare items in our sect can be exchanged."

Fei Changnong said.

Fang Xing thought for a moment, then shook his head: "What if I privately trade my merit points for battle merits? If I offer enough, surely someone would agree?"

"You're really… cautious."

Fei Changnong was speechless: "But let me warn you—many Dao foundation cultivators spend ten or even decades meditating on the Cao Tou Shen and gain nothing. Rou Taishui is far more difficult than Cao Tou Shen…"