Chapter 607: Posterior Foundation Establishment

The Yangshen Zhenjun are the final reserves of the ten major orthodox and demonic sects.

And they can live for a thousand years; none would willingly engage in mortal combat unless utterly desperate.

Even as Qingmu Ridge faced existential crisis, its Yangshen Zhenjun still refused to fight to the death with peers, opting instead to decide the sect's fate through a wager.

Now the result is in: Qingmu Ridge has been chosen as the weakest of the ten sects, and will face the life-or-death trial of the Killing Sect.

This is the pact signed by the ten major sects of the Outer Lands—the Corpse Cult, Blood Shadow Sect, Haoyang Sect, Feixian Palace, Qingmu Ridge, Feijian Gate, and others—at the Shangshen Palace: to preserve the ten sects' titles; should any sect be expelled from the Zhou Shenchao, the others must sacrifice a portion of themselves to replace the weakest.

In effect, this tacitly acknowledges that any sect surviving until now to be expelled is inherently far stronger than the original ten of the Outer Lands.

Once a new sect joins the ten, it must sign a new pact, and so the cycle continues.

If an outsider force refuses to comply and expands recklessly, the ten sects shall jointly crush it!

Qingmu the Old Ghost knew that if he refused now, not only could he not pass the future test—he wouldn't even survive this one.

And given the Killing Sect's mad behavior, they might not even relocate to the Outer Lands at all.

Even if they did relocate, they'd surely seek total war, not merely absorb Qingmu Ridge alone.

"This round, I have lost."

As Qingmu the Old Ghost conceded defeat, the battlefield of Qingmu Ridge underwent a strange shift.

The paper-house dimension and the opera pavilion began slowly retreating; likewise, each Blood Shadow Sect disciple of Foundation Establishment rank withdrew.

They carried away their spoils of slaughter and plunder, nearly bursting with loot.

Of course, some unlucky ones had left their lives here.

The survivors of Qingmu Ridge were nearly all wounded, staring in stunned silence at the scene… their eyes filled with varying degrees of bewilderment.

To the east, the sky had brightened.

Streams of morning light pierced the dawn, spilling across Qingyu Garden.

"Thank you, Senior Brother, for healing me…"

Fei Yong's face was pale, but he looked otherwise well: "Are we… victorious?"

"We have not won. We have merely seen the Blood Shadow Sect retreat."

Fang Xing shook his head: "When the Killing Sect arrives, that will be the true trial."

At these words, the surviving disciples turned ashen-faced.

…

Several days later.

Qingmu Ridge remained in a state of post-battle recuperation, the overall atmosphere heavy and grim.

Even Qingyu Garden had lost most of its disciples in battle; by Qingmu Ridge's standards, this was almost good.

A low pressure hung in the air, as if the collective despair of the cultivators over their uncertain future.

Inside the treehouse.

"Finally… achieved it!"

Fang Xing formed hand seals, and suddenly a faint green lingzhi mushroom appeared around him.

The air filled with fragrant mist, infusing his body with fresh vitality.

"My cultivation energy recovery rate is at least five times faster than before… and my injury recovery is even more improved."

"Is this the pseudo-spiritual technique of 'Rou Taishui'?"

Fang Xing opened his eyes, a hint of joy crossing his face.

As the pseudo-spiritual technique of 'Rou Taishui' coalesced, his internal energy instantly broke through a bottleneck—reaching Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

"Foundation Establishment Late Stage and Mid Stage seem to differ by only a minor realm, but one can easily fight three or four Mid Stage cultivators…"

"After all, this is the gap between two pseudo-spiritual techniques and one."

"Of course, once one becomes a Yinshen True Immortal, the difference becomes that between true spiritual techniques and pseudo-spiritual techniques… the power gap widens further!"

Fang Xing smiled faintly and resumed his cultivation.

One day.

In the treehouse, he reached out and caught a paper crane.

A voice emerged from the crane, instructing him to proceed to the Ancestral Hall.

Fang Xing considered for a moment, then calmly changed into Qingmu Ridge's green long robe and flew there on a teleportation light.

The Ancestral Hall was grand in scale, but several buildings were now damaged, clearly showing the damage inflicted by the Blood Shadow Sect that night.

"Younger Brother Fang… cough… you're here too."

A voice came; Fang Xing looked and saw Senior Brother Fei, supported by Senior Sister Hong.

But now, Senior Brother Fei's black hair had turned entirely white—he looked like a man on the brink of death.

"Senior Brother Fei… what happened?"

Fang Xing feigned shock.

"We were ambushed by demonic cultivators; I had no choice but to swallow a 'Fengmo Duoshou Pill' to forcibly trigger spiritual power… just surviving is a miracle."

Fei Changnong still trembled at the memory of that night.

Even though he disregarded his lifespan and gorged on pills to boost his power, facing several Foundation Establishment Late Stage masters nearly cost him his life and cultivation.

Fortunately, at the critical moment, for some unknown reason, the demonic brutes all withdrew.

Otherwise, his life would have been forfeit.

"At least you're alive."

Fang Xing sighed deeply.

Senior Sister Hong asked Fang Xing a few more questions, learned the situation in Qingyu Garden, and her heart sank:

'What is this? Do madmen get mad luck?'

'This Younger Brother Fang cultivates paper-folding arts, possesses Foundation Establishment Late Stage power, yet Qingyu Garden is poor and stubborn… and in this great calamity, his losses were minimal…'

'We, who preserve life, seek longevity and fortune… ended up with nothing but chaos. Is this fate?'

Fang Xing had no idea of Senior Sister Hong's inner musings.

He walked into the Ancestral Hall with Fei Changnong and saw fewer than fifty Foundation Establishment cultivators seated on cushions.

This was nothing like when he first joined the sect, when many Foundation Establishment cultivators were in seclusion or on missions.

'So Qingmu Ridge now has fewer than fifty Foundation Establishment cultivators left?'

Fang Xing glanced around and saw many cultivators pale-faced, their vital energy severely damaged; many had lost limbs or were still grievously wounded.

Before the many bright yellow cushions sat three jade cushions, upon which three Yinshen True Immortals sat in meditation, equally gloomy.

This atmosphere was worse than their injuries!

'Of course… none are fools. They know the Blood Shadow Sect didn't retreat because our Yangshen Zhenjun defeated their patriarch—more likely, Qingmu Ridge surrendered.'

'We escaped this round, but when the Killing Sect comes, we'll be wiped out utterly.'

'The clever ones have probably already fled to defect.'

Fang Xing silently mocked, then found a spare apricot-yellow cushion near the back and sat.

Not long after, his expression sharpened.

His enhanced natural perception, strengthened through multiple ascensions of the Druid, sensed a vast thought rapidly approaching.

Its aura was like a blazing sun, instantly engulfing the Ancestral Hall.

"Bow to the Ancestor!"

The three Yinshen True Immortals on the jade cushions rose and bowed respectfully forward.

The other Foundation Establishment cultivators quickly followed suit.

After joining the collective bow, Fang Xing caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye: an old man in a green robe, hands hanging past his knees, unkempt face, eyebrows and beard knotted and wild.

'Is this Qingmu Ridge's Yangshen Zhenjun? Qingmu the Ancestor?'

'They say Yangshen Zhenjuns live a thousand years… not bad.'

Fang Xing silently mocked, when Qingmu the Ancestor waved his hand and tossed down two Foundation Establishment cultivators: "Enough… just now, my divine sense swept Qingmu Ridge and discovered these two faked death to escape and planned to betray the sect. According to sect law, how should they be punished?"

"Betrayal is the gravest sin—execute them!"

A Yinshen True Immortal with a face like a jade mask and a peachwood sword on his back spoke coldly.

Fang Xing had interrogated Fei Changqing and knew this man was Qingmu Ridge's foremost Yinshen True Immortal—Qingyu Zi.

"Correct. In chaotic times, use harsh laws."

Qingmu the Ancestor sneered and flicked out two flower seeds.

The seeds struck the cultivators' bodies, burrowing instantly into flesh and taking root.

Soon, sprouts burst from their seven orifices.

The two Foundation Establishment cultivators did not die, but trembled violently, unable to move—obviously in excruciating pain.

The Foundation Establishment cultivators present, especially those from the Shennong Hall, were horrified.

"Medicinal Human Technique!"

Fei Changnong murmured, turning his head away—he clearly knew these two well.

Fang Xing understood.

The "Medicinal Human Technique" uses cultivators as fields to grow strange spiritual herbs.

The afflicted cultivators do not die, yet must endure the constant agony of plant roots slowly crushing their bones, corroding their limbs and organs, and blooming within their dantian—all while immobilized, worse than death itself.

"Take them away."

Qingmu the Ancestor ordered the two Medicinal Humans carried off, then his cloudy gaze swept the assembly: "In this great battle, all who remain are meritorious. The sect treasury is fully open—great rewards for merit!"

"Moreover… regarding the Killing Sect, you need not panic. The Ancestor has already devised a foolproof plan."

After instilling fear, the Green Wood Ancestor turned to conciliation.

When his speech ended, he swept his sleeve, instantly transforming into a hall full of green light, then vanishing without a trace.

"Dear everyone..."

Qingyu Zi's expression was cold as he pulled out a golden scroll: "Here is the Merit Roll… If you wish to exchange, come to the Hall of Rewarding Virtue and Punishing Evil to find me."

"This is the Exchange List."

Another female Yin Shen True Person raised her hand, and a jade scroll flew out, slowly unfurling.

Gazing at the wondrous spiritual items, divine arts, and marvelous techniques listed within…

Aside from Fang Xing, who remained silent, Fei Changnong and other Daoji cultivators exchanged glances, each thinking: "Has the sect gone mad?"

Fang Xing glanced over and saw numerous secret transmission diagrams of divine arts, powerful magical artifacts, even Daoji Pills and Daoji spiritual items…

"The sect naturally has stockpiles of Daoji Pills, and dedicated spiritual herb fields… They merely rotate cultivation to ensure several batches can be refined every sixty years, in endless cycles…"

"But now, clearly, they no longer care."

"Is this both to strengthen the sect's power, and to prevent its core resources from falling into outsiders' hands?"

Fang Xing glanced over and saw one item at the very top of the Exchange List, making Fei Changnong's breathing grow heavier.

"Divine Art Pill Membrane — A Heavenly Wonder. Daoji Post-Stage cultivators who refine and contemplate it may attain the subtleties of Divine Art creation, with a two to three percent chance of condensing a true Divine Art and ascending to Yin Shen True Person!"

Fang Xing read the description, and his eyes flickered.

Outsiders believed him to be Daoji Mid-Stage, with little lifespan left, and no hope of advancement.

In truth, he was already Daoji Post-Stage.

Next, he must consider how to break through to Yin Shen True Person.

"It's a fine item… but I don't have enough merit."

Even counting the Daoji cultivators he killed at Poisonous Dragon Hill, Fang Xing's merit was far from sufficient to exchange for this "Divine Art Pill Membrane."