Chapter 613: Compensation

"Thank you, Manager Uncle, for your assistance."

Yu Santián helped Yu Hua to his feet; the man looked as if he had aged decades overnight, his vitality and spirit utterly drained, yet he mustered the strength to thank Fang Xing.

Yu Hua's failure to break through to the Dao Foundation meant all the years of investment by the Yu family had been for naught; added to his age, the fact he hadn't spat blood and died outright already spoke of his formidable willpower and qi cultivation.

"Hmm, one failure doesn't mean anything—you'll have other chances in the future."

Fang Xing offered the words offhandedly.

He had resolved not to support Yu Hua's advancement to the Dao Foundation, but he still had to say the proper formalities.

At that moment, he glanced toward the valley entrance: "Your Master Fei has arrived—go greet him."

By the calendar, it was time for the once-in-a-decade harvest.

Fang Xing sensed Fei Changnong's aura and was slightly surprised—after all, the man should have been dead long ago; he had been waiting to attend his funeral feast.

Fang Xing led the group to the entrance of Qingyu Garden and saw Fei Changnong descend slowly on a verdant flight aura.

"Huh?"

Fang Xing internally let out another surprised exclamation.

Though Fei Changnong still appeared frail and ancient, the decay and deathly aura clinging to him had largely dissipated—he now resembled an elderly man well-kept, one who might live another decade or two.

'Wrong… he's concealing himself with some secret technique.'

'If I weren't a Yin Spirit True Person with exceptionally keen perception, I might have been fooled… certainly no ordinary Yin Spirit True Person could see through it.'

He stepped forward and bowed: "I'm truly indebted that Elder Brother Fei came personally—I dare not accept such honor…"

"Haha, no need to worry."

Fei Changnong forced a faint smile: "It's merely my duty…"

Fang Xing watched him deliberately adopt a gloomy expression and asked a few probing questions.

Fei Changnong sighed again: "Alas… your Red Sister has passed… she worried over my lifespan and heard rumors of a market auctioning a longevity pill effective even for Dao Foundation cultivators—she went to investigate, but… never returned!"

"Elder Brother… please take care. I'm sure Red Sister wouldn't wish this upon you."

Fang Xing quickly offered comfort, and as he spoke, he lightly patted the man's arm.

In an instant, he broke out in goosebumps.

'Life vitality within him is abnormal—though qi and essence blend, it's clearly an external presence…'

'This Fei Changnong has changed—he's become a "Longevity Demon," resorting to any means to extend his life!'

In this world, truly side-effect-free methods to extend the lifespan of high-level cultivators are exceedingly rare.

All other methods carry horrific side effects.

Fang Xing knew Fei Changnong had almost certainly betrayed his own consort, using dual-cultivation techniques to drain her lifespan.

Just as the consort of Tao Hong from the Blood Shadow Sect had done.

Worse still, since it's not targeting a Dao Foundation, the conditions are even more stringent and the side effects more severe.

'Red Sister was Fei Changnong's consort—years of cultivation had fused their qi and essence, making her lifespan drainable… even so, the loss was immense; retaining one-third would be generous…'

'If he'd kidnapped some random Dao Foundation female cultivator, he'd be lucky to retain one-tenth…'

'Moreover, practicing such demonic longevity arts gradually drives the mind insane, turning one into a "Longevity Demon!"'

A Longevity Demon will spare nothing to gain more lifespan!

Consorts may be killed, descendants sold—nothing is beyond reach, and one is no longer the person they once were.

'The world is ever-changing…'

Fang Xing watched Fei Changnong cheerfully tallying the medicinal herbs, recalling scenes from decades past.

Though he looked the same, his core was utterly different.

'Just a dozen years ago, Fei Changnong had willingly sacrificed his own lifespan to protect his consort—how could he have changed so drastically?'

'No, perhaps it was the weight of his decaying body, watching himself age day by day, death drawing ever closer… until the despair drove him mad, shattered him?'

Though Fang Xing had never experienced it, he knew the terror of facing one's own relentless decay!

The body becomes a prison for the soul, aging ceaselessly, losing everything…

'Instant death terrifies few, but slow, agonizing death is far worse—it can shatter any mind's sanity…'

"This harvest totals over five hundred merit points—I'll count it as six hundred for you. You must work harder, Younger Brother."

Fei Changnong spoke with solemn gravity.

Fang Xing's Concealment Technique had reached Master-level perfection; later, he integrated other methods of qi suppression, rendering his aura utterly flawless.

To Fei Changnong, Fang Xing, though appearing young, carried the faint scent of a candle guttering in the wind.

His encouragement was deeply suspicious.

'A Longevity Demon will spare no effort to acquire resources for his own longevity… perhaps he covets my inheritance, planning to devour my entire lineage?'

Fang Xing recalled Fei Changnong's earlier insinuation—hinting he should falsify harvest yields to gain massive merit points—and sneered inwardly.

'No, this obsession likely existed long ago—but now, after his corruption, it's been magnified a thousandfold.'

'In other words, unless he consumes my entire legacy, his mind remains unfulfilled?'

Watching Fei Changnong depart, Fang Xing shook his head and ordered the garden disciples to return to their duties.

Indeed, many talented disciples had been reassigned; Meng Tiandong was dead; the elder gardeners had become Yu Santián.

Though Yu Hua had just failed his breakthrough, Yu Santián still forced himself to rally and assign daily cultivation tasks.

Fang Xing glanced over briefly, found it passable, and returned to his treehouse.

Now at Level 17 Druid, he gained additional specializations; though his Wild Shape talent improved less noticeably than his Tree Shepherd ability, it had improved nonetheless.

'Level 17 Druid is already a High-Level Druid.'

'The 【Miniature Transformation】 specialization is equally straightforward.'

Fang Xing thought for a moment, and a spherical white paper ball appeared in his hand.

Only upon close inspection could one discern it was a paper house.

The paper house was exquisitely carved, its interior a self-contained realm where countless paper figures labored.

They were pre-processing talisman paper; some even crafted paper armor and paper soldiers…

Nearby stood a fully armed paper army, led by a paper general, subtly forming a battle array.

—Spiritual Illusion Paper House Realm!

"I have mastered the art of origami."

After all, this realm was forged by a single cultivator's effort; compared to the Blood Shadow Sect's patchwork inheritance, its power far surpassed theirs.

It was only because Fang Xing refused to limit himself to origami alone that he fused his Yin Spirit with the Spiritual Illusion Paper House Realm.

Otherwise, with origami alone, he might rival Qing Yuzi, that Yin Spirit Late-Stage True Person!

"Go!"

Fang Xing tossed the paper house—countless talisman papers instantly covered the surrounding treehouse.

Spatially, his treehouse had now been replaced by the Spiritual Illusion Paper House Realm, transformed into a deadly trap.

Even an ordinary Yin Spirit True Person entering would gain no advantage.

Only after completing this did Fang Xing move leisurely.

Whoosh!

—Wild Shape!

In an instant, he transformed into a jade-green beetle, flapping his wings, flying out of the treehouse, even leaving the valley.

The valley's array stirred faintly—a beetle flew out, attracting no notice.

The 【Miniature Transformation】 had this advantage: weak life force, minimal disturbance, unlikely to draw attention.

More crucially, this jade-green beetle was a mutant insect Fang Xing had carefully cultivated over decades!

Though lacking other talents, its stealth and ability to penetrate arrays had been pushed to the extreme!

Master-level Beast Taming, combined with the Druid's communion talent, was this terrifying!

Buzzing!

Fang Xing flapped his wings, flying near Shennong Hall to a cave dwelling.

"Tiny! Tiny! Tiny!"

In an instant, the jade-green beetle shrank from thumbnail-sized to a sesame seed, its aura fading to near nothingness.

After waiting a moment, Fang Xing saw the array ahead glow faintly—a disciple walked over.

He recognized the disciple: one of Fei Changnong's students, once exiled to the herb garden, later reassigned after the great calamity.

Fang Xing gently flew onto the disciple's sleeve and was carried into the cave dwelling.

He sensed the disciple, who had cultivated Hunyuan Qi, trembling slightly.

As if facing not a revered master, but some monstrous demon.

"Ah, Little Eighteen…"

From within the cave, Fei Changnong's voice echoed, low and chuckling like an owl at night.

"Master, I pay my respects."

Little Eighteen immediately knelt before Fei Changnong.

"Is it done?"

Fei Changnong sat before a purple sandalwood desk, brush in hand, writing without looking up.

"It's done."

The disciple quickly replied, offering a flying-squirrel pouch, faintly reeking of blood.

"Good…"

Fei Changnong put down his brush, gazing at the flying squirrel bag, and sighed: "Your Red Shu has passed, and I am deeply saddened—but her disciples are truly unworthy… and they keep blabbering nonsense. In my sect, loyalty comes first!"

"I swear to serve my Master with all my heart and soul."

The disciple quickly knelt to pledge his loyalty.

"Good. Go now. Among your fellow disciples, I have the greatest hope for you… I have few years left to live. This vast legacy, and the Dao foundations and spirit items—all are yours."

Fei Changnong offered a few more words of reassurance and waved his hand for the disciple to leave.

Fang Xing landed on the ground like a speck of dust, utterly inconspicuous.

Not long after, several more disciples entered, each handing over their flying squirrel bags and then being fed large flatbreads.

'So Fei Changnong says the same thing to every disciple?'

'No wonder these disciples are terrified yet excited—they've probably been secretly ordered to do something vile.'

Fang Xing watched as Fei Changnong opened each flying squirrel bag and took out some resources—several items radiating faint blood qi, unmistakably of demonic origin.

"Young Brother Fang… why won't you just die?"

Suddenly, Fei Changnong muttered to himself, arranging several demonic items into an altar.

He placed a torn corner of a beast hide upon the altar, his expression instantly turning icy…