Chapter 67: 67. Trade (Requesting First Subscription!!!)

67. Chapter 67: Trade (Requesting First Subscription!!!)

Underground cavern.

A group of cultivators surrounded a large man, advancing toward Fang Xing.

Most of these cultivators were at the early or mid-stage of Qi Condensation; though they wore different Dao robes and cultivation garments, some even patched, all bore the same mark on their chests and backs, clearly belonging to the same faction.

The large man at their center was muscular, with a square face and long purple beard, his strides commanding and his gaze radiating a hint of dominance.

“Greetings, fellow cultivator. I am Luo Hong, leader of the Tianxia Gang, seeking to befriend you… May I ask who stands behind you?”

Luo Hong spoke with a booming voice, his aura brimming with spiritual energy—he was clearly a late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator!

In this Qinglin Marketplace, a late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator was an absolute expert!

Like the eldest of the Black Absolute Trio, whom Fang Xing had killed, or Zhou Tong…

‘Truly, when there are no tigers in the mountains, monkeys rule as kings… and the cultivators’ usual arrogance—looking down on martial artists, assuming I have someone behind me?’

Fang Xing smiled inwardly, looking at this ragtag band—he judged them a new faction risen after the collapse of order—and growled, “Leave!”

“What did you say?”

Luo Hong’s smile froze; the cultivators behind him erupted in outrage.

When had a mere martial artist dared to ride over their heads?

And since joining Brother Luo and founding the Tianxia Gang, when had they ever suffered such humiliation?

“I’m merely expressing my goodwill…”

Fang Xing sighed.

This group of cultivators was plainly envious of his wealth.

If he spoke politely and negotiated, he’d only embolden them—and invite unspeakable consequences.

He deliberately shouted “Leave” to show he had backing; if they retreated, all would be well.

Of course, there was also the case where kind words fail to save a doomed fool—then there was nothing to be done.

“Fine, fine, we’re leaving!”

Luo Hong’s face darkened instantly, and he turned away.

“Boss!”

Nearby, a woman still radiating charm stepped forward: “Why not…?”

She made a gesture.

“This is still a market jointly operated by those Jijia … we must show them face. Did you leave the spiritual energy mark?”

Luo Hong replied in a low voice.

“Of course. A mere martial artist could never detect our cultivator techniques.” The woman giggled.

“Good. To dare provoke us like this, after we leave, track him down and kill him… doesn’t matter who’s behind him—even if he’s a Foundation Establishment master, we can’t fight him, but we can run.”

A cruel expression flashed across Luo Hong’s face.

By now, they were already at the point of ambush, robbery, and murder—who cared about the future?

For bandit cultivators, it’s simple: either the lamb dies or we do.

In this marketplace where survival was uncertain, every spiritual stone mattered—likely stained with blood!

…

Half an hour later.

Fang Xing emerged from the underground cavern, walking through the ruins with calm ease.

For a martial artist, such a complex environment was the ultimate terrain advantage!

Especially for a lone martial artist—when surrounded, he relished alley warfare!

This was a standard school subject—tested in exams!

In his hand, the Tiger Fiend Blade hummed, thirsting for blood!

Dark moon, high wind—perfect night for killing!

“If only lightning cracked and rain poured now—this scene would be perfect!”

?￠O

Fang Xing sighed, his foot stomped—and his figure vanished instantly!

BOOM!

Where his foot had stood, a deep crater now marred the blue stone pavement, surrounded by countless cracks spreading outward…

No—he hadn’t vanished; he’d moved too fast!

Behind him.

“Where did he go?”

Luo Hong, clad in a shimmering cultivation robe, wiped his flying sword.

His sword, named “Jade Spring,” was a top-tier Grade One weapon, its blade like flowing water, radiating a chilling, bone-deep cold.

Beside him, the woman held a detection talisman, her eyes glowing with spiritual light: “He vanished suddenly… but my spiritual energy mark shows he’s approaching at high speed…”

“Approaching us? Is he coming to surrender?”

A fat man in a hemp robe chuckled.

How could a mere martial artist stand against the Tianxia Gang?

The Tianxia Gang had dozens of members—twelve came out with the boss this time, forming the “Thirteen Protectors,” their elite all deployed!

One spell each would drown the brat!

ROAR!

In the darkness, it sounded as if a dragon roared!

BOOM!

A terrifying martial will, like a sledgehammer, slammed into the cultivators’ spiritual cores!

“Danger! Use ‘Soul Calming Talismans!’” Luo Hong’s hairpin, a serpent-shaped artifact, suddenly glowed crimson, snapping him back to awareness.

He realized he faced an enemy skilled in spiritual attacks; he roared sharply, his robe flaring with spiritual light, forming a shield of white jade that enclosed him completely.

The next instant, a dark shadow lunged from the night, blade flashing.

The hemp-robed fat man still wore a third of a smile when his bloated head flew high into the air.

He was at Qi Condensation Level Six—second only to their leader—yet he died so pathetically, never even activating a spell or artifact!

Before death, all are equal!

“What?!”

Luo Hong’s eyes twitched—his own powerful shout hadn’t roused his men. What kind of attack was that? Could it be… spiritual consciousness?

But battle had already begun—no time for second thoughts.

His gaze fell: Fang Xing’s blade flashed again, piercing two nearby cultivators.

“Bold!”

Luo Hong roared; the Jade Spring sword became a streak of light, its sword qi sharp and menacing, lashing toward Fang Xing.

Then, he summoned an ancient bronze bell, and with a single shake, a vast, resonant chime rang out.

The Tianxia Gang members, shaken by the dragon’s aura, finally snapped back—frantically tearing open protective talismans, casting spells, and launching artifacts to surround Fang Xing.

This “Mystic Sound Bell” was one of the “Strange Treasures” Luo Hong obtained from a secret realm!

Strange Treasures differed from Qi Condensation artifacts and Foundation Establishment spiritual tools—they required no soul-binding, only spiritual energy input to activate, often producing miraculous effects.

This “Mystic Sound Bell” could awaken the spirit and protect the spiritual core!

Moreover, Luo Hong shook the bell again—waves of invisible sound waves surged toward Fang Xing.

“Hah!”

Fang Xing twisted his blade, moving with it, slicing the Jade Spring sword away with one strike.

Simultaneously, a “Golden Bell Shield Talisman” activated, enveloping him in a phantom golden bell.

Beneath the golden bell, his nanotech suit covered his entire body—even his eyes—like a layer of silver armor.

After this, Fang Xing ignored the rest of their attacks; his long blade swung again—the Ghost Blade surged forth, and more heads flew!

“Impossible!”

Luo Hong watched his trusted followers reduced to severed limbs and scattered remains, his eyes blazing with rage.

He saw low-grade spells surge like a rainbow flood—wood vines, fireballs, water arrows nearly drowning Fang Xing.

But the next instant, vines were torn apart; the fireballs and water arrows barely pierced the Golden Bell’s illusion, leaving only faint marks on the silver armor when two flying knives and several pearl artifacts struck.

He had become a silver-armored death god—bursting through the spell flood, each slash cleaving through defenses and killing his trusted men!

‘Could he be a body cultivator?’

‘No… that’s impossible… can body cultivators be this strong?’

Luo Hong’s Mystic Sound Bell was both offensive and defensive; its “Confusing Sound” could affect even late-stage Qi Condensation masters—why was Fang Xing unaffected? Body cultivators’ spiritual cores were weak!

‘Could he be… a Grade Two body cultivator?’

Only a Grade Two body cultivator’s spiritual consciousness could resist the Confusing Sound!

But Luo Hong had no time to marvel—Fang Xing was already before him.

“Boss… save me…”

The woman’s tearful cry reached him; Luo Hong saw the gang’s most beautiful woman, her face filled with sorrow, a bloodline appearing on her brow—then she split cleanly in half, revealing behind her a demon of slaughter!

“Indeed, martial arts demand real combat!”

Fang Xing, like a demon, wielded the Tiger Fiend Blade with exquisite precision—never once striking the Jade Spring sword’s edge, yet always lightly tapping its body, sending the top-tier artifact flying far away.

Blood-refined artifacts are merely low-grade; they break easily when directly clashed with high-grade flying swords.

Thus, Fang Xing always used nimble force to deflect the Yuquan Sword.

But apart from this late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator’s attacks, he could simply ignore all others.

Through countless battles since then, not a single person has broken his defense.

Even when the nanite suit sustained damage, silver-white liquid would instantly surge forth and rapidly repair it…

Of course, Fang Xing inside the defense still felt the effects of various shocks, extreme heat, and corrosive spells.

Unfortunately, after passing through the Dragon Scale Elephant Armor, these effects were easily absorbed by his Jade Skin, Mystic Flesh, Willow Tendons, and Steel Bones.

‘Anyone else—even a Primordial Expert—would have been violently shattered by that spell torrent just now…’

‘But I am different!’

Fang Xing thrust forward his long blade; the Ghost-Slaying Slash of the Ghost Blade erupted into a sharp blade radiance, crashing heavily onto Luo Hong’s protective jade shield.

By now, of the Thirteen Great Protectors sent by the Tianxia Gang to pursue him, only the boss remains!

‘This man is no ordinary foe—he’s stronger than the two late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators before him… And this bell? It can protect the spirit from my Dragon’s Realm influence!’

Fang Xing slashed once, then slashed again.

In the void, three blade shadows stretched endlessly; infused with Primordial Qi, the Tiger Fury Blade’s radiance surged, causing cracks to appear on the white jade shield’s surface!

‘Wait…’

Luo Hong retreated swiftly, his face drenched in cold sweat.

He simply could not believe that this seemingly ordinary martial artist was a hidden killing god!

He was a cultivator, his body refinement nearly at the Second Stage, yet he shamelessly suppressed his spiritual energy fluctuations to disguise himself as a mortal!

Humans can only comprehend what lies within their own understanding.

In Luo Hong’s worldview, only body refinement experts could be this powerful—never a mere martial artist!

‘Let’s talk…’

He spoke with extraordinary sincerity, pleading for peace amid the mountain of corpses and seas of blood from his subordinates.