Cultivating Immortality in Two Realms

Chapter 242 Sea Serpent

Commercial building.

Shang Yuanxin gazed at the pill in her hand, her eyes filled with amazement: "The quality is superb... Fellow Daoist Bai truly deserves to be called a third-tier high-grade alchemy master." "Hehe... Fellow Daoist flatters me."

Fang Qing sat opposite him, sipping his spiritual tea, as if admiring the landscape painting on the wall.

As a reception room in the commercial building, this quiet room was decorated quite elegantly. Next to the landscape painting was a jade vase with plum blossoms inserted in it. He carefully sensed and discovered no less than five kinds of restrictions, covering soundproofing, spirit suppression, and so on, and the protection was quite good.

After admiring the pills, Shang Yuanxin smiled and said, "I haven't yet congratulated you on fulfilling your wish, Fellow Daoist. The Tianquan Island Merchant Guild has reported that it does indeed produce the spiritual spring you require, called 'Qingming Spiritual Spring'..." He saw that Fang Qing's expression remained unchanged, as if he already knew, but in his heart he thought, "This person doesn't show his emotions; he's quite shrewd." Shang Yuanxin was unaware that Fang Qing had already foreseen this item after he gave him the crucial clue.

Furthermore, this "Clear and Bright Spiritual Spring" is called "Spiritual Rhinoceros Jade Rinse" in the Qi Cultivation Dao realm, and it is one of the several Purple Mansion spiritual items suitable for cultivators at the peak of the [Ji Water] Dao Foundation to break through to the Purple Mansion and refine supernatural powers! "As expected of the cultivation world of the East Sea, spiritual items are so abundant... Just casually dropping a fourth-order spiritual spring yields quite a few Purple Mansion spiritual items..." Fang Qing sighed inwardly, then asked seriously, "Would Heavenly Spring Island be willing to sell?"

"This 'Qingming Spiritual Spring' is not only a top-tier water-based spiritual object for Core Formation, but it also has many wonderful uses... It's even rumored that Nascent Soul elders can use it to cultivate several powerful spells... It's incredibly valuable." Shang Yuanxin sighed, not giving a definitive answer.

"If this is it, I wonder if it's enough?"

Fang Qing smiled, casually took out a jade box, and placed it on the table.

Shang Yuanxin was stunned.

He really hadn't expected that this alchemy master possessed something of value comparable to the "Qingming Spiritual Spring."

When the jade box was opened, a fruit shaped like an infant was found inside, its entire body covered in blood vessels.

Upon seeing someone open the box, a pair of bloodshot eyes glared at them, seemingly filled with resentment and malice.

"Is this... the fruit of a marriage of convenience?"

Shang Yuanxin could no longer maintain her composure, staring at the spirit fruit with a look of infatuation, even a hint of greed on her face.

He snapped out of his daze, quickly looked around, and made a hand seal, causing a transparent protective shield to rise up.

Then, looking at Fang Qing with a face full of surprise, he asked, "Should I address you as Fellow Daoist Bai, or Fellow Daoist Fang?"

"Haha, I am Xia Shui, greetings to Young Master Shang."

Fang Qing transformed back into the form of "Fang Shui," and the fluctuations of his magical power changed accordingly. He then bowed.

"Fellow Daoist's transformation technique is truly unparalleled in the world... It even fooled me."

Shang Yuanxin gave a wry smile: "Fellow Daoist, you've kept this from me for so long."

"After all, we've offended Old Monster Yuan, so it's best to keep a low profile..."

Fang Qing waved his hand dismissively: "Look at this 'Resentful Marriage Fruit,' can it be exchanged for 'Clarity Spirit Water'?"

He possesses many treasures, but the only one of high value in the Qi Refining Path, and which he is willing to exchange, is this "Fruit of Resentment." Although this fruit can be considered an opportunity to form a marriage alliance, the consequences are too great, and the success rate is not high. Fang Qing himself certainly wouldn't use it.

And what about the remaining uses? Naturally, they can only be traded.

Merchants can thus find a good channel to sell stolen goods.

As for using this item to convert someone who has reached the peak of Core Formation and then let them use it to break through to the Nascent Soul stage?

Fang Qing himself cannot even defeat a Core Formation Perfection cultivator, so how can he convert them?

As for asking the other party to be willing?

It's obviously unlikely.

If you offer the temptation of a marriage of convenience, the other party's first reaction will definitely be to snatch it directly, rather than to submit.

"Even if I really wanted to cultivate a Nascent Soul cultivator, the Resentment Fruit wouldn't be enough. I'd also need to scheme for Tribulation-Crossing Treasures and Heart Demon Treasures... So many resources being invested in others just for a Nascent Soul subordinate? Why don't I use them myself?"

"That's enough, of course it's enough!"

Shang Yuanxin nodded repeatedly, even though he couldn't suppress a hint of greed in his heart.

If the person in front of him had not been Fang Shui, but rather the previous Bai Keqing, he didn't know if he could have resisted the temptation.

But recalling Fang Shui's feat of escaping unscathed from a Core Formation cultivator within a near-fourth-tier formation, and then toying with a mid-stage Yuan Qu cultivator, Shang Yuanxin immediately calmed down. His Yuanxin Workshop's formation was similar to the near-fourth-tier formation of Bingtian Workshop; even at full power, it certainly wouldn't be able to hold back the person before him. Moreover, offending a cultivator with a Void Spirit Root meant that if that person married in the future, their Void Divine Power would increase, making them even more elusive, and even Shangjia Island might not be able to intimidate them… "Since I've already invested, I should invest wisely…"

"Besides, I want this favor, and I also want the gift of the spirit object!"

After a thousand thoughts raced through his mind, Shang Yuanxin chose to speak frankly: "Fellow Daoist... is the 'Clarity Spiritual Spring' all you need?"

"good……

Fang Qing, understanding the implied meaning, put away the jade box containing the "Fruit of Resentment": "Whoever brings me the 'Clarity Spirit Spring' can trade with me for this opportunity to form a Nascent Soul..." "Since that's the case, then there's no need for you to trouble yourself, fellow Daoist. I guarantee I will definitely bring you the 'Clarity Spirit Spring'!"

Shang Yuanxin gritted his teeth. Even if his savings weren't enough, he would borrow from his family and use his status as the young master of the Shang family, his connections, and his network of relationships... He was determined to obtain a "Clear and Bright Spiritual Spring." Then, he could also secure this marriage opportunity and gain a huge favor from Fang Shui!

As for the potential consequences of the "fruit of resentment in marriage"? He could simply exchange it for other opportunities to marry from the family treasury, or even use it to train his subordinates.

It's hard to say about his other subordinates, but Uncle Fu has followed him through thick and thin for many years. If he were to advance to the Nascent Soul stage in the future, he would definitely grant Uncle Fu a chance to marry. "Good. Fellow Daoist, just inform Zhong Meng and Zhong Lingxiu when you succeed."

Fang Qing smiled.

"Oh? Zhong Meng?"

Shang Yuan's expression shifted.

"This is a force I casually supported, so I'd appreciate your continued support, fellow Daoist..."

Fang Qing cupped his hands in greeting, his figure bursting into the void and vanishing without a trace in an instant.

This……

Shang Yuanxin's eyes twitched: "This person's void magic is even stronger... Even if I call in Yuan Qu the Old Monster, can we really subdue him?" "This is a deterrent! And he's keeping Zhong Meng as a hostage... What a Fang Shui!"

"Such meticulous thinking and magnanimous spirit... what will he be like after advancing to the Nascent Soul stage? This person disdains using such a flawed opportunity for cultivation; he must have great ambitions." "Haha, the stronger this person becomes, the stronger my future allies will be!"

Sea Snake Island.

This island is not well-known in the cultivation world of the East Sea; in fact, it's quite ordinary. Because the island is small and has only one second-tier spiritual vein, it rarely attracts the attention of high-level cultivators. Furthermore, a group of strange sea serpents lives on the island. These sea serpents are adept at corrupting magical artifacts and spiritual weapons with their demonic energy, and they are also highly poisonous… Crucially, their flesh and blood have very little spiritual energy and taste particularly unpleasant. In fact, the probability of a second-tier sea serpent producing a demonic core is shockingly low compared to other second-tier demonic beasts.

This has turned the cultivators' attempts to subdue the sea serpents into a losing proposition.

Over time, as long as these sea serpent monsters did not harass the cultivators' gathering points, no cultivators came to attack them.

A harmonious atmosphere of coexistence between cultivators and demonic beasts has formed on the entire island.

This day!

Rumble!

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth within a radius of dozens of miles was unusually restless, and suddenly gathered together, transforming into a cloud.

"this……"

On the island, a Qi Refining cultivator, struggling to control his spiritual power, was forced to drop his magical artifact. Gazing at the distant vortex of spiritual energy, he muttered, "Core Formation...a celestial phenomenon?" "Why would anyone choose such a remote place to form their Core?"

"We will go quickly to pay our respects to the senior, and perhaps we can obtain some good fortune."

A beam of light appeared, and one of the Foundation Establishment cultivators' eyes gleamed: "Let's all go and offer our congratulations..."

"That's right, that's right..."

"Let's go together, let's go together..."

The nearby cultivators all chuckled and agreed, their eyes gleaming with an unusual light.

Obviously, how many spirit stones could one get from the so-called "lucky draw"?

What they wanted to do was wait for that senior to fail in forming his core and die, and then divide up all his wealth!

They even deliberately made a commotion to interfere with the other party's Core Formation!

What if the other party successfully forms their Golden Core?

They've come to offer their congratulations, and besides, there's no punishment for everyone...

Unless they are particularly bloodthirsty demonic cultivators, they would be in a good mood when their own cultivators successfully formed their core, and wouldn't go so far as to attack those who were less skilled in cultivation.

The group of Foundation Establishment cultivators arrived at the location of the celestial phenomenon and discovered it was a small hill.

"This is Three Python Mountain? It's been occupied by three second-tier snake demons..."

One of the Foundation Establishment cultivators examined the situation and said, "The spiritual energy is decent, but it's only second-tier, high-grade... Phew, this must mean a large sum of spirit stones were used to fill the gap in spiritual energy..." All the Foundation Establishment cultivators' hearts skipped a beat: "A fat sheep..."

But at this moment, a formation shot into the sky, with talismanic light flowing within and a faint aura of malevolence... clearly quite formidable.

There was even a second-tier Longevity Turtle, perched beside the cave like a small mountain, watching these uninvited guests with wary eyes. "A spirit pet guarding the place?"

"A high-grade second-tier turtle? No, a peak second-tier longevity turtle... In terms of defense, even a magic weapon couldn't break through its defenses in one strike, right?"

"With such a force, even a single Core Formation cultivator could hold out for a considerable time..."

The Foundation Establishment cultivators looked at each other, but none of them made a move.

If we make a move now and that spirit pet remembers us, things could get very complicated once that senior successfully forms his core.

All they could do now was wait and hope that their senior would fail in his Core Formation attempt.

"Judging from the surging spiritual energy, the Core Formation stage must have reached its most crucial juncture..."

An elderly man stroked his beard, shaking his head as if he wanted to express some opinion.

But suddenly, a cold, Core Formation-level divine sense swept over: "Heh heh... a bunch of cowardly scoundrels. It seems I'll have to take action myself!" Accompanied by the divine sense, a dark light slammed into the formation, causing the Longevity Turtle inside to roar in anger.

"Hmm? A Core Formation cultivator?"

"Oh no, it seems to be the Heartless Taoist!"

Several Foundation Establishment female cultivators turned and ran.

This Heartless Daoist is a notorious Core Formation stage demonic cultivator in the nearby sea area. He is rumored to be lecherous by nature, and today he actually attacked a fellow cultivator who was in the process of Core Formation, which shows that he is extremely bullying the weak and fearing the strong!