Chapter 516 - 31: Going to the Xia Family

Fang Cheng sat cross-legged on the Jade Couch, his hands forming a Seal Technique as he circulated his Profound Skill. The Demonic Light behind him blazed like fire, his aura astonishing.

He had originally used the Circulation Qi Collection Technique to open the Lingkong Heavenly Domain Immortal Gate, drawing in supreme Spiritual Qi to temper his Dharma Body. As a result, his cultivation speed was incredibly fast.

But as his Cultivation and Magical Power increased, he inevitably hit a bottleneck. The growth of his Magical Power gradually slowed, and in the end, no matter how much Spiritual Qi he devoured, it refused to increase by even a single iota.

That was the peak of the Early Dharma Stage.

Thus, Fang Cheng turned his focus to the Nine Revolutions Profound Origin Technique, continuously elevating his Body Refining. After a few years of arduous cultivation, his physical body broke through to the Mid-Fourth Transformation, making him comparable to a Body Refining Cultivator at the Mid-Dharma Stage.

It was then that Fang Cheng sensed the elusive barrier begin to give way.

His Qi Sea expanded. After his Netherworld Giant Kun Dharma Aspect devoured more Spiritual Qi, it once again began refining it into a vast, surging well of Magical Power.

He stopped worrying about external affairs, cast aside all distracting thoughts, and focused his mind, single-mindedly charging the barrier to the Mid-Dharma Stage with his full power.

Winter gave way to spring, seasons changed, and before he knew it, more than a decade had passed.

「One day.」

He suddenly opened his eyes, which shone with a brilliant, sharp light.

He let out a low shout. In his Qi Sea, the Netherworld Giant Kun threw back its head and roared, and a silent, thunderous boom seemed to shake his entire body.

In an instant, it felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his chest. His body felt light, and a sense of profound, uninhibited relief washed over him. An indescribable feeling of joy welled up in his heart.

He understood in his heart that as of this moment, he had shattered his shackles and stepped into the Mid-Dharma Stage!

With his fetters gone, his Magical Power surged several times over. Fang Cheng could feel an incomparably potent Magical Power roiling within him, and it felt as if he could shake the very heavens and earth with the slightest movement.

With a shift of his Seal Technique, Profound Light surged behind him. A fissure appeared in the void overhead, revealing a towering, majestic gate.

The gate opened a crack, and an astonishing amount of Spiritual Qi poured down like a torrential river.

The Netherworld Giant Kun leaped from Fang Cheng’s body, opened its massive maw, and ravenously inhaled all the Spiritual Qi, an act of pure bliss.

Unhurriedly, Fang Cheng spent another three years in secluded cultivation to completely solidify his realm, only then slowly drawing his power back in.

Although he was only at the Mid-Dharma Stage, the sheer volume of his Magical Power was in no way inferior to Late Dharma Stage masters from the Mingxiao Domain, such as Pei Juxian and Xia Guming.

In total, this period of secluded cultivation had lasted for twenty-seven or twenty-eight years. He had visited the Ghost Market twice during this time, but unfortunately, the trips were uneventful, bringing no fortuitous encounters.

「Now.」

He sat cross-legged on the Jade Couch, contemplating his path forward.

’The Demon Lord’s incarnation is a persistent threat. In a little over seventy years, the Demon Lord will return. When he discovers that both his disciple, Jin Wujiu, and his attendant, the Shengshou Scholar, are missing, he’ll inevitably track me down!’

’Just as the Dragon Elephant Wanderer said, the only real solution is to increase my own strength.’

’As for how much help the Red Profound Association will be, I won’t know until their assembly in thirty years.’

’There are three things I need to do right now—’

’First, I need to refine the Tier Five Feather Divine Soldiers and gain control of Tribulation Realm combat power. That’s the only way to ensure my safety for future cultivation.’

’Second, I need to gather the Spiritual Medicines for the Cyan Dragon Divine Pill Formula and prepare to refine this Divine Pill.’

’Third, I must continue searching for the Ancient Profound Talisman. If I can open the Immortal Copper Treasure Box soon enough, I might be able to give the Demon Lord’s incarnation a nice "surprise."’

He sat quietly for the time it takes a few incense sticks to burn. Having settled on his path forward, he waved a hand to dispel the restrictive seals within Yongchang Hall and sent out a Flying Sword Communication. Before long, Jingxuan arrived to pay his respects.

They had not seen each other in years, and Jingxuan’s aura had grown considerably more profound. He had clearly not neglected his cultivation.

Fang Cheng asked, "Xuan’Er, has anything important happened while I was in seclusion?"

Jingxuan shook his head. "Nothing major. Big Brother is currently at the True Flame Sect with Senior Yingya, forging the frames for the Feather Divine Soldiers, while I have been with the clan refining Xuan Du Jade Talismans."

Here, he paused, his face filled with admiration as he said, "It is all thanks to the Wuxie Child you left for us. Over a decade ago, he managed to gather a Tier Four Kui Ox and a Nine-headed Gu Snake. After years of countless attempts, I can finally successfully refine Fourth-rank Xuan Du Jade Talismans."

Fang Cheng smiled slightly and nodded. "Excellent. You truly haven’t let your talent go to waste. To refine a Fourth-rank Talisman while still in the Life Soul Realm... your Talisman Art has a great future."

"You praise me too much, Father," Jingxuan said humbly, adding, "Senior Brother Li Chan also gave me a lot of guidance; I can’t take all the credit. But... I don’t understand. Father, how can you upgrade a Fourth-rank Talisman to the fifth rank?"

To refine a talisman, one first needs precious materials of the corresponding rank.

A Fifth-rank Xuan Du Jade Talisman would naturally require a Tier Five Kui Ox and a Nine-headed Gu Snake.

Both are exceedingly rare and terrifyingly powerful beasts. Obtaining their hides and blood is no easy task.

Secondly, the talisman would have to be refined by a Talisman Refining Master.

There were no masters capable of refining a Fifth-grade Talisman in either the Wilderness Domain or the East Cyan Domain. One would have to search for such a person in the Mingxiao Domain.

Fang Cheng pondered for a moment before saying, "I will be making a trip to the Mingxiao Domain soon. Once I find the materials for a fifth-rank talisman, you will use them to refine a Fourth-rank Talisman. After that, I have my own way of adding the finishing touch."

When Jingxuan heard this, the memory of Fang Cheng summoning his Dream Spirit Incarnation all those years ago flashed through his mind, and he instantly understood.

’So Father already possesses a Tribulation Realm incarnation...’

He was secretly astonished but said nothing aloud.

The father and son spoke for a while longer, and then Jingxuan took his leave.

「Not long after.」

Fang Cheng walked out of Yongchang Hall, called for the Wuxie Child, summoned the Qianhuan Immortal Mansion, and departed from the Primordial Qi Celestial Island.

The Qianhuan Immortal Mansion expanded to the size of a hundred acres and soared through the heavens, wreathed in billowing, colorful mists.

This treasure was a Fifth-rank Magical Artifact. It not only possessed profound defensive and suppressive abilities, but was also incredibly fast in flight.

Sitting within the Immortal Mansion, Fang Cheng steered the treasure toward the Western Wilderness, then crossed the great chasm between the domains and headed straight for the Mingxiao Domain!

The great chasm that was an insurmountable barrier for ordinary Life Soul Cultivators and most Dharma Realm cultivators might as well have been an illusion before the Qianhuan Immortal Mansion.

To say nothing of the Dragon Elephant Wanderer’s Five-Colored Divine Ox from back then!

Back then, Fang Cheng had been almost completely oblivious as the Dragon Elephant Wanderer transported him from the Mingxiao Domain to the Wilderness Domain.

After Fang Cheng and the Wuxie Child arrived in the Mingxiao Domain, they headed in the direction of the Xia Family, an Ancient Noble Family.

In less than half a month, the Qianhuan Immortal Mansion arrived outside the Immortal Mountain where the Xia Family was located.

Years ago, Fang Cheng had traded the Xia Family’s Reincarnation Mirror and the life of Xia Guming for two Tier Five Flying Swords.

Today was the day he had come to see that agreement through.

After all, the ultimate form of the Great Inference Celestial Net Sword Array required a total of forty-nine Tier Five Flying Swords. Only then could it achieve endless transformations and boundless killing intent, making it a truly peerless Slaughter Treasure Technique.

In the World Heaven from which it came, it was crowned the number one killing array under heaven, rumored to be able to cut through anything.

Now that Fang Cheng had some free time, he naturally had to collect more flying swords to increase the might of this array.

...