Several hours later.
Red Maple Valley, the 'Heavenly Maple Tower' where the Patriarch cultivated.
At the banquet, cups and chopsticks clinked together incessantly, lights shimmered with dazzling colors, and dancing girls and musicians performed—a scene of perfect harmony and joy.
Li Rulong sat high in the host's seat, unexpectedly bearing an aura of a coiling dragon and crouching tiger. He said to Fang Qing, who was seated as a guest, "Let me introduce you, Brother Fang. You've met my younger sister before. These are Madame Miaoyi, Chunyun Zi, Zhang Hefang..."
Fang Qing greeted them one by one. Then he noticed two mortals seated in the lowest positions and couldn't help smiling. "So it was you two..."
"We greet the Immortal Sir!" Liu Wansu and Zhu Zhenheng, both clad in armor, stood up and saluted.
They were Li Rulong's sworn brothers, yet lacked the aptitude for cultivating immortality.
This time, when Li Rulong wanted to establish a righteous army, they followed him at the cost of their entire family fortunes. Now they had managed to become leaders among the mortal soldiers in the righteous army.
Seeing this group of immortals feasting at this moment, who knew what feelings stirred in their hearts?
"By the way, Brother Li, why did you suddenly raise a righteous army?"
Fang Qing was somewhat curious.
Given the unbearable suffering of the people in Ba Commandery, it was normal for there to be refugee armies. Back when he hadn't come into contact with extraordinary powers, even he had wanted to rise up in rebellion—to hell with it all.
But now that he knew the truth of the world, he no longer had that kind of guts.
"Sigh... I was born with the [Kang Jin] destiny. That fortune-telling expert said I possess dragon qi and ought to undertake the task of revolution, of changing the mandate..."
Li Rulong sighed. "I didn't really believe it at first, but after I began cultivating and entered the Dao, reaching the middle stage of Qi Acceptance, the Minor Geng Metal Sword Art became increasingly difficult to advance... Then I happened to encounter the mother and daughter of the Pu family in Yulin Commandery. Grateful for my previous life-saving grace, they introduced me to the head of the Pu family... The Pu family is a prestigious clan in Yulin Commandery with considerable strength. They also couldn't stand how chaotic the neighboring Ba Commandery had become and wanted to pacify the turmoil... We hit it off immediately. They gave me some support, and with the help of a few fellow Daoist brothers, I raised the righteous army..."
Fang Qing listened, his gaze turning strange as he stared at Li Rulong.
'Why does this person increasingly resemble a novel protagonist? The mother and daughter he happened to save just happen to be from a Purple Mansion aristocratic family... Bearing dragon qi, and he encounters troubled times? And his cultivation still advances so boldly and rapidly?'
'It seems the cultivation of the Qi Acceptance path has quite a bit to do with practicing the path of one's own destiny?'
'But... Ba Commandery hides dragons and crouching tigers. Not to mention Dao Foundation aristocratic families, the Black Toad Sect has a Purple Mansion Patriarch—how does he dare?'
Fang Qing thought this in his heart, but admiration appeared on his face. "Brother Li has such ambition; I admire you immensely. I just don't know... how do you plan to deal with the Black Toad Sect?"
"Fellow Daoist, you do not know. The Purple Mansion Patriarch of the Yulin Pu family, 'Lord Pu Shan,' has already met with the Black Toad Sect Patriarch. The two sides agreed that cultivators above the Dao Foundation level are not allowed to intervene in this matter, leaving it to us underlings to decide for ourselves..."
Madame Miaoyi, whose face was like that of a young girl, covered her lips and laughed.
"So that's how it is..."
Fang Qing understood: 'If I were a Purple Mansion Patriarch with five hundred years of lifespan, I definitely wouldn't easily fight a cultivator of the same rank either... Leaving it to those below is indeed a good idea.'
'The rise and fall of these two commanderies, the livelihoods of millions of commoners—for Dao Foundation and Purple Mansion cultivators, isn't this just a game?'
That Li Rulong could advance by leaps and bounds in cultivation—first, it was because he matched his own destiny, and second, it was because he obtained support and had cultivation resources!
Knowing this, Fang Qing had no intention of joining the righteous army.
'Although being a vanguard pawn has its benefits, and being used means one has value to be used... But I now hold heavy treasures and am not lacking in such things at all. I've already put on shoes; I can't act like someone who is barefoot.'
He sighed inwardly.
Speaking honestly, Fang Qing still very much wanted to hack and slash at some Black Toad Sect cultivators and avenge his family's blood debt.
But now? He chose to be more steady and prudent, waiting until he reached Dao Foundation or Purple Mansion before taking fierce revenge!
When Fang Qing firmly refused to join despite Li Rulong's repeated invitations, the atmosphere at the banquet immediately cooled considerably.
On the contrary, Li Rulong carried the bearing of a great general: "Haha... everyone has their own ambitions. Since Brother Fang is unwilling, I won't force you... By the way, Brother Fang mentioned earlier that you wanted to come to Maple Leaf Valley to exchange for spiritual resources? I wonder what you wish to exchange for? Let me see if the army has it..."
"Exactly... I wish to refine pills, but I'm still missing one ingredient—'Seven Star Grass.'"
Fang Qing spoke honestly.
"Fellow Daoist is actually an alchemist?"
Chunyun Zi, who had been quite arrogant earlier, immediately changed expression. "Seven Star Grass... I do happen to have a few stalks..."
Li Rulong nodded and looked toward the Ye Family Patriarch.
"My family's medicinal fields contain this spiritual herb."
The Ye Family Patriarch answered with a stiff scalp, afraid that Li Rulong would say something like having it directly confiscated.
"Excellent... I have several hundred catties of spirit grain on hand, and a few bottles of spirit water suitable for early and middle stage Qi Acceptance cultivators to increase their magical power... All of it can be used for exchange."
Fang Qing was delighted inwardly.
The spirit grain he brought out had been blended here. Qi Acceptance cultivators who consumed spirit grain daily could also advance their cultivation; it counted as a type of cultivation resource.
"Good, good, good..." Chunyun Zi hurriedly made the exchange, then asked whether Fang Qing could help him refine pills. His words carried a considerable amount of flattery, to the point that even Madame Miaoyi beside him furrowed her delicate brows.
'It seems that in this Ancient Shu region, the inheritances of the hundred arts of immortal cultivation are quite ordinary... Or perhaps, it's because I haven't joined a great Purple Mansion sect?'
Fang Qing thought of how his foundational basics in alchemy were laid in the Core Formation great sect, Blue Sea Gate, and immediately gained some enlightenment.
'I never expected that although I couldn't outcompete those fellow disciples in the sect, over here I'd count as a high-level, precision, cutting-edge talent among loose cultivators?'
He rejoiced inwardly and completed the transaction with the Ye Family Patriarch.
'Very good. With these Seven Star Grass, I refuse to believe I can't refine Spirit Concentration Powder...'
"Good, everyone drink together..."
Li Rulong witnessed this scene, the corner of his mouth curling up slightly as he raised his cup again.
Suddenly!
The expressions of those seated changed slightly, while only a few mortals remained ignorant.
"A cultivator is approaching—it should be a Qi Acceptance realm cultivator from the Black Toad Sect..."
Li Rulong stood up, his expression heavy and solemn.
The Ye Family Patriarch's expression immediately changed drastically. "A disciple of such a high-level sect—this old man probably couldn't beat even one of them... Even if I could, who would dare to kill?"
He felt bitter in his heart: 'The Yulin Pu family wants to enter Ba Commandery but doesn't want to directly conflict with the Black Toad Sect, so they support a few pretentious righteous armies... This old man must have had terrible luck for eight lifetimes to be targeted by you all. Now I'm trapped, unable to advance or retreat.'
"I dare to kill!"
Li Rulong let out a long howl. Man and sword merged into one, transforming into a brilliant golden sword light that shot into the sky.
In midair, a layer of dark clouds had appeared at some unknown time.
The sword light charged into them, like a sword breaking through at dawn.
"Ah!"
A scream rang out, followed immediately by a venomous female voice: "Junior Brother Miao was killed... How bold!!"
Buzz buzz!
In the void, clusters of earthy-yellow insect swarms had appeared at some unknown time. Looking closely, one would discover they were formed from countless insects merged together, making one's scalp go numb.
"Kill!"
A willow branch appeared in Guo Tianhong's hand, which he waved toward the sky.
A layer of jade-green radiance emerged. The willow branch's light sprinkled into the insect swarms but quickly dissipated on its own.
"Black Toad Sect cultivators primarily cultivate [Di Tu]. This earth governs plagues and diseases, capable of releasing pestilence..."
Madame Miaoyi shouted, "Everyone, be careful."
The insect swarms in the sky scattered, revealing several Black Toad Sect cultivators with indigo head wraps, black vests, leggings, and bare feet. Among them, a female cultivator formed hand seals with both hands, riding an earthy-yellow heavenly ox as she charged toward Li Rulong.
The other cultivators each picked out Guo Tianhong and the others.
Even though Fang Qing had immediately placed everyone in front of him as protection, he was still targeted by a triangular-eyed cultivator.
He sighed, piloting his Green Leaf Boat as he slowly retreated outside the valley, searching for a suitable battlefield. "This fellow Daoist, I'm only here to trade. I'm not with the righteous army..."
"Hehe... do you think I'll believe that? Moreover... you call these refugee bandits a 'righteous army,' clearly showing you already have a stance in your heart."
The triangular-eyed cultivator sneered.
"You're right..."
Fang Qing laughed despite himself. He truly had no good feelings toward these Black Toad Sect cultivators.
Not to mention he had just bought Seven Star Grass from Li Rulong; even if it were just his family grudge, he couldn't let the opportunity pass.
"Forget it, let's settle this quickly."
He made up his mind. His right hand brushed across his storage bag, and three Fireball Talismans immediately appeared.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three massive fireballs exploded. Both the temperature and the range far exceeded when Fang Qing had experimented on Jade Island.
"Damn it... so many fire-attribute talismans?"
The triangular-eyed cultivator's face changed drastically. He waved his hand and produced a pitch-black shield.
The massive flames exploded, leaving black, pitted holes on the shield.
"Hoo..." This cultivator luckily escaped disaster. A look of relief and venom appeared on his face as he glared fiercely at Fang Qing. He took out a bamboo tube from his bosom, from which crawled a crimson twin-tailed centipede. He was about to perform Toad Art.
The Black Toad Sect was famous for its Toad Art, most skilled in all kinds of sinister and malevolent techniques that caused opponents to be poisoned or even die without realizing it!
But before he could perform the Toad Art, he saw Fang Qing pull out another metal-attribute talisman.
Shoo!
A golden light flashed in the void, and a massive golden blade appeared. It had complex patterns on it, and an overflowing sharp aura. It was actually not inferior in the slightest to that sword cultivator Li Rulong!
The blade light flashed past, and the black iron shield was directly sliced into two halves, the cut bright as a mirror.
"Damn it... who exactly is this person? A direct descendant of a Dao Foundation family?"
The triangular-eyed cultivator already wanted to flee. He didn't know how the opposing cultivator's magical power was, but based solely on this collection of talismans, it was enough to compare to a true inheritance disciple in the sect.
"Fire Cloud Talisman!"
At this time, Fang Qing, harboring the thought that evil must be thoroughly eradicated, activated his trump card—a top-grade first-rank Fire Cloud Talisman.
When this talisman activated, he instantly felt three-tenths of the magical power in his dantian vanish!
'This kind of consumption? If I were still at early-stage cultivation, I'm afraid my dantian would be sucked dry... No wonder Qi Refinement cultivators find it hard to use second-rank talismans—the gap is too great.'
Fortunately, Fang Qing had always paid attention to body forging and spiritual cultivation. At this moment, he controlled that violent spell as it took form.
Whoosh!
Endless fire clouds gathered, like raging waves and surging seas, instantly swallowing the triangular-eyed cultivator...