"It must not be passed on? Then what if I pass it on to you?" Fang Wang looked at Zhou Xingshi and asked with a smile.
Zhou Xingshi's expression changed slightly. He hurriedly said, "Senior Brother Fang, please do not joke with me. How would I dare to entertain such hopes?"
Fang Wang shook his head and smiled. "I am not joking. From now on, you are one of mine. Naturally, I hope you become as strong as possible. Go back. Come collect these two jade slips in seven days."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Xingshi was overjoyed, yet he did not dare let it show on his face. He could only agree before rising to leave.
After taking two steps, he suddenly recalled something and turned back. "Right, the Sect Master asked me to remind you that you may still carry out the Third Vein's usual missions. They can temper your combat experience and hone your Dao heart. If you have any needs, you may seek him out. It is only that the mission rewards will not change on the surface."
Zhou Xingshi was filled with emotion. Whenever he thought of Fang Wang possessing a Heaven Origin Treasure Spirit, he could not help but feel alarmed.
That was a Heaven Origin Treasure Spirit of legend!
Throughout the history of Great Qi's immortal cultivation world, a Heaven Origin Treasure Spirit had never appeared.
Zhou Xingshi would not question Guang Qiuxian's judgment, because his Treasure Spirit had truly been terrified that day. Moreover, afterward, he learned that the Treasure Spirits throughout the entire Taiyuan Sect had gone out of control. To possess such might the instant it was molded into form—other than the legendary Heaven Origin Treasure Spirit, what grade could it be?
Fang Wang nodded, then picked up a jade slip from the table.
Seeing this, Zhou Xingshi did not disturb him further and swiftly departed.
After the mountain gate of the cave abode closed, Fang Wang looked at the jade slip in his hand and thought, Zhou Xingshi, are you truly one of mine, or one of the Sect Master's? That will depend on how you perform.
He had indeed taken Yang Yuanzi's words to heart. He would not place complete trust in anyone, at least not in his heart.
As for that so-called Myriad Poisons Spring Autumn Worm, Fang Wang felt it was far more than simply chanting an incantation before him. The chant was likely only to prevent Zhou Xingshi from assassinating Fang Wang. Yang Yuanzi surely had other methods, enough at least to remotely control Zhou Xingshi's life and death.
Now that was interesting. Zhou Xingshi's life and death were controlled by Yang Yuanzi, yet he acted on Guang Qiuxian's behalf, and now he had to assist Fang Wang as well. With three identities weighing on him, Zhou Xingshi himself was likely miserable beyond measure.
Fang Wang began to read the jade slip in his hand with his Spiritual Sense.
The first thing he saw was four large characters.
Body Protection Divine Gang!
Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.
Zhou Xingshi arrived as promised. Inside the cave abode, holding the two jade slips, he hesitantly asked, "You are really giving them to me? And in such a short time, you have completely memorized every method of cultivation?"
Fang Wang nodded. "Memorizing them is not difficult. Take them and cultivate."
For Zhou Xingshi, it had only been seven days. For Fang Wang, however, one hundred and thirty-eight years had already passed.
Within the Heavenly Palace, cultivating the Body Protection Divine Gang had taken him forty years, while cultivating the Great Heaven Lightning Summoning Technique had taken him ninety-eight years.
The Body Protection Divine Gang was, as its name suggested, a defensive spell.
The Great Heaven Lightning Summoning Technique, on the other hand, was exceedingly tyrannical. It drew down lightning from the heavens to descend upon the world and destroy enemies, its power boundless.
Judging by the time required for cultivation, Guang Qiuxian had indeed not been perfunctory. Both were superior techniques.
Ordinary cultivators spent most of every day absorbing qi, and the time they could devote to cultivating spells rarely exceeded one-third. A technique like the Body Protection Divine Gang would likely take over a hundred years to cultivate to great completion, and that was assuming one had talent comparable to Fang Wang's.
As for the Great Heaven Lightning Summoning Technique, it was surely a Dao law that the overwhelming majority of Taiyuan Sect disciples could not come into contact with even if they exhausted their entire lives.
As a Personal Disciple, Fang Wang could also select three superior Dao laws from the Dao Law Pavilion. However, he had no such plans for the time being. At present, he already possessed combat methods, so he might as well devote his energy to piling up his cultivation.
Zhou Xingshi looked at the two jade slips in his hands, his heart surging with emotion.
He had survived because Fang Wang had spoken for him. Now, before he had done anything at all, Fang Wang had bestowed two ultimate arts upon him. How could he not be moved?
However, he was not someone who liked expressing himself.
"Good!"
Zhou Xingshi answered, then saluted and took his leave. Only after the mountain gate of the cave abode closed did Fang Wang settle down to cultivate with peace of mind.
He was merely borrowing flowers to offer Buddha. If it could win over people's hearts, that would naturally be a good thing. If not, he would not lose anything either.
Autumn passed and winter came. Snow finally fell, draping the peaks of Taiyuan Sect in a blanket of white, vast and boundless, with a unique charm of its own.
A massive Flying Sword cut through the endless snow and landed before the gates of the great city within Taiyuan Sect.
Two figures leaped down from the Flying Sword. One of them was Great Qi's Son of Heaven, disguised as a scholar.
The Taiyuan Sect disciple standing atop the Flying Sword looked down at him and said, "Your token only allows you to remain for one month. Leave on your own after that month is up. Otherwise, our sect's Law Enforcement Hall will not be polite with you."
With that, the disciple controlled his sword and departed.
After he vanished into the vast snowy expanse, a young man behind Great Qi's Son of Heaven curled his lips. "Your Majesty, that man was truly arrogant. He simply—"
"Shut up! Do not speak nonsense!"
Great Qi's Son of Heaven barked coldly, frightening the young man into silence. He did not dare say another word.
Snowflakes drifted down. Great Qi's Son of Heaven brushed the snow from his head, gazed at the towering city walls, and filled his eyes with yearning. He softly said, "Let us go. Let us see this land of immortals."
Amid the boundless snow, master and servant walked toward the city gate. Their figures were so tiny, as though the heavy snow could bury them at any moment.
Elsewhere.
Atop the Third Vein's mountain, the gate of a cave abode opened. Fang Wang emerged with his six clansmen, and everyone chatted and laughed.
"Brother Fang Wang, we will be going now."
"Make sure you cultivate properly after you return."
"Hehe, with Thirteenth Brother's guidance, we will definitely cultivate diligently."
"Fang Wang, do not worry. I will definitely become an Inner Disciple!"
Fang Wang stopped and watched them descend the mountain.
They had entered Taiyuan Sect ten months ago. All the Fang Manor disciples selected by Zhou Xue had already cultivated spiritual energy and stepped onto the path of immortality. The strongest had reached the third level of the Qi Nurturing Realm, but their Sword Control Technique was not yet proficient enough for them to fly down the mountain on swords, so they could only walk.
Snow fluttered through the air. Watching his clansmen's figures gradually vanish into the pale whiteness, Fang Wang's heart was filled with warmth.
In his previous life, when he read immortal cultivation novels, he had thought the path of cultivation was lonely and solitary. Now, with these clansmen by his side, with something to rely on in his heart, the feeling was truly good.
At that moment, Fang Wang suddenly understood why Zhou Xue had brought the Fang Manor disciples along to cultivate. Aside from laying out plans, companionship and support were also important. Being alone and without help might stimulate one's potential, but it was exhausting as well.
The mountain gate of the neighboring cave abode suddenly opened, and Gu Li emerged. The moment Fang Wang saw her, his head began to ache.
This girl had truly set her sights on him.
Whenever he came out, as long as she was in her cave abode, she would come out as well.
Gu Li naturally walked over to Fang Wang's side and asked, "Are those all your clansmen?"
Fang Wang could only make polite conversation. "Yes, we grew up together."
Gu Li raised her right hand and lightly gathered a lock of hair. "I envy you. I am the only one from the Gu Family who came to Taiyuan Sect. The others went to different sects."
In order to endure for generations, immortal cultivation Aristocratic Clans often distributed their descendants among different sects. The Fang Family had only just entered the immortal cultivation world and did not yet possess such foundations.
The two began chatting. Fang Wang had cultivated for too long and wanted to enjoy the scenery, so he continued speaking with her.
Most of the time, Gu Li spoke while Fang Wang listened.
"By the way, have you already successfully molded your spirit? Why can I not see through your cultivation? Could it be that you have already surpassed me?" Gu Li asked curiously, her bright, watery eyes fixed on Fang Wang with an unusual radiance.
Fang Wang could not withstand her gaze and looked into the distance. "Yes, I succeeded in Spirit Molding. A High-grade Mysterious Origin Treasure Spirit."
His cultivation had already reached the third level of the Spirit Sculpting Realm and was not far from the fourth. Gu Li was still at the first level of the Spirit Sculpting Realm, so naturally she could not see through his cultivation.
"Can you guess what grade my Treasure Spirit is?" Gu Li blinked and asked with a smile behind her hand.
The moment Fang Wang heard that, he knew hers was higher than his. No wonder she had so quickly become a Personal Disciple. He had previously thought the Gu Family had used money to force the issue, but now it seemed her talent was the key.
It seemed Zhou Xue had been right. Even without him, Taiyuan Sect would become the strongest sect in Great Qi's immortal cultivation world.
"An Earth Origin Treasure Spirit?" Fang Wang asked with deliberate caution.
"Yes, a low-grade Earth Origin Treasure Spirit. Although my Treasure Spirit's grade is a little higher than yours, you have surpassed me in cultivation. It seems your cultivation technique is stronger than mine. When we are close to breaking through to the Spirit Pill Realm, shall we spar again?" Gu Li nodded, her face filled with anticipation.
So that was what she had been planning.
Fang Wang had thought Gu Li liked him. It turned out she simply refused to admit defeat.
In that case, he felt no burden instead. He immediately raised his chin and smiled. "Fine. You had better cultivate well. From now on, I will wait at every major realm for you to challenge me."
"It is a deal!"
"Mm!"
The two smiled at one another. Then Gu Li began describing the customs and people of Northern Luo, introducing her family.
Half an hour later, the Bell Chime rang through the Third Vein.
Fang Wang had heard such Bell Chimes twice before. They signaled the arrival of a vein mission, but he had never paid them any attention. Personal Disciples could ignore such missions.
"Come on, let us go take a look. We cannot stay cooped up in the cave abode all the time."
Gu Li suggested. Fang Wang hesitated briefly, then nodded.
For some reason, upon hearing that Bell Chime, his heart felt inexplicably uneasy, as though something bad had happened.
The two rode their swords through the air toward Pure Heart Hall at the mountaintop.
Disciples emerged one after another from cave abodes throughout the Third Vein's mountain, all flying toward the summit and eventually gathering before Pure Heart Hall.
The moment Fang Wang and Gu Li arrived, many disciples immediately surrounded them with great enthusiasm. Some male disciples secretly clenched their fists, believing the two had already formed some kind of relationship.
Some female disciples whose hearts had begun to stir also secretly felt heartbroken. Senior Brother Fang was so handsome, yet regrettably, he already had a Dao companion he admired.
Senior Disciple Li Yu stood on the steps with his hands behind his back. Seeing Fang Wang arrive, he immediately nodded at him with a smile.
After a while, once nearly all the disciples had arrived, Li Yu finally spoke. "I have summoned everyone today because disciples of the Second Vein have encountered trouble and require assistance from our Third Vein. This mission is entirely voluntary, and it requires entering the territory controlled by a Demonic Path sect."
The Second Vein's disciples had encountered trouble?
Fang Wang immediately thought of Fang Hanyu. He had been gone for several months and had yet to return. When Fang Wang had chatted with his clansmen earlier, the youngest, Fang Xin, had still been worrying about him.
As soon as Li Yu finished speaking, a disciple immediately questioned why the Second Vein's affairs had come to their Third Vein.
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