In the dense forest, Fang Wang carried Fang Hanyu on his back while Zhou Xue led the way ahead. As for Zhou Xingshi, Zhou Xue had already sent him back to the Taiyuan Sect.
Before leaving, Zhou Xue had spoken with Zhou Xingshi alone. Afterward, Fang Wang noticed that Zhou Xingshi had become distracted and restless. When he left, he did not even spare Fang Wang another glance.
"Come out. You've followed us for long enough!"
Zhou Xue suddenly stopped and called out.
Fang Wang was not surprised. Several hours ago, he had sensed an aura following them, but it was very weak, so he had not taken it to heart.
A few breaths later, a great tree behind them trembled, and a green figure descended. It was a green-robed girl wearing a fox mask.
After landing, she said, "I mean no harm. You are heading toward my clan's territory, and I wanted to warn you, but I was afraid you might merely be passing through."
Upon hearing this, Fang Hanyu raised his head and said in surprise, "Miss Qing, you're alive?"
The green-robed girl snorted. "Of course I'm alive. But my clan suffered terrible casualties. Everyone is scattered and fleeing now. I got separated from them and headed back toward our territory. I didn't expect to run into you along the way."
Zhou Xue turned around and studied the green-robed girl. She clicked her tongue in amazement. "The Mountain God Clan. No wonder a demon saved Fang Hanyu. So that's how it is. The world is murky now; cultivators no longer recognize mountain gods."
As soon as the green-robed girl heard that, she stepped forward eagerly. "Big Sister, you know of our Mountain God Clan?"
"Yes. Heaven and earth are vast, with countless mountains and rivers. Since ancient times, the Mountain God Tribe has existed deep within the mountains. Though they share an origin with demons, they possess their own inheritance. They take human form earlier than Monster Beasts. The Mountain God Clan is kindhearted and sees guarding a stretch of land as its duty. As humans began cultivating immortality and failed to find any trace of immortals or gods, they lost their reverence for the divine spirits of heaven and earth. Though the Mountain God Clan has a name in history, in cultivators' eyes, you are no different from demons. Your bodies are even all manner of precious medicine to cultivators."
Zhou Xue answered softly. She was explaining this for Fang Wang and Fang Hanyu to hear.
After hearing that, Fang Hanyu could not help turning toward the green-robed girl and asking, "You're a demon?"
"What? Do you discriminate against demons?"
"Your friends before, your clansmen..."
"That's right. They were all demons. Little Yellow, the bird demon that woke you every day, is already dead."
The green-robed girl's answer silenced Fang Hanyu.
Such heavy words came from the green-robed girl's mouth as though she were joking, yet Fang Wang could sense that she was holding herself back.
"Since you are from the Mountain God Clan and saved Fang Hanyu, follow us for now. The place we are going merely passes through your clan's territory; it is not your territory. But in the future, that place can become a shelter for your clan as well. After all, in the years to come, the major Demonic Path sects will continue slaughtering the Mountain God Clan in every region."
Zhou Xue spoke again, extending an invitation.
The green-robed girl nodded. Seeing this, Zhou Xue said no more and continued leading the way.
Carrying Fang Hanyu on his back, Fang Wang transmitted his voice, "When I killed Li Hongshuang, some Green Cicada Valley cultivators escaped. Will they bring trouble to Fang Manor?"
The slaughter suffered by the Mountain God Clan had made him worry about the Fang Family again.
Zhou Xue replied through voice transmission, "As long as you did not reveal your household's name, even if Green Cicada Valley can trace it back, they will need time. Green Cicada Valley will not retaliate against a family for one disciple, but Li Hongshuang's Li Family will. You need not worry. I have my own methods."
Hearing that Zhou Xue had a plan, Fang Wang no longer overthought it.
They continued onward, encountering many demons and monsters along the way. Because the green-robed girl was with them, those creatures dared approach, and gradually, their group grew larger and larger.
Another two days passed.
They arrived before a towering mountain. Looking up, they could not see its peak. It pierced into the clouds and sprawled across more than a dozen miles. The mountains surrounding it on all sides were steep and rolling, with sparse trees, exuding boundless desolation.
Behind Zhou Xue and the others followed a vast procession of Monster Beasts, numbering more than a hundred. The largest was a wild boar, two zhang tall at the shoulder, with tusks a full zhang long. Its black fur drifted like flames, terrifying to behold. Though it looked fearsome, it had not yet reached the level of a monster.
Zhou Xue walked straight to a section of mountain wall and felt around on it. Soon, she seemed to trigger some mechanism. The mountain wall shook, revealing a crack as dust billowed into the air. A mountain gate pushed outward, exposing an enormous cave entrance five zhang high.
This mountain gate appeared tiny against the mountain wall, yet before Fang Wang and the others, it was like a towering building.
Fang Wang could not help asking, "What is inside?"
Without turning her head, Zhou Xue said, "Fifteen hundred years ago, a great cultivator of the Jihao Sect secretly built a vast cave abode here. He intended for his Lineage to hide from enemies seeking vengeance. Afterward, it was never discovered. Perhaps before he died, he did not even have time to tell his Lineage about this place. From now on, the Fang Family will cultivate here and unite the Mountain God Clan. I have named this cave abode the Fang Realm."
Realization dawned on Fang Wang. He had wondered before—was Zhou Xue really so kindhearted as to take in the Mountain God Clan?
So she had been making plans for Fang Manor!
After that, they entered the enormous cave entrance. The green-robed girl and the Monster Beasts curiously observed the tunnels along the way, whose walls were embedded with all manner of glowing crystals.
After walking roughly a hundred meters, a brilliant light appeared ahead.
Fang Wang stepped into the light. When he opened his eyes again, sunlight spilled across his face, and the sight before him moved him deeply.
Blue skies and white clouds, with the sun hanging high overhead. Verdant grasslands surrounded a great lake, while lofty mountains enclosed the area on all sides. It was truly a fairyland far removed from the mortal world.
"This is an array within the Fang Realm. It makes you feel as though you are in another world, but this pocket world has boundaries. It is far smaller than it appears. Rest here, all of you. Do not leave under any circumstances—at least, do not leave for the next month. As for the Mountain God Clan, your clan cannot be wiped out. Once the Demonic Path sects withdraw, you may go look for them again."
Zhou Xue turned and spoke to the Monster Beasts, though her gaze mainly rested on the green-robed girl.
The green-robed girl nodded. After experiencing so much slaughter, she would not act rashly.
Fang Wang asked, "Will Green Cicada Valley leave after a month?"
"Yes. The Jihao Sect's inheritance will spread in another direction, drawing the major Demonic Path sects into a scramble for it and stirring up years of bloody storms."
"Could it be the Heavenly Dipper Sacred Body True Scripture?"
"Of course not, but it is still an extraordinary cultivation art. At the very least, it will make Green Cicada Valley temporarily set aside Li Hongshuang's death."
As they spoke, they walked toward the mountain wall nearby. Fang Wang set Fang Hanyu down, then removed all the Storage Bags at his waist and placed them on the ground. "Inspect them when you have time. They are all for you, to help Fang Manor embark on the path of immortal cultivation."
Zhou Xue did not stand on ceremony. She nodded, then took out a small cauldron from a Storage Bag. Fang Wang watched as she kept tossing eyeballs into it.
That was right!
Eyeballs!
Fang Wang felt a wave of discomfort and immediately walked away. He went to the lakeshore and began meditating to practice Qi Gathering.
The green-robed girl led the Monster Beasts away to find places to rest. They were exhausted as well. For days, they had lived in constant fear, and now they only wanted a good night's sleep.
When night fell, Fang Hanyu suddenly let out a miserable scream that rang through the night sky.
Fang Wang merely glanced back before withdrawing his gaze and continuing his cultivation.
A month passed quickly.
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Fang Hanyu was already able to meditate and practice Qi Gathering, though his eyes remained covered with white cloth and could not endure the light.
Inside the tunnel, after Zhou Xue led Fang Wang through the various mechanisms in the cave abode, she said, "I must leave. Once Fang Hanyu's eyes have fully formed, you can return to the Taiyuan Sect."
Fang Wang had long been mentally prepared. He then asked, "Miss Qing wants to find her clansmen. Should we let her out?"
"Let her go. She has lived in the forests since childhood and should not encounter trouble. Going by the timing, that cultivation art should already have spread. Green Cicada Valley's attention will be drawn away. In any case, once Fang Hanyu's eyes have healed, you may return to the Taiyuan Sect on your own. There is no need to wait for me."
Zhou Xue nodded. She gave a few more instructions, then finally left only after Fang Wang urged her to.
Watching Zhou Xue's figure depart on her flying sword, Fang Wang stood at the cave entrance for quite some time before closing the mountain gate and returning to the lake in the Fang Realm to continue cultivating.
His battle with Li Hongshuang had made Fang Wang feel that he did not have enough Spiritual Energy. Killing Li Hongshuang alone had consumed much of it. He had to raise his cultivation realm and reach the Ninth Layer of Spirit Sculpting Realm as soon as possible.
The Fang Realm was tranquil. The Monster Beasts sheltering here were all quiet. They could already absorb Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy, as well as the essence of the sun and moon, and no longer needed to eat.
It was worth mentioning that the sun and moon within this pocket world were real. A special array allowed the sun and moon above the mountain summit to appear within the cave, creating distinct day and night that turned in sync with the mortal world.
On the third day after Zhou Xue left, the green-robed girl could no longer restrain herself. She left the cave world to search for other clansmen.
Every three or four days, she brought back another group of Monster Beasts from the Mountain God Clan. These Mountain God Clan members all maintained humanoid forms. Some had heads like wolves or dogs, while others resembled hawks or vultures. They could speak human words. Fang Wang did not interact with them much and instead left Fang Hanyu to deal with them.
In the blink of an eye, another month passed.
One night.
Fang Wang was cultivating by the lake when Fang Hanyu came to his side under the guidance of a Mountain God Tribe Monster Beast. After the Monster Beast left, Fang Hanyu continued fidgeting awkwardly, saying nothing for a long while.
"What is it?"
Fang Wang opened his eyes and asked helplessly.
After everything they had gone through, Fang Hanyu still had such a temperament, like a shy young wife.
Fang Hanyu gritted his teeth and said, "Fang Wang, my back feels very itchy, especially when I cultivate. Can you take a look for me?"
"Then sit down."
Fang Wang agreed. He was also worried that Fang Hanyu might be unwell.
Although Zhou Xue had not said it outright before leaving, Fang Wang felt that the eyes she had installed for Fang Hanyu were Green Cicada Valley's Heart Severing Evil Eyes. Since they were evil eyes, they might have side effects.
With Fang Wang supporting him, Fang Hanyu sat down with his back facing him and slowly removed his clothes.
Under the moonlight, Fang Hanyu's fair back was covered in dense, blood-red fine patterns, so numerous that they made one dizzy.
"This is..."
Fang Wang narrowed his eyes and examined them carefully.
There was actually a cultivation art inscribed across Fang Hanyu's back!
This cultivation art displayed no name, only its method of cultivation. Yet merely from the method, it was clear that it was a profound peerless art.
"Did Green Cicada Valley carve words onto your back?" Fang Wang asked with a frown.
Fang Hanyu shook his head and said quietly, "No. But back in the Jihao Sect's secret realm, something struck my back. I did not pay much attention to it at the time..."
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