Three Changes (Seeking Supporters)

In his previous life, Fang Xi had also borrowed money from relatives and friends, and the results had never been particularly good.

Hearing this sentence all of a sudden, he felt a trace of disgust well up inside.

"This..."

He put on a thoughtful expression, just about to use the delaying tactic.

Meanwhile, Wu Ji's face had slowly fallen over the long wait.

He considered himself highly placed in the martial arts school. His Martial Arts had reached the Second Transformation of Qi and Blood long ago, making him one of the higher-ups.

After Fang Xi entered the martial arts school, Wu Ji had deliberately tried to win him over and introduced him into his own little circle.

Unfortunately... the other man seemed completely foolish, unable to understand his hints.

Now, even borrowing money was being dragged out.

Feeling Wu Ji's gaze, Fang Xi could not help letting out a quiet sigh inwardly.

Some people were simply born petty villains.

Even if he agreed to lend the money this time just to shoo away a beggar, there was a good chance the other man would still resent him—simply because he had agreed too slowly!

Besides... Wu Ji alone was hardly someone I needed to fear, was he?

With that thought, Fang Xi immediately made up his mind. "I'm truly sorry, but I'm also short of money lately. I really can't help you..."

"You..."

Wu Ji's face turned red, then green, as though he had opened a shop selling dyed sauces. It was an especially colorful sight. "Junior Brother, you're good. You're very good..."

He felt as though the surrounding disciples were all laughing at him. Unable to bear it any longer, he flung his sleeves and left.

Only after Wu Ji had departed did Tang Xuan come over. "Junior Brother Fang, you'd better be careful. Senior Brother Wu is very narrow-minded."

Fang Xi looked at Tang Xuan with a hint of surprise.

This honest-looking Third Senior Brother was clearly not as simple as he appeared.

Or rather, after Fang Xi revealed his talent, quite a few people in White Cloud Martial Arts School had begun actively drawing close to him.

That was perfectly normal!

After all, Fang Xi had talent—and money!

It would have been abnormal if others did not curry favor with him.

"What does Wu Ji's family do?" Fang Xi asked casually.

"Senior Brother Wu's family is in business. They have a small merchant caravan and hired quite a few Martial Masters as guards," Tang Xuan replied.

"In business, huh..."

Fang Xi smiled.

Though he did not understand commercial warfare, he had plenty of money!

If he truly wanted to target them, he could even afford to hurt the enemy by eight hundred while suffering a thousand himself. That was what it meant to use one's capital to crush another.

Still, all he did was give me a dirty look. If I bankrupted him over that, wouldn't I be acting a little too much like Long Aotian?

The ancient Long Aotian was certainly satisfying, but in the current environment, he was destined to die horribly...

Fang Xi grumbled inwardly.

Still, he rather admired Tang Xuan, who had taken the initiative to approach him. The two chatted a little longer, eventually turning to the progress of their Martial Arts.

Like Wu Ji, Tang Xuan had reached the Second Transformation of Qi and Blood. In the martial arts school, he was already considered fairly strong.

Unfortunately, the Third Change of Qi and Blood was still nowhere in sight.

At this point, even Tang Xuan's face could not help showing some bitterness. "Actually... I'm still doing fairly well. Fourth Junior Sister has been unable to break through to the Second Transformation of Qi and Blood for a long time. Her family has already urged her several times to return home and marry."

Fang Xi was stunned. He had never expected that the senior sister who nearly threw herself at him whenever they met would have such an awkward background.

However, when he thought of those disciples in the outer court who might not successfully grasp their qi and blood even after paying money, and who had no choice but to leave dejectedly, Fang Xi felt somewhat more balanced.

In truth, practicing Martial Arts depended heavily on talent and resources.

The people from Yuan He Mountain had not been wrong about him back then. His physical aptitude really was ordinary.

It was only by relying on the Spiritual Energy of the Cultivation World and the nourishment of spirit rice that he had progressed this far, reaching a level similar to the little geniuses in ordinary martial arts schools.

This was the sorrow of commoners!

If one had talent, one could quickly rise and become an upper-class person.

If one had neither talent nor resources, one could only remain in the mud for one's entire life!

"But I'm different. I'm going to fight for it!"

"In the Great Liang World, I'll seize as many resources as possible!"

With that thought, Fang Xi left White Cloud Martial Arts School and returned to Fang Manor.

"Young Master is back!"

A Fu, Yue Gui, and the other maids came forward to greet him. Several of the servants in particular wore smiles in their eyes and between their brows.

The young master had mysteriously vanished for several days again, and he had finally appeared today.

"Go to the practice yard. I want to cultivate."

Ignoring the faintly resentful look in Yue Gui's eyes, Fang Xi arrived at the practice yard.

Whoosh!

His figure flashed, and he was already standing atop the wooden posts, practicing the Eight Snake Steps.

He had never set aside his cultivation of the Red Snake Leg either.

By now, it had likewise reached the Second Transformation of Qi and Blood!

"Snake-Shaped Kick!"

In the blink of an eye, Fang Xi kicked three times in midair.

His leg techniques were soft and boneless, like spirit snakes that could strike from an unpredictable direction.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three wooden posts snapped in response!

"This Red Snake Leg is not only fierce; it's also very helpful for leg work..."

Fang Xi lowered his leg and murmured.

After obtaining the Divine Intent Diagram of the Red Snake Leg, he had effectively acquired the complete core inheritance of this Martial Arts technique. At the very least, he could cultivate it to the level of the Martial Hall Master, so naturally he would not abandon it casually.

If his trouser legs were rolled up now, one would see that both his legs were a full circle thicker than before, with sharply defined muscles.

Not only that, but at the location of his major tendons was a twisted pattern that resembled a snake, yet was not quite a snake.

This was a unique phenomenon that appeared after the Red Snake Leg reached the Second Transformation of Qi and Blood.

"The most urgent matter is still to break through to the Third Change of Qi and Blood as soon as possible and gain access to Demon Meat resources..."

After completing his practice of the Red Snake Leg, Fang Xi already had a plan in mind.

However, when he saw those pretty maids, he postponed the plan slightly.

After working so hard to finish cultivating a crop in the Cultivation World, it was time for him to enjoy himself again.

The next day.

White Cloud Martial Arts School.

Fang Xi was ultimately a man of firm will.

After drinking tea and listening to music the previous night, he still came to continue practicing today.

Moreover, he could feel his qi and blood stirring restlessly.

Perhaps... the breakthrough to the Third Change of Qi and Blood would happen today!

"Burn it! Add more fuel!"

Before the earthen stove, Fang Xi sensed that the stimulation from the pot of highly poisonous medicine on his palms was growing weaker and weaker. His expression remained unchanged as he urged them repeatedly.

"Yes!"

Several servants stripped off their shirts. They were so busy that they had no time to wipe away the sweat covering their heads as they piled large amounts of firewood beneath the earthen stove and added more poison to the pot.

At some point, a circle of spectators had gathered around them.

Wu Ji was among them as well. Watching the scene, his voice unconsciously grew louder. "Junior Brother Fang is making the mistake of rushing ahead... If he recklessly increases the amount of poison, he might cripple both hands..."

Tang Xuan's lips moved, wanting to say something, but Liu Taotao spoke first from beside him. "I think Junior Brother has probably accumulated enough and wants to advance with fierce determination!"

Her clear voice not only caused Wu Ji's expression to freeze, but also drew a look of astonishment from Tang Xuan beside her.

What medicine had this junior sister taken today? She was actually confronting Second Senior Brother directly?

Before long, Mu Canglong and Mu Piaomiao were also alerted and arrived together. As they looked at the scene, their expressions differed greatly.

Half an hour later.

"Huff..."

Fang Xi withdrew both palms. They were bright red, but after the redness faded, a layer of gray gradually spread out, seeping from the centers of his palms to their edges, then over the backs of his hands...

In the end, both his hands had turned gray.

"This is... the Dark Cloud level?"

Mu Piaomiao cried out in shock.

The Third Change of Qi and Blood—the Dark Cloud level!

This meant that Fang Xi's attainments in White Cloud Palm had caught up with hers. He was now surpassed by only Mu Canglong!

"He actually broke through?"

Wu Ji stared at the scene with his mouth hanging open, looking like a toad.

But no one was paying attention to this clown anymore.

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Fang, on your great improvement in Martial Arts!" Tang Xuan congratulated him loudly.

"Congratulations to Junior Brother Fang (Senior Brother Fang) on your great improvement in Martial Arts!" The disciples bowed one after another.

"Thank you!"

Fang Xi's expression was calm and unruffled. Yet when he passed by Liu Taotao, he smiled at her. "Senior Sister, if you encounter any difficulty with cultivation resources in the future, you can tell me..."

As soon as those words left his mouth, the expressions of everyone around him changed slightly.

Many disciples looked at Liu Taotao with envy.

After all, they knew that Liu Taotao had failed to make progress in Martial Arts and was already close to being forced by her family to marry.

Now that Senior Brother Fang had extended a helping hand, her days would become much easier.

"Thank you... Junior Brother!"

Liu Taotao's voice was already choked with emotion.

"You don't have to be so polite."

Fang Xi waved his hand.

To him, this was merely a small investment made on a whim.

The main hall of the martial arts school.

"Good, good, good!"

Mu Canglong looked at Fang Xi, extremely satisfied.

He had never expected that an ordinary apprentice he had helped only for the sake of silver would possess such extraordinary talent in White Cloud Palm!

"Fang Xi, since you've cultivated the Third Change of Qi and Blood, your next step is to consolidate your qi and blood and enter the True Force level."

Mu Canglong's expression turned solemn as he took out a scroll. "This is the secret Divine Intent Diagram passed down by my White Cloud Palm lineage. Take a look first. Remember, value the intent over the form, and pay attention to observing the spirit within the painting!"

"Thank you, Master."

Fang Xi planned to have A Fu send over another generous gift later. For now, he accepted the scroll without hesitation and opened it.

Across the enormous painting, there were only clouds.

The clouds rolled and unfurled, carrying an ethereal quality.

He studied it for a while, carefully comprehending the true meaning within.

"It's normal that you can't comprehend this Divine Intent Diagram in a short time. From now on, you can look at it for half an hour each day together with your Senior Sister Piaomiao."

Mu Canglong spoke slowly.

"I understand." Fang Xi returned the scroll to Mu Canglong.

In any case, he would have plenty of opportunities to copy another one later.

At present, what concerned him most was another matter. "Master... I want to ask about Demons and monsters."

"I heard Piaomiao say that you're very interested in Demon Meat?"

Mu Canglong nodded, then shook his head. A rare trace of fear even appeared on his face. "Demons and monsters are divided into monsters and Demons! Monsters run rampant in the wild, and ordinary people who encounter them are doomed to die ten times out of ten. But they're still the easier problem to solve... What's truly terrifying is the 'Demons'!"

"Demons?"

Fang Xi showed an inquisitive expression, but Mu Canglong merely waved his hand. "In short, you must understand this: even a Martial Artist like me would be certain to die when facing a Demon. In fact, across the nine provinces of Daliang, whenever a Demon Calamity occurs in a city, that place may turn into a dead zone!"

"That terrifying?"

Fang Xi drew in a sharp breath. Well... most of that was an act.

"As for Demon Meat resources... a Martial Artist at the Third Change of Qi and Blood can barely consume a little." Mu Canglong thought for a moment, then tossed over a wooden token. "There's a black market in Black Stone City, and it has Demon Meat resources. If you want some, you can go buy a little."