Sanyuan City (Seeking Recommendations)

"Chen Ping must have a secret!"

Back in the Great Liang World, Fang Xi's eyes flickered with a sharp light: "Should I..."

The next moment, he couldn't help but chuckle: "Cultivators in the myriad worlds, I'm not the only one who encounters opportunities. It's normal for them to have some secrets, isn't it? To insist on digging to the bottom, or even killing for treasure, there's no need... it's even chasing the end and abandoning the root! No matter how big his secret is, can it be bigger than mine?"

He was sitting on a pile of gold, yet he was planning to snatch a beggar's copper coin. It was truly... low-class!

After understanding this, Fang Xi let go of his desire to investigate Chen Ping. He identified the direction and galloped to catch up with the caravan.

To be honest, he actually liked this semi-lone wolf status, away from the main group. It was more convenient for concealing certain things.

For example... Fang Xi had been searching for traces of Demon Beasts in the wild.

Unfortunately, although it was said that the Great Liang had Demon Demon causing trouble, they weren't visible everywhere.

Ever since he killed that chameleon, Fang Xi had exhausted all his luck.

During this period, he wandered in the wilderness but didn't encounter any Demon Beasts.

The journey was uneventful, and he rejoined the caravan.

"Young Master is back!"

Bai He's eyes were full of smiles when she saw Fang Xi.

"Mm, I'm back!"

Fang Xi looked at the increasingly massive caravan and nodded.

As the caravan passed through other towns, it naturally replenished its livestock and carriages, becoming larger and more cumbersome... but the hardship of traveling was reduced significantly.

After a brief chat with the maid, Fang Xi went to find Fatty Han.

"Oh? Brother Fang wants to know about the powers in Sanyuan City?"

Fatty Han was sitting in his carriage, eating fruit peeled by his concubine. He chuckled upon hearing this: "That's simple..."

Since he was idle on the road anyway, Fatty Han took the opportunity to explain the power distribution in Sanyuan City to Fang Xi in detail.

As the provincial capital of Dingzhou, Sanyuan City was densely populated and prosperous in all trades, with a mixed bag of powers.

"Speaking of the number one power in Sanyuan City, it's naturally the Dingzhou Army! The Dingzhou Army is the stabilizing needle placed by the imperial court in Dingzhou... All soldiers in the army must have mastered Qi and Blood, reaching the first change as Martial Disciples! Only after the three changes of Qi and Blood can they become minor captains. True Force martial artists can be Battalion Commanders. Above the Battalion Commanders are the eight Colonels, each of whom is a True Energy martial artist who has been famous for many years... As for the General..." Fatty Han deliberately paused.

"Could it be a True Gang Martial Saint?" Fang Xi interjected.

"If they were a Grandmaster, they could naturally be a General, but that's not the case..." Fatty Han laughed heartily: "Fighting well doesn't mean you can fight a war... High martial arts skill doesn't mean you can command an army. The General of the Dingzhou Army is merely a martial official appointed by the Great Liang imperial court. Their strength is hard to say, but it is said that there is an elite force guarding him closely, one that even a Grandmaster might not be able to approach..."

"That makes sense," Fang Xi nodded. "The imperial court and government are first, so what's the second power?"

"The second power is Yuan He Demonuntain."

Fatty Han deliberately glanced at Fang Xi and, finding him expressionless, continued: "Yuan He Demonuntain is a great sect in Dingzhou. It has dozens of True Energy martial artists and an endless stream of True Force martial artists. Its network of connections is intricate... It is said that there is also a Grandmaster ancestor in the sect, but whether it's true or not is unknown."

"As for the third, it's the Demonnster Hunter Association!"

"Demonnster Hunter Association?" Hearing this name, Fang Xi suddenly felt a good impression. He probably had a connection with this organization.

Fatty Han, unaware of this, introduced: "There are too many Demon Beasts in the mountains and wilds, and they are too hidden. It's too troublesome for the imperial army or divine constables to deal with them one by one. Civilian martial artists are also a good force, so the Demonnster Hunter Association came into being. It's equivalent to the imperial court offering bounties, and capable martial artists can hunt Demon Beasts for rewards... and gain fame throughout the land! Which martial artist doesn't love fame and fortune? This Demonnster Hunter Association is spread throughout the province. Once a martial artist takes on a difficult Demon Beast, they will be famous for it, and there are even monthly rankings..."

"Indeed, it's good."

Fang Xi continued to ask, and when he learned that the fourth and fifth powers were the Merchant Alliance and the Martial Alliance, he couldn't help but feel speechless.

The Merchant Alliance was a commercial alliance. Without merchants, the people would not be rich, needless to say.

The Martial Alliance was an alliance of Martial Arts Schools, and it only ranked fifth. As expected, those who sell themselves are never good.

The martial arts taught for money were always the lowest tier. It was understandable that they ended up in such a state.

"Fatty Han, you seem to have missed some, like the Black Market powers?" Fang Xi thought for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Haha... the Black Market is like rats in a gutter, what power could it have?" Fatty Han laughed humbly: "Besides that, there are those four great families. The reason they aren't ranked separately is that their influence spans various circles. For example, the Huang family has people serving as Colonels in the Dingzhou Army, runs businesses, their affiliated businesses have considerable voting rights in the Merchant Alliance, and they also influence some Martial Arts Schools. In secret, they gather many experts as their wings, making them very difficult to deal with..."

"I wasn't planning on dealing with anyone..." Fang Xi chuckled: "I just want to practice martial arts well and become a Grandmaster in the future!"

"Grandmaster?" Fatty Han gave a wry smile: "To achieve True Gang? How difficult... I only heard a senior mention it once, something about 'uniting spirit and energy' and 'heaven and man as one'..."

"Uniting spirit and energy?"

Fang Xi thought that the secret manual of Yuan He Demonuntain also had similar descriptions.

However, it was explained more clearly.

The gap between a Grandmaster and a martial artist was vast, divided into many steps.

The first step to becoming a Grandmaster was to first cultivate Fist Intent!

As for the second step, it was to refine the True Energy to be meticulous, using True Energy to temper the Spinal Dragon, directly rushing to the Heavenly Spirit, and breaking through the Mud Pill Palace!

This was not recorded in the secret manual; it was told to Linghu Yang by his master.

One-step martial artist, two-step martial artist... Later on, there were probably third and fourth steps...

As for when he could become a Grandmaster, Linghu Yang didn't know either.

'The cultivation of a martial artist is even more difficult than that of a Martial Disciple...'

'What a pity, the secret manual for Yuan He Five Thunder Hands I have is incomplete... Perhaps, I should think of a way?'

Fang Xi gazed at the scenery outside the carriage, lost in thought.

Over the next month, Fang Xi often fell behind, heading to the Southern Barrens Cultivation World to tend to his farm and manage his social interactions.

Occasionally, he would dash through the mountains and wilds of Dingzhou, searching for traces of Demon Beasts.

After expending considerable effort, he finally managed to hunt a Two-headed Snake Demon, skinned it, and stored the meat for sale.

Fang Xi had gradually come to terms with this outcome.

If Demon existed everywhere in the countryside, how would ordinary people farm?

This world would have likely fallen long ago, and the Da Liang dynasty wouldn't exist.

Therefore, while there were Demon Demon in the wilderness, they were ultimately a tiny minority.

The situation before Black Stone City was a pure anomaly, caused by the emergence of the Demon Demon Tree, which drove out other Demon Beasts. It was an exceptional case!

One day.

The caravan ascended a hill, and in the distance, a large city came into view.

This grand city was situated at the confluence of two major rivers and boasted a massive dock.

Under the sunlight, the moat sparkled, with enormous pleasure boats cruising upon it...

The majestic ancient city exuded an old-world aura. Above the city gate, the characters 'Sanyuan' were clearly visible.

"Sanyuan City, we've arrived!"

Within the caravan, many people cheered.

They had finally reached the end of their journey!

"Young Master, look!"

Bai He excitedly pointed at the city not far away. "So many people... so beautiful..."

"Indeed!"

Fang Xi smiled, affectionately patting her head. He then turned to Mu Piaomiao and said, "Piaomiao... I'll leave Bai He in your care."

"Don't worry, Senior Disciple Brother. Huh?" Mu Piaomiao agreed instinctively, then realized something was amiss. "Senior Disciple Brother... aren't you coming into the city?"

"I'm only escorting you this far. We must part ways after a long journey. I'm leaving!"

Fang Xi waved goodbye to Mu Canglong and Fatty Han, then turned and strode away.

Entering the city with such a large group was not his intention at all.

After all, with so many people, there would be much gossip. He had already revealed some extraordinary abilities.

Even Mu Canglong might not fully trust him.

Furthermore, the siege of Black Stone City was a major event, surely attracting the attention of the authorities. If they discovered this group of survivors, who could withstand questioning?

People's hearts could not be tested.

Therefore, Fang Xi chose not to test anyone's heart.

As long as he disappeared mysteriously, no one would know his whereabouts, and no one would think of reporting him to the authorities.

Thus, he decided to leave alone, not even taking Bai He with him.

She was merely a maid, and he had already shown her immense kindness by protecting her through the demonic disaster and ensuring her safe arrival in Sanyuan City.

He owed her no debt.

Fang Xi departed with great ease.

Watching his retreating figure, Mu Canglong and Fatty Han fell silent.

Although they were grateful for Fang Xi's life-saving grace and unlikely to betray him, their true feelings were hard to say.

But now, they had no such thoughts at all.

Because Fang Xi had given them no opportunity!

"After becoming a True Energy Martial Master, progress becomes quite difficult. My current combat power is equivalent to a Second Step Martial Master, but I haven't even taken the first step on the path to becoming a Grandmaster... Although I have Spiritual Awareness to assist me and can achieve the state of 'Microscopic Control,' comprehending Fist Intent should be swift..."

"But Martial Arts are merely a means of protection; true immortality lies in cultivation..."

Returning to the cultivation world, Fang Xi felt the abundant spiritual energy compared to Da Liang and sighed inwardly.

He emerged from the cellar and entered the shed. Outside the room, a sound transmission talisman was floating!

Fang Xi reached out and took it, channeling a trace of Magical Power.

A clear maiden's voice rang out: "Is this Fellow Daoist Fang Xi? I am Situ Qingqing, the new An Tian Envoy. I request that Daoist Fang Xi send me a message after receiving this sound transmission talisman."

"The Situ Family has changed personnel?"

Fang Xi held the talisman, quite surprised. However, he followed the instructions, inputting Magical Power and sending it flying.

Whoosh!

The sound transmission talisman turned into a streak of fire and disappeared.

Not long after, a Magic Tool, an Iron Leaf Boat, flew over.

Standing on the Iron Leaf Boat was a young girl dressed in a green dress.

Her willow-like eyebrows were delicately painted, her skin was slightly pale, and her features weren't particularly outstanding, yet they were surprisingly harmonious. She possessed an ethereal, elf-like aura, with hair cascading to her waist, like a lady from a landscape painting.

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Situ!"

Fang Xi quickly bowed.

Although he sensed she was only at the middle stage of Qi Refining, she was still someone from the Situ Family!

"Fellow Daoist Fang is also an old hand among the Green Bamboo Demonuntain Spirit Farmers, no need to be so formal!"

Situ Qingqing spoke, her voice as clear and pure as a mountain spring.