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"Hehe, [Tail Fire] lineage, refining Ember Tribulation Flame... That nearly scared this old fox to death."

Dark Candle Adept patted his chest with strikingly humanlike gestures, and the smile curling across his fox muzzle seemed tinged with mockery.

"Cough, cough..."

Seeing that things were going awry, Fang Qing had no choice but to speak. "Fellow Daoist... I am here to purchase a cultivation method. Do you have one?"

"This old fox does not have the Great Sun Cultivation Method... But my Demon Race has abundant stores. This old fox will go back and inquire; there should be some leads."

Dark Candle Adept clearly enjoyed dealing in cultivation methods. Beneath the candlelight, his fox face looked exceptionally shrewd and uncanny. "If you trust this old fox, pay a deposit first... This old fox will contact you once he finds it."

Fang Qing fell silent for a moment, then tossed out a yellow-skinned gourd.

Dark Candle Adept caught it, opened it, and sniffed. "Mm... not bad, not bad. This old fox will remember this matter."

Fang Qing secretly sent him a voice transmission, giving the old fox a meeting place and passphrase before retreating into the crowd.

"This exchange meeting may have had an atmosphere sharp as drawn swords and taut as strung bows... but it truly leaked quite a bit of intelligence..."

As he watched the drama unfold, Fang Qing was inwardly thrilled, hoping Dark Candle Adept and the Pu Family cultivator would expose a few more explosive secrets about each other.

Once the exchanges concluded, it was time for everyone to discuss matters freely.

Old Tian was still the first to step forward. He asked, "Old Tian has the fate of [Bond Metal], but my grandsons and granddaughters do not. If they cultivate [Bond Metal] methods, will there be any obstacles?"

Fang Qing's spirits lifted at once, and he looked toward the Shabby Daoist.

He would certainly need to switch to other cultivation methods in the future as well.

"A cultivator's fate can benefit their cultivation method, but it is not absolute..."

After considering it, the Shabby Daoist explained, "If your descendants possess another Metal Virtue fate, there will not be much obstruction in cultivating [Bond Metal] methods... Their progress may merely be slower than with a method suited to themselves. If one possesses a Metal Virtue fate yet cultivates wood-element or fire-element methods, it is not impossible, but the pace will be exceedingly slow, and they will be more prone to qi deviation..."

Fang Qing understood immediately upon hearing this.

In this regard, Breath-Nourishing Dao methods were rather similar to the Qi Refinement Way.

According to the Qi Refinement Way's theories of cultivation, the human body possessed all five elements. Thus, he could in fact cultivate all sorts of methods—metal, wood, fire, earth, even ice-aspected ones.

It was simply that he excelled at water-element methods. One hour spent cultivating those might equal ten hours spent on other methods!

If he wanted to break through major realms and extend his lifespan, then naturally he was better off focusing on water-element methods.

However, after reaching Foundation Establishment in the future, he could switch to the Azure Sea Sect's Core Formation method, the "Azure Sea Method," or even choose another water-element method altogether.

Yet on the Breath-Nourishing Dao side, once one selected a method, one had to walk that road into the black.

"So that is how it is. Many thanks, Fellow Daoist, for clearing up my doubts..."

Old Tian suddenly understood. Then, gritting his teeth, he said, "This old man was ignorant in his youth. At the beginning of my path, I only ingested a lower Third-Order True Qi, resulting in poor-quality mana. Is there any way to remedy it?"

"Hehe..."

The Pu cultivator sneered. "Once you enter the Dao, nothing can be changed. Since you ingested lower Third-Order True Qi, then you are fated to remain in the Breath-Nourishing Realm for life. Do not dream of breaking through to Dao Foundation."

The moment those words were spoken, most of the cultivators present turned deathly pale.

Clearly, rogue cultivators like them had no elders constantly teaching them. The first mouthful of True Qi when entering the Dao was also immensely precious, so naturally they refined whatever they could obtain. Most of them had lower Third-Order True Qi. Not only did they have no hope of breaking through to Dao Foundation, but even in daily cultivation and fighting cultivators of the same rank, they would always come up a head shorter.

"Actually... it is not entirely without a solution."

At that moment, the old fox spoke. "Water's nature is to moisten all things. If one can find those legendary Heavenly Earth Spirit Waters, such as 'Heaven-One Generates Water,' it may be possible to purify one's mana and defy heaven to change one's fate..."

"Hehe... In this age, metal and fire shine brightly. Heavenly Earth Spirit Fires, as well as the few rare metals in the universe capable of forging Nine-Turn Flying Swords, are all exceedingly scarce... Heavenly Earth Spirit Waters will only be rarer."

The Pu cultivator sneered. "I fear there is no more 'Heaven-One Generates Water' left in this world. To find it, one would need a great power to attain the Dao and greatly benefit all Water Virtue under heaven, and even then there would only be a sliver of hope... Even if you found it, Purple Mansion cultivators would go mad fighting over such a spiritual treasure. Do you dare covet it?"

The cultivators around them fell silent. Still, they firmly remembered the name "Heaven-One Generates Water." It would most likely be futile, but what if?

"A great power attaining the Dao? Such changes can happen?"

Fang Qing was genuinely rather astonished.

"What is so strange about that? When Dao Foundation cultivators break through, there are already heavenly phenomena. When Purple Mansion cultivators break through, the range is even wider, enough to affect at least an entire commandery... When that Pu Family ancestor broke through years ago, flames soared into the heavens across Yulin Commandery. Who knew how many innocent passersby were burned to death? Quite a few wood-element cultivators also suffered qi deviation... Those in seclusion attempting to break through major realms suffered even more miserably. Aside from fire-element cultivators, who benefited, all the rest failed. Some directly perished, their Dao dissipating..."

The old fox said, "If a great power attains the Dao, the impact will certainly spread across the world... If they cultivate Water Virtue, what does it matter if a few more water-element spiritual treasures appear between heaven and earth?"

"Thank you. I have learned much."

Fang Qing clasped his hands in salute. No matter what, this was precious knowledge.

"Hehe... It is nothing, merely common knowledge. This old fox obtained a clerical post at 'Fallen Phoenix Mountain,' where he is responsible for guarding the 'Langhuan Library.' Reading is what this old fox enjoys most in ordinary times."

The old fox smiled.

"The Demon Race's sacred ground—Fallen Phoenix Mountain?"

Fang Qing was still marveling at why the old fox loved dealing in cultivation methods so much. So he was a librarian. Then the Pu cultivator's startled cry reached his ears.

Looking over again, he saw the Pu cultivator's face filled with wariness. None of his earlier aggressiveness remained.

"Fine... Their power is inferior, so he has decided to bow his head?"

Disciples from such aristocratic clans could hold their noses high enough to reach the sky when facing those beneath them, yet become incomparably humble before descendants of loftier clans. They truly embodied a dual nature.

The following discussions became rather dull. Since the Pu cultivator had admitted defeat and said nothing, Fang Qing could no longer hear any juicy gossip.

Once the exchange meeting ended, the cultivators departed one after another.

Just as he was preparing to leave, he heard the Shabby Daoist say, "Fellow Daoist Fang Shui, please stay..."

"What instructions do you have, Daoist?"

Fang Qing secretly raised his guard, though his expression remained exceedingly polite.

"Thinking back to when I saw several of you outside Floating Boat Market, it feels like only yesterday... As a child, you consumed a strange fruit and found Floating Boat Market. That was a matter of fate."

The Shabby Daoist looked somewhat dazed. "Yet today, you have not only ingested qi and entered the Dao, but reached the sixth level... Li Rulong is even more extraordinary. Fortune has descended upon him; he is a child of the age, able to occupy most of Ba Commandery. Though it was an agreement of the Purple Mansion, it is still rare..."

"Consumed a strange fruit?"

Fang Qing's eyelid twitched. If Li Rulong or the Pu Family did not leak this, then this old bastard is divining me? He can calculate me? Is he still a Breath-Nourishing cultivator? Could he be... Dao Foundation? Is he not afraid of the Purple Mansion decree?

At the same time, resentment surged in his heart. I came to a mere Breath-Nourishing-level exchange meeting and still ran into this sort of big shot... What a shithole of a place!

"Fortunately, I have As If in the Calculation. He thinks he has calculated me, but he has only seen a false outer layer... Later, I can use Plum Blossom Divination to calculate him in return. According to the divination text, those who actively form Causality with me should be easier to calculate... But if his major realm exceeds mine, that should be impossible. Besides, this is Ancient Shu, that cesspit of Heavenly Secrets!"

At that moment, Fang Qing's expression shifted as he sensed another anomaly.

The Dao-Born Pearl within him spun round and round, spreading clear and turbid qi as myriad phenomena arose.

"This is... As If in the Calculation being triggered?"

"This man may not be Dao Foundation?"

"A Purple Mansion cultivator personally coming down to smurf? Is there any justice left? Any law left!?"

"I have worked diligently at the Azure Sea Sect for nearly ten years, yet I have not even seen what my own Core Formation ancestor looks like! Do Purple Mansion cultivators here really have to be this down-to-earth?"

Though he ranted madly inside, Fang Qing maintained his act, showing nothing unusual on the surface.

Or rather, with the Dao-Born Pearl concealing him, even the fluctuations of his mind were shrouded in a layer of As If in the Calculation. Even if this Purple Mansion cultivator possessed some method of peering into hearts, he could only see a layer of false mental activity.

Fang Qing continued listening as the old Daoist said, "Although Li Rulong is a child of fortune for the moment, he has now reached his limit. The Dao Foundation aristocratic clan's territory and the Black Blight Sect... neither are matters he can handle. Though this old man is weak, I am willing to do my humble part for him. Would you be willing to deliver a letter for this old Daoist, inviting him to join this exchange meeting?"

"Of course."

He readily agreed, took a bright yellow letter, and bade farewell.

Whoosh!

Fang Qing stepped onto the Profound Ice Wheel and flew far away in one breath. Instinctively, he wanted to travel back to Jade Island and stop staying in this rotten place.

But in the next instant, his heart stirred, and he silently circulated Plum Blossom Divination.

After the fright just now, through a fortunate coincidence, he had explored another transformation of As If in the Calculation.

"Although the Heavenly Secrets in Ancient Shu are a cesspit! I have the Dao-Born Pearl, and by borrowing its status... perhaps my divination ability can rival a Purple Mansion cultivator?"

"Furthermore, that Shabby Daoist took the initiative to form Causality with me, so calculating him should be relatively easy..."

Within Fang Qing's sea of consciousness, several phantom plum blossoms drifted down, forming a hexagram:

"Great misfortune?!"

"Could it be... that Shabby Daoist has been watching me all along? The moment I travel through space, I will expose my greatest secret?"

He was shocked beyond measure, but his face revealed not the slightest trace of it. After learning where Li Rulong's army was stationed, he headed straight there.

"Thankfully, for now, Li Rulong is the chess piece everyone values. I am merely a peripheral nobody... As long as I play my part well and then withdraw, no one will notice me."

"The most crucial thing is still the status of Plum Blossom Divination and the Dao-Born Pearl... Otherwise, I would not even know whether I had entered the game, and would die like a confused ghost..."