Return (Seeking Recommendations)

Inside the temporary cave dwelling.

"Ugh..."

Fang Qing clutched his forehead and jolted awake, gasping harshly.

He touched his nose and found two streams of blood running down. He couldn't help but smile bitterly. "This is... excessive Spiritual Sense consumption? Good thing I have First-Order High Grade Body Refinement. Otherwise, I'd probably fall seriously ill and suffer a great loss of vital energy."

With the Dao-Born Pearl's support, and in an environment with Heavenly Secrets as clear as Jade Island's, the thrill of divination was simply unmatched.

After Fang Qing divined the Second-Order Horned Serpent, he saw the karmic ties involved and couldn't resist calculating Flying Fish Island as well.

After calculating Hua Lian, he saw Zha Zhu connected to it and couldn't resist making another deduction...

The result was that he sank deeper and deeper, nearly exhausting his mind without realizing it!

"Sigh... does this count as a kind of Heavenly Secrets backlash? A happy kind of trouble. If only it could be like this over in Ancient Shu too."

The Heavenly Secrets in Ancient Shu were still a cesspit. Even with the Dao-Born Pearl's support, Fang Qing could only barely calculate his own fortune and misfortune.

Li Rulong's matter was even more of a muddle. The only thing he had calculated was that if he got involved... there would be great misfortune!

"What kind of shitty place is that... I can even glimpse one or two traces when calculating Core Formation ancestors, yet I get wrecked this badly when I encounter Purple Mansion cultivators..."

"Forget it. I'd better stay away from there in the future."

Fang Qing swallowed a healing pill, and some color returned to his face. He mused to himself, According to my previous deductions, that Second-Order peak Horned Serpent will advance soon. There might even be something entertaining to watch.

No, since I've confirmed that the Azure Sea Sect isn't in too much danger, I should return to the sect first and establish an image of unwavering loyalty... Otherwise, if I return only after the calamity has passed, I might end up being placed in a separate register.

Azure Sea Sect.

The azure-green Seven Profound Azure-Wave Formation resembled a massive bowl, firmly protecting the sect within.

As another Flying Boat descended, quite a few injured cultivators emerged.

Most of them were pale and bloodless. Some had lost arms or legs outright, their faces ashen as death; clearly, they knew their paths of cultivation had been cut off.

Along with their arrival, unsettling news spread:

"Our side suffered a crushing defeat in the Kui Ri Sea Region. Three Five-Tusk Warships were sunk!"

"Among the Rogue Cultivator battle formations hired by the Zhong Family, there were not only many Rogue Cultivators skilled in combat, but even Puppet Beasts appeared... They're clearly people from the Heavenly Heart Chain Islands, putting on a layer of Rogue Cultivator skin before attacking us!"

"Little Wave Reef has fallen... the Zhong Family army can land on Jade Island at any time!"

"And on Jade Island itself, the Zhong Family's elite cultivators are wreaking havoc everywhere... It's said an inner sect elder already fell into a trap and unfortunately perished, his Dao dissipating..."

The Qi Refinement cultivators were gripped by panic, and many of the wounded returnees felt even more uneasy. If I'd known... I should've found a chance to run on the way back...

"Hm?"

When Fang Qing arrived on the Profound Ice Wheel, this was the scene he saw.

"Stop! Who goes there?"

Above the harbor, a squad of law enforcement cultivators eyed Fang Qing, who had arrived alone, with vigilance.

"A disciple of the sect—Fang Qing! I previously accepted the mission to garrison the Red-Scale Fishery!"

Fang Qing formed a hand seal with one hand. A streak of spiritual light wrapped around his disciple token and flew into the hands of the law enforcement captain.

The captain accepted it and cast an art upon it to verify its authenticity. "You are indeed a disciple of the sect... but if I recall correctly, the Red-Scale Fishery was taken long ago..."

"Precisely! I was pursued by a Late Qi Refinement cultivator and suffered severe injuries. By a stroke of luck, I used the terrain to take his head, but my wounds were too serious, making it difficult for me to move... That's why my return was delayed until today."

Without changing expression, Fang Qing took out Zhong Wufu's Zhong Family identity token.

No matter how long he had spent "recovering," if he returned after killing a Late Qi Refinement cultivator, there was no way he could be held accountable, right?

The law enforcement captain hesitated. "Wait here first. I'll report this to Elder Heavenly Punishment..."

Fang Qing had no objections. Under the strange gazes of the other disciples, he went to the Hall of Punishing Evil.

After waiting at the hall entrance for a long time, he suddenly sensed a strand of Spiritual Sense sweep over him. His heart stirred slightly, but his face remained perfectly calm.

"Fang Qing, inner sect disciple of Pill Island... the elder summons you!"

Not long after, a Hall of Punishing Evil disciple emerged and glanced at Fang Qing.

Fang Qing nodded and strode inside.

Before long, he met Elder Heavenly Punishment, who wore blue robes and had a vicious-looking face.

Elder Heavenly Punishment held a dossier in his hand. "Fang Qing... inner sect disciple, accepted the mission to garrison the Red-Scale Fishery... Tell me the process again."

"Yes!"

Before returning to the sect, Fang Qing had already calculated things out. He recounted in detail how he had defended the place, encountered Zhong Family cultivators, and luckily killed Zhong Wufu.

Other than the first few portions, which he reported entirely truthfully because too many people knew about them, he made slight alterations to the latter part concerning Zhong Wufu's death.

"Hm. No wonder you could kill Zhong Wufu. So you've already advanced to Late Qi Refinement, and you also possess some Body Refinement cultivation."

Elder Heavenly Punishment nodded faintly, believing that his earlier Spiritual Sense scan had seen through everything, including the cultivation Fang Qing had "hidden."

In reality, if Fang Qing hadn't refrained from concealing himself with the Dao-Born Pearl, Elder Heavenly Punishment could have blinded his own eyes and still not seen through him.

Advancing to Late Qi Refinement!

This was the flaw Fang Qing had deliberately revealed in advance!

After all, for a Mid Qi Refinement cultivator to kill a Late Qi Refinement cultivator was somewhat shocking.

But if he normally concealed his cultivation, suddenly erupted, fought a bitter battle, and paid the price of severe injuries to kill someone of the same Late Qi Refinement level, it became much more reasonable.

If I hadn't used the Dao-Born Pearl to convert most of the cultivation from the Horse-Head Vajra Protector Divine Art, wouldn't you be even more shocked if you saw my current First-Order High Grade Body Refinement?

Still, Middle-Grade Body Refinement cultivation is already quite decent for now.

There was another reason Fang Qing revealed his Late Qi Refinement cultivation: the sect was in desperate need of people!

Late Qi Refinement disciples weren't cabbages. Even within the sect, they belonged to the elite.

As long as the sect still wanted to use him, it wouldn't punish him heavily.

And I calculated it beforehand. That Horned Serpent will form its core and undergo its tribulation tomorrow... No matter what dangerous mission comes up, I'll just accept it. Once tomorrow passes, none of it will matter anyway.

As he grumbled inwardly, he heard Elder Heavenly Punishment say, "You killed a powerful enemy, so you have merit rather than fault. But why did you return to the sect at a time like this? Being outside, you should know the sect's situation isn't very good."

Fang Qing immediately put on an expression of righteous indignation. "I was born into a fisherman's family, and the sect raised me... Now that the sect faces hardship, how could I abandon it? Elder... I returned to contribute my meager strength to the sect. Whatever task there is, just give the order!"

This impassioned, heroic pose of being ready to die for righteousness instead left Elder Heavenly Punishment at a loss. "Fine... Since you've rarely returned to the sect, rest for one night first. If there are any missions, go claim them yourself at the Palace of Miscellaneous Affairs on Myriad Treasures Island..."

"This disciple takes his leave!"

After Fang Qing departed, Elder Heavenly Punishment watched his retreating back, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. "Is this truly the heart of an innocent child, or is he as cunning as a fox?"

"Hehe... Heavenly Punishment, what are you looking at?"

Blue light flashed, and a gaunt-faced Foundation Establishment cultivator in blue robes appeared. He was none other than Sect Leader Linghu of the Azure Sea Sect.

Elder Heavenly Punishment immediately told him about Fang Qing.

Sect Leader Linghu smiled after hearing it. "That boy has quite the luck. That matter will be decided tomorrow."

"What?"

This news was clearly top secret. Even Heavenly Punishment had only just learned it, and he couldn't help but be startled. "Tomorrow...?"

"That's precisely the effect we want. Within the sect, only the ancestor and I know the exact date of the tribulation. Now add you and Myriad Treasures to that group... Remember to adjust the formation and guard several important places."

Only after Sect Leader Linghu had given his most important instructions did he have the mood to chat. "A Middle-Grade Water Spirit Root, yet he broke through to Late Qi Refinement only a few years after entering the sect—that is rather fast... But which of this sect's True Disciples doesn't have a little fortuitous encounter? So long as the sect remains strong, they can only add bricks and tiles to its foundation. Opportunities, fortune, cultivation arts... like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, they gather within our sect. The sea does not reject its waters; only then can it achieve its depth..."

"Indeed!"

At the mention of this, even Elder Heavenly Punishment's face gained a flush of excitement. "Once the spirit beast successfully passes its tribulation tomorrow, our Azure Sea Sect can wipe out the Zhong Family and the Heavenly Heart Chain Islands, then unite the entire Lesser Vast Sea Cultivation Realm... No favored child of heaven will escape the grasp of our sect!"

"I didn't expect... to get through that so easily?"

Pill Island.

Cold Spring Peak was quiet and deserted.

Fang Qing swept his gaze around, then returned to his own cave dwelling.

The Little Maze Formation was still operating normally, while the spiritual pool shimmered with mist and water vapor.

He sat cross-legged upon a Prayer Mat and let out a long breath. "Sure enough... the people around Jade Island are much more simple and honest..."

After reflecting for a moment, Fang Qing took out a book on alchemy and began carefully reading through it.

After reaching Qi Refinement Seventh Layer, the effects of Ginseng Green Spirit Water were no longer very good when he cultivated.

If he wanted to continue advancing with fierce momentum, he still had to take pills!

It was fortunate that his Spiritual Sense had developed. He could quickly master First-Order High Grade pill formulas.

At this moment, he was studying a type of Qi Refining Powder, which was said to have an obvious effect on improving the cultivation of Late Qi Refinement cultivators.

"Hm... I've more or less thoroughly understood these alchemy techniques. They're not that difficult, are they?"

With the help of his Spiritual Sense, Fang Qing recalled how utterly baffled he had once been by pill formulas and couldn't help smiling. "I've gathered most of the main ingredients too. For this first furnace, I have a seventy percent chance of success!"

Even so, he didn't begin immediately. Instead, he lay down and went to sleep, preparing to watch a good show tomorrow.

What a joke!

Tomorrow was the day the Horned Serpent would undergo its tribulation. If he refined pills, not only might he miss the show, but what if the lingering shockwaves caused his alchemy to fail?

Although he had divined that his own safety should be unharmed, even the slightest slip during alchemy could lead to failure. It was better not to gamble.