Seizure Plan

Before long, the group arrived at a hillside, where a vast sea of mist lay spread out—clearly the kind of restriction used in the cultivation world.

Of course, it was only the simplest formation restriction, capable only of trapping mortals and cultivators below the tenth level of Qi Refinement.

It would not kill anyone, merely trap them for two or three days until hunger left them too weak to move, at which point they could finally walk out of the mist.

From this alone, it was clear that Tainan Mountain's master was not some vicious-hearted cultivator.

Upon reaching the sea of mist, Meng Shan the First took out a sound-transmission talisman, spoke a few words into it, and tossed it into the mist, where it vanished without a trace.

"We'll wait a moment. Before long, a fellow Daoist will open the restriction."

Meng Shan the First said with a smile.

"Mm!"

Fang Yu nodded. The others were already familiar with one another, so naturally, no one said much else.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the dense fog ahead began to churn. Then, as if cleaved apart by a blade, it split open into a broad road over a zhang wide. Its far end could not be seen at a glance and seemed very distant.

"Let's go. We can enter now."

Seeing this, Meng Shan the First smiled and led the way.

Meng Shan the Second, Meng Shan the Third, Meng Shan the Fourth, and Meng Shan the Fifth followed close behind, while Fang Yu brought up the rear.

The road looked exceedingly long, yet after walking only a short while, they reached its end.

When Fang Yu stepped out of the passage, his eyes suddenly brightened. A lush green valley planted with strange flowers and exotic grasses appeared before him. The valley was backed by mountains on three sides, with its only exit being the mist-shrouded hillside through which they had entered.

The whole place was enormous, covering more than a hundred mu. At its center stood a large cluster of palace-like pavilions, exquisitely carved and splendidly built, with people in strange attire coming and going.

On the open ground before the pavilions was a broad blue-brick plaza. Like petty merchants, many people had set up small stalls around its perimeter.

From time to time, one or two people would squeeze up to these stalls to take a look or ask a few quiet questions, but there were not many transactions concluded on the spot.

As Fang Yu stepped out of the passage, he saw Meng Shan the First talking to an elderly man in green robes.

The old man was tall and thin, with broad shoulders and long arms. Dressed in a green scholar's robe, he carried something of an immortal's otherworldly bearing. Yet his mottled green face was truly startling!

"This is Fellow Daoist Qingyan. This Tainan Gathering is jointly hosted by him and several other fellow Daoists."

Meng Shan the First introduced him to the group, his tone carrying a hint of respect.

Clearly, though the other party was not a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, he was undoubtedly an expert at the peak of the thirteenth level of Qi Refinement, while Meng Shan the First was merely at the peak of the eleventh level.

Meng Shan the Second was only at the eleventh level of Qi Refinement as well, while Meng Shan the Third, Meng Shan the Fourth, and Meng Shan the Fifth were all at the tenth level.

Once one surpassed the tenth level of Qi Refinement, advancing further without exceptional aptitude or medicinal pills was as difficult as climbing to heaven.

Thus, even if Meng Shan the First spent his entire life cultivating, he might reach only the twelfth level of Qi Refinement.

Naturally, he held Qingyan Daoist, who was at the peak of the thirteenth level of Qi Refinement, in immense awe.

"Eh, fourth level of Qi Refinement? It seems this little friend has quite good aptitude!"

After nodding to each of them in greeting, Qingyan Daoist's gaze fell upon Fang Yu, and he spoke in considerable surprise.

"You flatter me, Senior."

Fang Yu respectfully gave a slight bow.

On the surface, he was only at the third level of Qi Refinement, so it was not improper for him to address the other man as Senior.

"No matter. Make yourselves at home. This old man has other matters to attend to, so I will not accompany you further."

Qingyan True Person did not ask further about Fang Yu's aptitude. He merely nodded slightly, bade them farewell, and left.

"Third, accompany Brother Fang Han around and broaden his horizons. Second and I have some matters to handle."

Meng Shan the First instructed.

"Understood, Big Brother."

Having long wanted to split off from the group, Meng Shan the Third immediately agreed impatiently. He grabbed Fang Yu and headed toward the plaza.

"Fourth, you and Fifth Sister should go as well."

Seeing this, Meng Shan the First also instructed Meng Shan the Fourth and Meng Shan the Fifth.

"All right."

Meng Shan the Fourth likewise nodded eagerly, then pulled Meng Shan the Fifth away.

"Second, are you sure you want to do this? If it fails, your Primordial Spirit will shatter, and you will not even be able to enter reincarnation. I cannot shake this unease—I feel that Fang Han has no small problem."

Meng Shan the First frowned tightly and spoke in a low voice.

"What problem could there be? Even if he has a lightning-attribute variant spiritual root and has concealed part of his cultivation, could he possibly be at the tenth level of Qi Refinement? Big Brother, rest assured."

"Besides, we have prepared for so long. If we give up now, would all our previous preparations not have been in vain? That was more than thirty spirit stones, Big Brother!"

Meng Shan the Second's expression changed slightly, and he hastily tried to persuade him.

So long as he successfully seized the body, he would possess a lightning-attribute variant spiritual root. In the future, not only would Foundation Establishment be possible, but even forming a core might be within reach. Naturally, he could not give up.

"Fine. But to guard against any unforeseen mishap, we must buy an elementary high-grade soul-sealing talisman. Only then can I rest easy. I just do not know whether this place has one."

After hearing the yellow-robed Meng Shan the Second's words, Meng Shan the First said gravely.

"Fine, that is no problem. Big Brother has considered it thoroughly."

The yellow-robed Meng Shan the Second naturally did not object, since it could increase their chances of success.

"Mm! Then let us begin looking!"

Meng Shan the First nodded as well.

At the same time, Fang Yu and the blue-robed Meng Shan the Third were already wandering around the plaza.

The cultivators' stalls were scattered around the broad plaza, forming a sparse, square-shaped path.

Those browsing and trading for goods walked in twos and threes through the open spaces between the stalls on either side, coming and going. It was no different from ordinary worldly commerce.

By now, the sky had grown somewhat dark, but the plaza had become brilliantly lit. Most stalls had set out huge, uniformly styled lamps. These lamps were made of bronze, antique in appearance, and over a meter tall.

Yet instead of lamp oil or other fuel, each lamp held a fist-sized white stone that emitted a soft glow throughout its body.

Moonlight stones—the most basic lighting item in the cultivation world. A single low-grade spirit stone could buy a hundred fist-sized pieces, so they were nothing rare.

Though night had fallen, there were far more people in the plaza than before. Not only had additional stalls appeared, but the number of browsers had surged as well. Large numbers of cultivators flooded into the area, making the place lively beyond measure for a time.

This also broadened Fang Yu's horizons considerably. Beside him, the blue-robed Meng Shan the Third casually introduced the goods at the stalls, most of which were talismans.

After all, for independent cultivators, talismans were the easiest things to obtain, and they were both useful and inexpensive.