Revenge (Seeking Recommendations)

Green Forest Market.

A slightly chubby young man with an utterly ordinary face strode inside.

This man was Fang Xing!

Ever since breaking into the Muscles and Bones Realm, Fang Xing had discovered that he could even make "minor adjustments" to his body type, becoming fat or thin at will. Presumably, once he reached a profound level in the Muscles and Bones Realm, he would be able to freely alter even his height and bones.

Thus, he directly changed his appearance and entered this Cultivator market once more.

"Golden Spirit Fruits! Delicious Golden Spirit Fruits, only one Spirit Sand each!"

"Selling Talismans! Every kind of Talisman available, thirty percent cheaper than the shops!"

"Magic items! There are even magic items!"

The market was as bustling as ever.

Fang Xing even saw a group of people gathered before a stall, watching the stall owner, who was surrounded by Baleful Qi and clearly not someone to provoke.

Or rather, they were staring eagerly at the magic-item flying sword before him.

"So this is... a magic item?"

Fang Xing glanced over and saw a dark iron sword no longer than a palm, its surface marked with several chips and flaws.

"A secondhand Low-Grade Magic Item, the Black Feather Sword... only twenty Spirit Stones!"

The stall owner crossed his arms, impatience flashing across his face. "Broke bastards, don't come over here!"

Perhaps because his cultivation was profound, the people nearby awkwardly made room for him. Not one of them dared cause trouble.

"Ah, what a pity. Why isn't it a Blood Refined Magic Item?"

An Innate Martial Artist looked at the black flying sword and sighed.

Compared to Talismans, magic items had much higher requirements for use!

Even Innate Martial Artists could not wield Low-Grade Magic Items.

Unless... it was a Blood Refined Magic Item refined through a special method. Only then could a martial artist activate it with their own true qi or even Quintessential Blood.

"Blood Refined Magic Items aren't very powerful, only comparable to ordinary Low-Grade Magic Items, but they're troublesome to make and require rare materials... They cost at least a hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones. Stop dreaming."

A Cultivator beside him immediately sneered.

After watching for a while, Fang Xing left on his own.

He could not afford one anyway...

Azure Pill Workshop.

The maid from last time was not there. Instead, this time there was a woman around twenty years old.

She wore a well-fitted peach-red Daoist robe that gave her a bright and lovely air. Upon seeing Fang Xing, she smiled before speaking. "How may I assist you, sir?"

"I'm selling herbs."

Fang Xing got straight to the point and took out a white fruit.

The fruit was the size of an infant's fist, with snake-like patterns across its surface and a faint fishy smell.

"This is... a Snake Orchid Fruit? This spiritual herb is somewhat rare. I can offer two Spirit Stones for it." The woman in Daoist robes' eyes brightened. "May I ask how many you have, sir?"

"Only two. I obtained them through narrow escapes from death..."

Fang Xing took out another Snake Orchid Fruit and spoke with a sigh.

In truth, he had an entire box of such fruits!

The harvesting site had indeed been somewhat dangerous—it was where the Giant Python in the river dwelled. Several Simulated Birds had even been swallowed!

Judging from its various displays, that Giant Python was stronger than the Wild Boar Demon Beast and clearly more dangerous. The herbs near its nest were probably rarer and more valuable as well.

This test had indeed proved it!

After receiving four Low-Grade Spirit Stones, Fang Xing first bought a bottle of Qi Blood Pills. After leaving Azure Pill Workshop, he saw the sign for Small Talisman Hall and unconsciously walked in. "Give me a Spirit Test Talisman!"

"Perhaps... the Talismans from Small Talisman Hall have a problem."

"One case proves nothing. If I don't try a few more times, it won't be reliable after all!"

After leaving Small Talisman Hall, Fang Xing wandered around some more, planning to buy another Spirit Test Talisman from a stall!

If all three results were the same, then he could only accept his fate.

"Sir, would you like some Spirit Rice?"

Just as Fang Xing was looking for a Talisman stall, a timid voice suddenly interrupted him from nearby.

He turned his head and saw a Spirit Rice stall.

A girl in red was looking at him with apprehension and expectation in her eyes.

"This is Low-Grade Spirit Rice?"

Fang Xing stepped forward, picked up a handful of Spirit Rice, and asked calmly.

The rice grains were much larger than ordinary white rice and carried the fragrance of lotus leaves. Just smelling them made one's mouth water.

"Yes, just one Spirit Sand per pound!" The girl quickly put on a flattering smile. "Cultivators eat this every day! It's said that if mortals eat enough of it, they can more easily have descendants with Spiritual Root aptitude."

"Oh? If I eat enough, can I grow a Spiritual Root myself?" Fang Xing became interested.

"That's impossible! There has never been an example in the Cultivation World of someone developing a Spiritual Root after birth!" The girl repeatedly shook her head, saying it as though it were common knowledge.

Fang Xing immediately seemed somewhat dejected. "Then I won't buy any. I'm not a cultivator, so it's no use to me!"

"Who says it's useless? Those powerful martial artists buy Spirit Rice to eat too... It can strengthen Qi-Blood, and Spirit Rice is completely natural, without even a trace of Pill Poison!" the girl hurriedly said.

"Pill Poison?"

Fang Xing paused.

"Yes. Taking pills regularly creates Pill Poison. If it accumulates, it can harm the body and even damage one's potential, leaving cultivators trapped at bottlenecks and unable to progress... That's why Cultivators eat Spirit Rice every day while cultivating, only taking pills at critical moments when breaking through." The girl added, "That's what my grandfather said."

Fang Xing became interested. Feeling that the girl was somewhat inexperienced in worldly matters, he immediately chatted with her a little longer.

Only then did he learn that although pills contained Pill Poison, it was not actually a major issue for Cultivators.

After all, many Rogue Cultivators had long since been trapped before the major realms until death.

Moreover, as one's cultivation technique advanced or one broke through a major realm, there would be a process of Muscle and Marrow Cleansing that expelled some bodily toxins.

Besides, the human body naturally had detoxification functions. As long as Pill Poison did not accumulate beyond a certain limit, it was not a serious problem.

"Thank you, little miss. I'll buy... ten pounds of Spirit Rice. Oh, right, what's your name?"

By the end, Fang Xing felt rather embarrassed about getting so much information for free and took the initiative to pull out a Spirit Stone.

"My name is Ding Hongxiu. My family's Lotus Fragrance Spirit Rice is the finest among Low-Grade Spirit Rice!" Ding Hongxiu proudly puffed out her small chest.

"Heh, I'll remember that."

Fang Xing carried the cloth sack of rice on his back, waved behind him, and blended into the crowd.

A short while later.

"Hmm?"

After comparing several stalls and finally buying another Spirit Test Talisman at a lower price, Fang Xing spotted a medicinal herb stall, and his gaze immediately hardened.

The person running the stall was none other than the old man with the tobacco pipe who had followed him before!

However, the man had clearly not recognized his disguised self.

Perfect. My strength has improved. A grievance for a grievance, a debt for a debt!

After giving it some thought, Fang Xing turned into a corner and wiped a hand across his face.

As his skin and flesh wriggled, his face changed once more into one with honest, simple features—the identity he had used last time!

There's no need to go before that old man. I only need to let him spot me by chance...

Fang Xing swiftly formulated a plan. Martial artists in this world peak at the Innate level. That old man isn't a Cultivator, so at most he's Innate... He may have some hidden tricks on him. I need to make some preparations.

Several hours later.

Fang Xing swaggered out of Green Forest Market and plunged headlong into the desolate wilderness.

Behind him, the old man with the tobacco pipe narrowed his eyes and followed closely.

Hmm? He really followed me?

Fang Xing maintained a steady pace, neither too close nor too far, and ran more than ten li.

He activated his wristwatch and immediately saw the surveillance feed from the Simulated Bird-shaped Drone in the sky.

And... there's no one else nearby. He shouldn't have any reinforcements.

Judging from his movement technique and speed, it confirms what he said before. He's only a martial artist... He wasn't lying...

In that case...

Fang Xing pressed his chest, and a layer of silver-white Nano Protective Suit immediately enveloped his entire body. An Electric Baton dropped into his right hand.

"Hmm? Where did he go? Did that fat sheep get away again?"

The old man with the tobacco pipe entered a patch of dense woods. When he failed to see Fang Xing, annoyance surfaced on his face.

As someone at the bottom rung of Green Forest Market, there were limited targets he could choose to rob and kill.

It was rare to encounter such a suitable fat sheep, yet the man had escaped him—twice, no less. It was truly somewhat...

At that moment, his ears twitched, and he suddenly looked up.

A small bird resembling a yellow sparrow stood on a treetop, staring at him without blinking.

"Am I getting old? Why would even an ordinary little bird make me feel danger?"

The old man sighed with feeling.

Back in his youth, he had been unbeatable throughout an entire region's martial world, practically a supreme figure of the martial world.

If he had not been bewitched into following an Immortal Master to seek a path for mortals to cultivate immortality, he would not have been relocated to this godforsaken place. In the end, even the Immortal Master he had followed died, leaving him to barely cling to life...

Flap!

Just as the old man was distracted, the sparrow suddenly flapped its wings and flew down.

Its claws seemed to be clutching a Talisman. The vermilion cinnabar ink on it was exceptionally conspicuous, radiating a dangerous aura.

"Not good, that's... a Fireball Talisman?!"

Fireball Talisman!

It was one of the few Talismans that mortals could use simply by tearing it open.

However, without a Cultivator's mana to guide and aim it, it could easily injure the user, so it did not sell for much in the market—only one Low-Grade Spirit Stone!

The next moment!

Boom!

A burst of fire appeared, swallowing the sparrow and enveloping the old man as well.

Not far away, Fang Xing watched the scene, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his lips. "Learn about non-contact combat..."

With just one Drone paired with a weapon, it could instantly become a terrifying harvester of life!

Of course, the Blue Star Federation maintained fairly strict weapons control.

But the Other World was different.

Here, Spirit Stones could buy anything! They were even afraid the power would not be enough!

Fang Xing had sold Snake Orchid Fruits for four Low-Grade Spirit Stones. He spent one on Qi Blood Pills, one on a Spirit Test Talisman, one on Lotus Fragrance Spirit Rice, and used the remaining one to buy a Fireball Talisman!

Of course, he had two Spirit Test Talismans on him, but the stall vendor had let him haggle the price down to seven Spirit Sand. His previous savings had been enough to cover it.

"A Drone plus a Fireball Talisman makes a flying bomb, and there's no problem of accidentally injuring myself either... Hmm?"

Fang Xing glanced over again, and his eyes suddenly narrowed.

On the screen, after the flames dispersed, the old man's bedraggled figure emerged.

His beard and hair were somewhat scorched, but a thin layer of golden light covered his body.

That golden light was extremely faint. Another second later, it directly dissipated...

"A First-Order Low-Grade Defense Talisman—the Golden Light Talisman? Its defensive power is inferior to the Golden Bell Shield Talisman. Is this your trump card?"

Fang Xing remotely controlled more Drones to appear. Several small birds clutched Talismans and flew toward the old man.

Seeing this, the old man was terrified out of his wits and turned to flee!

"Looks like he only had that one Defense Talisman on him..."

Fang Xing made his judgment, flashed forward, and charged into the woods.

The Drones that appeared later were real, but the Talismans were fake—mere counterfeit goods made from yellow paper and red ink. Yet the old man did not dare inspect them closely.

It was already good enough that he had bluffed out so much.

"Damn it, I'm finished this time!"

The old man rapidly retreated, his face twisted.

Then he saw a silver-white figure emerge ahead of him, a Black Staff thrusting toward him.

"Hah!"

He raised the tobacco pipe in his hand and blocked the Black Staff's attack.

Crackle!

The next moment, a bolt of silver-white electricity suddenly shot from the tip of the Black Staff toward his face!

"Ah, let's die together!"

With the calmness of someone who had accepted life and death, the old man pressed a mechanism on his tobacco pipe. A poisonous needle shot from it like a venomous snake striking with its tongue, incomparably sinister!

This was a concealed weapon technique he had obtained by chance in the mortal martial world, called the Heaven Severing Needle. It ranked first on the martial world's list of concealed weapons!

Clink!

A pitch-black poisonous needle was blocked by the Nano Suit and fell to the ground. The surrounding grass and trees rapidly began to wither.

Then the old man's blackened corpse flew backward and fell to the ground...