Chapter 185: Six Desires
Chapter 185: Six Desires
"Master..."
Shi Wanwan held onto Lian Laogui's corpse, her beautiful face streaked with tears.
The disciples of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect behind her were overcome with grief.
Initially, when the Second Palace Master of the Blood River Palace appeared, they still held a glimmer of hope.
But they never expected the killer's sword to be so swift that even a mid-foundation establishment cultivator couldn't save him.
And who could have imagined that the Heavenly Sword Sect would send a renowned foundation establishment swordsman as well? It even seemed like the Second Palace Master of the Blood River Palace had been slashed by that sword?
Fang Xing, however, was accustomed to such displays of power.
Having already condensed his sword heart, he naturally understood the might of Sword Intent, a third-tier technique.
Especially in the hands of Fu Hongyi, a foundation establishment cultivator with profound cultivation. When wielded by her, it became even more terrifying, a true peak battle force!
Moreover, swordsmen were known for their heavy killing intent, and Fu Hongyi was the cream of the crop in that regard!
That was why the Second Palace Master of the Blood River Palace had immediately used a golden cicada escape technique upon seeing Fu Hongyi. Unfortunately, it seemed he hadn't escaped successfully.
He manipulated a third-tier puppet while leisurely collecting his spoils of war. His main body then stepped forward and said, "Master Uncle... I have completed my mission to investigate the Zheng Nation as ordered by the Sect Master. Indeed, the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect has colluded with the Demon Path, and not just them. The Myriad Phenomenon Demon Sect has already infiltrated all of the Five Sects and Ten Nations..."
He handed over a jade slip containing intelligence on the 'Eighteen Golden Corpse Upsetting Heaven Formation', the Secret Realm of Myriad Laws, and detailed information about the Five Sects and Ten Nations.
Fu Hongyi glanced through it briefly and nodded, "You've done well... This time in the Zheng Nation, we've established the might of the Heavenly Sword Sect. Your talent in the Sword Dao is exceptional, and the Grand Elder will surely be overjoyed when he hears of your achievements..."
"I can't compare to Master Uncle's sword art, which can slay the Second Palace Master of the Blood River Palace with a single strike," Fang Xing humbly replied.
"These small fry cultivators, their fake pills are like common chickens and dogs. Even with real pills... they're still mediocre at best," Fu Hongyi said, as if reminiscing. "With your current external pill's spiritual power and third-tier sword art... most foundation establishment cultivators aren't your match. If you want to duel with swords, you should seek out the true disciples of the Nascent Soul factions! They are your true opponents, especially Golden Core cultivators. The joy of killing them is boundless! Go kill one, and you'll know I'm not exaggerating."
'This expression, this tone... she's like a maniac,' Fang Xing thought to himself.
Then he heard Fu Hongyi continue, "Of course, our sect has always been benevolent and righteous, so we wouldn't dare massacre other Nascent Soul factions' true disciples lightly. But this time, with our battle against the Myriad Phenomenon Demon Sect, there will be plenty of opportunities."
She was a quintessential swordsman, delighted by the prospect of battle.
Fang Xing pondered for a moment and turned to the wooden-faced Shi Wanwan and the many Ten Thousand Beasts Sect cultivators, asking, "What should be done about the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect?"
"The Sect Master has ordered that the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect be used as a base to establish a military camp. We will then look for an opportunity to break through into the Five Sects and Ten Nations and engage the Demon Path!" Fu Hongyi explained. "I am the commander-in-chief of this battle, with the authority to make decisions on the spot... These Ten Thousand Beasts Sect cultivators who have turned to the Demon Path should originally have been put to death... But considering the difficulty of their cultivation and the ongoing war, they will all be demoted to slaves. They can be put to good use as mining slaves or beast slaves... They can be handed over to the Outer Hall for arrangements."
Upon hearing this, the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect disciples heaved a sigh of relief.
Especially the Core Formation elders! They hadn't been able to escape, not because they didn't want to, but because they knew they couldn't.
Soon, the entire Ten Thousand Beasts Sect was in motion. Accompanying Fu Hongyi were a large number of Outer Hall cultivators from the Heavenly Sword Sect, who began to transform the sect into a permanent base, removing the original grand formation and upgrading it.
If Fang Xing hadn't eliminated the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect, Zheng Nation might have become a bridgehead for attacking Qi Nation.
However, the situation had changed drastically. With Fu Hongyi stationed in Zheng Nation, she issued a decree without hesitation, drawing a large number of cultivators from the Qingxu Zong, Heitian Guan, and various Core Formation factions to the front lines.
The clouds of war between the righteous and demonic paths were about to burst!
...
In the temporary camp.
Fang Xing held a position of high esteem, second only to Fu Hongyi, and thus occupied the second-best third-tier superior spirit vein cave abode.
"Sword Brother, the Outer Hall worries that you might not be accustomed to mundane tasks, so we have specially selected a maid to take care of your daily needs. What do you think?"
The Outer Hall executive who had come to meet with Fang Xing was none other than the 'Executive Xue' who had introduced him to the Heavenly Sword Sect and shared his love for fishing.
Executive Xue was grinning from ear to ear, and he even winked at Fang Xing.
"Maid... to take care of my daily needs?" Fang Xing glanced at the captivating female cultivator standing behind Executive Xue and rubbed his nose awkwardly.
'Could it be that my brief indulgence in Qingyanfang City has already spread through the Outer Hall?'
However, looking at the female cultivator's face, Fang Xing spoke up, "Fellow Daoist Shi..."
The woman was indeed Shi Wanwan, but her face was calm as she bowed gracefully. "Wanwan pays her respects to Sword Master... I hope Sword Master will take me in."
"Ahem..."
Fang Xing glanced at Executive Xue with a doubtful look, but the latter maintained a serious expression.
"Never mind... You can stay for now."
He waved his hand, and after Executive Xue left, he turned to Shi Wanwan. "Fellow Daoist Shi... How is your sect doing?"
Shi Wanwan's delicate body trembled as she shot a complex and indescribable glance at Fang Xing.
If it weren't for this man who had slain the Three False Pill Elders and the Nascent Soul Elder of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect, she wouldn't have ended up in such a plight.
And now, he was pretending to be concerned about her sect's well-being?
"Not very well... Many disciples have been demoted to mining slaves, and those with abilities have been assigned to the Outer Hall, where they may end up raising demonic beasts for a living," Shi Wanwan replied, lowering her eyes.
Her service to Fang Xing was both involuntary and somewhat voluntary. After all, if she could win his favor, perhaps the treatment of her fellow disciples would improve.
"Back then... on the flying boat, was it you who stopped those two Qi Refining disciples from fighting?" Fang Xing asked a strange question.
"So what if it was? And what if it wasn't?" Shi Wanwan looked at Fang Xing's youthful face, feeling a bit dazed.
After all their hard work to dominate Zheng Nation, what had it amounted to in the end?
In the face of his sword light, it had all been a joke!
"Although those two wastes would have just been throwing their lives away by fighting... I still acknowledge your kindness," Fang Xing said, waving his hand. "If you wish, Fellow Daoist Shi, you can leave."
"Leave?" Shi Wanwan's body trembled. Countless cultivators in her sect would envy her freedom.
But in the end, she shook her head. "Wanwan only wishes to be your maid..."
"That won't do," Fang Xing said, waving his hand again. "Although your cultivation is not impressive, I have no intention of keeping my master's killer by my side..."
After all, no matter how beautiful this Shi Wanwan was, what kind of maid couldn't he get? Why would he shelter a remnant of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect?
Even if he implanted a Sea of Consciousness restriction or a blood oath, there was still a chance, no matter how small, that it could be broken.
And if he didn't gamble, he definitely wouldn't lose!
Shi Wanwan's face turned deathly pale at his words.
After sending Shi Wanwan away, Fang Xing returned to his cave abode and began to sort through his spoils of war.
According to the rules of the cultivation world, the belongings of enemies he had slain alone belonged to him.
Thus, the possessions of the Three False Pill cultivators and Lian Laogui were now his.
In addition, the third-tier giant serpent also belonged to him. However, due to its massive size, Fang Xing only took its third-tier demon core, the best pieces of its hide, and some of its essence blood.
The rest of the third-tier demonic beast's meat was purchased by the Outer Hall at a discounted price as a welfare benefit for the disciples who had participated in the war.
'At least the disciples who fought in this occupation of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect will be able to eat invigorating demonic beast meat every day, right?' Fang Xing thought with a smile.
Next, he opened Lian Laogui's storage bag.
The sect master of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect was quite wealthy, but the most valuable item he had was the Ten Thousand Beasts Armor artifact.
In addition, there was a pile of high-grade spirit stones, large amounts of demonic beast hides and bones, and so on...
As for secret techniques and the like?
Now that such a large sect had been conquered, he could just go to the library and make copies.
The storage bags of the Three False Pill cultivators contained similar items. Besides contributing an artifact each and a large number of demonic beast materials, there was nothing that caught Fang Xing's eye.
'As expected... The Ten Thousand Beasts Sect specializes in beast taming... They don't have the secret techniques or artifacts that can stir the heart demons of cultivators, which is what I desire.'
'However... The Heavenly Sword Sect should have such items in their collection. Although I can't return to my original sect now, this wartime camp should have a merit board where I can exchange my contributions for rewards...'
Cultivators who fought to the death naturally received merit rewards.
These merits could be accumulated and exchanged for Foundation Establishment Pills, spirit pills that increased one's cultivation, and even Golden Core spirit objects! Therefore, each great war in the cultivation world, although cruel, was also an opportunity for low-level cultivators.
After every war, countless loose cultivators rose through the ranks, establishing their Foundation or even condensing their Golden Cores.
As for condensing Nascent Souls?
That was thinking too far ahead. Opportunities for Nascent Soul formation were still scarce in the wilderness, and it was basically impossible for them to be distributed as rewards.
Even in the major Nascent Soul sects, such opportunities were controlled by Nascent Soul True Lords, who carefully selected the candidates.
Soon, news of the impending large-scale conflict between the righteous and demonic paths spread like wildfire across the wild and barren lands, evoking a range of emotions from shock and fear to excitement and elation among the cultivators.
The battleground between the two forces wasn't limited to just the Five Sects and Ten Nations, either.
However, on Fang Xing's side, the main forces involved were the Heavenly Sword Sect and the Myriad Phenomenon Demon Sect.
The Heavenly Sword Sect only needed to focus its attention on the battlefield of the Five Sects and Ten Nations.
After cultivating for several days, Fang Xing emerged from his cave abode.
He transformed into a sword light, soaring into the sky, and saw that the original mountain gate of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect had undergone a massive transformation.
Even Old Ghost might not have recognized it.
Countless beast pens had been flattened and replaced with cave abodes and barracks.
Rows of flags stood tall, exuding a sharp aura that soared into the heavens, manifesting countless sword shadows in the sky.
The veiled killing intent, even to Fang Xing's current perception, evoked a sense of awe and trepidation.
"A Quasi-Fourth Tier—the Myriad Swords Return Formation!"
"This is a formation hastily modified by the sect's formation master, directly replacing the original formation of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect."
"The true Myriad Swords Return Formation is actually a Fourth Tier formation, but the spiritual veins here in the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect weren't sufficient, and it was set up in a hurry. Achieving a Quasi-Fourth Tier is already impressive."
A Quasi-Fourth Tier formation, with a high-level cultivator at its core, could withstand attacks from Foundation Establishment cultivators for a period of time.
This was more than sufficient to serve as a solid stronghold.
If the Zheng Nation fell into the hands of the demonic path, this place would become a formidable fortress, difficult to capture.
Thanks to Fang Xing's meddling, one could say that the balance of power had shifted, giving them a degree of initiative.
Fang Xing scanned the area and landed in a square.
Countless cultivators hastily made way, filled with reverence.
Not only was he clad in the Heavenly Sword Sect's robe, but his face was also now famous throughout the Zheng Nation.
Subduing the Qingxu Zong with a single sword wasn't even his most notable feat.
By slaying a single true pill cultivator and three fake pill cultivators from the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect, his notoriety was enough to make children cry at night!
'The sect must have gathered all these Zheng Nation cultivators to serve as cannon fodder...'
Fang Xing sighed inwardly.
Of course, he also understood that these low-level cultivators, though seemingly insignificant, could still be useful in a large-scale battle.
For example, they could serve as logistical support, mining for spirit stones, providing pills, talismans, and repairing artifacts...
Furthermore, the elite among them could be trained and organized into battle formations!
If there were dozens of Qi Refining cultivators working together in harmony, forming a formation, they might even be able to rival Foundation Establishment cultivators.
If one added hundreds or even thousands of Qi Refining cultivators and dozens of Foundation Establishment cultivators, combining their spiritual power... it would be akin to having the might of a Golden Core cultivator!
'Of course, this type of empowerment is not as convenient as my external pills... But on the battlefield, intricate maneuvers aren't always necessary. As long as the spiritual power is strong enough, one can simply unleash a barrage of attacks...'
Fang Xing arrived at the center of the square and saw a massive black stele.
The stele was protected by restrictions, and upon it were listed various heavenly treasures, techniques, pills, and talismans.
'A carrot dangling in front of the donkey...'
Fang Xing glanced at the items listed and a smile appeared on his face. He walked towards the edge of the square where several stone houses were located.
Inside the stone houses were fake pill cultivators on duty.
"Sword Brother?"
Upon seeing Fang Xing, one of them immediately came out to greet him.
Fang Xing took a quick glance and recognized Executive Huang from the Outer Hall, a familiar face.
"How much merit have I accumulated from my battle achievements? I'd like to exchange it for some treasures." Fang Xing said.
"This..." Executive Huang nodded repeatedly, but his expression turned thoughtful. "Sword Brother has slain numerous high-level cultivators and successfully investigated the situation in the Zheng Nation. Your achievements are remarkable... May I ask what treasure you wish to exchange for?"
If it had been a cultivator from the Zheng Nation, Executive Huang would have flatly refused such a request.
For example, a Foundation Establishment Pill, a rare and precious pill, would usually only be distributed after the war was over.
One might have to wait decades if they were unlucky.
But it was different for a true disciple of the sect.
"I saw a 'Six Desires Heart Demon Talisman' listed on the board. I'll take that." Fang Xing waved his hand.
"Yes!"
Executive Huang nodded vigorously, but his heart stirred.
The 'Six Desires Heart Demon Talisman' was a Third Tier high-grade talisman. Even Nascent Soul cultivators had to be cautious of it.
Furthermore, it leaned towards the demonic path and wasn't a typical offensive or defensive talisman, making it quite niche in its usage.
Executive Huang wondered who Sword Brother intended to target with this talisman.
But, thinking of Fang Xing's fearsome reputation, he knew better than to ask.
(End of Chapter)
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