Chapter 38: The Outcome
Chapter 38: The Outcome
At the Canyon Entrance
In the canyon, Fu Qing of the Black Tiger Gang was wielding a turtle shell shield and a tiger-headed blade, his offensive and defensive spiritual artifacts locked in combat with Wan Fenglin, who had produced a cauldron-like artifact.
Both were cultivators, with Fu Qing at a higher stage of cultivation. However, Wan Fenglin was an alchemist with ample resources. In addition to the 'Heavenly Thunder Pill' earlier, he unexpectedly took out a stack of top-grade first-tier talismans. Countless talismans shone, transforming into wind blades, golden arrows, and boulders for attacks, firmly restraining Fu Qing, yet he still seemed to have some leeway.
"Third brother, I'm going to clean up the family today," Chen Yi said, glancing at the battlefield and Chen Hongtian's gloomy face, a green wind blade appearing in his hand.
"Big brother, we're brothers for life. Do you really have to be ruthless?" Chen Hongtian roared and quickly infused his innate true qi into a defensive talisman, the two of them clashing fiercely.
Generally, an innate master could match up to an early Qi Refining cultivator at most, with only the most exceptional innate peak warriors able to barely compare to a mid Qi Refining cultivator.
Therefore, Chen Hongtian knew he was no match for his big brother, and all he could do now was to delay him.
Lying on the ground, Hua Feiyue, Meng Yi, and Shen Yuxin worked to expel the poison from their bodies with their innate true qi, their faces confused as they watched the battle unfold.
Why... had things suddenly turned out this way?
How had the situation escalated to this point? Third brother had betrayed them, and their big brother had kept them all in the dark...
Meng Yi felt his heart twisting in pain, while Hua Feiyue furrowed her brows, thinking about her own chances of survival.
None of them noticed that in the canyon above, where the mist had dissipated, a peregrine falcon had appeared without anyone noticing! It circled a couple of times before suddenly diving down like a black arrow.
Whoosh!
In the next moment, the falcon had reached the lakeside, its sharp claws extended to grasp a 'Moonlit Orchid'!
"You damn beast!" The Grand Master Alchemist saw this and was utterly furious.
But he couldn't afford to deal with it as Fu Qing was right in front of him, and the falcon was too fast and too far away... All the cultivators could do was watch helplessly as it flew away.
Boom!
The next moment, although the cultivators were still hostile to each other, they all moved towards the canyon.
They had worked hard for their spoils, and if some unrelated beast took them away, they would be devastated!
Qinglin Marketplace
Fang Xing pretended to be a herb collector, carrying a basket on his back and dressing the part.
As a resident of the marketplace, everyone had to deal with monthly rent, and many innate warriors struggled to survive, forced to sign contracts of servitude to work as tenant farmers in the nearby spirit fields! Those who stayed either had a special skill or were daring enough to take risks.
Often, they had to go out to gather herbs and hunt magical beasts.
'Living in the marketplace has many benefits, including safety, order, and the concentration of spiritual energy... Nurtured by spiritual energy, not only does one's cultivation progress rapidly, but it also prolongs one's lifespan...'
Fang Xing had enough spirit stones to pay the rent, but continuing to do so would attract unwanted attention.
Besides, the 'Illusion Heart Orchid' would be ready soon.
So, he decided to make a trip to the temporary campsite.
Many spiritual herbs collected by the drones over the past few days were also stored there, so he could collect them all at once.
Upon reaching the marketplace entrance, he saw many warriors.
Most of them, like him, were dressed for the mountains, some even looking solemn as if facing life-or-death situations.
After all, with the rampant beast tide, venturing deep into the vast wilderness was extremely dangerous!
"Ah... even Song Lao Fourth didn't make it..."
Seeing a few warriors carrying a corpse, the surrounding people couldn't help but feel a sense of loss.
At that moment, one warrior spotted Fang Xing and approached him, "Young brother, are you also a herb collector? Do you know that the outside world has become even more dangerous? A large number of magical beasts have sensed the dense human presence here and are migrating towards the Qinglin Mountains, treating this place like a hunting ground..."
"Ah, there's nothing we can do about it..." Fang Xing sighed.
"The bigger the storm, the more valuable the fish!" the warrior exclaimed.
"True, well said!" The warrior's eyes lit up. "Why don't we work together?"
"No need." Fang Xing waved his hand dismissively, his expression clearly saying he preferred to be left alone. He then used his body technique to quickly dart into the dense forest.
With the drones scouting from above, the chances of him encountering danger were slim, but the risk was still there.
Thus, he couldn't afford to be careless.
Of course, Fang Xing didn't need to go directly to the temporary campsite.
He only needed to leave the Qinglin Marketplace, get out of sight, and then retrieve the gifts from nature that the drones had brought him.
Strictly speaking, the danger wasn't significant.
After going out for just half an hour, he returned with a basket full of herbs.
Of course, for the sake of disguise, he covered it with some miscellaneous items, and due to the lesson he learned from the old man with the pipe, he specifically masked the scent of the herbs.
As Fang Xing entered the marketplace with his basket, he happened to see that the warrior who had spoken to him earlier had been turned into a corpse, even missing body parts.
"This... what happened...?"
"Ah, they were unlucky. Not long after they left, they encountered a 'Fire Yuan Jackal'..." one of the nearby warriors explained, shaking his head as he saw the charred marks on the corpse's wounds.
"Hmm? Didn't you just leave, brother?"
A warrior spotted Fang Xing and glanced casually at the roots and stems in his basket, letting out a snort of laughter. "So, you're not out gathering herbs after all, but digging up wild tubers to fill your stomach?"
"Ah, these days, even ordinary rice is becoming unaffordable, let alone spirit rice," Fang Xing sighed.
The surrounding warriors scoffed as he walked away.
...
Room 57, Ding Word.
Fang Xing glanced at the room next door; the door remained tightly shut.
Only when there was a sound did a single eye cautiously peek through the crack, like a pitiful little beast.
"Ah, what a poor little fellow..."
Without paying further attention to Meng Zijin, Fang Xing closed his door and headed to the basement.
He tossed the wild tuber roots that covered the top of the basket aside, revealing the precious medicinal herbs underneath.
Each of these herbs was enough to make any Innate Warrior envious! Especially that one 'Illusion Heart Orchid'! This orchid was so beautiful it seemed ethereal, with a lustrous sheen on its stems, leaves, and petals.
Just a slight whiff of its fragrance made Fang Xing feel slightly dizzy, as if he had drunk too much wine.
"It's indeed a good thing. I just need to bring it to Qingdanfang to refine it into 'Calm Spirit Pills.' It shouldn't be a problem..."
"But I obtained this herb by force, and both Master Wan and the Black Tiger Gang are after me. Will Qingdanfang keep this a secret for me?"
Despite Qingdanfang's good reputation, Fang Xing still hesitated.
At this moment, he opened the surveillance log to check on the aftermath of the Cangshan Five Heroes, Master Wan, and Fu Qing...
"Hmm?"
In the footage, Meng Yi was pierced through the chest by a tiger-headed blade artifact, but he managed to push his wife, Shen Yuxin, away forcefully.
In Shen Yuxin's hand was the 'Illusion Heart Orchid'!
"Hmm? This is... a mess."
The Fang Xing in the footage barely managed to piece together what had happened.
Chen Yi had a backup plan and wasn't poisoned. After Hua Feiyue, Meng Yi, and Shen Yuxin detoxified, they quickly joined the battle.
Master Wan was merely an alchemist with inadequate combat strength. Chen Hongtian was only an Innate, and he was besieged by the remaining four heroes, perishing on the spot! Realizing the dire situation, Master Wan used a life-saving talisman and fled successfully!
It seemed that the Black Tiger Gang's Fu Qing and the four heroes of Cangshan had won, but when it came to dividing the spoils, Chen Yi took the initiative and ambushed Fu Qing!
Hua Feiyue, Meng Yi, and Shen Yuxin had no choice but to join the fight. Meng Yi was then stabbed through the heart, dying beyond any doubt.
Before his death, he created an opportunity for Shen Yuxin to escape with their harvest.
Fu Qing, having been worn down by Master Wan and then ambushed by Chen Yi, as well as besieged by several Innate Warriors, dared not linger. He left with the lion's share of the harvest.
Thus, the herb-gathering expedition concluded with two Innates dead and the rest severely wounded.
"Treasure hunting and exploration in the cultivation world are truly dangerous. I must be careful not to get involved in such mysterious activities again..."
Fang Xing silently reminded himself, then started cooking rice, preparing dishes, and grilling meat...
With the superior spiritual energy environment, spirit rice, and demon beast meat provided by the marketplace, he practiced martial arts every day.
Moreover, the constantly rising numbers in his attribute panel gave him a sense of gaming pleasure from his previous life, making him almost addicted.
...
Night fell.
As Fang Xing prepared to sleep, he suddenly heard heartbreaking sobbing next door: "Father...waah...I want my father..."
"Is that Meng Zijin? Are they back? They're really slow..."
He turned over in bed. "Well, my expectations were too high. After all, they can't fly directly back, and they have to avoid many dangerous places along the way..."
Although he knew what had happened, it would be strange for him to visit them now.
Therefore, Fang Xing stretched lazily, waited three seconds, and let a ball of silver light envelop him.
He chose to sleep back at Planet Falcon.
It must be said that the law and order in the Blue Star Federation were quite good, except for the followers of the Evil God. It was usually very safe.
Living in such an environment, one could sleep more soundly than in Qinglin Marketplace.
If it weren't for the lure of the marketplace's spiritual energy environment, he might have continued resting there.
...
The next day.
Qinglin Marketplace.
As Fang Xing stepped out of his house, he noticed a white banner erected outside the neighboring shack.
This was a local funeral custom, where a white banner at the door indicated the loss of a family member.
He walked over and saw that the center of the shack had been turned into a funeral parlor, with a spirit tablet and ceremonial clothing laid out.
Obviously, Meng Yi's body had not been retrieved.
After all, Shen Yuxin had fled in a hurry, and one couldn't expect much from her.
"Ah? What...happened here?"
Fang Xing feigned shock upon seeing this scene.
"It's my husband. He went out to gather spirit herbs and unfortunately met his end..." Shen Yuxin's eyes were slightly red, and she replied calmly in her mourning attire. "It's all fate... I don't want to stay in this place of sorrow anymore. I plan to leave with Zijin."
(End of Chapter)
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