Chapter 45: Consuming Dragon Blood
Chapter 45: Consuming Dragon Blood
"Madness! Sheer madness!"
Watching the Foundation Establishment cultivators bid frantically, even the usually calm and collected VIPs in the private rooms were now flushed with excitement as they vied for the item. Fang Xing, however, felt a chill run down his spine.
'Isn't this suitable for cultivators with fire-attributed techniques? Why are you all going so crazy?'
He was unaware that, to these cultivators, this was their 'path'!
No matter what, it was worth taking a risk.
Moreover, while the Qian Yuan Fire Demon was most suitable for fire-attributed techniques, it didn't mean that cultivators with other attributed techniques couldn't use it.
For example, according to the theory of the Five Elements, fire gives birth to earth, so cultivators with earth-attributed techniques could still use it, albeit with a reduction in effectiveness by two to three percent.
As for those cultivating yang-attributed techniques, the reduction might only be one or two percent!
Even for other cultivators, as long as they didn't cultivate water-attributed techniques, which were most incompatible, it was still worth taking a shot!
Who knew, they might just succeed!
If they did, they would immediately become a Core Formation ancestor, on par with the Zheng Family Ancestor, and could become the fourth major power in Qinglin City!
Even if they failed, it would only mean death.
In the city, death was an ordinary occurrence.
"This place is no longer suitable for me. Let's go!"
A gentleman does not stand beneath a dangerous wall. Fang Xing immediately stood up and left the auction hall.
He arrived at a counter, took out his token, and paid sixty-seven Spirit Stones to obtain a bottle of 'Dragon Blood Pills'.
After completing the transaction, Fang Xing did not hesitate for a moment. He chose a random exit and made his way straight home.
Perhaps most cultivators' attention was focused on the auction of the Core Formation spirit treasure.
Or perhaps the value Fang Xing exuded was not high enough to attract attention.
Or maybe it was the constant deterrence of Qing Xuanzong.
Regardless, Fang Xing arrived home safely without incident.
He breathed a sigh of relief and then turned his attention to the Dragon Blood Pills in his hand.
He pulled out the stopper and poured out the pills, each a deep crimson color.
"So there are five pills in a bottle of Dragon Blood..."
Fang Xing sniffed, but instead of a bloody scent, he detected only a rich and pleasant fragrance.
"I'll stick to the old rule: test for poison first, then slowly give it a try..."
He was always cautious about anything he ingested: "I'll head to the Fledgling Eagle Star to sleep first... The aura of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator is truly stimulating..."
...
Several days later.
In the shantytown.
Hua Feiyue was drenched in sweat and looked somewhat exhausted: "Young Master... This servant can't take it anymore!"
Fang Xing sat in a chair, his breath slightly heavy, but he looked somewhat disappointed: "You're still lacking. Your 'Seven Emotions Formula' isn't enough to fully arouse the emotions within me..."
Indeed, he had once again paid the price of Spirit Stones to hire Hua Feiyue to aid him in his cultivation.
By now, Fang Xing had gained a profound understanding of the Extreme Emotion Sword's intent. He was just a step away from entering its threshold.
"Young Master, in this servant's opinion, you should buy a 'Chaos God Talisman'. It's a talisman used by cultivators, and its effects are better than my 'Seven Emotions Formula'..."
Hua Feiyue wiped the sweat from her fragrant face and offered her suggestion.
"Hmm, that's a good idea..."
Fang Xing nodded: "But the city has been a bit chaotic lately..."
"After all, it's a Core Formation spirit treasure. If I were a cultivator instead of a warrior, I might be tempted to fight for it too..."
Hua Feiyue covered her mouth and laughed, somehow giving off the impression that she was relishing the misfortune of others.
On that day, with the suppression of the Core Formation cultivators, the auction eventually concluded smoothly.
However, after the auction ended, the security situation in the city instantly deteriorated. There were even cultivators brawling in the stall area, only to be suppressed by the Qing Xuanzong enforcement team.
"I heard that the fighting outside the city was even more intense..." Fang Xing stroked his chin: "The Qian Yuan Fire Liquid sold for a sky-high price. The Zheng family must be rolling in profits..."
"Hehe, if they had a choice, how could the Zheng family bear to sell a Core Formation spirit treasure? It was probably due to pressure from Qing Xuanzong... If there's a winner this time, there could only be one, and that's Qing Xuanzong." Hua Feiyue had a different interpretation.
"That does make some sense."
Fang Xing nodded and suddenly asked, "Has Chen Yi been looking for you?"
Hua Feiyue's delicate body trembled slightly, and she replied, "This servant has cut all ties with that man... Although he contacted me before, I didn't reply."
It was clear that Hua Feiyue had severed all connections with Chen Yi.
Furthermore, this woman was very smart. She knew that getting involved with Chen Yi would bring nothing but trouble, and she wanted nothing to do with him.
"Cultivators have always looked down on us warriors... It seems that Chen Yi's previous actions in pledging brotherhood with you were deliberately calculated."
Fang Xing smiled faintly: "Never mind him. Here are the herbs for today. Take them to the market and sell them at a stall... Then, buy a 'Chaos God Talisman' and bring it back to me!"
Selling spirit herbs at a stall would naturally fetch a higher price than selling them to a shop, resulting in slightly higher profits, but it was a bit time-consuming.
Therefore, Fang Xing chose to hire Hua Feiyue to run the stall for him and gave her a small commission.
They settled accounts at regular intervals, and even if she ran away with the money, the loss would only be the earnings from the recent period, which he didn't mind at all.
"I understand, young master, rest assured!"
Hua Feiyue gazed at the spirit herbs that Fang Xing had taken out, her beautiful eyes sparkling with curiosity. She knew that this young master was no ordinary man and likely had a team of herb collectors backing him, or at the very least, access to a channel for acquiring herbs at low prices.
However, she dared not inquire about such matters, lest she be accused of prying into her boss's secrets and planning to defect. Having experienced hardship before, she now cherished this job and didn't want to lose it.
"This woman has her complications, but she's still useful..."
"After all, she's quite attractive, a natural warrior, and skilled in mental martial arts. Her silver tongue is also an asset for running a stall."
Fang Xing nodded as he watched Hua Feiyue leave. Living in the market district under the protection of Qing Xuanzong and armed with his ray gun, he felt relatively safe from most threats.
"Cultivation should still be my top priority."
With that thought, he glanced at his attribute panel:
【Great Dragon Posture: 15/200 (Proficient)】
【Ghost God Blade: 2/100 (Beginner)】
...
"The progress of the Great Dragon Posture is slow, and the Ghost God Blade is even slower... It feels like I should go out and fight more people or beasts to speed things up." Fang Xing mused.
He lifted his hand, and a hundred-refined steel blade appeared, emitting a blade aura several inches long.
"Now that my strength is comparable to a natural-born warrior, even without the nano-protective suit and ray gun, I can fight an average Qi Refining Initial Stage cultivator... With the protective suit, I might even be able to take on a Qi Refining Intermediate Stage cultivator... If I also had the electric police baton, perhaps I could threaten a Qi Refining Late Stage cultivator?"
"If I encounter an even stronger opponent, then there's no point in holding back. I'll just use the ray gun."
Whoosh!
The blade aura overflowed as Fang Xing's figure moved like a swimming dragon, each strike carrying a terrifying killing intent. The ground around him churned as if plowed, and countless weeds were sliced in mid-air.
After performing the Ghost God Blade routine, Fang Xing looked at his attribute panel, which hadn't increased at all, and he couldn't help but feel speechless.
He then took out the 'Dragon Blood Pills'.
"I've tested it for poison and experimented on a small animal, so it should be fine..."
"The Zheng family wants to establish their brand, so the pills they release should be top-notch..."
With that assurance, Fang Xing didn't hesitate any longer. He popped a pill into his mouth and swallowed it.
Roar!
In that moment, he seemed to hear a dragon's roar from ancient times.
Terrifying waves of heat coursed through his limbs and bones, causing even his well-tempered flesh to break out in a sweat. Among the beads of sweat were traces of crimson blood.
"As expected of Dragon Blood Pills, their effectiveness is remarkable!" Fang Xing exclaimed, immediately striking a Great Dragon Posture stance.
Roar!
His entire skeletal structure rippled, emitting dragon-like roars.
He didn't know if it was an illusion, but he felt that these roars were drawing closer to the ancient dragon's roar he had heard before.
Fang Xing's spine undulated like a coiling dragon, his limbs transforming into dragon claws, his head lifting like a dragon's, and his tail swaying.
"Dragon... What is a dragon?"
"Unyielding and relentless, a dragon reigns supreme over the world..."
"The Great Dragon Posture of the Blue Star Federation embodies the ancient concept of a dragon, representing a mental transformation. It is said that after the Great Star Age, dragon-like creatures were discovered on other planets, but they could only be called 'dragon beasts'..."
"The Flood Dragons of the cultivation world, on the other hand, bear a closer resemblance..."
After completing the Great Dragon Posture, Fang Xing checked his attribute panel and was surprised to see:
【Great Dragon Posture: 20/200 (Proficient)】
"Just one practice of the Great Dragon Posture increased my proficiency by five points? Is this the effect of the Dragon Blood Pills? I used one pill's worth of powder for the experiment and just consumed another, so I have three left. Does that mean I can increase my proficiency by another fifteen points?"
"If I buy seven or eight more bottles, will I be able to advance my Great Dragon Posture to the fourth stage and completely comprehend its intent?"
Of course, Fang Xing was aware that the effectiveness of any pill diminished with subsequent consumption.
Nonetheless, the prospect excited him.
"Once my Great Dragon Posture reaches the fourth stage, I'll comprehend the 'Dragon's Intent'! My path to the Courageous Realm will be unobstructed... With the addition of the Natural-born Warrior Pill, my progress in the third and fourth realms of martial arts will be astonishingly fast!"
"The martial arts of the Blue Star Federation are said to explode with a different kind of brilliance after the fourth realm, with combat power increasing exponentially..."
"Even though I don't have a spiritual root and can't cultivate, with my martial arts, I might still be able to compete with Qi Refining Late Stage, Qi Refining Perfection, Foundation Establishment, and even Golden Core cultivators in the future!"
Fang Xing clenched his right fist, feeling like he had grasped the future and hope...
(End of Chapter)
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