Chapter 567: The Five Friends of Floating Clouds
Chapter 567: The Five Friends of Floating Clouds
Inside the cave.
Fang Xing silently sensed the essence of plants and trees, and his spiritual power suddenly surged several times, opening up an additional path.
"Dual Perception, accomplished..."
He opened his eyes and murmured.
After all, he had already cultivated to the peak of Single Perception, and with the additional cultivation technique, breaking through was as easy as water flowing into a channel.
Moreover, he even optimized some parts of the technique along the way.
"The cultivation of Ninefold Perception is actually a process of laying a solid foundation... The most crucial part is the initial choice of the essence to perceive."
"The essence of plants and trees is still good. If it were some miscellaneous or foul essence, one might never have the chance to condense their Dao Foundation."
"Dual Perception, Refining Qi, is to further refine and transform the essence of plants and trees, nourishing oneself..."
"Upon reaching Fourfold Perception and above, one continuously thickens the essence of plants and trees..."
"Then, at Sevenfold and Eightfold Perception... these are the processes of gradually tempering the essence of plants and trees, eventually merging Yin and Yang, and achieving Primordial Unity. This is the foundation for establishing a solid Dao Foundation."
"Therefore, every step is critical, as it directly affects the quality of one's future Dao Foundation."
"Although the essence of plants and trees is ranked ninth in the Green Wood Technique, if one does well in the steps of Yin and Yang essences, the condensed Primordial Qi might be comparable to the third-ranked essences..."
Fang Xing silently sensed his spiritual power, "Hmm, after the breakthrough, my spiritual power has thickened significantly. I can now extend my daily practice of the Ten Thousand Perfection Technique accordingly... Moreover, I can also learn other combat techniques."
He planned to temporarily pause his paper-folding technique, but there were plenty of other spells from the outside world.
Techniques like corpse refinement, flying swords, summoning spirits, talisman drawing, and traversing the underworld were especially common; he had seen them in the Yunlai Market.
However, compared to his own Druid heritage, not only were they bloody and bizarre, but they also lacked development potential.
After all, these superficial methods that had spread were hardly valuable.
Even if there were any good ones, they would only be like the paper-folding secret technique, with only the beginning part, and one would have to join a sect to obtain the complete version.
...
Several days later.
Yunlai Market.
"Hehe, young man, you truly are a trustworthy person..."
Old Master Lu was all smiles, his teeth hidden behind his grin, as he handed over a hip flask from his waist, "Want a sip?"
"No need. I have my own!"
Fang Xing took out a yellow-skinned gourd from his waist, removed the wooden stopper, and a fruity fragrance immediately filled the air.
"This is... Monkey Wine? No, wait... This vintage seems even older than mine?"
Old Master Lu almost tore out his beard, "Where... where did you get this?"
"While playing in the mountains, I happened to encounter a group of migrating spiritual apes. I helped them with their injuries and traded some fruits for it."
Fang Xing told the truth.
The Druid's 'Natural Affinity' talent was indeed a godsend in the wilderness.
No matter what kind of fierce beast he encountered, they wouldn't feel any animosity towards him at first sight, and many were even willing to communicate and interact...
Old Master Lu was instantly deflated. He coughed twice and stared at the gourd in Fang Xing's hand, "This hundred-year-old monkey wine... I haven't even had the chance to taste it yet."
"I sell this monkey wine for five talismans, but since you helped me with my business last time, consider it my treat."
Fang Xing smiled and passed the gourd to him.
He had received an entire barrel of such fruit wine from the group of monkeys he encountered.
This gourd was nothing special.
He enjoyed drinking but wasn't an alcoholic, so he only drank a few sips daily to change the taste.
"Thank you!"
Old Master Lu took the gourd, cherishing it dearly. Then, he added, "Speaking of which... I should also thank you, young man. During our recent battle, if I hadn't happened to have a few healing fruits on me, I might have had to explain myself to the other cultivators outside..."
After saying this, he awkwardly took out some talismans, "I don't know if you still have any of those healing fruits? I'm willing to pay for them."
"Of course, I do."
Fang Xing smiled warmly.
With his reputation spreading, he didn't need to solicit customers; they would come to him.
After a busy morning, he sold all the goods he had brought, earning fifty-three talismans.
Old Master Lu's business was just average, and he stood by, smiling contentedly.
Just as Fang Xing was about to leave, Old Master Lu said, "I noticed that you seem quite knowledgeable about spiritual plants. I wonder if you can turn those healing fruits into fruit wine? That way, the preserved spiritual energy and healing effects might be even more potent."
"That's a problem, but I'm currently practicing in the wilderness without a fixed abode. I'll have to wait until I settle down to research it further..."
Fang Xing politely declined.
"Oh? You don't have a fixed place for cultivation?"
Old Master Lu's eyes lit up, deep in thought, but he didn't say more.
He glanced around and noticed a few cultivators approaching. "Let me introduce you to some fellow cultivators!"
Fang Xing looked over and saw a woman in a pink skirt on his left, appearing to be in her twenties or thirties. She had a wooden hairpin in her hair and was holding the hand of a cute little girl, as delicate as a jade carving.
"This is Song Yunqian, a fellow cultivator, and her daughter, Yunyun."
Old Master Lu pointed to the woman next to Song Yunqian, a charming and flirtatious woman, "This is Hu Liuniang, a friend of Song Yunqian..."
"Liuniang greets the fellow cultivator. Were the spiritual fruits you sold earlier..."
Hu Liuniang approached with grace and poise, offering a respectful bow. "I owe my life to you, fellow cultivator. Your Spirit Fruit saved me when I was injured."
As she spoke, she gracefully bowed.
Fang Xing stepped forward to support her, but as he did, he felt a subtle scratch on his palm, causing his heart to stir. 'This woman... She carries an air of promiscuity; she doesn't seem like a proper lady.'
"It was merely a transaction, nothing more. You're being too kind..." He maintained a calm expression and spoke with detachment.
"And these two are Tie Luo Sanren Jilu Ding and Biyun Gongzi Lin Xu..."
Old Master Lu smiled and said, "The five of us in Yunlai Fang have always stuck together, and we're known as the 'Floating Cloud Five Friends'."
'This old man wants to rope me into their group and make it the Floating Cloud Six Friends?' Fang Xing's expression became peculiar. "I've long admired your group."
"Meeting by chance is better than a formal invitation. Let me treat you all to a banquet at the 'Four Seasons Tower'," Old Master Lu suggested with a hearty laugh.
"Oh? Sure, but I also plan to purchase some items in the market..." Fang Xing had no particular plans, so he agreed without much thought.
He observed the Floating Cloud Five Friends and noticed a hint of camaraderie among them. Tie Luo Sanren had a tall and imposing figure, exuding a faint killing intent, likely the combat expert of the group.
Biyun Gongzi Lin Xu, on the other hand, had a refined and elegant appearance.
'With such a combination, they have almost everything—wine, women, wealth, and power. They are indeed a group of friends, a small alliance among solitary cultivators.'
Fang Xing couldn't help but sigh inwardly, realizing that cliques existed everywhere.
More importantly, if you didn't form your own circle, others would create one to encroach upon you, forcing you to join one whether you liked it or not.
...
After bidding farewell to the Floating Cloud Five Friends, Fang Xing strolled through the market.
Before long, he stopped at a stall.
The stall owner was a man in a gray robe, his face covered by a cloth. On the stall were various medicinal herbs like ginseng, wolfberry, and lingzhi mushrooms, as well as some seeds.
'He's somewhat like me...'
Fang Xing extended his hand, sensing the vitality within each herb, and suddenly asked, "Do you have any oak seedlings or acorns?"
As a Druid, he occasionally felt the urge to plant trees.
And the most suitable tree for a Druid was, of course, the oak.
"Ordinary acorns are everywhere... People even make noodles from acorns..." The stall owner shook his head and chuckled.
"Of course, I know that. I'm looking for rare seeds that can grow into spiritual plants," Fang Xing said in a low voice.
"Oak seeds? I do have a few, but they're five silver talismans each. These oak seeds were smuggled from the Great Zhou Divine Dynasty; they're the seeds of the 'Three Saints Oak'," the man in gray said.
"Once they take root, the results are extraordinary..."
"Let me see."
Fang Xing took an acorn, known as 'Oak Chestnut.' It resembled an oval chestnut with a hard shell at the end.
Using his 'Nature Affinity,' he sensed the acorn and realized it lacked hidden vitality, making it a dead seed.
Fang Xing remained composed and examined a few more acorns before choosing one: "I'll take this one..."
"I didn't expect you to be so knowledgeable, fellow cultivator."
The man in gray was taken aback, but he accepted the silver talismans and handed over the oak seed.
Fang Xing took the seed without saying a word, but his mind was racing:
'After reaching a higher level, Druids have different branches and advanced professions... One of them focuses on the plant domain, which would greatly enhance tree-planting skills...'
'Should I pursue that path?'
'But if I do, it would mean committing to a new foundation, limiting my freedom to roam as I please...'
'On the other hand, advancing in the animal domain branch requires mastering more transformation forms, pushing one deeper into the wilderness.'
'Regardless, choosing a private territory and collecting spiritual seeds to prepare can't be wrong.'
...
Four Seasons Tower.
Orchid Room.
"Haha, our friendship is like the fragrance of orchids in this room." Old Master Lu still had the gourd of hundred-year monkey wine by his side. He raised the gourd and said, "Please, fellow cultivator..."
"Hmm..."
Fang Xing raised his glass and drank, then looked at the delicious dishes on the table.
One dish in particular caught his attention—a carp as beautiful as red jade, slightly translucent, with a subtle spicy flavor in its meat.
This flavor wasn't from seasoning but was inherent in the fish, making it even more precious.
"It must have cost at least twenty silver talismans to prepare this feast. You've really spared no expense..."
"Hehe... With the income from selling your healing berries, you could afford this every day."
Hu Liuniang, draped in a purple-red shawl, revealed a glimpse of her emerald green mandarin duck-playing-in-the-water undergarment and snow-white skin. She was the one encouraging everyone to drink: "Come, fellow cultivator, have another cup."
Fang Xing toyed with his wine glass, his expression ambiguous. However, he continued to drink and eat, curious about the Floating Cloud Five Friends' intentions.
(End of Chapter)
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