Chapter 570: Painted Skin
Chapter 570: Painted Skin
"Qingling Bamboo, with its purifying effects, is quite popular among female cultivators. This one here is carefully selected by me, and it has already become a spiritual plant with excellent quality."
The vendor smiled and said, "Unfortunately, even after ten or a hundred years, Qingling Bamboo only has limited use. Only after a thousand years, when it grows into 'Qingling Tiezhu,' can it be used to refine magical artifacts, and then it will have some value."
"It's rumored that once Qingling Bamboo surpasses ten thousand years, it will evolve into the 'Wan Nian Ling Yuan Bamboo,' but... it's just a rumor."
Fang Xing nodded and paid the talisman money to buy this small section of Qingling Bamboo.
Bamboo can propagate through division, and this Qingling Bamboo might one day become a vast bamboo forest.
'I wonder how long it will take for my 'Plant Growth' to make Qingling Bamboo reach the ten thousand-year mark...'
'But for now, cultivating the Wan Nian Ling Yuan Bamboo is a sure way to court death... Only with the right identity and strength can I avoid backlash!'
'For me at present, growing ten or a hundred-year-old Qingling Bamboo is more than enough.'
Fang Xing bid farewell to the vendor and headed towards the Four Seasons Tower.
"Haha... Has Fellow Daoist Fang arrived?"
Old Master Lu, Song Yunqian, Hu Liuniang, Tie Luo the Wanderer, and Lin Xu were all there, and their attitudes were very kind. "Your skill in cultivating spiritual plants is truly extraordinary. The Pioneer Order has already been issued."
"Oh?"
Fang Xing's eyes lit up. "Let's discuss this in a private room."
Inside the private room, Old Master Lu spread out a map of the Qingli Marsh.
The marsh was vast, and a large area had already been colored green with the word 'Fei' written on it.
"This is the Fei family's territory. We can't encroach on it, but everything else is fair game..."
Old Master Lu's eyes gleamed. "I've already inquired. The other four families want to develop Qingfeng Gully, Santan Pond, Burial Ground, and Green Water Lake. We don't have many options, but this 'Poison Dragon Slope' is just right."
This had been discussed before.
Poison Dragon Slope didn't actually have a poison dragon, but it was infested with venomous snakes.
"Although this place is desolate, the earth's energy is abundant. If we work together, we might be able to cultivate a deadly vein, but the initial rank won't be high, probably just 'Hundred Poison Qi' and the like..."
Fang Xing pondered for a moment and shared his insights, "To make Poison Dragon Slope habitable, we don't need to fill in the marsh. However, on that slope, we must plant a large number of spiritual plants with purifying effects. I've already selected a few, and Qingling Bamboo is a good choice..."
"Mmm, in this regard, Fellow Daoist Fang, we'll need your expertise. We can spare five hundred talisman money for you to purchase the spiritual seeds."
Old Master Lu and the others discussed this and replied.
"Additionally, Detoxifying Pills, various array formations, and basic materials... these are all significant expenses."
Song Yunqian calculated and sighed, "After this, we'll have spent all our savings..."
"Haha, once the Qingli Marsh is developed, everything will be fine... Although this place is dangerous, it's rich in spiritual energy. Developing several deadly veins won't be a problem. Otherwise, the Fei family wouldn't have chosen this place as their ancestral land..."
Tie Luo the Wanderer laughed.
"Fellow Daoists..."
Fang Xing smiled and said, "Now, should we discuss the distribution of the deadly veins in the future?"
Upon hearing this, Old Master Lu and the others' faces changed slightly, but they quickly recovered, "We're eager to hear Fellow Daoist Fang's wise words..."
"My cultivation technique is ordinary, and absorbing the essence of plants and trees is sufficient. I won't compete with you for the deadly veins..."
Fang Xing sighed, "However, in return, I need a large enough territory to plant trees..."
"Plant... trees?"
Hu Liuniang blinked, not expecting such a twist.
"Yes... plant trees. My dream is to cultivate a vast forest in the Qingli Marsh."
Fang Xing smiled in response.
After comparing various conditions, he had already leaned towards the Plant Domain.
In the future, he would be a reclusive cultivator, tending to his trees every day.
Anyway, as the forest grew, it would continuously provide him with experience, enough to support his advancement in the Druid profession.
"Good, Fellow Daoist Fang, your integrity is admirable."
Lin Xu applauded.
He was alone, without any family ties, and naturally supported Fang Xing's decision to give up the deadly veins.
As for ordinary territories, what did they have to do with him?
Old Master Lu had shallow cultivation and was the one most concerned about his family. After glancing at the others, he finally nodded, "But... I'll go and invite a fellow Daoist to witness the oath. Let's sign the divine contract together..."
"That's great."
Fang Xing didn't care about the so-called 'witness.' Ordinary solitary cultivators would invite mountain spirits, the lingering thoughts of fallen experts, or even living Yin Shen real people to witness their oaths.
Not to mention he never intended to go back on his word.
Even if he did, as long as he could defeat this 'god' brought to witness the oath, there wouldn't be much of a problem.
...
Outside the Yunlai Market.
Fang Xing, dressed in animal skins, walked out of the market.
He walked quickly and soon disappeared into a dense forest.
On the treetops, several sparrows chirped, seemingly discussing something.
Fang Xing listened, and his eyes flickered slightly.
'Oh? Does the warning from the sparrows I set up earlier mean there's danger nearby?'
'Nature is also warning me...'
'Is it because the healing berries I've been selling have gained popularity, and I've earned too much talisman money? Or is it because of the Pioneer Order that I've attracted attention?'
In fact, Old Master Lu had already given similar reminders and even wanted to form a sworn brotherhood with Fang Xing, creating something like the 'Floating Cloud Six Friends,' but Fang Xing had refused.
As he walked, a paper dagger appeared in his hand, and he casually stabbed it into a nearby ancient tree.
Gurgle!
Gurgle!
A large amount of blood gushed out.
"You... I..."
The bark peeled away, revealing a human-shaped figure. He lowered his head, gazing at the dagger in his chest, unable to utter a word before his breath left him.
"Playing hide-and-seek with a Druid with heightened senses in the forest, you're quite something."
Fang Xing praised, his ears twitched, and he turned his body.
Pupu!
Two black round pellets struck the empty air, exploding upon impact.
Countless corrosive black liquids spread out, leaving numerous tiny holes on the ground.
"There's one more, but he's only at the sixth level of Sense Qi..."
"Even so, no matter how extravagant the mastermind is, they wouldn't be able to hire a cultivator above the seventh level of Sense Qi to kill me, a mere second level of Sense Qi..."
Fang Xing discerned the direction of the sound and pounced forward.
Roar!
Amidst the howling wind, a white-browed tiger appeared.
—Mountain Lord Transformation!
Pounce!
Fang Xing let out a tiger's roar, capturing the initiative, and then pounced forward.
In front of him, the tree shadows parted, revealing a green-robed man, who looked on in shock.
Thud!
Fang Xing's tail moved, and the Mountain Lord's tail, like a steel whip, struck the green-robed man's waist, causing him to cry out in pain.
With his claws, the tiger's strength pinned the green-robed man to the ground.
"I confess..."
As the green-robed man opened his mouth, there seemed to be an eerie green tattoo under his tongue.
"A curse?"
Fang Xing knew he couldn't let this person continue speaking, so the giant tiger bit down hard.
Crack!
The green-robed man's neck snapped, and he died instantly!
After finishing this, Fang Xing leaped up and jumped dozens of zhang away with a few quick leaps.
Not far away, Old Master Lu and Tie Luo Sanren hurried over. Seeing this scene, their expressions changed instantly.
"You are... Friend Fang?"
Old Master Lu held back Tie Luo and said, "I just received news that several pioneer teams were attacked. I came to check on you, Friend Fang, but I didn't expect you to have already resolved the situation?"
"Who is behind these attacks?"
The giant tiger spoke in a human voice, which was Fang Xing's voice.
"I don't know... But it should be an enemy of the Fei family. Since they chose to ally with a Dao Foundation aristocratic family, some things are inevitable."
Old Master Lu shook his head and looked at Fang Xing, "Friend, is your cultivation related to the 'Skin Changing Technique' in the Shadow Puppetry Path? It is said that this technique is difficult to master, and it's challenging to capture both the form and spirit. You have clearly grasped its essence."
"Indeed, I am cultivating the Skin Changing Technique."
Fang Xing chuckled but didn't explain, letting these two guess.
The two renowned divine techniques of the Blood Shadow Sect were 'Shadow Puppetry' and 'Origami.' Among them, Shadow Puppetry encompasses everything, and the Skin Changing Technique requires peeling off the entire skin of the target and then drawing their bone spirit on it, allowing one to wear the skin and transform into the target.
However, it's easier to peel off the skin of beasts and demons, but it's challenging to peel off human skin, and making the skin is equally difficult.
As the saying goes, 'It's easy to draw the tiger's skin but hard to capture its bones, and it's easy to know a person's face but hard to know their heart.'
Although Old Master Lu was knowledgeable, he was unaware of the Druid's 【Wild Transformation】, and he had clearly misunderstood. Fang Xing wouldn't bother to correct him.
He sensed that Old Master Lu and Tie Luo were about to arrive, but he didn't wait for their support. Instead, he wanted to demonstrate his strength to these allies, avoiding any awkward situations.
He glanced at the two with his tiger head, and his body flashed, disappearing into the dense forest.
"Big Brother..."
Tie Luo Sanren put down the iron umbrella in his hand, "How would my 'Great Sage's Armor' and your 'Iron Umbrella' fare against this person?"
"I'm afraid... it's hard to predict the outcome."
Old Master Lu sighed and then smiled, "Fortunately, Friend Fang is our ally... With the pioneer journey ahead, having a powerful ally is always beneficial."
Sense Qi cultivators, aside from those specializing in body refinement, have physical strength only slightly stronger than ordinary people.
Only upon reaching the seventh level of Sense Qi, when their spiritual power contains a trace of killing intent, can they protect their bodies at all times, creating a clear gap between themselves and ordinary beings.
Before this stage, if a cultivator were to unexpectedly encounter a tiger up close, the former would likely be the one to die!
...
Wooden Hut.
Fang Xing sat cross-legged, silently practicing the Green Wood Art.
Boom!
The essence of plants and trees surged, allowing him to directly enter the third level of Sense Qi.
At the same time, various information flashed through his attribute panel:
【You have practiced once and obtained 'Natural Baptism'! You have gained some 'Natural Knowledge'!】
【Druid profession upgraded to level 4! Obtained 'Poison Immunity'!】
...
"Finally obtained the Poison Immunity talent, and its effect is simple and powerful, granting immunity to poisons..."
Fang Xing nodded in satisfaction and glanced at his attribute panel:
【Name: Fang Xing】
【Age: 16/40】
【Profession: Druid Level 4】
【Realm: Third Level of Sense Qi】
【Talents: Natural Affinity, Wild Transformation, Plant Growth, Poison Immunity】
【Skills: Ten Thousand Hands (Proficiency 1/100), Origami Technique (Beginner 23/100)】
...
"Has the Ten Thousand Hands skill already reached the Ten Full Hands stage?"
"However, the most crucial is Poison Immunity... This range seems a bit broad. What about some of the deadly poisons in the cultivation world? Can I still be immune to them?"
"Or, can I only be immune to poisons in the natural world?"
Fang Xing fell into deep thought. According to the natural knowledge he had obtained, this 'Poison Immunity' should be a growth talent. At this moment, he might only be immune to natural poisons, but as the Druid profession level increases, he would likely become immune to most poisons in the world.
(End of Chapter)
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