Chapter 571: The Shrine
Chapter 571: The Shrine
Half a month later, at the Qing Li Swamp, the Fei family.
A tall altar stood in the center of the plaza, where a peculiar-looking wizard in a Taoist robe, his face painted with colorful patterns, was performing an elaborate ritual on the altar. In his hand, he held a small drum, chanting incantations:
"First, I invite the heavenly soldiers and generals of the three altars. Second, I call upon the ancestors of past generations. Third, I summon the spirits and ghosts of the world..."
"Look at that, now that's a professional ritual to summon the gods!"
Lin Xu was amazed, "Compared to that, what kind of god did we summon with that wild fox divination?"
As soon as he spoke, Old Master Lu's face turned grim, and he gave his sworn brother a nudge, "This is the 'Upper Shrine' master that the Fei family hired at great expense. How can ordinary fortune-tellers compare to him?"
"Of course, the larger the sect, the more adept they are at summoning gods."
At this moment, Fang Xing spoke up with a fair comment.
He was quite interested in the cultivation methods of this world.
After all, the 'Great Dao of Immortality' established by the Dao Sovereign only governed the cultivation paths of those with spiritual roots.
In other words, cultivation required spiritual roots, and then one would progress through the stages of refining qi, establishing foundation, forming a pill, and achieving the Nascent Soul, and after that, the stages of divine transformation and void cultivation... Only then could one obtain an endless lifespan through the cultivation of spiritual roots, which fell under the Dao Sovereign's jurisdiction.
The cultivation paths outside of this main route were not within the Dao Sovereign's control.
'This summoning technique is actually a grand summoning method. The stronger the influence and connections, the more powerful the summoned 'god' will be.'
'Disciples of major sects can at least summon their ancestors or the fierce soldiers and evil generals they have subdued...'
'For lone cultivators, they can only summon the existence they have found and worshipped with great difficulty...'
'For example, the divine contract I signed with the Floating Cloud Five Friends gave me a sense of power around the seventh level of Sense Qi. In other words, even if there's a breach of contract, as long as I can defeat this seventh-level 'witness', there won't be any issues.'
Fang Xing looked at the altar, 'But this is different...'
At this time, representatives from various factions stepped onto the stage. From the Fei family, it was the family head Fei Tianbao, along with Xu Jia from Qingfeng Ao, Yin Jia from March Pond, the 'White Bone Alliance' from Burial Ground, 'Song's Seven Righteousness' from Green Water Bay, and six people from Poison Dragon Slope.
On Fang Xing's side, Old Master Lu naturally represented everyone and went up to the altar to read the alliance agreement.
The agreement mainly outlined the rights and obligations of the five families and the Fei family, as well as the prohibition of harming each other during the exploration process.
"Oath before the gods... Done!"
In the end, as the high-level master's voice echoed, the six people burned their offerings and divine contracts... Then, everyone lit incense together.
Suddenly, a chill wind blew!
Fang Xing's druid senses made him feel as if he had been swept by a pair of eyes, causing a momentary sense of discomfort.
'Yin Shen Zhenren... This time, the contract is witnessed by Yin Shen Zhenren! If violated, he will not impose punishment, but one's cultivation will surely diminish.'
'Hmm, the pressure I feel from this Yin Shen Zhenren is similar to that of a Nascent Soul cultivator, but there's also a sense of involvement with the rules and authority domain...'
'Indeed, this place is suitable for my druid path...'
...
Poison Dragon Slope.
This was a sloping area in the swamp, shrouded in dense and hissing mist.
Although called a slope, it was more like a small island within the swamp.
"Although the Poison Dragon Slope doesn't require filling the land with soil, we must explore an overland route to the outside world... Simply traveling by floating boats won't do." Hu Liuniang glanced around and spoke in a deep voice.
Many merchant caravans travel by land, and for a small cultivation region to develop, the presence of these caravans is indispensable.
Moreover, the floating boat they were riding was engraved with talismans, allowing it to move swiftly like the wind, unaffected by corrosion.
If they had to switch to ordinary floating boats, they would lose this advantage.
Bang! The floating boat gently docked, and Fang Xing stepped onto the land of Poison Dragon Slope.
Hiss!
The surroundings were covered in a layer of moss, and the hissing sound of snakes could be heard.
His right hand suddenly shot out like lightning, and with a quick clamp, he caught a small green snake as thick as a pair of chopsticks.
The little snake continued to struggle, trying to bite Fang Xing's wrist, but he casually tossed it into the swamp.
"Hmm?"
Song Yunqian glanced at Fang Xing with a hint of doubt.
"I advocate for nature, and my principle is 'unless necessary, refrain from causing harm.' If it's for sustenance, I can kill any beast, but otherwise, it's fine... After all, according to the contract, I'm here only to plant trees and purify the environment."
Fang Xing smiled and explained.
"I see. It seems like Brother Fang already has his own cultivation philosophy..."
Lin Xu and the others, regardless of their thoughts, all voiced their agreement.
This was one of the benefits of wandering cultivators forming alliances. If this were within a major sect, such individuality would eventually invite 'suppression.'
After all, some elders enjoy picking on troublemakers.
"Since Brother Fang isn't taking action, we'll have to step up."
Old Master Lu took a swig of monkey wine, and his muscles rippled. In an instant, he transformed from a feeble old man into a muscular hulk. "Ah, attack!"
He clenched his five fingers together and unleashed a punch, sweeping away the poisonous mist with an incredible gust of wind, directly blasting countless venomous insects and snakes.
"Great Sage's Hanging Garment Fist? God-Smashing Technique?"
Fang Xing took a glance and realized that although this old man had low cultivation, he was the leader of the Five Friends of Fuyun, and indeed had some strength.
Beside him, Lin Xu drew a sword and demonstrated his sword techniques.
Tie Luo Sanren displayed a magical artifact—the Tie Luo Umbrella, emitting streaks of dark light like flying blades.
Song Yunqian's ten fingers danced, and threads connected to flying needles filled the air, seeking out any remaining threats.
Hu Liuniang held a pipa and gently plucked its strings.
The five of them working together had no trouble dealing with the venomous insects and snakes.
After killing a toad the size of a millstone, the group arrived at the center of the island.
"Hmm, this place is perfect for setting up an array!"
Fang Xing surveyed the terrain and nodded.
Old Master Lu opened his bag and buried a formation plate that he had purchased at a high price. He then distributed small flags to everyone.
"Activate!"
Fang Xing infused a strand of spiritual power and waved lightly, causing a gentle breeze to appear, dispersing the poisonous mist and purifying the air.
"This 'Small Breeze Array' is good, but every moment it's active, it consumes talismans!"
Old Master Lu's face contorted in pain, "Our finances can support it for at most two or three years, Brother Fang... We'll have to rely on you then."
"Two or three years is enough."
Fang Xing smiled slightly.
For an ordinary spiritual plant cultivator, this would be a formidable challenge, but for him, with his innate talent for plant growth, it was a minor issue.
"The turbid air disperses, and pure air emerges..."
"By purifying this area, we might soon discover or condense a Sha Xue!"
Tie Luo Sanren gazed at the dissipating poisonous mist, his face filled with emotion.
Suddenly, a hissing sound echoed.
After the dense fog on the island dispersed, it attracted a six-zhang-long black snake! Its body was as thick as a bucket, and its vertical pupils exuded coldness and ruthlessness.
"Damn it! On Poison Dragon Island, there's a demonic creature close to the seventh level of Qi perception... Look at this demon snake, it's almost condensed its Sha Qi!"
Old Master Lu stomped his feet, "No wonder the other four families didn't compete with us for Poison Dragon Slope. There's a big pitfall here!"
"What should we do?"
Song Yunqian's face turned pale. "We'll have to fight it..."
If they fled, all their initial investments would be wasted, something the Five Friends of Fuyun could not accept.
"We'll fight it!"
Old Master Lu's eyes turned slightly red. As wandering cultivators, when pushed to the brink, they never lacked the courage to fight to the death.
"Wait!"
At this moment, Fang Xing stepped forward, "I'll talk to it..."
He approached the black snake, stared into its vertical pupils, and hissed from his throat.
"What...?" Hu Liuniang was startled, thinking Fang Xing was a snake demon.
"Snake Speaker? I didn't expect Brother Fang to have the talent for taming beasts," Lin Xu's eyes lit up.
After communicating with the black snake, Fang Xing turned to the Five Friends of Fuyun and said, "We're in luck. This isn't the black snake's lair; it's just a place it chose to shed its skin. I've reached an agreement with it. As long as we continue to allow it to shed its skin here and ensure its safety during the process, we can occupy this place!"
In the cultivation world, life is precious. Now that he had reached the shore, Fang Xing didn't want to engage in constant fighting.
If a matter could be resolved through negotiation, there was no need for violence.
"In that case, it's naturally great."
The five of them, including Old Master Lu, had no objections and nodded repeatedly, "Brother Fang has made another great contribution. He has found a guardian beast for our Poison Dragon Island..."
(End of Chapter)
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