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“As you may have heard, the Baiqiao Qi Clan, Qingye Xu Clan, Tianfu Shen Clan, and Song Family all targeted my family… It was simply because they coveted our gains from the Zi You Mountain secret realm,” Situ Qingqing replied coldly after a long pause.

‘This woman is hiding something; I recall… someone mentioned “an order from the upper sect”… There is only one upper sect in Yue Kingdom, which is the Profound Sky Sect! With dozens of great Foundation Establishment cultivators and a Core Formation patriarch overseeing it, they are undoubtedly the dominant force in Yue Kingdom’s cultivation world!’

‘However… did both the Situ Clan and Red Leaf Valley truly suffer due to the Zi You Mountain secret realm?’

Fang Xi pondered internally before casually asking his most pressing question, “By the way… today’s market formation seemed breached by a second-rank Barrier-Breaking Talisman. Could this be connected to Goddess Yunmeng and talisman master Chen Ping?”

“Hmm? Daoist, you’re aware of Chen Ping?” Situ Qingqing seemed genuinely surprised.

“Ah… naturally, I know some about him,” Fang Xi replied enigmatically.

Situ Qingqing bit her red lips before sighing, “Given the situation now, there’s no harm in sharing… Indeed, today’s market breach was due to our miscalculation. We didn’t anticipate that Chen Ping would awaken his ‘Blood Symbol Spirit Body’!”

“I see…” Fang Xi nodded. “However, could the goddess enlighten me with more details about this ‘Blood Symbol Spirit Body’?”

He was aware that within the cultivation world, some cultivators not only possessed spiritual roots but also had certain innate spiritual bodies granting them unique talents.

For instance, the ‘Sword Bone’ greatly benefited sword cultivators. Similarly, the ‘Mystic Water Spiritual Body’, when combined with a water elemental root cultivator, significantly accelerated their cultivation progress. A mid-grade cultivator possessing such a spiritual body could achieve a speed comparable to a high-grade water elemental genius.

Such revelations about spiritual bodies had previously caused great stir throughout the Yue Kingdom.

However, these spiritual bodies were even rarer than spiritual roots, occurring perhaps once in ten thousand cultivators. As for the specifics of the Blood Symbol Spirit Body, Fang Xi truly did not know, as this was the first time he had heard of it.

However, spiritual bodies are even rarer than spiritual roots, with only one cultivator in ten thousand likely to possess such a trait.

As for the effects of a Blood Symbol Spirit Body, Fang Xi genuinely had no knowledge; this was his first encounter with it.

“The Blood Symbol Spirit Body is a unique constitution aligned with the Dao of Talismans,” Situ Qingqing explained. “It inherently enhances a cultivator’s proficiency, allowing rapid progress in the art of paper talismans. Not only does it increase the success rate by actively utilizing one’s vital essence and blood, but it also facilitates breakthroughs, enabling the creation of higher-tier talismans… In critical moments, one can even sacrifice personal longevity to elevate a specific talisman’s rank significantly!”

“A Dao of Talismans constitution?” Fang Xi was taken aback, surprised that there could be a spiritual body specifically suited for mastering paper talismans.

The concept seemed almost inconceivable. However, considering the countless extraordinary techniques and secret skills within the cultivation world, encountering a rare Blood Symbol Spirit Body wasn’t entirely unexpected.

Fang Xi quickly connected this information to Chen Ping’s sudden advancement and the crucial tier-2 Barrier-Breaking Talisman found at the market. “So…that Barrier-Breaking Talisman was crafted by Chen Ping, originally high-grade tier-1… But by sacrificing his vital essence and longevity, he forcefully elevated it to tier-2? This Blood Symbol Spirit Body is truly terrifying!”

“Hmph, it’s merely a desperate move akin to draining a pond to catch fish. Chen Ping is still at the Qi Refinement stage… To achieve this with a single paper talisman, he must have consumed at least half a sixty-year cycle of his longevity.” Situ Qingqing spoke with evident anger, “Our Situ Clan had already traced clues through that Cloud Dream wench from Mingqing Pavilion, planning to apprehend her soon. But unexpectedly, they resorted to such frantic measures…”

‘Wait, something doesn’t add up… If Chen Ping possesses a Blood Symbol Spirit Body, how could he have been so impoverished and destitute initially? And why would he even become a spirit farmer?’

Fang Xi pondered these thoughts before directly questioning Situ Qingqing.

Situ Qingqing responded calmly, “The Blood Symbol Spirit Body is latent by nature; its effects aren’t immediately apparent. The key lies in triggering it later on…”

“Could the supposed ‘triggering’ require a specific legacy or paper talisman?” Fang Xi speculated, recalling how Chen Ping’s transformation coincided with obtaining Symbol Master Zong’s notes.

“Not quite…” Situ Qingqing smirked coldly, “While our Situ Clan hasn’t extensively studied spiritual bodies, based on my deductions, activating this particular one likely demands some form of blood sacrifice!”

“Blood sacrifice?!”

Instantly, Fang Xi remembered the ‘Three Kou Brothers,’ who were suspected of murdering Symbol Master Zong!

The assailant pursuing Situ Qingqing was none other than the youngest of the ‘Three Kou Brothers’! It was clear that they were aligned with these rebellious forces.

Of course, “Three Kou Brothers” is what outsiders called them; the siblings typically referred to themselves as the Three Heroes…

Connecting these dots sent chills down Fang Xi’s spine!

‘I always found it peculiar how Chen Ping’s social circle seemed unusually elevated… Likely, before his spiritual body awakened, Goddess Yunmeng and others noticed something unusual about him and intentionally befriended him…’

‘It seems even before activating the Blood Symbol Spirit Body, there might have been subtle signs or clues detectable through certain methods…’

‘Then, they must have researched ways to initiate the awakening… Goddess Yunmeng and her allies probably gathered numerous blood sacrifice components for Chen Ping, including those from Symbol Master Zong…’

‘Fortunately, I stayed vigilant and rarely left Qingzhu Mountain; otherwise, who knows what could have happened…’

‘Tsk tsk… Fellow Daoist Lu truly walked straight into a den of lions. Wonder if Chen Ping himself was aware? This situation reeks of killing the husband to take the wife - truly despicable! And the children of Symbol Master Zong, essentially accepting their father’s murderer as their new patriarch…’

‘Then came Chen Ping’s successful awakening of his Blood Symbol Spirit Body, soaring to new heights…’

Fang Xi had personally witnessed some pivotal moments within these events.

Reflecting now, he realized there were clear signs all along.

‘Everything is clearer now… Due to the substantial gains by the Situ Clan and Red Leaf Valley from the Zi You Mountain secret realm, their power surged significantly. This alarmed the Profound Sky Sect, prompting them to orchestrate a crackdown through nearby forces…’

‘As for Chen Ping? Initially, Goddess Yunmeng might have intended to recruit this potential Blood Symbol Spirit Body genius… However, as circumstances evolved, they decided on a blood sacrifice instead, aiming to exploit his immense power recklessly… Ultimately, draining his longevity to create a tier-2 barrier-breaking talisman, contributing to the assault on Qingzhu Mountain Market!’

Humans, even cultivators, often exhibit short-sightedness.

Goddess Yunmeng was backed by the Greenleaf Xu Clan, merely a Foundation Establishment family.

Securing a top-tier talent with a Blood Symbol Spirit Body would be challenging, and more likely, a single command from the Profound Sky Sect would compel them to obediently send him to the sect as a disciple.

In such a scenario, while they could receive some rewards from the sect, it would not amount to much compared to the benefits of breaching Qingzhu Mountain Market.

The potential gains from conquering Qingzhu Mountain Market far outweighed any individual benefits!

‘Stripping resources bare is often the preferred strategy for rogue cultivators and small sects… The idea of nurturing an unparalleled genius to achieve meteoric success and subsequently benefiting their entire sect, like lifting all boats with one’s rise, isn’t unheard of but is exceedingly rare… Why? Because the limited resources of small factions simply cannot adequately support such extraordinary talent, and it may even attract premature elimination by rival forces! This perfectly illustrates the saying: “When virtue fails to match power, calamity inevitably follows!“’

‘Conversely, employing short-sighted tactics akin to killing the goose for its eggs might seem wasteful, yet they yield greater immediate gains… The choice becomes clear without further explanation!’

Fang Xi sighed deeply, both out of contemplation and regret for Chen Ping.

Had he been born within a resource-rich cultivation world, supported by a powerful sect, his path might have been smoother, avoiding this tragic dead-end.

“Could it be that Daoist friend knows Chen Ping?” Situ Qingqing’s observant eyes seemed to hint at her understanding.

“No, I was merely lamenting the fall of such a top-tier Dao of Talismans prodigy…” Fang Xi’s heart skipped a beat, but his tone remained composed.

A Qi Refinement cultivator typically has a lifespan around a hundred years, and losing half a sixty-year cycle equates to thirty years! This was no trivial loss.

Situ Qingqing did not press further, instead offering another sincere bow. “Your strength is truly exceptional, Daoist friend. Would you be willing to join our Situ Clan as a guest official? Although our clan faces turbulent times, adversity reveals true character. We assure all incoming rogue cultivators equal treatment; any contributions will be duly rewarded with medicinal pills for enhancing magical energy, powerful magical artifacts, potent paper talismans, or even insights from my ancestor’s Foundation Establishment journey…all shared generously!”

‘Situ Qingqing indeed holds a significant position… promising insights on Foundation Establishment so casually.’

Fang Xi felt slightly tempted, but only just a little.

Perhaps Situ Qingqing was right; facing imminent doom, the Situ Clan might resort to desperate measures. However, why would he willingly become collateral damage for their cause?

Thus, he firmly declined, “I prefer the freedom of a wandering spirit, unwilling to join any faction… May the fairy stay safe, until we meet again!”

With a courteous gesture, Fang Xi unleashed his movement technique and swiftly darted away like a serpent, disappearing after just a few turns…

‘Who could this person be?’ Situ Qingqing’s gaze narrowed as she watched Fang Xi depart. ‘A body cultivator at the second layer of Body Tempering… using movements akin to secular martial artists yet surpassing them… Such an individual should not remain obscure. If only our clan’s Four Seas Hall still existed, we might have uncovered some clues…’

However, a bitter smile quickly crossed her face.

The sudden attack on Qingzhu Mountain Market had left their Foundation Establishment patriarch’s fate uncertain.

The future of the Situ Clan hung in the balance, leaving no resources to investigate a mere Middle Stage Qi Refinement body cultivator.

‘Sitru Qingqing will remember this grudge against Profound Sky Sect, Xu Clan, Song Clan, and all involved.’

Situ Qingqing cast one last glance towards the market direction, switched to another flower basket magical artifact, and swiftly flew away…

Meanwhile, Fang Xi had sprinted far away, reaching a secluded forest.

A creek flowed nearby, its surface adorned with fallen leaves from nearby trees.

He chose a spot beneath a massive bluish stone, dug out a hidden cellar, and set up protective measures.

With everything prepared, he promptly decided to travel through time once more!

‘Qingzhu Mountain area is about to become chaotic. The downfall of major powers always attracts smaller fish eager for their share. Hundreds of miles around won’t remain peaceful… I’d rather not get involved; hiding seems like the best option.’

This time, Fang Xi planned to stay well-hidden in Great Liang for several years.

Even if it slowed his progress with the Everlasting Spring Art… truth be told, he hadn’t made much headway anyway. Besides, there’s always the Primordial True Art as a substitute!

If he could ascend to True Astral Martial Saint rank in Great Liang, equivalent to the third stage of Body Refinement Zongshi realm, returning might even allow him another chance at reaping benefits amidst chaos.

‘Nope… better skip the leftovers entirely. With control over trade between two realms, resources will never be a concern.’

In Great Liang, on a desolate mountain outside Three Origins City, Fang Xi materialized. With a hint of excitement, he looked at the two bags of holding in his hands, “Finally, it’s time to inspect my spoils…”