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After leaving the teahouse, Fang Xi directly rented this immortal’s cave at the market.

Costing only one low-grade spirit stone per month, the cave was surprisingly spacious, including a practice room, kitchen, study… It had all the essentials despite its compact size, akin to how even small sparrows possess complete organs.

Moreover, it boasted abundant spiritual energy.

Compared to his previous residence as a spirit farmer, the concentration here was significantly higher, meeting the standard of a first-rank spiritual vein.

Rushing water filled the air!

Fang Xi washed himself thoroughly once again, ensuring not a trace of scent remained.

Ever since his encounter with the Blood Jade Python, he made it a habit to bathe multiple times upon returning to his cave, even purchasing a skincare elixir popular among female cultivators, claimed to eliminate any odors from the body.

Feeling like he nearly shed a layer of skin, he changed into fresh clothes and sat cross-legged in the practice room.

On the meditation cushion, Fang Xi activated the Everlasting Spring Art, causing a faint green aura to burst forth around him.

As Fang Xi felt the intense spiritual pressure from the environment, he noticed spiritual energy entering his body at a faster rate than usual. This energy circulated through his qi passageways and ultimately returned to his dantian, transforming into mist-like magical power. A hint of satisfaction appeared on his face.

With the Everlasting Spring Art active, vitality surged throughout his body, as if every inch of muscle, tendon, and bone were like parched travelers basking in heavenly rainfall.

Even though the Everlasting Spring Art faced a bottleneck, making progress difficult, the nourishment provided by its wood attribute magical energy was invaluable.

“Indeed…the higher the concentration of spiritual veins, the better the cultivation results.”

“If possible, securing a first-tier spiritual vein location would be ideal… Unfortunately, it seems highly unlikely, but even a lesser-quality one would suffice…”

Fang Xi planned to spend several months in the Treasure Ship Market, exploring various avenues and strategizing for acquiring spiritual land.

Once obtained, meticulous surveying of the terrain would be necessary, along with gaining a thorough understanding of surrounding influences. Building rapport with neighbors and ensuring all preparations were complete before planting any tree seeds would be crucial before beginning the cultivation of the Longevity Technique.

All this could potentially take several years.

Such a lengthy period must not be wasted.

Thus, he rented an immortal’s cave to focus more intently on cultivating the Everlasting Spring Art.

‘Always prepare for the worst-case scenario…’

‘Even if the Longevity Technique ultimately falls short, by persistently cultivating on spiritual land, advancing my Everlasting Spring Art cultivation will still yield significant gains.’

After completing his full circulation, Fang Xi began contemplating options for acquiring spiritual land.

“The Dragonfish Zhong Clan’s spirit island long-term rentals are indeed enticing… By leasing one, I could leverage their influence for protection and ensure safety… Unfortunately, the price would undoubtedly be steep. As a mere fourth-level Qi Refinement minor cultivator, suddenly spending large sums of spirit stones for decades-long leases would draw too much attention… Moreover, gaining the Zhong Family’s protection might later obligate me to join their battles - should I comply or refuse?”

“Joining a small Qi Refinement faction could quickly lead to internal power struggles, but it also offers greater freedom…”

“The best option would be a particularly weak group; then, if they rebel, I could eliminate them all… Taking control of an entire island outright, provided we don’t get besieged by demonic cultivators…”

Fang Xi pondered this scenario and felt somewhat speechless.

“Never mind… I’ll wait and see if any opportunities arise first… It’s best to keep a low profile, always.”

Although Wan Island Lake seemed to have richer spiritual vein resources compared to Qingzhu Mountain, such chances weren’t readily available.

Moreover… even when opportunities did present themselves, they typically wouldn’t be suited for a mere rogue cultivator at the fourth level of Qi Refinement.

With that thought, Fang Xi tapped his bag of holding once more.

A snake skin scroll and a massive bundle of snake bones suddenly appeared on the ground.

The snake skin displayed faint mottled patterns, still retaining its scales.

The snake bones looked menacing, emitting a chilling aura that sent shivers down one’s spine.

These were the hide and bones of the snake-dragon!

“Valuable items indeed, but quite conspicuous. Without trusted channels, it’s difficult to sell them…” Fang Xi stroked his chin, feeling slightly regretful.

In truth, he didn’t really want to sell these precious resources either. Based on Miao Dong’s reaction, it was clear that the snake-dragon provided top-tier materials of the first rank. Selling them would likely undervalue their worth, especially since he currently wasn’t severely lacking in spirit stones.

“Fortunately, the snake-dragon was massive… wasting some scales isn’t too concerning.”

Fang Xi spread out the snake skin, which had already undergone initial processing and emitted no foul odor.

The skin was remarkably durable; despite pulling with both hands, he found it nearly impossible to tear.

After contemplating for a moment, he gripped the ‘Golden Flood Dragon Sword’ with his right hand, pressed its tip against the snake skin, and channeling true astral energy, managed to painstakingly cut through it, creating several small holes.

Using the snake’s tendons, he then fashioned a rudimentary inner armor.

Once worn, with an outer robe covering it, there would be no visible signs of the hidden protection.

“This isn’t a magical artifact… but it should block most attacks. The only concern is resistance against penetrating or concussive secondary effects. However, as a body cultivator with robust fleshly strength, I’m not overly worried about these additional damages…”

Fang Xi glanced at the snake bones, realizing he truly lacked expertise here. He would need to find a trustworthy artificer for further assistance.

On a positive note, now that he had settled down, he could first purchase some medicinal pills to aid his cultivation and see if he could break through to the fifth layer of Qi Refinement.

Moreover, I can take my time to find an exceptional artificer with both skill and reputable character.

The next day.

At the teahouse,

Fang Xi ordered another pot of ‘Five Carp Pearl Play’ spirit tea. As he sipped and listened to the idle chatter around him, he felt remarkably at ease, akin to someone leisurely observing flowers bloom or clouds drift by.

However, there were no significant news this time; most discussions revolved around rogue cultivators achieving cultivation breakthroughs, reaching Late Stage Qi Refinement, or lucky individuals catching spirit fish from the lake - trivial matters.

After steeping his tea thrice, Old Daoist Xiu Mu approached with a hint of joy on his face, “Excellent tidings for you, Daoist friend!”

“Oh? What good news is it?” Fang Xi responded, feeling a sudden anticipation stir within him.

Could it be that he finally found some leads on spiritual land?

“Well… naturally about… hehe!” Old Daoist Xiu Mu chuckled, gesturing towards a private booth.

Moments later, inside the booth.

Fang Xi, disregarding the ordinary tea, awaited Old Daoist Xiu Mu’s explanation.

“Your humble servant has been diligently gathering information as per your request, and finally, we have concrete news!” Old Daoist Xiu Mu announced proudly, “This year, the Dragonfish Zhong Clan plans to release contracts for two low-tier spirit islands. Becoming an island lord is indeed a remarkable opportunity!”

“Oh? And what are the requirements?” Fang Xi asked, maintaining a composed demeanor.

“The requirements? First, protect the mortals on the island from natural disasters and potential mythical beast incursions… Second, serve as a guest senior of the Zhong Clan, providing assistance when necessary. Naturally, the Zhong Clan will compensate based on the situation…” the old Daoist said with a smile.

“How long is the lease period? What’s the cost?”

Fang Xi sighed inwardly; it seemed exploiting opportunities from major powers wouldn’t be so easy. Despite already leaning towards rejection, he decided to hear out the price.

“One hundred spirit stones per year, with a minimum ten-year lease!” the old Daoist stared intently at Fang Xi.

‘Ten years would amount to one thousand spirit stones? If I could afford that, even this old Daoist might get suspicious ideas!’

Rolling his eyes internally, Fang Xi forced a wry smile onto his face. “Such an expensive proposition? Well then, forget it… I won’t become an island lord after all. Are there any other options?”

“Sigh… indeed, it’s costly, but becoming an island lord grants full autonomy over its development - many small clans and sects rely heavily on such foundations… However, for a solitary Daoist like yourself, it may not be suitable.” The old Daoist let out another sigh. “As an alternative… within the alliance of Thirty-Six Islands, Little Leaf Island’s Lord, Guru Falling Leaf, seeks a guest senior for his sect. I mentioned your circumstances, and they showed great interest. They have agreed to allocate ten acres of spirit fields for you to cultivate.”

“The Alliance of Thirty-Six Islands?”

Fang Xi had heard about this faction; supposedly, it was a coalition of Qi Refinement forces opposing the Dragonfish Zhong Clan. However, he wasn’t clear on the specifics and decided to inquire further.

“The ‘Alliance of Thirty-Six Islands’ indeed represents one of the two major Foundation Establishment factions at Wan Island Lake… It is essentially a union of various Qi Refinement groups. Interestingly, some of these groups harbor grudges against each other and even engage in conflicts… Yet, when faced with pressure from the Zhong Clan, they unite against external threats…” The old Daoist stroked his beard, smiling. “Originally, the Alliance of Thirty-Six Islands lacked any Foundation Establishment cultivators. They pooled resources to hire a rogue Foundation Establishment cultivator as their patron, effectively rallying under his banner… In recent years, the Zhong Clan has shown no intent for expansion, resulting in relative peace between both sides.”

“I see. How strong is Guru Falling Leaf’s cultivation base? What is his character like? Does he have any notable enemies or rival factions?” Since Fang Xi had already rented the private booth and paid with spirit stones, he naturally wanted to clarify all details.

“Guru Falling Leaf originally started as a fisherman. Later, after falling into the water, he fortuitously stumbled upon an ancient immortal’s cave, obtaining its legacy of cultivation techniques. He possesses mid-grade spiritual roots… Eventually, he reached the mid-Qi Refinement stage, defeated the Ye Family who previously controlled Little Leaf Island, and established the ‘Leaf Return Divine Sect,’ becoming its founding sect leader… As for enemies, I haven’t really heard much about them. However, within his sect, there likely aren’t more than ten Qi Refinement cultivators.”

The old Daoist, Rottenwood, seemed to barely suppress his amusement.

“A sect with fewer than ten Qi Refinement cultivators and a leader only at mid-Qi Refinement stage?”

Upon hearing this, Fang Xi couldn’t help but feel an itch to act.

However, considering he planned to spend decades planting trees here, it would be best not to create unnecessary enmity. Even if he were to eliminate all enemies, tarnishing his reputation could easily invite attacks from righteous forces - that wouldn’t be ideal!

Harmony brings prosperity; indeed, harmony is key!

Repeating these words mentally several times, Fang Xi finally calmed down. “May I inquire about Little Leaf Island’s quality?”

“It merely has a marginal, non-tiered spiritual vein, significantly weaker compared to the spiritual density around the Treasure Ship Market!” The old Daoist shook his head.

“Ah, well…” After pondering for a moment, Fang Xi asked, “I must admit, I am somewhat intrigued. How can one contact this Guru Falling Leaf?”

Rottenwood nodded, as he had anticipated that most spirit farmers would likely choose to join a Qi Refinement-level sect. “In half a month, Guru Falling Leaf will personally transport a batch of spirit rice to the Treasure Ship Market for sale. If you’re interested, we can arrange a detailed discussion there. This old Daoist will serve as the intermediary between you both…”

This aligned perfectly with his business interests, allowing him to earn an additional commission!