Cultivating Immortality in a World of Chaos

Chapter 97: Instant Kill

“Excellent, excellent!”

Fang Xi picked up the helmet.

It gleamed silver-white and featured a full-face design. Even at the eye sockets of the visor, two crystalline lenses were set in place.

“This visor required considerable effort from this old man,” Master Lu explained. “The lenses here are crafted from the toughest snake scales, shaped precisely, and treated with a secret tempering technique to make them transparent, ensuring no hindrance to your vision… Only then could I fulfill the customer’s request for complete coverage without any blind spots! However, please note that despite these measures, the eye socket area remains slightly weaker compared to other parts of the armor.”

“Satisfactory indeed, very impressive.” After meticulously inspecting the entire suit of armor, Fang Xi nodded approvingly. “Thank you, Master Lu, for all your hard work. Here are the remaining spirit stones!”

He had prepared a pouch containing one hundred spirit stones beforehand, which he now took out and pushed towards Master Lu.

However, Master Lu did not accept it. Instead, he touched a ring on his hand, revealing a pile of spirit stones on the table, amounting to at least four or five hundred.

“What is the meaning of this, Daoist friend?”

Fang Xi’s eyes slightly narrowed.

“Let me be candid, I truly cherish these snake demon materials immensely,” Master Lu said with a jovial smile. “By any chance, do you have more spare parts from this demon? I am willing to offer a high price for them.”

“Sigh… The snake demon materials have already been…” Fang Xi began, but was interrupted by Master Lu, “There’s no need to claim that these are all you have, my discerning eyes can tell. Such a massive serpent would yield far more materials than just this…”

“Master Lu, please let me finish. Although the snake was indeed enormous, it was slain collectively by several Daoist friends. Consequently, the materials were divided among us. Honestly, I don’t possess any additional pieces now.” Fang Xi spread his hands, emphasizing his lack of further resources.

“Is what you say true, Daoist friend?” Master Lu stared intently at Fang Xi, unleashing the formidable aura of a Late Stage Qi Refinement cultivator.

“Certainly true! And might I ask, does your establishment resort to coercive buying and selling practices?” Fang Xi chuckled coldly, maintaining an air of nonchalance.

“In that case, forgive my presumption, esteemed Daoist friend.” Master Lu shook his head regretfully.

“Rest assured, great master, I will immediately seek out those friends and inquire on your behalf…” Fang Xi bowed respectfully, his tone implying a sense of duty, then left behind the spirit stones, took the ‘spirit snake armor’, and exited Heavenly Craft Pavilion.

‘Indeed… strength is the foundation for everything.’

‘If he hadn’t sensed my true power far surpassing Mid-Stage Qi Refinement, who knows what means he might have employed…’

With one last glance at the Heavenly Craft Pavilion, Fang Xi smirked bitterly. Upon returning to his immortal’s cave, he promptly gathered all the recently purchased goods and headed straight to Great Liang.

Wealth should never be flaunted!

Despite appearing as only a Fifth Layer Qi Refinement cultivator based on his resistance to Master Lu’s pressure, it was clear he was actually in the Late Stage Qi Refinement realm. But so what?

In recent days, his expenditures and acquired resources had already exceeded one thousand spirit stones.

And that didn’t even include the coveted snake-dragon materials which even Master Lu desired!

Unless he were a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he had unwittingly set himself up for danger!

However, a Foundation Establishment cultivator wouldn’t act with such secrecy.

“My Black Iron Sword hasn’t tasted blood in quite some time…” Fang Xi murmured, fully equipping the spirit snake armor except for the helmet, which he held in hand, and then donning a long outer robe over it.

After multiple inspections, he found no issues with the spirit snake armor. He surmised that Master Lu feared him causing trouble within the market, potentially damaging the reputation of Heavenly Craft Pavilion through breach of contract.

Fang Xi murmured softly, donning his full set of spirit snake armor except for the helmet, which he held in hand, and then layered a long robe over it.

After multiple inspections, he found no issues with the spirit snake armor.

Presumably, Master Lu feared Fang Xi might raise a ruckus at the market, risking damage to Heavenly Craft Pavilion’s reputation through breach of contract.

“Will they only resort to their schemes once I leave the market?”

“Although I’m confident in my movement techniques, there’s still a chance I can’t evade all spies from various factions…”

“Of course, it’s even more likely that they’ve tampered with the auction items!”

Thus, Fang Xi promptly transferred a large portion of his acquired goods into the Great Liang World, planning to retrieve them later upon returning to Peach Blossom Island.

This ability to make items vanish into thin air would render most tracking methods ineffective.

After all, techniques like Three-Day Incense typically have limitations on time and distance.

Once too far or after sufficient time passes, their effects are likely to diminish significantly!

As for the spirit snake armor, its exceptional defensive capabilities were too valuable for Fang Xi to discard wearing it.

Moreover, without setting some bait, how could one hope to catch any fish?

---

The next day.

Fang Xi, disguised as the square-jawed man, confidently walked out of the market district.

Unbeknownst to him, several small rats were already trailing behind.

“I didn’t expect the Xue Clan to be here too!”

“Not just the Xue Clan, the Lu Clan is present as well!”

“This fellow seems quite skilled; our trick of hiding within the goods might have been discovered…”

“Fortunately, higher-ups assigned us to surveil him round-the-clock, or he could’ve easily slipped away…”

“After all, it’s over a thousand spirit stones worth of supplies - even someone at Late Stage Qi Refinement wouldn’t stand a chance!”

---

These rats exchanged glances, secretly sharing information before swiftly reporting back to their respective masters.

Unaware of the lurking danger, Fang Xi confidently stepped off Treasure Ship Island. Once outside, he donned the spirit snake armor’s helmet and lowered its visor.

Snap!

Transparent snake scales covered his eyes, reflecting a cold, reptilian indifference.

As he departed, several figures began trailing him closely behind.

Though concealed with hidden identities, each exuded a powerful aura characteristic of Late Stage Qi Refinement cultivators!

“Who would’ve thought, Lu… heh heh!” A grinning old woman, leaning on her cane, abruptly stopped her chuckle mid-laugh.

“That brat wears spirit snake armor, making it tough to breach. Best to use heavy magical artifacts for shock attacks… or needle-like artifacts to pierce through… The armor has water affinity; wood and earth element spells should be most effective,” rasped Master Lu, disguised as a gaunt figure with his face obscured.

“Isn’t there some secret weakness? Considering his wealth, he must at least be a Late Stage Qi Refinement cultivator, possibly even Peak Qi Refining.” Another elderly man spoke up.

Another elderly man spoke up.

“With a contract in place, it’s risky… Besides, others aren’t fools.”

If any issues with the spirit armor were discovered, the aggrieved party would undoubtedly publicize it at the market, leading to disastrous consequences for Heavenly Craft Pavilion.

Master Lu, though reluctant to miss out on such lucrative income, couldn’t afford to tarnish his reputation. After all, given his craftsmanship and association with Heavenly Craft Pavilion, he could gradually earn one thousand spirit stones over time; it might just take longer…

“Heh heh, since we’re all here, let’s decide how to divide the spoils beforehand. We don’t want distrust among us to let that fat sheep escape - now that would be hilarious!” a female cultivator chimed in coyly.

“Indeed, let’s first secure our prize before discussing the division. I personally only require the materials from the snake demon!” Master Lu rasped, swiftly settling the allocation plan.

Several Late Stage Qi Refinement experts boarded their spirit boat, stealthily trailing Fang Xi as they quickly covered dozens of kilometers between them.

Without hesitation, Fang Xi sought out a desolate island, gently descending while drawing his Black Iron Sword.

Shortly after, another spirit boat arrived carrying five Late Stage Qi Refinement cultivators, all with their faces concealed. An eerie cackle came from one of them, a wizened old woman, “Is this the chosen place for your demise?”

Experience had made these elders astute!

Despite their confidence, they cautiously surveyed the desolate island to ensure there were no hidden traps or formations.

“Your demise? Although small, this island is ample enough to bury you all!” Fang Xi gripped his sword firmly, his torn robes revealing the full set of gleaming silver ‘spirit snake armor’ beneath.

Buzzing!

In the next instant, a crimson true astral energy cloak manifested over the spirit snake armor!

The Black Iron Sword hummed loudly, emitting a three-inch-long sword aura!

“Kill!”

With a fierce shout, Fang Xi propelled himself forward like a ferocious beast unleashed!

Martial arts demand swift and explosive action!

He deliberately chose land, playing to his strengths!

His aim was to utilize his zongshi-level agility for a single, decisive strike!

As Qi circulated throughout his body, Fang Xi’s physique expanded, every inch tightly fitting within the spirit snake armor.

The spirit armor’s adaptive feature fit him perfectly, allowing Fang Xi to move like a sleek arrow directly above the old woman. With both hands raised high, he swung his massive sword downward with immense force!

Crash!

As the blade descended, the old woman’s aura shield shattered first, followed by her black iron buckler.

“No!”

She desperately raised her cane overhead, but it couldn’t withstand the crushing impact akin to a mountain descending upon her!

BANG!

After a deafening explosion, all that remained where the old woman once stood was a deep crater and a severely bent, misshapen metal cane flying out from the debris.

“Tough opponent!” Master Lu roared angrily, summoning three interlocking shields for protection. Yet, even with these defenses, the sight of Fang Xi wielding the black iron sword brought no sense of security whatsoever!

Boom!

Rumble!

While Fang Xi attacked the elderly woman, the other four cultivators did not remain idle. A bolt of lightning, a flying sword, a wooden spear, and a colossal black iron hammer simultaneously struck Fang Xi!

His true astral energy barrier flickered repeatedly, groaning under the strain before finally shattering.

Being besieged by four Late Stage Qi Refinement experts took its toll!

In the next instant, these weakened attacks struck the spirit snake armor, further reducing their impact by nearly half.

The remaining residual force and vibrations were effortlessly absorbed by Fang Xi’s zongshi-level steel-boned physique.

“Who’s next?” He swiftly switched his grip on the sword with alternating hands, now facing the four cultivators head-on, his eyes gleaming intensely.

“Damn it, he’s a cultivator at the third stage of Body Refinement!” exclaimed the sultry-voiced female cultivator, launching several more needle-like projectiles in rapid succession.

These flying needles were remarkably part of a high-grade magical artifact set!

Clink! Clink!

Fang Xi moved like lightning, incredibly swift.

At such close range, no magical artifacts or paper talismans could match his speed.

As for chanting spells…in actual combat, it bordered on comical.

Fang Xi charged towards the speaking female cultivator, seemingly vanishing as he activated the Muscle Compression Art and positioned himself entirely behind his door-like Black Iron Sword.

Ping! Pong!

The set of flying needles struck the surface of the Black Iron Sword, producing dazzling sparks.

Before the female cultivator could react, Fang Xi was already in front of her, unleashing a punch with a roar, “Primordial Limitless!”

His powerful true astral energy instantly tore through her spiritual light shield. The veil fell away, revealing her delicate and pitifully lovely face: “You can’t kill me, I am…”

Bang!

Her words were cut short as her beautiful head exploded, leaving only her decapitated body to crumple to the ground.

“Now… there are just three left.”

In swift, predatory movements akin to a rabbit leaping or a falcon striking, Fang Xi had already killed two Late Stage Qi Refinement cultivators.

He turned, gazing at the remaining trio who had repeatedly attacked him with paper talismans and magical artifacts, a cold smile spreading across his face.

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