Cultivating Immortality in a World of Chaos

Dawn approached.

The splendid morning light slowly cascaded from the east, casting a golden hue over the entirety of Blackstone City.

Fang Xi returned to his mansion and changed clothes.

“Lu She was no match at all, but the information he revealed before dying is worth considering…”

Last night, utilizing the power of paper talismans, Fang Xi effortlessly eliminated the top members of the Red Snake Dojo, while their peripheral disciples remained completely unaware.

Additionally, he had successfully conducted an experiment using Lu She.

‘Even with true force, cultivators face significant disadvantages against low-grade magical artifacts… Their bones may be slightly tougher than ordinary people’s, but by avoiding the hardest areas and targeting vital points, it’s remarkably easy to overcome them despite having inferior strength!’

Recalling the sheer astonishment on Lu She’s face when confronted with the flying sword technique, Fang Xi still found it highly amusing.

After finishing breakfast, Fang Xi headed to Baiyun Dojo.

“Shidi, you’re finally here.”

Mu Piaomiao, standing at the dojo entrance, brightened upon seeing Fang Xi and immediately took his hand, guiding him towards the inner courtyard.

“Shijie, what’s happening?”

Feeling the curious gazes of nearby disciples, Fang Xi subtly withdrew his hand from Mu Piaomiao’s grasp.

“Daddy’s friend has arrived; Uncle Hao is also a dojo master…”

Mu Piaomiao briefly explained with concise words.

‘Oh, so Mu Canglong wants me there for appearances when entertaining guests?’

Fang Xi quickly understood and did not refuse, following Mu Piaomiao into the living room.

“Haha, this must be my esteemed niece! You’ve blossomed even more beautifully.”

In the main hall, Mu Canglong was seated with a ruddy-faced, burly man as host and guest respectively.

Upon spotting Mu Piaomiao, the red-faced man’s eyes lit up, and he promptly instructed a young man in crimson robes beside him, “Haven’t you greeted her yet?”

“Greetings, I am Hao Lan.” The youth, likely a nephew or relative of Dojo Master Hao, stepped forward with a warm smile.

“My nephew here is exceptionally gifted; at just nineteen years old, he has already achieved the three transformations of blood and qi realm…” Dojo Master Hao chuckled heartily.

“Haha… My own unworthy daughter only reached the three transformations milestone at twenty.” Mu Canglong nonchalantly sipped his tea before pointing to Fang Xi. “However, this disciple shows great promise. At seventeen, he too has attained the three transformations of blood and qi.”

“What?” Hao Lan’s expression instantly shifted, as if struck by a sharp blow.

“Haha… I have important matters to discuss with Brother Mu…” Despite being momentarily stunned, Dojo Master Hao quickly regained his composure.

“Indeed, Piaomiao, Fang Xi, why don’t you take Hao Lan for a tour around? Young people should spend more time together,” Mu Canglong added solemnly.

Fang Xi and Mu Piaomiao bowed respectfully and stepped out of the living room.

As they approached the door, Fang Xi’s ears twitched, catching the concerned tone of Dojo Master Hao’s voice: “…Brother Mu, there seems to be something amiss with that recent beast hunt!”

“What exactly went wrong during the beast hunt?” Fang Xi pondered this while noticing that Mu Piaomiao kept glancing at his shidi, stirring a hint of youthful competitiveness within him.

“Breaking through to the three transformations of blood and qi at just seventeen is truly impressive,” Hao Lan remarked, aiming to provoke. “Why don’t we have a friendly competition, what do you say?”

“Um…that’s not necessary, right?” Fang Xi declined politely.

As a dojo master, he could easily dispatch ordinary practitioners with three transformations of blood and qi with a single kick.

“How so? In front of Miss Mu, Junior Brother Fang, surely you’re not… afraid of losing?” Hao Lan grinned, thinking young impetuosity would make Fang Xi take the bait.

Unexpectedly, Fang Xi internally rolled his eyes, unwilling to engage with childish provocation. He responded, “Well…then I’ll concede by default. Brother Hao’s prowess is outstanding; I must admit my inferiority!”

“Huh?” Hao Lan’s eyes widened, as if reassessing Fang Xi entirely. After a moment, he managed to utter, “I’ve never encountered anyone quite like you, Brother Fang…”

“Old brother Mu, please take today’s events to heart.”

At the entrance of Baiyun Dojo, Dojo Master Hao bid farewell to Mu Canglong with his nephew by his side.

Mu Piaomiao and Fang Xi stood amidst the crowd, seeing them off.

“You…why did you concede so quickly?” Mu Piaomiao leaned close to Fang Xi, whispering discreetly.

“Why fight a meaningless battle?” Fang Xi countered, lowering his gaze slightly.

Rather than squabbling with children, it was more prudent to consider the recent eerie atmosphere in Blackstone City.

It seemed as though…something significant had occurred since their last monster hunt.

As his thoughts wandered, suddenly, a panicked cry echoed nearby:

“Murderers! Help!”

The shrill voice nearly pierced the sky.

“Hm?”

Frowning, Fang Xi followed the dojo group towards the source of the sound.

Upon turning a street corner, they encountered a frenzied crowd fleeing from several…strange figures?

“What the hell…are these things?”

With keen eyesight, Fang Xi discerned the true appearance of these strange beings - emaciated cheeks, with wood-like tendrils emerging from their facial orifices.

One of the creatures casually grabbed a passerby, and instantly, numerous tendrils burrowed into the person’s body.

“Ah!”

An innocent bystander screamed as their body rapidly shrank, eyes losing focus…

‘Seems…like some kind of puppet?’

As a cultivator, Fang Xi had extensive knowledge and experience.

Witnessing this scene, his pupils contracted sharply, feeling somewhat speechless:

‘I was mistaken… How naive and foolish I was, thinking this was merely a low-level martial world…’

“Save…save me!”

“Wahh… Mama…”

The strange creatures and terror spread contagiously among the crowd.

People fled frantically, and amidst the chaos, a child stumbled by the roadside, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Get up quickly.”

Hao Lan grabbed the child, swiftly retreating towards the group from Baiyun Dojo.

“Brother Mu!” Dojo Master Hao roared, his fists like boulders crashing into one of the strange creatures.

Crack!

With true force unleashed, the creature’s spine snapped instantly, its body splitting in half.

“Hao, watch out!” Mu Canglong’s eye twitched, letting out a startled cry.

“Agh!”

Dojo Master Hao cried in pain, noticing several bloody holes inexplicably appearing on his palm.

“At least a great demon, possibly even…” Mu Canglong’s expression turned gravely serious as he bellowed, “Baiyun Dojo disciples, heed my command! Immediately retreat to the dojo and defend from within!”

“Yes, sir!” Mu Piaomiao glanced at her father briefly before leading her junior siblings back to the safety of the dojo.

Fang Xi looked up just in time to see Mu Canglong wielding a fine steel staff, fiercely battling one of the strange creatures.

As his gaze fell upon toppled shelves along the street, he noticed a rattle-drum rolling a few times before stopping at his feet.

The seemingly prosperous world felt like a soap bubble, bursting with a single touch…

It happened so swiftly, evoking a surreal sense of illusion.

“Quick, let’s go!”

For reasons unknown, Hao Lan felt pity for the child and instinctively saved him. However, by the time he realized it, several strange creatures had already surrounded them.

These new creatures differed from the previous ones; no tree-like tendrils emerged from their facial orifices. Instead, eerie black markings resembling wriggling tadpoles covered most of their faces, creating a menacing mask effect.

“Witness my ancestral… Rolling Stone Fist!”

Hao Lan took a deep breath, channeling the immense power of three transformations of blood and qi, striking out like a furious tempest.

Boom, boom, boom!

Crack!

Hao Lan let out a painful scream, feeling his right arm bones snap.

As one of the marked creatures lunged towards him, he couldn’t help but grimace bitterly and closed his eyes.

Boom!

A deafening sound echoed next moment.

“What are you waiting for? Hurry up and leave!”

Fang Xi kicked a creature away, revealing a jade-green short sword that had appeared in his hand. With swift precision, he slashed at another charging foe.

Dark red droplets of blood splattered, leaving traces on the blade’s edge.

‘Got some blood samples now, can go back to study them or consult someone in the cultivation world…’

Fang Xi’s primary objective was to obtain samples, as for Hao Lan?

He merely felt a slight affinity due to Hao Lan saving the child earlier, prompting him to assist casually.

As a cultivator, one should act freely, doing whatever they desire.

“Th-that’s incredible!” Hao Lan nearly stood dumbfounded.

Having just engaged these creatures, he knew well how difficult they were. His own arm broke within mere exchanges, yet Fang Xi dealt with them effortlessly.

Recalling how Fang Xi calmly conceded before, Hao Lan’s cheeks flushed like a monkey’s rear, filled with embarrassment: “I’ve been so foolish, truly…”

Let’s rewind slightly.

In Blackstone City, at the headquarters of Great Liang’s officialdom:

The rear courtyard was filled with one monstrous beast after another, including the infamous two-headed demon wolf and several missing dojo masters, all present among them.

Blood pooled on the ground, with not a single living soul around.

As the parasitized beasts and powerful warriors gathered together, they suddenly let out chilling roars before their bodies violently exploded.

Amidst the spray of blood and flesh, tendrils resembling vines emerged, intertwining and growing long root-like extensions that burrowed deep into the earth.

Swiftly, a bizarre pitch-black tree sprouted from the mass of gore.

Countless roots extended from white bones and skulls, supporting the trunk of the colossal dark tree. Vein-like patterns appeared on its bark, while within the massive black canopy, faint faces seemed to flicker intermittently.

Numerous black aerial roots descended from above, penetrating the bodies of nearby strange creatures.

Life and death, evil and beauty…

A myriad of harmonious and discordant elements, symmetry and asymmetry, could all be found within this eerie living entity!

After the emergence of this grotesque black-blooded tree, its vast canopy rapidly expanded outward, generating a thin mist that steadily thickened…

“Dammit, it’s a ‘Demon’!” Nearby, experts from Yuanhe Mountain’s branch stood alert, led by Linghu Yang himself.

Linghu Yang gritted his teeth as he observed the scene, seething with anger. “The frequent migration of demonic beasts near Blackstone City was due to the birth of a ‘Demon’! Now, this fiend has chosen the city center to take root, and Blackstone City…is doomed!”