NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: Yuanhe Mountain
Fang Xi had crossed over, but not entirely.
Or rather, it was his second transmigration!
Recalling the circumstances of his first such experience, Fang Xi still felt lingering fear.
It happened half a year ago on a dark night. Having already been transported to this world for several months, Fang Xi resembled a cautious little animal, cautiously extending his senses to explore Qingzhu Mountain’s market district.
Unfortunately… with his low cultivation base and incomplete mastery of the original host’s abilities, he might not even have stood a chance against Old Man Mai, a mere Second Layer Qi Refiner!
On that fateful night, raiders struck the shantytown area!
The shantytown lacked protection from the mountain’s great defensive array, and most spirit farmers there had weak cultivation bases.
Despite being impoverished, some damned raiders would rob even the poorest souls!
After all, cultivators’ bodies, including their flesh, bones, and souls, were highly valuable.
As Fang Xi heard the cries of battle outside and witnessed hooded black-robed cultivators systematically slaughtering house by house, he trembled in terror, feeling like helpless meat on a chopping block. This harrowing sensation deeply shocked him, triggering the awakening of his golden finger ability!This golden finger manifested without any visible signs or prompts, but he discovered that he could traverse to another world!
Without hesitation, Fang Xi immediately chose to cross over.
And thus, he found himself transported to this realm known as ‘Great Liang’.
Facing the sun, Fang Xi lazily stretched his arms, silently vowing never again to experience such proximity to death.
But for now, it was time to fully enjoy this new world.
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Fang Xi’s lips.
Based on his investigations during previous crossings, this ‘Great Liang’ had no existence of cultivators!
Moreover, the flow of time between both worlds seemed roughly synchronized, with only slight differences in day and night cycles.
In other words, when it was night in his original world, it would be daytime in Great Liang.
Here, everything was ruled by a mortal emperor’s kingdom.
Yet amidst the wilds, creatures known as ‘demonic beasts’ thrived!
From Fang Xi’s perspective, these were likely impure-blooded demons or perhaps some hidden monstrous entities.
Being cautious by nature, he refrained from hunting demonic beasts directly. Instead, he chose to conceal himself within a human city - Blackstone City.
To him, the gold and silver valued by mortals were mere common materials in the southern cultivation world, easily exchangeable for spirit crystals. However, in Great Liang, they proved surprisingly useful.
Before long, the affluent district of Blackstone City welcomed a wealthy newcomer, ‘Young Master Fang’, who quickly gained prominence.
“Master has awakened! Congratulations on completing your seclusion!”
Suddenly, a melodious voice akin to a skylark’s song echoed.
Several vibrantly dressed maids, led by a young girl in a yellow skirt, approached Fang Xi and curtsied gracefully.
A fragrant breeze enveloped him, causing Fang Xi to unconsciously rub his fingers together with anticipation.
In Blackstone City, he had purchased a large mansion along with numerous servants and maids.
Among them were twelve senior maids named Water Lily, Orchid, Plum Blossom, Honeysuckle, Rose, Lotus, Magnolia, Yue Gui (Sweet Olive), Chrysanthemum, Bamboo, Peony, and Lily.
The one clad in a yellow dress was Yue Gui, the head maid, known for her delicate, porcelain-like skin - truly a petite beauty.
“Hmm, announce preparations for the banquet,” Fang Xi casually instructed, under the admiring and respectful gazes of the women around him.
He held no moral qualms about asserting hierarchy; unlike some who might preach equality and discourage kneeling among servants and maids.
On the contrary, influenced by the original host’s memories in this ancient setting, he adhered strictly to the principle of survival of the fittest.
As a servant or maid, failing to kneel would be seen as disrespecting authority and insubordination, warranting severe punishment, even death!
Fortunately, these servants were well-trained by slave traders, ensuring no such anomalies existed.
Or perhaps it could be said that for Yue Gui and the others, such treatment from their master was considered normal, almost as if ordained by nature itself.
Half an hour later, at Fang Manor’s side hall.
Fang Xi reclined on a soft chair, surrounded by an array of exquisite dishes before him.
Bear paws, shark fins, bird’s nest soup, roasted duck, stewed chicken…
These natural ingredients, skillfully seasoned by master chefs, emitted enticing aromas that whetted one’s appetite.
Fang Xi indulged in the decadent lifestyle of a feudal lord, not needing to lift his chopsticks himself. With just a subtle glance, a servant girl would promptly bring him a serving of delicacies.
He gestured for Peony to approach and leaned against her ample bosom, while Honeysuckle placed another helping of venison onto his plate.
Ah, such excessive comfort can indeed be a burden; after all, men must replenish themselves regularly…
Fang Xi took another sip from the cup offered by a beauty beside him, exhaling contentedly.
After all, these charming maids were constantly vying with various tactics to share his bed, making it quite challenging for him to resist.
The meal lasted nearly two hours.
For Fang Xi, although it couldn’t match the nutritional value of the cultivation world’s spirit rice, it certainly satisfied his culinary desires immensely.
Such indulgence, he enjoyed roughly once every ten days to half a month, serving as a small respite from the arduous life of cultivation.
After the servants cleared away the dishes, Fang Xi moved to the living room. Sipping on high-quality tea brewed by Yue Gui, he listened attentively to A-Fu’s report.
“Sir, this old servant has investigated thoroughly. Materials related to demons and monsters are strictly controlled by Great Liang’s government, with private trade heavily prohibited. However, there are always some channels available, such as dojos!”
A-Fu appeared as a white-bearded elder, giving off an air reminiscent of a reclusive sage.
Yet Fang Xi knew well that A-Fu was just an ordinary old man. In the past, he had nearly starved to death on the roadside with his grandson, eventually choosing to sell himself into servitude voluntarily.
“Oh, dojos, you say?”
Fang Xi stroked his chin thoughtfully upon hearing this information.
Great Liang was also a world possessing extraordinary powers. Beyond the demonic entities, even among humans, these exceptional abilities manifested through martial arts!
Skilled warriors could shatter boulders with their fists or crack stone slabs with a single kick, as effortlessly as eating or drinking.
Even within Blackstone City, there were numerous such warriors.
Fang Xi had considerable interest in this world’s extraordinary paths of cultivation.
Although the spiritual energy here was exceedingly thin, making cultivation difficult, it still allowed him to maintain his cultivation base somewhat.
The warrior’s path in Great Liang might offer some valuable insights… Granted, if one could access advanced cultivation techniques and spells from the southern wilderness’ cultivation realm, who would bother delving into martial arts?
But what choice did he have?
His current practice, the Everlasting Spring Art, was merely a common technique. In contrast, slightly better methods available at the market required several to dozens of spirit stones…
A profound gleam flickered in Fang Xi’s eyes:
“Based on the information I’ve gathered over these days, warriors in this world cultivate Qi and Blood martial arts… Their destructive power should not be underestimated, especially for early-stage cultivators. It seems reminiscent of body refinement techniques…”
Body cultivation is considered niche among cultivators, requiring extensive time and consuming vast resources.
However, Fang Xi didn’t care; with resources from two worlds at his disposal, he deemed this expense negligible.
Moreover… what choice did he have?!
“Even low-tier body refinement techniques for Qi Refinement stage cost over five spirit stones at Qingzhu Mountain’s market, which I can’t afford… But here, there must be ways to cultivate Qi and Blood martial arts. Conveniently, I also want to obtain some demonic materials for research purposes…”
The convergence of these goals piqued Fang Xi’s interest significantly.
“A dojo? Tell me more about it…”
A-Fu continued steadily, “In the dojo, naturally, you’ll find teachings on Qi and Blood martial arts. According to local rumors, once Qi and Blood Martial Masters reach advanced levels, ordinary food fails to meet their bodily needs. Consequently, they require nourishment from various natural treasures or demon flesh! As a result, every major martial force in the city has its own channels for acquiring demonic meat…”
“In Blackstone City, apart from the influential noble clans, the only places accepting disciples for martial training are Yuanhe Mountain and the Dojo Alliance!”
“Yuanhe Mountain?” Fang Xi’s expression shifted with intrigue.
“Yes, Yuanhe Mountain is one of the top martial sects within a hundred miles around Blackstone City. Even the local government shows them considerable respect…” When A-Fu mentioned Yuanhe Mountain, his tone unconsciously grew more solemn.
It was evident that Yuanhe Mountain held significant prestige among the people of Blackstone City.
“A martial arts sect like this undoubtedly teaches advanced techniques,” Fang Xi pondered. “I wonder how strict their disciple selection process is? Could money help facilitate connections?”
Since arriving in Blackstone City, Fang Xi, as a wealthy landowner, relied heavily on using gold and silver to pave his way, never hesitating to spend liberally.
Inevitably, he attracted attention as a potential target for exploitation, but being a cultivator at Qi Refinement third layer, despite not affording even the lowest quality magical artifacts, his heightened senses combined with expensive talismans provided sufficient self-defense.
A-Fu considered briefly before replying, “Yuanhe Mountain often accepts disciples from prominent city families, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Then there’s no time to waste; let’s finalize this arrangement quickly.” Fang Xi made his decision.
Although the flow of time was consistent between both worlds, in the southern wilderness cultivation realm, he could only justify closing off for a few days under the pretext of training before needing to reappear. Otherwise, people might assume he had died, leading to division of his lands and property - essentially another form of profiting from someone’s demise.
Yuanhe Mountain.
The main headquarters of this sect was located in Ding Province, while its presence in Blackstone City served as just a branch.
Despite being a branch, it remained opulent and grandiose, occupying a vast complex of buildings that exuded an extraordinary aura.
Deep within this architectural ensemble lay a large emerald-green lake, adorned with flourishing lotus flowers across its surface.
A small boat nestled among the lotuses, gently drifting with the waves.
Upon the boat, someone appeared to be reclining leisurely.
Suddenly, the boat reached the shore, and a poised woman in a white dress approached gracefully. “Greetings, Shishu…”
“What is it?” The person on the boat opened their eyes, yawned, and spoke with a hint of impatience.
“A prominent family from the city has offered two hundred taels of silver to secure admission for one individual as a disciple,” the white-dressed woman bowed respectfully, reporting.
“Who might this be?” The individual’s youthful appearance suggested they were around twenty years old. They picked up a notification slip and immediately scoffed, “Fang Xi? An unknown upstart? Do they think Yuanhe Mountain is some martial arts dojo where we accept anyone with money?”
As the dominant force within a hundred-mile radius, Yuanhe Mountain wielded extraordinary influence. When accepting disciples, they primarily valued aptitude over wealth. The occasional recruitment of noble heirs was mainly to foster connections.
However, Fang Xi… he had nothing but money to spare.
“So what does Shishu suggest?” asked the woman in white, her initial indifference evident. She only agreed to relay this message due to someone’s personal request and influence.
“What is his aptitude like?”
“I observed him once; quite ordinary,” she replied.
“Then decline his offer.” The small boat gently moved away.
The woman bowed respectfully, without further persuasion.