Cultivation Starts from Farming

Upon hearing this, Wang Shan's face changed dramatically: "You... you know?"

Before he could finish his words, several cold glints tore through the mist like lightning, aiming straight for Xu Ping's forehead, chest, and lower body.

The piercing cold light came howling with such speed that even ordinary Qi Refinement Realm cultivators couldn't react in time.

However, under Xu Ping's Divine Sense, none of this could escape his perception.

A flash of light appeared in his hand, and the Blood-Drinking Sword appeared in his palm.

With a flicker of the sword light, Xu Ping thrust forward vigorously, and a burst of Sword Qi erupted like thunder, instantly shattering the incoming hidden weapons with a crash.

"An Upper Grade Magical Sword?"

A surprised exclamation echoed from within the mist.

Moments later, a man in the ninth stage of Qi Refinement emerged from the thick fog, greed gleaming in his eyes as he stared intently at the Blood-Drinking Sword in Xu Ping's hand: "I didn't expect you to be wealthier than I imagined."

Just this one Upper Grade Magical Sword was worth at least a thousand Spirit Stones.

"Tell me, is the Purple Flower Grass real or not? I'll spare your lives." Xu Ping held his sword in one hand, his expression indifferent, yet his tone carried an invisible threat.

"Hahaha, have you gone mad?" Wang Shan couldn't help but laugh, "You're only at the seventh stage of Qi Refinement, and you think having an Upper Grade Magical Sword means you can confront us?"

"Ah, it seems I'll have to completely defeat you before you'll speak the truth." Xu Ping shook his head.

"You..." Wang Shan intended to continue mocking him, but saw Xu Ping suddenly vanish before his eyes.

By the time he realized what was happening, a strand of Sword Qi erupted before him, and intense pain surged from his chest.

In disbelief, he looked down to find blood gushing out, and a foot-long wound had appeared on his chest.

"Pfft!"

Wang Shan opened his mouth to speak, but a mouthful of blood spurted out, and he collapsed heavily to the ground in a daze.

"What..." The man not far away was shocked, his eyes full of amazement, as he stared at Xu Ping who had reappeared.

He hadn't seen how Xu Ping had made his move; the speed was terrifying.

It was almost comparable to a Second-stage Body Cultivator!

"Fellow Daoist, it's all a misunderstanding..." Although the man spoke of a misunderstanding, he had already summoned his defensive magical artifacts and talismans.

"Hmph!"

Xu Ping snorted coldly, his eyes suddenly lighting up as he glared at him.

The middle-aged man felt a chill, and then his Sea of Consciousness shook, causing his view to momentarily go black, and his artifacts and talismans fell to the ground.

Although he quickly regained consciousness, it was too late.

Xu Ping approached in an instant, and with a flash of sword light, he severely injured him, knocking him unconscious.

Xu Ping gathered up the scattered talismans and artifacts into his storage, then grabbed each man's collar with one hand and swiftly moved to a secluded corner.

After walking a few hundred meters, he entered a cave.

Inside the cave, Xu Ping collected all the artifacts, talismans, and storage bags from the two, then took out a Silence Talisman. With a gentle shake, it turned into a colorless light shield that enveloped them.

Xu Ping slapped Wang Shan awake.

Slap! Slap! Slap!

Wang Shan groaned as he gradually regained consciousness, feeling excruciating pain in his chest and cheeks.

"You!" Seeing Xu Ping, he was horrified and wanted to resist, but the wound on his chest drained all his strength, making it impossible to even cast a simple magic spell, let alone resist.

"Is the Purple Flower Grass real?" Xu Ping asked, expressionless and cold.

Seeing Xu Ping's emotionless gaze and murderous intent, Wang Shan was flustered and stammered, "It's... it's real!"

'It's real!'

Upon hearing this, Xu Ping's eyes lit up, and he was overjoyed, realizing this trip was worth it.

"Where is it?" He suppressed his joy and pressed the question further.

"I didn't lie about the location, but the Purple Flower Grass is in the territory of a Second-stage Demon Beast." Perhaps out of fear that Xu Ping would kill him, Wang Shan poured out everything he knew.

'In the territory of a Second-stage Demon Beast?'

Xu Ping felt his heart sink and frowned deeply.

This wouldn't be easy. Demon Beasts were tough and hard to deal with.

"Besides you two, who else knows?" Xu Ping continued to press.

"N-no one else." Wang Shan stammered in reply.

In truth, there had been others, but they were already killed by the two of them.

"As long as you don't kill me, I'll take you to it," Wang Shan pleaded, trembling.

Expressionless, Xu Ping stepped behind him and delivered a heavy punch to the back of his head.

Wang Shan, powerless to resist, promptly collapsed.

Then Xu Ping roused the middle-aged man, interrogated him carefully, and received the same answers.

"A Second-stage Demon Beast!"

Xu Ping felt a heaviness in his heart, finding it troublesome.

He was only at the eighth stage of Qi Refinement, and slaying a Second-stage Demon Beast would be extremely difficult.

Fortunately, he heard from the two that it was a Second-stage Lower Grade Demon Beast, which brought him some relief.

If it had been a Second-stage Mid-grade or higher Demon Beast, he'd definitely give up.

"This needs careful preparation," Xu Ping thought silently, knowing that even though it was a Second-stage Lower Grade Demon Beast, he couldn't underestimate it.

"But first, I need to determine the exact location of the Second-stage Demon Beast," Xu Ping thought as he looked at the unconscious pair.

...

...

A dense forest shrouded in mist.

Wang Shan and the middle-aged man were pale-faced and trembling as they led the way, Xu Ping following slowly with eyes as cold as ice.

After walking for about half an hour, Wang Shan and the middle-aged man stopped and pointed toward a lush gorge: "It's just ahead, in that canyon."

"Keep moving," Xu Ping commanded icily, showing no mercy.

He wouldn't leave until the existence of the Purple Flower Grass was confirmed.

Wang Shan and the middle-aged man exchanged a look, then gritted their teeth and continued forward.

Passing through the vine-covered cliffs, the view suddenly opened up. A few steps further, they saw a huge pool several hundred meters wide.

Surrounded by densely packed towering trees.

On a small island in the center of the pool, a Purple Flower Grass swayed in the wind.

"Purple Flower Grass!!"

Xu Ping's eyes gleamed sharply, instantly recognizing it as the Purple Flower Grass he had been longing for!

"We... we've brought you here, will... will you let us go?" Wang Shan asked tremulously, his eyes filled with deep hope and a desperate longing to live.

"Where is the Second-stage Demon Beast?" Xu Ping asked calmly.

"In the pool," Wang Shan replied.

"I see!"

Xu Ping nodded, suddenly leaping forward at lightning speed, and with two swift kicks, he sent the two men flying into the pool.

"Ah! Ah!"

With two screams, Wang Shan and the middle-aged man crashed heavily into the pool.

A few moments later.

The water's surface shook violently, demonic power surged, and an angry "hiss" emanated from beneath.

Amidst the turbulent waves, a giant serpent about six or seven zhang long, with a crystal-white body, broke through the water's surface and swallowed the two men whole.

"Snake Demon!"

Xu Ping's eyes were grave as he concealed his aura and quickly vanished into the mist.