Cultivating Immortality: Starting from Ferrying Passengers

Chapter 180 Tuoyuan Encounters Danger
Inside Black Toad Island, Fang Jingxuan felt somewhat uncomfortable staying in the quiet room.

Now, as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, this originally top-grade first-tier spiritual vein cave has lost its previous appeal for Fang Jingxuan. The spiritual energy under the Spirit Gathering Array has slowed down Fang Jingxuan's cultivation speed, making it far slower than the top-grade second-tier cave he had in Bomu City.

However, while the second-tier cave dwelling in Bomu City is excellent, it's too expensive. The price of one high-grade spirit stone per month is not something Fang Jingxuan can afford to enjoy at the moment.

It has been more than half a month since Fang Jingxuan returned to Black Toad Island. Currently, his daily cultivation progress is less than 10 o'clock, which is indeed too slow compared to the total of 45,000.

However, Fang Jingxuan was not in a hurry. He had just established his foundation and needed to keep a low profile for a while to make his plans.

Having been away for over a year, the situation on Black Toad Island has improved even further. Thanks to Fang Jingxuan's ruthless actions last time, the surrounding rogue cultivators know that the island's owner is not to be trifled with, and therefore have not dared to disturb it for so long.

Currently, the two stewards on the island, He Can and Huang Xie, are both loyal to their duties and managing the entire island in an orderly manner. Both the population and the income from spirit stones are steadily increasing.

Fang Jingxuan was very satisfied with this. He could be a hands-off manager and still have a fixed income of spirit stones every month without having to worry about anything. It was indeed very comfortable.

Over the past year, the mineral resources and spiritual fields on Black Toad Island have brought Fang Jingxuan an income of two high-grade spirit stones.

This amount is already quite large, and it is a considerable supplement for Fang Jingxuan at present.

However, after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, expenses increased dramatically. Two high-grade spirit stones would allow Fang Jingxuan, who was in the Qi Refining stage, to have no worries about his expenses, but for someone who had already reached the Foundation Establishment stage, he really couldn't accomplish anything with just that income.

Cultivation is nothing more than wealth, methods, companions, and land, with wealth being the most important. Looking at the Black Toad Island model, Fang Jingxuan wondered if he could conquer a few more islands and replicate this model, so that he could just lie there every year and have spirit stones naturally come in.

The Chu family of Red Leaf Village also gathered together more than a dozen Qi Refining families, collecting taxes on a regular basis and waiting for these Qi Refining families to pay tribute.

In the future, we can't just resort to robbery when we're short of money. Although it brings in money quickly, it's not a sustainable way to make money.

Fang Jingxuan lay under the Enlightenment Vine, enjoying the sea breeze, silently pondering these matters.

At this moment, Tuoyuan outside let out an excited roar. Upon hearing this, Fang Jingxuan's heart stirred, and he flew out to the outside of Black Toad Island.

As far as the eye could see, several large sea beasts at the late stage of Qi Refining were running towards this place in a panic, while behind them, the enormous Tuoyuan was fiercely chasing after them.

Currently, because Tuoyuan carries a trace of dragon blood, although both of them are at the late stage of Qi Refining, these sea beasts are inexplicably afraid of him and dare not turn around to fight him. They only cover their heads and run for their lives.

Upon seeing that another batch had been acquired, Fang Jingxuan was overjoyed. He then flew into the air, reached out and grasped, and instantly the seawater transformed into four towering giant hands, one in each hand, which lifted the four sea beasts that resembled walruses and brought them to the shore.

Fang Jingxuan remained unfazed as he felt the magical liquid within his body flowing away at a rate as fast as a floodgate being opened.

Keep drawing, three thousand drops of mana essence is enough.

A few breaths later, all the sea beasts were stranded on the shore. Then, Fang Jingxuan's gaze sharpened, and four incredibly sharp, enormous ice needles materialized out of thin air, instantly piercing through the thick fat and bones of these walruses and stabbing into their brains.

After a few moments, these enormous sea creatures stopped moving after a few splashes.

At this moment, Fang Jingxuan looked inward at the lake of magic power and found that his actions had only consumed less than three hundred drops of true magic power liquid.

This is the benefit of abundant magical power. Other Foundation Establishment cultivators, with only three or four hundred drops of true magical liquid, would not have been able to deal with these late-stage Qi Refining sea beasts so decisively without the aid of magical artifacts.

At this moment, Fang Jingxuan looked at Tuoyuan, who had returned to its normal size, with approval in his eyes.

This was a task that Tuoyuan had assigned to itself. It was responsible for going to the depths of the sea to find sea monsters, then driving them here, where Fang Jingxuan would then deal with them. The two formed a perfect team.

The captured sea beasts were mostly dismantled and processed by the cultivators of Black Toad Island, who then sold them for spirit stones.

One of the most precious things is to become food for Tuoyuan, so that it can eat its fill.

A moment later, He Can arrived with about ten cultivators at the early to mid-stages of Qi Refining.

These people, carrying various borrowed containers, all showed fear upon seeing Fang Jingxuan standing on the reef in the distance.

Fang Jingxuan had no desire to interact with these cultivators. He simply nodded to He Can and then took Tuo Yuan back to his cave.

If these four late-stage Qi Refining sea beasts were sold separately after being borrowed, they would probably be worth two high-grade spirit stones.

Just four sea beasts are worth as much as Black Toad Island's annual revenue; this kind of risk-free business is truly a windfall.

However, such sea creatures are not found everywhere in the ocean. Tuoyuan has to spend a long time each time he encounters a group of them, and then drive them all the way from the distant sea to this place. The hardships involved are beyond what others can understand.

Even so, Tuoyuan enjoyed it immensely. Rather than spending all its time lying in its cave, it preferred this challenging activity.

Perhaps it was that drop of mirage dragon blood that changed Tuoyuan's nature, making it more belligerent and bloodthirsty.

After several hunts, Fang Jingxuan discovered that Tuoyuan's physical changes were also moving closer to becoming a full-fledged dragon.

belligerent, bloodthirsty, and licentious.

Fang Jingxuan didn't know how many beautiful female spirit turtles Tuoyuan had harmed in the outer sea, but since he couldn't see them, he didn't care.

In addition, Fang Jingxuan had saved most of the Moon Dew Elixir he had accumulated over the past few months for Tuoyuan to consume, which made Fang Jingxuan feel that Tuoyuan was not far from truly establishing his foundation.

"Go and rest for a while. Wait until they process and sell these sea monsters before you go hunting for new ones."

Fang Jingxuan comforted Tuoyuan with a few words and then let it rest to one side.

Tuoyuan smiled at this, revealing a mouthful of huge fangs. At this moment, it was completely unrecognizable as the cute creature it had been as a child.

After finishing this matter, Fang Jingxuan lay back down under the Enlightenment Vine and continued to ponder what he should do next.

First, you need to equip yourself with a suitable magical artifact.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator who doesn't even have a single high-grade second-tier magic weapon would probably be ridiculed.

Secondly, the two symmetric samples should be changed. The [Cold Jade Cicada Shell] must be replaced, while the [Three Friends of Winter] can be replaced depending on the situation.

There's also the Dharma robe. Having cultivated for so long, I've hardly ever worn it. After acquiring spirit stones, I've saved them all to buy Foundation Establishment Pills.

Upon hearing about the Foundation Establishment Pill, Fang Jingxuan's eyebrows lit up with joy. To be on the safe side, he had acquired two top-grade Foundation Establishment Pills, but he only took one when he was establishing his foundation, and that was enough to succeed.

The remaining one can fetch at least twenty-five high-grade spirit stones, and if it were sent to an auction house, thirty wouldn't be a problem.

At this time, there are less than five years until the next Guixu Auction. By then, this Foundation Establishment Pill can become the grand finale item.

Adding to that the two high-grade spirit stones produced annually by Black Toad Island, and the five or six times a year that Tuoyuan drives away sea beasts, that brings in about ten high-grade spirit stones in income.

If I wait until five years later, I should have sixty or seventy high-grade spirit stones in my storage bag.

A second-tier high-grade magic weapon only requires about ten high-grade spirit stones. Even with the addition of the ginseng and the magic robe, these spirit stones are enough.

Thinking of these things, Fang Jingxuan felt at ease. However, when his thoughts turned to his current cultivation method, he suddenly became somewhat melancholy.

In the Foundation Building chapter of "The True Explanation of the Profound Abyss," to achieve perfect cultivation, one must first condense seven strands of Profound Nether True Qi. This Profound Nether True Qi is a very rare cultivation material, rarely seen in the outside world.

If calculated by weight, one pound of Xuanming True Qi would cost approximately one high-grade spirit stone.

A single strand of Xuanming True Qi, regardless of its consumption, requires at least a hundred catties of Xuanming True Qi to condense successfully. Only then did Fang Jingxuan truly understand why the Golden Core sects that cultivated the *Xuanyuan True Explanation* had suddenly collapsed.

Such a wonderful cultivation method is far too resource-intensive; we simply cannot afford to supply it.

In addition to the seven streams of Xuanming True Qi, there are also seven kinds of wondrous waters from heaven and earth. Compared to these wondrous waters, the price of Xuanming True Qi seems quite affordable.

Forget it, let's get our hands on the Xuanming True Qi first. As for the Heavenly and Earthly Wonders, I already have some clues about one of them.

By condensing one hundred drops of Moon Dew Elixir using a secret method, there is a high probability that one drop of Taiyin Moon Essence True Water can be extracted.

However, since the Xuanming True Qi has not yet been successfully condensed, Fang Jingxuan has no need to rush to condense this True Water.

Take your time. You have a long lifespan, so there's no need to rush. Flowing water doesn't compete to be first, but rather to flow endlessly.

Spring passed and winter came. A year later, Fang Jingxuan, who was meditating in his cave, suddenly had a thought and then his brows furrowed tightly.

Although he didn't activate the [Spur of the Moment] skill, Fang Jingxuan could clearly sense that something bad was about to happen.

At this moment, the soul contract he had signed with Tuoyuan in his sea of ​​consciousness suddenly flickered, and Fang Jingxuan immediately understood that Tuoyuan was in danger.

Sensing this, Fang Jingxuan no longer hesitated and flew away.

After reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, Fang Jingxuan automatically mastered flight, but without a suitable flying artifact, his speed was a bit slow and he consumed more mana.

But given Fang Jingxuan's current level of magical power, he doesn't really care that much.

Following his divine senses, Fang Jingxuan quickly flew across a thousand miles of sea and arrived at a remote place.

At this time, his connection with Tuoyuan became even closer, and the unseen guidance in his soul had located its position.

Over there!

Fang Jingxuan patted the Spirit Control Bag, and the Six Bones suddenly leaped out. Then, Fang Jingxuan transformed into a streak of rainbow light, covering a distance of thirty miles in an instant, three times in a row.

"Shh!"

After Fang Jingxuan revealed his presence, he saw a Foundation Establishment cultivator excitedly using a net-like magic weapon to cover Tuoyuan, and then using a hammer-like magic weapon to continuously attack Tuoyuan.

Upon seeing this scene, Fang Jingxuan felt his blood boil. Tuoyuan was the apple of his eye, how could he be bullied like this?

Fang Jingxuan's eyes turned cold, and he directly activated his Six Bones, launching an attack.

"go with!"

Three balls of deep, inky black demonic fire were casually summoned by Fang Jingxuan and flew swiftly toward the opponent.

Only then did Fang realize that Fang Jingxuan had arrived.

“Fellow Daoist, I was the one who discovered this dragon-horned tortoise first. What you’re doing is against the rules.”

At this moment, the Foundation Establishment cultivator still wanted to argue with Fang Jingxuan. He clearly regarded Fang Jingxuan as a passing cultivator who, like him, was eager to interfere.

However, when the three balls of black demonic fire reached him and burned his protective magic shield, he realized that something was wrong.

"Fellow Daoist, why did you use a killing move right from the start? I am a true disciple of the Haifeng Sect. You'd better watch yourself."

"Hmph, what Haifeng Sect? I've never even heard of it."

Fang Jingxuan casually replied, then pointed his finger, and instantly a barrage of ice spikes rained down on him.

Then came three crystallization rays, which were second-tier low-grade techniques that Fang Jingxuan had not yet mastered.

Each crystallization ray consumes twenty drops of Fang Jingxuan's mana essence, which is considered a powerful offensive spell even among ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Faced with Fang Jingxuan's fierce and relentless attack, the man was immediately shocked. He himself was only at the second level of Foundation Establishment, and he could not summon so many spells so easily.

He immediately became extremely cautious, focusing on dealing with Fang Jingxuan's attacks, especially the three demonic flames that stuck to his protective spiritual shield and couldn't be removed.

The fire was rapidly consuming his mana essence; in just a short while, more than thirty drops had been used up.

He only had eight hundred drops of magical essence, and he used nearly fifty drops just to deal with Tuoyuan.

At first, I planned to slowly win him over with patience and perseverance, but I never expected things to turn out this way.

When the spells got close, the man had no choice but to summon a protective magic artifact to shield himself. But this also consumed ten drops of mana essence.

At this moment, Fang Jingxuan looked at Tuoyuan and found that without this person's control, Tuoyuan had activated the Sea-Suppressing Divine Power, which had a three-fold protective spiritual shield amplification, so he hadn't been in any trouble for the time being.

It was also because the other party was reluctant to use their full strength to hurt Tuoyuan, otherwise Tuoyuan might not have been able to hold out until they arrived.

This person has already set his sights on Tuoyuan. Even if the capture fails this time, he will still be thinking about it in the future. Since we have already offended him, we might as well just kill him and be done with it.

Thinking of this, Fang Jingxuan hardened his heart; this person could not be allowed to live.

So, Fang Jingxuan reached out and quietly took out a smooth talisman sword from his storage bag. This was the Pure Yang Sword Talisman.

Fang Jingxuan then sent in a drop of magical liquid to activate it. Instantly, the sword talisman emitted a three-foot-long red light, flickering erratically, looking extremely dangerous.

"Photography!"

Fang Jingxuan spoke quietly, his sword talisman blending into the sky full of ice spikes.

With a sound like a sharp blade cutting through cloth, a large hole was instantly cut open in the protective spiritual shield of the Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Then, the dimmed demonic fire, along with the three crystallized rays, also drilled into it.

"what!"

Faced with this dangerous situation, this person was not without trump cards. He immediately unleashed a huge, blue snake scale, blocking all the attacks.

But before the other party could even be happy, Fang Jingxuan rushed forward and shoved a round metal ball in front of him.

The fist-sized metal sphere was engraved with intricate lightning runes, so densely packed that it made one dizzy.

"This is?"

"Die! 'Dark Night Five Thunder Talisman' explodes!"

Fang Jingxuan roared and activated the thunder talisman without hesitation. As a huge mushroom cloud rose up, the area within a radius of a thousand meters instantly turned into a vast ocean of thunder, and the very center of it became nothingness.

(End of this chapter)