Cultivating Immortality: Starting from Ferrying Passengers

Chapter 97 Deterring the Tribulation Cultivators
Two days later, as the vanguard of the beast tide reached the vicinity of the market, those cultivators who had been hoping for a lucky break also realized the reality and began to flee, their faces pale.

At this point, the price of a low-grade first-tier animal hide had dropped to only a quarter of its original price.

The other bulky cultivation supplies are similar; these things are not easy to carry, and if you choose to hide them, you risk losing everything.

Who knows if there are any monsters that specialize in digging? Monsters would also like such spiritual items.

Furthermore, once the beast tide recedes, whoever finds these buried supplies will naturally own them. These are all unclaimed items, so naturally, only the virtuous will claim them.

What? You say you've already marked it and kept proof? Well, when I found out, didn't you also immediately keep proof?

Why is it that only your voucher is valid, but my voucher mark is not?
Therefore, he preferred to sell at a loss rather than lose everything, and the low price made Fang Jingxuan's heart flutter.

At this moment, Fang Jingxuan, with Tuoyuan in tow, rushed into the market and quickly swept up all kinds of supplies.

Tanned animal hides, cut spirit wood, animal bones for refining weapons, horns, and other items were all thrown onto Tuoyuan's back.

Fang Jingxuan only stopped when he had used up all eight hundred low-grade spirit stones he had brought with him.

There wasn't even time to calculate how much they had acquired. Seeing the full load of supplies on Tuoyuan's back, Fang Jingxuan didn't hesitate and told Tuoyuan to hurry on their way.

So Tuoyuan set off with all his might, carrying Fang Jingxuan, and quickly climbed toward the location of Hongyefang.

The journey of five thousand miles was not smooth sailing. Along the way, there were cultivators who wanted to seize Fang Jingxuan, a mere cultivator at the fourth level of Qi Refining.

But now, after the events at Fulong Mountain, Fang Jingxuan has undergone significant changes, both inside and out.

In the past, he would have just followed the main group, slowly blending in as they traveled, without wanting to attract anyone's attention.

However, if even a Foundation Establishment stage demon beast can be severely injured, what are these few Tribulation cultivators compared to that?

More than two thousand miles from Red Leaf Village, in a valley where there were no rivers, Fang Jingxuan had no choice but to travel by land. However, it was here that he was ambushed.

Fortunately, Fang Jingxuan, sensing something on a whim, didn't step into a real trap, but by the time he realized it, he was already surrounded.

At this moment, a cultivator at the sixth level of the mid-stage Qi Refining realm spoke with a smile to Fang Jingxuan, who was sitting cross-legged on Tuoyuan's back.

"Fellow Daoist, it is fate that we meet. We have no other purpose than to establish a good relationship with you. You only need to take out the contents of your storage bag and let us see them. If there is nothing in it that is destined for us, we will naturally let you leave, how about that?"

His attitude seemed good, and he didn't look fierce. There were also three Qi Refining cultivators around him, subtly surrounding Fang Jingxuan.

Surrounded by four cultivators whose cultivation levels were at least similar to his own, Fang Jingxuan showed no fear whatsoever.

On the contrary, he was calm, even somewhat disdainful.

Fang Jingxuan's attitude made the other group uneasy. Ordinary rogue cultivators didn't have this kind of spirit. Had they really kicked a hornet's nest today?

"Are you sure you want to kidnap me? You should know that if I make a move, all four of you—no, there's another one hiding in the distance—will probably all die here."

Fang Jingxuan chuckled, looking confident. His performance made the leading cultivator's face turn gloomy and uncertain.

Is he putting on a show? Is he deliberately trying to intimidate us, or is he really someone we can't afford to offend?
The leader of the tribulation cultivators originally had great confidence in his eyes. In his eyes, Fang Jingxuan was a cultivator at the fourth level of Qi Refining, and there was no way to fake that.

However, a previous robbery experience left him with a psychological scar, making him wary of cultivators like Fang Jingxuan.

Recalling their previous desperate escape, the leader of the robbers decided to test them again.

"I understand that you have confidence, but you are unwilling to reveal your background and you don't want to settle things with money. We brothers have come out to become cultivators, risking our lives, so naturally we can't stand a life of poverty and choose to live a life of danger."

"If you, fellow Daoist, intend to make us back down with just a few words, then we would lose face. How would we then survive in the world of Tribulation Cultivators?"

"Oh, so what you mean is?"

"Please show me your skills, fellow Daoist. I need to give these brothers an explanation. We can't just come out here and leave in such a sorry state, can we?"

After he finished speaking, the scene fell silent, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense. Fang Jingxuan then looked thoughtful, raising his head to look at the sky. Through the shade of the trees, dappled sunlight fell on his face, creating a patchwork effect.

Fang Jingxuan didn't believe the explanations of these cultivators. Just because they showed him the storage bag, did he really think he could leave?

Clearly, this was a deception to lower their guard. If Fang Jingxuan showed any weakness, then this group of cultivators would immediately strike.

But these cultivators in front of us are actually quite similar to that Foundation Establishment demon turtle in some ways.

They are all the same—seeking advantage and avoiding harm, clinging to life and fearing death. They have absolutely no courage to fight to the death, and Fang Jingxuan has only seen this kind of courage in the Chu family army so far.

Thinking of this, Fang Jingxuan smiled softly, and then his powerful spiritual energy was released without restraint, instantly overwhelming the entire area.

Feeling the surging soul power reverberating in this small area, the expressions of these tribulation cultivators suddenly changed.

This is the kind of pressure that only a Qi Refining Level 9 cultivator should have. How could it possibly appear on the person in front of us?
"If you want to witness supernatural powers, you must be prepared to give up your lives for them. Are you all ready?"

Fang Jingxuan extended his index finger and pointed it towards the sky, whereupon a pitch-black chess piece appeared.

The black pieces exuded a dense, irresistible spiritual energy; even a single piece was enough to firmly attract the attention of these cultivators.

As Fang Jingxuan spoke, he tapped his index finger again, and another white piece was formed.

Then three, four, five.
"Please, senior, withdraw your supernatural powers! We have already offended you, how can we continue to covet your divine skills? Please, senior, be magnanimous and spare our lives!"

At this moment, the leader of the tribulation cultivators finally admitted defeat. He was afraid after all. Fang Jingxuan's actions clearly indicated that he was not just a mere fourth-level Qi Refining cultivator.

Moreover, Fang Jingxuan's words were very clear: if you want to see supernatural powers, you have to risk your life.

The leader of the tribulation cultivators couldn't afford to gamble, nor did he want to. Faced with Fang Jingxuan's tough stance, he could only back down.

To survive, bowing down and admitting defeat is not shameful. As a cultivator, one can talk a lot about morality and face, but if one really took these things seriously, one would have died long ago.

"What? You don't want to watch anymore? But I've already performed half of the ritual, so I have to charge you a fee. Leave me one magic artifact, and you can get lost."

Fang Jingxuan spoke jokingly, but his eyes were icy cold.

After his expression changed a few times, he gritted his teeth, took out a magical artifact and left it on the spot. Then he told the others to flee the place quickly.

After confirming that the cultivators had all gone far away, Fang Jingxuan pulled out the Six Bones, who was almost rolling his eyes in disbelief, from his robes a moment later and burst into laughter.

"Senior? I've reached the senior realm too. After thirty years of hard cultivation, who in the sect calls me senior? Not bad. I'll have something to brag about when I get back. I'm sure my master will be pleased to hear it!"

After Fang Jingxuan finished speaking, a small insect a hundred meters away from him suddenly stiffened and then began to feign death.

Further away, around that group of cultivators, there were also similar small insects, and Fang Jingxuan's words just now came from these insects.

After hearing these words, they looked dejected. This was a sect and a master, obviously with a powerful backer. If they were so strong, wouldn't his master be at the Foundation Establishment stage?

Clearly, this deal has botched.

Their last doubts about Fang Jingxuan thus vanished.

After Fang Jingxuan sent Liu Gu into the Spirit Control Bag, the black and white chess pieces in mid-air shattered one after another. This time, because they were only manifested and not activated, only half of Liu Gu's essence was consumed.

Then, Fang Jingxuan picked up the magical artifact from the ground out of thin air, and without even looking at it, stuffed it directly into his storage bag.

"Back to the sect, Yinbao. I bet you miss your friends a lot, right?"

And so, after this little incident, the man and the tortoise set off on their way back to Red Leaf Lane.

(End of this chapter)