Fangxian Heretical Path

Chapter 290 The Peach Blossom Clouds I Picked
Fang Shu quickly understood.

These rogue cultivators exchanged bewildered glances, then all headed towards the mountain where the Rongyan Palace was located, bowing deeply to the male and female immortals atop the mountain.

"We pay our respects to the Immortal of Beauty."

"Thanks to the blessings of all the immortals, we have made some gains in the secret realm of Mount Lu. Please accept them."

The immortals of Rongyan Palace all wore smiles on their faces.

The scholar-like immortal at the head of the group nodded and said, "Agreed."

Immediately, a total of eleven spiritual herbs flew out from the pouches of those rogue cultivators, hovered in mid-air, displayed themselves, and were then put into the sleeve of the scholar-earth immortal.

Upon receiving this batch of spiritual herbs, the smile on Rongyan Palace Immortal's face deepened.

He glanced at the other four Earth Immortals and smiled:

"Well, counting these eleven, my Rongyan Palace has obtained a total of fifty-two medicinal herbs this time. Can we be considered the number one in this secret realm herb gathering?"

Upon hearing this, the other four Earth Immortals fell silent, especially Sandu of the Five Internal Organs Temple, who couldn't help but mutter a few curses under his breath:

"shameless!"

Of the five groups that gathered herbs this time, leaving aside the other three, the Rongyan Palace and the Wuzang Temple, perhaps because of the method, the latter indeed surpassed the former, obtaining forty-three herbs!

As a result, now that the spiritual herbs from the wild cultivators outside the mountains are taken into account, the situation has been reversed in an instant, and the gap is huge.

When Fang Shu and the other disciples learned of this, they immediately began to discuss it animatedly:

"No wonder that even though it is clearly a private matter of the five sects of Mount Lu, we would allow outsiders to come and reap the benefits."

"Hmph! This Rongyan Palace, worthy of being the head of the five sects of Mount Lu, actually plots against our temple in such a treacherous way."

However, none of the top-level immortals objected to this, so no matter how enthusiastically these minor Qi Refining cultivators discussed it, it was useless.

Instead, they noticed the exit was completely closed, and someone called out in a strange voice from within the crowd:
"Fellow Daoists, have you seen my elder brother?"

"Everyone, has anyone seen our senior brother, Luan Tong'er?"

Not only was this happening at the Five Internal Organs Temple, but calls also arose from the other four immortal sects, and even an angry roar came from an Earth Immortal:

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash, unable to even protect one person."

"Hmph! Now that he's dead, what are you all doing back here alive?"

Clearly, in this battle for the secret realm, besides disciples like Fang Shu who were previously unknown but have now amazed everyone with their skills, there are also many disciples who were highly anticipated but have now died in obscurity.

Looking at the shouts and cheers of the people around him, Fang Shu couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

However, under such circumstances, he became even more low-key.

After all, it was he who killed Luan Tong'er, Dai Jintong, and Shen Yin, those three Foundation Establishment seeds.

Now that he had left the secret realm, Fang Shu secretly took a look around and belatedly realized that he had actually slaughtered all the Foundation Establishment seeds of the five sects of Mount Lu.

Fortunately, all of these incidents occurred in secret locations and were mostly unknown to the public.

Moreover, he has made great contributions this time, becoming the first person to gather herbs in the secret realm. The Five Internal Organs Temple will surely value him highly, reward him handsomely, and protect him greatly, so that he will not be implicated in these matters!
Even so, Fang Shu still felt it wasn't entirely safe.

"Foundation Establishment! Only after Foundation Establishment can we prevent the Master of the Sexual Hall and others from coming to us in person."

Fang Shu's desire to establish his foundation and ascend to the Dao grew stronger. He had already planned to go into seclusion as soon as he received the reward from the mountain gate, without any delay.

Amidst the commotion and chaos, all five factions managed to pack up their gear.

But just as the group was about to leave, suddenly, a figure flew out from the bed of rosy cheeks in the flesh-and-flesh temple and landed in front of them.

This person had a graceful figure and a body as white as jade. She was charming and alluring as she walked, but her expression was cold and she carried a chilling aura.

The newcomer was none other than a low-level Earth Immortal from the Leather Nunnery. Apart from the Immortal Master Luche Sandu, the other Earth Immortals all stared at him warily.

Finally, the Deer Chariot Immortal asked in a slow voice:

"Fellow Daoist with the Jade Face, what brings you here?"

The earth immortal of the Leather-Face Hermitage, known as Jade-Faced, bowed respectfully and said, "This junior greets Senior Deer Cart."

She then looked at the group of disciples of the Five Internal Organs Temple, her gaze finally settling on Fang Shu.

Seeing this, the people around all turned to look at Fang Shu.

When Fang Shu saw that he had suddenly been approached by a shady immortal from a monastery, his heart skipped a beat. He immediately thought of the Foundation Building Drum he had used at the exit.

"This is bad," he thought to himself. "It seems someone has recognized me and reported me."

But since the other party's teacher had come to his door, Fang Shu had no choice but to stand solemnly and greet them.

When Lu Che saw that the person who came was actually looking for Fang Shu, he thought for a moment and guessed that Fang Shu had probably killed the other party's disciple in the secret realm.

"Tsk, we agreed that the matter of the secret realm would be resolved within the secret realm."

Lu Che shook his head and said, "Even the fellow Daoists of the Dry Bone Temple have no objection to this. The relationship between the Flesh and Skin Nunnery and our sect is not bad, so Fellow Daoist Jade Face should not make a mistake for himself."

Upon hearing this, the Jade-Faced Immortal frowned slightly and chose to speak in a lowered voice:
"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Lu Che. I am not here to cause trouble, but simply to ask your temple's disciples for something."

Upon hearing this, the Earth Immortal Luche pondered for a moment, then waved his hand and said nothing more.

Immediately, the woman's figure flickered and she suddenly appeared in front of Fang Shu, hovering half a zhang in the air.

The other person looked down at Fang Shu and said:

"Young friend, since you have obtained my disciple's magic weapon, she must have perished at your hands."

"I will not concern myself with matters of life and death. But you must hand over my disciple's magical artifacts and her corpse."

The disciples of the Five Internal Organs Temple, hearing this, immediately began to whisper amongst themselves:
"Good heavens, even the beauties of the Skin and Flesh Nunnery have been slaughtered by this Fang fellow. Tsk tsk, what a waste of talent."

Some people did feel indignant on Fang Shu's behalf, but they too only dared to use their divine sense to communicate with each other telepathically.
"A dignified Foundation Establishment Immortal actually comes to ask us juniors for things, heh, how dignified!"

When Fang Shu was questioned by the Jade-Faced Earth Immortal, he bowed again and obediently took out the Foundation Establishment Drum from his sleeve.

However, he neither pulled out Shen Yin's body again, nor did he respond to the other party's words. Instead, he respectfully spoke:
"Reporting to the Jade-Faced Immortal, this artifact was not taken by me, but found by me."

As for the physical body of your disciple, I am unaware of such matters and hope you will investigate further.

These words surprised both the Jade-Faced Earth Immortal and the Deer-Cart Immortal.

The former frowned and couldn't help but snort coldly. A wave of divine pressure immediately fell on Fang Shu, causing many of the surrounding Earth Immortals to change color slightly.

Because this woman's cultivation level was not just the seventh tribulation, but had reached the eighth tribulation, the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment!

Even so, Fang Shu stood before this woman, his expression unchanged, only continuing to bow with heavy breathing.

At this moment, the Deer-Cart Immortal let out a soft laugh:

"Fellow Daoist Jade Face, it seems there is a misunderstanding. Since this artifact was only picked up by a disciple of our temple, please do not blame our sect." A gentle magical power immediately surged in front of Fang Shu, separating him from the Jade Face Earth Immortal.

Fang Shu felt a great weight lifted off his shoulders.

On the other hand, the Jade-Faced Earth Immortal gave Fang Shu a deep look and thought of a possibility: that Shen Yin's physical body had been destroyed by Fang Shu or left in the secret realm.

A hint of regret immediately appeared in her eyes.

The woman said expressionlessly, "Very well, I will take this drum with me. Allow me to go down and investigate further. If I have any news, I will come back to inquire."

Having said that, she reached out and the drum in Fang Shu's hand flew up, about to fall into her hand.

Fang Shu saw this scene but his expression remained unchanged.

But a chill had already crept into my heart.

What a shameless whore!

He's outmatched, yet he insists on bullying the weak. If he actually takes Shen Yin's body, then he won't gain anything at all.

Seeing that he was about to lose this foundation-building magic artifact for nothing, Fang Shu felt a nameless fire rise in his heart.

But the more he did this, the more he lowered his head and tried to calm himself down.

Foundation Establishment is just around the corner, it's nothing more than a few external things. We must not delay important matters, lest this female Taoist seize upon an excuse to suddenly punish us and injure our bodies.

However, Fang Shu soon realized that his worries were completely unnecessary.

A voice immediately rang out from the mountain peak: "Wait a minute!"

Before the Foundation Building Drum could fall into the hands of the Jade-Faced Earth Immortal, it was swept away by a burst of golden light and flew into the hands of the Deer-Cart Earth Immortal.

The Earth Immortal weighed the artifact in his hand and clicked his tongue in amazement:

"Using the scalp of an Earth Immortal to forge a weapon, what a skill! No wonder Fellow Daoist Jade Face insisted on taking it back."

"But you just took it empty-handed like that!?"

Boom!

A surge of divine consciousness suddenly landed on the jade-faced earth immortal.

The oppressive aura caused the woman's expression to change instantly, and her body fell from mid-air, almost collapsing in front of Fang Shu.

Such a scene instantly attracted the attention of many people, and the other three sects in the distance also looked around with great interest.

This sudden attack caught the Jade-Faced Immortal completely off guard, and her expression immediately turned ugly.

But the Deer Cart Immortal coldly continued:
"Does Fellow Daoist Jade Face really think that just because you have a big face, you can bully the weak?"
"Considering our past relationship, I'll make the decision for you, young man, and give you this item, but you must exchange it for something else!"

Upon hearing this, Fang Shu's eyes lit up.

Even though he knew he should keep a low profile and pretend to be invisible, he couldn't help but raise his head and look at the majestic Deer Cart Earth Immortal.

He then discovered that it wasn't just the Deer Cart Immortal supporting him; the other two cities, the Ox Cart and the Sheep Cart, were also coldly staring at the Jade Face, each looking down at him from the left and right.

Such a scene caused the Jade-Faced Immortal, who had come alone, to tremble violently.

She had thought that because of her status in the brothel, these old guys would at least give her some face, but she never expected it to turn out like this.

"Okay!" The woman stood still, gritted her teeth, and agreed.

And her expression suddenly changed, revealing a faint smile as she looked at Fang Shu and said:
"I was just joking. Since you retrieved my disciple's belongings for me, you have fulfilled a wish of mine and deserve a reward."

With a wave of her hand, the bell on her wrist jingled, and several items immediately appeared in the room.

The first item was a pile of spirit stones, each of medium quality; the second was several bottles of pills; the third was a cloud of pink mist; and the fourth was a jade slip.

The Jade-Faced Earth Immortal introduced, "There are four kinds of supplies here, which are the things I can offer. Young friend, please take a look."

Fang Shu didn't stand on ceremony. He quickly glanced at the Deer Cart Earth Immortal, and seeing that the other party did not object, he cupped his hands towards the Jade-Faced Earth Immortal and said, "Thank you, Immortal Master."

Then, he began to inquire about the specific number and function of these four items in a natural and generous manner.

The first things Fang Shu ruled out were spirit stones and pills. He already had a batch of the former, and having more would not only be useless but could also bring disaster.

The latter, though the elixir is good, and according to the Jade-Faced Earth Immortal, it can protect him from being consumed by lust and troubled by distracting thoughts during the Foundation Establishment process, increasing the probability of Foundation Establishment by 30%.

However, Fang Shu now has a solid foundation and doesn't care about such external things at all, let alone dare to take the pills that this woman gave him.

Therefore, his gaze fell on the latter two advantages, and his expression became conflicted for a moment:
"This peach blossom cloud is a spiritual material, of the seventh tribulation quality. It can carry people, provide cover, and confuse enemies without the need for refining. Although it is not proficient in any of these, it is just right for my use. It can protect me and help me escape."

According to this woman, the "Flesh and Skin Cauldron Technique" for Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, once mastered, can cultivate a superior furnace for oneself, unaffected by life or death; clearly, its greatest value lies in this skill.

While hesitating, Fang Shu suddenly had a thought.

He immediately thought of Shen Yin's corpse in his bag, which was excellent material for cultivating the "Flesh and Paper Cauldron Technique". If he chose this method, it would be just right to put it to use.

But then, Fang Shu immediately pointed at the pinkish mist, cupped his hands, and said:
"Reporting to the Immortal Master, this junior has chosen this item."

The Jade-Faced Earth Immortal glanced at him, then tossed the peach blossom cloud to Fang Shu, simply instructing him: "If your foundation is not solid, do not refine it before you establish your foundation, otherwise this thing will turn you into pus and blood. Don't blame me then."

"Yes."

Fang Shu held the peach blossom mist in his hands and immediately felt that the mist within was truly breathtakingly beautiful.

The moment Fang Shu obtained the peach blossom clouds and mist, the Deer Chariot Earth Immortal in mid-air loosened his fingers, and the Foundation Building Drum fell down with a thud, which was caught in the hands of the Jade-Faced Earth Immortal.

The woman squinted at the drum, examined it briefly, bowed to the three capitals, and then turned and left.

After this barter transaction, Shen Yin's master obediently left, and Fang Shu immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

He then held the peach blossom mist in his hands, looked up at the Three Capitals above, and seemed to be organizing his thoughts as if he wanted to make a request.

However, a soft laugh rang out, and the Deer Chariot Earth Immortal's divine sense descended, automatically circling in his hand, and he chuckled:

"The quality of this smoke is acceptable, and there are no miscellaneous things inside. You can accept it. When you reach the Foundation Establishment stage, the temple will have methods to refine it."

The other person paused and added, "On the contrary, the small drum you picked up should have been made with the help of that female Taoist priest. There are quite a few twists and turns in it."

You'll have to be careful if you use it. Changing it today is a good thing.

Fang Shu felt a great sense of relief; he had wanted the other party to take a look.

He quickly bowed and said, "Thank you, Sandu!"

The Deer-Cart Immortal nodded, then spoke briefly with the sheep-carts and ox-carts on either side before issuing a shout:
"After all, let's go back to the clan!"

Whoohoo!
Puffs of black smoke billowed out from San Du's sleeves.

Fang Shu and the others felt their bodies sway, and then black smoke immediately enveloped them, lifting them into the air and speeding away.

(End of this chapter)