Free Web NovelChapter 296: Chapter 60: Reliving a Lover’s Dream
Without further ado, the two arrived at the market district and first made a trip to Cangshan Pavilion.
Fang Cheng left the things he no longer needed with Shopkeeper Li, asking him to sell them at Cangshan Pavilion. The Spirit Stones earned would be used by the Ye Family to purchase Geng Metal Profound Silkworm Threads and Dao Pattern Spirit Jade.
Shopkeeper Li had accumulated another batch of Dao Pattern Spirit Jade, which was said to have been acquired by the Ye Family’s merchant caravan on a round trip from the Jin Country.
Fang Cheng touched them one by one, gaining a total of 34,329 creation points.
For the past few years, thanks to the Myriad Manifestations Celestial Dew, Madam Ye had selected several disciples whose spiritual sense had reached completion. From them, she quietly cultivated a new batch of Life Talisman Realm Elders.
These Life Talisman Cultivators naturally became Madam Ye’s trusted confidants. Unfailingly loyal, they were assigned to the family’s merchant caravans to travel the world, tempering their minds and cultivation and broadening their experience. Upon their return, they were all as if reborn.
The vitality the Ye Family had lost since Ye Huang’s fall was also gradually being restored.
The only thing lacking was that, on the surface, Madam Ye’s cultivation remained at the Mid-Life Talisman Stage. Compared to the Patriarchs of the other three great families, she paled in comparison.
However, everyone knew that the Ye Family’s Dragon-riding Immortal Son-in-law was the personal disciple of Sun Fuguo of Demon Lion Peak. Now that the master and disciple pair of Sun Fuguo and Fang Cheng had names that shook the Abyssal Marsh, who would dare to provoke the Ye Family?
The Ye Family’s prestige, contrary to expectations, had grown even greater than when Ye Huang was alive.
After strolling through the market district for a while, the husband and wife arrived at Xuanzhen Studio in Purple Gold Alley.
Business in the shop was good. Ning Suyun and Wen Qianqian’s disciple, Fu Caidie, were both busy attending to customers. Seeing Fang Cheng and Ye Yan arrive, Ning Suyun had Fu Caidie take over and led the pair into the rear courtyard.
Wen Qianqian was even more delighted to see that Ye Yan had brought Fang Cheng along. She invited the two to sit at the stone table in the small courtyard and served them fragrant tea.
This charming young woman, with her snow-white skin and floral beauty, was like a great hermit hiding in the bustling city. She cultivated, drew Talismans, and refined Array Plates and Array Flags in this small courtyard where she had grown up, living a quiet and peaceful life.
She possessed a karmic tie to the Myriad Phenomena Immortal Sect. As long as she cultivated steadily, she would one day step into the Life Soul Realm.
At that time, she could establish her own sect and continue the legacy of the Myriad Phenomena Immortal Sect.
During this period, Wen Qianqian’s Cultivation Realm had also advanced at a decent pace. Her temperament had changed slightly, shifting from her former charming vivaciousness to a more scholarly, elegant, and intellectual air.
During their casual chat, Fang Cheng learned that her business with Qibao Studio in Divine Pillar Immortal City was going well. The three types of Curious Talismans were immensely powerful, far surpassing ordinary Tier One or Tier Two Talismans. They were selling so well over at Divine Pillar Mountain that they were on the verge of being in short supply.
Speaking of which, the last time the three of them had spent time together was back when they were cultivating in Netherworld Valley.
This reunion had a wonderful atmosphere, as if they were reliving old times.
In the evening, Wen Qianqian had her disciple arrange for a sumptuous Spiritual Cuisine feast from Qianzuan Pavilion to entertain the couple.
Her senior sister, Ning Suyun, was quite tactful. She took her martial niece out for a stroll, saying they would not be returning tonight.
In the small courtyard, only the three of them remained.
And the Cyan Bird, Cang Wuya...
As night fell, Wen Qianqian lit some Spirit Incense in the West Wing Room. She tidied up a brand-new set of silk brocade bedding, laying it out neatly on the bed in her chamber.
The bed wasn’t large, barely big enough for three people, but it was cozy, warm, and elegant.
Fang Cheng sent the Cyan Bird to the West Wing Study to read, then set up a restrictive ward in the bedroom to seal it off from the outside.
Knowing his habit of taking long baths, Wen Qianqian took a large wooden tub from her storage bag and filled it with clear mountain Spiritual Spring water.
She had refined this tub into a First-tier Magical Artifact. It contained an embedded restriction that could automatically heat the Spiritual Spring water...
The two women attended to Fang Cheng as he bathed, and they spent a passionate night together.
「The next day.」
Fang Cheng privately gave the Qian Ling Fruit to Wen Qianqian. He also whispered many sweet, affectionate words to her, and they shared a long, tender moment before he finally left Xuanzhen Studio with the Cyan Bird and Ye Yan.
The two of them left the market district, mounted the Cyan Bird, and flew toward Xiaocang Island.
According to Ye Yan, Madam Ye had failed in her attempt to break through to the Late-Life Talisman Stage and had already been out of seclusion for several months.
Even with the Ye Family’s resources and foundation, she still couldn’t break through. Madam Ye had basically given up on advancing any further.
Only ten percent of the world’s Life Talisman Cultivators ever reached the Late-Life Talisman Stage.
Among the many Inner Sect Elders on Yinluo Island, not many had reached the Late Stage either.
Limited by one’s innate talent, one could only sigh in vain.
Even Hua Yutang, to break through her mid-stage, had struggled endlessly before finding a shortcut in the extremely distant Wilderness Domain: a Dual Cultivation Secret Method combined with the Profound Fire Pill. Only after diligently cultivating with Fang Cheng for many days did she see a glimmer of hope.
It was understandable that Madam Ye had given up.
Part of the reason for Ye Yan’s return to Xiaocang Island was to comfort her mother. After discussing it, Fang Cheng took out the Miaoyin Bracelet, a Third-Order Lower Grade Magical Artifact he had obtained in the Wilderness Domain, intending to give it to Madam Ye as a gift.
This bracelet could be considered wondrous and unpredictable. It could transform into thousands of identical copies, serving for both offense and defense with immense power. Furthermore, it possessed the Miaoyin Divine Technique, which could assail a person’s spirit soul, making it impossible to defend against.
With this treasure, given her cultivation and methods, Madam Ye would be no worse off than those at the Late-Life Talisman Stage.
The Cyan Heaven Sparrow soared through the sky, and in a short while, it arrived before Cangwu Mountain on Xiaocang Island.
Just as it was about to descend, Fang Cheng had the Cyan Bird stop.
His gaze swept toward the heights of the sky.
"Might I be addressing Fellow Daoist Fang Cheng, the Suanni of the Yinluo Sect’s Law Enforcement Hall and of Demon Lion Peak?" a leisurely voice drifted down from the heavens.
Fang Cheng wasn’t surprised to hear this. He immediately had Ye Yan and the Cyan Bird return to Cangwu Mountain first.
Having cultivated for so long, Ye Yan had developed good judgment. She whispered softly, "My dear, please be careful."
Fang Cheng smiled nonchalantly. "I’m an old hand at this, no need to worry. You go back and see your mother first."
Ye Yan hummed in agreement and entered the Grand Array of Xiaocang Island with the Cyan Bird.
High above Xiaocang Island, a small skiff could be seen sailing straight toward Fang Cheng.
On the skiff stood a middle-aged man with his hands clasped behind his back. He was dressed in magnificent, aristocratic robes, with a streak of snow-white hair at his temples. Behind him flew a large banner, emblazoned with the two words "Divine Punishment."
The skiff flew until it was just over a hundred zhang away before slowly coming to a stop.
The aristocratic middle-aged man cupped his hands. "I am Wu Mingshou, from the Jin Country."
The aura he projected revealed him to be at the Late-stage Life Talisman Cultivation.
Fang Cheng said coolly, "What business might you have with me?"
The aristocratic man looked at Fang Cheng and said arrogantly, "I, Wu Mingshou, have come on the orders of the Chief Shopkeeper of the Ten Thousand Treasures Studio’s Jin Country branch, specifically to take your head and report back. If you surrender without a fight, I can grant you a quick death."
Fang Cheng’s eyes flickered. He thought for a moment before recalling that he had indeed killed a Silver Belt Elder from the Ten Thousand Treasures Studio on Chixia Island years ago. He thought his surname was Qiu...
He let out a short, mirthless laugh. "Your Ten Thousand Treasures Studio is incredibly slow. All this time has passed, and you’re only now coming to deal with this!"
His words were filled with ridicule and scorn.
Wu Mingshou sneered. "My studio has its own procedures and rules for handling matters. I just didn’t expect that you, with death at your doorstep, would still be in the mood to mock the Ten Thousand Treasures Studio. Do you have any idea what kind of entity the Ten Thousand Treasures Studio is? Never mind the great Dharma Realm protector in our studio; just one of the seven Life Soul Realm protectors could level your entire Yinluo Sect."
A cold glint flashed in Fang Cheng’s eyes as he gave a grim smile. "Such big words. I’d like to see if killing you will actually provoke a Dharma Great Power!"
With that, he swung his wide sleeve, and the Immortal Binding Rope shot out in an instant.
...
