Cultivating Immortality in a World of Chaos

Fang Xi’s expression darkened as he glared at A-Fu.

A-Fu lowered his head, visibly anxious. “Your old servant spent heavily, engaged intermediaries, and even offered to pay more, but alas…”

Fang Xi took a deep breath.

As a cultivator, when had he ever endured such humiliation? Well… okay, frequently at Qingzhu Mountain Market, almost getting used to it by now.

Getting used to it is good, just keep adapting.

“Never mind, I suppose my aptitude is average, not impressive enough for them.”

He shrugged resignedly.

Even as a low-tier cultivator, one retains keen senses and the ability for photographic memory.

When entrusting others with his request earlier, he distinctly felt someone scrutinizing him.

However, blood and qi warriors evidently have their own methods of assessing aptitude, leaving no opportunity for him to showcase his exceptional memory and comprehension skills.

‘In other words, perhaps this world’s martial artists prioritize physical aptitude over intellectual or spiritual abilities? No wonder they’re considered inferior body cultivators…’

Fang Xi consoled himself with this Q-like rationalization, finding it remarkably effective.

With a chuckle, he said, “Well then… if Yuanhe Mountain won’t accept me, I’ll go to a dojo instead… Surely dojos don’t care about aptitude when accepting disciples.”

At this, A-Fu also smiled, “The young master is right, dojos… claim to teach all comers, meaning they’ll take anyone with money.”

Fang Xi’s lips curved into a satisfied grin. “Conveniently, I happen to have plenty!”

Later that afternoon.

Under the blazing sun, in the temporary training ground cleared within the Fang Manor’s rear courtyard,

Fang Xi lounged on a recliner chair, with a cup of homemade fruit slush beside him. The principle behind it was similar to his installed air conditioning - both utilizing a cultivator’s techniques for a more comfortable lifestyle.

On this scorching summer day, sipping chilled fruity drinks truly felt invigorating.

In the center of the training ground stood several martial artists, mostly middle-aged, with a few older individuals among them, all casting flattering glances towards Fang Xi.

Turning slightly, Fang Xi took a sip from the fruit slush Yue Gui had brought, then clapped his hands.

A-Fu stepped forward, clearing his throat. “Our lord wishes to learn martial arts, and as experts from various dojos here today, we invite you to showcase your unique skills. If any impress our lord, there will be substantial rewards… Even if not selected, each participant will still receive a token of gratitude.”

Being wealthy, Fang Xi naturally wouldn’t bother attending public classes at a dojo; instead, he preferred private instruction!

Hearing this, the eyes of those muscular warriors lit up one by one.

Since they ran dojos, their primary goal was profit, and money always spoke volumes.

And this esteemed Landlord Fang was famously known as…a fat wallet ripe for picking!

The group exchanged glances, and an eager old man dressed in black quickly stepped forward, clasping his fists. “I am She Lei from Red Snake Dojo, specializing in ‘Red Snake Leg’!”

He approached a wooden post, suddenly lifting his right leg high. The muscles bulged explosively, straining against his black pants as if they might tear.

Whish!

In the next instant, he unleashed a swift kick. His robust right leg seemed to bend effortlessly, like it had no bones, striking with tremendous force that sent a gust of wind crashing into the wooden post.

Bam!

The thick post instantly splintered into pieces.

As wood shards flew, She Lei proudly explained, “Our dojo’s Red Snake Leg technique primarily focuses on strengthening both legs. Upon mastery, not only does it deliver powerful strikes, but also enhances speed and agility. With superior body control, one can at least maintain an undefeated stance in combat…”

“Excellent, excellent.” Fang Xi’s eyes lit up with interest.

Although the destructive potential of the Red Snake Leg fell short compared to his own Golden Seventh Metal Grass-Cutting Sword, a minor magical spell, he was still in the early stages of Qi Refinement. His limited magical energy could sustain only a few spells before depletion.

Judging by the practitioner’s apparent stamina, he could likely execute twenty to thirty kicks, making this technique quite valuable.

‘Just as I suspected, these so-called Qi and Blood martial arts can be seen as body cultivation techniques for the Qi Refinement stage, holding significant value… And who knows, with further refinement, they might even rival methods used by Foundation Establishment body cultivators!’

Fang Xi’s heart raced with excitement!

Foundation Establishment!

This was the shared dream of all low-rank cultivators.

However… achieving it proved immensely challenging.

Just meeting the minimum requirement of reaching the great circle of Qi Refinement before age sixty was daunting enough to deter most scattered cultivators.

Moreover, attempting Foundation Establishment without success could be fatal. The necessary spirit items, particularly the Foundation Establishment Pills, were tightly controlled by major powers. Even for the Situ Clan, obtaining just one pill would require significant effort and resources.

For ordinary, low-tier scattered cultivators, merely catching a whiff of such pills seemed like an unattainable luxury.

But now, Fang Xi glimpsed a shortcut to surpass these obstacles!

‘If I can elevate my body cultivation base to match that of a Late Stage Qi Refinement cultivator, coupled with gathering appropriate breakthrough aids for Middle and Late Stages, the path would become much simpler.’

‘And if I first become a Foundation Establishment body cultivator, acquiring a Foundation Establishment Pill later would not only increase my chances but also ensure greater safety.’

‘A promising path emerges, a promising path indeed!’

Despite having access to resources from two worlds, Fang Xi never forgot his position at the bottom of the southern wilderness’s cultivation hierarchy. Currently, he dared not bring any unique goods from Great Liang to sell within this realm.

Unless… he gained significantly more power.

Now, he saw a glimmer of hope.

“Master She, your skills are impressive - here’s a reward!”

Feeling delighted, Fang Xi spoke up eagerly.

Initially, She Lei seemed somewhat disgruntled, as despite genuinely being here to sell his services, he still aimed for a higher stature than mere street performers.

However, when A-Fu cheerfully presented him with a tray full of silver coins, all his dissatisfaction vanished instantly, wrinkles on his aged face spreading wide in a joyful grin.

This fat lamb was truly worth it!

Witnessing this scene, representatives from other dojos turned envious. Among them, a tall and slender woman stepped forward:

“Hello, I am Mu Piaomiao from the White Cloud Dojo. Our specialty is ‘White Cloud Palm,’ which allows one to overcome stronger opponents with ease, and its basics are remarkably simple to learn…”

Clearly, this female martial artist had diligently researched her potential client. Knowing that Fang Xi did not possess exceptional martial aptitude—otherwise Yuanhe Mountain wouldn’t have rejected him—she tailored her pitch accordingly, hitting the mark precisely.

As she demonstrated the palm technique, her graceful figure was fully showcased, with her firm curves exuding a hint of captivating allure.

The other martial artists, watching, secretly cursed her as a seductive vixen yet couldn’t help but remain captivated by her display.

After Mu Piaomiao finished, another martial artist approached.

“Greetings, I am Yuan Tiangang, specializing in ‘Everlasting Staff’…”

“My name is Yi Qiuju, proficient in ‘Iron Thread Fist’…”

“And my style, ‘Azure Garment Sword’…”

After the last martial artist finished their demonstration, Fang Xi pondered for a moment before asking, “All your martial skills are quite impressive. Might I inquire if it’s possible to learn each one?”

With his ample wealth, there was no harm in attempting to master them all.

“Well…” The martial artists exchanged glances, and once again, Mu Piaomiao stepped forward with her long legs to explain, “Young Master Fang, practicing Qi and Blood martial arts is highly demanding on the body. Even mastering a single technique can deplete one’s resources, requiring rigorous supplementation with restorative tonics. It’s said that ‘greedy overreach leads to failure,’ and moreover, some martial arts have conflicting blood and qi circulation patterns…”

“Oh.”

Upon hearing Mu Piaomiao’s explanation, Fang Xi began to understand the inherent limitations of Qi and Blood martial arts. Moreover, from her account, it seemed there were still unspoken nuances, likely knowledge only accessible upon proper initiation into these disciplines.

He considered this briefly and then decided, “In that case, I’ll start by learning one leg-based technique and one palm-based technique… She Lei, Mu Piaomiao, please stay behind.”

The other martial artists felt somewhat disgruntled at this choice.

She Lei’s selection made sense; as the first to step forward, he naturally belonged among the strongest, displaying great confidence.

But Mu Piaomiao? Wasn’t it just about her long legs and ample bosom?

Damn, are the interests of the wealthy truly so straightforward and simple-minded?

After the disgruntled martial artists left with their muttered complaints, Fang Xi carefully examined She Lei and Mu Piaomiao. “Master She, Master Mu… let’s start counting tuition from today onwards. How about conducting lessons at my residence every three days?”

Now, he took a closer look at both of them.

When not exerting his martial energy, She Lei appeared as an unremarkable little old man.

In contrast, Mu Piaomiao had a robust figure exuding a spirited and vigorous charm, with quite pleasing facial features, albeit slightly rough skin.

“Agreed…” Mu Piaomiao pondered for a moment before continuing, “The blood and qi circulation for Red Snake Leg primarily focuses on the legs, which does not conflict with our sect’s White Cloud Palm technique. However, you must be cautious; learning too many such techniques could lead to mixed blood and qi flow, hindering future breakthroughs…”

Feeling somewhat disheartened, Fang Xi asked, “If most exercises concentrate on either the legs or palms… is there no martial art that truly enhances blood and qi throughout the entire body?”

This limitation seemed rather significant, especially considering it hindered defense against magical spells!

Mu Piaomiao exchanged glances with She Lei before the old man cleared his throat. “Ahem… In truth, any Qi and Blood martial art primarily focuses on specific body parts but still indirectly hones the overall blood and qi circulation. However, to truly achieve uniform refinement throughout the entire body, it’s not enough to rely on our dojo’s third-rate techniques. You’d need top-tier secret transmissions instead. Perhaps only Yuanhe Mountain’s most closely guarded martial arts can reach such mastery.”

“Alright…”

Fang Xi sighed, silently making up his mind.

Isn’t it just about obtaining true secret teachings? There might be ways for him to acquire them eventually.

After all… cultivators’ capabilities could often overwhelm this world’s warriors.

Of course, he would need to experiment cautiously, without rushing into anything.

He had time on his side; his current body was merely seventeen years old. Cultivators enjoy long lifespans, even those in the Qi Refinement stage can typically live to eighty or ninety without much trouble.