ALL NOVEL Chapter 99: Facing the Formation Alone
Early morning.
“Gongzi, don’t leave…” Lily murmured in her sleep, still talking in her dreams.
Fang Xi shook his head gently and placed several small jade bottles on the table. These contained low-grade healing and detoxifying medicinal pills from the cultivation world.
In Great Liang, they would be considered priceless ‘divine pills’!
He stepped out of the room and headed towards the training grounds.
“From white to dark clouds, then onward to black clouds!”
Mu Piaomiao moved swiftly like the wind, her palms following her every step with immense true force - a testament to her recent breakthrough as a True Force martial artist!
“Congratulations, Little Shimei, for achieving the dojo master realm!” Fang Xi smiled upon witnessing this progress.
“I must thank Da-shixiong for yesterday’s gift of Blood and Qi Pills. The potency of these spiritual pills is truly astonishing…” Mu Piaomiao recalled how her da-shixiong casually bestowed a chest filled with gold, feeling almost as if it were a dream. Compared to the precious metals, the spiritual pills were even more incredible. Just one pill had enabled her blood qi to surge, allowing her to successfully ascend to the dojo master level.
Compared to gold and silver, the spiritual pill was even more astonishing.Just one dose had allowed her blood qi to break through, effortlessly elevating her to the dojo master realm.
With that entire bottle of Blood and Qi Pills, each generation of the dojo could consistently produce dojo masters!
This truly ensured a lasting legacy!
“I wonder if these spiritual pills…”
She glanced at Fang Xi, knowing she probably shouldn’t ask, but her curiosity couldn’t be suppressed.
“Oh, during my recent travels, I coincidentally encountered the same person who sold me those spiritual pills before, so I bought some more…”
Nowadays, for Fang Xi, acquiring such pills was merely a drop in the ocean.
“I see…” Mu Piaomiao’s eyes welled up with tears, and suddenly she began to sob, “It’s truly wonderful… But it’s too bad Shixiong didn’t arrive sooner, otherwise my father might have…”
Fang Xi fell silent upon hearing this.
The cycle of life, aging, sickness, and death among mortals is indeed unpredictable.
That’s precisely why he dedicated himself to the path of cultivation, seeking immortality!
At the Intervale Dojo.
Fang Xi, hands clasped behind his back, stepped inside.
Contrasting with its once obscure state, devoid of visitors, the Intervale Dojo had undergone a remarkable transformation. Not only had it expanded several times in size, but its gilded signboard now exuded grandeur.
Despite the looming threat of enemy forces encircling the city, there were still a few apprentices present. However, observing their lethargic demeanor and well-fed appearances, Fang Xi surmised they were likely aristocratic scions here to place bets rather than train seriously.
“Who are you? If you’re here to enroll for martial training, go pay at the back…” Sun Hongdie, now married, was assisting within the dojo. Upon seeing Fang Xi, she rolled her eyes immediately. “I’ve said this many times, my master Ghostweary is not affiliated with those invading forces…”
Using his original appearance, even Sun Hongdie, who knew Fang Leng well, failed to recognize him. By now, Fang Xi no longer cared about concealing his identity.
“It’s me!” he replied calmly, his familiar tone causing Sun Hongdie’s eyes to widen instantly.
In his calm voice, Fang Xi replied with a familiar tone that instantly widened Sun Hongdie’s eyes. “Master… Are you wearing one of those legendary human skin masks? Let me feel it…”
“Get lost!”
Faced with such a disrespectful female disciple, Fang Xi always enforced strict discipline.
After reprimanding Sun Hongdie briefly, he ventured deeper into the dojo and encountered Qing Sang.
“M-master, sir, you’re back? That’s fantastic! With the rebels at our gates, I wasn’t sure what to do…” Qing Sang quickly recognized Fang Xi after Sun Hongdie’s explanation.
Having lived together for so long, certain familiar traits were unmistakable.
“Don’t worry about this situation. The so-called rebel siege… will be resolved swiftly,” Fang Xi assured her with a wave of his hand.
Many acquaintances resided within Three Origins City, and if it fell, countless lives would be devastated. Within the limits of his ability, Fang Xi did not hesitate to intervene.
As night fell, Linghu Shan of Yuanhe Mountain arrived upon receiving Fang Xi’s signal.
“Fang Xi!” Linghu Shan greeted with a bow, his expression somewhat troubled.
“Which side will Yuanhe Mountain support during this siege by rebel forces?” Fang Xi asked directly.
“Neither side, really. With our influence at Yuanhe Mountain, regardless of who ultimately claims power, we’ll always have a place in Ding Province,” Linghu Shan replied cheerfully. “The only concern is that some assets may suffer losses amidst the conflict… Ah, what truly troubles me is those brothels and pleasure houses; they’ve been closed lately…”
“Understood. And what about the Zongshi Association?”
“They largely lean towards the current imperial court, as its development has intricate ties with the government…” Linghu Shan answered.
Fang Xi recalled Fatty Han; without the backing of the Zongshi Association, he wouldn’t have infiltrated the Beast Hunter’s Pavilion so easily.
“Hmm, got it. I appreciate your insights.” Fang Xi nodded. “By the way, are there any zongshi supporting these rebels? If so, from which factions?”
As Linghu Shan mentioned this, his expression turned somewhat grim. “Those are members of the ‘Nihming Society’…”
From Linghu Shan’s explanation, Fang Xi gradually grasped the situation.
The so-called ‘Nihming Society’ was actually a faction that had splintered off from the ‘Zongshi Association’.
Its leader, Pang Fei, boasted an astonishing cultivation base at the Zongshi realm of ‘Qi Circulating Body’, nearly equal to the head of the Zongshi Association!
After failing to secure the leadership position years ago, Pang Fei angrily left with his followers and established the ‘Nihming Society’!
He also held unique insights on breaking through beyond the zongshi level.
“Breaking through by harnessing momentum?” Fang Xi was taken aback.
“Yes…” Linghu Shan affirmed. “Pang Fei follows the path of True Astral Manifestation but believes that human blood qi has inherent limits. Seeking potential within oneself is akin to chasing shadows; instead, he advocates borrowing external ‘momentum’ for breakthrough!”
“Momentum can stem from both heaven and earth, as well as from people themselves! For instance, it could be the collective might of an army or even…the grand momentum of ascending to the supreme throne! To achieve this, he developed a martial art called ‘Dragon Emperor Fist’! Truly remarkable, its power grows exponentially with greater momentum!”
“No wonder he supports the rebel army; he aims to become emperor himself! Is this his version of Dragon Emperor Fist?” Fang Xi couldn’t help but marvel.
If this man truly ascended to the throne with mastery over the Dragon Emperor Fist, what unimaginable power would he wield?
“Sigh… Once capable of matching the Zongshi Association leader, now bolstered by the momentum of the rebellious forces, even the association head might struggle to resist him…” Linghu Shan sighed deeply. “I fear Three Origins City will not withstand this assault…”
As they conversed, the piercing sound of military horns suddenly echoed from afar, growing louder and closer.
Clop-clop!
The thunderous galloping of thousands of horses approached rapidly.
“The rebels are attacking!”
Harsh cries spread like a relay, quickly echoing throughout the entire city.
“Let’s go take a look!”
Fang Xi placed his hands behind his back, gently pushed off with his feet, and leaped onto a rooftop. With each step, harnessing momentum, his figure soared as if riding the wind, akin to a large bird effortlessly gliding ninety meters away in an instant.
“Fang Xi, wait for these old bones!” Behind him, Linghu Shan desperately tried to catch up but only fell further behind.
On top of the city wall, Fang Xi stood at the peak of a watchtower, witnessing distant formations resembling black tidal waves surging towards them.
Their momentum was like an unstoppable mountain, their advance as fierce as raging fire - a sight that struck terror into all who beheld it!
Many hastily recruited cultivators on the city wall trembled uncontrollably at this spectacle. Even for zongshi, facing such overwhelming forces meant certain death by encirclement!
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
After three beats of the war drum, the chaotic army gradually halted. A single rider swiftly approached like an arrow, stopping beneath the city wall: “Listen up, people of Three Origins City! You have half an hour to surrender; otherwise, once the city falls, there will be three days of slaughter!”
Intentionally showcasing his martial prowess, his voice carried far and wide, causing every listener among the cultivators to pale with shock: “A zongshi issuing threats?!”
“Damn, I’ve heard rumors about the rebel army’s lack of discipline and penchant for massacring cities, but it seems true.”
“What should we do? What should we do?”
“Fang Xi, be cautious. With so many rebels and their zongshi support, even these old bones of mine might not withstand it…”
With a rustle of wind, Linghu Shan appeared alongside him on the watchtower.
Fang Xi remained silent, casting a quick glance towards Baiyun Dojo and Intervale Dojo before casually discarding his long robe.
Swish!
A set of silvery-white armor instantly materialized around him!
The Spirit Snake Armor!
He donned the helmet, then with a light leap, jumped from the city wall, gliding gracefully towards the rebel forces like a soaring bird!
“Who dares to challenge us?” The heralding zongshi initially thought Fang Xi was courting death by jumping down. However, upon witnessing such extraordinary qinggong mastery, he paled in shock.
“The one who will end you!” Fang Xi summoned the Black Iron Sword, making a swift swing!
In that instant, both the heralding zongshi and his mount were cleaved in two!
With a loud cry, Fang Xi charged into the rebel ranks!
“Fire arrows!”
Countless arrows rained down, covering a vast area, making it nearly impossible for even a zongshi’s agility to evade!
Clink! Clank!
As the barrage struck, every arrow was effortlessly blocked by Fang Xi’s spirit snake armor, leaving not a single mark on its surface.
“Is this…a divine being?”
Linghu Shan watched this spectacle, nearly pulling out his beard in astonishment, utterly speechless.
“Iron Flooatese!” As Fang Xi charged towards them, the heavy-armored cavalry whistled and surged forth like a tidal wave.
However, in the next instant, Fang Xi’s sword emitted a three-inch-long blade aura, slicing through thick iron armor as effortlessly as cutting tofu. With swift precision, he severed chains and dispatched any soldier blocking his path, none standing a chance against a single strike!
“Remarkable courage!”
Witnessing Fang Xi break through their ranks with one sword, several zongshi disguised as ordinary soldiers stealthily approached him from different angles before launching a coordinated attack amidst the chaos.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Fists, palms, and kicks struck simultaneously!
Their combined true astral energies tore through Fang Xi’s outer astral shield, impacting directly on the spirit snake armor.
Yet, within moments, these three zongshi were horrified to find that over seventy percent of their force had been dissipated by the armor, rendering it ineffective against Fang Xi encased inside!
Unfazed, Fang Xi channeled astral energy into the Black Iron Sword and casually swung it in a half-circle motion.
Slash!
All three zongshi were instantly cut in half, their agonized screams echoing around.
The surrounding soldiers, witnessing this gruesome scene, recoiled in terror, retreating despite the executioner’s attempts to enforce discipline.
“That’s not human, it’s a monster!”
“The zongshi are dead, r-run…run for your lives!”
Amidst the chaos, Fang Xi relentlessly cut through enemy ranks and seized flags, charging directly towards the commander’s flag!
The commander represents the courage of the entire army! Regardless of the peril, the commander’s flag must never fall; otherwise, the troops could swiftly crumble into disarray!