Cultivation: I Have a Golden Talisman
Chapter 312 - 74: One Win, One Draw, One Loss
Fang Cheng laughed unrestrainedly. "Meeting like this is fate. Since you appreciate good wine, Fellow Daoist, why don’t you join me for a drink?"
The Female Cultivator, who he suspected was the Nine Nether Saintess, Bing Wuyi, gave a gentle smile. She elegantly lifted her snow-white feet from the water and glided across the waves, stepping onto Fang Cheng’s raft.
’She must be using a sophisticated disguise Divine Technique.’ Fang Cheng studied her for a moment but couldn’t find a single flaw.
An intoxicating fragrance, like that of winter plums, wafted over, stirring something within him.
"I am You He, of the Guan Yue Cao Family. May I ask your name, Fellow Daoist?" the Female Cultivator said, introducing herself with a slight curtsy toward Fang Cheng.
Fang Cheng once again picked a name from a novel from his past life. "I am Li Feiyu," he said impassively. "People call me the Fierce Tiger Taoist. I’m just a simple Loose Cultivator."
A strange light flickered in You He’s beautiful eyes. She pursed her lips into a smile. "I feel as if I’ve met you before, Fellow Daoist, but I simply can’t place it."
As she spoke, she took a jade mat from her storage bag, placed it on the raft, and gracefully sat down cross-legged.
Her legs were long and perfectly proportioned, her skin fair and smooth, with a radiance that was almost blinding.
Fang Cheng took out the Spirit Wine and offered her the roasted Spirit Fish. Then, he produced his Ancient Bronze Smoke Pipe and some Cloud Fragrance Grass. With a flick of his finger, he lit the pipe and began leisurely puffing out clouds of smoke.
With a curious look, You He took a sip of the Spirit Wine. A faint blush rose on her fair cheeks as she asked softly, "Fellow Daoist Li, are you also here for the Bodhi Enlightenment Tree?"
Fang Cheng exhaled a thick cloud of smoke and grinned. "That’s right. Don’t tell me you came all this way just to admire the scenery, Fellow Daoist?"
As far as the eye could see, at least a hundred vessels of all sizes had already gathered on the massive lake at the foot of Sanzong Mountain. The auras of countless Cultivators ebbed and flowed, saturating the air between the water and the sky.
You He giggled at his words, her body swaying delicately, causing the ample curves of her chest to ripple. She gave Fang Cheng a flirtatious glance and said in a sweet voice, "There’s something you may not know, Fellow Daoist. Of all the Cultivators here, the vast majority really did come just to watch. After all, there are only eighteen Talisman Decrees for entering the Secret Realm."
Fang Cheng said with a swagger, "Of course I’ll be one of those eighteen."
His words were filled with a kind of blind, swaggering confidence, perfectly mimicking the many Loose Cultivators who believed themselves to be a cut above the rest.
You He covered her mouth with her hand as she smiled. "And I’m confident I can secure a Talisman Decree for myself as well."
A glint in his eye, Fang Cheng stared at her exquisite face. "After coming down from my mountain seclusion, I heard that among the Eastern Desolate Life Talisman Cultivators, the strongest are the Sect Leader of the Nine Truths Sect and the Saintess of the Nine Nether Demon Sect. I wonder, Fellow Daoist, how do you measure up to them?"
You He set down her wine pot and picked up a piece of Spirit Fish, taking a slow, deliberate bite. Her red lips were lush and captivating. "I spend most of my time in secluded cultivation with my clan, so I have never fought either of them," she finally said. "But from what my kinsfolk tell me, I should be roughly their equal."
With that, she turned to Fang Cheng. "You give off quite a remarkable air yourself, Fellow Daoist. What do you say we team up for this?"
Fang Cheng took a deep drag from his pipe, blowing out a plume of smoke. "Sounds good. With a beauty such as yourself for company, Fellow Daoist, the trip into the Secret Realm certainly won’t be boring."
As they were speaking, a colossal golden ship suddenly appeared in the sky, cleaving through the air and arriving with the roar of thunder and wind.
The entire vessel shimmered with a domineering golden light. It dove straight down, slamming onto the lake’s surface and sending a massive wave crashing outward.
Many of the vessels closest to the impact immediately flared with spiritual light, struggling to remain stable.
Furious shouts rang out, and streaks of spiritual light shot forth, bombarding the golden ship.
An infinite, brilliant light suddenly erupted from the massive vessel. The void trembled, and with a low rumble of thunder, all the incoming attacks were instantly neutralized.
"The Shenxiao Thunder Ship! A Fourth-rank Magical Artifact!"
someone on the lake cried out in alarm.
Fang Cheng’s raft was far enough away to be unaffected. He watched the scene unfold with a leisurely air before asking, "Fellow Daoist You He, what’s the story behind that ship?"
You He glanced at the massive ship. "Fellow Daoist Li, surely you’ve heard of the number one sect in the Western Wilderness, the Qiankun Saint Sect? Legend has it that over a decade ago, one of their Cultivators stumbled upon a great immortal opportunity and acquired numerous treasures. This Shenxiao Thunder Ship was one of them. That man is now the foremost of the Qiankun Saint Sect’s five Saint Heirs."
"What incredible luck," Fang Cheng couldn’t help but remark.
You He added, "He, along with the Female Sword Immortal from the West Desolate Spirit Moon Sect, King Chujiang from the Ghost King Sect, and Monk Yunxin from the Great Brightness Temple, are collectively known as the Four Great Prodigies of the Western Wilderness. Their power is not to be underestimated."
Fang Cheng asked curiously, "Is there anyone in our Eastern Wilderness who can stand up to them?"
You He seemed to be exceptionally well-informed. "Sect Leader Luo of the Nine Truths Sect has fought against three of the Four Great Prodigies: King Chujiang, Monk Yunxin, and the Female Sword Immortal. His record is one win, one draw, and one loss."
Fang Cheng had heard Cyan Bird Cang Wuya mention this Sect Leader of the Nine Truths Sect before.
Rumor had it that the man possessed the Wood Dao Body. Not only was his Magical Power vastly superior to that of other Life Talisman Cultivators, but he had also mastered the Nine Truths Sect’s ultimate Divine Technique, the Void Divine Light. He was said to have single-handedly slain a Life Soul Realm cultivator.
He was hailed as an invincible existence in the Life Talisman Realm.
’For someone like that to have actually lost a fight...’
He asked in surprise, "Who did Sect Leader Luo lose to?"
You He gave a slight smile. "Sect Leader Luo defeated King Chujiang of the Ghost King Sect and fought Monk Yunxin of the Great Brightness Temple to a draw. In the end, he was defeated by the sword of the Female Sword Immortal from the Spirit Moon Sect. But this is all just hearsay; I have no way of knowing the actual truth."
Pointing to the golden ship in the distance, she continued, "And it’s rumored that this Saint Heir of the Qiankun Saint Sect is even stronger than King Chujiang, Yunxin, and the Female Sword Immortal. I doubt even Sect Leader Luo would be his match."
’Good thing the Bodhi Enlightenment Tree is useless to me. Otherwise, I’d have to reveal my true strength and fight these people to the death for a chance at it.’