Chapter 195: Chapter 15: Land of Tenderness, Geng Metal Profound Silkworm

When the Array Spirit Maiden saw Fang Cheng approaching, she quickly hid, unwilling to meet with him.

Wen Qianqian had changed a lot during this time. The most obvious difference was in her eyes. Once as clear as spring water, they had become profound, giving her an air of deep wisdom.

She also exuded a scholarly aura. Beneath her quiet elegance lay a deep and vast power.

Her Cultivation had already reached Ninth Layer of Sensing Perfection. It seemed it wouldn’t be long before she, too, would have to enter seclusion to condense her Life Talisman.

After all, with the size-changing Ruyi Divine Hall, she lacked neither Spiritual Qi for her practice nor guidance from experts.

Fang Cheng had come this time primarily to ask about the Dragon Elephant Wanderer.

Wen Qianqian retrieved the ancient tome her father had left behind, and the two of them began to look through it together.

This ancient tome was written by a great Loose Cultivator from the Abyssal Marsh, recording the sights and experiences from a lifetime of traveling the world.

One of the entries was about the Dragon Elephant Wanderer.

According to the tome, the Loose Cultivator had once chanced upon the Dragon Elephant Wanderer, and their paths had crossed for a short time.

At that time, the Dragon Elephant Wanderer possessed numerous wondrous treasures. His Cultivation was sublime, having already reached the Life Soul Realm, and he was without rival in the Yun Country.

The Loose Cultivator wrote that the strongest impression the Dragon Elephant Wanderer left was that he had an unbelievable number of fortuitous encounters. His karmic opportunities were simply astonishing.

Despite being a Loose Cultivator who was never seen adventuring, fighting, or plundering, he possessed astonishing wealth. His Cultivation Resources were even more abundant than those of the direct heirs of major families.

Seeing this, Fang Cheng knew the Dragon Elephant Wanderer must have risen to power by relying on the Void Ghost Marketplace.

His ability to safely escape from the Demon Buddha’s clutches must also have been thanks to the Void Ghost Marketplace.

If the Demon Buddha’s Golden Finger was the Heavenly Demon Transformation Technique derived from a Spiritual Object related to Buddhist Techniques, then the Dragon Elephant Wanderer’s Golden Finger had to be the Void Ghost Marketplace.

By using that Ghost Market, which connected countless realms, to trade for whatever he needed, the wealth he could accumulate over time would be truly terrifying!

The ancient tome also described the Dragon Elephant Wanderer’s unique Ancient Dragon Elephant Totem, which was identical to the one Fang Cheng had seen in the Heritage Mansion at the bottom of Daze Lake.

Unfortunately, the ancient tome made no mention of the Demon Buddha.

After finishing the tome, Fang Cheng said to Wen Qianqian, "The Dragon Elephant Wanderer has mysterious origins. His cultivation legacy shares many similarities with a certain lineage of Demon Cultivators. In the future, when you are out in the world, you must not carelessly reveal any connection to his legacy."

Wen Qianqian naturally hung on his every word. "I already have the legacy of the Myriad Phenomena Immortal Sect," she said softly. "Where would I find the time to practice the Dragon Elephant Wanderer’s Cultivation Technique? This is something we should be reminding little sister Yu Yan and our friend Wang Xingzhi about."

Fang Cheng nodded. "You’re right. Later, write a letter on my behalf and send it to them. Tell them they must be careful from now on."

"Alright, I’ll take care of it in a bit." Wen Qianqian set the ancient tome aside and wrapped her arms around Fang Cheng’s. She leaned her soft, warm body gently against him and murmured, "Since you’re here, can you stay for a few more days?"

Fang Cheng stroked Wen Qianqian’s silky hair and smiled. "This time, I’m all yours."

A radiant smile blossomed on Wen Qianqian’s face. Overjoyed, she asked, "Really?"

Fang Cheng nodded. "When have I ever lied to you?"

Wen Qianqian immediately planted a sweet kiss on him, overjoyed.

A moment later, Fang Cheng whispered in her ear, "I recently acquired a new Dual Cultivation Secret Method. It’s quite different from the Joyful Zen Skill. Want to give it a try?"

Wen Qianqian’s gaze was as soft as water. She gave him an alluring look and said, "Of course we’ll try. In fact, it would be best if we could try it many times."

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A beautiful woman is like fine wine.

Fang Cheng ended up staying at Xuanzhen Studio for half a month.

The tender moments they shared—enchanting, lingering, and utterly soul-stirring—were truly unforgettable.

During this time, Wen Qianqian arranged to have letters sent to Chen Yu Yan and Wang Xingzhi. The letters mainly warned them to be wary of Ren Yan’s sect and to be careful about hiding their own legacies.

After that, another letter was sent to Outer Disciple Liu Shiyan and his wife, asking for his help in finding Dongfang Xiong and Murong Yan in the Southern Mang Mountains.

Liu Shiyan had been cultivating in the Outer Sect for a long time, accumulating a considerable network of contacts and resources. He was quite familiar with the goings-on in the lower echelons of the Abyssal Marsh.

Furthermore, he was indebted to Fang Cheng. Now that Fang Cheng had become a True Disciple, his status had risen even higher, making Liu Shiyan all the more eager to curry favor with him.

Upon receiving Fang Cheng’s letter, Liu Shiyan naturally did everything in his power, using all of his connections to quickly find Dongfang Xiong and his senior sister.

A few days later, Liu Shiyan accompanied Dongfang Xiong and Murong Yan to the Yinluo Sect Marketplace.

Fang Cheng met the three of them at the Ye Family’s Cangshan Pavilion.

At that moment, Fang Cheng was chatting with Shopkeeper Li of Cangshan Pavilion in a private room. After a Maid knocked and entered, a slender figure strode in first.

The newcomer wore a wide-sleeved, straight-hemmed robe and a cap of fine golden gauze. Her figure, however, was both powerful and graceful, with exquisite curves. A brocade sash was wrapped tightly around her slender waist. Her ample bust seemed to be bound by cloth strips, concealing its shape, but it still formed a noticeable, full curve against her chest.

She had fair skin, a delicate chin, and a beautiful face. Her eyes held a heroic spirit that, when paired with the magnificent men’s attire, gave her an air that was both dashing and beautiful. It was hard to look away.

It was Murong Yan!

She had also broken through to the Life Talisman Realm. It seemed her gains from the ruined tower back then had been considerable.

Dongfang Xiong and Liu Shiyan followed her in. Dongfang Xiong, in particular, looked much more mature and composed.

After they exchanged some pleasantries, Liu Shiyan and Shopkeeper Li took their leave, leaving Fang Cheng, Murong Yan, and Dongfang Xiong to discuss business.

Seeing this beauty in men’s clothing, Fang Cheng couldn’t help but think of Cen San Niang from Divine Pillar Immortal City, with whom he’d had a fleeting affair.

Both were beauties with a fondness for men’s attire, but Cen San Niang had long held a high position and carried herself with an air of cold, majestic pride.

Murong Yan, on the other hand, embodied the carefree spirit of a Loose Cultivator. Her every laugh and curse was a genuine expression of her true, uninhibited nature.

As they talked, he learned that Murong Yan and Dongfang Xiong had been cultivating in the Southern Mang Mountains ever since they returned from exploring the ruined tower. If Liu Shiyan hadn’t found them and told them Fang Cheng wished to see them on an important matter, they likely would have remained in seclusion for several more years.

Fang Cheng didn’t hide his intentions and got straight to the point. "Fellow Daoists, it seems my Immortal Binding Rope can be further refined and upgraded. I was wondering if your sect has the method to do so?"

Murong Yan replied, "We do, but this artifact is extremely difficult to refine. Daoist Brother, you should consider this carefully before proceeding."

Fang Cheng said seriously, "Please, enlighten me, Fellow Daoist."

Murong Yan said, "As you may know, Daoist Brother, the origins of our lineage can be traced back to an ancient Artifact Refining Sect. This very Immortal Binding Rope was that sect’s most famous and exclusive Magical Artifact!"

"Unfortunately, the path of Artifact Refining is incredibly resource-intensive and hinders one’s Cultivation progress. Thus, once a sect on this path declines, it’s very difficult to make a comeback. Our lineage has survived to this day only because we switched our focus to the path of Ancient Runes. Although our Divine Techniques aren’t as powerful as a Lifebound Magical Artifact, at least the legacy itself survived."

She paused, then returned to the topic of the Immortal Binding Rope. "To refine it, you not only need to master its runic seals, but you also have to gather a massive amount of Geng Metal Profound Silkworm Threads. It’s a process that consumes immense time, effort, and materials before you can succeed!"

Fang Cheng’s heart skipped a beat. He had, of course, heard of Geng Metal Profound Silkworm Threads. The material was incredibly expensive, produced only by a certain aristocratic family in the Jin Country, and very little of it ever reached the markets of the Yun Country.

’Looks like I’ll have to go back and find Fourth Senior Sister. With her connections, I might be able to buy some.’

As his thoughts raced, Fang Cheng said, "I have my own plans for this. I wonder if Fellow Daoist Murong would be willing to share the runic seals and refining method for the Immortal Binding Rope?"

Murong Yan chuckled softly and glanced at her junior brother, Dongfang Xiong. "Of course," she said. "However, Daoist Brother, you’ll have to trade a portion of the legacy from the Myriad Phenomena Immortal Sect’s ruined tower for it. These are our sect’s rules. I hope you’ll understand."

Fang Cheng nodded. "That’s fine." 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

For Loose Cultivators, the four pillars of cultivation—Wealth, Companions, Techniques, and Land—were all vital. There was no such thing as casually giving any of them away.

Fang Cheng selected the refining methods for three types of Tier Two Talismans and the legacies for two high-grade Tier Two Grand Arrays. He handed them to Murong Yan and asked, "Fellow Daoist, will this be enough for the trade?"

Murong Yan was a straightforward person. After examining the jade slip, she agreed on the spot.

The two then exchanged jade slips, and a weight was lifted from Fang Cheng’s mind.

The true grade of the Immortal Binding Rope was Tier Four. If he could put in some effort to refine and restore it, it would surely become tremendously effective!

’The next time I run into Ren Yan,’ he thought, ’I’ll be sure to give him a nasty surprise...’

After the trade, Shopkeeper Li from Cangshan Pavilion arranged a banquet of Spiritual Cuisine at the restaurant next door. Fang Cheng was a gracious host, and a good time was had by all.

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