Chapter 1263: Yang Corrosion Flame

On the way down the mountain, Xu Gaohu intentionally tried to get closer to Fang Chen. Knowing that the Cangyun Sect had only just established itself on Cang Mountain and was unfamiliar with Qingyuan Market, he enthusiastically began sharing some interesting stories he knew.

For example, over the years, Cang Mountain had produced several Dao Union Realm cultivators. Some of them, due to their notable potential, were recruited by more powerful regions. However, they still maintained contact with certain Cang Mountain cultivators. Those very cultivators had previously clashed with the Cangyun Sect, so Xu Gaohu was subtly warning Fang Chen to be cautious.

After all, Qingyuan Market boasted thousands of spiritual mountains of varying sizes, with Cang Mountain being among the weakest. Some powerful mountains were even home to Loose Immortals. If those who once had conflicts with the Cangyun Sect had ties to such figures, they might get their friends to retaliate.

Fang Chen simply smiled and nodded, indicating he had taken note.

The reason he had chosen Qingyuan Market as a foothold was that he had already investigated the local power structure. There were Loose Immortals here, but they were merely first-transformation Loose Immortals. There weren't that many of them either, barely over thirty.

With the old flood dragon overseeing matters, even if these Loose Immortals came bearing their teeth, they would sooner turn tail when they realized who they were up against. As for the Cang Mountain cultivators, there was no way they could invite a Loose Immortal. Finding a Tribulation Realm expert to fight for them would be their limit.

At the foot of Cang Mountain stood the ruins of a building. A faint trace of immortal essence lingered upon the battered stone of the building, a clear mark that a Loose Immortal had been the one to strike it.

Xu Gaohu's eyes lit up, and he smiled as he introduced it to Fang Chen. "Fellow Daoist Fang, that ruined building is called 'Tiansheng'."

"What's the story behind it?" Fang Chen asked casually.

"If you want to talk about history, it's pretty impressive. The most famous place on Cang Mountain is precisely 'Tiansheng'," said Xu Gaohu.

He narrated, "It's said that six thousand years ago, a cultivator in the Ascension Realm built a hut here for secluded cultivation. He attained enlightenment and became a Loose Immortal. On the very day of his advancement, an enemy arrived, having brought a Loose Immortal to help. But that newly advanced Loose Immortal killed the foe with a single palm strike."

Xu Gaohu chuckled. "Later, that Loose Immortal left to wander the world and never returned. Since then, this place has become a site for many Fusion Realm seniors to seek enlightenment to enter the Dao Union Realm, and quite a few have succeeded."

Fang Chen's expression turned a little complicated. Glancing that way, he indeed saw several Fusion Realm cultivators within the ruins, apparently preparing to advance to the Union Realm within.

𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

He shook his head with slight disapproval. "This place may have once produced a Loose Immortal, but using it to find their Dao... wouldn't that sever their own future prospects?"

Xu Gaohu looked puzzled. "Fellow Daoist Fang, what do you mean by that? Once you reach the Dao Union Realm, you have the chance to face the tribulation. Even without that chance, a Dao Union Realm cultivator is still in the Upper Three Realms—the prospects are limitless."

"You are right...."

Fang Chen realized his remark had gone over the man's head. Xu Gaohu was a self-taught rogue cultivator. In the Nanqing Constellation, such cultivators were already scraping the bottom tier. They had neither the resources nor the time to think far ahead; they could only focus on the immediate step before them.

For them, reaching the Fusion Realm cultivator meant higher strength and a longer lifespan. The specific Dao chosen was far less important to them.

The harder the Dao, the lower the chance of success in the Dao Union Realm. A place like Tiansheng was indeed suitable for many Fusion Realm cultivators, or rather, they simply had no other choice.

"Fellow Daoist Xu, are there many places in Qingyuan Market where it is easier to find your Dao?" Fang Chen asked.

"Plenty," said Xu Gaohu. "Even Cang Mountain has one, let alone the other spiritual mountains. And outside Qingyuan Market, there are also many suitable places. But I won't have an opportunity to find them. In this lifetime, breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm and reaching the Middle Three Realms is already my limit."

His voice carried a trace of melancholy, but then he brightened and said with a laugh, "Fellow Daoist Fang, you're from a good background, with both influence and resources. Naturally, you'll have the hope of reaching the Dao Union Realm in the future."

Fang Chen could sense that he was mostly flattering him—clearly, Xu Gaohu didn't actually believe he could reach the Dao Union Realm.

If I choose the Forgotten River Dao for my breakthrough, I might fail. But no matter, it's one step at a time, and the initiative is mine,

Fang Chen thought to himself.

Before long, they arrived at the market at the mountain's foot.

The market was immense, so large that it was over ten times the size of Yongan City in the Central Continent Empire.

It happened to be the time of Qingyuan Market's grand gathering. Cultivators from over a thousand spiritual mountains had descended for the gathering, making the streets livelier than ever.

Every street was lined with stalls and shops selling pills, spiritual materials, and all sorts of items that cultivators could use, an endless variety.

Unlike the Central Continent Empire, this place seemed particularly strict in separating immortals from mortals. In Qingyuan Market, hardly a mortal could be seen.

Fang Zhixue and the others had already entered a pill shop, which sold everything from pills for Qi Refining Realm disciples to those for the Golden Core Realm. Seeing them spending low-grade spirit stones freely, Xu Gaohu and his disciples couldn't help but feel envious.

Pills costing several hundred low-grade spirit stones were bought without hesitation.

Only Fang Chen knew that Fang Zhixue and the others felt they were getting a bargain. Pills of the same grade were much cheaper than in the Central Continent Empire.

The reason was simple—the Nanqing Constellation had a deep foundation, with many spiritual mountains and fertile fields. Producing ordinary spiritual materials was effortless, which caused pill prices to be cheaper than in the Central Continent Empire.

But the higher the grade, the closer the prices became, showing that the very top-tier resources were still extremely scarce.

"Master, we'd like to look around a bit," said one of Xu Gaohu's four disciples.

After getting Xu Gaohu's permission, they headed toward a familiar shop.

"Fellow Daoist Fang, shall we take a stroll too?" Xu Gaohu suggested.

Fang Chen nodded, instructing Fang Zhixue and the others to return up the mountain once they had finished shopping.

The materials Xu Gaohu wanted to look at no longer interested Fang Chen. He was mainly gathering information, hoping to find either spiritual materials for Fang Xuanyang's Four Stage Profound Yang Body cultivation or top-grade spirit stones.

Although he couldn't go to the Underworld for his breakthrough, Fang Tianzun and Fang Xuanyang could still cultivate. If he could acquire what they needed, the value of opening the Realm of Three Thousand Dao would remain.

"Huh, they play with Immortal Origin Stones here too?"

Passing a shop, Fang Chen was surprised to see it selling Immortal Origin Stones, something he had once dabbled in during his time in the Grand Qian Empire.

"Fellow Daoist Fang, you've played with Immortal Origin Stones before?" Xu Gaohu frowned. "That's a dangerous game. You could easily lose everything playing."

Xu Gaohu shook his head gravely, fear in his eyes. Clearly, he had his own unpleasant experiences.

After giving the warning, Xu Gaohu stepped next door to browse artifacts, ranging from low-grade yellow rank to high-grade yellow rank.

Since he had come across it, Fang Chen decided to take a look. The next moment, his divine soul left his body and swept over the Immortal Origin Stones.

As expected, none of these are worth a single spirit stone,

thought Fang Chen.

He was just about to withdraw his soul when he noticed new goods being wheeled into the shop, cart after cart of fresh stones. Among them was an Immortal Origin Stone whose interior roiled like molten lava, yet whose exterior appeared utterly ordinary.

"This aura and appearance... it's somewhat like the Yang Corrosion Flame described in the Great Heavenly Sovereign Chapter..."