Chapter 532 - 46: Four Pillar Divine Fiends

After Fang Cheng agreed, Qiu Wen Si took a small silver knife from her storage bag. The blade was exceptionally sharp, and with a light slice, it soundlessly cut a piece from the Taichu Divine Stone.

A seven-colored glow flew out from the Divine Stone, turning the large stone crystal clear. The treasure hidden within was revealed before them.

Inside was a mass of purple mist, within which starlight twinkled and swirled.

Before Fang Cheng could recognize it, Qiu Wen Si’s eyes lit up, and she said with a smile, "Congratulations, Benefactor. This is the auspicious fate of a Moon Virtue, one of the Four Pillar Divine Fiends. At a marketplace auction, it would be worth as much as two or three Fourth-rank Magical Artifacts."

"Four Pillar Divine Fiends?"

Fang Cheng raised an eyebrow. It was the first time he had heard of such a thing, and he couldn’t help but ask curiously, "What use does this have?"

Qiu Wen Si explained patiently, "This is a rare treasure of heaven and earth that can alter a Cultivator’s fortune. Take this auspicious Moon Virtue, for example. For a period of time, whoever uses it will see peril turn to safety and disaster turn to fortune. If it were a malevolent fiend, it could be used on an opponent to diminish their luck and blessings."

Fang Cheng was intrigued.

He never imagined this realm would possess such a wondrous item, one that could influence a person’s destiny to a certain extent. It was truly astounding.

Qiu Wen Si cut open the Divine Stone with the small knife, collected the mass of starlit purple mist in a Jade Bottle, and handed it to Fang Cheng. "Benefactor," she said, "using this at a critical moment will yield miraculous results."

Fang Cheng accepted the Jade Bottle with a satisfied smile. "I’ll have to give this a try another day."

Seeing his apparent skepticism, she said, "To be honest, Benefactor, I also used one of the Four Pillar Divine Fiends before entering the Black Sun Wind Disaster. Looking back now, if it weren’t for that Divine Fiend, I fear I would have long since perished in the belly of that Ghost Buddha."

Fang Cheng was slightly taken aback.

’Turn peril into safety, and meet a benefactor!’

He had accidentally entered the Black Sun Wind Disaster and, by what seemed like a chance encounter, met the couple, Qiu Wen Si and Gongsun Zhan. He never expected there to be another Profound Mechanism at play.

’This Taichu Divine Stone truly is mysterious and unpredictable... No wonder even Elder Dragon Elephant values it so highly.’

He mused inwardly.

Over the next few days, Fang Cheng made a few more finds, but they were all unremarkable. He did obtain another Taichu Divine Stone, but it only contained a thousand-year-old Spiritual Medicine. It was of no use to him, so he simply gave it to Qiu Wen Si.

On the tenth day, the waterspouts and hurricanes over the sea slowly dissipated. The seawater suspended in the sky turned into a torrential downpour.

The wind and waves on the sea gradually subsided, and the shadow obscuring the sun vanished without a trace.

The sun shone brightly between the sea and sky, casting its light upon the vast, turquoise waves. Occasionally, snow-white birds would circle and cry out.

The bizarre spectacle from before seemed like a dreamlike illusion.

The great golden tower ship hung silently in the sky. Within one of its pavilions, Qiu Wen Si sat before a low table, her simple, loose-fitting long dress unable to conceal the graceful curves of her figure.

A Kunyu Diagram was spread out on the jade table. She pointed to a coastline and said, "Benefactor, this is the Cangwu Continent. We are currently about thirty thousand li away from it."

Fang Cheng followed her slender, snow-white finger. He saw that the Kunyu Diagram not only detailed the geography of mountains and rivers, along with the locations of sects and marketplaces, but even clearly showed the distribution of Heaven and Earth Spirit Acupoints and Spirit Veins.

The western coastline of the Cangwu Continent was jagged, but several Tier Five Spiritual Veins converged there. Without exception, each of these veins bore the name of a sect, indicating they had long been claimed.

He asked, "Wen Si, are there any large marketplaces nearby?"

Qiu Wen Si blinked, understanding his intention. "Benefactor, you could stay at the Yu Yang Sect for a while first. There’s a marketplace near our sect called the Spirit Immortal Pavilion. It’s one of the ten largest marketplaces on the Cangwu Continent, so you should be able to find clues about the Demon-Suppressing Immortal Cicada there."

Fang Cheng met her gaze and smiled faintly. "Alright, I’ll leave the arrangements to you."

...

A few hours later, the great golden tower ship had arrived at the edge of the Cangwu Continent.

The coastline was lined with sheer cliffs and precipices. Seawater crashed against the massive rocks at their base, throwing up white spray.

In the distance, a waterfall cascaded from a cliff, its roar echoing.

As far as the eye could see, the long coastline was a tapestry of cliffs, fjords, gloomy valleys, and gently rolling ridges.

Onshore, alpine meadows and an endless expanse of dark-green tundra stretched out. The climate was cold and damp, and the sky was a dazzling blue.

Following Qiu Wen Si’s guidance, the tower ship entered a deep fjord. Towering mountains rose on both sides, and the water within the bay was calm and seemingly bottomless.

A short while later, the tower ship came to a halt.

Ahead, beneath a cliff face, the mountain jutted into the bay. A massive rock formed a platform upon which numerous pavilions had been built. Backed by the mountain and facing the water, the setting was elegant and serene.

Qiu Wen Si explained, "Benefactor, this is the current base of the Yu Yang Sect. We’ve been in hiding for years, and now the entire sect consists of little more than a dozen people, cultivating here in seclusion."

After spending the last several days together, Fang Cheng had learned the gist of Qiu Wen Si’s circumstances.

Her ancestor was the very Dharma Cultivator who had led the Yu Yang Sect to its resurgence. Unfortunately, the good times did not last. The bloodline ability to identify Taichu Divine Stones attracted the covetous attention of many powerful factions, ultimately causing the sect to decline from its peak and scatter to the winds.

Qiu Wen Si’s parents had also perished one after another during their life on the run. Now, the survivors lived under assumed names, hiding in this Gloomy Valley fjord. If they encountered danger, they could directly flee into the vast sea, increasing their chances of escape.

On a typical day, to cover the cultivation expenses for the sect, Qiu Wen Si and Gongsun Zhan had no choice but to venture out in secret. They would either mine Taichu Divine Stones or purchase Divine Stones from marketplaces to trade for Spirit Stones.

Despite their extreme secrecy, they were still targeted and fell victim to a treacherous plot.

However, the assailant believed that Gongsun Zhan was the true heir of the Yu Yang Sect and attempted to control the sect using a Suppression Technique... which allowed Qiu Wen Si to escape the worst of it.

Fang Cheng put away the tower ship and descended in his Escape Light alongside Qiu Wen Si. From the pavilions emerged seven beautiful women. Their Cultivation levels varied—some were in the Sensing realm, others at the Life Talisman and Life Soul stages—and they all stepped forward to greet Qiu Wen Si.

Among these lovely women, one stood out in particular. Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she glanced around, as clear and bright as autumn pools.

She stepped forward joyfully. "Sister, you’re back! Where are brother-in-law and Qing’Er?"

Then, she glanced curiously at Fang Cheng, a puzzled look on her face.

Qiu Wen Si took out the Sea Shell Magical Artifact and handed it to the young woman. "Qing’Er and your brother-in-law are inside. Their Curse Seals have been removed. Go and get them settled."

Then she turned to introduce them. "Benefactor, this is my younger sister, Qiuyu Tan. Yu Tan, this is our benefactor, Elder Fang. If he hadn’t intervened, Qing’Er and I would have already perished in the deep sea."

Upon hearing this, Qiuyu Tan’s face filled with gratitude. She gave Fang Cheng a graceful bow. "Yu Tan pays her respects to Elder."

Compared to her sister Qiu Wen Si’s voluptuous and enchanting figure, this young woman was taller and more slender, her features exquisitely beautiful. Each sister possessed a unique charm.

Fang Cheng smiled amiably. "You’ve reached such a high level of Cultivation at such a young age. Your talent is clearly extraordinary. Your future on the path of cultivation is boundless."

The young woman was only in her early twenties, yet she had already reached the Peak of Life Talisman Cultivation. Her cultivation speed was in no way inferior to that of Fang Cheng’s own children.

Although the Yu Yang Sect had fallen, it must still have some foundation left. Otherwise, it would be impossible to cultivate such a talent.

Qiuyu Tan thanked Fang Cheng and departed with the Sea Shell Magical Artifact.

Qiu Wen Si personally led Fang Cheng to a magnificent and exquisite pavilion. "Benefactor, please rest here for now," she said respectfully. "Once I have settled my daughter and husband, I will accompany you to the Spirit Immortal Pavilion."

Fang Cheng waved his hand. "Go on, tend to your family."

Qiu Wen Si thanked him again and quietly departed.

Fang Cheng couldn’t help but muse to himself, ’That woman’s unique fragrance truly is one of a kind. Qiuyu Tan is also exceptionally beautiful, but without the addition of that mysterious scent, she pales in comparison to her sister.’

’Could there really be a fragrance in this world that could captivate even a Dharma Cultivator?’

’Or was it the effect of the Four Pillar Divine Fiends?’

Fang Cheng pondered for a moment before putting the thought aside, turning to leisurely admire the scenery outside his window.

...

「Inside an elegant and secluded Cave Mansion.」

Gongsun Zhan lay on a bed, his breathing slowly steadying, but he remained unconscious.

While looking after her daughter, Qiu Wen Si recounted her experiences in the Black Sun Wind Disaster to Qiuyu Tan.

"So, the auspicious fate of the Tianyi Noble really did work." Qiuyu Tan’s eyes shimmered with a peculiar light, her face a mixture of relief and awe.

She had been the one to mine that Taichu Divine Stone from an underground vein; she never expected it would truly be of such great help to her sister.

Qiu Wen Si said softly, "Elder Fang’s origins are mysterious and his Divine Techniques are astonishing. By taking this opportunity to help him find the Demon-Suppressing Immortal Cicada, we can, in a way, receive his ’protection.’ It’s a blessing in disguise."

She mulled it over for a moment, then looked at her sister. "Yu Tan, over the next few days, I want you to go check on Elder Fang often. Be sure to take good care of him. I need to tend to your brother-in-law and regulate his life force first. Once his condition stabilizes, I’ll go with Elder Fang to the Spirit Immortal Pavilion."

Qiuyu Tan agreed immediately.

Afterward, the two sisters wordlessly performed their Divine Techniques, activating an Array arranged beneath the bed. Countless specks of emerald-green light materialized in the air and drifted down into Gongsun Zhan’s body.

A short while later, the Array stabilized, and Qiuyu Tan rose to take her leave.

...

The view of the bay and mountains outside the window was both magnificent and tranquil.

The breeze was cool, fresh, and humid, a refreshing and relaxing sensation.

Fang Cheng set up a restrictive barrier within the pavilion and summoned the "Celestial Venerable of Universal Transformation." He then took out the carcasses of the Tier Five Beasts he had hunted during the Black Sun Wind Disaster, assimilating and devouring them one by one.

Demonic intent surged within the pavilion. Dark red Demonic Qi roiled as if boiling, emitting a horrifyingly chilling fluctuation of energy.

Fortunately, it was all contained by Fang Cheng’s barrier; otherwise, the entire Yu Yang Sect would have known no peace.

Having just arrived in Extreme Jade Heaven, he already had a few leads on the Demon-Suppressing Immortal Cicada. Things were progressing more smoothly than he had anticipated.

He was therefore quite relaxed and began to plan. In addition to finding the Demon-Suppressing Immortal Cicada, he resolved to explore this new realm thoroughly to make the trip worthwhile.

Just then, a pleasant voice sounded from outside the pavilion.

"Forgive the intrusion, Elder Fang. I’ve brought some Spiritual Cuisine and Immortal Fruits. I was wondering if you might have a moment to try some?"

...