The End of the Immortal Path

The others found this a little strange.

But they weren’t entirely sure.

Chang Qiweng said, "Young Master Fang is different from us. If he wants to borrow, he must have his reasons."

Xiaopang nodded. "I’ll go raise the money."

The others did the same.

By evening.

Xiaopang returned with 70,000 Spiritual Source. "My second brother successfully formed his Core and received a large sum of Spiritual Source. I borrowed fifty thousand from him. The other twenty thousand is what I’ve saved up over the years."

Luo Xuan said softly, "I only have thirty thousand. I borrowed it from my cousin."

Chang Qiweng left behind twenty thousand Spiritual Source. "I’m off to work."

Song Qing was short on funds and only had eight thousand.

Cheng Yu also took out twenty thousand of her own.

This was the Spiritual Source she had been saving for her own Foundation Establishment, but she couldn’t keep it now.

She didn’t know for sure if this was for Fang Yong’s Core Formation, but if it was, she was willing to give everything she had.

Fang Yong’s Residence.

"One hundred forty-eight thousand in total." Cheng Yu handed the Spiritual Source to Fang Yong.

"Alright. You all can go back. We’ll still be resting for the next few days. No rush to open the shop," Fang Yong said.

Cheng Yu nodded without asking any further questions.

After they left, Fang Yong took out all the Spiritual Source and began to record where each sum had come from.

Suddenly, he whipped his head toward the window.

In an instant, six entirely distinct figures appeared behind him.

The next moment, the figures merged into his body.

Then, he struck out with his palm.

Seven-Star Palm!

In that exact instant, the window was smashed open.

A fist came whistling in.

BOOM!

Fist met palm.

Even though he was prepared, Fang Yong was lifted into the air, chair and all, and sent sliding back a fair distance.

Only then did he land.

But without the slightest hesitation, he took seven steps, each one stronger than the last.

The Spiritual Qi around his body gathered like a hurricane within those seven steps, creating a terrifying aura of power.

He struck again.

His opponent’s attack, however, was unchanging—another punch.

POW!

A loud bang was followed by a sickening CRACK.

Fang Yong felt as if he had punched a massive boulder; cracks spiderwebbed through his bones.

’An expert!’

Before he could move again, his opponent was suddenly right in front of him, and a fist slammed into his stomach.

THUD!

The immense impact made him double over.

A clap of thunder erupted from his body, but another fist was already falling.

With a sharp POW, it shattered the thunderous sound.

Then came the fists, one after another.

Accompanied by furious shouting.

"So I eat cow dung, do I?! I’ll teach you to spread rumors! To slander me!"

Hearing this, Fang Yong froze for a second before switching to pure defense.

After he was done with the beating, Jiang Man glanced at the Spiritual Source on the desk and swept all of it into his Storage Treasure.

Then, he turned to leave.

He had barely taken two steps before Fang Yong, still on the floor, grabbed his leg.

As if trying to say that twenty thousand of it was his own.

Jiang Man paid him no mind.

And walked straight out.

Back at his residence, Jiang Man quickly counted the Spiritual Source.

’Three hundred and twenty-six thousand?’

He was stunned.

"We’re rich, Old Huang! Young Master Fang is really something else, getting his hands on so much Spiritual Source in such a short time." Jiang Man was thoroughly shocked.

One hundred forty-eight thousand of it was borrowed from Xiaopang and the others.

One hundred sixty thousand was the price of his ’sale,’ and another eighteen thousand was Fang Yong’s own.

"Speaking of which, Young Master Fang is at a critical point for his Core Formation. Taking his eighteen thousand... wasn’t that a bit harsh?" Jiang Man asked Old Huang.

"How did it feel when you were fighting him?" the Old Yellow Ox asked.

Jiang Man thought for a moment. "He’s lacking something. I know what he’s missing... Old Huang, help me write out a Cultivation Skill for him."

Soon, with Old Huang dictating, Jiang Man finished writing out the Cultivation Skill.

He also included the Ancient Foundation Establishment Method.

The Ancient Foundation Establishment Method wasn’t a Cultivation Skill, but a way of tempering the body through endurance.

"What do you plan to do with all this Spiritual Source?" the Old Yellow Ox asked, chewing on some grass.

"Buy elixirs, of course," Jiang Man said casually.

"You think anyone will sell to you?" The Old Yellow Ox raised its brow at Jiang Man.

Hearing this, Jiang Man smiled faintly. "They won’t sell to *Jiang Man*. Can’t I just use a different name? Only the official Sect channels require an identity token for purchases. Ordinary shops don’t."

"And after you buy the elixirs?"

"I’m heading to the Law Enforcement Hall to do some jail time. I just beat up Young Master Fang, so he’ll definitely have to report me. Otherwise, his backers won’t be able to withstand the pressure from the Peak Master."

Then, Jiang Man began to take stock of what he needed.

Chao Yuan Shaoyin Pills for the Late Stage of Golden Core, two thousand eight hundred a piece.

Chao Yuan Glaze Pills for the Physical Body, two thousand three hundred a piece.

Chao Yuan Dingshen Pills for the Spirit, two thousand three hundred a piece.

Right now, he had a total of three hundred ninety thousand Spiritual Source and four Mind Stabilizing Pills.

If he wanted to reach Golden Core Perfection, he first needed to enhance his Physical Body and Spirit.

"In five or six months, you have the Immortal Sect’s grand competition. The Ji Family’s trial, the Peak Master’s persecution... I’m afraid it will all be very dangerous," the Old Yellow Ox reminded him.

"Six months, one hundred and eighty days... Time is a bit tight." Jiang Man thought for a moment. "If I can achieve a state of clarity and resonance between my Spirit and my Golden Core, will that shorten the time required?"

"It will. But you need to refine the Golden Stone first." The Old Yellow Ox considered for a moment. "Moreover, you need to guarantee that you’ll have enough peace and quiet for the next few months."

"As things stand, that won’t be easy."

"It will be," Jiang Man said with a smile. "I just need to stay in a jail cell for six months. The only thing I’ll need to be careful about is not to casually practice the Evil God’s Technique."

Hearing this, the Old Yellow Ox swallowed the grass in its mouth. "Then I’ll go with you. I can make sure no one is spying on you."

Jiang Man wanted to refuse, but on second thought, he realized he really did need Old Huang.

Once he starts his Cultivation, he enters a state of deep focus and might not be able to tell if someone is watching.

It was possible the Peak Master’s influence could even reach into the prison.

At that point, he would need to use his Zui Fusheng identity to create a safe space for his Cultivation.

He wasn’t particularly worried about whether the Peak Master’s patience would wear thin.

’Mr. Ji might not be able to influence the people below him, but surely he can influence the Peak Master?’

That was the most Mr. Ji could help him with.

After all, while the Peak Master was shameless enough to suppress anyone who offered aid to Jiang Man, Mr. Ji couldn’t use that as a reason to punish those who simply stood by and watched.

As dawn broke, Jiang Man disguised his appearance.

Then he went to buy elixirs.

Mind Stabilizing Pills were his current priority.

He found a random shop where they quoted him two thousand five hundred.

Jiang Man haggled the price down to two thousand one hundred and bought a hundred of them.

He practically bought out their entire stock.

It cost him two hundred and ten thousand.

"Senior Brother, would you like some Glazed Pills as well?" the Fairy selling the elixirs asked.

Jiang Man considered for a moment, then bought eighty.

They cost him over one hundred and sixty thousand.

With the remaining ten thousand or so, Jiang Man purchased some Array Materials.

Once he had finished his errands, Jiang Man finally headed for the Law Enforcement Hall.

Watching Jiang Man leave, the woman sighed in amazement. She’d landed a huge customer today.

She’d made a fortune.

Then she glanced at a portrait in the shop. They had recently been forbidden from selling elixirs to the man depicted.

"It’s definitely not him."

She didn’t give it another thought, basking in her good fortune.

————

"You’re turning yourself in? Claiming you’re connected to the Evil God?" Ren Qian of the Law Enforcement Hall looked at Jiang Man with a sigh of wonder.

"That’s right." Jiang Man, holding the Old Yellow Ox’s lead, nodded emphatically. "He is, too. He’s been acting up lately and needs to be kept under observation."

Ren Qian sighed. "The Law Enforcement Hall hardly dares to take you in anymore. Luckily, the Zhenyue Bureau isn’t worried about such things."

"Go on, pick out a cell for yourself."

"Also, you’d better be careful during the Immortal Sect’s grand competition."

"You think the Peak Master is your only enemy?"

"Some people have wanted to deal with you for a long time. They just didn’t dare make a move while you were riding so high."

"But now that you’ve fallen on hard times, a lot of people are getting ideas. After all, you can’t even be sure who’s targeting you."

"The only target you’ve managed to lock down is the Peak Master."

"Who wants to come after me?" Jiang Man asked curiously.

Ren Qian shook his head; he didn’t have an answer.

Jiang Man didn’t dwell on it and simply picked out a large cell.

He and the Old Yellow Ox moved in.

As luck would have it, the cell next door was occupied by a familiar face.

Jiang Man exclaimed in shock, "Old Meng? You’re still alive?"

The light gone from his eyes, Old Meng looked at Jiang Man and said, "What are you doing back in here?"

"Old Meng, let me ask you something. What do you think? Will I be able to shine at the Immortal Sect’s grand competition?" Jiang Man asked.

Old Meng looked at Jiang Man in surprise. "My guess? You’re colluding with an Evil God. Sooner or later, some big shot will come after you, and you won’t even be able to save yourself."

Jiang Man: "..."

’He’s gone off topic.’

—

After daybreak, news spread from Cloud Mist Peak.

Rumors began to fly that Fang Yong had indeed been the one to leak that Jiang Man was an idiot and ate cow dung.

And that Jiang Man had beaten Fang Yong up in the middle of the night.

Despite his injuries, Fang Yong vehemently denied it all.

He claimed he’d just had a small problem with his Cultivation the previous night and had taken a bad fall.

Nothing of the sort had happened.