Seeing the state of Zhou Wenxin, Fang Yuan frowned, turned around, returned to the valley and continued to drink his tea.
With an unreasonable attitude like hers, she deserved to be put through hardship. The best would be for her to not be able to take it any longer and leave on her own accord.
What was there to pity about?
Fang Yuan would never feel sorry for her.
Within the valley, Fang Yuan chopped wood, started a fire, cooked some porridge and made tea. The aroma filled the air and even to the entrance of the valley. Zhou Wenxin sniffed the aroma and her stomach was growling.
She unknowingly walked to the entrance of the valley, but froze there, afraid to take another step.
Zhou Wenxin was unreasonable but not stupid. She knew that if she did not heed Fang Yuan's warning to not enter the valley, no one, even her father, would be able to save her.
Furthermore, she could remember when her bodyguards were attacked by the white flash when she came to confront Fang Yuan the previous time. How would she dare to disobey?
She could not ignore the aroma coming out from the valley and continued eating her dry rations.
In the valley.
Fang Yuan and the Flower Fox Ferret each held a small bowl and ate the Vermillion Jade Rice Porridge, and had no intention of helping Zhou Wenxin.
The spiritual rice was so valuable to the extent that Fang Yuan made porridge with it. Regardless human or ferret, both value the spiritual rice a lot and have no intention of sharing it.
"Even my Pearl Jade Crystal Rice is also no ordinary rice, and eating it would bring many benefits to the body…"
Fang Yuan thought for a while, and sighed, "The spiritual tea is almost used up, and the Vermillion Jade Rice too… It has become painful for me to drink normal tea every morning, and if I run out of spiritual rice too, how can I survive?"
"Keke!"
The Flower Fox Ferret raised its little paws, as though it had the same sentiments.
"At the end of the day, the solution lies with the spiritual fertilizer!"
Fang Yuan looked at the Flower Fox Ferret, "When I asked you to bring me there previously, you were unwilling, and see what happened? I am now a martial artist of [Cultivation Level (Grade 4)], and I believe my abilities should be able to bring us there safely?"
"Keke?!"
The Flower Fox Ferret licked the last grain of porridge from its bowl before it was willing to put the bowl down, and went to an empty spot.
"Oh? You want to spar with me?"
Fang Yuan became energetic and knew that the Flower Fox Ferret was unsure of how good he had become. They needed to spar to confirm.
"Come on!"
Since killing Song Yujie, Fang Yuan realised that combat experience was far more valuable than the usual practice, and therefore was enthusiastic in taking on the Flower Fox Ferret.
"Don't take it easy on me!"
Fang Yuan took a deep breath, and both his palms became pitch-black, with his veins protruding out like worms. Both of his forearms became far thicker than before.
'This is usually how my Inner Power circulates within me, and now it has even affected my physical form?'
The parts that were strengthened by the Black Sand Palm were the palms, forearms, chest, abdomen. As for his back, legs and head, the changes were minor.
He had no choice. The Black Sand Palm was a low-tier technique which did not focus on defence. Being able to strengthen his arms was good enough.
"Ssss!"
As for the Flower Fox Ferret, he felt a little scared, after seeing the transformation Fang Yuan went through.
Whoosh!
Using his paws, the Flower Fox Ferret pounced towards Fang Yuan in a white flash like a lightning.
"Chi! Chi!"
Its talons were sharp and quick, like a knife.
"Good, don't take it easy!"
Fang Yuan struck his palm out.
He only fought with the Flower Fox Ferret once, which was their first encounter under the moonlight. The Flower Fox Ferret was not as smart then, and Fang Yuan did not know martial arts back then.
Now, both of them have their own improvements, which made Fang Yuan excited and eager to find out the Flower Fox Ferret's true standard.
"Boundless Black Sand!"
His right palm became black and had a whiff of fragrance; it was mildly hypnotizing.
"Hissss!"
The Flower Fox Ferret did not dare to go head-on with Fang Yuan. It curled into a shape of a letter 'Z' and ingeniously avoided Fang Yuan's palm before curling behind Fang Yuan, attacking him from the back.
"Reverse Palm!"
Fang Yuan turned around and immediately struck out another palm, and the Flower Fox Ferret avoided it easily. However, there were fresh claw marks on Fang Yuan's arm now.
"Hmm? Aggressive in attack, but weak in defence!"
Seeing the Flower Fox Ferret, Fang Yuan came to a conclusion.
He focused on his arms and channelled energy to it. The small wound was nothing to him, as the muscles contracted and stopped the bleeding.
"Good! One more time!"
Fang Yuan became increasingly excited as the battle ensued. He heaved, with both palms striking out, bringing with it a strong gust of wind and poison, which led the Flower Fox Ferret to retreat, and it did not dare to advance a single step.
'Mmm… The Flower Fox Ferrer's true ability is on par with a martial artist at the 7th Gate, and if not for me mastering my outer skills, I would lose… But my defence is too weak and any martial artist in the 4th Gate would be able to break through. I can only use speed to make up for my lack of defence....'
After a long fight, Fang Yuan was breathless, and raised his hand, "Let's stop here!"
He needed to use all his energy and force the Flower Fox Ferret to retreat, and that took a lot of his Inner Power.
If he continued to use his Inner Power, he would have lost to the Flower Fox Ferret.
'If I was a martial artist of [Cultivation Level (Grade 5)], I would be able to hold on for a while more. Especially if I am able to break through Pain Gate, concentrate my Inner Power, then I would be able to last much longer, and from there should be able to win the Flower Fox Ferret…'
Fang Yuan clenched his fist and felt happy for his progress.
He was even happier when he realised that his experience bar was filled up by a large portion for 'Black Sand Palm', and smiled. "Very good, Flower Fox Ferret, next time we shall do this a few times each day!"
"Hissss…"
On the other end, a tired Flower Fox Ferret stuck out his tongue, because it was extremely tired for it to remain focused and go against such a strong palm.
"Keke!"
Fang Yuan's progress shocked the Flower Fox Ferret, as he made a sign with his paws.
"Can we do it now?"
Fang Yuan understood him and was ecstatic.
Could he finally reveal where all the spiritual fertilizer was hidden?
Once he had the endless supply of spiritual fertilizer, the production of spiritual tea and spiritual rice would not be a problem anymore, and his progress would be much faster!
…
Qinghe County, Kou Village.
The village was considered wealthy within the county, and the majority of the people here have the surname 'Kou', and of course, was the origin of a Palm Technique Master, the creator of Black Sand Palm, Kou Feng!
But right now, in the entire Kou Village, there were corpses everywhere.
A large fire rose to a few feet high and burnt down the entire village garden. In the village, members of the Spirit Returning Sect gave no considerations and killed anyone on sight.
As compared to the entire Qinghe county, the resistance within the Kou Village was small.
"Elder Song's orders are not to leave a single soul within the Kou Village!"
"Kill!"
…
Within the mess, from a random house, a black shadow lept out, with both palms pitch-black full of energy. Those members of the Spirit Returning Sect who came close to him held their throats, became pale and fell to the ground.
"Song Zhong, you bully!"
The black shadow was an old person with white hair, "The rules of the Martial World states that it is of no fault of the others, and even there is a reason, you only look for me, how dare you do this?"
"Rules of the Martial World?"
The cunning Song Zhong responded.
He floated extremely quickly towards the old man, like a ghost.
"Black Sand Palm!"
The old man concentrated on his life's training, struck out both palms, harnessing the most poisonous palms.
People only know Black Sand Palm for its aggressiveness, and many did not know that the strongest form of Black Sand Palm is by combining it with poison. This move of his revealed that he trained directly under the Kou Family. The old man broke through the Pain Gate and was a martial artist of [Cultivation Level (Grade 6)]. He was naturally at the peak of Black Sand Palm.
"Bank Sand Palm, release poison!"
Song Zhong remained calm, did not take him seriously and drew a circle with his right hand.
Kacha!
The old man was shocked as his right palm met his left palm. The intense energy and poison broke both his arms, as he spat out blood and toppled.
"For someone who is able to train the Black Sand Palm to break through the 6th Gate, you are already a talent. What a pity you won't be able to find out the greatness of what comes after the Pain Gate!"
Song Zhong continued, "When one encounters Pain Gate, he will feel pain! When one reaches Shock Gate, he will hurt his mental state! Death Gate is the worst, if one cannot break through it, he will die! The 3 Perilous Gates, are increasingly harder to break through, and I have already broken through the Shock Gate. My Inner Power, when focused, can be as hard as metal. How will your weak poison even stand any chance against me? Now that I've counter-attacked, your life is on the line!"
"Elder Song... I have indeed offended you in the past, but I don't think I deserve this!"
The old man imagined death and was filled with sorrow.
"It doesn't matter if you have offended me because I am willing to reason with you, but now that Yujie is dead, why should I care…"
Song Zhong calmly told him, but the old man became increasingly afraid, "Are you suspecting that it's me? No, that's impossible!"
"It doesn't matter if it is you, all of you disciples of the Kou Family will all die!"
Song Zhong pointed his finger at the old man's forehead.
Such a person who was able to break through 6 Gates, and train the Black Sand Palm to such a level, was all but a corpse lying on the floor.
Song Zhong didn't feel much happier after the death of the old man, but felt suspicious, "If what those servants said was true, and Yujie died under the poisonous Black Sand Palm, and yet not by this old man, then how would the other disciples be of any match against Yujie? Did I miss out anything?"