132: Chapter 132 Third-Order Earth Fire

Thirty days later.

A meteor dragging a long trail of white flames crashed down from the Nine Heavens with a roar.

It streaked across the sky of Yellow Ox Immortal City and smashed into the outskirts of the Mist Demon Marsh, thirty li to the south.

Trees were crushed, and marsh water evaporated into steam.

It drew countless Cultivators to the scene, but when they reached the impact site, everyone was dumbfounded.

Eggshell-like fragments of the meteorite were scattered everywhere, but the item that had been encased within was gone.

Clearly, someone had beaten them to it.

"Damn it, which bastard snatched the treasure so quickly?"

Everyone's attention was drawn to a disheveled old man at the very center of the explosion crater.

"Hey, Fellow Daoist over there, what good stuff did you get? Bring it out for everyone to see."

"Yeah, don't eat it all yourself. We've traveled a long way to get here; it hasn't been easy. Share some with us."

The figure did not turn around.

The speaker grew displeased. He was, after all, at the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment. As a Sect Master of a small Sect, he hadn't been slighted like this in a long time.

He flew forward and placed a hand on the old man's shoulder.

"Hey, I'm talking to you! Why don't you..."

His voice cut off abruptly.

Because he saw the old man turn around, revealing a hideous, twisted, and crazed face before him.

On that withered, wood-like face, two pupils were cloudy, emitting an eerie green light.

Half of the face was stiff, while the other half was twitching.

A raspy, piercing voice spoke: "You were looking for this old man, for what?"

"Oh, mother of...!"

The Cultivator was so frightened he jumped back thirty feet.

The surrounding onlookers also instinctively took half a step back.

Because this old man was none other than the famous evil Cultivator of the Chu State cultivation world—the Centipede Hermit.

"How did this old monster end up here too?"

That Cultivator was now drenched in sweat, regretting that his greed for the treasure had stopped him from using his Divine Sense to investigate carefully.

He cupped his hands: "Since Fellow Daoist Wu has taken a liking to it, I shall yield it to you."

After saying that.

His figure suddenly retreated, fleeing the place as if he were mad.

However, not long after taking flight, he felt a numbing sensation in his right palm.

Looking down, he was horrified to find his right hand had turned a bizarre greenish-purple.

He panicked instantly.

Taking out several pill bottles, he poured out various Medicinal Pills and swallowed them.

But it was to no avail; the poison spots spread rapidly. The Cultivator watched helplessly as he dissolved bit by bit, finally turning into a pool of bloody water amidst his wails.

The Storage Pouch was drawn into the Centipede Hermit's hand. His sparse, bifurcated eyebrows twitched slightly.

He happened to be Cultivating near the Mist Demon Marsh recently and had rushed over the moment the phenomenon appeared, but the treasure had already been looted by then.

He didn't bother explaining to the crowd and looked down on the scattered Second Tier Meteoric Iron. With a flick of his finger.

"Rumble."

As the earth surged, a giant centipede over ten zhang long burst out from the ground.

Its body was covered in a shell as hard as iron, its thousands of legs were as sharp as scimitars, and its dark green antennae swayed as its cold compound eyes stared intently at the surrounding Cultivators.

This was the Centipede Hermit's Pseudo-Third Rank spiritual insect—the Thousand-Foot Venomous Centipede.

Leaping onto the insect's head, the giant centipede carried him into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The surrounding Cultivators looked at each other, realizing the biggest competitor had left.

They eyed one another, looking at the scattered First and Second Tier Meteoric Iron with greedy expressions.

Although the greatest benefit had been taken by the Centipede Hermit, this Meteoric Iron was also quite valuable.

"Snap."

Someone stepped on a branch, sounding like the whistle of a starting arrow.

The next moment.

Multicolored spiritual lights exploded across this acre of marshland.

...

The next day.

Yellow Ox Immortal City.

Xu Changsheng arrived at the South Gate to inquire about what had happened in the Mist Demon Marsh last night.

The guard shook his head: "I heard the lion's share was taken by the Centipede Hermit. Everyone else fought to the death just to grab a piece or two of Meteoric Iron."

"I see. In that case, I won't join the fray."

He turned to leave.

Seeing this, the guard whispered a complaint to a colleague nearby: "This guy is quite humorous. Woke up so late and yet he still wanted to go snatch treasure."

Xu Changsheng naturally didn't know the guard's true thoughts.

Nor did he need to know; after all, that piece of chi yang copper mother was currently lying quietly in his Storage Pouch.

"I didn't expect the blame to be pinned on the Centipede Hermit."

Regarding this Cultivator whom Kong Qiang had once used to frame him, he had naturally done some investigation.

The Centipede Hermit had been active in the Chu State cultivation world for many years, his evil reputation well-known, and he had been at the top of the wanted lists of various major powers for a long time.

His head was worth a hundred thousand Spirit Stones, with a reward of three hundred thousand for capturing him alive.

But for some reason, it was all bark and no bite; the Centipede Hermit had always remained free and easy.

...

In the blink of an eye, three months passed.

Earth Fire Grotto of Yellow Ox Immortal City.

Inside a Second Tier Earth Fire Room.

Xu Changsheng's hair was disheveled and knotted, but his eyes were bright and spirited.

"It's finally done!"

Utilizing the "One Proof Eternal Proof" trait, he spent three months finally forcing his Artifact Refining attainment up to the Pseudo-Third Rank.

He was now at the same level as Liu Bai, the source of his Legacy.

"With this, the refinement of the divine wood two principles sword can be put on the agenda."

The fusang divine wood and the chi yang copper mother, these two key spiritual Materials, had already been collected.

He had also gathered other Second Tier Materials through shop purchases and by asking Chu Linger to scour the Immortal City's warehouse for Materials.

Flame Iron Sand, Soft Jade Powder, Earth Fire Profound Vine...

He caught a communication talisman from mid-air.

After reading it.

His brow furrowed slightly as he thought: "A Third Tier Earth Fire Room is indeed not that easy to obtain."

He used a Cleaning Technique to tidy himself up.

Walking quickly, it took him only the time for a cup of tea to reach the Spirit Talisman Workshop.

It was still crowded; Zhao Tiezhu and Xu Cuihua were incredibly busy.

Xu Changsheng quietly circled to the back.

Until now, besides a few shop assistants and Chu Linger, no one knew he was the owner of the Spirit Talisman Workshop.

He quietly went around to the back of the shop and used his Restriction token to enter. The bright-eyed and white-toothed Chu Linger was sitting at the Talisman-making table.

"Argh! Failed again."

Chu Linger picked up the scorched Talisman in front of her with disdain, pinched her nose, and threw it into a nearby basket.

Suddenly, a warm voice came from behind: "Your technique just now wasn't standard, and the timing of the spirit infusion was also a bit off."

"Master!"

Chu Linger looked surprised and delighted: "You've finally come out of seclusion."

"Yes, it was harder than I thought, so it took an extra half-month. Let me demonstrate the refinement method for this crimson flame spreading over prairie talisman for you first."

The young girl instinctively moved aside.

He stepped forward, picked up the brush, and set it to paper.

With fluid, dragon-like strokes.

A deep crimson Talisman with fine fiery Star Patterns appeared in his hand.

Chu Linger watched the entire refinement process without blinking: "Wow, Master, you're amazing."

"Well, this Talisman is originally Second Tier High Grade. Even if downgraded to Quasi-Second Tier, it's one of the hardest to refine."

"Don't be too ambitious yet; first raise your own Talisman attainment to the Quasi-Second Tier."

"Okay."

"By the way, what did they say about the Third Tier Earth Fire Room?"

"My Master won't let me use it, unless..."