104: Blood Sacrifice Mark

One month later, Fang Huai stared at the light screen in his Sea of Consciousness, his brows slightly furrowed:

"Hundred Baleful Arts (Incomplete Scroll) Ninth Level: 100 / 100"

He had now cultivated his Breath Circulation Method to the Ninth Level Perfection; to break through to Qi Refining Perfection, he had to undergo a blood transfusion.

However, the matter of having people collect Foundation Establishment Stage Demon Beast blood for him had yet to bear any fruit.

During this time, although Yun Ping tried her best to solicit business, the Cultivators transporting Yao Beasts saw that she was merely a Mortal and not a single one was willing to pay her any heed.

Seeing this, Fang Huai thought to himself: "It is time to reveal some of my methods."

He arranged for Toad Old Seven to use the Fierce Tiger Gang to promote the No. 8 Purification Bureau, offering to process Foundation Establishment Stage Yao Beasts for Cultivators for free today.

Yao Beasts were not difficult to kill, but processing their demon bodies had always been troublesome.

According to market rates, processing one Foundation Establishment Stage Yao Beast cost at least fifty Spirit Stones.

Fang Huai planned to first make a name for his skills by offering free services, then attract Cultivators to send their Yao Beasts to his Purification Bureau at low prices, making it convenient for him to absorb Qi and blood, and collect Yao Beast demon blood.

At this moment, he set the heavy skinning table in front of the Purification Bureau entrance, gripped his skinning knife, and gazed at the surrounding Cultivators.

The crowd of onlookers grew larger and larger, whispering among themselves, yet no one dared to step forward; after all, Fang Huai's unfamiliar face was truly not worth trusting.

Seeing the crowd becoming more packed with no movement, Fang Huai cast his gaze toward Yun Hui.

Yun Hui immediately understood, raised her voice, and shouted: "On-site processing of Yao Beasts, guaranteed quality and quantity! If the Yao Beast remains are damaged by more than five percent during the process, we will compensate the full market price of the entire Yao Beast!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd immediately erupted:

"What a big boast! Even the top-tier Purification Bureaus wouldn't dare make such a claim!"

"Processing one Foundation Establishment Stage Yao Beast earns at most one hundred Spirit Stones, but if it's damaged and requires full compensation, that would be at least a thousand Spirit Stones. Isn't this a losing business?"

"I actually think this Fellow Daoist has real skills. Without some confidence, how would he dare to say such things?"

"..."

The discussion grew louder, but still, no one stepped forward.

Fang Huai was at the Ninth Level of Qi Refining, which was not considered low in Sanxian City. If he refused to honor the debt after damaging the Yao Beast, there would be nothing the others could do about it.

"Let me see who dares to boast about having such ability?" A resonant voice came from afar.

Fang Huai looked up and saw a burly male Cultivator driving a giant Transport Beast, slowly approaching him.

"Cultivator Deng Ping"

"Early Foundation Establishment Stage"

"blood sacrifice mark (Black)" "Wood Element Single Spiritual Root"

"blood sacrifice mark: He has been marked as a sacrificial offering"

"Wood Element Single Spiritual Root: A type of Heavenly Spiritual Root, cultivation speed is extremely fast"

"It's Cultivator Deng Ping! It's actually him!"

"The Genius from that branch of the Deng Family, the Cultivator Deng Ping who succeeded in Foundation Establishment in just twenty years!"

"Rumor has it that he is already a core member of the Family with a limitless future. Why would he appear here?"

The crowd whispered, and every word they said was heard by Fang Huai.

He remained calm on the surface, but his heart was already in turmoil; who on earth could secretly turn a Foundation Establishment Cultivator into a sacrificial offering?

Could there be some earth-shattering conspiracy in this Sanxian City?

"This Immortal Master..." Fang Huai said, cupping his hands.

Cultivator Deng Ping laughed heartily: "Fang Three, right? I dare not be called an Immortal Master. Just call me Fellow Daoist Deng."

He then greeted his subordinates behind him and said: "The Corrosive Poison Earthworm we hunted a few days ago—since no one dares to handle it, let Fellow Daoist Fang process it on-site."

"Corrosive Poison Earthworm?"

The onlookers exclaimed in surprise.

This Early Foundation Establishment Stage Yao Beast had been lurking around Sanxian City for over a decade, claiming the lives of dozens of Cultivators, and countless Mortals had been devoured by it. Unexpectedly, it had been killed by Cultivator Deng Ping.

While happy, their gazes toward Fang Huai contained a bit of schadenfreude.

The surface of this Yao Beast was covered in mucus, and its skin was extremely slippery and tough; trying to process it properly was as difficult as ascending to heaven.

Fang Huai stared at the hundred-zhang long Yao Beast body in front of him, his eyes flickering.

Although this Yao Beast was dead, its blood evil Qi was astonishing; just being near it gave one a feeling of trepidation.

Now that his cultivation was at the Ninth Level of Qi Refining and he possessed Major Achievement Skinning Technique and Four Elephant Shattering Body Evil Qi, it was not impossible for him to properly process this Foundation Establishment Yao Beast.

Seeing him silent, Cultivator Deng Ping thought he was afraid and laughed: "I am not intentionally making things difficult for you, Fellow Daoist. I just have always disliked people who boast. If you find it difficult, just tell everyone that your skills still need honing."

Fang Huai shook his head and said: "This Fang will definitely not fail the mission; it will just take a little longer."

After saying this, he swallowed a few spirit recovery pills, moved his fingertips, and injected Spirit and Evil Qi into the Corrosive Poison Earthworm's demon body.

Fang Huai sat cross-legged, his eyes slightly closed, as if he were regulating his breath and resting his mind, or perhaps perceiving the meridians and texture inside the Yao Beast's body.

An hour passed in this way, and just as Cultivator Deng Ping was about to ask, Fang Huai finally took out his skinning knife.

"Just with this small knife, without even setting up an auxiliary Magic Array, and without asking for help?"

"The Foundation Establishment Stage Corrosive Poison Earthworm has skin as hard as iron and is coated with corrosive poison. How could a Qi Refining Cultivator peel it open with just one knife?"

"Is this Cultivator surnamed Fang not awake yet?"

"..."

The whispering in the crowd rose and fell, filled with doubt.

Fang Huai flipped his wrist slightly, and the skinning knife accurately pierced into the Corrosive Poison Earthworm's mouthparts, the blade sliding along the edge of the mouthparts.

With a soft "chi-la" sound, the tough demon skin separated from the flesh smoothly, without even a trace of unnecessary damage.

"Fellow Daoist Deng, you don't need the demon blood, right?" Fang Huai asked without looking up.

"No... I don't." Cultivator Deng Ping's eyes were filled with shock.

Fang Huai took out a small jade bottle engraved with Spirit Gathering patterns, aimed the bottle mouth at the incision, and condensed a wisp of Spiritual Qi at his fingertips. With a gentle pull, the not-yet-coagulated demon blood flowed into the bottle like a thin stream.

When the jade bottle was full, the skinning knife in his hand moved again.

He did not rush to peel off the entire demon skin, but instead moved along the Yao Beast's spine and bones, precisely controlling the strength of every stroke, neither damaging the integrity of the demon skin nor failing to cleverly avoid the highly toxic glands.

The Cultivators from the nearby Purification Bureaus watched in stupefaction; the doubt in their eyes had long since turned into amazement.

Fang Huai cut vertically sometimes, and horizontally at others, his movements flowing like clouds and water, without any hesitation.

An hour later, Fang Huai stopped his movements.

On the ground lay a complete, undamaged Corrosive Poison Earthworm demon skin, with the demon meat, demon bone, internal organs, and poison glands sorted and placed separately.

"Skinning Technique Perfection: 7 / 100"

Skinning Technique had finally stepped into the Perfection realm.

Fang Huai cupped his hands and said: "Fellow Daoist Deng, the Yao Beast has been processed. You may take whatever parts you need."

Cultivator Deng Ping only then snapped out of his daze, clapped his hands, and exclaimed: "What a god-like technique! This Deng has never seen such exquisite processing methods. I am truly impressed to the utmost!"

His tone shifted, becoming solemn: "From now on, Fellow Daoist Fang's Purification Bureau will be under my, Cultivator Deng Ping's, protection! Whoever dares to cause trouble in Fellow Daoist Fang's territory will be an enemy of me, Cultivator Deng Ping!"

Fang Huai nodded indifferently and said loudly: "Fellow Daoists, if you have any Yao Beasts at the Foundation Establishment Stage or above, you may all send them to This Fang's Purification Bureau for processing. This Fang promises to peel demon skins and sort Materials for everyone at the lowest price, fastest speed, and highest quality, never wasting a single bit of essence!"

As his voice fell, the crowd was in an uproar, and many Cultivators' eyes revealed signs of being moved.