[Fan Wubing]

[Age: 14 years]

[Life: 6446/6446 points]

[Cultivation Level: None]

[Cultivation Technique: "Unwarranted Qi Creation Skill" (Perfect), "Swallowing Stars and Chewing Moon" (Perfect), "Blood Burning Skill" (Perfect)]

[Divine Techniques: "Seven Luminaries Rain Control Skill" (7/100)]

[Constitution: Heavenly Crippled Body...]

[Talents: "Fated to Survive", "Unwarranted Qi Creation Skill", "Tongue Desire"]

"6446 points of blood!"

After absorbing the fairy essence and blood energy of that red-clad woman's external incarnation, I gained 1329 blood points, now totaling 6446. The blood bar went up by a large chunk; it's the richest harvest in a single session since acquiring "Swallowing Stars and Chewing Moon's" 'Tongue Desire'."

"Indeed, absorbing directly from people is still the fastest way..."

As soon as this thought entered his mind, he quickly stopped himself.

Absorbing from people... isn't that purely demonic cultivation?

In today's Cultivation Realm, it is controlled by prestigious sects, with the mainstream being "Bright Cosmos, Vital Qi Sweeping the Land", never tolerating the Demon Dao.

The idea of absorbing from people should be put aside for now, lest one be considered a member of the Demon Dao.

When weak, it's best to follow the mainstream, and when truly powerful, standing unrivaled, "My path will become the mainstream"!

Through experimenting with the "Blood Burning Skill", 6000 blood points equate to the First-Layer Golden Core level.

"Does this count as breaking through to the Golden Core?"

Fan Wubing found himself chuckling.

Without needing Foundation Establishment or refining a Golden Core, just by stacking blood points, he could achieve Golden Core cultivation.

Yet he knew his Golden Core level was semi-real and semi-illusory. After all, the "Blood Burning Skill" he had was just a remnant piece, only F-grade at the lower level, far too rudimentary, sustaining only a quarter-hour effect.

If the fight couldn't be concluded within a quarter-hour, things would get troublesome.

It's still not enough! Who knows if there'll be any changes after completing the "Blood Burning Skill". But since this cultivation technique seems too much like a demonic art, in this age of declining Demon Dao, it would likely be hard to find.

...

Early morning the next day.

After waking up, Fan Wubing found a note beside his pillow left by Luo Qingyao——

"Senior Brother, I still can't accompany you today... Although I wanted to wake you up and tell you in person, you seemed to be sleeping so soundly that I didn't want to disturb you. Senior Brother, after I complete my task, I'll help you find fortune; the Peach Blossom Grotto Heaven is blessed by the Dao Ancestor and surely has fortuitous chances for your cultivation! I'll definitely help you find it!"

Fan Wubing smirked.

This guy, sneaking into my room again... both she and Senior Sister never knock.

He was about to put away the note when he noticed a very tiny line of words in the bottom corner. Without close inspection, it looked like a stain, easily overlooked—

"Senior Brother, there's still time! We're both not yet adults, so as long as we get along well, we can still be childhood sweethearts! Not worse than Senior Sister Manman!"

Fan Wubing's lips twitched,

This guy truly is...

Everyone gathered first in Captain Jiang Maodian's room.

Fu Manman and the second batch student Ai Yinian were already there.

Upon seeing Fan Wubing enter, Fu Manman turned her head away.

After exchanging greetings, they got to the main topic.

Jiang Maodian said,

"Yesterday, Junior Brother Yinian and I didn't rush to search for fortune but spent the day exploring various places in the city, getting a general idea. The North City Garden District is where the fairy essence is most abundant, giving a most extraordinary feeling, and is currently where fortune seekers gather the most. Every plant and tree there could possibly hold fortune. There's an artificial lake in the east of the city, with numerous standalone villas by the shore—it's relatively ordinary, with no visible peculiarities at present. The south is the most bustling, with the most residents and the most diversity, so the probability of harboring fortune isn't small either. And the west..."

He paused to think,

"Most places in the west are filthy shantytown areas. I heard that the Daoist School favors cleanliness, and the Peach Blossom Spring is a Daoist Blessed Land, so the west likely holds the least fortune. On the first day, I haven't heard of anyone obtaining fortune, nor do I know the specifics of how to obtain it yet."

Fan Wubing said,

"Those who have gained fortune likely wouldn't casually mention it either."

"That's true. Let's keep it consistent today; I'll go with Junior Brother Yinian, and you can go with Junior Sister Manman."

"Alright."

Jiang Maodian and Ai Yinian stood up, preparing to leave. Jiang Maodian remembered something and added,

"Oh, right. Junior Sister Manman, Junior Brother Wubing. Yesterday I noticed some seekers from certain factions were getting rather close to each other, but intentionally keeping a distance from our Eternal Immortal Sect. Just keep an eye on this. But no need to overly concern if bullied, just let me know right away and I'll back you up."

"Understood, Senior Brother Jiang."

Jiang Maodian and Ai Yinian set off.

Fan Wubing and Fu Manman followed closely behind.

...

Along the way, Fu Manman was even quieter than yesterday, and whenever Fan Wubing looked at her, she turned her head elsewhere. This reaction made him slightly curious,

"Manman, why are you avoiding me like this?"

Fu Manman seemed a bit dazed and subconsciously answered,

"Rabbit."

"Rabbit?"

"Oh, I misspoke. Just pretend you didn't hear that." She snapped back to her senses, her voice even smaller.

Fan Wubing paused for a moment; he remembered the young Fu Manman being bright and enthusiastic. How had she changed over the years? However, it's not unusual for personalities to change significantly during adolescence.

Both, due to the events of last night, grew even more interested in the shantytown area of the west and decided to head there again.

En route, when passing the Parasol Tree, Fan Wubing paused briefly.

The Little Cat Demon and the Umbrella Demon had both achieved their forms due to the Parasol Tree's fortune.

To him, the tree seemed to carry a particularly grand and unique aura; beyond the transformative qi gained from departing the Umbrella Demon, he sensed nothing out of the ordinary.

For others, it might seem just an ordinary Parasol Tree.

Once again, they reached the shantytown area.

As expected, just as Jiang Maodian had said, there were very few seekers of fortune active here. Sometimes they could walk down an entire street without seeing a third person.

In fact, in Fan Wubing's perception through the Qi Creation Skill, most of the atmosphere here was a dull gray. It was far less vibrant than the bustling southern streets and certainly couldn't compare to the North City Garden District or the East City Artificial Lake.

By the afternoon, the two had walked through the streets and alleys without discovering any special places.

However, their evident outsider demeanor did attract the attention of those living here.

Though they didn't wear the sect robes of the Eternal Immortal Sect or luxurious clothing, their outfits were still neat and clean. Meanwhile, the locals mostly wore coarse cloth, appearing somewhat dirty.

Last night, when they came here with that tortoiseshell little cat, it was already nighttime; the shantytown residents had mostly turned lights off and gone to sleep, so today marked their first formal contact.

Yet, unlike the warmth and friendliness of other parts of Nanlai City, people here mainly kept a distant eye on them, rarely engaging, asking questions, or initiating contact.

Fan Wubing attempted to chat with them, only to be met with evasive silence and reservedness.

"Quite strange, how can simple street division lead to such vastly different habits and group behaviors?"

A long, straight street divided the shantytown and the main city districts.

Despite being separated by merely a street, both sides seemed like completely different civilizations, with little to no interactions in between.

"Difference between the rich and the poor?" Fu Manman inquired.

Fan Wubing contemplated for a moment before replying,

"It's not necessarily this. It's more like... the peoples of both areas barely interact at all."

"Separated only by a street, and they don't interact at all?"

"That's indeed puzzling. Manman, observe closely, the people here in the shantytown all seem to look at us the same way."

Fu Manman focused slightly, subtly observing,

"It does appear that way. Is it because they are very xenophobic?"

"Perhaps we should investigate more about the origins of the shantytown area. Clearly in the same city, yet so distinct in various aspects from other regions."

"How about checking in a tavern for information?"

"Good plan."

The pair was about to leave.

As they walked, the surrounding noises grew quieter by the minute until suddenly, nothing was left but their footsteps. Fan Wubing sensed something amiss,

"Suddenly, there are no people on the streets."

Fu Manman looked toward the sky,

"Look, the sun is setting."

"Do the shantytown people fear the night?"

An unsettling atmosphere began to seep out from every corner.

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