CHAPTER 550: 283. HUNDRED-HOLE FISH TALISMAN SKILL_2

"However, Xu Xing killing Hong Wenren can also be considered a good thing. There’s no need for me to use other means to get rid of him..."

Ding Jifeng shook his head.

Just now, Xu Xing had been right when speaking with Hong Wenren. Hong Wenren had indeed become a thorn in the Nanhua Sect’s side, the kind that had to be removed.

The Nanhua Sect was not afraid of having ten more Dao Lords from enemy sects; no matter how many Dao Lords there were, they could not compare to the might of a Nascent Soul Saint Monarch. However, Hong Wenren, a Dao Lord belonging to the Lishan Hong Family, was different.

Although his strength was not formidable, the Hong Family was a subsidiary family of the Nanhua Sect, and Hong Wenren’s appearance could affect the Nanhua Sect’s very foundation.

Therefore, even if Xu Xing had not made this move, Ding Jifeng would have sent someone to force Hong Wenren away or eliminate him for the sake of the Nanhua Sect’s foundation.

...

...

With Hong Wenren’s death, the Lishan Hong Family’s Clan Leader and many family elders, who had been hiding, could no longer sit still. They opened the Great Hall and came out to surrender.

Earlier, while Hong Wenren was being tortured by Xu Xing’s Yin Fire Divine Power, they had considered coming out. However, they were terrified of Xu Xing’s formidable Divine Power and feared it would backfire, so they remained hidden, daring not to emerge.

"Master Xu, it’s not that we’re unwilling to negotiate, it’s... Wenren, no, Hong Wenren who wouldn’t let us negotiate..."

Clan Leader Hong De, leaning on his cane, looked at Xu Xing outside the array with a bitter expression, shifting all the blame onto the deceased Hong Wenren.

"Daoist Hong was a bit impatient," Xu Xing glanced at the Hong Family members, a smile returning to his face as he replied. "Considering his temperament, it was not surprising that he would pressure the Hong Family members not to negotiate."

The Lishan Hong Family was under the Nanhua Sect’s protection and was one of its subsidiary families.

He could kill Hong Wenren, but he absolutely could not exterminate the Lishan Hong Family under the Nanhua Sect’s watchful eyes. That was his bottom line.

Furthermore, cultivator families were not always monolithic. After Hong Wenren’s death, apart from his own branch who would undoubtedly view Xu Xing as an enemy, the other branches of the Hong Family might not feel the same.

"Yes, indeed." Upon hearing Xu Xing’s words, Hong De sighed with relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

His words were half true, half false.

After Tan Shan had delivered Xu Xing’s Visiting Card, Hong De had genuinely considered negotiating with the Zuoqiu Clan. He had thought to redivide the benefits of Bloody Sun Valley, even to the point of conceding and ceasing attacks on the Zuoqiu Clan.

After all, the Butian Sect was powerful. Moreover, Xu Xing was on close terms with the Nanhua Sect’s high-level members and was the son-in-law of the Zuoqiu Clan. As long as he didn’t overstep when intervening in the two families’ affairs, the Nanhua Sect wouldn’t overly question it.

But then Hong Wenren had stepped forward. He considered himself a Dao Lord, and even if he was inferior to Xu Xing, he believed that defending with the array was more than sufficient.

The two families had been enemies for many years, and Hong De also harbored resentment. Seeing Hong Wenren’s stance, he naturally went along with it.

Who could have known Hong Wenren would be so inept, and Xu Xing’s Divine Power so formidable?

"However..."

Just then, a voice sounded from outside the array, startling Hong De, who had just begun to relax. His expression tensed once more.

"If you don’t cut the grass by the roots, it will grow again when the spring breeze blows. Hong Wenren provoked the Sect Leader and brought death upon himself. However, the matter of his descendants must be addressed..."

Buxu Zi stepped forward. Looking coldly at Hong De, he said, "Our sect follows the Righteous Path. It would not be proper for us to act in the manner of the Demon way and eradicate all of Hong Wenren’s descendants."

He stopped speaking at this point and did not continue.

Having been a Clan Leader for many years, Hong De was an old fox; he immediately understood the implication.

He sighed. "According to the rules of the Righteous Path, for 300 years, the branch of the family Hong Wenren belonged to will not be permitted to pursue cultivation. As for cultivators from that branch who have already set foot on the Immortal Path, the Hong Family will cease allocating resources to them. Furthermore, they must make a solemn vow, swearing by their inner demons, not to seek revenge on the Butian Sect. If this vow is violated, their three clans will be exterminated!"

The difference between the Righteous Path and the Demon way in the Cultivation World lay not only in their cultivation methods but also in their methods of handling matters.

By the standards of the Demon way, even if the entire Lishan Hong Family was not exterminated, at least Hong Wenren’s lineage to the ninth degree would be eradicated.

While the Righteous Path was not as ruthless as the Demon way, it was by no means soft.

Not killing did not mean letting them off. They merely tried to be more humane in their methods.

Restricting Hong Wenren’s branch from cultivating and pursuing the Dao was, in essence, a slow extermination of that lineage over time.

"Very well," Buxu Zi bowed and said. "I will assign a Deacon from my sect to be stationed with your noble family to oversee this matter."

"I would also like to invite Master Xu, Chief Zuoqiu, and all esteemed Seniors to take your seats in our family’s Great Hall. We can then discuss the matter of Bloody Sun Valley..." Hong De said, opening the Lishan Hong Family’s protective Large Array and bowing to everyone outside.

A wise person knows when to yield to circumstances.

Since Xu Xing could directly attack Hong Wenren while he was within the supposedly unbroken array, it meant Lishan’s protective Large Array was useless against him. It was better to open it completely.

A moment later, everyone entered the Lishan Great Hall.

After the Spiritual Feast was served, Hong De took out a three-foot-long Jade Box from his Storage Bag. Holding it personally, he approached Xu Xing and said apologetically, "This incident of Hong Wenren offending Master Xu is due to my negligence as Clan Leader. Here is a token of our family’s apology. Please accept it, Master Xu..."

"There isn’t anything particularly valuable inside," Hong De quickly added, noticing Xu Xing’s raised eyebrow and lack of response, a cold sweat forming on his brow. "It’s Hong Wenren’s Cultivation Method... and some Spirit Pearls."

"Hong Wenren was able to break through to the Dao Lord Realm in the outer Cultivation World thanks to this Cultivation Method..." Hong De hurriedly explained.

Hearing this, Xu Xing nodded slightly. With a raise of his sleeve, he used his Magic Power to draw the Jade Box from Hong De’s hands into his own palm.

He opened the Jade Box and glanced inside. At the top lay a yellowed Jade Slip, and beneath it, Spirit Pearls and other Treasures were packed tightly.

"The Hundred Orifice Fish Talisman Technique..." No wonder Hong Wenren was able to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm in the outside world. It turns out it was thanks to this technique.

Pressing the yellowed Jade Slip to his forehead, Xu Xing quickly absorbed its contents, learning about the technique called the ’Hundred Orifice Fish Talisman Technique’.

This Cultivation Method is quite valuable... Xu Xing’s eyes flickered. Although his cultivation age in the Main World was less than three hundred years, he possessed nearly ten thousand years of cultivation experience from the Instance Worlds. This made his knowledge incomparable to his peers, even far surpassing that of other Dao Lords at the same Realm. The Hundred Orifice Fish Talisman Technique received such a high evaluation from him because it allowed one to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm by finding shortcuts, without relying on a Blessed Land. Of course, if that were its only merit, the Hundred Orifice Fish Talisman Technique wouldn’t hold much value for him. After all, his current cultivation had already reached the Nascent Soul stage, and he had no need for such shortcuts. However, besides enabling a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Realm via shortcuts, the Hundred Orifice Fish Talisman Technique could also condense a Spiritual Object called the ’Fish-Dragon Talisman.’ This object was the very reason the Hundred Orifice Fish Talisman Technique could substitute for a Blessed Land. "A mountain is not famed for its height, but for the immortals it houses; water is not famed for its depth, but for the dragons it shelters..." This Hundred Orifice Fish Talisman Technique can manifest a draconic form, leveraging a pseudo-dragon bloodline to achieve breakthroughs. Practicing this technique might allow my Dragon and Tiger Dao Principle to advance further...

Hong De observed Xu Xing, who was deep in thought with his gaze fixed on the yellowed Jade Slip. Joy blossomed in Hong De’s heart. It seems Master Xu is satisfied with our family’s apology gift. Although Hong Wenren was an exceptional member of the Lishan Hong Family, he’s dead now. If we can use this opportunity to align ourselves with the Butian Sect, it would actually be a boon for our Lishan Hong Family.

"I am extremely satisfied with this," Xu Xing said, collecting his thoughts. He placed the Jade Box into his Storage Bag, and his gaze towards Hong De softened considerably. "May I ask where Hong Wenren obtained this Cultivation Method?"

"I heard," Hong De replied without hesitation, "that he traveled to Tianyi Gorge in the central region. There, in the Five Peaks Pool within Tianyi Gorge, he stumbled upon a Cave Mansion and obtained this Cultivation Method, along with some other Treasures..."

The great opportunity in Tianyi Gorge was a treasure to the Lishan Hong Family, but it might not be so significant for Xu Xing, the foremost figure at the Nascent Soul Stage.

"This is the Token required to enter that Cave Mansion," Hong De said with a bitter smile. "It was originally given to our family by Hong Wenren for our younger generation to explore, but..." While speaking, he took a fish-dragon-shaped Token from his sleeve and handed it to Xu Xing.

"This Token..." Xu Xing murmured, taking it. He stroked the fish-dragon-shaped Token a few times before probing it with his Divine Sense.