Testing the Bed

It was the dead of night.

The clouds and mist had cleared, leaving half a bright moon hanging alone in the sky.

The blue sea and azure sky stretched as far as the eye could see.

Clear waves spread across the vast sea, the tides sounding like drums and pipes.

Beneath the cool moonlight, a streak of flight light rose from Five Dragon Island and cut across the night sky.

Before long, it reached a solitary island, circled once, then descended into the woods on its southern shore.

The newcomer had a face as fine as polished jade and an exceptionally handsome bearing. His splendid, loose robes with their broad sleeves displayed all the elegance of an aristocratic clan.

It was Fang Hong.

Steward Mu emerged from the woods and bowed to him. "Young Master Hong."

He dragged someone behind him on an iron chain: a broad man with graying hair, his face fierce and resentful. It was none other than the old shopkeeper of the Golden Sandalwood Pavilion.

Very pleased with Steward Mu's efficiency, Fang Hong asked with a smile, "How did you lure him out?"

Steward Mu replied, "I found a female rogue cultivator to tempt him a little, and he took the bait."

"That easily?" Fang Hong was surprised.

Steward Mu smiled faintly. "That woman is keen on buying the Li Fire Heavenly Palace's Golden Glow Scarlet Jade. She often seeks loans from shopkeepers of some means, and she has a penchant for repaying her debts with her body. She has quite a reputation for such affairs in the market."

"Shopkeeper Li couldn't withstand her wheedling and lent her some spirit stones. Later, she enticed him into spending the night at a cave abode on a spirit island outside the market. I seized that opportunity to capture him."

So he had hired a gambling-addicted female cultivator for the job. Uncle Mu really understood human nature.

Fang Hong nodded. "Where is she now?"

"I gave her some spirit stones. She has already flown far away to another market."

With that, Steward Mu took out the second-tier Immobilization Talisman and returned it to Fang Hong.

Fang Hong walked up to Shopkeeper Li, studied him closely, and asked indifferently, "Were you the one following me?"

The words had barely left his mouth before the old shopkeeper's slightly startled expression gave him an affirmative answer.

The man was evidently very confident in his surveillance skills and had never expected to be discovered.

"Do you work for a True Disciple of the Ghost King Sect?"

Once again, Fang Hong needed only to watch his expression to confirm his earlier suspicion.

"Which household on Black Demon Island does he belong to? The Yue Household? The Gu Household? The Gao Household? The Tan Household? The Zhao Household? The Xun Household?"

As Fang Hong questioned him, he watched Shopkeeper Li's expression.

The old man seemed to realize his intent as well. An honest, simple smile appeared on his face. "Fellow Daoist, I don't know what you're talking about. Is there some misunderstanding between us?"

"I've spent most of my life cutting spirit timber on Goldwood Island. How would I know any Ghost King Sect cultivators?"

Fang Hong gave a cold, mocking smile. Not bothering with further words, he sent a gleam of golden sword light flying from his sleeve. It circled the old man, then fluttered back.

The old man suddenly let out an agonized grunt, his expression twisting as he stared venomously at Fang Hong like an old wolf at the end of its road.

Several lines of blood appeared across his body. Both arms and both legs had already been severed.

"Young Master Hong, let me perform Soul Searching instead. Don't let his blood dirty your sword."

Steward Mu spoke.

Fang Hong stepped back and nodded his assent.

Steward Mu stepped forward, seized the old shopkeeper by the neck, and pinned him against a large tree. Spiritual light flickered around the index and middle fingers of his right hand, making them seem transparent, before he pressed them hard against the old shopkeeper's brow.

Rings of light spread from the old shopkeeper's brow.

Suddenly, Steward Mu grunted and staggered backward as though struck by lightning.

An eerie smile appeared on the old shopkeeper's face, and then his head abruptly exploded.

"Uncle Mu, are you all right?" Fang Hong looked at Steward Mu with a frown.

Steward Mu shook his head, still shaken. "That was close. There was a hidden mechanism in his sea of consciousness that actually allowed him to detonate his soul. He nearly injured me."

Clearly, the Soul Searching had failed.

"As long as you're all right." Fang Hong's expression remained unchanged. "Next, gather information on every Ghost King Sect True Disciple from the six great aristocratic clans of Black Demon Island."

"Yes," Steward Mu replied respectfully.

The market on Five Dragon Island.

Inside a quiet, elegant courtyard.

A curvaceous, graceful woman in a plain dress was cultivating cross-legged on a jade mat when her phoenix eyes suddenly snapped open.

She casually formed a hand seal. Dark light surged behind her, revealing strands of blue-black spiritual light as supple as silken ribbons.

Those strands were composed of ancient incantation characters shaped like birds, fish, and insects, winding around her like ribbons.

"Old Li is dead..."

She was slightly surprised. Then her gaze flickered, and she seemed to guess something. She sneered. "Interesting."

The rising sun emerged from the waves, revealing half a crimson, cloudlike silhouette above the blue waters at the far edge of sea and sky.

Ten thousand rays shot into the distant heavens.

High banks of clouds filled the sky, turning into a vast expanse of golden radiance beneath the sunlight.

The slanting sunlight turned the waters into a golden sea. Sky and ocean formed a scene of peerless splendor.

Between sea and sky, two snow-white lions trod on glowing clouds, drawing a magnificent carriage from afar.

Fang Hong sat upright inside, leisurely admiring the majestic sunrise over the sea.

Not far ahead, a large island shaped like a giant tortoise lay upon the sea. Among the coastal woods, a small white-jade building took on a faint golden sheen in the morning sunlight.

Outside the North Island of the Yin-Yang Sect, a resilient, thick barrier of light blocked the carriage.

Fang Hong brought out his identification token, opened a gap in the barrier, and entered the island without trouble.

When he returned to the building, Su Yao was still in secluded cultivation in the meditation chamber.

He took out the various furnishings he had bought at the market and arranged them one by one. At last, the interior acquired a measure of elegance and comfort.

He divided the spacious third-floor bedroom into two sections with a curtain between them. Its fabric resembled five-colored merfolk silk, with paired lengths of cloud brocade and hanging tassels, giving it an exceedingly luxurious appearance.

In the outer section, he built a large circular bathing pool from jade bricks, where he could bathe while enjoying the expansive view over the sea.

The magnificent canopy bed stood in the inner section, spread with thick, soft, comfortable brocade bedding that gave it a lavish, exquisite warmth.

Once everything was arranged, he filled the pool with spirit spring water and channeled magical power into the formation patterns within the jade bricks. Warm vapor immediately began rising from the water.

Soaking comfortably in the pool, he took out the Romantic Painting Album and once again went into battle with Yan Suyue, the young married woman within its pages.

Evening.

The sea breeze stirred gently, and sunset clouds colored the sky.

He set up a grill in the garden before the building. Charcoal glowed scarlet inside, and skewers of meat sizzled with fat above it.

The skewers included Purple-Gold Ice Demon Tapir meat, Golden-Horned Spirit Ox meat, and Crimson Flame Antelope meat. He had picked them up, along with the grill and charcoal, while browsing the market earlier.

The charcoal had also been specially refined by cultivators skilled in the Spirit Cuisine Technique, one of cultivation's hundred arts.

He ate as he grilled, casually using a little Ice-Soul Mystic Light to chill a jar of spirit wine. Paired with the grilled meat, it proved refreshing and cut through the grease.

"Now this is finally starting to look right..."

Fang Hong lounged in his chair, eating skewers and savoring this moment of leisure.

This was the cultivation life he had envisioned.

As he feasted, a delicate, fresh floral fragrance suddenly drifted over. When he turned his head, a lovely figure in white was already beside him.

"What way of eating is this? Is it good?"

Su Yao curiously examined the spirit meat on the grill. Its rich aroma, mingled with cumin, chili, and charcoal smoke, wafted toward her, making her mouth water.

Fang Hong handed her a skewer. "Try it."

After a brief hesitation, Su Yao accepted it. The meat was threaded onto a slender willow twig, alternating lean and fat, grilled to a glossy reddish brown and giving off a delicious aroma.

She parted her delicate lips and took a gentle bite. The lean meat was firm and chewy, while the fat had already melted away, leaving only a rich, mellow savor in her mouth. The two blended perfectly, with an excellent texture.

It really was good!

Su Yao could not help remarking, "You really do know how to enjoy yourself."

With that, she sat down too, admiring the beautiful sunset clouds with Fang Hong as they ate and chatted.

Fang Hong took a sip of chilled spirit wine and said contentedly, "Did you see the bed I bought?"

Su Yao nodded lightly, chewing slowly. She glanced at him. "Why did you put a pool in the bedroom?"

With a perfectly straight face, Fang Hong said, "For mandarin ducks to frolic in the water, of course."

Su Yao understood at once and chided him bashfully, "You have so many tricks."

Her beautiful eyes shimmered, with a faint hint of fresh anticipation.

Fang Hong said with an air of mystery, "That bed has a hidden feature too."

"What hidden feature?" Su Yao picked up another skewer and asked curiously.

"You'll find out in a little while."

Suddenly, Fang Hong felt that the meat in his hand had lost some of its appeal.