A New Home

Several months later.

Heavenly Craft Valley, Accumulated Fire Pool.

A long river of crimson lava plunged from a sheer cliff, becoming a roaring waterfall of fire that slammed into the valley floor and carved out an endlessly churning pool of flame.

Fierce flames rose from the pool, sending scorching vapor as thick as fog billowing upward and bathing the entire area in a flowing crimson glow.

In this extraordinary place, where burning winds howled and waves of heat swept over everything, a brand-new cave abode had quietly been carved out beside the pool of fire.

Its entrance faced the cascading torrent of crimson flame, greedily breathing in and out the purest, most refined fire-element primordial Qi between heaven and earth.

At that moment, five figures had gathered around a stone table in front of the cave abode, eating and drinking.

"Congratulations on your new home, Elder Fang!"

"And congratulations to you all! From now on, I hope all of you elders will look after me!"

Fang Yu held up his wine cup and chatted with the four elders seated around him, his face wreathed in smiles.

Besides the grand elder, Wu Tong, Heavenly Craft Valley had three Dao Foundation elders. Counting Fang Yu, they made up all the Dao Foundation elders in the valley.

Compared with the Tie Household's Gold Sword Hall, which had more than ten Dao Foundation sword cultivators, the Fire Virtue Lineage could be said to be very weak. Moreover, they all focused on the External Alchemy Technique and were not skilled in combat, leaving them with even less of a voice in the sect.

That was only natural, however. After all, the highest cultivation in their Heavenly Craft Valley lineage was Early Dao Foundation. Even if they wanted to advance, they had no way to do so.

Fortunately, the many sword cultivators of the Gold Sword Hall still needed them to forge flying swords and various other external alchemy spiritual items, so they were all quite friendly on the surface.

"Elder Fang advanced to Dao Foundation with an earth-grade flying sword. Your talent in the External Alchemy Technique must be the greatest among us. In the future, Heavenly Craft Valley will be counting entirely on you, Fellow Daoist Fang."

As Wu Tong spoke, he took out a booklet and handed it over. "These Notes on Heavenly Craft record the experience of generations of the valley's elders in refining external alchemy. It can be considered the inheritance of our Heavenly Craft Valley lineage. Elder Fang, you must study it well, carry it forward, and bring forth the new from the old."

Fang Yu hurriedly rose and accepted it. Stroking the cover, he said, "Rest assured, elders. I will certainly study it diligently, live up to our predecessors, and add my own bricks and tiles to our Heavenly Craft Valley lineage."

"Good, good, good! Come, let us all drink a cup to congratulate Elder Fang..."

Several hours later, Fang Yu saw Wu Tong and the other three elders off, then turned and returned to his cave abode.

The overall layout of the newly excavated cave abode was much the same as his old one at Flaming Mountain, except that it was much larger and had a courtyard in front. Sitting on the bench in the courtyard, he could see the lava waterfall plunging down nearby. Judged by scenery alone, it was exceptional.

Fang Yu went to the tea table in the quiet room and sat down, then took out the Notes on Heavenly Craft and studied it carefully.

The booklet looked thin, but it contained a great deal of information. More than half a month passed while he gave it a cursory reading.

I never imagined the External Alchemy Technique had so many techniques and subtleties.

Fang Yu sighed and put away the Notes on Heavenly Craft.

The Notes on Heavenly Craft would be a great help in refining his external alchemy skills in the future, but only in the subtle applications of his Molten Edge Flow Dao Foundation and the methods and techniques for crafting various external alchemy spiritual items. It was of no help whatsoever in further increasing his cultivation.

If he did not want to be trapped in Early Dao Foundation for the rest of his life, he had to switch to another Cultivation Method, and it had to be one suited to his Wings Fire fate.

I've only just advanced to Dao Foundation. I still need some time to consolidate my cultivation. I should wait at least three to five years before going out, or I'll surely bring unnecessary danger upon myself.

At that thought, Fang Yu sank his consciousness into his sea of consciousness.

His sea of consciousness was now divided into two areas, one large and one small. In the larger area, the Yuanchen Pearl was slowly turning, nurturing the Sun Gold Wheel, the Phoenix Cry Talisman Treasure, and a supreme-quality Profound Grade Flowing Flame True Fire Sword within it.

The Sun Gold Wheel and Phoenix Cry Talisman, the two treasures that had allowed him to turn the tables, were in even better condition than before under the Yuanchen Pearl's nourishment.

The talisman treasure in particular, which had originally held only enough power for a single strike, had now recovered most of its strength. It was like a power bank that had run out of charge and had now been fully recharged.

Fang Yu had placed the Flowing Flame True Fire Sword inside afterward to be nurtured. Although it was still supreme-quality Profound Grade, he could tell that, given time, the sword could be raised to earth-grade even without a blood sacrifice.

In the smaller area floated the Moon-Embracing Sword Immortal's wisp of sword intent.

This sword intent could both protect him and sense his location and cultivation. It was nothing less than a surveillance device.

Without the Yuanchen Pearl, he would have been under the gaze of a Purple Mansion sword immortal at all times.

Now things were a little better, because he had spent these past days figuring out the Yuanchen Pearl's newly awakened ability, Fate Weaving.

[Fate Weaving: Deduce heavenly secrets, conceal heavenly secrets, weave heavenly secrets.]

This ability allowed him to block the sword intent's surveillance, establish a separate isolated area for it, and make it perceive the information he wanted the other party to perceive.

For example, his current location and cultivation.

With Fate Weaving, he could continue going to Great Scarlet Heaven without worry, and without fearing that anything unusual would be discovered.

But that was all he could do for now. To develop Fate Weaving further and draw out more of its power, he still needed to learn a Cultivation Method for deducing heavenly secrets, such as the divination Divine Abilities he had read about in various books: the Plum Blossom Yijing Technique, Heavenly Secrets Transformation, and the Purple Star Dipper Technique.

Of course, the Metal Stone Immortal Sect certainly had no such Cultivation Methods or secret techniques. Even if it did, he would never learn them there again.

As the saying went, a stumble in the pit, a gain in wit. The Flowing Flame True Fire Scripture he had learned before was a Cultivation Method with a huge backdoor.

If the Flowing Flame True Fire Law Power he cultivated had not been purified by the Yuanchen Pearl, Tie Chanyi could easily have made him burn himself to death and become a sacrifice to the sword.

For that reason, he would never touch another Cultivation Method from the Metal Stone Immortal Sect.

At that thought, a fierce light flashed in Fang Yu's eyes.

He had toiled for the sect since he was young, yet the sect had treated him as expendable, taken his earth-grade flying sword, and now monitored him with sword intent. They were truly beneath contempt.

Now that he had only just advanced to Dao Foundation, he could only endure for the time being. Once he advanced to Purple Mansion or even Golden Core, he would make the Moon-Embracing Sword Immortal know what he was capable of.

From now on, his position in the Metal Stone Immortal Sect would be that of a newly advanced Dao Foundation elder of Heavenly Craft Valley whose Dao Path had been cut off and who was wholly absorbed in external alchemy.

Once he had thoroughly mastered the Notes on Heavenly Craft in his hands, the sect's attention to him should also diminish.

Then he could find a reason to leave without attracting too much attention, and he would not bring unknown dangers upon himself.

Of course, he would not really stay obediently in the valley.

Although his Dao Path in the Dao of Qi Ingestion had been cut off, it had not been cut off in the Dao of Qi Refining. He was already a late-stage Qi Refining Seventh Layer cultivator on that path, and could begin planning for Foundation Establishment.

After he reached Foundation Establishment, his lifespan should increase somewhat. He did not know whether the increases could stack, but it would certainly prolong his life, and living a few more decades would surely be no problem.

"However, before I go to the Dao of Qi Refining, there is still a karmic debt to settle!"

Fang Yu murmured to himself, left the cave abode, and shot toward the horizon as a streak of red.

Only moments later, he landed in front of Fire Cloud Cave and stepped inside.

As soon as he entered, the deacons on duty in the cave rose one after another to bow.

"Greetings, Elder..."

Fang Yu glanced at the deacons, a smile appearing on his face. Without paying them much attention, he went straight to Han Feng's desk.

"Disciple Han Feng greets Elder Fang!"

Looking at Han Feng, whose face was still expressionless and whose tone was respectful, Fang Yu laughed.

"I could not have attained Dao Foundation without your reminder back then, Deacon Han. For such a great favor, I naturally had to come and thank you in person!"

As he spoke, he swept a hand, and a Profound Grade Flowing Flame True Fire Sword of the finest quality appeared.

"Consider this sword my gift of thanks!"

Han Feng's icy face finally changed, not with delight, but with fear. "This disciple is not fortunate enough to accept such a Profound Grade flying sword. Please take it back, Elder!"

"Hahaha!" Fang Yu laughed. "Whether you keep it for yourself or sell it, it's up to you!"

As his words fell, he turned into a streak of red and disappeared from the cave.

Feeling the envious and jealous gazes his fellow deacons were casting at him from all around, Han Feng sighed deeply and cupped his hands.

"Everyone, I intend to hold a small gathering in three days to auction this Profound Grade Flowing Flame True Fire Sword crafted by Elder Fang. Those who are interested are welcome to attend."

As soon as he said this, the invisible pressure in the cave dissipated like a spring breeze, and the deacon disciples from the Tie Household all broke into genial smiles.