Yuanjun Sword Sang Through the Heavens, Deep Was the Kindly Elder's Earnest Charge

That night, Hengshou secretly carried Fu Heyi to the ferry and hid him inside a large ship.

Not long after, a girl dressed in black arrived.

Looking over the spirit ships moored at the ferry, she first slipped into the one where Hengshou had hidden his person and found Fu Heyi.

"Just as expected, he's on the Colorful-Luan Spirit Ship."

After checking Fu Heyi's condition, Fu Liuhui murmured, "Nineteenth Uncle, forgive me. It isn't convenient for your niece to take you along."

She had originally planned to bring Fu Heyi away with her. But after turning it over and over in her mind, she realized that if Fu Heyi changed his mind midway and ran off to complain to Fu Beidou, wouldn't that put Sixth Brother in trouble?

Just as she was preparing to leave, she suddenly noticed a sword case on the table.

There was a small pinch of dirt ash atop it.

"..."

After a brief moment of thought, Fu Liuhui suddenly understood. "So this was where the flaw showed? Sixth Brother hid some secret art within those two pinches of dirt ash?"

The girl took this lesson to heart and gently opened the sword case.

Besides a treasured azure sword, there was also a note: "Girl, this is all that remains of your brother's worldly possessions. Keep it safe."

"The Yuanjun Sword?"

Fu Liuhui slowly stroked the blade, her eyes carrying a trace of nostalgia.

The sword was three feet long and three inches wide, with neither edge nor scabbard. One side bore the talismans of Heavenly Clarity, while the other was inscribed with the seal-script characters "Yuanjun." Thus, it was also called the Heavenly Clarity Yuanjun Sword.

It had been the sword worn by Fu Henghua's father before his death, a top-grade treasure artifact.

Yet treasure artifacts required their owners to nurture them day and night to maintain their power. Henghua read books every day, so naturally he had no time for that. Therefore, he sealed the treasure artifact, locked it within this sword case, and buried it beneath Sword Dragon Peak. Borrowing the strength of the earth veins slowed the loss of spiritual energy.

When Fu Henghua discovered that Fu Liuhui was fishing in troubled waters and planning to secretly leave the island, he had specifically unearthed the sword case and left it for her protection. After all, when Fu Liuhui's parents died, she had received very little. Now, she did not even possess a handy flying sword.

"Thank you, Sixth Brother."

The Yuanjun Sword held an even more special meaning for Fu Liuhui.

After her parents died, she had been abandoned by her own elder brother. When the Fu Family learned of it, they brought her home and raised her, placing her within the Fu Family's generational order. In her youth, Fu Liuhui had called out "Father" and "Mother" together with Henghua. Her swordsmanship had been taught hand over hand by Fu Henghua's father.

Only after reaching adulthood did she learn that they were not her birth parents, but her uncle and aunt.

Yet decades of familial affection could not easily be severed. When Fu Henghua's parents died, Fu Liuhui's grief had been no less than Henghua's. However, she knew her place and had not gone to compete with Fu Henghua for her uncle and aunt's treasured relics.

Of course, Fu Henghua's parents had not left behind many belongings to begin with.

Apart from the travel journals and handwritten notes from their lifetimes, there were only three magical treasures: the Yuanjun Sword, the Mysterious Fire Vermilion-Plume Fan, and the Thousand-Treasure Ornament Casket.

Clear qi curled around the sword's body as a pleasant sword cry rang out, bright and resonant.

"It has been a long time."

When she was young, her uncle had used this very Yuanjun Sword to teach her swordsmanship.

And unlike Fu Henghua, who devoted himself wholeheartedly to reading, Fu Liuhui had inherited his father's sword arts.

After taking another look at the unconscious Fu Heyi, Fu Liuhui gave a deep bow, then put away the sword case and departed.

She and Fu Henghua were close in age and had grown up together since childhood. Between them, there was a deep mutual understanding.

When she had gone to Langhuan Hall that day, she had already sensed that something was wrong. That night, she had secretly entered Langhuan Hall herself and found the unconscious Fu Heyi.

But she knew her limits. Not only had she not informed the others, she had instead visited Danruo Courtyard from time to time, creating the illusion that Fu Heyi was still inside.

Even the immortal crane Huang Qiong had been taken outside the island and settled there in advance after she took the beast-controlling token, waiting for her to join it later.

It could be said that the Fu Family had gone more than a month without growing suspicious entirely because Fu Liuhui had maneuvered behind the scenes.

The red sun rose in the east, and the morning dew gradually thinned.

Fu Xiangfeng accompanied a beautiful woman toward Langhuan Hall.

The woman was full-figured and kind-eyed, with a benevolent expression, yet she was the true manager of present-day Coiling Dragon Island: Fu Xiangfeng's mother, Zhang Qiulan.

Behind the mother and son followed two young maidservants in pink floral skirts, seasonal flowers tucked into their twin buns.

Seeing the blooming flowers on both sides, the beautiful woman stopped and lightly waved her peony silk fan.

"The flowers on Little Six's side are blooming more beautifully than those at Jade Fragrance Pavilion. Later, remember to send someone over to watch them, lest the flowers here wither after he leaves."

The maidservants behind her respectfully acknowledged the order.

Xiang Feng looked at the woman, seeming to want to speak but stopping himself. When he saw her preparing to enter Langhuan Hall, he finally could not hold back. "Mother, Henghua is only going out to see a friend. It isn't worth making such a grand affair of it. Why did you have to come personally?"

"It is rare for Little Six to take the notion of going out to visit friends. As his aunt, how could I simply sit by?"

Only a few years ago had Zhang Qiulan moved back to Coiling Dragon Island from outside with several young ladies. Before that, only Henghua and Fu Danwei's grandfather-grandson pair had lived here. She felt that Fu Henghua had lived a hard life and could not help worrying for him all the more.

As they entered Langhuan Hall, they heard Henghua speaking to Xiaoyu inside.

"Bring that chair along. Yes, leave everything on top of it. I like this cushion very much. When I rest outside, I'm certainly not sitting on rocks. And the pillow and bamboo mat, bring those too... Of course, the Eighteen Officials of the Study must not be left behind. They may come in handy later.

"Prepare the tea leaves too. Oh, don't be stingy—bring them all. With this little tea, we may use it up before we even reach the halfway point."

Fu Xiangfeng's expression changed when he saw the things Henghua was arranging to bring off the island.

Was leaving the island really that troublesome?

Wasn't it enough to bring some pills, get a Qiankun Ring, and then sail the ship off the island?

If thirsty, scoop up some stream water. If hungry, eat fasting pills. If tired, find somewhere to meditate, or hide in the ship to rest.

"Fine, that's all. Put them in my ring first, then arrange them on the ship later. Come, come, help me comb my hair."

Fu Xiangfeng and Zhang Qiulan entered. Seeing no one on the first floor, they went directly upstairs.

Henghua was wearing only an inner robe and sitting before a mirror, while Xiaoyu stood behind him binding his hair.

One of the things Henghua had found most difficult to get used to after transmigrating was his hairstyle.

This was a world of immortal cultivation. Henghua had assumed that, as cultivators, everyone would be unconcerned with clothing and grooming, and that a casual bit of tidying would suffice.

But he had happened to be born into a cultivation family.

The customs of a lineage were vastly different from those of cultivation sects and Rogue Cultivators.

One of their greatest characteristics was their clan rules and ritual propriety.

The older the lineage, the more it valued rites and laws.

The Fu Family had been passed down for a thousand years and required its members to place importance on propriety and appearance. As the saying went, "The body, hair, and skin are received from one's parents." After coming of age, men had to bind their hair and were forbidden from wearing it loose or cutting it short.

What Henghua remembered most deeply was how, before he came of age, he had been accustomed to short hair. Once, after emerging from seclusion as an adult, he found his long hair troublesome and simply shaved it down to a crew cut.

That very night, he tasted his father's bamboo-slat meal for the first time in many years.

After several decades, the habits from his twenty years on Earth had almost been completely worn away. A deep imprint of a Fu Family disciple remained upon Henghua.

Proper in conduct, bearing the appearance of a gentleman, upholding righteousness and roaming as a hero...

Tempered by all these demands, setting aside the foul thoughts that occasionally bubbled up within him, he truly looked like a jade-like gentleman stepped down from a painting.

Unfortunately, that fine jade had a black heart within.

"Young Master, which crown would you like?"

"This mountain-shaped jade crown. Right, don't leave any hair loose in back this time. Bind it all up—forget it, a high tail might be better."

"Bind it all up."

Zhang Qiulan walked over. "When you are away from home, binding it all up is more convenient."

Oh? Was that so?

Henghua silently looked toward Fu Xiangfeng.

His hair was bound with a golden crown, but a high ponytail was left hanging behind him. Standing at the doorway with his sword in hand, he looked heroic and dashing.

"Hmph. I have told your Third Brother so many times, but he never listens."

Zhang Qiulan looked at her son with disgust.

Fu Xiangfeng shrugged and pretended not to hear, turning his head to look at the blooming peonies outside the hall.

Henghua rose and greeted his Second Aunt with proper ceremony.

"Second Mother, some days ago, I borrowed some gold thread from you..."

"Didn't you already return it? It's fine. If you need more, just tell Second Mother directly. There is plenty of gold thread this time, anyway."

Something was off about Zhang Qiulan's tone.

Henghua lowered his head, faintly guessing the reason.

This batch of gold-thread cloud brocade had been sent by White Elm Hall for use in arranging the old master's funeral.

It would be strange if Second Aunt were happy about that.

Zhang Qiulan pulled Henghua down to sit again, stroking the obedient youth's head as she sighed inwardly. Little Six was still the obedient one, unlike that brat of mine...

Looking again at Xiang Feng standing by the door, she shook her head.

"Come, Second Mother will bind your hair herself."

Though she said she would personally coil and tie it, she was actually casting an immortal art called the Hair-Binding Curse.

This spell, refined from the arts of curses and witchcraft, was a boon to cultivators across the world who were poor at braiding hair.

After emerging from seclusion, was one's hair too long and messy?

One only needed to softly chant the incantation, and the hair would automatically trim itself to a normal length and knot itself into place.

Its only shortcoming was that the Hair-Binding Curse could not automatically create different hairstyles. One Hair-Binding Curse was tailored to only one hairstyle.

Thus, the caster needed to constantly make adjustments.

As the spell took effect, Henghua's hair floated up by itself, formed into cords, and was then tucked into a palm-sized mountain-shaped crown.

Zhang Qiulan made a few minor adjustments and nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad, not bad. What a handsome young man. When you go out later, remember to meet a few more young ladies and bring them back for your grandfather to see."

Urging him to marry?

Henghua choked for a moment and looked at Fu Xiangfeng beside him.

Although cultivation families differed from sects and could not avoid such matters, wasn't it too early for me to start talking about this now?

Fu Xiangfeng clearly had no desire to involve himself in the subject. He stood by the window admiring the scenery, avoiding having the flames of war spread to himself.

After quite a while, seeing that Zhang Qiulan was still chattering on, he could not help saying, "Mother, things are nearly ready. We should be leaving."

"What is the rush? Your brother has not even changed clothes yet."

Casting a glance at the blue robe hanging from the clothes rack, Zhang Qiulan frowned. "Clothes like these are far too loose and inconvenient for moving around."

Henghua had not gone out for a long time, so he had naturally grown accustomed to being lazy at home. Most of his robes were long gowns and deep garments, made as loose and comfortable as possible.

But once he went outside, such loose clothing would inevitably be inconvenient.

Take Fu Xiangfeng, for example. Though he currently wore a long robe over it, beneath it was fitted combat attire with bound sleeves tucked into boots. When fighting and killing, he only needed to throw off the outer red robe, and he could immediately leap into the water with sword in hand to battle aquatic beasts.

Seeing the clothes on the rack, Henghua showed a troubled expression.

He truly had not prepared any treasure garments of fitted combat wear like Third Brother's.

"I guessed you did not have many clothes for going out, so I specially brought you two sets. They were altered from your Third Brother's clothes, but they are new. He has never worn them."

Zhang Qiulan took out two sets of narrow-sleeved martial outfits with long trousers, one blue and one red.

The garments were exquisitely made and beautiful, their fine patterns concealing two protective formations.

"This red set has wind-and-fire formations. This blue set allows you to move in water. Hurry, try one on first."

Unable to withstand his aunt's ardent kindness, Henghua could only put on the red set, after which Zhang Qiulan lectured and admonished him at length.

Several times, Fu Xiangfeng wanted to interrupt his mother, but Zhang Qiulan used a mother's authority to firmly press him down each time.

"What is the hurry? Your brother has not left the island in so many years. What is wrong with me giving him more instructions now that he is going out? He is not like you, wandering around outside all day."

Holding Henghua's hand, Zhang Qiulan listed countless matters requiring attention.

Do not casually listen to strangers, make sure to follow your cousin... Remember not to get separated, do not go to overly dangerous places...

Henghua wore a smile and agreed to every one of Second Aunt's instructions.

In the end, were not an elder's earnest, repeated instructions all for his own sake?

Of course he would accept such heartwarming kindness with gratitude.

"Right, is the friend you are meeting male or female? What is their personality like? Where is their family from?"

"Mother, stop asking so many questions."

Seeing Zhang Qiulan preparing to get to the root of things, Fu Xiangfeng hurriedly pulled Henghua out the door.

Heavenly Clarity Yuanjun, one of the Fu Family's three famed swords. Carved from Heavenly Clarity Jade, it was three feet long and three inches wide. One side bore Heavenly Clarity talismanic arts, while the other was set with the seal-script inscription "Yuanjun," hence its name, the Heavenly Clarity Yuanjun Sword. The sword had neither edge nor blade. Some said that the benevolent way had no edge; this sword belonged to that kind.

Added to the archive.

—<Donglai Imperial Dynasty Treasury · Sword Manual · Entry One>