Dew, Rain, Frost, Snow Make Jade Dew, Twenty-Four Solar Terms Refine Divine Water

Fu Henghua tapped a finger, and the Illusionary Spirit Technique conjured three images in the air.

The leftmost one resembled ginseng, with a purple stem and nine gold patterns on its surface.

The middle one was an ink wash painting, showing a small grass atop a cassia tree.

The rightmost was a fist-sized clump of black flint emitting flames.

The same heavenly treasure might have different names in different places; one could only inquire based on its external characteristics.

Nie Xing carefully examined the three images, recalling for a long time, yet his face remained filled with confusion.

He turned his gaze to Liu Xu and asked, "Junior Brother, do you recognize any of these?"

Liu Xu thought for a moment and said, "The Mysterious Gold Ginseng is a spiritual herb recorded in the Immortal Spirit Compendium. It's nearly an immortal herb. After a thousand years of cultivation, it can transform, comparable to a Golden Core cultivator.

"The Moon Grass... in our Central Region, it's called 'Moon Spirit Mushroom.' It's a spiritual seed cast into the mortal realm by Taiyin, growing attached to cassia wood, and only becoming a spiritual herb after a thousand years. Fellow Daoist, are you asking us because you think our Divine Moon Sect possesses this item?"

"That was indeed my thought."

"Moon Grass ripens once every thousand years. Legend has it that my sect's ancestor once consumed a 'Moon Spirit Mushroom' to break through to the Golden Core stage. But such opportunities are rare and cannot be sought. The Divine Moon Sect once tried to cultivate it, but after several failures, we had to give up."

Fu Henghua remained silent.

Liu Xu continued, "As for the last item, the Eternal Fire Stone, I haven't heard of what it is. Fellow Daoist Fu, are there any other characteristics?"

Fu Henghua replied, "I only know that the fire around this stone burns for a thousand years without extinguishing. It should be a fire of the Yang attribute."

Liu Xu thought for a while longer, then shook his head and gave up.

"I'm sorry, I really can't remember."

"It's alright. Learning the alternative name for Moon Grass is also a gain."

The two fellow disciples didn't linger. After some pleasantries, they took their leave.

Watching their retreating figures, Fu Henghua pondered thoughtfully.

Xiang Feng leaped back onto the boat's roof. "What, feeling strange? They proactively came to ask us for help?"

Fu Henghua shook his head. "Old Man always says, a person should be upright and help those in need when they encounter injustice while traveling. I'm well aware of the reputation he's built for us."

Unfortunately, Fu Henghua isn't that kind of person.

But seeing the reputation the Fu Family held in the eyes of these cultivators, after coming out to see for himself, moved him greatly.

Fu Danwei had roamed the Yanlong Waters for hundreds of years, accumulating a reputation that allowed fellow cultivators to naturally extend a degree of trust when facing Fu Family disciples.

In this cold and cruel cultivation world, it was truly precious.

With a gentle flick of the Thousand-Strand Silk, Xiang Feng's half-filled box of Bright Moon Pearls, still warm, was taken by Fu Henghua.

"Third Brother is quite generous. He waived the consultation fee for my diagnosis?"

Xiang Feng was speechless. "You don't lack these pearls, why haggle with them?"

When traveling outside, one naturally had to uphold the Fu Family's dignity.

"I do. I'm quite short on money right now."

Fu Henghua examined the half-box of pearls.

Hmm, no hidden True Essence imprints. It seems these two brothers didn't intentionally poison themselves and try to scheme against us by offering money.

Fu Henghua, being cunning, checked them a few times before feeling reassured and tossing the pearls back to Xiang Feng.

Xiang Feng waved his hand and passed them to the Howling Fish beside him.

"Keep them. After all, you're the one who provided the pills. But... you can also treat illnesses?"

"I learn some things by reading at home."

Fu Henghua sighed.

Why study medicine? Isn't it all for the old man at home?

"The knowledge in books can't be used; it's just theoretical. I originally thought... you rarely leave the island, so you wouldn't know much about the outside world."

With just a few glances, he deduced the other person's poisoning and even their travel region.

I spend all day rushing around and adventuring outside, and I don't understand as much as this kid.

"Haven't seen a pig run, but haven't eaten pork? There are records from predecessors in books about the cure for that Peacock Fire thing. Without taking pills, you could also force out the poison by circulating True Essence for three days. But doing so carries too many variables."

This was Fu Henghua's first time out, and he was extremely wary, not trusting outside cultivators at all.

"Right, those three medicinal ingredients you inquired about earlier?"

"They are the main ingredients for refining the Essence Accelerating Great Medicine."

Xiang Feng frowned deeply. "It sounds like these ingredients require a thousand years of heat. It would be difficult to obtain them in our region, wouldn't it? And this medicine of yours... a spiritual pill?"

"A fourth-grade one, close to an immortal pill," Fu Henghua said with a sigh. "This is a prescription from Old Immortal Liu. This life-threatening medicine can restore my grandfather to his peak condition and increase his chances of reaching Nascent Soul by ten percent."

Ge Liu was Fu Danwei's close friend and a renowned alchemist in the Yanlong Waters. Ninety percent of Fu Henghua's medical skills came from this Golden Core senior.

"But Old Immortal Liu's methods might not be easy for refining this great medicine, right?"

"Therefore, we'll need to invite several other alchemists from the clan. Living Yama, Marvelous Heavenly Hand, and Spirit Thief. All three of them need to be invited."

The Fu family's alchemists weren't skilled enough, which left Heng Hua feeling helpless. He was excellent at calculating cultivation methods, but alchemy was a complete disaster for him.

Even with Old Immortal Liu's meticulous instruction, his knowledge was too scattered, and less than ten percent of his focus was on medicine.

He could manage to translate ancient pill recipes for the clan or make simple, small medicines. Beyond that, he was useless.

"The clan is willing to owe Grandfather a favor to invite those few people here?"

Four out of the five great alchemists in the Yanlong Waters, all at once. How much capital was the Fu family investing?

"A family with an elder is like having a treasure. Grandfather was righteous and chivalrous in his youth, with extensive connections. As long as he's alive, those connections and favors remain. If he dies, those favors will be lost, which isn't good for the Fu family."

Most straightforwardly, Old Immortal Liu and Fu Danwei were good friends. With Fu Danwei alive, it was easy to ask him to refine pills, and he wouldn't haggle over rewards. On Fu Danwei's account, Ge Liu was even willing to teach Heng Hua medicine selflessly.

But if Fu Danwei were gone, the clan would have a hard time getting his help again. Even if he were willing to refine pills, he would demand appropriate compensation.

Furthermore, if Fu Danwei could truly break through, the Fu family would have a Nascent Soul cultivator guarding them, which would be an even greater benefit.

"What about Baiyu Hall? Will they agree?"

Heng Hua glanced down at the smaller boat where Fu Heyi was sleeping and chuckled, "Everything is for the benefit of the Fu family. Isn't it?"

Xiang Feng opened his mouth, then thought about it. It was true. They used the clan's overall situation to force them out. Now, as long as they could help Grandfather break through, they could also force the others to back down.

"The matter of manpower is still far off. Third Brother, while you're traveling, pay close attention to these three thousand-year-old heavenly materials and earthly treasures." Heng Hua sighed, "The 'Two Principles Mysterious Ginseng Pill' requires over three hundred kinds of medicinal ingredients. It also needs 'Zhou Hua Jade Dew' as a troublesome decoction base. I've calculated that our clan can gather the other auxiliary ingredients. Even if there are deficiencies, Old Immortal Liu will help. But these three thousand-year-old spiritual materials, even the Old Immortal has never encountered them."

"Understood. I'll keep a close eye out when I travel. But Zhou Hua Jade Dew—should we collect it sooner?"

Heng Hua looked at him with disdain. "The flower gardens around Langhuan Pavilion aren't just for my enjoyment. I've already prepared that."

Zhou Hua Jade Dew, a particularly troublesome medicinal base.

In the Beginning of Spring, the dew on the new buds of the winter jasmine.

In the Rain Water period, the rain falling on cherry blossoms, water that hasn't touched the soil.

In the Awakening of Insects period, the clear dew on the Chinese rose that hasn't been tainted by dust.

In the Beginning of Summer, the dew on the lily of the valley.

In White Dew, the morning frost on the night-blooming cereus.

In Winter Solstice, the accumulated snow on the wintersweet.

In short, using twenty-four kinds of flowers to capture the dew, rain, frost, and snow of the twenty-four solar terms. It takes seventy-two five-day periods, a full year, to refine a single drop of "Zhou Hua Jade Dew." If one can collect 129,600 drops of Zhou Hua Jade Dew, a drop of Zhou Guang Divine Water can be condensed.

Heng Hua had started preparing years ago. Twenty-four types of flowers were planted outside Langhuan Pavilion, and every solar term, he had Howling Fish and the gardeners collect frost and dew, to refine "Zhou Hua Jade Dew" at the end of the year.

Hearing that Little Sixth had already made preparations, Xiang Feng felt a little relieved.

But then he thought about it. His cousin was running around for their grandfather, collecting frost and dew, calculating cultivation methods, and searching for thousand-year-old spiritual materials. Yet, he himself hadn't done anything useful, and felt a bit ashamed.

"Alright, Third Brother, get some rest. We should set off at dawn."

Suddenly, Xiang Feng flicked his finger, and the lanterns on both sides of the spirit boat emitted rainbow light. They intertwined in the air, forming the shape of a coiled dragon.

"What's the hurry? It's your first time out. Third Brother will show you around. Also, ask around a bit more; maybe there's a lead on those three spiritual materials."

Seeing the coiled dragon image rise into the air, Heng Hua twitched the corner of his mouth. "Are you going to open a floating market? Do you think anyone at the floating market will have those three spiritual herbs? If it were that easy, Grandfather's troubles would have been solved long ago."

West of Undisturbed Reef.

A young man in golden robes looked at the shining coiled dragon pattern in the sky, lost in thought.

"Qing Xi, you're from the Yanlong Waters. Do you recognize this emblem?"

Two cultivators stood on either side of the young man. The cultivator on the left said, "The Fu family, the Coiled Dragon Seal. It should be a disciple of Baihuang Hall here."

"It really is the Coiled Dragon Seal? My father repeatedly warned me when I came to the Yanlong Waters. Seeing the Coiled Dragon Seal, I should retreat three miles and avoid conflict with them. Do you know why?"

Qing Xi: "When Master came to the Yanlong Waters to do business in his youth, he received help from the elder of the Fu family and owed many favors."

Lu Xin asked curiously, "If that's the case, why didn't you consider the Fu family when looking for an agent in the Yanlong Waters this time?"

"Because the elder of the Fu family is dying."

Qing Xi looked at the Baihuang Hall emblem, his mood quite complicated.

He had received care from the Fu family when he was in the Yanlong Waters.

Unfortunately...

The candidates chosen by the boss this time are the Wei family and the Cheng family.

Qing Xi felt a hidden worry in his heart.

These two families, with the sponsorship of Yulan Trading Company, would likely increase their influence further, making the Fu family's situation even more precarious.

Lu Xin: "Do you know what the Fu family is doing here?"

"A floating market, using boats as locations to invite cultivators on Undisturbed Reef to trade."

"A floating market?" Lu Xin fanned himself, a look of disdain on his face. "Such a low-level trading method. Doesn't the Yanlong Waters even have a fixed trading post?"

"Major aristocratic families open spirit islands and spirit lands, establishing immortal districts, but they require taxes. One to three percent of the transaction proceeds go to the island lord. The reef area's boat market is different; it's casual and random. Once dawn arrives, trading stops, and everyone disperses."

"But aren't you afraid of being cheated in this kind of trade? If someone sets up a trap on a boat and captures all the Cultivators who come, wouldn't that be..."

"That's why very few people can manage the boat market in the Yanlong Waters, and the Fu Family is even rarer among the rare. Young Master, would you like to take a look?"

Addendum, Flower Compendium: Flowers correspond to the four seasons, with different seasonal variations, having twenty-four grades that rotate according to the solar terms. Taking flower dew and purifying it can be made into Zhou Hua Jade Dew and Hundred Flower Jade Dew.