Seven Saints' Heaven-Bewildering Illusionary Magic, First Person of Ancient Evil Cultivation

"This kid is really petty. I just asked him how many times his grandfather hit him?"

Xiang Feng was kicked out and wandered into the ship's cabin.

Heng Shou was adjusting the course, concentrating on steering the ship.

Xiang Feng sat beside him, looking at the nautical chart and compass.

The islands in the Yanlong Waters were mostly rootless duckweed, frequently shifting their positions. Therefore, there was no fixed nautical chart for the Yanlong Waters. They used the compass's magnetic field to sense the Spiritual Veins of the Immovable Reef and then chose suitable routes among the various Spiritual Veins.

Heng Shou saw Xiang Feng enter and nodded slightly, acknowledging his greeting.

Xiang Feng knew Heng Shou's taciturn nature and wasn't angry, initiating a conversation.

"You've been with Little Sixth for so long, you must know him well."

So?

Heng Shou gave him a look.

"Do you know what secret techniques he's learned from books?"

Heng Shou looked at Xiang Feng and remained silent.

Then?

"It's nothing much. I'm mainly worried he'll learn something bad from books and go down the wrong path. You and Howling Fish need to keep a closer eye on him."

"No need. Old Master is watching. If Young Master goes down the wrong path, he'll be directly spanked with a ruler."

Rarely, Heng Shou spoke at length.

He sighed inwardly: The Cultivators in the Yanlong Waters should be grateful to Old Master! If it weren't for Old Master keeping him in check, with Young Master's unrestrained personality, the Fu Family of Panlong Island might have produced the first Devilish Heresy cultivator in a thousand years.

Devilish Heresy cultivators were even more terrifying than Devilish Dao cultivators.

Behind every infamous Devilish Heresy cultivator were countless bloody killings.

Every Cultivation Method and spell labeled as "evil arts and forbidden techniques" was a universally acknowledged taboo by both the Immortal and Devilish paths, defying human ethics and going against common sense.

The Black Artifacts, primarily intended for enslaving cultivators, were a relatively low-tier and gentler type of evil art.

Peeling the faces off five hundred people alive and then soaking them in their heart's blood. Finally, fusing and refining the five hundred faces could create an "Easy-Shape Blood Mask," which even Golden Core Cultivators would find difficult to see through.

Burying alive nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine infants born in yin years, yin months, and yin days, who were less than a full month old. After death, their bodies were cremated, their ashes used to make Figurine, and then the "Nine Spirits Evil Yin Curse Killing Method" could be used to remotely curse-kill Golden Core Cultivators.

Taking the bones of ancestors and soaking them with the blood of twelve types of beasts. Then, refining them with evil arts, one could use demonic blood to remotely contaminate descendants. If one were even more ruthless, they could use blood curses to control them, turning the descendants of the skeleton into slaves. If the bottom line were lowered further, one could even integrate beast organs into this lineage, turning living people into half-human, half-beast monsters...

Heng Shou knew that Fu Henghua, while reading in Langhuan Pavilion, had learned many strange and bizarre evil techniques from books that touched upon human taboos. Regarding Devilish Heresy inheritances, Heng Hua knew more than he did about Immortal Dao or Demonic Arts.

It couldn't be helped. The Immortal and Devilish paths could maintain normal master-disciple succession. It was rare to arrange hidden inheritances in books. However, Devilish Heresy cultivators were constantly suppressed by both the Immortal and Devilish paths, so their Cultivation Method inheritances couldn't be placed in the caves of their predecessors and had to be hidden within mortal texts.

Ordinary people reading books wouldn't discover the secret techniques and incantations hidden within them. Only intelligent, wise, and perceptive individuals, those with keen spiritual senses, could comprehend the techniques and incantations left behind by their predecessors between the lines. Or perhaps they could see through the formations hidden in the books and find the legacy secret arts.

These individuals with strong Spiritual Perception, high intelligence, and good comprehension were precisely the inheritors that Devilish Heresy cultivators sought.

Heng Hua spent his days immersed in Langhuan Pavilion, never without a book in hand. Coupled with his cultivation and sharp intellect, he naturally acquired many Devilish Heresy inheritances.

He had even figured out the Golden Core of Devilish Heresy. If he hadn't disdained the poor quality of the Golden Core, Donglai Waters might have produced a powerful Devilish Heresy being, a sixty-year Golden Core and a hundred-year Grandmaster.

Furthermore, Heng Hua's mother, when she married, brought a large red wooden chest containing eight hundred books, mostly ancient mortal texts. When Heng Hua was a child, his mother used these books as educational materials. As an adult, Heng Hua painstakingly translated three hundred evil technique inheritances from these eight hundred books.

"Speaking of which, what exactly is Madam's background? Why did her dowry contain so many evil techniques?"

Thinking of this, Heng Shou secretly regretted it.

If he had known that the chest was so sinister, he should have informed Old Master and had it burned immediately. That chest was a treasure for Devilish Heresy cultivators. If not for the upright family tradition of Panlong Island and Fu Danwei's strict supervision, his Young Master would have definitely embarked on the forbidden path.

After Heng Hua sent Fu Xiang Feng away, he began carving runes onto the surface of the Puppet Gold.

"Young Master, what kind of mechanical puppet are you making?"

"Golden Crab Full-Legged Soldier."

Heng Hua casually beckoned, and a Mechanism Diagram, bound with chains and made of Red Copper, flew out from the book chest he carried.

Bang!

The heavy Mechanism Diagram landed on the table with a dull thud.

The front and back of the book cover were carved with golden dragons, and the side had a "Three" character marking.

Crrrack--

The chains unlocked, and the pages automatically flipped open.

Each page of the mechanism book depicted the blueprints of a mechanical puppet and its related uses. Water-Shooting Bow Shrimp Soldier, Red Carp Fire-Swallowing Soldier, Nine-Bend Earth Dragon Soldier...

Soon, the diagram flipped to the page for "Golden Crab Full-Legged Soldier."

This was a crab-shaped puppet soldier, three zhang in size, entirely golden in color. Its pincers and eight legs could both be used as weapons, spinning like sword wheels when fighting.

Howling Fish: "This... isn't this similar to the Crab Spirit we encountered?"

"Yes, I suspect that puppet master modified it based on the 'Golden Crab Full-Legged Soldier' template."

"So, Young Master anticipated that person wouldn't give up and deliberately made the Golden Crab Full-Legged Soldier to deal with him?"

"It's quite interesting to shatter someone's confidence in their most proud field, isn't it?" Heng Hua looked up. "However, in my divination, that Artificer doesn't seem to pose any hindrance to me."

A hundred miles outside Panlong Island.

Yan Qianyu was arranging a Devil formation with people from Xuanxin Altar.

Silently adapting to his puppet body, he cursed Fu Liuhui a thousand times in his heart.

If it weren't for that little slut, how could he have ended up like this?

Not long ago, the Master of Xuanxin Altar personally came. This was a genuine Golden Core realm Devilish Cultivator. Yan Qianyu was terrified of putting on a show in front of him, afraid of revealing even the slightest flaw and thus being controlled by his Puppet Insects, becoming a slave of Xuanxin Altar.

"But as long as I destroy Panlong Island and perform Body Seizure on a descendant of the Fu Family, I can make a comeback."

In terms of aptitude and roots, these disciples of Baihuang Hall who had been baptized in the Dragon Transformation Pool were stronger than his original body.

Suspended Isle, Wei Lingzheng led a group of clansmen descending from the clouds, rushing towards the Divine Sky Jade Mansion in the center of the Spirit Isle.

After announcing themselves, the gatekeeping boy led the group to the Pear Blossom Forest.

Snowflakes hung from the branches, like clusters of exploded glaciers.

In the forest, there was a high Tai Chi platform. A middle-aged Cultivator wearing a Profound Clarity Dao Robe was meditating and circulating his energy.

After Wei Lingzheng and the others paid their respects, he said respectfully, "Clan Uncle, your nephew discovered Fu Family members active in the White River Reef area. I request your assistance."

"Fu Family? Who is here? Which branch?" Wei Chongwei opened his eyes, two sharp beams flashing. A strong wind stirred in the forest, raising layers of white waves.

"Baihuang Hall, Fu Xiangfeng."

"Fu Yinggu's son? Old Ghost Fu's grandson?"

Wei Chongwei made a grasping motion with his hand, and a whisk hanging from a treetop flew into his hand.

With a casual wave, all the petals dancing in the forest were swept before him.

The dense petals gathered continuously, first forming a disc, then a square, followed by a pentagram...

Flower Divination Technique.

Wei Lingzheng waited patiently for the result.

Bang--

After a loud noise, the petals were ignited by flames.

"Interesting, trying to interfere with my calculations?" With a sweep of his whisk, the flower ashes scattered with the wind.

Wei Chongwei stood up and employed another method of divination.

Howling Fish sat nearby, reading about the crafting of the Golden Crab Full-Legged Soldier.

The Golden Crab Soldier could have combat power up to the Foundation Establishment Realm. However, there was also an upgrade mode that could process and transform the original body into a "Golden Crab Dragon Scale General."

"Young Master, are the materials you've prepared a bit insufficient? The book says that a Golden Crab Full-Legged Soldier requires ten catties of Divine Iron, eight taels of Profound Gold, three taels of Spirit Silver, and one catty of Puppet Gold."

"Therefore, I will be simplifying the blueprints."

The Puppet Gold refined by Xiang Feng was only palm-sized, and the weight was far from enough. Heng Hua carefully inscribed micro-patterns on it, writing invisible spirit inscriptions one by one.

"Later, I'll ask Third Brother if he has any Jade. Also, send me those eight Crab Leg Jade and Pincer Claws--"

Suddenly, a cold wind poured in from outside the window.

Heng Hua had a premonition and casually beckoned to his book chest.

"Come here."

Whoosh whoosh whoosh--

Three Copper Coins flew out of a Lacquer Box. Heng Hua recited a few incantations and tossed the coins onto the table.

Clink--

The Divination Coins collided, and under the guidance of the spiritual energy in the unseen realm, they revealed a hexagram.

After silently calculating, Heng Hua sneered, "Hmph--I wondered who it was, turns out it's the Wei Family."

He picked up his brush, wrote three Lightning Talismans, and quickly threw them out the window.

"Go!"

He brought his middle two fingers together and pointed forcefully at the Lightning Talismans.

Rumble--

The three Lightning Talismans exploded, triggering changes in the surrounding moisture.

Heng Hua took the opportunity to draw a talisman with the scattered water vapor, writing a "Spirit Concealment Talisman" in the air.

"Conceal!"

The talisman drawn with water vapor merged into the heavens and earth, breaking Wei Chongwei's initial Flower Divination Technique.

But then, Heng Hua felt the probing power intensify.

Heng Hua got up and walked to the window, activating the Spiritual Inspiration Secret Method.

At some point, a dark cloud had drifted into the sky.

"Wei Lingzheng, right? He doesn't have this cultivation. Someone from the Wei Family who knows divination—"

"They fled early this morning, and now they've found someone to cast a spell. I suspect it's someone from the Wei Family nearby? Is it Wei Chongwei from Suspended Void Isle or Wei Chongkong from Crimson Light Isle?"

Both of those individuals were uncles to Wei Lingzheng, having cultivated for seven to eight hundred years and already reached the Mysterious Embryo realm.

Heng Hua performed the Nine Profound Heavenly Yi Calculation Art. This deduction method was incredibly profound, and when combined with the Spiritual Inspiration Secret Method, it had a miraculous effect, as if they were of the same origin.

"That power is coming from Suspended Void Isle? It's Wei Chongwei!"

Heng Hua chuckled, "If it were a Golden Core or False Core cultivator from the Wei Family, I might be a little worried. But a mere divination method from the Mysterious Embryo realm? It dares to compete with me?"

He returned from the window to the room, rolled up the pearl powder on the table with his sleeve, and leaped onto the roof of the boat.

"Little Sixth, what's going on?"

Xiang Feng shouted from the bow of the boat.

"It's nothing. Someone's trying to divine your and my location—it's Third Brother you they're trying to divine."

Heng Hua saw faint, strange vortices above Xiang Feng's head.

Clearly, the diviner was targeting Fu Xiangfeng, sensing the Cai Luan Spirit Boat.

He forcefully scattered the pearl powder from his sleeve, formed hand seals, and a series of bizarre runes appeared in the air, attracting the powder and transforming into distorted seal script.

Xiang Feng stared at the seal script, and his head suddenly felt dizzy. He dared not look further in that direction.

His expression turned grim as he pondered: The righteous sects, how could they possess such a spell? Could it be some kind of evil art?

"It's not an evil art,"

Heng Shou, who had suddenly appeared, said to Fu Xiangfeng.

He remembered the origin of this cultivation method. It was an ancient text brought back by a fellow clansman from the Fu Family from outside twenty years ago.

After Fu Henghua translated it, he extracted a Heavenly Demon cultivation technique from between the lines of that Yellow Grade Cultivation Method—the Myriad Transformations Free Heavenly Demon Scripture.

This was the foundation scripture of the Heavenly Demon Hall, renowned throughout the thirteen water regions. The Seven Saints' Heaven-Bewildering Illusionary Method was its accompanying spell.

Heng Hua had once speculated that perhaps during the turmoil in the Heavenly Demon Hall back then, a senior Devilish Cultivator had hidden within a cultivation technique, attempting to find a successor to the Heavenly Demon.

Seeing Heng Hua effortlessly manipulate demonic incantations, Heng Shou sighed.

As expected, a natural seed of the Devilish Dao, a genius of evil cultivation. A monster who, with a single thought of falling into demonic ways, immediately formed a Devilish Dao Golden Core back then.

Then, he beckoned Howling Fish and Xiang Feng to retreat back into the cabin.

Heng Hua fully activated the Seven Saints' Heaven-Bewildering Illusionary Method, wisps of Yin wind swirling around him.

Under the activation of the demonic magic, the spiritual seals formed seven sets of demonic patterns filled with the strange energy of the Heavenly Demon.

Crack—

As Heng Hua brought his hands together, the seven sets of demonic patterns stirred up seven vortices on the water's surface, stirring up a mist that obscured the sky.

"It's done."

Heng Hua could feel that as he performed the ritual, the power targeting Fu Xiangfeng lost its objective and could only drift and linger above this stretch of water.

He breathed a sigh of relief, flicked his sleeve, and the mist descended like a hazy veil, covering the entire water area and concealing the Cai Luan Spirit Boat's whereabouts.