Creation's Epoch-Reunion Art Unveils Its Mysteries; the Heavenly Book Seeks the Dao Through Journey to the West

"Dead?"

Fu Danwei's eyes widened as he looked at Fu Henghua.

Heng Hua ignored him instead.

After the puppet finished recording the circulation method, Fu Henghua examined Xiang Feng's body again.

"Third Brother's meridians are stronger than I expected. That must be related to the opportunity you encountered on this trip, right? When you practice later, consider changing your circulation technique. When guiding qi through the Hand Lesser Yin Heart Meridian, add a little more true essence. If you can improve the circulation of your blood and qi, it will help you refine your Samadhi True Fire. Also, among your twelve meridians, the Foot Lesser Yin is your vulnerable gate. Be careful when circulating your art. The three techniques I selected should, more or less, help patch up your weaknesses."

At the doorway, Xiaoyu entered carrying a tea tray, just as Fu Danwei asked, "Wait, Heng Hua, how did you know Wei Xingyu was dead?"

Heng Hua lifted his chin and deliberately ignored the old man, continuing to speak while holding Xiang Feng.

"Third Brother, which one are you choosing?"

"The first one. The one for cultivating the Mystic Wind Secret Art."

Xiang Feng saw Fu Danwei repeatedly signaling to him with his eyes.

Gentle and courteous by nature, he asked on his grandfather's behalf, "Little Six, how did you learn of Wei Xingyu's death?"

Fu Henghua still gave his Third Brother due respect.

"I calculated it."

Calculated it? Wasn't it you, Young Master, who set him up and got him killed?

Xiaoyu silently grumbled to herself as she served three bowls of tea to the grandfather and two grandsons.

The tea bowls had wide mouths and narrow bases, shaped like funnels. White froth floated atop the tea, with an Azure Dragon faintly emerging within it, a scene beautifully called "Azure Dragon Soaring Through the Clouds."

"Calculated it?" Fu Danwei furrowed his long brows. "Since when did you learn Heavenly Mechanism Divination?"

Deducing cultivation arts and divining heavenly mechanisms might both seem to belong to the same lineage of calculation, but their foundations were entirely different. Moreover, the Fu Family's Heto Calculation Canon required Golden Core Realm cultivation to practice. This brat had never even read it.

"I study and cultivate in the library. I can always learn a thing or two from books."

Heng Hua picked up his tea bowl. Seeing the pattern in the tea, he silently shook his head at Xiaoyu. "You girl, you always like making tea paintings for amusement. How many times have I said it? Your young master prefers plain tea."

Xiaoyu said, "Plain tea cannot draw out the spiritual power of the 'Hidden Dragon Golden Leaf.' Whisking or decocting the tea is the only way to fully bring forth the spiritual power within the leaves."

Besides, the old master was here.

"Not bad. This old man enjoys whisked tea." Fu Danwei took another tea bowl, and the sight of the Azure Dragon drifting amid the milky foam filled him with delight.

"Xiaoyu's tea-making skills are excellent, deeply to my liking. I wonder which cultivator's family will be fortunate enough to have her someday."

Heng Hua rolled his eyes repeatedly. "If you have the leisure to play matchmaker for the girls, why not think about how to send those little grandaunts of ours off instead? Those few in our family are debts you cultivated in your past life."

In recent years, Fu Danwei had been enjoying his retirement. Who knew where he had developed the habit, but he had become fond of arranging marriages.

Most of the maidservants in Coiling Dragon Pavilion had been matched by Fu Danwei with guest retainers and disciples as Dao companions.

"What do you know, brat?"

Fu Danwei looked at Xiaoyu and secretly considered which of his disciples would suit her best.

Such personal ties could preserve Cypress Sovereign Hall's vitality for several more years after his death.

"I don't understand those marriage registers of yours. But I do know that Wei Xingyu is dead now. Shouldn't our family be making some major moves?"

Wei Xingyu was the acknowledged genius among the five great lineages in the eastern Dragonreach Waters.

At the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining, he defeated a Ninth Layer of Qi Refining cultivator from the Yin Family.

At the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining, he defeated Fu Henghua, a Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Fu Family.

At the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining, he defeated Bao Mufeng, a Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Bao Family, piercing his dantian. At the same time, Wei Xingyu stepped into the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining.

At the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining, he defeated a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Cheng Family and severed one of his arms.

Precisely because he had beaten every one of the other four great cultivation lineages, the Fu Family did not hold Heng Hua's earlier defeat against him.

After all, everyone had lost. The fact that Fu Henghua had managed to escape unharmed was already no small feat.

"The Bao Family and Wei Family were originally linked by marriage. But ten years ago, Wei Xingyu pierced the dantian of Bao Mufeng, the Bao Family's direct grandson, and turned against them. Now that he is dead, the Wei Family's connection with the Eastern Sea Sword Sect has been cut off. Shouldn't our families make a move?"

The eastern Dragonreach Waters were dominated by five great cultivation lineages, and the Wei Family and Fu Family had the worst relationship among them.

Ten years ago, after defeating a Yin Family cultivator, Wei Xingyu came to Coiling Dragon Pavilion to kick in the gates. He trampled on Fu Henghua's and Fu Danwei's dignity to establish his name as a genius.

Fu Danwei fell into thought. "If the news is true, it really is a fine opportunity."

After Wei Xingyu defeated the four families, the Bao Family turned against the Wei Family, the Fu Family joined forces with the Yin Family, and the Cheng Family had also been secretly targeting the Wei Family again and again.

If Wei Xingyu's death was confirmed, the four families could join hands and tear a great chunk of flesh from the Wei Family.

"So, your most urgent task right now isn't to quickly make arrangements, find a way to flatten the Wei Family's ancestral residence, and bring their inherited Wind-Supporting Qi-Nurturing Art to Langhuan Hall?"

"That is the Wei Family's foundational heart method. Do you think it can be taken so easily?"

Fu Danwei muttered as he began calculating in his heart.

If they could wring a profit from the Wei Family, then even if Cypress Sovereign Hall withdrew from Coiling Dragon Island, it could preserve its strength and raise another Golden Core Cultivator.

Back then, he and his father had built up Coiling Dragon Island. These sons and grandsons of his might not be incapable of creating another "Coiling Dragon Island."

Seeing the old man deep in thought, Xiaoyu silently lowered her head.

No one knew better than she and Hengshou how Wei Xingyu had died.

Back then, that fool had come to the Coiling Dragon Waters with a Great Golden Core Adept of the Wei Family. Taking advantage of the old master's advanced age and inability to act, and of the young master's lack of prowess in direct combat, he had blocked the main gate and used Fu Henghua and his grandfather to make a name for himself.

Angered, the young master had feigned defeat. In secret, he hid mana inside Wei Xingyu's body, arranging for him to break through in the midst of his battle with Bao Mufeng and pierce Bao Mufeng's dantian in one stroke.

Later, he had Hengshou pass the flaws in a Cheng Family Foundation Establishment cultivator's art into Wei Xingyu's ears. He had even deliberately helped Wei Xingyu build his reputation, luring people from the Eastern Sea Sword Sect to accept him as a disciple.

The present situation in the Dragonreach Waters, with four families targeting the Wei Family, had all been brought about by her young master alone.

And Wei Xingyu's death had most likely been calculated into existence by her young master as well.

Its root lay in the hidden danger planted during that battle all those years ago.

Xiaoyu did not know the details. She had only once overheard Fu Henghua chatting with Hengshou, mentioning that the Wei Family's cultivation art and the Eastern Sea Sword Sect's sword art subtly conflicted.

Sneaking a glance at the utterly oblivious Fu Danwei, Xiaoyu thought, The young master's nature is completely unlike the old master's. He is more like Grand Elder Fu, cut from the same cloth, fond of plotting against people behind their backs.

"Wait—"

Fu Danwei came back to his senses.

"Don't change the subject. We're talking about you, brat. You can't stay home all the time. You should go out and look around."

"While our four families are targeting the Wei Family? Chaos is about to rise in the Dragonreach Waters, and you want me to head out now? Don't worry. Grand Elder won't allow it either, will he?"

"..."

"Enough, enough. Old Master, stop worrying about me and hurry up and help Third Brother settle on a cultivation art. In the future, he'll be going out to fight for our family."

Xiang Feng muttered, "Why does it sound, from your mouth, as though the clashes between our two families are just street thugs fighting over turf?"

"Are they not? Cultivation lineages scheme and contend against one another for cultivation resources—Third Brother, you're certain you're choosing the Mystic Wind secret scripture, right?"

He picked up the first cultivation manual.

"Spirit-Vortex Radiance Art focuses on Lingfeng. I deduced it by drawing upon our family's clan-defending heart method, and it serves as a preliminary method. Later, you can directly cultivate the Core Formation chapter of our family's Ninefold Wind-Supporting Immortal Scripture."

Cultivation arts were divided into four ranks: heaven, earth, black, and yellow.

Yellow Grade established foundations, Black Grade forged cores, Earth Grade ascended to immortality, and Heaven Grade sought the Dao.

The Fu Family's inherited Ninefold Wind-Supporting Immortal Scripture was an Earth Grade method for ascending to immortality, but they possessed only its Core Formation chapter.

They had neither its preliminary steps nor any method for cultivation beyond the Golden Core Realm.

Fu Henghua's significance to the Fu Family lay in helping his clansmen pave the road ahead and build bridges for their smooth cultivation of the Ninefold Wind-Supporting Immortal Scripture.

Although the Golden Core formed through the Wind-Supporting Scripture could not reach the most perfect state, barring mishap, it would always produce an upper third-grade Golden Core, with combat power far exceeding that of ordinary Golden Core Cultivators.

"To cultivate the Radiance Art, you must refine twelve vortices of true essence qi within the body's twelve primary meridians. Afterward, the twelve vortices merge as one to produce a Mystic Wind Spirit Embryo. This art will help strengthen your meridians. I made a slight addition around your Foot Lesser Yin. When the vortex circulates, slow it down a little here. As for the heart meridian, Third Brother's heart is highly resilient, so you can try circulating your art through the heart meridian one extra cycle."

Heng Hua explained each cultivation precaution to Xiang Feng while circulating the Spirit-Vortex Radiance Art through the puppet. True essence began at the Hand Greater Yin Lung Meridian and moved through the twelve primary meridians like a whirlwind.

From time to time, Heng Hua took up his brush and wrote down the key points of the puppet's circulation.

Xiang Feng stood to one side, silently committing this improved, personal Spirit-Vortex Radiance Art to memory.

This was the purpose of a Dharma Performer.

The cultivation arts of the ancients had been passed down generation after generation since their creation, yet they were not suited to every person's constitution. A Dharma Performer had to make fine adjustments according to the individual's body.

In Heng Hua's view, it was the relationship between an athlete and a coach.

As a coach, one had to ensure at all times that one's athlete was in perfect condition.

"I have a copied version of this cultivation art here. Third Brother, take it back and study it slowly."

After asking for Fu Xiangfeng's identity jade token, Heng Hua completed the borrowing procedures and instructed him, "Three minor merits will be deducted. By the rules, it should be borrowed for three months, but I'll count it as six months for you. Remember, don't dirty it. I wrote this myself.

"Oh, right. If you gain any insights from cultivation, you can write them on the blank pages at the end of the manual."

Not only did Heng Hua deduce cultivation arts for others, he also encouraged borrowers to write down their insights from practicing them. Through these records, he could not only adjust his clansmen's cultivation progress, but also benefit his own creation of cultivation arts.

Fu Danwei was still considering the current state of the five great lineages. After Xiang Feng finished borrowing the book, the grandfather and grandson hurried away.

Heng Hua saw them out of Langhuan Hall, then rushed back to the third-floor art demonstration room like the wind.

"Well? Well?"

Hengshou stood guard nearby and pointed at the Jade Puppet in the center of the art demonstration room.

The Gilded Jade Garment on the puppet's surface had already been destroyed, turning into jade dust scattered across the floor.

Yet the Jade Puppet itself was unharmed, which undoubtedly showed that this cultivation art had not only succeeded, but had smoothly passed the tribulation of Heaven's envy.

"Haha... haha... I finally deduced my own cultivation art!"

With a sweep of his sleeve, the scattered jade dust vanished into nothingness.

Thirty years! Since moving into Langhuan Hall, Heng Hua had been calculating the cultivation art best suited for himself.

Now, it was finally complete!

He could not help wanting to throw back his head and roar at the heavens.

But when he suddenly looked out the window, Heng Hua covered his mouth and muttered silently, Hold it in, hold it in. Grandfather and the others just left.

Yet his emotions were truly surging like storming seas.

Yellow Grade established foundations, Black Grade formed cores, Earth Grade ascended to immortality, and Heaven Grade sought the Dao.

Fu Henghua had lived two lives. How could he possibly let his future stop at the Golden Core Realm?

Besides, Golden Cores... he had formed inferior ones long ago. It was only because the cultivation art had been too unorthodox, belonging to the demonic path and unacceptable to his family—and because he himself had disdained it—that he dispersed the art and dissolved it that very day.

His goal was the Heavenly Book and Earth Canon.

If he could not find a suitable existing Heavenly Book or Earth Canon, then he would create one himself.

"Though it is only the first three layers of the heart method. Still—it was worth it!"

The cultivation art Fu Henghua created was called Creation's Epoch-Reunion Art, drawing inspiration from the novel Journey to the West that he had read in his previous life.

In his previous life, people often said that Journey to the West was a Daoist cultivation mnemonic. Fu Henghua had heard such claims and let them pass without taking them seriously.

But after arriving in this world of immortal cultivation, while researching and creating the cultivation art most suited to himself, he had accidentally recalled the Daoist cultivation mnemonic from his previous life, and it had inspired him greatly.

At first, using Journey to the West to devise a cultivation method had merely been a childhood game of Fu Henghua's. Yet when compared against this world's mainstream cultivation systems, it matched up in a remarkably wondrous way.

The Ninth Layer of Qi Refining was the preliminary stage before Foundation Establishment, as well as the initial stage of cultivation.

There were two mainstream methods of cultivation in the Dragonreach Waters. One involved breathing in true qi, tempering Essence Origin, and circulating cultivation arts through the qi sea and dantian. The other involved entering meditation, preserving the spirit, opening the Mud Pellet Palace within the brain, and thereby visualizing the Dao.

The Creation's Epoch-Reunion Art created by Fu Henghua belonged to the latter.

The first chapter of Journey to the West said: "This mountain is the ancestral vein of the Ten Continents, the coming dragon of the Three Isles. It rose when clear and turbid first separated, and formed after primordial chaos was divided."

If this were compared to the human body, then the ancestor of the Three Isles and Ten Continents, the source of all meridians, was naturally the Heavenly Palace of the brain.

The book also said: "Flower-Fruit Mountain is the pillar holding heaven where a hundred rivers converge, the Earth Root that remains unmoved through ten thousand kalpas."

The Baihui acupoint lay at the very center of the crown of the head, its name meaning the convergence of a hundred meridians.

Down from the Baihui acupoint, the lowest point was the Huiyin. These two were channels for the human body's essence, qi, and spirit. Baihui was yang, receiving the qi of heaven; Huiyin was yin, drawing in the qi of earth. Together, they united the Conception and Governing Vessels.

Thus, Heng Hua believed that Flower-Fruit Mountain alluded to the brain. Then the immortal stone birthed by heaven and earth atop Flower-Fruit Mountain was naturally the Mud Pellet Palace.

The first layer of his Creation's Epoch-Reunion Art was to visualize an immortal stone Spirit Embryo within the Mud Pellet Palace, then nurture one's own Spirit Ape and Heart Ape.

Next came proving Bodhi, rampaging through the Heavenly Palace, and step by step completing the cultivation of the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining.

As for the Foundation Establishment threshold, Heng Hua envisioned it as "Five Elements Mountain." It would use the qi of the innate five elements to suppress the Heart Ape, gather in stray thoughts, and lay down the Dao Foundation.

Unfortunately, when brilliant cultivation arts were created, tribulations accompanied them.

After Heng Hua deduced the second layer of the Epoch-Origin Art, the "Five Elements Mountain: Foundation Establishment Chapter," a bolt of heavenly lightning immediately struck down upon his head.

He had been unprepared at the time and was severely injured. Even after taking precautions later, he would still get struck from time to time.

Ten years had passed. Only after countless experiments beneath thunderbolts had he finally grasped the mystery within.

Cultivation was inherently an act of defying heaven. Heavenly Books and Earth Canons, all the more so, expounded the principles of the Great Expansion in full, and were accompanied by layer upon layer of tribulations.

When an Earth Grade cultivation art for longevity and ascension to immortality was completed, it faced eighty-one heavy tribulations. But from the moment a Heavenly Book was born, tribulation would descend upon it.

Those who practiced a Heavenly Book had to face Dao tribulations more powerful than those of ordinary cultivators.

Heng Hua preserved the Spirit Embryo in his Mud Pellet Palace and visualized the Heart Ape. The nine layers of Qi Refining cultivation art he created were simply too solid. They were the crystallized wisdom of eighty thousand Daoist scriptures. Establishing a foundation with Five Elements Mountain gave him a Dao Foundation with the strength of a Heavenly Book.

Therefore, the Heavenly Dao issued a warning, demanding that he take a step back.

Five years ago, Heng Hua pared down the Creation's Epoch-Reunion Art. Drawing further upon the remaining fragments and broken chapters of several Earth Grade cultivation arts possessed by the Fu Family, he developed the Foundation Establishment chapter of an Earth Grade immortal art.

He used the Spirit Ape entering the Heavenly Palace as the ninth layer of Qi Refining, and "bowing to the Jade Emperor, honoring the Heavenly Dao, entering the Immortal Registry" as the divisions of Foundation Establishment.

When the book was completed, no tribulation came.

But likewise, the cultivation art's power was far weaker than that of a Heavenly Book.

Caught in indecision, Heng Hua repeatedly experimented with cutting down and revising the Heavenly Book.

At last, while retaining the quality of a Heavenly Book, he used a secret tribulation-avoidance art to weaken the Heavenly Tribulation's power. At least he would not be struck to death by lightning descending from the heavens at the very beginning of his cultivation.