Riding Wind and Breaking Waves for Ten Thousand Miles, Employing Both Favor and Might to Set the Dark Sparrow

Fu Xuanxing panted heavily and wiped the sweat from his brow.

"The sealing is complete."

Zhou Xiao looked at the small furnace and said slowly, "You possess the most orthodox Nanquan Divine Fire of the mysterious schools. It can keep you safe from the disturbance of inner demons. Guard this thing carefully. Do not stir up any more trouble."

"Yes."

With the Heavenly Demon Pearl sealed and Fu Heyi's group exerting themselves, the night's chaos was finally resolved.

Fu Xuanxing supported Zhou Xiao as he came out, while Fu Heyi and Fu Xiangfeng hurried forward to greet them.

The two sides naturally exchanged a round of pleasantries, but Fu Heyi tactfully refrained from asking about the Demonic Beast.

When Zhou Xiao and Fu Xuanxing returned to their room, Fu Heyi's face darkened.

"Nineteenth Uncle, why are you on the ship?"

"Hmph. You should ask your younger brother that. You brat, where do you think you're going?"

Heng Hua spotted the two of them talking from afar, turned, and tried to slip back into his room.

Fu Heyi strode over and grabbed him.

"Come with me!"

Heng Hua hurriedly smiled apologetically. "Nineteenth Uncle, I can explain. Slowly, slowly—we can discuss this inside."

After inviting him in, Heng Hua first bowed and apologized profusely before bringing up how Zhou Xiao and Fu Xuanxing had been hunted by the Mysterious Subtle Sect.

Fu Heyi frowned. "Hunted by the Mysterious Subtle Sect? Because of that Demonic Beast?"

"They intended to destroy the Demonic Beast."

With that one prompt from Heng Hua, Fu Heyi immediately understood.

Since Zhou Xiao had been hunted for destroying the Demon Pearl, then the Mysterious Subtle Sect pursuing him naturally had a problem.

And then there was the fact that the Demon Pearl, which ought to have been destroyed long ago, had appeared in the Mysterious Subtle Sect.

Clearly, some senior of the Mysterious Subtle Sect had been seized by greed and secretly kept this evil thing. Zhou Xiao could not stomach it, so he stole it out and intended to take it away for destruction.

"I remember that Uncle took part in the battle against the Demon Palace years ago. According to him, the Heavenly Demon Pearl was publicly destroyed by True Persons from the Golden Direction Water Region. Now it seemed that not all the True Persons of the Golden Direction Water Region were people of Dao Virtue."

"Nineteenth Uncle, what use is there in discussing such pointless matters now? The urgent task is dealing with Li Nanxing."

Fu Heyi glared. "Don't think you can wriggle out of this, brat. As for you laying hands on me, I will certainly tell Uncle later and let the old man decide."

Yet at present, he understood that the trouble surrounding Zhou Xiao ran too deep. It was not convenient for the Fu Family to become too deeply involved.

His tone eased as he continued, "You have done well. We will not interfere; we will merely travel with Senior Zhou for a while. Along the way, we can seek instruction on some key points of cultivation arts."

Of course Fu Heyi was angry that Fu Henghua had knocked him unconscious.

But he also understood. Given Fu Henghua's special standing in the family, what could come of punishing or scolding him? The Fu Family relied on him to deduce cultivation arts. In the future, when his own elder brother sought a breakthrough, he might even need Fu Henghua's help.

Zhou Xiao teaching Fu Henghua cultivation arts was undoubtedly a stroke of fortune for the Fu Family.

Suppressing his displeasure, Fu Heyi pondered aloud. "Do you need jade slips to record the cultivation arts? I brought quite a few."

"That would be wonderful."

Heng Hua did not stand on ceremony and directly asked for a large batch of supplementary materials.

"Right, where is my Huang Qiong? Can that girl Liuhui take proper care of her?"

"In a day or two, you will see Huang Qiong. Rest easy. With Liuhui caring for her, nothing will go wrong."

Heng Hua smiled. "For now, you should focus your attention on Senior Li. To deal with him, we will need your formation flags."

"Which formation?"

"The Southern Li Dark Sparrow Formation."

Fu Heyi's brows drew tightly together. After thinking for a long while, he reluctantly took out twelve crimson flags, each embroidered with a Vermilion Bird in a different pose.

Heng Hua reached to take them, but Fu Heyi withdrew his hand. "How confident are you in dealing with Li Nanxing?"

Although Fu Heyi had not witnessed it himself, he had heard of Li Nanxing's methods and knew that he was by no means someone they could confront head-on. If not for the overwhelming temptation of Zhou Xiao's Soul-Formation cultivation arts, Fu Heyi would already have considered fleeing with Fu Henghua and the others.

"I have a Secret Mantra Golden Register that happens to restrain Senior Li's bronze cauldron. Tomorrow, I will use Earthflame Island as the formation and refine the bronze cauldron into Crimson Origin Gold Essence. That can cripple his false core."

"A Secret Mantra Golden Register?"

Fu Heyi was a talented formation master, so naturally he was no fool.

Upon hearing this, realization immediately dawned on him.

"Of course. Innate Origin Copper Qi is a material for refining Crimson Origin Gold Essence. Borrowing the power of earthfire—no, Separation Flame. Ah—I remember now. Earthflame Island's flames contain impurities and are unsuitable for artifact refinement. That is why you need to borrow my formation."

"Exactly."

Uncle and nephew deliberated in the room for a long while and settled the next day's plan.

Just as Heng Hua intended to see Fu Heyi back to his room, Fu Heyi grabbed him.

"What, you intend to rest?"

"What else?" Heng Hua looked at Fu Heyi in confusion. "Xiaoyu has already tidied your room, Elder. You can simply return."

"With such a fine opportunity before you, you are not going to seek Senior Zhou's guidance?"

Fu Heyi spoke as though he hated iron for failing to become steel. "Time is pressing—what sleep are you talking about? Go ask him about cultivation arts! Soul-Formation cultivation arts—learn as many sets as you can."

For the sake of the Fu Family's greater interests, he had not even held it against Heng Hua for knocking him unconscious and carrying him off the island. Yet this brat still wanted to sleep?

Young people truly did not know the value of time.

Heng Hua stood there with his mouth open, unable to say a single word.

Fu Heyi dragged him over and delivered him to Zhou Xiao.

"Senior, the journey has wearied you. Let my nephew diagnose you."

Zhou Xiao was also a perceptive man. Smiling, he invited Heng Hua inside and taught him Soul-Formation cultivation arts.

At daybreak, the Colorful-Luan Spirit Ship raised its sails and set off.

Heng Hua emerged from the cabin, yawning.

"Look at Nineteenth Uncle's enthusiasm. He is more invested than I am."

Fu Heyi took out seven small azure triangular flags and tossed them skyward.

"Stand firm."

The seven little flags sank into the ship's railings, and fierce winds wrapped around the spirit ship, accelerating its advance.

Hengshou had intended to continue steering, but Fu Heyi shoved him aside.

"You are far too slow. Do you think this is a pleasure cruise? We need to reach Earthflame Island early and make preparations. I'll do it—"

He accelerated once more and set up a Swift Wind Formation around them. The spirit ship's speed doubled again.

"Urgh—"

The spirit ship rocked violently. Fu Xuanxing's face turned green as he hurriedly braced himself against the tables and chairs.

Heng Hua's expression was not much better.

Did Nineteenth Uncle always sail this brutally? No wonder he usually traveled by crane.

Under Fu Heyi's full-speed rush, the spirit ship reached Earthflame Island in less than an hour.

Before them, the island billowed with thick smoke, while dark-red fire clouds blanketed the entire sky.

Boom—

From time to time, blazing rocks erupted from the volcano's mouth.

After they landed on Earthflame Island, Xu Wenyu brought out the imprisoned cultivators, and the group frantically searched for places to vomit.

Heng Hua rested silently for a while, then picked up a roll of blueprints and called Xu Wenyu and the others over.

"Set things up according to these blueprints. Xu Wenyu, watch them. For every mistake, one round of the Tightening Hoop Curse."

Xu Wenyu's mouth twitched. "They make mistakes, and you punish me?"

"You are the foreman. If not you, then whom should I hold responsible?"

The cultivators lowered their heads, their gazes crossing one another.

"Oh, right. Take these pills first. You will receive the antidote after we defeat Senior Li."

Heng Hua casually took out a bottle of pills and handed it to Xu Wenyu.

At those words, the cultivators' expressions changed dramatically.

They had originally planned to sit atop the mountain and watch the tigers fight, hoping Li Nanxing would defeat this group. But if they took these pills...

"Help honestly, and I will naturally give you benefits. You—come here."

Heng Hua called one cultivator over.

He placed a hand on the man's shoulder. After the Creation True Qi circulated through his body three times, it immediately accelerated and completed one heavenly cycle by another method of circulating qi.

At the same time, Heng Hua recited part of an incantation.

"Did you remember it?"

The cultivator sensed the changes within himself. His sluggish, rigid true essence flowed along a new route, faintly producing a thread of fire qi and becoming more spirited.

True fire was born within him.

He was overjoyed. "Fellow Daoist... no, Young Master, could you do that once more?"

"Take down Li Nanxing, and I will teach you a superior cultivation method. Within three months, you will be able to refine Samadhi Fire."

Then Heng Hua pulled another person forward.

"Your cultivation art has a flaw. If you circulate it for too long, the three yin meridians in your legs will begin to stab with pain. Am I right?"

Heng Hua pressed a hand to his shoulder, circulating Creation True Qi three times to mend the flaw for him.

He called out several people in succession, either pointing out flaws in their cultivation or granting them cultivation incantations.

The remaining cultivators craned their necks toward Heng Hua, hoping they would be the next ones selected.

"Enough. Work with peace of mind. Once this is done, everyone will receive superior cultivation arts.

"Besides, you should think carefully. What can Li Nanxing give you?

"Send Senior Zhou's corpse back to the Mysterious Subtle Sect in exchange for a reward? The Mysterious Subtle Sect is still his sect. How could his fellow disciples not bear a grudge? Even if they give you the reward, can you leave the Mysterious Subtle Sect alive?"

After knocking them with the stick and feeding them sweet dates, Heng Hua turned his sights on Xu Wenyu.

"If you help me wholeheartedly, I will teach you a Soul-Formation method."

"Soul Formation?" Xu Wenyu's voice trembled, as if he were dreaming.

"Yes, Soul Formation. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, and even how to achieve Soul Formation—it contains everything."

That night, Zhou Xiao had specifically given him a Nascent Soul cultivation art for heavenly thunder. It was clearly prepared for Xu Wenyu, in hopes of resolving Xu Wenyu's resentment toward Heng Hua.

After settling this group, Heng Hua went to join the others.

Zhou Xiao was discussing modifications to Earthflame Island with Fu Heyi.

"While there is still time, let us make some Yin-Yang Gold Pillars. Later, we can borrow the power of heavenly thunder to trigger the earth veins' primordial magnetism."

"No. According to the plan, we must use the Secret Mantra Golden Register. There should be no other metal artifacts on the island."

"Then we will change them to jade talismans. This old man has dozens of jin of jade material with him."

Under the pair's command, Hengshou and Fu Xiangfeng worked on another set of contingencies.

Heng Hua glanced over, then walked to Fu Xuanxing's side.

Sensing something, Heng Hua swiftly brought his feather fan into his hand.

Fu Xuanxing crouched beside a rock, poking at the black loach in a crevice.

"You are quite idle," Heng Hua said with a sidelong glance. "That is a Dragon Racer Loach. I hear it tastes excellent. Once we deal with Li Nanxing, let Xiaoyu try cooking it."

"Martial Uncle told me not to go over and add to the chaos for now. I do not know much about formations or talismans."

"Though cultivation sects beyond the world do not require their disciples to master every discipline, they still study pills, artifacts, talismans, and formations to prepare for unforeseen circumstances. You do not understand talisman arts?"

"I cannot settle down to draw talismans. As for pill refinement and the like, I cannot memorize the pill formulas. Formations are an utter mess for me."

"With that, can you leave the mountain?"

"That is why I am still cultivating on the mountain."

Fu Xuanxing sighed. By the Mysterious Subtle Sect's standards, he feared he would need another hundred years before he could officially leave the mountain.

"Wait, you did not mention artifact refinement. Could it be..."

The youth raised his head, his bright eyes fixed on Heng Hua. "What I excel at is artifact crafting. But there is absolutely no room for me to display it now."

The requirements for the Secret Mantra Golden Register that produced Crimson Origin Gold Essence were very simple.

A single type of spiritual metal of high purity.

Mystic Gold, Spirit Silver, crimson copper, Divine Iron—any type would do.

As long as its purity was high, and it was paired with powerful fire-elemental force, it could be refined into Crimson Origin Gold Essence.

Therefore, during the coming battle, no one could use metal artifacts of a single attribute.

Otherwise, under the guidance of the Secret Mantra Golden Register, they would transform into Crimson Origin Gold Essence.

"Artifact crafting?" Heng Hua waved his feather fan, and sheet after sheet of blueprints appeared in the air.

There were bulldozers, circle-drawing carts, and more.

"Can you make these?"

"These seemed to be earthwork tools for plowing land and drawing lines? Hm? Earthwork carts as artifacts? They are not for mortals?"

Fu Xuanxing took a lump of iron from his Cosmic Bag. Flames emerged from his hands as he worked it for a moment, and a brand-new little cart appeared before Heng Hua.

Once infused with true essence, the cart moved about the island on its own and swiftly dug out a trench.

As Heng Hua watched, Fu Xuanxing made another circle-drawing cart.

The little cart moved with the wind, drawing one perfect circle after another across the island.

Next came an inscription cart.

The underside of the cart was covered in spiritual inscriptions. As it traveled, the inscriptions on its bottom were stamped one by one into the ground, creating corresponding indented patterns.

Seeing the efficiency of inscribing the formation increase severalfold, Heng Hua said, "Had I known you could make these things, I would have had you do it on the ship."

He produced another pile of blueprints. "Make them all. I have a use for them."

Time was tight, and they lacked suitable tools. Heng Hua had originally intended to shrink the formation's scope and inscribe the Southern Li Dark Sparrow Formation across the central region of Earthflame Island.

But since Fu Xuanxing could make the tools, things became simple.

They would turn all of Earthflame Island into a formation and suppress Li Nanxing once and for all.