Danqing's Wondrous Colors Transform the Western Sea; the Jade Maiden Turns Yang and Returns to Yin (Part 2)

Splash—

The Colorful-Luan Spirit Ship crashed into the water. Fu Heyi hastily threw out eight formation flags. Azure radiance lifted the spirit ship, setting it steadily upon the water.

Heng Hua braced himself against the mast and swiftly told Hengshou, "Go determine our bearings."

"Yes." Hengshou ran over to inspect the compass.

Heng Hua stared in Earthflame Island's direction and employed the Nine Mysterious Heavenly One Divination Art and the Spirit-Sensing Communion Mystic Art.

Zhou Xiao recalled how Fu Xuanxing had sought his guidance on the Spirit-Sensing Communion Mystic Art the night before, and he carefully observed Heng Hua.

The Spirit-Sensing Communion Mystic Art was an applied volume of the Grand Profound Sensory Communion Art.

The Grand Profound Sensory Communion Art, the Nine Mysterious Heavenly One Divination Art, the Stabilizing Origins Star-Gauging Mind Formula, plus the Grand Yin-Yang Reversal Curse.

Once these four arts were assembled, one could perform the Supreme Mystery Sect's unrevealed secret, the Grand Profound Star-Setting Fate-Reversal Art. This art could defy Heaven and alter fate, even restoring the dead to life.

When Zhou Xiao had first met Heng Hua, he had suspected that Heng Hua might be connected to the Heavenly Yi Sect. Later, as they came into contact more often, that notion gradually faded, and he began entertaining the thought of taking him as a disciple.

And now—

Forget whether he was willing or not.

He had to join the Mysterious Subtle Sect. There was no second choice!

This brat could use a self-created immortal formula to activate the Spirit-Sensing Communion Mystic Art, which amounted to half a Grand Profound Sensory Communion Art. Add the Yin-Yang Reversal Curse secretly passed down by his sect, and now all that was missing was a star-gauging art.

A successor capable of performing the Grand Profound Star-Setting Fate-Reversal Art—if that was not a direct inheritor of Taixuan, then what was?

The Mysterious Subtle Sect had to take him in. They could even join forces with the Heavenly Yi Sect to pass down the teachings together.

Leaving such talent outside the Supreme Profound Dao Lineage would not merely be a loss to the Mysterious Subtle Sect, but a loss to every Taixuan lineage beneath Heaven.

Zhou Xiao had even thought through the matter of the star-gauging art.

The Fu Family's White Elm Hall had risen through star-gauging. If their family did not possess the methods of "Stabilizing Origins and Gauging Stars," no one in the world would believe it.

Zhou Xiao keenly felt the weight of his responsibility.

If he missed out on a disciple like this, then after he died and met his patriarch, his patriarch would probably whip him to death another dozen times.

"So it really is the Wei Family. They've joined hands with the demonic path."

Heng Hua calculated the origins of this group, then discussed it with Fu Heyi and Fu Xiangfeng.

"Since it's the Wei Family, there's no need to hold back." Even a formation cultivator like Fu Heyi revealed a trace of killing intent when the Wei Family was mentioned.

"We need to show some consideration to those fellow Rogue Cultivators from beyond these waters, as well as Senior Li Nanxing. But the Wei Family and demonic cultivators... heh..."

Fu Xiangfeng nodded as well. "Since they're hounding us so relentlessly, we'll find somewhere to ambush them later—wait, Senior Li stayed behind too?"

"Senior Li and Brother Ji are helping us hold these people back."

Heng Hua calculated the fate of his own party.

It seemed that the Wei Family's people would not be able to catch up?

Ji Mingfeng stood upon the waves with his hands behind his back, Li Nanxing and Xu Wenyu at his side.

"The two of you, let us advance and retreat together in this battle. Let all our grudges be settled once and for all." Though he sounded as if he were asking, his manner remained lofty and overbearing.

When facing Fu Henghua, Ji Mingfeng had clearly worn a different face from the one he showed Li Nanxing and Xu Wenyu.

Li Nanxing said coldly, "As long as you help my little sister resolve this trouble, I'll write off the matter of you scheming against me."

Looking at the distant demonic cultivators, he fiercely struck the Crimson Origin Eight-Trigrams Furnace. Flying swords shot from the furnace one after another, slashing toward them.

"This fellow's temperament is as extreme as ever."

Ji Mingfeng shook his head, then turned to Xu Wenyu.

Xu Wenyu could not defeat Ji Mingfeng and could only silently resign himself to his fate.

"Rest assured. Being tricked by me into coming to Yanlong this time is instead an opportunity for you. If I were you, when I met that worthy younger brother of the Fu Family tomorrow, I definitely would not let him remove the golden hoop.

"If you enter his sect, even if you only become a registered disciple, there will be immense benefits for you in the future."

Go find someone nearly a hundred years younger than me and become his disciple? I'm not Senior Li, who owes him the life-saving grace of imparted teachings.

Xu Wenyu rolled his eyes, but with the situation against him, he did not dare retort to Ji Mingfeng's face.

You brat simply don't understand what's good for you.

Ji Mingfeng sighed inwardly. In the end, Xu Wenyu simply lacked the destined affinity.

Though he did not possess predictive secret arts like Zhou Xiao and Heng Hua, Ji Mingfeng had cultivated for nearly a thousand years and seen much of the world. He could still identify the grade of the cultivation method Heng Hua carried.

It began at the earth tier, and it had been self-created, meaning it could be freely passed on to others.

For a Dharma Performer of this kind, he did not dare claim how lofty a realm he could reach, but the Golden Core Realm was certainly attainable. And a Golden Core Realm Dharma Performer could help deduce the Golden Core method most suited to you, giving you a sixty to seventy percent chance of forming an upper-third-grade Golden Core!

In Ji Mingfeng's eyes, that was the most important benefit of a Dharma Performer.

He turned back to the distant battle.

Killing cries soared into the sky, while swords rang out with metallic clamor.

After only the first exchange, several demonic cultivators had already been cut into the water by Li Nanxing.

As for the Wei Family, though they relied on the whisk in Wei Chongwei's hand to block the attacks, they could not sustain it for long.

"That whisk is quite good."

Li Nanxing transformed Crimson Origin Golden Qi into flying swords, making them half-fledged magical treasures. Yet with a light sweep of that whisk, every single flying sword fell into the water.

"Li Nanxing, don't use your golden qi when fighting this man. Let me handle him."

With a raised finger, a divine whale flew from the Seven Sceneries of the Western Sea Painting. One sweep of its tail sent Wei Chongwei flying.

Ji Mingfeng and Li Nanxing were not cultivators of Yanlong, so Yanlong's rules did not restrain them.

What rule against fighting on the water?

As long as they killed their enemies, disposed of the corpses, and then took the opportunity to kill the water demons in these waters, everything would be fine.

"Come."

He pointed again, and another painting raised a hundred-zhang torrent that submerged the group.

Seeing Ji Mingfeng take action, Li Nanxing silently withdrew.

This was a proper great Golden Core cultivator.

Moreover, it was Nanxing's first time seeing the methods of a spirit painter.

Suddenly, Ji Mingfeng sensed something and took out his life-bound painting album from his sleeve.

He swiftly removed a page from it—the Fire-Averting Painting—and tossed it into the sky.

A bewitchingly beautiful woman drifted into the air from the fire painting. Her slender jade hand plucked a mass of demonic flame that had abruptly appeared from thin air.

The instant the demonic flame landed in her hand, both the woman and the flame vanished.

The Fire-Averting Painting returned to the album.

"Which skulking dog from the demonic cult has come out to stir up trouble?"

With a boom, the flames exploded, and black demonic fire spread across the skies above the Western Sea.

"Heavenly Demon Blackflame—the altar master of Origin Fire beneath the Demon Palace."

Ji Mingfeng sighed and said to Li Nanxing and Xu Wenyu, "This is a bit troublesome. I must fight him. You two, protect the people on Earthflame Island."

One of the seven Western Sea paintings wrapped around the pair and flew them toward Earthflame Island.

The other six paintings revolved around Ji Mingfeng as he kept a careful guard.

Heng Hua tried to calculate Earthflame Island's situation. But once Ji Mingfeng went all out and the Origin Fire altar master arrived, he could no longer discern the outcome.

In the end, he could only give up.

He rose and walked to the prow. A gentle breeze blew past, sunlight gleamed warmly, and the waves shimmered with scattered light.

"We've taken another detour away from Turtle-Burial Reef."

Ji Mingfeng's throw had directly shifted them from eastern Yanlong to northern Yanlong.

"Senior Zhou's news spread from Golden Fang to Yanlong, so it must have passed through western and northern Yanlong. In other words, our eastern side is actually safer. The locals there do not know about Senior Zhou's affairs. Besides, the east is the Fu Family's home territory."

Heng Hua's face was full of worry.

He had long since made his calculations.

The previous groups had all been cultivators from outside waters. By displaying the Fu Family's name or accusing them of violating the Dragonreach Waters' rules, they could call upon many island lords and great families for help.

But after these two days, Senior Zhou's news had surely reached the northern region. Now that their group had come here too, they might well draw all three great families of the northern region over.

With desire stirring in their hearts, this group would not be easy to stop.

Restless fire surged upward within him. Heng Hua closed his eyes, silently circulated the Eight Trigrams Furnace, and tossed the Heart Ape inside once more.

Sure enough, after the matter of enlightening Li Nanxing, Heng Hua felt that his control over the Eight Trigrams Furnace had become even more practiced.

Hengshou and Fu Heyi steered the ship. They cautiously navigated the waterways, avoiding island after island, afraid of attracting the attention of the northern region's three great families.

Yet no matter how they hid, they eventually encountered a fourth group.

It was a burly man dressed in black.

Standing atop the water, he cleaved open a massive wave with a single sword strike, blocking the Colorful-Luan Spirit Ship.

Seeing this, Fu Xuanxing flew over on his sword.

"Brother, you—"

Before he could finish, cold light suddenly flashed before his eyes.

"Waning Moon!"

A green wind sword shot out from behind him, knocking the cold light aside.

But merely the lingering shockwave struck his body, and Fu Xuanxing instantly fell into the water. Had the defensive power of his protective treasure garment not been strong, he would likely already have drawn blood.

"Sir, striking to kill the moment we meet is rather excessive, isn't it?"

Fu Xiangfeng assessed the rugged man.

A face covered in thick whiskers, paired with a vicious-looking countenance—at first glance, he was clearly no good person.

"He deserves to die."

The black-clothed man's voice was deep, and his bearing all the more domineering.

Fu Henghua stared at the man in black from afar.

Then he noticed something and quietly asked Xiaoyu.

Xiaoyu froze for a moment, then silently nodded.

A clear breeze wrapped around him, and Heng Hua hurried forward.

"What are you doing here?"

Fu Xiangfeng's expression changed. He was just about to shield him and retreat.

Heng Hua stepped forward and bowed. "I am Fu Tongjun. Greetings, Immortal Maiden."

Immortal Maiden?

Fu Xiangfeng and Fu Xuanxing, still in the water, were both stunned.

The man in black slowly raised his head, turning that vicious face toward Heng Hua. "You can tell?"

"Though someone placed a technique upon you, traces remain in the end."

Heng Hua looked at the embroidered shoes beneath the black-clothed man's feet.

Their size was that of an adult man's, and their color was extremely dark, but according to Xiaoyu, they were indeed women's shoes.

Retracting his gaze, Heng Hua smiled. "That thread of primordial yin qi on your person cannot be false."

"Your eyes are good. When I kill Zhou Xiao, I can spare your life."

Feeling that aura, Heng Hua sighed again.

Sure enough, greed, anger, and delusion—the three poisons were one family. Li Nanxing and Xu Wenyu were merely cannon fodder delivered up for practice.

Of those who had truly come to hunt Zhou Xiao, which one was not a great Golden Core cultivator?

"Immortal Maiden, are you killing Senior Zhou for the Mysterious Subtle Sect's promise to lend you the Yin-Yang Heaven-Earth Mirror?"

"Since you have seen through my condition, you should be able to understand."

He could understand. To be transformed by another's technique from a young maiden into a rough, burly man—such a method of inverting yin and yang involved Inverting Yin and Yang, one of the thirty-six great heavenly divine abilities of the mystic schools.

Among the thirty-six great divine abilities, Inverting Yin and Yang ranked second, surpassed only by Revolve Creation.

The reason the Grand Mystery Heavenly Scripture was so formidable was that once cultivated to a profound level, one would naturally grasp the divine ability of Inverting Yin and Yang.

"What if I can help you undo this curse, Immortal Maiden?"

In an instant, Heng Hua felt a chill.

The black-clothed man bypassed Fu Xiangfeng and came to stand before him.

Fu Xuanxing hurriedly leaped out of the water and was about to swing his sword, only for the black-clothed man to slap him straight back into the water.

"You can help me undo the curse? You?"

A minor cultivator at the Qi Refining level?

"I naturally would not dare claim I could undo true Inverting Yin and Yang divine ability. But since I can see the yin qi hidden within you, Immortal Maiden, it means the caster's cultivation was insufficient. No, it may not necessarily be the 'Inverting Yin and Yang' divine ability. It should be some magical treasure or a certain curse technique?"

Heng Hua pondered, then raised three fingers. "I have three methods that can restore you to your maiden form, Immortal Maiden."

Not only could he undo the curse, he even had three methods?

The black-clothed man looked toward Zhou Xiao on the ship, seized Fu Henghua, and flew over.

"Zhou Xiao, do you have a way to help me undo this curse?"

Zhou Xiao examined the black-clothed man's condition and understood. "The Grand Yin-Yang Reversal Curse can be undone. But it requires a Nascent Soul Cultivator. Other than that, one would need..."

"Your sect's Yin-Yang Heaven-Earth Mirror."

That was an immortal artifact left behind by the Supreme Mystery Sect.

But for a Nascent Soul Grandmaster of the Mysterious Subtle Sect to take action, or for them to use an immortal artifact, the black-clothed man clearly did not have the standing.

That was why she had intended to kill Zhou Xiao and bring him back to the Mysterious Subtle Sect to request their aid.

Zhou Xiao nodded and glanced at Fu Henghua. "Other than those two methods, this old man has no other way. But—brat, what other methods do you have?"

The black-clothed man said, "Speak. What is the third method?"

"Does the Immortal Maiden believe that the three methods I mentioned include the two you already know?"

Heng Hua shook his head. "My family has, after all, inherited the collection of Fufeng Immortal Palace. Since childhood, I have spent my days in the library with Heng Hua and learned much of Divine Land's past. The three methods I spoke of are three methods."

Seeing that Heng Hua could still maintain his identity as "Tongjun," and would not even call himself "Brother Heng Hua," Xiaoyu inwardly lamented the ill-fated bond between Fu Henghua and Fu Tongjun.

These siblings, born in the same year, month, and day, had been at odds since childhood, quarreling every day. The young master felt not the slightest shame in using her identity. If Seventh Miss learned of it one day, the two would surely fight again.

Far beyond the horizon, Yuanming Waters.

The beautiful young master, disguised as a man, strolled into a tavern.

"Heng Hua, the usual?"

"No. Prepare some food for me—I'm going on a long journey."

"A long journey? Where are you planning to go?"

The woman in red came out from behind the counter and asked with concern, "Yuanming Waters aren't peaceful these days."

This girl was a gu cultivator who had come from beyond Yuanming several years ago, calling herself "Fu Henghua."

"It's nothing. I plan to return to my hometown."

"Dragonreach Waters? Didn't they say the Demon Palace was about to make a move there... Wait, you're going back to the Fu Family?"

"Fu Henghua" silently nodded. "I'm going back to take a look. If nothing has happened, that would naturally be for the best."

Updated on time, yay!