Matters of Human Relations and Marriage; Yuming Mountain Ferry Transmits the Heart Formula

On the Colorful-Luan Spirit Ship, the matter of the Yansheng Dragon King had cast a gloomy pall over the atmosphere.

Fu Xuanxing, Zhou Xiao, and Jin Xian'e watched the Fu Family members. Fu Xiangfeng stood lookout and scouted the way, Fu Heyi studied their course, and Fu Henghua sat in meditation, refining qi.

Everything looked perfectly normal.

"Martial Uncle, did we say something wrong just now? Why does it feel like they're all in such a bad mood?"

Zhou Xiao silently shook his head, secretly regretting his loose tongue earlier.

To outsiders like them, the deeds of the great families in the Dragonreach Waters were worthy of admiration. But only those people themselves understood the bitterness and hardship beneath it all.

Yet there was one thing Zhou Xiao understood.

If this group of cultivators from the Dragonreach Waters went to any other waters, they would certainly thrive like fish in water. Setting everything else aside, just look at that boy meditating.

If he went to the Mysterious Subtle Sect, he would absolutely be their most treasured and doted-on disciple. Yet in Yanlong, though he was favored by his Lineage, no one knew when he might die in a demon tide and become the Dragon King's blood food.

In Yanlong, prematurely fallen geniuses were everywhere.

"Coo coo—"

Two wild geese flew overhead. Fu Xiangfeng sprang up like a carp flipping from the water and shouted several calls at the sky.

Hearing those clear, melodious cries, Fu Xuanxing and the other two all stirred.

"That kid was talking to birds just now. That seemed to be..."

"Phoenix Speech. A bloodline ability of cultivation families."

The two geese flew down and circled Fu Xiangfeng, speaking a few words to him before turning away.

"Wait here a moment. I'll be right back."

Fu Xiangfeng flew northeast on his sword.

Jin Xian'e and Zhou Xiao closed their eyes at the same time. Their Divine Sense stretched outward, and they saw two Foundation Establishment cultivators following their group from afar.

Fu Xiangfeng went over and dismissed them in a few strokes, destroying the Memory-Recording Jade Slips in their hands.

Fu Xiangfeng soon returned. Seeing Zhou Xiao and the others looking at him, he smiled. "We can't let Little Six worry over everything alone along the way. I casually dealt with those scattered rabble."

After speaking, he gazed absentmindedly at the distant horizon where water and sky merged into one, secretly considering the movements of the three great families.

Now that the Lin Clan had received word, the other two families were probably not far behind.

The territory of Yanlong's Northern Domain was far smaller than that of the Eastern Region. Though it had three families stronger than the Eastern Region's five families, those three families together occupied only five islands and thirty-eight islets. These islands surrounded Watergate Island, and the three families jointly controlled the mid-grade third-rank "Cangwu" Spirit Vein on Watergate Island.

Therefore, the Lin Clan's movements on Watergate Island could never be hidden from the other two families.

Sure enough, after dealing with several waves of scattered cultivators, a great ship from the Yang Family arrived.

Seeing the several young ladies leading the Yang Family group, Fu Xiangfeng sighed and flew over again as though resigning himself to fate.

Seeing that the other side outnumbered them, Fu Xuanxing initially wanted to follow and help, but Xiaoyu stopped him.

"Third Master alone is enough."

"You little girl—" Seeing the gleeful look in Xiaoyu's eyes, Fu Xiangfeng said irritably, "I'll have your young master give you a proper lesson later."

With that, he flew over on his sword.

Seeing Fu Xuanxing's confusion, Xiaoyu smiled. "The Yang Family ladies are very close to Third Master."

After saying that, she stepped back to Heng Hua's side and guarded him while he meditated.

Heng Hua entered meditation, and his Spirit Soul sank into contemplation.

Seven chains appeared around the Eight Trigrams Furnace in his Niwan Palace.

They were manifestations of the heart's difficulties, corresponding to the seven tribulations of greed, anger, delusion, love, hatred, malice, and desire.

Four of the chains had now been burned apart by the fire inside the Eight Trigrams Furnace, while the remaining three still coiled around the golden furnace.

The Heart Ape was imprisoned within the furnace, roaring at those three chains in impotent fury.

"The tribulation of hatred corresponds to the Wei Family and the Heavenly Demon. After all, both have great enmity with our family. The tribulation of desire points toward the Northern Domain, likely the three great families and the many Northern Domain cultivators. As for the trial of malice..."

Heng Hua considered it from every angle, yet could not determine where it lay.

At that moment, Wind Resonance carried over the voices of Fu Heyi and Hengshou.

The two were discussing their route ahead.

"If we go to Turtle-Burial Reef now, we must detour around Erlong Ravine. That will make the journey rather long. We'll need to put in more effort."

Erlong Ravine.

Suddenly, Heng Hua's heart stirred.

The chains around the golden furnace trembled faintly.

"No need. We'll go straight through Erlong Ravine. I remember there's a shortcut there leading to Turtle-Burial Reef."

Heng Hua abruptly opened his eyes.

Fu Heyi froze. "You mean that Dragon-Reversal Channel? The current there is swift and the hidden reefs are dense. I'm afraid it isn't suitable."

"If turtles can swim through there, why can't cultivators pass? Not only will we go through, we'll do so quickly. Once we cross that place, everything will get better."

Erlong Ravine was the boundary between the Northern Domain and the Eastern Region. Eight hundred years ago, an immortal master and a great demon sect cultivator fought here, forcibly sinking an entire Spirit Island. Its scattered ruins became Erlong Ravine.

Not far beyond Erlong Ravine lay Turtle-Burial Reef.

He dusted himself off and stood. Seeing that Fu Xiangfeng was absent, Heng Hua silently looked toward the Yang Family's sea vessel in the distance.

"The Yang Family? Third Brother really has a peach blossom debt this time."

He secretly used Wind Resonance to listen to the laughter and chatter from that side.

"Brother Xiang Feng, which of us three sisters do you think is prettier?"

"Th-this..."

Fu Xiangfeng looked at the identical triplets before him, and his head grew enormous.

Cultivation families often intermarried. The Fu Family's marriage partner in recent years had been the Yang Family of the Northern Domain. The chosen candidate was Fu Xiangfeng.

Fu Xiangfeng had known the Yang Family girls since childhood. Quite a few girls had fought bitterly over him, but the most intense were the three sisters Yang Yuzhen, Yang Yuqiong, and Yang Yuwan.

"So it really is these three. Third Brother, pray for yourself."

The three sisters were triplets born of the same mother and shared rather similar preferences. Since childhood, they had loved competing over food and toys.

After all three sisters set their sights on Fu Xiangfeng and joined forces to block the other Yang Family girls, they began clashing with one another.

"Brother Feng, can't you tell that the pearl powder I used today is whiter than either of theirs?"

"White in such a sickly way. Third Brother Feng certainly won't like it."

"At least it's better than your pitch-black face."

"Yang Yuwan, isn't the reason my skin has darkened these past few days because you tampered with my thousand-year seaweed mud?"

"My apologies, but you took my portion by mistake. I intended to use it myself, but who knew you would take the wrong one?"

Heng Hua shook his head, too lazy to pay attention to the Yang Family. Let Third Brother have his headache for now.

Still, he felt slightly relieved. Since the Yang Family had sent this group of young ladies, it meant they did not care overly much about the Heavenly Demon Six-Desires Pearl.

"Of course. The Yang Family is a great family with a two-thousand-year inheritance. They still understand what is important and what is not."

At that moment, Heng Hua caught sight of a ship in another direction. Rather than a ship, it would be more accurate to call it a moving mountain of flowers.

"Yuming Mountain Ferry. The Xiao Family actually sent this Great Golden Core Adept."

Heng Hua immediately decided. "Xiaoyu, go to my room. The things are still there—hurry and disguise yourself."

Then he rose into the air and flew toward the Yuming Mountain Ferry.

This time, when Fu Xuanxing asked to accompany him, Heng Hua did not refuse. Though the Xiao Family had always acted openly and honorably, placing righteousness first, it could never hurt to make an extra preparation.

"I'll go with you too."

Fearing that something might happen to Heng Hua, Jin Xian'e accompanied the two of them.

Mountain Ferries were a general term for a special type of magic treasure. Mountains were refined into treasures and placed upon water to serve as ships. A mountain crossing water was thus called a Mountain Ferry.

The Yuming Mountain Ferry stood a thousand feet tall, with jade tea flowers blooming everywhere across its slopes. Their colors were brilliant, their petals layered in clusters, and their fragrance rich and heady.

"Fu Maiyuan of the Fu Family Baihuang Hall pays respects to the Jade Tea Hermit."

Upon hearing "Fu Maiyuan," Fu Xuanxing and Jin Xian'e both looked at Heng Hua.

Heng Hua's expression did not change. Smiling pleasantly, he stood there and offered the courtesy of a junior.

Though the Xiao Family did not know every Fu Family disciple, they certainly knew whether Fu Tongjun was male or female. Here, Heng Hua did not dare use his younger sister's name and naturally had to borrow another person's.

Fu Xiangfeng was presently on the Yang Family ship. Thus, among the Fu Family men close in age to Fu Henghua, only Fifth Brother Fu Maiyuan remained.

Fu Maiyuan and Fu Tongjun were both children of Fu Henghua's Seventh Uncle. He had gone to an immortal sect to cultivate years ago, and not many people in Yanlong knew him.

As he spoke, Heng Hua raised the Coiled Dragon Token.

A Golden Dragon circled the three of them, releasing resounding dragon roars.

Golden light burst from the flower mountain. As it drew in the Coiled Dragon Token, an exquisitely carved jade tea flower descended before Heng Hua.

This was the proper etiquette of exchanging calling cards in the Dragonreach Waters.

"We must give your uncle face. Come aboard."

Seven-colored rays shot from the jade tea flower's pistil, carrying the three of them to the banquet atop the flower mountain.

Clusters of jade tea trees encircled the venue. Colorful decorations were woven into canopies at its center, where a man in green robes leaned lazily against a soft pillow and enjoyed the ministrations of three beautiful concubines.

Several Xiao Family disciples sat to his left and right, each attended by maidservants as well.

Fu Xuanxing stared at the scene, utterly dumbfounded.

Though he knew cultivation families often conducted themselves in worldly fashion, he had never imagined it would reach such a degree.

Fine wine and delicacies, concubines as numerous as clouds.

Th-this was not how cultivators should live!

Heng Hua's Wisdom Eye swept over the entire gathering. As expected of the Jade Tea Hermit. Even the camellias he raises have become spirits!

Xiao Zhenghe examined Heng Hua's group before turning to ask his younger clansmen, "Fu Maiyuan? I haven't heard that name much. What about you?"

Everyone shook their heads.

But the Coiled Dragon Token could not be forged. Anyone able to produce it was naturally a direct descendant of Cypress Sovereign Hall.

"Take your seats."

A cluster of camellia trees unfolded, gathering into three seats. Before long, flowering branches brought over wine and delicacies.

Representing Fu Danwei, Heng Hua shamelessly took the central seat. Jin Xian'e sat on the left, while Fu Xuanxing sat on the right.

Looking at the delicacies made from various mountain fungi and fresh fruits before her, Jin Xian'e found them quite novel.

Where she came from, guests were usually served fresh fruit picked from the mountains. Who would be as particular as the Dragonreach Waters?

Heng Hua stared at the jug of wine before him. The pungent scent assailed his nose until he repeatedly frowned. He silently pushed the wine toward Fu Xuanxing, then poured himself a cup of jade dew.

After toasting Xiao Zhenghe, Fu Henghua said, "Uncle, have you also come for the Heavenly Demon Six-Desires Pearl?"

"I just came from the Flame Waters, and the news along the road was causing a tremendous uproar. They say an elder of the Mysterious Subtle Sect secretly fled with the Six Desires Pearl, enraging the Mysterious Subtle Sect. Immortal cultivators from all sides are pursuing him... Mm... The Demon Palace has now dispatched people as well. And over at Bai Cang, the black market has begun offering sky-high prices. If someone delivers the Heavenly Demon Six-Desires Pearl, they are willing to pay a Soul-Formation Pill as the reward."

Heng Hua's expression remained unchanged, as calm as ever.

He had anticipated this long ago. Since word of the Heavenly Demon Six-Desires Pearl had spread, the Demon Palace would certainly send people and offer a high price to trade for it.

The demonic path might be vicious, but when one's own Dao Path was at stake, which Golden Core master would not be tempted?

"Worthy nephew. The Heavenly Demon's supreme treasure is of great importance; you cannot hold onto it. Besides, though you travel with Zhou Xiao, you are not family. Why exhaust yourself for his sake? If my family obtains the Heavenly Demon Pearl, we will naturally share half the benefits with the Fu Family.

"The Fu Family of today is no longer what it was in the past."

Jin Xian'e secretly nodded. Exactly. Traveling with Zhou Xiao was far too dangerous; they should withdraw as soon as possible.

Fu Xuanxing said nothing and sat quietly to one side. Though they had traveled together only a few days, he did not think Sixth Brother Fu would easily hand his Martial Uncle over.

Heng Hua said calmly, "Before I came, Grandfather happened to mention some matters."

He swiftly recited part of a mnemonic verse.

Xiao Zhenghe's expression suddenly changed as he carefully pondered the formula.

"The nineteenth layer of the Eighteen-Story Pavilion Method? No, that's not right. This is the Pavilion-Suppression Secret Art, a formula to help me calm my true essence?"

"Not only the Eighteen-Story Pavilion Method. The Xiao Family's Heart-Burning Tribulation Method can be suppressed as well."

The nearby Xiao Family members all sat upright, staring unblinkingly at Heng Hua.