Golden Nan Treasure Wood Replaces Coffin, Benefiting Descendants; Kindness and Good Intentions Seek Panlong

The moon was bright and the stars were few. Heng Hua, accompanied by a maid and guards, sneaked towards the back mountain.

Panlong Island lay like a coiled dragon. The dragon's head was in the center, where Dragon Head Peak was located. The two claws formed the front gate, and together with the dragon's head, dragon pearl, and dragon heart, they comprised the Panlong Pavilion complex, occupying the front and central parts of the island.

Langhuan Pavilion was located far behind the Panlong Pavilion complex, in the Kan Yuan area. Two more mountain peaks beyond Langhuan Pavilion led to the "Hidden Cloud Forest Sea" at the dragon's tail, commonly known as the "back mountain."

After passing Sword Dragon Peak, the terrain of the back mountain gradually sloped down, and the hills were covered with lush green forests.

The three of them carefully avoided patrols and arrived at the nanmu forest. There were not many trees over three hundred years old left in the forest now. Trees over five hundred years old were even rarer.

The target Heng Hua had chosen could be called the "King of Trees" in this nanmu forest.

However, someone had arrived before him.

The shadows of the trees swayed, and the moonlight cast a special tranquility. A middle-aged man in a blue scholar's robe stood before the nanmu king, performing a ritual.

Heng Hua gestured slightly, and Heng Shou stepped forward with a lit lantern.

When the candlelight illuminated the man's figure, Heng Hua exclaimed in surprise, "Uncle Nineteen, what are you doing here?"

The Fu Family had three halls and eighteen branches. In addition to the internal rankings of each hall and branch, there was also a grand ranking for the entire clan.

Fu He Yi, born in Baiyu Hall, was of the same generation as Fu Heng Hua's uncles and ranked nineteenth in the Fu Family's grand hierarchy. He was a full brother to Fu Beidou, the Golden Core cultivator whom Heng Hua and Xiang Feng called "Uncle Seventeen."

"It's Heng Hua."

Fu He Yi turned around and saw Fu Heng Hua approaching with two servants. He smiled and greeted him, "What brings you, bookworm, away from the library?"

"The moon is nice tonight, so I came out for a stroll. Uncle Nineteen, when did you arrive on Panlong Island?"

"A few days ago. I came to deliver something for Second Sister-in-law."

Heng Hua glanced at Xiao Yu beside him.

Xiao Yu clasped his hands together in a gesture of surrender.

Heng Shou was reclusive and taciturn, and Heng Hua rarely left Langhuan Pavilion. Xiao Yu was naturally responsible for gathering information from outside. However, Xiao Yu had been busy these past few days and had no idea that Fu He Yi had even arrived on the island.

Delivering something for his aunt... could it be that batch of golden threads...?

As Heng Hua was thinking, he suddenly noticed the array set up at the base of the tree.

"Uncle Nineteen, this is the 'Spring Return Spirit Ascension Array.' What are you doing setting it up here? Upgrading the quality of the tree heart?"

"Yes, this tree will be ready to yield first-grade treasure wood in three more years. I want to speed up the process and improve its quality at the same time."

For ordinary wood to become treasure wood, cultivators had to use secret techniques to gather spiritual energy at a single point when felling the tree, taking the tree heart as the treasure wood. The birth of one piece of treasure wood meant the death of a tree.

"Uncle Nineteen wants a first-grade 'Golden Nan Treasure Wood'?"

Heng Hua pondered, a sense of unease growing.

First-grade treasure wood was merely material for Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer Three Realms cultivators to refine artifacts and concoct pills. If Heng Hua hadn't been restricted, and if the clan had opened up exchanges for such materials, he wouldn't be worried at all.

"This nanmu isn't suitable for making flying swords or artifacts, is it? Is it for firewood? Using first-grade treasure wood as firewood... could Uncle Seventeen be planning to forge a sword?"

"It's for making a coffin," Fu He Yi said, taking out a white jade bottle and sprinkling spiritual liquid at the tree's roots.

From bottom to top, the old nanmu tree emitted specks of green luminescence, and its crown became even more verdant.

In the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, the tree was filled with spiritual energy, possessing the quality of first-grade treasure wood.

"Three Profound Spirit Water?"

The Hundred Wood Spirit Appraisal recorded that this spiritual water was formed from the essence of wind and water, the spirit of the earth, and the radiance of the sun and moon. It could enhance the quality of low-grade treasure wood.

"Yes. It's Three Profound Water. And my elder brother personally made it."

Fu Beidou?

Heng Hua figured out the problem: "Uncle Seventeen's personally refined Three Profound Water, why is it being used on a mere nanmu tree? This water is enough to even enlighten spirit wood, isn't it?"

Why wasn't this water used in the forest farm on the Baiyu Hall side, and instead brought all the way to Panlong Island? What was the purpose?

Was it a gesture of goodwill? Or a declaration of Baiyu Hall's sovereignty over Panlong Island?

Fu Heng Hua's mind raced with various thoughts.

"It's to cultivate spirit wood. My elder brother's intention is to try and foster a spirit wood heart as much as possible. After all..."

Fu He Yi looked at Heng Hua. After thinking for a moment, he felt this was an opportunity to show goodwill.

"It's to make a longevity coffin for Uncle Danwei."

Instantly, Heng Hua's expression changed.

"A longevity coffin? Grandfather's longevity coffin will be made of nanmu?"

"Yes."

Seeing Heng Hua's expression change, Fu He Yi secretly mused: This kid has a special status. Even though our family is taking over Panlong Island, Langhuan Pavilion is still managed by him. In the future, the cultivation method calculations for our descendants will require Heng Hua's help. It's better to do him a favor and show the benevolence of Baiyu Hall.

Thus, Fu He Yi said with a smile, "This nanmu forest was planted by Uncle Danwei after he arrived on the island. He's sentimental and said this batch of nanmu has commemorative significance, so he plans to make it into a longevity coffin later.

"But the oldest trees in this nanmu forest are only six hundred years old. My elder brother dislikes that the treasure wood doesn't match Uncle Danwei's status, so he specifically ordered me to upgrade it. Uncle Danwei is a Golden Core cultivator of our family, so we must at least make a spirit wood coffin."

Hearing Fu He Yi's words, Xiao Yu secretly thought: Beidou Sword Immortal is indeed as morally upright as the rumors say. If he leads Baiyu Hall to take over, even if Young Master can't extend the Old Master's lifespan, his future days probably won't be too difficult.

But looking at Fu Heng Hua again, his face was grim, his eyes filled with coldness as he stared intently at Fu He Yi.

"I had no idea the old man's coffin would require so much effort from Uncle Seventeen. He even specifically invited Uncle Nineteen to upgrade the Nanmu's quality. It seems we were negligent."

Hearing his young master's words, Howling Fish felt a chill run down his spine.

The last time his young master had this demeanor was when Wei Xingyu came to provoke them.

Fu Heiyi, oblivious to Heng Hua's anger, continued with a smile, "Haha... it's fine, it's fine. We're all family. Uncle Danwei doesn't have much lifespan left, but he dedicated his life to our family. We can't let the old man be buried too shabbily."

A lifespan of ten years, in the eyes of ordinary people, already meant one foot in the grave, time to prepare for the afterlife.

"And to let the other clan members see the goodwill of Baiyu Hall?" Heng Hua sneered. "To showcase how well they treat our family?"

Baiyu Hall didn't want the old man to be buried lightly, so they specially sent Three Profound Spirit Water to upgrade the Treasure Wood's quality.

As long as this Nanmu could be upgraded to first-grade, or even to the level of low-grade spirit wood. With such a coffin, outsiders would only praise Fu Beidou for being benevolent and respectful to his elders.

However, Heng Hua knew in his heart that the longevity wood his grandfather had chosen was the Panlong Spirit Wood that suppressed the luck of Panlong Island.

Hundred Wood Spirit Appraisal records: Panlong Wood, a type of spirit tree, grows in dragon脉 spirit穴, absorbing the essence of wind and rain, and suppressing luck and feng shui. When newly born, its wood is bright yellow, with bark like snake scales. After three hundred years, its wood color turns golden, becoming low-grade second-class spirit wood. After five hundred years, golden scales interlock, forming a coiled dragon shape, becoming low-grade first-class spirit wood. Another five hundred years, the dragon appears to be flying, which is high-grade third-class."

The Panlong Wood at the core of Panlong Island's spirit root grew five hundred years ago and could now yield low-grade first-class spirit wood.

Twenty years ago, when the Great Elder visited, Heng Hua was serving the elders. He overheard his grandfather and the Great Elder chatting and self-deprecatingly saying, "Third Uncle, there's no need to worry. In thirty years, when I close my eyes and am placed in the Panlong coffin, buried alongside my father and mother, I will have no regrets in this life."

To replace the old man's low-grade first-class spirit wood longevity coffin with a low-grade third-class spirit wood one?

In the cultivation world, there exists the "art of raising the dead." The more intact the corpse is preserved, the higher the probability of resurrection. Cultivation families meticulously preserve corpses and conduct funerals so that if a powerful figure emerges in the family one day, they can resurrect all their predecessors.

Coffins and burial clothes are paramount for protecting the physical body.

Fu Heiyi vaguely felt something was wrong from Heng Hua's tone.

Then, Heng Hua's tone softened a bit, "Uncle Nineteen, I recall Grandfather's coffin was planned to be made of Panlong Wood."

Fu Heiyi chuckled dryly, "How could that be? Panlong Spirit Wood is the luck tree that suppresses Panlong Island. Even if a spirit branch breaks without causing death, it would take a hundred years for the spirit branch to recover."

The biggest difference between spirit wood and ordinary wood lies in the sourcing and crafting. Spirit wood does not require the life force to be extracted from its core; any branch broken off can be used as spirit wood material. However, breaking off branches will damage its vitality and require a long time to recover.

"Uncle Nineteen, do you take me for a three-year-old child?"

Why was there a jade axe for felling wood in the Langhuan Pavilion's storeroom? That was what the old man had prepared to split the Panlong Wood with.

Twenty years ago, Heng Hua overheard his Great Elder and grandfather talking and directly interrupted his grandfather's morbid words. He took the jade axe to his own storeroom, declaring he would extend his grandfather's life and abandoning the idea of making the coffin.

Who would have thought that Baiyu Hall had already started preparing for the old man's funeral?

And they wouldn't even allow the use of Panlong Wood!

It made sense. If the old man were to pass away in a few more years, Baiyu Hall would take over Panlong Island. Naturally, the Panlong Spirit Wood would fall into their hands, and they would be reluctant to part with it.

Thinking again about what Fu Heiyi had just said, Heng Hua's voice carried a hint of anger, "Auntie has been making treasure clothes recently, not for us, but preparing burial clothes for the old man, right? Uncle Nineteen's visit is at Uncle Seventeen's behest, to help prepare for Grandfather's funeral?"

The longevity coffin, the burial clothes, and soon Baiyu Hall would personally take over Grandfather's funeral. At the funeral, they would openly announce to the other clan members that Baiyu Hall was moving onto Panlong Island and expelling them, the direct descendants of Baihuang Hall?

"Heng Hua, Heng Hua, don't get angry. These are matters the adults have already agreed upon; you juniors shouldn't interfere. Don't worry, Uncle Danwei personally agreed, no one is forcing him."

Did this even require forcing?

Uncle Seventeen was at the peak of his power, achieving Golden Core at three hundred years old. He was only five hundred now and could guard the Fu family for a thousand years in the future. The old man, feeling he only had ten years left, could only agree to your suggestions for the sake of his descendants.

Fu Heng Hua's eyes flickered: Our Baihuang Hall is weak, and the Great Elder of Xuju Hall only has a hundred or two hundred years left. In the future of the Fu family, Uncle Seventeen will be the one in charge.

Thinking further, if they wouldn't even let the old man use Panlong Wood now, then his burial clothes would likely not be the Five Spirits Cloud Robe, which was a spiritual artifact.

That cloud robe had extremely strong defensive capabilities, making it most suitable for a sword cultivator like Uncle Seventeen for self-defense.

After all, after Grandfather's passing, Uncle Seventeen would be the strongest combatant in the Fu family, needing a defensive treasure to deal with the two great enemies from the Wei family.

However--

Fu Heng Hua had no intention of letting his grandfather die!

"Howling Fish, Lingbo Hongguang Curse."

"Eternal Longevity, put on the Iron Lotus."

Eternal Longevity and Howling Fish heard the command and immediately acted.

Fu Heiyi saw Heng Hua's maid flick her fragrant sleeves, and a white spiritual cloud drifted and enveloped the Nanmu forest. He was greatly alarmed, "Heng Hua, what are you doing!"

Eternal Longevity put on his fingerless gloves, his body like a tiger or wolf, and instantly charged towards Fu Heiyi.

Seeing the electric light flashing on the fingerless gloves and feeling the Foundation Establishment Magical Power of Eternal Longevity, as heavy as a mountain, Fu Heiyi's expression changed, and he quickly retreated.

He primarily cultivated formations and had weak close-combat abilities. Facing Eternal Longevity, who specialized in body techniques and combat, he decisively chose to retreat.

"Heng Hua, are you going to make a move against Uncle Nineteen?"

Secretly gripping three formation flags, Fu Heiyi pretended to be relaxed, "If you want to spar with Uncle Nineteen, let's go to the training grounds now. Don't let--"

The three formation flags quickly rose, transforming into a layer of green light formation that blocked Eternal Longevity's punch.

Suddenly, a gust of clear wind entered his body from behind.

Fu Heiyi had no time to resist. The Evergreen True Essence within his body split into over a hundred streams, sealing his acupoints one by one.

"Nephew is not skilled in combat, and Uncle is not an expert in duels. Should we go to the training grounds and make fools of ourselves?"

"You--"

Fu Heyi's eyes widened as he stared at Heng Hua.

In just one move, his Magical Power was sealed?

"Don't look at your nephew like that. Did you forget? I helped you deduce your cultivation technique. The cultivation routes, even the weak points and flaws, are as obvious as a lamp in the night to me."

Heng Hua, a giant in thought, a dwarf in action.

He could clearly see the flaws on his opponent's body, but lacked the corresponding ability to strike those weak points.

However, with the assistance of Heng Shou and Howling Fish, he could seize opportunities for sneak attacks and easily deal with opponents of the same level.

Plop!

Fu Heyi collapsed onto the ground, unable to move because his acupoints were sealed.

"Wuwu... Wu wu..."

Heng Hua crouched down and gently patted the dirt off him. "Alright, Uncle, don't be angry. Rest for now. When I have time later, I'll apologize to you."

Looking at the camphor tree before him, whose spiritual energy was becoming increasingly dense, Heng Hua said calmly, "Uncle Seventeen sent a great gift, and your nephew gladly accepts it. When I deduce cultivation techniques in the future, I naturally won't forget him. But regarding my grandfather's affairs, Uncle Seventeen needn't trouble himself."

Heng Hua's palm emitted Magical Power, sealing Fu Heyi's Mud Palace and causing him to fall unconscious.

"Howling Fish, go to Uncle Nineteen's residence and put up a 'closed-door cultivation' sign. Don't let anyone disturb him."

Howling Fish stared at the unconscious Fu Heyi on the ground. "Young Master, are you planning to keep this a secret?"

"Panlong Island, the Fu Family's territory. Do you think I'd dare to kill someone?"

As Heng Hua spoke, he gazed in the direction of Dragon Head Peak.

It was also because his grandfather had been dispirited these past few years and couldn't be bothered to pay attention. In previous years, his grandfather's divine sense would have covered Panlong Island. The moment he made a move here, his elder would have noticed.

"Uncle Nineteen cannot be killed, nor can he be let go. If Uncle Seventeen finds out, I won't be able to handle it. So, I'll keep him under house arrest for now and reconsider after I've cultivated again."

Howling Fish acknowledged this and hurried to Fu Heyi's courtyard.

Heng Hua picked up the scattered formation flags and Three Profound Spirit Water from the ground, continuing the camphor tree's upgrade.

"Heng Shou, stop gawking and get ready to chop the tree."

Heng Shou, carrying his jade axe, hesitated. "Young Master, are you sure you want to offend Uncle Nineteen? If this escalates, the Old Master might not be able to protect you."

Fu Heyi is Fu Beidou's own brother, and in ten years, Baiyu Hall will be stationed on Panlong Island. On their territory, won't you be bullied at every turn?

"You're quite talkative today."

Heng Shou sighed helplessly, muttering inwardly, I can't just watch you get into trouble, can I?

Not for this tree, but for laying hands on Uncle Nineteen, the Old Master would still punish you for internal family strife. After you're punished, Baiyu Hall won't let it go either.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. The Old Master is truly disheartened right now; I need to give him some hope."

He was willing to give up his own coffin wood.

When had the Old Master ever wronged himself like this?

In the end, wasn't it all for his unworthy descendants?

Thinking about the Old Master's various matchmaking attempts these past few years, Heng Hua wasn't truly clueless.

All these arrangements were paving the way for his descendants.

Recalling Wei Xingyu, who had come to challenge him ten years ago, Heng Hua suddenly felt that merely letting him die once was a disservice to the Old Master's grievances.

Given the Old Master's fiery temper, how furious must he have been when he was bullied?

Seeing himself lose to Wei Xingyu, how much frustration must he have suppressed?

Even though he had lost on purpose, the Old Master didn't know that.

"The Wei Family dared to bully the Old Master, whose lifespan is nearing its end, and come to our doorstep to show off. In the future, no, within these few years. I will instigate the four great families to join forces and, at the very least, bring our clan members to their home to cause a scene, moving their ancestral tablets and spirit positions to be presented before the Old Master as a show of anger."

Addendum:

The Wood Scripture states: All timber in the world is divided into four categories: common, treasure, spirit, and immortal. Immortal wood is difficult to find, while common wood is seen everywhere. Only treasure and spirit wood are used by cultivators. Treasure wood has three grades, and spirit wood is divided into upper and lower grades, each with three sub-grades.