External Path Deceives Heaven and Tricks Orthodox Law, Mind Monkey Defeats Fire and Stirs Restless Spirit

The Dragon Transformation Pool, third day.

When the Dragon Gate closed, Heng Hua had just grown into a Fish Dragon.

Opening its eyes, the lotus leaf beneath it had lost its spiritual light. Heng Hua's consciousness, transformed into a Fish Dragon, returned to its original body, along with a strand of Dragon Qi that circulated within its body and was absorbed by the Creation True Qi.

After failing to transform into a dragon, one could bring their transformed dragon beast form back to their original body to increase their Magical Power.

Dragon Fish Level Spiritual Power was equivalent to ten days of normal cultivation.

A Fish Dragon was equivalent to thirty days, or ten days of cultivation in the Dragon Transformation Pool.

"It's alright, no loss."

Heng Hua engaged in self-talk, comforting itself, "It's been a few years since I tried the dragon transformation opportunity, I'm a bit rusty. Let's try again."

Taking the token, Heng Hua exchanged for another three days and asked Fu Danwei to open the Dragon Gate again.

After pondering, Fu Danwei first opened the Dragon Gate to normal mode. On the third day, just as Heng Hua was about to evolve from a Fish Dragon into a Flood Dragon, he decisively activated the highest difficulty. Flood Dragons appeared one after another, beating the Fish Dragon back to its original form.

Then, Fu Danwei adjusted the difficulty back, allowing Heng Hua to grow smoothly.

"I left him some time. This time he can transform into a Flood Dragon, but there isn't enough time to cross the Dragon Gate."

Fu Danwei stroked his beard and nodded secretly.

Knowing his grandson as he did, Heng Hua was proud and would definitely choose to continue striving. This way, he could continue to use the Dragon Transformation Pool to hone his combat awareness.

That's right, Heng Hua was being deliberately targeted by Fu Danwei in the Dragon Transformation Pool. For his grandson, who spent all day at home reading books, the old man was extremely worried.

The difficulty increase in the Dragon Transformation Pool was something Fu Danwei had figured out while strategizing against his grandson.

Ordinary clan members using the dragon transformation opportunity only had one normal mode, with no snake or water plant dragon species. Trial-takers only needed to defeat three dragon beasts of the same level at each stage to automatically advance. However, they were frequently blocked at the Dragon Gate. In hundreds of years, few people had completed the Dragon Gate trial.

Fu Danwei didn't believe Heng Hua could pass the Dragon Gate and seek True Dragon Qi. He was only worried that Heng Hua's frequent use of the dragon transformation opportunity, consuming large amounts of dragon beast and dragon Qi to cultivate, would lead to an unstable foundation.

Therefore, Fu Danwei deliberately increased the difficulty for him to temper his mind. Furthermore, through battles with dragon beasts and dragon fish, Heng Hua had unknowingly accumulated extremely rich combat experience with aquatic creatures.

For the second defeat, Heng Hua remained unfazed.

It's fine, I have plenty of Merit Points anyway. I'll take my time.

This time, Heng Hua obtained a strand of Flood Dragon Qi, increasing his Magical Power by a hundred days of hard work. The fifth step of the Spirit Embryo Heart Method was completed.

"Ascend the spirit clouds, sweep the dragon palace. Next is to face death and end the nether spirit."

The spirit ape leaped and rolled in the Niwan Palace, filled with joy.

"Staff!"

With a thought, the spirit ape waved its hands, and a golden Dragon Qi transformed into a staff.

Heng Hua had read extensively and knew many combat techniques for staff-wielding cultivators. He had the spirit ape study staff techniques on Flower-Fruit Mountain, suppressing the restlessness surging in his heart.

"Continue."

For the third time, the Fish Dragon became a Flood Dragon and defeated a group of opponents, reaching the Dragon Gate. However, due to the time limit, it returned to its original body in Flood Dragon form.

For the fourth time, it was ambushed by a Grass and Wood Green Flood Dragon lurking before the Dragon Gate.

For the fifth time, it encountered a group of Dragon Eels upon exiting. After breaking through repeatedly, it died repeatedly. By the time the duration ended, it was merely a small fry.

"It's okay, I only lost once. Let's go again."

The sixth time, it ended as a Fish Dragon.

The seventh time, it ended as a small fry.

With each attempt, Heng Hua's expression grew darker. The spirit ape thrashed and roared in the Niwan Palace, its Dragon Qi staff sweeping with immense force, causing Flower-Fruit Mountain to be battered by wind and rain.

His heart fire blazed, and Heng Hua silently recited the "Heart Calming Incantation."

The spirit ape, also known as the mind monkey, was a manifestation of Heng Hua's consciousness. It was jumpy and agile, rebellious and untamed, filled with all of Heng Hua's negative emotions.

Ultimately, although Heng Hua had created the Heavenly Script, his realm was insufficient. The Heavenly Script created with his current knowledge base had a very troublesome hidden danger.

When the mind monkey became agitated, it would trigger various negative emotions in the cultivator when encountering setbacks, causing them to lose control of their reason. Only after reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm and suppressing the mind monkey with the Five Elements Mountain could one escape the restless thoughts of the mind monkey.

Heng Hua was fully aware of this drawback.

In the "Seeking Immortality, Bodhi Path" stage, there should have been a "Nourishing Qi and Cultivating Heart" meditation technique. It should have manifested the "Flower-Fruit Mountain" in the Yellow Court Inner Scenery as the Spiritual Terrace Square Inch Mountain and the Slanting Moon Three Stars Cave.

Spiritual Terrace, Square Inch, seeking.

Slanting Moon, Three Stars, the heart.

Only by seeking the heart and verifying the origin could one suppress the mind monkey, making it submit to external influences and return to righteous cultivation.

However, Heng Hua, relying on his re-cultivation as a Foundation Establishment cultivator and his excellent state of mind, was unwilling to spend more effort creating a meditation technique for nourishing Qi and cultivating the heart.

The fourth step later on should have also included a mental cultivation method to consolidate the spirit and train the divine sense. Otherwise, ordinary people cultivating would die from Qi Deviation due to the jumpy mind monkey, weak spirit, and agitation.

Yet, Heng Hua possessed divine sense at the level of Immortal Dao Foundation Establishment, so he didn't care at all.

Therefore, this first layer of the Heavenly Script, with its huge flaws and loopholes, was the most suitable and the only version that Heng Hua could cultivate – a specific rapid-progress version.

"Calm down, calm down. Don't keep banging your head against the wall. If I keep consuming Merit Points like this, I'll only end up with a small fry. It's better to just go into seclusion here—"

But, looking at the swaying Flood Dragons and Dragon Eels at the closing of the Dragon Transformation Pool, he felt so angry!

"Again! If I can obtain True Dragon Qi, I can quickly recover my Foundation Establishment Realm."

Heng Hua's face turned red with anger. He took out his token and crossed out two more major merits.

"I refuse to believe I can't get True Dragon Qi!"

Heng Hua was aware of the drawbacks of the Mind Monkey. Therefore, he didn't want to linger in the Qi Refining stage for too long. Recovering to the Foundation Establishment Realm as soon as possible would allow him to suppress the Mind Monkey's restless fire.

This sense of urgency only made the Mind Monkey more agitated, overpowering his reason and damaging his Dao heart.

Although Fu Danwei didn't understand Heng Hua's current predicament, he saw him toiling away in the Dragon Transformation Pool. He silently guided combat techniques against aquatic creatures, feeding Heng Hua moves bit by bit.

"If he ever encounters a large group of water demons working together in the future, he must know how to break free."

He secretly controlled the Dragon Transformation Pool, sending in piles of Dragon Eels.

"If he encounters an enemy he cannot defeat, he must know how to escape."

During the Dragon Fish period, Fu Danwei deliberately sent in a Flood Dragon.

The grandfather and grandson engaged in a battle of wits, tormenting each other. This continued until Heng Hua spent thirty days in the Dragon Transformation Pool, undergoing ten Dragon Transformation trials.

Although he couldn't obtain True Dragon Qi, it allowed him to advance to the sixth step of the Spirit Embryo Heart Method, severing death and ending the underworld spirit.

Having traversed the netherworld, the Spiritual Monkey had gained substantial form and could remain outside his body for longer periods.

"No, I can't continue like this."

Heng Hua saw that the Merit Points on his token were dwindling. He struggled to suppress his restless thoughts with his remaining reason, got out of the water, and left in a hurry.

"He's leaving?"

"A break in the middle, time to go back and eat!"

Cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm could abstain from food for dozens of days, nourished solely by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Although Heng Hua had dispersed his cultivation and was retraining, his physique remained unchanged. After a month of seclusion, he didn't need any Grain Avoidance Pills.

However, after a long time, it was still uncomfortable. Therefore, he went back to rest, intending to replenish his energy.

Fu Danwei was somewhat surprised. Just as he was about to tease his grandson a few words, the candlelight in the hall dimmed, and that shadowy figure reappeared.

"You can live for another five hundred years just by seizing one of my grandsons. Such a good deal, aren't you tempted?"

Fu Danwei's expression changed. He closed his eyes and silently suppressed the "inner devil."

Returning to Langhuan Pavilion, Heng Hua ate his Spirit Grain meal and replenished his essence, energy, and spirit. Then, he asked the Howling Fish to make him a pot of cooling tea to relieve the heat.

Over these past few days, the Howling Fish had already mended the gold threads from the Second Madam's side. As for Fu Heyi's matter, no one on the island was pursuing it for the time being.

The Howling Fish reported the situation over the past few days. Finally, she mentioned something: "Eighth Miss has come a few times recently. Since you weren't here, she didn't enter the study."

"Liuhui girl?"

Fu Liuhui was ranked eighth. Her mother and Fu Henghua's father were twins, and she and Fu Henghua had the best relationship among their siblings.

"Could she have come to borrow sword manuals?"

Heng Hua didn't pay much attention.

Later, after the Howling Fish left, he stayed alone in the study, cultivating his energy and reading, adjusting his mindset.

Once his mind was calm, Heng Hua summoned the Mind Monkey.

A palm-sized spiritual ape appeared on the table. It held a staff made of Dragon Qi and was climbing back and forth on the brush stand mountain.

"With my current sixth-level Qi Refining Magical Power, as long as this staff hits an enemy's crown, there's a high probability... even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would die?"

Heng Hua reached out and picked up the Coiled Dragon Staff. The spiritual ape clung to the staff, refusing to let go, and bared its teeth at Heng Hua.

This state was peculiar. Heng Hua seemed to have two perspectives: one from his own body, and the other from the spiritual ape.

The spiritual ape was his other consciousness.

"External Incarnation, Second Primordial Spirit..."

Heng Hua muttered to himself, sensing a spiritual opportunity in the void. He let out a hearty laugh, "This is the Two Hearts."

Although he hadn't yet figured out the subsequent realms like Mysterious Embryo and Core Formation, Heng Hua had already conceived how to cultivate the future "Calamity of Two Hearts."

The Mind Monkey was both restless thoughts and the inner devil. Only by subduing the Mind Monkey and destroying the Two Hearts could he return to unity and achieve the Saint Embryo and Primordial Spirit cultivation.

Thinking of the step to becoming a Primordial Spirit True Immortal, Heng Hua felt joy in his heart. He was eager to reach Foundation Establishment as soon as possible and complete the Heavenly Script he had created.

"A month has passed now. I can't keep Nineteenth Uncle's matter a secret forever. I must reach the ninth level of Qi Refining as soon as possible and head to Buried Turtle Reef."

Heng Hua had a vague guess about what was in Buried Turtle Reef.

A natural place to avoid tribulations would naturally have rare treasures. And mentioning Spiritual Turtles naturally brought to mind divination and longevity.

The rare treasures nurtured there would likely aid in divination and deduction. At the very least, there would be items for extending life.

Those things were crucial for himself and his grandfather.

He couldn't sit still any longer and headed upstairs again.

Fu Heyi had been sleeping in the guest room of Langhuan Pavilion these past few days.

Heng Hua pushed the door open and saw Fu Heyi sleeping soundly on the bed. He reached out and took his pulse.

"Fortunately, his true essence is circulating stably. His spiritual consciousness is just sealed, preventing him from getting up and moving."

But this was not a long-term solution.

"If I release him now, Grandfather will definitely find out about me cultivating anew after abandoning my previous cultivation. Given Grandfather's personality, he absolutely won't allow me to go to Buried Turtle Reef."

After a moment's thought, Heng Hua murmured, "The camphor trees on the back mountain have been felled. Old Master probably already knows. It might be better to create the illusion that Nineteenth Uncle has left the island, making Old Master mistakenly believe he went to craft a coffin. Then, he likely won't pursue Nineteenth Uncle's whereabouts anymore."

Although it was Fu Danwei who tacitly allowed Fu Heyi to go to the back mountain to fell trees and make a coffin for himself.

But such a thing was no different from cursing him to an early death.

Old Master would be glad to see no evil, so why would he care where Fu Heyi went?

"It's not impossible for me to take Nineteenth Uncle to Buried Turtle Reef with me. It's just..."

Howling Fish and Eternal Longevity alone would likely not be enough to supervise him.

Just then, the wind chimes at the entrance of Langhuan Pavilion rang.

Heng Hua looked out the window and saw Fu Xiangfeng standing at the main entrance.

Instantly, he smiled.

Help had arrived!

Casually grabbing a small handful of soil and ash from the flowerpot by the window, Heng Hua carefully sprinkled it on the head and foot of Fu Heyi's bed. After reciting a chant, he went downstairs to find Fu Xiangfeng.

Addendum:

Dragon Physiognomy states: Dragons are the foremost of scaled creatures. They can be large or small, manifest or hidden, summon wind and rain, and roam the vast seas.

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In reality, not many readers are watching, but since someone requested an update, I'll post two chapters a day. However, in terms of word count, it's difficult to write four thousand characters in two chapters, so I can only try my best to write more.