Chapter 632: Coincidence

The Literary Arts of Pen and Ink, the Xuanjian Immortal Clan!

The lake water rippled beneath the rosy cloud ship. Li Yuanqin stood on the bow with his hands clasped behind his back, white mist drifting beneath his feet. He calmly watched the cultivators moving about below him, his mourning attire gently fluttering in the air.

Ning Hemian, with a lingering sorrow in her eyes, stood quietly behind him. Her gaze swept over the cultivators on both sides—the Chi family members in green robes and the Si family's trusted aides in white—all observing Moon-Gazing Lake.

Ning Hejing, naturally concerned about her, had specifically sent someone to accompany her. This junior, whose cultivation was not as high as hers, stood timidly at the back.

Ning Hemian, always astute, found herself unable to comprehend her elder brother. Ning Hejing had clearly allied with the Chi family's collateral branch, yet he fiercely and stubbornly defended the main branch, maintaining a 'fig leaf' for them. The more she observed, the more embarrassed she felt.

"It's just patching up a broken window, why bother?" she wondered. "Given our family's current situation, why should we risk our lives for Chi Zhiyun?"

As she watched the few members of the Chi family's collateral branch grow increasingly silent, she felt he was simply seeking his own demise. Fortunately, there was little affection between them, so she resigned herself to letting him have his way.

"My lord, we have arrived at Moon-Gazing Lake," a cultivator behind him announced.

A cultivator behind him offered the reminder. Li Yuanqin grunted in acknowledgment, and seeing the cloud ship gradually halt, he casually said:

"Wait for Li Chengliao to come up."

His instruction clearly prompted the green-robed Chi family member to nod. Consequently, the rosy cloud ship docked on the lake, where the abundant rosy light in the sky made both the lake and sky reflect a rainbow of hues.

Seeing that no one from the Li family was descending by wind, someone eventually came forward to invite them. It was a man in white robes, waiting respectfully outside the ship. Li Yuanqin turned his head, and the Chi family member beside him whispered:

"This is an An family member. The An clan is connected to the Jiang family, who are outer disciples of Moon Palace. The An clan married into the Jiang family's main branch and share a significant portion of their bloodline, which should be the purest on the lake."

Li Yuanqin naturally understood. The Chi family member then exited the rosy cloud ship, spoke a few polite words to An Siwei, and the white-robed man retreated as Li Chengliao ascended by wind.

Li Chengliao's tone was respectful and his demeanor excellent. He bowed beside the cloud ship and spoke:

"This junior greets Uncle-Grandfather and all esteemed envoys."

Only then did Li Yuanqin gently nod. Stepping out of the cloud ship, he replied:

"Immortal affairs are complex. I was only able to get away today. Please, Chengliao, take me to pay my respects to..."

Li Chengliao weighed the situation in his mind. The Chi family merely wanted his respectful attitude as a junior, while the Si family wished for the two to appear harmonious. Therefore, the two seemed perfectly amicable as they descended from the spirit ship together. Only then did Li Chengliao address Ning Hemian, bowing and saying:

"Greetings, My Lady."

Ning Hemian's expression was sorrowful. She had always shared a harmonious relationship with Li Xuanfeng and was much more approachable than the composed Li Yuanqin. Li Chengliao respectfully invited everyone to the great hall on the isle, where Shen Bai had already been placed on the altar table.

This white bow had no dazzling golden energy nor brilliant magical light; it lay quietly. Yet everyone's gaze was fixed upon it. Li Yuanqin lowered his gaze, Ning Hemian's eyes were tear-rimmed, and as for the others behind them, there was only greed.

Li Yuanqin stepped forward, performing all the prescribed rites of three bows and nine kowtows. Li Chengliao, under the gaze of the Qingchi cultivators, hastily picked up Shen Bai from the altar and respectfully said:

"The elder left a dying wish: this item should be given to Uncle-Grandfather!"

Li Yuanqin was instantly somewhat surprised, but with a grieving expression, he accepted Shen Bai and replied:

"Father's bow is famous throughout Jiangnan. There are even rumors in the Golden Feather Sect that it has caught the eye of a True Person and has the potential to become a Purple Mansion spiritual artifact. It is truly too precious; I dare not accept it."

It would have been better if he hadn't said anything; with such a statement, Li Chengliao dared even less to hold the item, repeatedly claiming he dared not disobey the lord's command. He only relaxed when Li Yuanqin finally accepted it. Before he could ask anything further, he saw the Chi family member beside him look at him and ask suspiciously:

"How come we don't see..."

Li Chengliao already knew what he wanted to ask. Their own Foundation Establishment cultivators had not shown up, and the matter was already inconvenient to expose, so how could he speak carelessly? He immediately fixed his gaze on Li Yuanqin's eyes and said in a deep voice:

"Uncle-Grandfather! Our lord has long been looking forward to your arrival. However, his old injuries have recurred in recent years, confining him to his bed. Additionally, several other lords are currently in secluded cultivation, and Aunt-Grandmother is out visiting friends, making it difficult for anyone to meet at this time."

As soon as these words were spoken, before others could react, Si Tongyi behind him practically lit up, his heart filled with joy.

"What does this mean!" he thought. "This is giving my Si family too much face! How could they all be in secluded cultivation at the same time and not come out? Clearly, they don't wish to see him! Excellent, excellent, excellent..."

Li Yuanqin glanced at him, but showed no significant change in expression, merely nodding and saying:

"No wonder I don't see my clan nephews. What a pity."

The green-robed man from the Chi family's face darkened, and he was about to speak, but Si Tongyi preempted him, sighing:

"It is indeed a pity. I also heard that the new Sect Master of Xuanyue has been appointed, and Lord Qinghong went to offer congratulations."

Having first preempted the Chi family member, he immediately continued:

"Since the timing is not opportune, we shouldn't cause too much trouble... Shen Bai is too precious; why not send it back to the ship first? We can discuss other matters later."

Si Tongyi had first interrupted this conversation. The Chi family member still looked angry, and Ning Hemian also frowned, but then Li Yuanqin said softly:

"Shen Bai is important. Let's send it to the cloud ship together first."

Li Chengliao secretly sighed in relief. As long as they ended the matter this way, it could still be attributed to Li Xijun and the others being unwilling to see him. If the Chi family member caused a scene, he wouldn't be able to produce Li Xijun and the others, which would indeed be a huge problem.

"Moreover," he thought, "if this matter escalates and everyone finds out, if something happens to Yufu Zi, this timing would certainly be connected by those with ulterior motives..."

He sighed in relief. As everyone began to leave, Si Tongyi was indeed following behind. Li Chengliao quietly added:

"The several lords are in secluded cultivation. Would fellow Daoist like to go up and pay respects?"

"No need..."

Si Tongyi replied with a smile. Everyone then accompanied Shen Bai, flying upwards. Li Chengliao sighed, thinking to himself:

"Why is the timing so coincidental... I can only manage it this way..."

East Sea, border of the Light Skiff Archipelago.

A large red boat bobbed on the sea surface, where laughter and playful banter rose and fell. Snow-white arms, like lotus roots, stretched out from the boat's edge, slender fingers, delicate as green onions, gently gliding over the water, creating ripples.

On the boat were about forty to fifty women, all unclothed, each with distinctive features and charming voices, a mass of white, entangled forms. The man in the very center was robust and strong, wearing only an outer robe, laughing heartily.

Wang Fu held a beauty with one hand, while his other hand, hidden beneath his robe, was forming a spell seal. His eyes smiled as he gazed at the snowy softness before him, his heart feeling refreshed.

"Good..." he thought. "This Bright Square Celestial Stone is indeed a Bright Yang treasure. The 'Dormant Yang Replenishing Yin Art' truly can extract Dormant Yang essence... With this, my cultivation has sped up considerably!"

"With this item in hand, I truly can't bear to give it away..." he mused. "Bright Yang items are quite rare now."

As the spell seals circulated in his hand, his many concubines' eyes immediately grew hazy. Wisps of red mist flew from their nostrils into his palm, circled once, and then returned into their mouths.

As soon as this red mist settled, the concubines all fell into a trance. Wang Fu secretly thought:

"That monk was right. This thing is indeed worthy of the Mingwang lineage. In terms of the charm of harmonious nature, Bright Yang and Extreme Yin are arguably the best. It's quite interesting."

Wang Fu's hands were restless, yet his eyes were clear. The red mist traveled back and forth, not only enhancing his cultivation but also subtly making his concubines' bodies even smoother and more delicate. He carefully controlled the spell seals to avoid harming them. Suddenly, sensing something, he looked up.

A jet-black profound pearl immediately appeared before him. Its dark light reflected, and images were mirrored in his pupils. Wang Fu raised an eyebrow and smiled:

"A Yangyi Evening Flower, not bad," he murmured. "Quite rare now."

Seeing that the demon held the Minor Yang spiritual item he needed, Wang Fu remained still, quietly observing. He carefully watched the fish demon's expression and found that it wasn't particularly afraid, but rather ecstatic.

"It truly has some skill," he remarked.

Wang Fu wanted to watch a bit longer, but he found that this foolish fish had reverted to its original form, sporting a dead-fish face, its countenance covered in flowing mucus, and its two eyes as large as windows, filling his entire field of vision.

"You damned stupid fish," he cursed.

Wang Fu waved his hand, and a person immediately descended from the sky, bowing with cupped hands. It was a guest elder of Changxiao. Wang Fu, naked, paid no mind and casually said:

"To the north, there's a fish demon; go get the item."

The person acknowledged and retreated. Wang Fu continued to observe through the jet-black pearl. After a quarter of an hour, he let out an angry laugh and cursed:

"Useless!"

He saw the man blindly heading north, unable to catch up to the fish demon, let alone the cultivator who was chasing it. He was floundering on the sea like a stupid pig.

Furious, Wang Fu simply picked up one of his concubines, stepped onto the waves, and rode the wind all the way there.

Before the Changxiao cultivators could even react, Wang Fu had vanished from the spot. Several cultivators, finally getting the chance, hastily went to look at the concubines on the boat, whispering to each other and exclaiming in admiration.

North.

Wang Fu's actions were quite unexpected, but he had ultimately given chase. Li Qinghong and the others silently breathed a sigh of relief. Upon careful calculation, the situation was surprisingly much better than they had initially imagined.

Both the fish demon and the cultivator had been active in the area for many years. Seeing Wang Fu give chase, the cultivator turned tail and fled in fright, while the fish demon changed direction northward, its speed increasing by more than a notch.

This was unexpected by everyone; the creature had clearly been holding back earlier, intending to harm the cultivator behind it, which seemed to confirm Wang Fu's suspicions.

Most surprisingly to everyone, he did not rush to finish the fight quickly. Instead, he leisurely observed, carefully watching the fish demon, seemingly suspecting that it possessed some unique bloodline.

The few of them quietly lay in wait under the magical artifact. When Wang Fu sped into the formation, the Feng brothers simultaneously formed hand seals and cast spells, red light bursting from their hands, and said in unison:

"Rise!"

Eight pillars of red light immediately rose from the sea, soaring into the sky. The few of them simultaneously revealed their forms, five figures occupying positions, looking down at him. The red spiritual barrier in the sky quickly closed, then faded into colorless, swiftly concealing all the scenery of the entire sea area and restoring it to a calm and peaceful state.

Li Qinghong in the formation slightly narrowed her eyes. A white feathered robe appeared on Wang Fu. This man had large eyes and a broad forehead, surprisingly possessing a righteous aura. At this moment, he showed no panic, but was deep in thought. Only the naked woman in his arms had a face full of terror.

Wang Fu's gaze swept over everyone. The sight of Li Qinghong and Chen Xuanyu made his expression slowly darken. With a decisive voice, he said deeply:

"She is a minor cultivator of Fetal Respiration and has nothing to do with this matter. Please spare her life."

The "she" referred to the woman in his arms. Wang Fu's first words were neither angry curses nor expressions of fear; surprisingly, they were to secure a way out for his concubine.

Bi Yuzhuang was certainly unwilling to comply. A strange, petal-like three-pronged mini-halberd, resembling a ceremonial artifact, had already appeared in her hand. Spiritual energy silently flowed into it as she slowly said:

"This matter is of great importance; we dare not be careless."

Before her words had even fallen, the Feng brothers had already formed hand seals. Spells flashed in their hands, transforming into two showers of golden rain that flew out, falling across the sky. White light lit up on Wang Fu's body as he used his feathered robe to block.

But he hadn't expected the spells of these two brothers to be truly powerful. This golden rain looked ordinary, yet it incorporated many spiritual materials. The white light on his body flickered, and he had to extend a hand to cast a defensive spell.

Wang Fu supported the white light with one hand, looked down at the woman, and said solemnly:

"Being hit by lightning and fire can be painful. Let me handle it."

The woman only sobbed, her figure scattering like flying petals. Wang Fu shook the blood from his hand, and a pale white long sword appeared in his grip, its light flickering.

Pingdong!

His sword bent in the air, flying out of his hand, transforming into countless white shadows filling the sky like pear blossoms in a storm. Thousands of long swords darted through the air, slicing apart the golden rain.

Bi Yuzhuang had long been waiting for his Pingdong. Her magical artifact stood in her palm, and layers of red light unfurled like petals as she shouted:

"Freeze!"

Thousands of white sword shadows in the sky instantly paused, as if a heavy snowfall was frozen in time above this sea area, reflected in the sea as countless white lights.

Pingdong's sword shadows were clearly not ordinary illusions formed by sword qi or sword essence; each one was a real white sword, sharp and distinct, occupying the entire sky, poised to chop or stab, yet all stopped simultaneously.

"Clang!"

Chen Xuanyu drew his sword and rose, unleashing a black sword qi amidst the countless white shadows. It passed thousands of white swords, heading straight for Wang Fu's chest. Wang Fu's expression hardened, and he shouted:

"Come!"

"Clang!"

An ancient bronze bell appeared before him, vibrating continuously as if it had just covered something beneath it. Wang Fu had no time to celebrate and leaped into the air.

"Clang!"

Black sword rain poured down like a waterfall, making it difficult for Wang Fu to move an inch. Only then did he form hand seals and recite incantations. The Feng brothers' spells summoned red clouds across the sky, covering his face. His magical artifact was again trapped, so he had to change his spell seals for defense.

"A death tribulation..." he muttered.

Wang Fu had only fought a few rounds, and his heart grew slightly cold. He considered himself a bit stronger than Bi Yuzhuang, but he had never fought Chen Xuanyu, only estimating that Chen Xuanyu was at least his equal.

These two alone were already able to put him in extreme danger, let alone with five people attacking him now?

"The Feng brothers are still fine," he thought, "but why is Li Qinghong here! By what right do they seek to kill me!"

He didn't know what mistake he had made to provoke the Li family into joining the attack, but Wang Fu had no time for doubt. Dark clouds rolled in the sky, lightning streaking through them, and the female cultivator was covered in purple lightning.

Six narrow, elegant tokens shimmered together before her, runes lighting up one by one. Dense silver-white lightning flowed over the tokens, interacting with the purple lightning on Li Qinghong's body, slowly illuminating Wang Fu's face.

"When Yang reaches its zenith, six thunders are born!"