Immortality Cultivation

Chapter 222: Undercurrents

Fang Hao was immersed in the Royal Collection Pavilion, like a mouse that had fallen into a rice bin, frantically ’gnawing’ on Jade Slips related to Formations, Alchemy, and miscellaneous studies.

His previous knowledge of Formations was scattered and unsystematic, but with the Royal Collection, he could finally systematically fill in his gaps.

From basic rune analysis and energy node arrangement to complex composite Formations and spatial Formation principles, and even records of incomplete ancient Restrictions, he devoured everything to memorize it first, intending to digest it slowly later.

In terms of Alchemy, he also found many insights and improvement techniques for Grade Four and even Grade Five Pill Formulas, as well as secret methods regarding the use of special flames and the ultimate purification of medicinal properties.

This opened his eyes, and he felt his Alchemy skills had a faint trend of breaking through to the high-level of Grade Four.

Besides these, he specifically looked for records concerning the Power of the Stars and Chaos Qi.

Unfortunately, content in this area was extremely scarce and mostly vague, with only bits and pieces mentioning ’The Power of the Stars is a branch of the Universe’s Origin power’ and ’Chaos is the beginning of all things and the source of all laws, ethereal and hard to find,’ leaving him both itching with curiosity and helpless.

Time flew, and more than half a month passed.

Fang Hao spent every day extremely fulfilled, soaking in the Royal Collection Pavilion during the day and returning to Qingyun Courtyard at night to digest what he had learned, while using the golden spirit pill to consolidate his cultivation.

The days were so peaceful that he felt a bit unaccustomed to it.

But he knew this peace was only on the surface.

The Sun Family would not just let it go.

Just as Fang Hao was lost in the ocean of knowledge, deep within the Sun Family’s vast and imposing mansion, in a secret chamber, the atmosphere was as oppressive as the eve of a storm.

In the center of the secret chamber sat an elderly man with a withered face but eyes as sharp as an eagle’s.

He was the current head of the Sun Family, Sun Honglie, with an Early Nascent Soul Stage cultivation.

Below him stood several people, including Sun Tianqi, who still looked pale with his left arm in a sling, the sharp-mouthed and monkey-cheeked Sun Family External Affairs Elder, and two other steady-looking Golden Core Elders.

’Trash!’ Sun Honglie slammed the tea table beside him, and the sturdy black ironwood table shattered into powder with a ’crack’!

With his hair and beard bristling, he glared at Sun Tianqi below.

’A dignified direct descendant of the Sun Family, at the Late Golden Core Stage, actually defeated by an unknown Loose Cultivator across stages in full view of everyone, and even had an arm crippled!’

’You have lost all the face of my Sun Family!’

Sun Tianqi’s face turned even paler.

He lowered his head, clenching his fists so hard his nails sank into his flesh.

The hatred for Fang Hao in his heart was about to burst his chest.

But he dared not retort; this defeat was indeed the humiliation of his life.

’Head of the Family, calm your anger,’ a steady-looking Elder beside him spoke up.

’While Tianqi is certainly at fault, that Fang Hao is indeed somewhat strange.’

’His movement technique is bizarre, his Sword Intent is condensed, and he possesses a defensive Magic Treasure of at least Medium Grade Four.’

’I’m afraid... he is not as simple as an ordinary Loose Cultivator.’

’Hmph! No matter how ’not simple’ he is, he is just an ant at the Middle Golden Core Stage!’

Sun Honglie snorted coldly.

’If it weren’t for His Majesty suddenly intervening, rewarding him with the Qingyun Courtyard, and letting him enter the Royal Collection Pavilion, this old man would have sent someone to crush him long ago!’

’How could I allow him to be so carefree!’

Mentioning the Emperor made the atmosphere in the secret chamber even heavier.

Imperial power was, after all, a great mountain pressing down on everyone’s heads.

Even though the Sun Family was the Crown Prince’s maternal Family and possessed immense power, they dared not openly defy the Emperor’s will, especially given such a reward that clearly had a protective nature.

’Head of the Family, are we just going to let it go?’ the Sun Family External Affairs Elder called out unwillingly.

’The death of our Sun Family’s external deacon Sun Hai is likely related to this kid too!’

’And with Tianqi’s injury, I heard the young master of the Zhou Family, Zhou Shitong, was also severely injured, and he has quite a few complaints about our Sun Family!’

’This resentment is really hard to swallow!’

’Let it go? How could we let it go!’

Cold light flashed in Sun Honglie’s eyes.

’Killing a person of my Sun Family, injuring my Sun Family’s direct descendant—this hatred is irreconcilable!’

’Can His Majesty protect him for a while, can he protect him for a lifetime?’

’Can he hide in this Qingyun Courtyard forever?’

He paused and said coldly: ’His Majesty rewarding him with a house and letting him enter the Royal Collection Pavilion is nothing more than valuing his talent a bit, and remembering that he saved the Grand Princess.’

’But His Majesty is busy with ten thousand affairs; would he keep focusing on a tiny Golden Core cultivator?’

’As long as we do it cleanly and leave no handle, even if His Majesty blames us afterwards, without evidence, what can he do?’

’Would he really severely punish our Sun Family for a dead Loose Cultivator?’

’Don’t forget, the Crown Prince’s mother is the daughter of our Sun Family!’

Mentioning the Crown Prince, everyone felt a boost in spirit.

That’s right, their Sun Family’s greatest reliance was none other than the current Crown Prince, Mu Yuankang!

The Crown Prince was Empress Sun’s biological son and the Sun Family’s grandson!

With this layer of relationship, as long as they didn’t touch the foundation of imperial power and didn’t leave solid evidence, the Emperor would give the Sun Family some face.

A dead, background-less Genius Loose Cultivator versus an entrenched maternal relative Family—His Majesty should know which is heavier.

’Does the Head of the Family mean...’ another Elder probed.

’Wait until he leaves the Royal Collection Pavilion and the range of the Imperial City, then find an opportunity...’

Sun Honglie made a throat-slitting gesture, killing intent baring in his eyes.

’Do it cleanly, disguise it as an accident, or... a vendetta.’

’Isn’t he a Loose Cultivator? Cultivating outside, he has many enemies; dying outside is very normal.’

’The token for the Royal Collection Pavilion is only for three months; he can’t hide in there forever.’

’Send people to watch the Qingyun Courtyard and the exit of the Royal Collection Pavilion closely!’

’Yes!’ The Sun Family External Affairs Elder and the others responded quickly, their eyes also showing excitement and cruelty.

Sun Tianqi raised his head and hissed, ’Grandfather, I want to take revenge personally!’

’When he is caught, please let me finish him off myself!’

Sun Honglie glanced at him and said coldly, ’Wait until you recover from your injuries and your cultivation is restored.’

’Now, go into closed-door cultivation for me.’

’If you don’t reach the Nascent Soul, you are not allowed to go out and embarrass the Family again!’

Sun Tianqi dared not retort and could only grit his teeth and agree, the hatred for Fang Hao in his heart deepening.

’Also,’ Sun Honglie added, ’This matter must be carried out in secret; do not make a big scene.’

’Additionally, go investigate! Investigate this Fang Hao’s background carefully for me!’

’I want to know where he came from, who his master is, and what kind of entanglement he has with the Grand Princess!’

’I always feel that His Majesty’s rewards for him are a bit too generous; there might be some hidden story.’

’Understood!’

Just as the Sun Family was plotting how to quietly eliminate Fang Hao, Fang Hao in the Royal Collection Pavilion was still unaware.

He had just put down a Jade Slip about the principles of ’Teleportation Formations,’ rubbed his swollen temples, and was pondering how to apply the knowledge he had learned to improve the minor teleportation talisman or refine similar life-saving Talismans himself.

He walked out of the quiet room, preparing to go to the ’Miscellaneous Studies’ area to see if there were any records about special compasses like the ’star evolution plate.’

Ever since he obtained this thing, besides being able to point out directions, he hadn’t developed any other uses for it; he always felt this thing wasn’t simple.

Just as he was walking between the bookshelves, the corner of his Clear Spring Spirit Eyes suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure in a pale yellow palace dress with a graceful posture in the ’History and Geography Miscellaneous Notes’ area nearby, standing on tiptoe, trying to reach a Jade Slip on the highest shelf.

Is it the Ninth Princess, Mu Fenghua?

Why did she run to the Royal Collection Pavilion?

Looking at this posture, it seems like she also snuck in?

Fang Hao hesitated for a moment but still walked over.

After all, the other party had helped him with many things.

’Your Highness, do you need help?’ Fang Hao walked behind her and asked softly.

Mu Fenghua was startled and turned around abruptly.

Seeing it was Fang Hao, she exhaled, patted her chest, and complained, ’It’s you, you scared me!’

’Why are you here? Oh right, Father Emperor rewarded you with a token...’

’Just in time, help me get that one, yes, that ’Records of Strange Tales in Central Province,’ I can’t reach it!’

Fang Hao looked up and saw that the Jade Slip was indeed placed a bit high.

He tapped his toes, leaped lightly, took the Jade Slip down, and handed it to Mu Fenghua.

’Thanks a lot!’ Mu Fenghua took the Jade Slip and said with a smile, ’Why did you run here to read miscellaneous books? Why not go read Cultivation Techniques or Secret Manuals?’

’I am more interested in Formations and Alchemy.’

’Why is Your Highness here?’ Fang Hao asked curiously.

Logically speaking, with Mu Fenghua’s status, if she wanted to read any book, she would just give an order and someone would send it over; she didn’t need to run here herself.

’Me?’ Mu Fenghua looked left and right, lowered her voice, and said mysteriously, ’I snuck in! I used my aunt’s token!’

’Father Emperor won’t let me read these messy travelogues, saying it delays Cultivation, so I had to find a way myself!’

’Hey, you are not allowed to tell anyone!’

Fang Hao couldn’t help but laugh; this Ninth Princess was really... lively.

’Your Highness, rest assured, I will not say anything.’

’That’s good!’ Mu Fenghua nodded with satisfaction, then suddenly leaned closer and whispered, ’By the way, I heard... the Sun Family seems to be a bit strange.’

’The little eunuch in my palace said he saw people from the Sun Family wandering around the Qingyun Courtyard these days, and they were asking when you would come out of the Royal Collection Pavilion.’

’You... be careful.’

Fang Hao’s heart tightened, but his face remained calm: ’Thank you for the reminder, Your Highness, I will be careful.’

The Sun Family... so they really couldn’t hold back after all?

And, acting so fast, so blatantly?

It seems that once he leaves the Royal Collection Pavilion, he will probably really face a tough battle.

However... he was not completely unprepared now.

He touched the warm phoenix pattern pendant in his bosom and felt the surging Late Golden Core Stage spiritual power in his Dantian, his eyes slightly cold.

Want to touch me? Then let’s see if your Sun Family’s teeth are hard enough.