Immortality and Cultivation: I can extract entries from all things.

As the first rays of dawn appeared, the sea surface rippled with golden waves.

Captain Chen's ship slowly sailed away from Qing'ao Island pier. Fang He stood at the bow, gazing northeast. The sea breeze, carrying a salty tang, rushed towards him, making his clothes flutter in the wind.

Zhou Xiaolan stood beside him, the sea breeze ruffling the stray hairs at her temples.

"It's a half-day voyage to Ironbone Island," Fang He said in a low voice. "When we arrive at the dock, you stay on shore and wait for me."

Zhou Xiaolan nodded slightly. "I know. Recruiting mentors is your business; I won't interfere."

Fang He nodded, but had other thoughts in his mind.

The news Qin Wujiu brought still weighed heavily on his mind. Ye Chen's descent into darkness, Xiao Yichen's advance—these three threats combined greatly increased the danger of their journey to the outer seas. In this situation, a reliable guide was not just a bonus, but a matter of life and death.

"Counselor Fang," Captain Chen walked over from the stern, rubbing his rough hands, "Xu Haichuan is a strange man; he doesn't think much of ordinary people. However, I have some connections with him, and if I introduce him, at least he'll be willing to meet."

"Thank you for your hard work, Captain Chen," Fang He said. "Tell me more about his character."

Captain Chen thought for a moment, then lowered his voice and said, "Brother Xu has been sailing the open sea for thirty years and has seen too many young people go and never come back. He may be sharp-tongued, but he's not a bad person at heart. If you confront him head-on, he'll only look down on you even more. But if you show him your true skills, he'll respect you more than anyone else."

Fang He silently made a mental note of it.

That's real skill.

He doesn't lack anything.

The ship cut through the waves, the islands on both sides receding into the distance. Taking advantage of a lull in the voyage, Fang He retrieved a jade slip containing information on the sea race's array formations and continued studying it. The array system, centered on tidal rhythms, was completely different from the human race's land-based array formations; the way spiritual energy circulated was almost like another language.

He carefully put away the jade slip and closed his eyes in deep thought.

Sea formations... perhaps we'll see different examples once we're on Xu Haichuan's ship.

---

Afternoon, Ironbone Island pier.

Tiegu Island is a size larger than Qing'ao Island. The dock area is densely packed with merchant ships and fishing boats, and bustling with noise. Porters carry cargo boxes back and forth, and the cries of vendors rise and fall. The air is filled with the smell of fish and sea salt.

Captain Chen led Fang He and Zhou Xiaolan through the main dock area and toward a secluded berth at the far end.

The further they went, the fewer boats there were, and the more deserted the dock became. Finally, they stopped beside a dilapidated stone staircase, with an old seagoing vessel moored opposite them.

The hull is mottled, the canvas is yellowed, but it has a deep draft, and the deck is spotless. The ropes are neatly stacked, and the gunwales are polished to a shine; every detail reflects the owner's appreciation for it.

"That's Brother Xu's ship," Captain Chen said in a low voice, his tone filled with awe. "He's had this ship with him for twenty years; it's more precious than his own life."

Fang He glanced at the hull of the ship and nodded slightly.

Although the boat is old, its frame is sturdy.

A ship that can sail on the open sea for thirty years is no ordinary vessel.

A man sat at the bow of the boat, head down, mending a fishing net. He looked to be in his fifties, with skin as black as iron, his face etched with deep wrinkles, and his hands rough and calloused. His back was slightly hunched, but sitting there, he was like an old rock embedded in the deck, steady and unshakable.

"Brother Xu!" Captain Chen called out.

The man raised his head, a glint of shrewdness shining in his cloudy eyes. His gaze shifted from Captain Chen to Fang He's face, paused for a moment, and then swept over Zhou Xiaolan behind him.

"Old Chen, is this the kid you're talking about?"

Captain Chen strode forward and introduced in a low voice, "Brother Xu, this is Fang He, the Advisor I mentioned to you, the decision-making advisor of the Zhou family."

Xu Haichuan glanced at Fang He, his gaze lingering on his young face for a moment before letting out a sneer.

"That's it? Just a kid?"

He tossed the fishing net onto the deck, stood up, crossed his arms, and looked down at Fang He.

"The Zhou family's decision-making advisor, what a high-ranking official you are. But once you get to the open sea, your advisory title won't even fill the gaps between the teeth of a sea monster."

Fang He remained expressionless and nodded slightly.

"Mr. Xu, I need a guide who is familiar with the open sea routes. Captain Chen said you are the best."

"The best? That's true." Xu Haichuan's tone was filled with undisguised arrogance. "I, Xu Haichuan, have been operating in the open sea for thirty years. I can't find another person in this sea area who can go three thousand miles into the open sea and come back alive."

He held up one finger and waved it in front of Fang He.

"In thirty years, how many people have I seen off? Seventeen. The youngest was two years younger than you, at the ninth level of Qi Refining, full of confidence, saying he was going to give it a try. And what happened? He didn't even make it to the edge of the outer sea before being dragged into the water by a second-tier sea beast."

His gaze turned cold, and his tone became somber.

"But I'm not taking you, young master, to your death. The outer sea is not like the small skirmishes in your inner sea. Second-tier sea beasts are everywhere, and the chaotic spiritual energy is comparable to a natural barrier. If a young man at the eighth level of Qi Refining goes in, he'll just become food for the sea beasts."

Fang He understood.

Seventeen people.

These are not just numbers; they are the scars of Xu Haichuan's thirty-year career at sea.

He was sharp-tongued because he was afraid of losing another life.

Fang He remained calm and composed, her tone unhurried and unperturbed.

"Mr. Xu, I understand your concerns. Although I have not personally experienced the dangers of the open sea, I have heard about them."

Xu Haichuan snorted, clearly unconvinced. "Hearsay? Hearsay is utterly useless."

"Hearing about it isn't enough," Fang He readily admitted. "Why don't you let me see your ship? The ship of an old sea wolf should tell you a lot."

Xu Haichuan raised an eyebrow.

He had seen too many young people who, after being rejected, would either become angry and embarrassed or beg and plead. This young man's reaction, however, was unexpected; he was calmer than his age suggested.

"Alright, you're quite patient." He stepped aside. "Come on up and take a look."

Fang He turned to Zhou Xiaolan.

Zhou Xiaolan shook her head slightly and said calmly, "Go do your thing, I'll wait for you at the dock."

She was only accompanying Fang He on this trip; recruiting guides was Fang He's business. She wouldn't interfere, nor would she allow Fang He to be distracted by taking care of her.

Fang He nodded and followed Captain Chen onto the gangplank to board Xu Haichuan's ship.

---

Although the boat is old, it is well maintained.

The wooden planks on the deck were soaked in sea salt, gleaming with a silvery-white luster, and the ropes were neatly stacked. Every detail reflected the owner's appreciation for them.

Fang He kept walking, his gaze sweeping from the deck to the cabin, and then from the cabin to the stern. He walked slowly, observing carefully, pausing briefly at each point.

Xu Haichuan followed behind, arms crossed, a hint of disdain on his lips.

Fang He ignored his expression and continued to observe.

The ship's frame is made of high-quality sea ironwood, which is extremely tough and can withstand the impact of a second-tier sea beast.

A deep draft indicates a reasonable load-bearing design and sufficient supplies for long voyages.

But the spiritual energy guiding patterns on the hull... Fang He frowned almost imperceptibly.

Not right.

Xu Haichuan noticed Fang He's eyebrows twitch slightly and spoke with a hint of smugness.

"This ship has been with me for twenty years. The defensive formation on the ship was set up by a formation master from Ironbone Island for thirty spirit stones. It's more than enough to hold off first-tier sea beasts. In the Ironbone Island area, this kind of formation is already top-notch."

A formation costing thirty spirit stones is considered a considerable investment on a remote island.

Fang He didn't reply. He stood in the middle of the deck and closed his eyes.

In an instant, the entire structure of the ship's defensive formation unfolded before his eyes like a scroll.

Every single rune, every spiritual energy path, and every connection point is meticulously detailed.

Fang He opened her eyes, her brows furrowing slightly.

Three flaws. One of them is a fatal one.

"Mr. Xu, there are problems with three nodes in this formation."

Xu Haichuan snorted dismissively.

"You, a mere Qi Refining Level 8 brat, dare to comment on formations? That formation master is one of the most prominent figures on Ironbone Island. How could his formations be wrong?"

Fang He did not argue, but walked straight to the left side of the ship and pointed his finger at a formation pattern.

"The first question is here."

His fingertips moved slowly along the lines of his mouth, speaking at a moderate pace.

"The spiritual energy circulation of this node overlaps with that of the adjacent node, and its normal operation is unaffected. However, if it encounters a storm, the two spiritual energies will interfere with each other, and the entire formation will collapse within half a breath."

He paused, then emphasized his words.

"The formation collapsed under the storm, and the people on the ship didn't even have time to react."

Xu Haichuan's expression changed slightly.

"How...did you figure that out?"

Fang He did not answer, but continued walking to the stern of the boat and pointed to another spot.

"The second problem is that the spiritual energy supply to this anchoring node is insufficient. The formation can be maintained at low power, but once it is running at full power, this place will be the first to break."

He then walked to the bow of the ship, squatted down, and looked at the location of the array's core.

"Thirdly, the bow's defensive focal point is off-center by half an inch, reducing the defensive coverage by ten percent. In all your years sailing the open seas, haven't you found attacks from sea monsters near the bow particularly difficult to defend against?"

Xu Haichuan was startled.

He definitely had that feeling. Every time the ship was attacked head-on by sea monsters, the bow defenses were always the first to crack. He always thought it was because the sea monsters were attacking too fiercely, and never considered that it was a problem with the shift of the array's core.

"You..." Xu Haichuan's Adam's apple bobbed, and he couldn't speak for a long time.

The array master he hired, who cost him thirty spirit stones, never mentioned these issues.

The pulse of the seawater emanated from the bottom of the ship, the rhythm of the tides as steady as breathing. Fang He closed her eyes and quietly felt it for a moment.

wrong.

The direction of the dragon bone's spiritual energy guidance deviates from the tidal rhythm. When flowing against the current, the spiritual energy cancels out the ocean current, resulting in a waste of power.

He looked up at Xu Haichuan.

"There's one more thing. The direction of spiritual energy guidance in the keel of the ship deviates from the rhythm of the tides, and the ship loses at least 10% of its speed when sailing against the current."

Xu Haichuan took a deep breath, his chest heaving violently.

He re-examined the young man before him, his gaze shifting from disdain to seriousness, and then from seriousness to complexity.

This is definitely not some rich kid. This person's understanding of formations and ocean currents far surpasses his own knowledge, even surpassing that of the formation master on Ironbone Island who took thirty spirit stones from him.

After a moment of silence, Xu Haichuan swallowed hard, his voice unconsciously lowering a few decibels.

"You...you really want to go to the open sea?"

Fang He looked him straight in the eye, her tone frank.

"The mission of the sect leader must be completed."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "And you need someone who understands formations to fix the ship's problems. A formation that collapses in a storm—do you dare sail this ship out to sea again?"

That hit the nail on the head.

Xu Haichuan's face alternated between pale and flushed. He had spent thirty years navigating the open seas, relying on this ship and this formation. Now, being told that the formation had a fatal flaw, how could he not be terrified?

"Can you fix it?"

Fang He nodded. "It can be fixed."

Xu Haichuan gritted his teeth, as if he had made a difficult decision.

"Okay, I'll be your guide. But I have one condition."

"explain."

"If we encounter sea monsters of the second tier or higher, I have the right of first refusal," Xu Haichuan said seriously. "I, Xu Haichuan, am not afraid of death. In my thirty years at sea, I've seen it all. But I don't want to risk my life in vain. Only by coming back alive can we have a future."

Fang He nodded.

"That makes sense. I won't let anyone make unnecessary sacrifices. In the face of unavoidable danger, survival comes first."

He looked into Xu Haichuan's eyes and added a sentence.

"Only by coming back alive can we have a future. I agree with that."

Xu Haichuan stretched out his hand; his palm was rough and his knuckles were thick.

"make a deal."

Fang He grasped his hand.

"Deal. Also, I'll repair those three array nodes for you right now."

---

Fang He repaired the three defective nodes one by one.

Spiritual energy flowed through his fingertips, and the array patterns lit up again at the repaired points, restoring the smooth flow of spiritual energy.

He was extremely fast at correcting things, completing each correction in just a few dozen breaths with clean and efficient movements, without a single unnecessary motion.

Xu Haichuan watched the whole thing from the side, his astonishment growing stronger.

He had seen array masters set up arrays; those people would draw array diagrams and carve array patterns, which would take at least one or two hours.

Fang He, on the other hand, found the exact location with a flick of his finger and repaired the node with a burst of spiritual power. The whole process was smooth and seamless.

This is hardly the level of array formation mastery that a cultivator at the eighth level of Qi Refining could possess.

While repairing the array's focal point at the bow, Fang He sensed a unique way of circulating spiritual energy within the ship's array structure. Unlike land-based arrays, the spiritual energy circulated along the ship's hull, resisting the impact of the waves and subtly responding to the ebb and flow of the tides.

This is consistent with the principles of the sea race's formations that he learned from Qin Wujiu's jade slip.

Deep within his mind, the cheat code panel flickered:

[Entry extracted successfully!]

[Source: Xu Haichuan Shipborne Defense Formation]

[Naval Formation (White)] Acquired!

[Effect: Increases the stability of naval formations by 10%]

Fang He's heart stirred slightly.

This was his first encounter with a formation system specifically designed for maritime navigation. The differences between the formations of the sea race and the land-based formations of the human race were already beginning to emerge. The resonance between spiritual power and the tides, the harmony between the formation patterns and the ocean currents, all pointed in one direction: the core of maritime formations lies in adapting rather than resisting.

After the three repairs were completed, Fang He withdrew her spiritual power and let out a soft breath.

Xu Haichuan stared at the array patterns, now shimmering with spiritual light, and remained silent for a long time.

"Your array formation skills... don't seem like something a twenty-year-old should have."

Fang He said calmly, "Everyone has their own destiny."

Xu Haichuan glanced at him but didn't press the matter. Having made a living overseas for thirty years, he had seen far too many extraordinary people and events. Some people were born with abilities beyond their years, and you couldn't get anything out of them by asking.

He quietly gathered up the fishing nets on the deck, his movements much more respectful than before.

Captain Chen watched in stunned silence.

Although he didn't understand formations, he could see the change in Xu Haichuan's attitude. In his half-life, he had rarely seen anyone who could make this old sea wolf bow his head.

"Counselor Fang," Captain Chen murmured in admiration, "I knew you were capable, but I didn't expect you to be this capable."

Fang He shook his head slightly. "Captain Chen, you flatter me. Let's go back."

---

At the dock, Zhou Xiaolan leaned against the railing, gazing into the distance.

The sea breeze ruffled her dress, and she gazed calmly at the distant sea, as if waiting for someone, or perhaps deep in thought.

Seeing Fang He calmly walk down the diving board, and Xu Haichuan following behind her becoming noticeably more respectful, she knew that things had gone well.

"It worked?"

Fang He nodded. "Mr. Xu agreed to serve as the guide, and the problem with the ship's array has also been fixed."

Zhou Xiaolan smiled slightly and didn't ask any further questions.

She glanced at Xu Haichuan, then at Fang He, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"Thanks for your hard work."

Three words, spoken lightly, yet they pleased Fang He more than he had expected.

Captain Chen bid farewell to Xu Haichuan, agreeing to meet at Qing'ao Island Wharf three days later, and the group boarded the ship to return.

---

On the way back to Qing'ao Island, Fang He took out the newly acquired [Navigation Formation] entry to study.

The information unfolded in my mind, revealing details such as the way spiritual energy circulated, its resonance with the rhythm of the tides, and the harmony between the array patterns and the ocean currents.

The spiritual energy circulation of sea formations is completely different from that of human land formations. Land formations use the earth's veins as anchors, emphasizing stability and immobility; sea formations use the tides as veins, emphasizing following the flow of energy. This is consistent with the principles of sea formations that he had previously learned from Qin Wujiu's jade slip.

If the [Navigation Formation] can be integrated with the existing formation system, our confidence in navigating the open seas will be further enhanced.

Fang He closed his eyes and deduced, constantly simulating in his mind the coordination between the array patterns and the changes in the ocean currents.

Tidal rhythms are the core of the sea creatures' formations and the foundation of maritime formations. What he needs to do is to transfer his understanding of land formations into the context of maritime formations.

This takes time and practice.

Despite the sea breeze on her face, Fang He was not at ease.

With the successful recruitment of the guide to the outer seas, the exploration team has finally completed its puzzle. However, with Ye Chen's descent into darkness and Xiao Yichen's advance, the triple threat means the dangers of the journey to the outer seas are far from over.

Xu Haichuan's terms for retreat were also weighing on his mind. A guide choosing to retreat in the face of a second-tier sea monster meant that the exploration team might lose its navigational guidance at a critical moment. He needed to think of a contingency plan in advance.

He needs to be better prepared.

The ship sailed past a reef area, and the outline of Qing'ao Island could be vaguely seen.