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

It was early morning, and the sky was just beginning to lighten.

Fang He got up early, washed up quickly, and headed to the Zhou family's council hall.

The streets were sparsely populated, and a few early-rising vendors were sweeping in front of their shops.

The sea breeze, carrying a salty, fishy smell, blew in from the east, indicating that it would be a sunny day.

His steps were slow, but his pace was steady. He was still processing the ideas he had deduced last night. Xiao Yichen, the Breaking Array Pearl, the Sea Clan's formation, and Ye Chen's corruption—four threats intertwined to form a complex game of chess. Today's meeting was the first formal move in this game.

After passing through three streets and alleys, the outline of the Zhou family council hall came into view.

The guards at the door bowed as Fang He approached. Fang He nodded in response and walked straight into the hall.

In the council chamber, Zhou Tieshan and Qin Wujiu were already waiting.

Zhou Tieshan sat upright in the main seat, his expression calm. He had changed into a dark gray outfit today, with a sword at his waist, clearly a deliberate choice.

The journey to the open sea is fraught with danger, and the commander-in-chief of the Zhou family's guard team must be prepared to act at any time.

Qin Wujiu stood by the window, his figure slender and upright, his gaze deep. When he saw Fang He enter, he nodded slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Counselor Fang arrived just in time," Qin Wujiu said.

Fang He clasped his hands in a respectful greeting. "Chief Guard Zhou, Guest Minister Qin."

Zhou Tieshan waved for him to sit down. "No need for formalities. Today's discussion concerns our voyage to the open sea. Let's talk behind closed doors, focusing on the pros and cons, and setting aside empty formalities."

Fang He sat down as instructed, her gaze lingering on the two faces for a moment.

Zhou Tieshan's expression was solemn, and Qin Wujiu's gaze was deep; both of them clearly understood the weight of this meeting. They hadn't yet informed Shi Potian of his secret request to see them last night, but today they were going to lay everything bare.

"Yesterday evening, Shi Potian secretly requested an audience," Fang He said bluntly. "He brought crucial intelligence. The Vice Sect Master's faction has dispatched a new agent named Xiao Yichen."

Zhou Tieshan frowned slightly.

Qin Wujiu's eyes flickered slightly, but he remained silent.

Fang He continued, "This person is nineteen years old, with a peak cultivation level of the ninth level of Qi Refining. He is the direct disciple of the Vice Sect Master. He holds an extremely high position within the inner sect. He appears gentle and refined, but in reality, his scheming is as deep as the sea. Anyone who opposes him has never had a good ending."

Zhou Tieshan's expression grew increasingly solemn, and he said in a low voice, "Nineteen years old and at the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining... even faster than Ye Chen?"

Fang He nodded.

Ye Chen reached the ninth level of Qi Refining at the age of twenty, and was already hailed as a genius that the Qingyuan Sect saw only once in a century. Xiao Yichen was younger than Ye Chen, but his cultivation had already caught up, or even surpassed, that of Ye Chen. In terms of talent, resources, and opportunities, Xiao Yichen was superior to Ye Chen.

"There's something even more dangerous," Fang He said, her tone becoming more serious. "Xiao Yichen carries with him the 'Formation-Breaking Bead,' bestowed upon him by the Vice Sect Master. This bead can forcibly break most first-tier formations and also weakens second-tier formations. When activated, it uses spiritual energy to impact the formation's nodes, causing the formation to become disordered and ineffective for a short period of time."

Breaking Formation Bead.

The moment those three words were uttered, the atmosphere in the council chamber suddenly became heavy.

Zhou Tieshan remained silent for a moment, then his gaze fell on Fang He's face. "The Formation-Breaking Bead... can it break your formation?"

Fang He frankly stated, "My current skill in array formations is primarily at the first tier, with a few reaching the early second tier. The Array-Breaking Bead is indeed a fatal threat to me."

Qin Wujiu suddenly spoke, his tone calm yet profound. "Counselor Fang, do you know the operating principle of the Array-Breaking Bead?"

Fang He shook his head. "Shi Potian's description is limited; he only knows that spiritual energy impacts the array's nodes, causing the array to become disordered and ineffective."

Qin Wujiu walked slowly to the table, his finger lightly tracing the array patterns on it. "The principle of the array-breaking bead is to impact the spiritual energy nodes. Human arrays are anchored by the earth's veins, the nodes are fixed, and the spiritual energy flows in a regular manner. When spiritual energy impacts a node, it breaks it in one strike."

He looked up at Fang He, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"But the sea race's formations are different. The sea race's formations are based on the tides, and the nodes move with the ocean currents. The spiritual energy rises and falls like breathing. A node may be here one moment and elsewhere the next. The formation-breaking bead may not be effective against fixed nodes."

Fang He's heart skipped a beat.

This perfectly matches his prediction.

"That's the same idea, but we need to verify it out at sea," Fang He said.

Qin Wujiu nodded. "Your speculation makes sense. The Formation-Breaking Bead was crafted by the Vice Sect Master, and it was designed for the human race's formation system. The sea race's formation system is different, so the Formation-Breaking Bead might not be as effective."

He paused, his tone becoming more serious. "But remember, this is just speculation. Speculation needs to be verified, and before verification, you can't place all your hopes on it."

Zhou Tieshan said in a deep voice, "Counselor Fang, Qin Keqing has already made it very clear about the formation-breaking pearl. You must be cautious when operating in the outer seas. If Xiao Yichen proposes cooperation, how will you respond?"

Fang He already had a plan in mind. "He will propose cooperation. Given his expertise in formations, the possibility of him deciphering the sea tribe's ruins on his own is extremely low. Cooperation is a pretense; leveraging his strength is the real purpose, and closing the net is the real goal."

Qin Wujiu sneered. "Cooperation? Of course he'll bring it up. But cooperation is just a means for him; the real goal is to close the net. You can cooperate, but you must never let him know all your cards."

Fang He's gaze sharpened slightly. "I intend to show him my array formation skills, but not my research findings on sea race array formations. In his eyes, I am merely a cultivator skilled in human race array formations, not someone who has grasped the essence of sea race array formations."

Qin Wujiu nodded, his eyes revealing approval. "That's right. Your trump card has two layers: the outer layer is your mastery of human formations, and the inner layer is your research on sea formations. Xiao Yichen can see the outer layer, so he thinks he knows everything about you. But the inner layer is the key."

Zhou Tieshan slammed his hand on the table and said, "This plan is feasible. Councilor Fang, things can change in an instant overseas. Waiting for the message to come back before making a decision is often too late. I authorize the exploration team to make decisions on the spot, without having to consult with you on every matter."

Fang He clasped his hands in thanks. "Thank you for your trust, Chief Guard Zhou."

Zhou Tieshan's gaze fell on his face, his tone solemn. "This journey is dangerous, but you are currently the most suitable person to lead the team. The Zhou family trusts you."

He paused, his gaze deepening.

"There's one more thing. Zhou Xiaolan is traveling with you; you must ensure her safety. That's the bottom line."

Fang He nodded. "I understand."

Zhou Tieshan stood up, walked over to Fang He, and patted him on the shoulder. The pat wasn't hard, but it carried enough weight.

"Counselor Fang, the trust placed in you by the Zhou family's core members is not just empty words. Every action you take overseas represents the Zhou family's reputation. If you do well, you will be rewarded upon your return. If you do poorly..."

He didn't finish speaking, but Fang He understood the meaning behind his words.

The Zhou family's trust is a double-edged sword. If handled well, it can elevate one's status; if handled poorly, that trust will be shaken.

"Don't worry, Chief Guard Zhou," Fang He said calmly. "I won't let the Zhou family down."

Qin Wujiu said calmly from the side, "I will study more ways to deal with the array-breaking beads before we set off. I have a few ancient books on array countermeasures, and perhaps I can find something useful."

Fang He clasped his hands in thanks to him. "Thank you, Guest Elder Qin."

Qin Wujiu waved his hand. "No need to thank me. Although we are cooperating, we each have our own interests. The better you perform overseas, the more intelligence I will obtain. It's mutually beneficial."

Fang He nodded, but he was not at ease.

Qin Wujiu spoke frankly, almost to the point of being cold-blooded. He never concealed his own interests, which made him more credible than those who merely professed loyalty.

After the meeting concluded, Fang He bid farewell to the two.

Stepping out of the council hall, it was already dawn. Sunlight streamed down from the east, illuminating the streets of Qing'ao Island. Pedestrians gradually increased, vendors opened their shops, and their cries rose and fell.

Fang He walked steadily, having already made up his mind.

Xiao Yichen's strategy was finalized, the countermeasures against the formation-breaking bead were confirmed, and Zhou Tieshan's authorization was in place. Next came the final preparations.

---

In the afternoon, Fang He returned to the pharmacy.

Pushing open the door, the front hall was quiet. Su Yun'er wasn't behind the counter; a faint sound came from the direction of the back hall.

Fang He walked into the back room and saw Su Yun'er bending over to sort out supplies.

The table and floor were filled with all sorts of items, neatly arranged and categorized. There were more than twenty bottles of healing pills, as well as several bottles of wound medicine, bone-healing pills, and hemostatic powder; spiritual replenishing ingredients such as dried spirit fish, spirit-gathering fruit, and qi-replenishing tea were all available; and spare array pattern materials such as blank array flags, spirit ink, and array pattern carving knives were also plentiful.

Fang He's gaze swept over the supplies, and a thought stirred within him.

He only gave a general direction, without going into the specific list. But everything Su Yun'er prepared was something he could use, even the details he hadn't thought of.

There was a repellent powder for sea monsters, a moisture-proof oilcloth bag, and even a small jar of salted spirit fruit.

Fang He picked up the jar of spiritual fruits and his gaze fell on Su Yun'er.

She was sorting through the labels on the last few bottles of pills when she noticed Fang He's gaze. She looked up and smiled gently.

"They're all ordinary items, nothing much trouble."

Fang He put down the jar of spirit fruits, her gaze sweeping over the supplies on the table. "You've thought of everything more thoroughly than I have."

Su Yun'er lowered her gaze and said softly, "Counselor Fang is working hard at sea. What I can do is to make sure you don't have to worry about supplies."

She walked to Fang He's side, took out a small porcelain bottle from a hidden compartment in her storage bag, and whispered, "This is a calming powder I concocted myself. The spiritual energy at sea is chaotic; if you feel uneasy, taking a sniff can help stabilize your mind."

Fang He took the porcelain bottle, her fingertips lightly touching Su Yun'er's fingers.

Her ears turned slightly red, but her expression remained unchanged. She simply lowered her gaze and stopped looking at him.

"Thank you." Fang He put the porcelain bottle into the inner layer of her storage bag. "I will use it carefully."

Su Yun'er said softly, "Counselor Fang's safe return is the best reward for Yun'er."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than footsteps sounded at the entrance of the pharmacy.

Fang He looked up and saw Zhou Xiaolan push the door open and enter.

Today she wore a light blue dress with a silver ribbon tied around her waist, and her hair was simply tied up in a bun. Her overall look was more neat and tidy than usual. Her gaze swept over the less than an arm's length distance between Su Yun'er and Fang He, her face remaining completely expressionless.

"Counselor Fang," Zhou Xiaolan said in a businesslike tone, "I'm here to finalize the exploration team's equipment list."

Fang He could tell that this was just a reason.

Su Yun'er took a half step back and bowed to Zhou Xiaolan. "Miss Zhou."

Zhou Xiaolan nodded slightly. "Miss Su, you've worked so hard these past few days, thank you so much for taking care of Councilor Fang."

The words were polite, but the phrase "taking care of her daily needs" carried a deeper meaning. Su Yun'er was a maid, and taking care of her daily needs was her duty; Zhou Xiaolan's reluctance to elaborate was both polite and a way of defining their respective roles.

Su Yun'er remained neither humble nor arrogant. "It's my duty, I dare not complain."

Zhou Xiaolan walked to the table and flipped through the equipment list. She noticed the quantity of healing pills and casually remarked, "Fifteen bottles of wound medicine, isn't that too much? The voyage at sea will last at most half a month; we won't need that many."

Su Yun'er continued, "It's always good to be prepared. Injuries at sea are difficult to treat, and wound medicine is used up much faster than on land."

Zhou Xiaolan looked up at her, her gaze shifting slightly.

Su Yun'er's answer was watertight, explaining the reason while also implying that "I understand the situation at sea better than Miss Zhou."

Zhou Xiaolan did not refute, but simply said, "That makes sense."

She then flipped to the armor section. "Has Councilor Fang's black iron inner armor been repaired?"

Su Yun'er continued, "It's been repaired. It's made with third-tier spirit silkworm silk, which is three times stronger than before."

Fang He stood between the two, feeling the subtle tension in the air.

Both maintained a facade of calm and politeness, but every word they exchanged concealed a power struggle. Su Yun'er expressed her feelings through meticulous care, while Zhou Xiaolan asserted her presence through her status and shared struggles.

Zhou Xiaolan put down the list and turned to Fang He. "What about the array equipment? Have you checked the integrity of the array flags and array plates?"

Fang He shook his head. "Not yet, I'm just about to go to the dock for an inspection."

"I'll go with you," Zhou Xiaolan said.

Fang He glanced at Su Yun'er.

She was silently packing the pills on the table into storage bags, her movements as meticulous as ever. Her back was to him, so her expression was hidden.

"No need," Fang He said. "I can go by myself. You rest at the pharmacy."

Zhou Xiaolan glanced at him but did not insist.

Fang He used this opportunity to escape and quickly walked towards the dock.

---

In the dock area, seagoing vessels are already moored on the shore.

Fang He climbed onto the deck and inspected the exploration team's array equipment one by one.

Eight defensive array flags were neatly stacked in a corner of the cabin. Fang He crouched down, ran his fingers across the surface of the flags, and infused them with spiritual energy.

Fang He nodded and continued the examination.

There are two communication arrays, with normal spiritual energy flow, complete runes, and clear array patterns. There are three sets of early warning array patterns, with stable operation of the spiritual energy nodes, but two sets have slight deviations.

Fang He gently ran his fingers across the array patterns, injecting spiritual energy, and the two nodes returned to normal.

Zhao Hengdao, who was waiting nearby, reported in a low voice after Fang He finished his inspection: "Counselor Fang, Xu Haichuan has confirmed that he will meet at the dock at 5:00 AM tomorrow."

Fang He nodded, his gaze sweeping over the neatly stacked supply boxes on the ship.

Everything is ready.

"Zhao Hengdao, arrange for two people to take turns on guard duty tonight, and they are not allowed to slack off."

Zhao Hengdao clasped his hands in a fist salute. "Your subordinate understands."

Fang He turned and walked off the deck, gazing at the distant sea.

Sunlight shimmered on the waves, casting a silvery glow. Beyond the open sea lay a dark, unknown expanse.

He will set foot on that sea at dawn tomorrow.

---

In the dead of night, Fang He came to the beach alone.

Moonlight spilled across the sea, making the waves shimmer like silver. The sea breeze, carrying a salty, fishy scent, brushed against my cheeks, and the distant crashing waves sounded like muffled drumbeats, striking the rocks one after another.

Fang He stood on the rocks on the east coast, gazing out to sea.

Tomorrow I will step into that dark, murky sea.

He closed his eyes and felt the sea breeze on his face.

A year and a half ago, he was just a low-level rogue cultivator on Qing'ao Island, renting spiritual fields. He worried about the five spirit stones he had to pay each month, and his cultivation level was only at the second level of Qi Refining. He couldn't even defeat an ordinary demon beast.

Back then, his world was small, consisting only of the spiritual fields, the medicine shop, the streets and alleys, and a few neighbors who were also struggling at the bottom of society. Old Man Lin taught him planting techniques, and Zhao Haisheng occasionally went out to sea with him. Life was simple but stable.

Now, he serves as a decision-making advisor to the Zhou family, manages the pharmacy, and has elites under his command such as Zhao Hengdao and Zhou Qing. He also collaborates with sect masters like Ye Shuanghua and Qin Wujiu.

From the second level of Qi Refining to the eighth level, a six-level advancement in cultivation. From renting spiritual fields to managing a medicine shop, a leap in status. From being alone to having companions and followers.

Fang He opened her eyes, her gaze calm.

But he wasn't complacent. He knew very well that all of this was still not enough in the face of true masters.

Xiao Yichen was at the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining at the age of nineteen. He was younger, had a higher cultivation level, and had the support of the vice sect leader.

Ye Chen becomes even more dangerous after turning to the dark side; his hatred will not diminish, but will only grow stronger.

The environment of the outer sea is far more dangerous than that of the inner sea. The second-tier sea beasts are just an appetizer; the formations of the sea creature ruins are the real test.

Fang He took a deep breath, letting the salty sea breeze fill her lungs.

He remembered what Old Man Lin had said before he left.

"Little Fang, the path of cultivation requires careful planning. You can't rush it, but you can't be too slow either."

He remembered the force with which Zhou Tieshan patted his shoulder, the sharpness of Qin Wujiu's cold laugh, and Shi Potian's warning before he left.

"Ye Chen is the knife, Xiao Yichen is the net."

A knife can be dodged, a net can be broken. But the prerequisite is that he must be faster than the knife and denser than the net.

Fang He looked toward the dark, open sea.

The journey to the outer seas will be a crucial battle. Xiao Yichen, the Breaking Array Pearl, Ye Chen, and the Sea Clan's relics present four overlapping challenges. But he is not without trump cards.

The Formation-Breaking Bead is effective against human formations, but it might not be able to break through sea formations. If this hypothesis is correct, he will possess an advantage that Xiao Yichen does not have in the Outer Sea Ruins.

Qin Wujiu is right; we can't let Xiao Yichen figure out all our cards.

The sea breeze grew stronger, and the waves crashed against the rocks, splashing water droplets onto Fang He's face.

He took a deep breath, letting the salty sea breeze fill his lungs.

From a lowly rogue cultivator to where he is today, he has never relied on luck, but on the accumulation of his efforts step by step and his calm judgment at crucial moments.

This time will be no exception.