This Dragon Country’s Ship, though called a sea boat, is in fact a Magic Artifact. After Zhang Yan performed a sacrificial refinement on it, he can perceive any action on board with just a single thought. However, those with profound cultivation naturally sense his observation, so he refrains from causing unnecessary trouble.
But these individuals possess cultivation close to his, and they neglect to take precautions, essentially leaving the door wide open for him. Thus, all of their conversations were heard by him with perfect clarity.
After listening for a long time, he smiled lightly. Guo Lie had asked him to take action, a favor he had owed. Moreover, upon hearing about Shen Minggu, who seemed extraordinary, he agreed, though the task brought him no real benefit. If someone else were to step in for him, it would be for the best, saving him the trouble.
He pondered inwardly, "These people seem to have immense faith in that Brother Fu. Since that is the case, I may as well wait for a few days. If this so-called Brother Fu arrives in time, I will be able to give Daoist Guo an account."
Having made his decision, he closed the prohibition and sat cross-legged on the Jade Couch, continuing to refine the Sleeve Bag and the Seven Stars Restraining Yang Robe.
Following the dispatch of the token, the four disciples waited for four days.
Every day, Dai Huan would send someone outside the ship to observe, but they never spotted any trace of Brother Fu. As anxiety grew, on the fifth morning, a clear whistle echoed through the skies. A black dot appeared in the distance, quickly growing closer. A disciple happened to catch sight of it and, overcome with joy, shouted excitedly, "Senior Brother Dai, Senior Sister Wei, come quickly! Brother Fu has arrived!"
When Dai Huan and the others heard the call, they transformed into streaks of light and emerged from the Treasure Pavilion. Upon landing on the deck, they saw a Grey Eagle with a wingspan of five zhang circling in the air. Its eyes shone like lightning, its black feathers glistening, and its golden beak gleaming. On the bird’s back stood a tall, lean middle-aged cultivator with deep-set eyes, thin lips, and a solemn expression. His skin was dark, and his penetrating gaze exuded an intense, blade-like sharpness.
Dai Huan hurriedly bowed alongside the other three sect disciples, saying, "Greetings to Brother Fu."
Brother Fu, who seemed to be a man of few words, responded to their greeting with nothing more than a nod. He swept his gaze around them and asked in a deep voice, "Why did you summon me urgently with the token? Where is Junior Brother Shen? Why is he not here? Did he cause trouble?"
Dai Huan hastily replied, "Brother, it is a misunderstanding. We had a conflict with the disciples of Chongyue True Temple at the Flying Boat Immortal Market. Junior Brother Shen was taken captive by Shen Minggu, who then proclaimed that unless we exchanged Spirit Bird mounts, he would not release him. He demanded we come to Anhong Island for the exchange!"
As he spoke, resentment seeped into his tone.
A flicker of brilliance appeared in Brother Fu’s eyes as he murmured, "Shen Minggu, is it? The Ancestor Master’s prediction was accurate. Since we established our sect in the outer sea, Chongyue True Temple could not hold back from making a move."
At this moment, a sea breeze swept through, stirring their robes. Dai Huan unintentionally caught sight of something, his gaze freezing as he cried out in shock, "Brother Fu, what happened to your right arm?"
The others raised their eyes to look, only to exclaim in surprise. From Brother Fu’s right sleeve, a hollow emptiness extended—it was clear he was missing an arm. Yet, he seemed unfazed and calmly explained, "During my pursuit of that demon crane, it pecked off my arm. I have already applied medicine to the severed limb and stored it safely. I will reattach it shortly; there is no need for alarm."
Relieved, Dai Huan and the others sighed deeply. For cultivators practicing Qi Cultivation within Xuanmen, the body is fundamental. While injuries can be endured, missing limbs may jeopardize the hope of reaching the Great Dao in the future.
Though Brother Fu was nominally of the same generation as them, he had received direct tutelage in Mysterious Skill from True Master Tao. His cultivation and Daoist Skills far exceeded those of the Third Generation Disciples, and he was widely regarded as the likeliest candidate to form an inner core within twenty years.
Rumors even circulated within the sect, suggesting that he was the true heir to Ancestor Master True Master Tao.
Brother Fu scanned the surroundings and said, "I will personally rescue Junior Brother Shen. However, whose Flying Boat is this? Why are you on it?"
Dai Huan promptly explained, "This Flying Boat belongs to a friend of Master Guo. We happened to encounter it by chance. Master Guo is currently in a quiet room cultivating. Would you like to meet him, Brother?"
Upon hearing Guo Lie’s name, Brother Fu furrowed his brows slightly and replied, "I would not disturb Master Guo’s cultivation. However, if you have already met Master Guo, why not ask for his assistance?"
Dai Huan exchanged a glance with Senior Sister Wei before hesitantly lowering his voice to say, "We did bring it up with Master Guo, but he seemed to be facing some difficulties. Originally, he wanted to have his friend take action on our behalf. Now that you are here, Brother, there is no need to trouble that Daoist any further."
Hearing these words, Brother Fu suddenly let out a loud shout: "I am Fu Yuqing. May I ask Daoist to step out and meet me!"
With that, he waved his hand, releasing a streak of white light as dazzling as snow, which shot towards the roof of the Treasure Pavilion.