Chapter 105 Little Gold's Mutation! Advancement to Level 5!
Lingmu Peak, the main hall of the cave.
The soft glow of the luminous pearl flowed like water, illuminating the intricate array of lines on the stone table, which resembled a star map, in every detail.
On the array diagram, the newly modified nodes outlined in vermilion ink are like the finishing touch, instantly enlivening the originally somewhat stagnant formation. The dense annotations in tiny regular script on the side further reveal the strategist's rigorous yet agile thinking.
Zhou Ding and Xin Ruyin sat facing each other.
His gaze lingered on the key nested points on the array diagram, his finger hovering over them, and the admiration in his eyes grew stronger.
"Ruyin, your nested design of the 'Meridian Linked Array' and the 'Kunyuan Earth Vein Array' is truly a stroke of genius."
Zhou Ding praised sincerely, his tone tinged with amazement: "Not only did you perfectly resolve the sluggish conflict in the flow of spiritual energy between the two array eyes, but you also expanded the overall defensive range by nearly 30%. Moreover, due to the self-consistent circulation of spiritual energy, energy consumption decreased rather than increased. Your array formation skills are now probably on par with those so-called grandmasters of array formations from major sects. Given time, you will surely have a place among the great array formation masters of the Chaotic Star Sea."
He was also filled with emotion.
Back when they first met in the Tianxing Sect market in Yue Kingdom, Xin Ruyin had already shown her talent, but due to her Dragon Roar Physique and lack of resources, she could only stay in her small courtyard.
In the more than ten years since she came to the Chaotic Star Sea, she has devoted all her energy to the profound "Heavenly Origin Array Canon," digesting and absorbing it with astonishing comprehension. Now she can independently design and optimize a complex array covering the entire spiritual peak. This speed of progress is terrifying.
Upon hearing this, Xin Ruyin smiled gently and contentedly. Her clear eyes looked at Zhou Ding and she said softly, "If it weren't for you saving my life back then, Zhou Lang, and finding this Heavenly Origin Array Manual for me, I would probably have turned into a handful of dust long ago. How could I have this little bit of knowledge today?"
The more I delve into it, the more I realize how vast and boundless this field is. What I have mastered is but a drop in the ocean; I must work even harder.
She spoke humbly, but the light in her eyes, ignited by a thirst for knowledge, shone brighter than a luminous pearl.
For her, being able to continue down this path, with Zhou Ding by her side as her witness, is the greatest blessing of her life.
Zhou Ding smiled, then changed the subject, asking with concern, "By the way, how's your cultivation of the Great Evolution Technique going? Are there any obstacles you're encountering?"
As early as when they first arrived in the Chaotic Star Sea and their cave dwelling was first established, Zhou Ding had carefully taught Xin Ruyin the supreme secret technique "Dayan Jue" that could temper one's divine sense.
He knew all too well what a strong spiritual sense meant to a formation master.
The stronger one's spiritual sense, the faster one can deduce formations, the more thoroughly one can analyze runes, and the more precisely one can control the formation plate.
Moreover, the refinement of spiritual consciousness will have immeasurable benefits for breaking through the bottleneck of Core Formation and resisting the invasion of inner demons in the future.
Xin Ruyin's eyes brightened slightly, and she nodded, saying, "I have already reached the second level. My divine sense is much more refined than before, and my perception is much sharper. Now, when I deduce formations, my thoughts are clear and swift. Some complex points that used to require repeated calculations and trial and error can now be solved with a slight thought, saving me a lot of effort."
The Great Evolution Manual and the Way of Formations truly complement each other.
She could clearly feel that as the Great Evolution Technique improved, her perception of the direction of spiritual energy flow and the connection of array patterns had undergone a qualitative leap, as if the world in front of her had gained a clearer layer of structure.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Ding felt greatly comforted, and a sense of anticipation welled up within him.
Xin Ruyin's talent in array formations was already one in a million. Now, with the ancient inheritance of the "Tianyuan Array Classic" as her foundation and the top-level spirit-refining technique "Dayan Jue" as her soul, the two complement each other perfectly.
He had a vague premonition that perhaps in the future, Xin Ruyin could truly grow into a top-notch array master in the human world, becoming an indispensable and powerful assistant to him on his long journey of cultivation, comparable to Xiao Jin.
……
Half a month later, on Tiandu Street, in a private room on the top floor of Baishui Tower.
Feng San Niang respectfully presented a heavy storage bag embroidered with six palaces and cloud patterns to the mahogany table in front of Zhou Ding with both hands.
Her brows showed signs of fatigue from days of travel, but her eyes shone brightly, revealing her excitement.
"Elder Zhou, this is the first batch of materials that I have collected for you in recent days by using the channels of the branch stores on the three surrounding islands and the main hall."
Feng Sanniang's voice carried a hint of weariness, yet it was clear and articulate: "The 'Stardust Sand,' 'Blood Dragon Tendon,' and 'Thousand-Year-Old Illusion Heart Grass' on the list have all been procured according to your standards, and their quality is all top-notch. However... the 'Ethereal Crystal' and 'Earth Core Stone Milk' are extremely rare. The main warehouse currently has no stock, and they haven't appeared at any of the recent auctions. I'm afraid it will take some time, or perhaps... we'll have to try our luck at a major auction in the core area of the Inner Sea."
Zhou Ding probed the storage bag with his divine sense. Inside, dozens of spiritual materials were neatly categorized and packaged, brimming with spiritual energy. This was exactly what he needed to refine high-level pills and draw mid-level talismans.
He nodded in satisfaction, looking at Feng Sanniang with gentle eyes, able to imagine the effort she had put into this.
"It's alright, you've done a great job, thank you for your hard work."
Zhou Ding softened his tone, conveying a reassuring message: "These materials are hard to find, and it takes time and effort, so I'm not in a rush. If you're short of spirit stones, just contact me. Getting things done is important, but don't neglect yourself."
"Yes! Thank you for your understanding, Elder! It is my honor to be able to share your burdens!" Feng San Niang felt a surge of warmth in her heart and quickly bowed in response.
She increasingly felt that following Elder Zhou might be the wisest choice she had ever made in her life.
Not only is she fair in rewarding and punishing, but what's even more commendable is her compassion for her subordinates, which makes her willing to go to great lengths for them.
……
Upon returning to Lingmu Peak, Zhou Ding went straight into the alchemy room.
The elixir he was about to refine was an ancient elixir recorded in the "Tian Yuan Dan Jing".
Snow Lotus Pill.
This elixir uses the thousand-year-old snow lotus fruit as its main ingredient, supplemented with more than a dozen kinds of cold-attribute spiritual herbs. Its medicinal properties are mild and mellow, and it has a significant effect on improving the mana and stabilizing the golden core for cultivators in the early stages of core formation.
He sat cross-legged before the alchemy furnace, his mind clear and serene. During the ten years he spent rebuilding his cultivation, he devoted most of his energy to refining his alchemy skills, and he was no longer the novice he once was.
Controlling the fire, adding the medicine, melting the elixir, and collecting the elixir—each step was executed with effortless grace, carrying a mysterious rhythm.
Seven days later, the furnace lid was opened, and twelve snow lotus pills, each the size of a longan, pure white and lustrous, with faint red patterns, lay quietly at the bottom of the furnace, emitting a wonderful fragrance. Not a single pill was wasted; they were all top-grade.
After obtaining the elixir, Zhou Ding found Xin Ruyin, who was carefully pruning the branches and leaves of a spiritual plant in the herb garden.
Sunlight filtered through the crystal ceiling, casting a soft glow on her focused profile.
Zhou Ding walked over and naturally took the jade scissors from her hand, saying gently, "Ruyin, the Snow Lotus Pill is complete. I need to go into seclusion for a period of time, at least a year, and at most several years, in order to improve my cultivation. No matter when or where, Cola Novels will always be your most loyal reading companion. The management of the cave is now in your hands."
Xin Ruyin straightened up, her eyes gentle, and said softly, "Zhou Lang, just focus on your seclusion. I'll take care of everything. I'll inspect the formation regularly, and I'll also supervise Xiaomei's cultivation. I wish you success in your cultivation and that you'll emerge from seclusion soon."
……
In the quiet room, there is no sun or moon; the incense in the burner quietly follows the wisps of smoke.
Three years have passed quietly in a state of deep meditation.
On this day, Zhou Ding slowly awoke from his inner vision. His aura was harmonious and restrained, yet it was far more profound than before his seclusion.
Over the past three years, he has refined several bottles of Snow Lotus Pills, and his Golden Core power has become increasingly pure and profound. Although he has not broken through to the mid-stage of Core Formation in one fell swoop, he has already firmly stood at the peak of the early stage of Core Formation. He is only one step away from that invisible bottleneck, and he only needs an opportunity to achieve success.
He was about to leave seclusion and start another batch of pills to strike while the iron was hot when he was suddenly jolted!
A contractual tremor originating from the depths of his soul resounded in his mind like an alarm bell!
Zhou Ding's expression hardened, and his figure instantly disappeared from the futon, appearing the next moment outside the cave where Xiao Jin was staying.
At this moment, the energy inside the cave was extremely violent!
A chaotic, violent, yet ever-increasing demonic power, like uncontrollable volcanic lava, crashed against the simple barrier at the cave entrance, causing the light screen to sway violently.
Through the crack, one could see blood-red light shooting into the sky inside the cave. Xiao Jin's enormous battle form was faintly visible in the blood-red light, writhing in agony. Its crimson-gold scales, harder than refined gold, were spread open, and strands of high-temperature demonic blood mist seeped out from under the scales, scorching and distorting the air. Its roars were suppressed and painful.
"I'm about to break through! And of all times!" Zhou Ding frowned, his mind racing.
After Xiao Jin devoured the top-grade demon blood stone and spent several years accumulating strength, it has finally reached the crucial moment to break through to the fifth-level demon beast level!
A level-five demonic beast corresponds to the early stage of human Core Formation. The celestial phenomena and energy fluctuations caused by its advancement are no less significant than those of a cultivator reaching Core Formation.
"We absolutely cannot go to Spiritwood Peak!" Zhou Ding made a decision instantly, his eyes sharp.
Lingmu Peak already has two Core Formation cultivators, him and Zhou Jin, which are already attracting much attention. If a terrifying aura of a Level 5 demonic beast suddenly appears out of nowhere, it will inevitably arouse the vigilance and investigation of various forces on the island, especially Core Formation cultivators such as True Person Mulong.
At that time, his secret of possessing a high-level spirit beast might be exposed, attracting unnecessary covetousness.
With this in mind, Zhou Ding did not hesitate at all.
He waved his hand and released several beams of spiritual light, temporarily reinforcing the cave's protective barrier and isolating it from internal and external sounds.
He then dashed into the cave, ignoring the oppressive heat of the demonic aura. With a wave of his hand, he forcibly put it into the spirit beast pouch. The pouch's display immediately bulged and trembled slightly, indicating that the energy inside was extremely unstable.
Without alerting Xin Ruyin and Xiao Mei, Zhou Ding quietly slipped out of the cave, steered the Divine Wind Boat, and pushed his speed to the limit, transforming into an almost imperceptible pale blue streak of light. He silently swept across the coastline of Kuixing Island and sped towards the vast depths of the outer sea.
The sea breeze howled, and the vast blue waves stretched out. Zhou Ding opened his divine sense to its fullest extent, spreading it out like a large net, carefully avoiding several common shipping routes and supply islands where cultivators could be seen.
It flew for over a thousand miles in one breath, until the surrounding sea was completely silent, before finally stopping on a desolate stretch of sea.
Ahead, a lonely, desolate island lies sprawled amidst the waves.
This island is only a few miles in circumference. It is full of jagged rocks, barren of vegetation, and so thin of spiritual energy that it is almost non-existent. There is absolutely no trace of cultivators or mortals who have set foot on it.
Zhou Ding scanned the area repeatedly with his divine sense, confirming that there were no residual fluctuations from any ambushes or monitoring formations, before pressing the escape light and landing on a relatively flat rocky beach in the center of the island.
"This place is very nice."
He dared not delay. With a flick of his sleeve, several array flags shot out and disappeared into the void at the edge of the deserted island.
He formed hand seals, unleashing a surge of magical power, and uttered a low shout: "Activate the formation!"
Om-!
An invisible, distorting force field instantly rose up, enveloping the entire deserted island.
The upgraded Inverted Five Elements Array was operating at full power, not only obscuring the view but also locking down the fluctuations of energy within the island, striving to prevent any leakage.
Then, he released Xiao Jin.
With a flash of light, Little Gold could no longer maintain its small form and was forced to reveal its enormous body, which was tens of feet long, before crashing to the ground.
Its crimson-gold scales stood on end, blood mist billowed from the gaps, and its demonic power surged wildly. It painfully crushed the hard black reef beneath it, and its aura fluctuated violently between the peak of level four and the threshold of level five, clearly indicating that it had reached the critical point of breaking through.
Zhou Ding saw this and his heart tightened.
Without hesitation, he waved his hand, and hundreds of crystal-clear mid-grade spirit stones flew out like celestial maidens scattering flowers, precisely embedding themselves in the pre-calculated positions, instantly forming a spirit-gathering array. This array forcibly plundered the sparse spiritual energy of the surrounding sea, converging into a visible whirlwind of spiritual mist that poured into Xiao Jin's body.
He took out several jade bottles containing pills he had specially made for Xiao Jin to soothe the rampaging demonic energy and strengthen its blood and meridians. He uncorked the bottles and skillfully poured them all into Xiao Jin's open mouth.
Zhou Ding retreated to the core of the formation, focusing all his efforts on maintaining the operation of the two formations while silently sharing the violent energy impact that Xiao Jin was enduring through mental connection. His eyes were focused and solemn.
……
This ordeal lasted for more than a month on the desolate island.
On this day, the sky above the deserted island, which was originally cloudless and clear, suddenly became stormy!
Endless, pitch-black tribulation clouds gathered wildly from nowhere, blotting out the sky and becoming so thick it was suffocating. Within the clouds, silver snakes danced wildly, golden and blood-red lightning intertwined and flashed, thunder roared and shook the surrounding land, its immense power no less than the tribulation of a human cultivator forming their core!
On the deserted island, the light screen of the Inverted Five Elements Array fluctuated violently, and the five-colored radiance flowed to its extreme, forcibly suppressing most of the strange phenomena and destructive aura within the island. However, judging from the extent of the light screen's trembling, it was clearly under tremendous pressure. Strands of terrifying demonic energy and heavenly might still inevitably leaked out, causing the creatures in the surrounding sea to tremble and dare not approach.
At the core of the formation, Little Gold suddenly raised its ferocious head and roared at the sky full of tribulation clouds, a roar that could shatter gold and split rocks and was full of indomitable will!
The sound waves spread like a tangible force, causing the surrounding reefs to crumble and turn into dust!
Its massive body was bathed in soaring crimson demonic light and constantly striking lightning. Its scales shattered and regenerated, its flesh melted and condensed, undergoing the most intense and cruel ultimate transformation of its life form!
Zhou Ding stood on the edge of the storm, his robes fluttering in the wind. He squinted, feeling the awe-inspiring power of the heavens and the tenacious vitality of his beloved pet, his heart also surging with emotion.
"Finally, the most crucial moment has arrived."