Chapter 111 Seclusion! Mid-stage Core Formation!

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After leaving Yunmeng Pavilion, Zhou Ding did not return directly to Lingmu Peak.

He rode an inconspicuous gray streak of light, seemingly circling casually a few times above the bustling streets of Kuixing City. His powerful divine sense, like the most sophisticated radar, repeatedly scanned behind and around him, confirming that no one was following him and there were no suspicious divine sense markers before turning his direction and descending towards the Baishui Tower on Tiandu Street.

Upon entering Baishuilou, the manager, Cao Lu, who had already received the message, respectfully led him into the private room on the top floor.

Elder Miao Li was indeed waiting inside, with two cups of fragrant tea emitting wisps of spiritual energy on the table.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou is back. How did the auction go? Did you find anything you wanted?"

When Miao Li saw Zhou Ding, he smiled and pointed to the seat opposite him. His attitude seemed even more friendly than before, but upon closer inspection, a trace of lingering fear from the overwhelming pressure at the auction still remained deep in his eyes.

Zhou Ding sat down opposite Miao Li, a wry smile playing on his lips, tinged with the embarrassment of a young man before a senior. He shook his head and said, "Elder Miao, you flatter me. The high standard and the exquisite treasures of this auction have truly broadened my horizons. It's just a pity... I've only recently entered the Core Formation stage, my foundation is unstable, and my wealth is meager. I'm short of funds, and those treasures costing thousands or tens of thousands of spirit stones are simply beyond my reach. I can only watch the seniors bid and feast my eyes. I'm ashamed, truly ashamed."

His words were reasonable and logical, completely distancing himself from the situation and positioning himself as a newcomer who had "just reached the Core Formation stage, had limited financial resources, and was just beginning to broaden his horizons and gain knowledge."

This is also his consistent style of doing things: he is high-profile and intimidating when he needs to be, and he never flaunts his wealth when he needs to be low-profile, especially in front of Elder Miao of the Six-Linked Hall, who has a complicated background.

Upon hearing this, Miao Li smiled with understanding and stroked his beard, comforting him, "Hey, Fellow Daoist Zhou, there's no need to belittle yourself. With your age and talent, your future achievements are limitless. Wealth and resources are just a matter of time."

Moreover, even without making a move, being able to personally participate in such a grand event, witness numerous treasures, and experience the demeanor and skills of various high-level practitioners is itself a rare experience and opportunity, no less valuable than obtaining a treasure.

When I first entered the Core Formation stage, I probably wouldn't even have been qualified to enter the gates of this Cloud Dream Pavilion.

His words carried the encouragement of a senior to a junior, and also subtly revealed his high regard for Zhou Ding, who had achieved Core Formation at such a young age and was invited to participate in the Yunmeng Pavilion auction.

"Elder Miao is right. I was too impetuous." Zhou Ding nodded in agreement, showing an expression of being taught a lesson.

Then, he changed the subject, his face showing just the right amount of amazement and lingering fear, and said in a low voice, "However, today's auction was truly... thrilling. I never expected that there would actually be a senior expert at the Nascent Soul stage present!"

"That...that clash of spiritual senses just now was truly terrifying. Even sitting in the private room, I felt my soul tremble and my blood and qi become unstable. To this day, recalling it still fills me with lingering fear."

His performance perfectly captured the image of a novice Core Formation cultivator who was intimidated by the battle between high-level cultivators.

Miao Li nodded in deep agreement, his expression becoming more solemn, and sighed, "Who says it isn't so? Nascent Soul stage cultivators are as rare as dragons, elusive and hard to find. The arrival of this senior today is truly unexpected."

However, this also indirectly proves the attractiveness of the Yunmeng Pavilion auction, as even a Nascent Soul senior is willing to condescend to attend.

However… alas, those fellow Daoists who dared to spy were far too reckless, daring to provoke a Nascent Soul senior. If they hadn't been inside the Cloud Dream Pavilion, I'm afraid…”

He shook his head and didn't say anything more, but the meaning was self-evident.

Clearly, what happened at the auction had a significant impact on him, an elder at the mid-stage of Core Formation, making him more aware of the terror of Nascent Soul cultivators.

"Yes, without sufficient cultivation, one is ultimately just an ant," Zhou Ding chimed in at the opportune moment, his tone carrying a hint of awe and longing for power.

The two discussed the topic at length, reminiscing about the various rumors and powerful abilities of Nascent Soul cultivators, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

After chatting for about fifteen minutes, Miao Li picked up his teacup, drank it all in one gulp, and stood up, saying, "Fellow Daoist Zhou, the Yunmeng Pavilion auction has now concluded, and cultivators from all directions will be gradually dispersing. With you here on Kuixing Island, I am quite at ease. There are still some matters to attend to in the hall in the Inner Sea, so I will take my leave now. If you have any important matters or needs in the future, please feel free to send a message to me through the Elder's Decree."

"Elder Miao, are you leaving already? Why not stay a few more days so that I can show you some hospitality?" Zhou Ding also stood up and politely asked him to stay.

"No, no, I'm too busy with temple affairs to delay you. Fellow Daoist Zhou, farewell!" Miao Li waved his hand and took his leave with a smile.

"Elder, take care and have a safe journey." Zhou Ding escorted him to the entrance of Baishui Tower, watching Miao Li ride a streak of azure light and disappear into the distant horizon.

Only after Miao Li's aura completely disappeared from his perception range did Zhou Ding turn around, his humble and fearful expression instantly vanishing, replaced by a calm demeanor.

He did not linger in Kuixing City. After confirming once again that no one was watching, he directly rode his escape light back to Lingmu Peak.

……

As soon as they stepped into the cave, Xin Ruyin greeted them. She was still dressed in an elegant blue dress, her hair was loosely tied up, her eyebrows and eyes were like paintings, and her temperament was cool and aloof with a touch of gentleness.

Seeing Zhou Ding return safely, the faint worry in her eyes finally disappeared completely, turning into a gentle warmth like a pool of spring water.

"Zhou Lang, you're back," she said softly, stepping forward to naturally take the outer robe that Zhou Ding had taken off.

"Yes, you're back. Everything went smoothly." Zhou Ding gave her a warm smile, took her hand, and walked with her into the inner hall.

He could sense that although Xin Ruyin didn't ask, she was waiting silently, and this quiet companionship made him feel extremely at ease.

After taking their seats in the inner hall, Zhou Ding didn't keep anyone in suspense. He took out the jade box containing the "Void Stone" from his storage bag and handed it to Xin Ruyin.

"Ruyin, take a look at this."

Xin Ruyin took the jade box with some doubt and gently opened it.

When she saw the strange stone in the box, about the size of an egg, silvery-gray, with what looked like starlight flowing inside, her beautiful eyes widened instantly, and a rare look of surprise appeared on her face.

"Void Stone?! This...this is a Void Stone!"

She carefully picked up the stone, feeling the stable and profound spatial energy within it, her voice tinged with excitement: "This object contains stable spatial properties, making it an excellent auxiliary material for setting up high-level spatial arrays such as the 'Small Teleportation Array' and 'Mustard Seed Contains Sumeru,' and it is extremely rare!"

I searched through countless ancient texts and only found descriptions of such formations in a few records of ancient formation inheritances. Zhou Lang, where did you obtain this knowledge?

Seeing Xin Ruyin's delight, Zhou Ding was also filled with joy and said with a smile, "I saw it by chance at the auction, and remembered that you were studying the spatial array chapter of the 'Tianyuan Array Canon' and needed this item, so I just bought it. I'm glad you like it."

"It's more than just liking it...this Void Stone is extremely helpful to my current research on formations!"

Xin Ruyin stroked the cool stone with obvious affection, then looked at Zhou Ding with some concern, "This item must be very valuable, you..."

"It's alright. If it's useful to you, then it's worth it." Zhou Ding waved his hand, interrupting her.

For him, the most valuable investment was that the spirit stones could bring Xin Ruyin a smile and help him make progress in his cultivation.

Then, Zhou Ding, with a slightly solemn expression, took out the dark brown ancient box that he had obtained from the auction, which exuded an ancient aura, and placed it on the table.

"There's also this item; take a look."

Xin Ruyin's attention was immediately drawn to the ancient box. When she saw the slowly flowing, complex and mysterious dark golden ancient restriction on the surface of the box, her brows furrowed slightly, and a look of solemnity and inquiry appeared in her eyes.

She put down the Void Stone, stretched out her slender fingers, and without touching it, she carefully sensed the energy fluctuations and rune flow patterns emanating from the restriction from a distance of about a foot.

After a moment, she withdrew her finger, exhaled softly, looked at Zhou Ding, and slowly said, "This restriction... is very ancient and very special. Its rune structure and energy circulation method are very different from the mainstream ancient restrictions recorded in the 'Tian Yuan Array Canon' that I am currently learning, as well as the restriction system that is currently circulating in the Chaotic Star Sea. It seems to belong to a more ancient or more niche school."

Moreover, this restriction is extremely tightly integrated with the wooden box itself; moving one part would have far-reaching consequences. Forcibly breaking it carries a very high risk; the slightest carelessness could trigger the internal destruction mechanism or damage the contents.

She paused for a moment, then gave a preliminary assessment: "With my current skill in array formations, to safely break this restriction without damaging the items inside... it would take at least five years of dedicated research and deduction before I could find a reliable way to break it."

Five years?

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ding was not disappointed; instead, a hint of joy flashed in his eyes.

Five years is but a blink of an eye for someone with a lifespan of nearly a thousand years.

Since Xin Ruyin said she was confident she could unlock it within five years, it means that opening the ancient box is only a matter of time!

Inside lies a treasure radiating purple light; the five-year wait was absolutely worth it!

"Five years is nothing. There's no rush. Take your time to study it and don't be too hasty or you'll waste your energy."

Zhou Ding said gently, putting away the ancient box: "I will keep this for now. You can contact me anytime you need to study it."

Xin Ruyin nodded, a spark of excitement igniting in her eyes.

For a cultivator devoted to array formations, encountering such a profound and challenging ancient restriction is itself a tremendous attraction and opportunity.

She had already begun to conceive in her mind how to combine the "Tianyuan Array Manual" with her own understanding to analyze this difficult problem.

……

The next day, dawn broke.

Zhou Ding once again explained everything inside and outside the cave to Xin Ruyin and Xiao Mei, and then went to check on Xiao Jin, who was still consolidating his cultivation in the spirit beast room, as well as the other spirit beasts.

After confirming that everything was alright, he stepped into that familiar quiet room once again, where all the restrictions were lifted.

The stone gate slowly closed behind them, isolating them from the outside world.

Instead of immediately starting his seclusion to break through to a higher realm, he first took out the thousand-year-old purple spirit leaf he had won at the auction, along with several other auxiliary medicines he had prepared in advance, and then brought out the red copper alchemy furnace that had been with him for many years.

The Purple Spirit Pill is an ancient pill recorded in the "Heavenly Origin Pill Classic" that is specifically used to help cultivators in the Core Formation stage break through the bottleneck of a minor realm. It is extremely difficult to refine, and the requirements for the alchemist's control of divine sense, control of fire, and fusion of medicinal power are extremely strict.

However, Zhou Ding was prepared for this. During the ten years he spent rebuilding his cultivation, he spent most of his time honing his alchemy skills, and his foundation became extremely solid.

Now, with the power of feedback greatly enhanced, his control has reached a new level.

He sat cross-legged before the alchemy furnace, calming his mind and concentrating his spirit. Only when his mind was as still as a deep well did he flick his finger, and a wisp of pure azure alchemical fire leaped from his fingertip, disappearing into the bottom of the furnace and transforming into a stable flame to warm the furnace.

Then, he methodically put the properly processed medicinal herbs into the furnace.

His divine sense flowed like mercury, meticulously observing the subtle changes of each medicinal herb under high temperatures, controlling every slight rise and fall in temperature within the furnace, and guiding the essence of different medicinal properties to slowly separate, purify, and initially fuse...

Time passed quietly in the silent alchemy room. Inside the furnace, the fragrance of medicine gradually changed from light to rich, and then from rich to subtle.

On the furnace wall, a faint purple glow flowed, occasionally emitting a soft hum.

Seven days later.

"open!"

Zhou Ding let out a low shout, his hand seals changed, and the furnace lid opened with a "bang"!

An indescribable, strange fragrance instantly spread, not only refreshing the mind and body but also seemingly able to stimulate the magical power within the body, subtly generating a desire to break through the bottleneck.

At the bottom of the furnace, three pills, each the size of a longan, deep purple in color, with natural cloud patterns on their surface and shimmering with spiritual light, lay quietly, emitting powerful fluctuations of spiritual energy.

Purple Spirit Pill, complete!

Moreover, they are three top-grade ones!

A satisfied smile appeared on Zhou Ding's face. With these three Purple Spirit Pills, plus the Snow Lotus Pill he had refined earlier, and his own cultivation level which had already reached the peak of the early stage, his chances of breaking through to the mid-stage of Core Formation had increased to over 80%!

Without delay, he carefully placed the three Purple Spirit Pills into a jade bottle.

Immediately, he sat down cross-legged again, facing the sky with his palms facing upwards, and slowly circulated the "Azure Origin Sword Technique" to adjust his state to its most perfect peak.

Within his dantian, the three-colored golden elixir slowly rotated, emitting a brilliant yet stable glow. Within his meridians, the pure and abundant Azure Origin Magic Power flowed like the Yangtze River, ceaselessly, yet remained under his complete control.

One day, two days... half a month later.

When Zhou Ding felt that his essence, energy, and spirit had reached perfection, his internal magical power was surging and overflowing, and his perception of the bottleneck in the mid-stage of Core Formation was becoming increasingly clear, he knew that the time had come.

He took out a Purple Spirit Pill and put it in his mouth.

The pill melted upon entering the mouth, transforming into a powerful yet gentle torrent of medicinal energy, which possessed a strange barrier-breaking power. It instantly spread throughout the body and eventually, like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, it converged into the dantian, cleansing, nourishing, and subtly impacting the already solidified three-colored golden pill.

Zhou Ding held his breath and focused his mind, fully circulating his cultivation technique to guide the medicinal power, combined with his own powerful magic, and began to launch the most determined, fierce, yet steady attack on that invisible but real barrier of realm!

"boom!"

It was as if a thunderous roar originated from the depths of his soul. His dantian trembled, and his golden core shone brightly! Under the combined effects of the extraordinary medicinal power of the Purple Spirit Pill and Zhou Ding's own profound accumulation, that solid bottleneck began to show minute cracks...

Time, amidst silent impacts and transformations, slips away once again.

Spring goes and autumn comes, and the seasons change three times.

At the summit of Lingmu Peak, clouds drifted and flowers bloomed and faded, as if everything were as usual. Only the secluded chamber deep within the cave was always shrouded in an invisible, unsettling spiritual energy fluctuation.

On this day, it was noon, when the sun was at its most intense.

"Buzz—!"

Inside the quiet room, Zhou Ding suddenly burst forth with an indescribable dazzling light!

The blue, gold, and red rays of light intertwined and soared into the sky, but were firmly locked by the powerful restrictions of the meditation room. Only a brand new, more magnificent, more concentrated, and seemingly capable of resonating with the heavens and earth spread out uncontrollably, instantly engulfing the entire cave and even faintly penetrating outside the cave, causing the clouds above the Spirit Wood Peak to stir!

Inside the dantian, the three-colored golden pill did not increase in size much, but its color became deeper and more restrained, and the Dao patterns flowing on its surface became clearer and more profound. As it rotated, the amount and purity of the magical power it absorbed and exhaled were more than several times stronger than before!

A completely new feeling, a closer connection with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and a more effortless control over one's own power, fills the whole body.

Zhou Ding slowly opened his eyes, his gaze gleaming with a divine light, as if the sun, moon, and stars were rising and falling within them. After a long while, his gaze gradually returned to a deep and calm state.

He slowly got up, stretched his muscles and bones, and immediately a series of sounds, like muffled thunder rolling or the sound of metal and jade ringing, came from his body. It was the sound that his body naturally made after his strength surged.

Feeling the surging magical power and powerful physique within his body, far exceeding what he had experienced before, Zhou Ding slowly curled up a smile.

Mid-stage Core Formation, it's done.