Chapter 82: Taiyue Mountains! Sorting out the spoils! High-level talismans!
Outside the Bloodstained Forbidden Zone.
The wind on the wasteland was still fierce, stirring up the sand and dust on the ground, which swirled in the air.
A few withered grasses swayed in the wind, making a rustling sound.
Several vultures circled in the distance, seemingly waiting for some prey to fall.
Zhou Ding emerged from his hiding place and arrived at the entrance to the Crimson Forbidden Land.
He stood still and scanned his surroundings.
His divine sense surged out like a tide, instantly covering an area of dozens of miles in radius.
Every inch of land, every rock, every blade of grass and tree is laid bare in his perception.
There are no high-level cultivators.
Several Qi Refining stage cultivators were active dozens of miles away, their auras weak, and they wouldn't affect this place at all.
He withdrew his divine sense and quietly looked at the empty sky.
wait.
Time flowed slowly amidst the whispering winds of the wilderness. Half an hour felt like an eternity.
finally--
Suddenly, ripples appeared in the vast sky.
Golden light emanated from the center of the ripples, growing brighter and brighter.
The light was like a golden sun, turning the surrounding wasteland golden.
A purple light shot out from the golden light curtain, and Xiao Jin used the Light of Breaking Restriction to emerge from the light curtain carrying Zhou Jin on his back.
Zhou Jin got off Xiao Jin's back and handed the storage bag in his arms to Zhou Ding.
Zhou Ding took the storage bag and probed it with his divine sense.
For a moment, his breath caught in his throat.
Inside the storage bag, more than fifty jade boxes were neatly stacked, each with a sealing talisman attached.
Through the jade box, he could sense the rich medicinal power contained within.
Those are more than fifty thousand-year-old medicinal herbs!
There are also a large number of spirit stones, ancient treasures, talismans, and several precious jade slips.
His heart was pounding, and his blood was boiling.
This time, the harvest far exceeded his expectations!
He took a deep breath, suppressing his overwhelming joy.
His hands were trembling slightly, but he forced himself to calm down.
Now is not the time to check.
Although this place is remote, it is still a public area of the seven sects. If a high-level cultivator happens to pass by and senses the commotion here, it will be troublesome.
He quickly put the storage bag into his pocket, then put the little gold into the spirit beast bag, and summoned the Divine Wind Boat.
"Walk!"
Zhou Ding led Zhou Jin onto the Divine Wind Boat, transforming into a white streak of light and quickly leaving the area.
The Divine Wind Boat was extremely fast, leaving a white trail in the air.
The wind whistled in my ears, and the mountains below rushed past.
Zhou Ding stood at the bow of the boat, his clothes fluttering, a surge of eagerness to return home welling up in his heart.
Half a day later.
Taiyue Mountains.
Familiar mountains came into view, shrouded in mist, with waterfalls and streams.
Sunlight spills across the mountains, casting a golden glow over them.
The mountains still stand majestically, the streams still murmur, and the birds still soar in the sky.
Everything felt so familiar and comforting.
Standing at the bow of the boat, Zhou Ding watched the cave dwelling getting closer and closer, and a sense of homecoming welled up in his heart.
This trip was very fruitful, but it also left him physically and mentally exhausted.
After months of traveling, I can finally get some rest.
The Divine Wind Boat landed in that secluded valley. Zhou Ding put away the magical artifact and led Zhou Jin towards the cave.
…………
Meanwhile, inside the cave, everything remained the same.
The Spirit Eye Spring continued to gush forth, its misty spiritual energy permeating the entire cave like white fog.
The spiritual herbs were growing well, their branches and leaves flourishing under the nourishment of spiritual energy, emitting a faint fragrance.
The thousand-year-old golden scale fruit tree had grown even larger, with golden fruits hanging from the branches, faintly emitting a fragrance.
It just felt a bit more tranquil.
Without Xiaomei's chattering laughter and Xin Ruyin's soft explanations, the entire cave was unusually quiet.
Zhou Ding told Zhou Jin to go to his own quiet room to rest, while he himself walked deeper into the cave.
He stopped as he passed Xin Ruyin's quiet room.
That quiet room was specially built for Xin Ruyin. It was about several feet square and covered with intricate array patterns.
Those array patterns were personally carved by Xin Ruyin, each one extremely exquisite, with a faint spiritual light flowing through them.
The walls were covered with various books on array formations, and the bookshelves were piled high with array flags, array plates, talisman pens, talisman paper, and other materials.
At this moment, the door to the quiet room was ajar. Xin Ruyin was sitting at the table, dressed in an elegant white dress and red skirt. Her black hair was like a waterfall, tied up only with a wooden hairpin, revealing her fair and slender neck.
The wooden hairpin was a gift from Zhou Ding before he left, and she wore it every day without ever taking it off.
She had stroked the grain of the wooden hairpin until it was smooth and shiny.
Her appearance remained beautiful, but a faint, lingering longing seemed to linger between her brows, making her less lively and focused than before, and more gentle and graceful.
Those clear, watery eyes were now staring at the array diagram in their hands, but they seemed somewhat lost in thought.
Xin Ruyin held a fine talisman brush in her hand, and in front of her was a half-finished draft of a formation diagram.
The array was densely covered with runes, the lines intricate and interlocking, making it dizzying to look at.
The array was densely covered with runes, the lines intricate and interlocking, making it dizzying to look at.
Her pen hovered over the paper, but hesitated to fall.
Ink seeped from the tip of the pen, condensed into a small dot on the paper, and gradually spread.
His gaze would occasionally drift toward the entrance of the cave, a hint of anticipation flashing in his eyes, which would then turn into a faint sense of disappointment.
She has repeated this action countless times.
"Miss, how many times have you been spacing out now?"
Xiao Mei, who was grinding some kind of array pigment nearby, looked up and couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle when she saw her young mistress looking so absent-minded.
Her voice was mischievous, and her eyes gleamed with cunning.
Xiaomei was wearing a light green dress, her hair was styled in two buns, and she still had a bit of baby fat on her face.
With the help of the pills left by Zhou Ding and the abundant spiritual energy in the cave, her cultivation level has reached the sixth level of Qi Refining.
Compared to a few months ago, her breathing was much more stable, clearly indicating that she hadn't been slacking off.
Since Zhou Ding left, Xin Ruyin appeared to be doing as usual, continuing to study formations, tend her herb garden, and cultivate diligently every day, steadily improving her cultivation to the eighth level of Qi Refining.
But how could Xiaomei, as the closest maid, not see through her mistress's thoughts?
Whenever she has free time, Xin Ruyin would unconsciously drift off into her own thoughts, just like she is now.
Her bright, clear eyes would look toward the cave entrance dozens of times a day, their gaze filled with anticipation.
If she didn't see the figure she was looking forward to, Xiaomei would notice the slight pursing of her lips and the fleeting look of frustration in her eyes.
Once Xiaomei understood, she often used this teasing approach to try to pull her mistress back from her reverie.
Xin Ruyin was startled awake by Xiaomei's laughter. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she hurriedly put down her talisman brush, giving Xiaomei a reproachful look.
"Don't talk nonsense. I was just... just thinking about how to handle the connection points of this formation, and I got lost in thought for a moment."
Her voice was somewhat flustered, her eyes darted away, and she dared not look at Xiaomei.
His fingers unconsciously fiddled with the array on the table, covering up the smudged ink spot.
"Yes, yes, Miss was just contemplating the formation, nothing to do with romance, nothing to do with romance..."
Xiaomei nodded with a grin, deliberately drawing out her words, her eyes full of mischievous amusement.
She put down the mortar and pestle, rested her chin on her hands, and pretended to listen attentively.
"Miss is only thinking about the formation, waiting for the return of a certain 'formation diagram' that has traveled far away~"
She emphasized the words "array diagram" very much, drawing out the last syllable, and then couldn't help but laugh out loud after saying it.
"You're asking for it! You're getting more and more unruly!"
Xin Ruyin's cheeks turned even redder, the redness spreading from her ears all the way down to her neck, even her fair collarbones were tinged with pink.
She pretended to be angry and got up as if to hit him.
Xiao Mei let out a soft "Ouch!" and nimbly dodged away, running around the table.
She moved with the lightness of a butterfly flitting among flowers, glancing back as she ran to see if her mistress was catching up.
"Miss is angry! Miss is angry!"
Xin Ruyin chased after her for a few steps, feeling both ashamed and annoyed, but she couldn't catch up with the nimble little girl no matter what she did.
For a moment, the master and servant chased and frolicked in the not-so-spacious workshop, their silvery laughter dispelling some of the chill of the cave.
Xiao Mei's laughter was as clear as a bell, and Xin Ruyin's laughter was as gentle as water. When they were intertwined, their sisterly affection was evident.
"Miss, a sound transmission talisman! A sound transmission talisman has really flown in!"
Xiao Mei, whose armpits were being tickled by Xin Ruyin and who was begging for mercy, noticed a faint light flashing from the barrier at the cave entrance. A pale yellow talisman flew in like a swallow returning to its nest, and she quickly called out.
Her voice was full of surprise, and her eyes lit up.
Xin Ruyin didn't believe it at first, thinking that Xiaomei was being naughty again and trying to break free.
But when she actually caught a glimpse of the talisman floating at the doorway out of the corner of her eye, she froze instantly!
She released Xiaomei and stared blankly at the talisman, as if she couldn't believe her eyes.
Immediately, she released Xiaomei as if she were a startled fawn, and hurriedly tidied her somewhat disheveled clothes and hair.
She tugged at her clothes, smoothed her hair, tucked the stray strands behind her ears, and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her suddenly racing heartbeat and the unnatural blush on her face.
His flustered and shy appearance made Xiaomei, who was tidying up her clothes, burst out laughing again.
Xin Ruyin rolled her eyes at her, but didn't bother to "discipline" the naughty girl anymore.
She tried to remain calm, but her slightly trembling fingertips betrayed her inner tension and anticipation as she gently gestured towards the communication talisman.
As soon as she obtained the talisman, the familiar, haunting voice rang clearly in her ears:
"Ruyin, it's me, I'm back."
The voice seemed to possess a magical power, instantly soothing all the anxiety and unease in her heart.
In that instant, all the longing, waiting, and worry seemed to find their home.
Xin Ruyin felt a lump in her throat, her eyes instantly filled with a layer of joyful mist, and her face blossomed with the brightest and most touching smile in months.
That smile, like the warm spring sun, dispelled all the gloom and illuminated the entire quiet room.
"It's the son-in-law! The son-in-law is back!" Xiaomei heard it too, jumped up happily, clapped her hands and twirled around the studio, her skirt fluttering.
Xin Ruyin could no longer hold back. She lifted her skirt and ran quickly toward the entrance of the cave.
Her steps were hurried, the soles of her shoes making a crisp sound on the jade floor, completely unlike her usual elegant and composed demeanor.
……
A moment later, inside the main hall of the cave.
Zhou Ding gently embraced the soft, warm body in his arms, feeling Xin Ruyin's slight trembling and her arms tightly wrapped around his waist, and his heart was filled with boundless tenderness.
This period of time has caused her worry.
"Zhou Lang, you're finally back..."
Xin Ruyin's voice was gentle.
Zhou Ding gently patted her back and whispered, "I'm back. I'm sorry to have worried you."
He patted her back gently, comforting her.
Xin Ruyin shook her head without saying anything, but hugged her even tighter.
She buried her face in his chest, listening to his heartbeat, feeling his warmth, and confirming that it was all real. (Set this as your homepage to get daily updates on works like "In Yellow Maple Valley, I Have a Demonic Beast Clone!")
The two embraced for a long time, whispering about everything that had happened since they last met.
Zhou Ding omitted many of the dangerous parts, only recounting some interesting observations and gains.
Xin Ruyin spoke softly about the little things that had happened in the cave.
When feelings run deep, things will naturally fall into place.
They lingered tenderly until late into the night.
……
The next day.
Morning light streamed through the cracks in the cave ceiling, illuminating the bedroom.
Golden sunlight cast dappled shadows on the floor, and a faint fragrance filled the air.
Zhou Ding opened his eyes and looked at the beautiful woman lying beside him.
Xin Ruyin was still asleep, her long eyelashes covering her eyelids like two delicate little fans.
A faint smile played on her lips; her sleeping face was serene and content.
Her breathing was steady, her face was rosy, and she was sleeping soundly.
Her long, black hair cascaded down the pillow like a waterfall, making her face appear even more gentle.
The wooden hairpin was still stuck in his hair. Zhou Ding gently took it out and placed it on the bedside table.
Zhou Ding gently stroked her cheek, a feeling of pity welling up in his heart.
Xin Ruyin seemed to feel his touch; her eyelashes trembled slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes.
Her clear eyes met his gaze, and she was taken aback for a moment before revealing a gentle smile.
That smile was like the first ray of sunshine in the morning, warm and bright.
"Zhou Lang..."
Her voice was languid, with a slightly hoarse quality, yet it was exceptionally beautiful.
She snuggled closer to him, finding a comfortable position, like a lazy cat.
Zhou Ding smiled slightly.
"woke up?"
Xin Ruyin nodded and snuggled against him.
"Did you sleep well last night?" she asked softly.
"Very good." Zhou Ding hugged her, feeling the warmth of her body, and gently stroked her back.
After a moment of silence, he suddenly said, "I brought you a gift; I'm sure you'll like it."
Xin Ruyin looked up, a look of curiosity flashing in her eyes. Her eyes sparkled, like a child seeing candy.
"What gift?"
Zhou Ding took out a jade slip from his storage bag and handed it to her.
It was a jade slip entirely in gold, unlike any I had seen before.
It feels heavy in the hand, several times heavier than ordinary jade slips, and has a faint warm feeling.
On the front of the jade slip are four ancient and simple characters: "The First Volume of the Heavenly Origin Array Manual".
Xin Ruyin took the jade slip and probed it with her divine sense.
A moment later, a look of shock flashed in her eyes, which then turned into ecstasy.
Those eyes shone with an astonishing light, and an unbelievable smile spread across his face.
"This is... a formation inheritance!"
Her voice trembled, and her fingers gripped the jade scroll tightly, her knuckles turning white.
She was obsessed with formations; to her, formation manuals were absolutely priceless treasures.
This scroll, "The Heavenly Origin Array Manual," is actually an array technique legacy left behind by a Nascent Soul cultivator, and its value far surpasses any magical artifact or elixir.
She even felt that this was more precious than any thousand-year-old elixir.
She looked up at Zhou Ding, her eyes filled with gratitude.
That gratitude was tinged with deep emotion.
"Zhou Lang, this..."
Zhou Ding shook his head.
"Study it carefully. Teach me when you've fully grasped it."
Xin Ruyin nodded vigorously, gripping the rolled-up jade slip tightly as if it were the most precious treasure in the world.
This Heavenly Origin Array Manual is extremely profound. If Zhou Ding were to study it alone, it would be difficult for him to fully comprehend it.
Although he has already mastered the basics of formations, he still has a long way to go before he can become an expert.
However, if Xin Ruyin were to learn it first, with her talent for array formations, she would surely master it quickly.
She was born for array formations; those obscure and difficult principles of array formations were child's play to her.
Then, if she were to teach Zhou Ding, it would surely be twice as effective with half the effort.
The tender moment has ended.
Xin Ruyin couldn't wait to take the "Tianyuan Array Manual" to study it, looking happier than if she had obtained any treasure.
Holding the jade slip, she walked briskly, a bright smile on her face, radiating joy.
Xiao Mei also went to serve him. Before leaving, she made a face at Zhou Ding, secretly gave him a thumbs up, and whispered, "Young master, you're really amazing. Miss has missed you so much these past few months."
Although Zhou Jin had already organized the spoils once, Zhou Ding couldn't help but organize them again himself.
He sat down cross-legged and took out the items from his storage bag one by one, placing them in front of him.
More than fifty jade boxes were neatly stacked, gleaming faintly in the light of the luminous pearl.
Each jade box was sealed with a talisman, the runes on the talisman glowing faintly, sealing the medicinal power inside tightly.
He opened them one by one and examined them carefully.
More than fifty ancient medicinal herbs, some even thousands of years old.
Each one is priceless.
Zhou Ding took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement.
These spiritual herbs alone are enough for me to cultivate to the peak of the Core Formation stage.
As for those three ancient medicinal herbs, although we didn't get them this time, we'll definitely be able to get them next time we go.
The three ancient medicinal herbs are protected by a restriction, so he can't get them for the time being, but with the Heavenly Origin Token in hand, he can enter again in the future.
He carefully put the jade boxes away again and continued to examine the other items.
The First Volume of the Heavenly Origin Elixir Classic
He opened the jade slip and read it carefully.
There are hundreds of ancient alchemical formulas, covering everything from the Qi Refining stage to the Core Formation stage.
Each pill formula is recorded in great detail, from the proportions of the medicinal ingredients to the control of the heat; every step is precisely described. With these medicinal ingredients, one can also attempt to refine some of the rare ancient pill formulas listed above.
Of course, we must first improve our alchemy skills, otherwise it would be a waste of spiritual herbs.
Although his success rate in alchemy is not low now, it is still too difficult for him to refine pills of the thousand-year-old spiritual herb level.
It would be such a waste to ruin a thousand-year-old spiritual herb during the refining process.
He put away the alchemical text and continued to examine it.
The Heavenly Talisman Secret Manual.
This is the complete lineage of the ancient cultivators of the Heavenly Talisman Sect. He opened the jade slip and read it carefully.
From the principles of basic talismans to the construction ideas of advanced complex talisman arrays; from the talisman sealing techniques of common five-element spells to the production of some unorthodox, bizarre, and even extremely powerful special talismans... the content is all-encompassing and explained in detail.
Between the lines lies the culmination of a master of talismanic arts' life's work and a summary of his experience.
We need to study this carefully in the future.
He put away the secret manual and continued examining it.
Six Ding Heavenly Armor Talisman!
He carefully took out the jade box and opened it.
The six-colored ball of light remained quietly suspended in the jade box, its six colors—cyan, red, blue, yellow, white, and black—flowing slowly and emanating a strange Daoist charm.
The six-colored rays intertwined and permeated each other, as if they were demonstrating some kind of profound truth of heaven and earth.
Through the light screen, the silver-white talisman floated silently, with the six layers of armor's illusory images overlapping and intertwining, lifelike.
Each layer of armor possesses an inner radiance and an exquisite structure, as if it were not painted on, but rather a projection of real armor sealed within.
Zhou Ding took out the "Heavenly Talisman Secret Canon," found the location where the method of using the Six Ding Heavenly Armor Talisman was recorded, and studied it carefully.
It contained a complex and obscure incantation with strange and ancient syllables, as well as a set of profound hand gestures that required specific spiritual power to operate.
However, at the end of the ritual, there was a stern warning written in striking red runes:
"The Six Ding Heavenly Armor borrows the power of Heaven and Earth. To activate this talisman, one's divine consciousness must be as refined as an infant's, reciting the incantation to draw upon the spiritual energy of the four directions. If one attempts to force it with insufficient divine consciousness, one will inevitably suffer a backlash from the talisman's power; at best, the soul will be damaged, and at worst, the sea of consciousness will collapse!"
It requires at least the spiritual strength of a Nascent Soul stage to safely wield it!
Zhou Ding's heart sank, and then a bitter smile appeared on his face.
Sure enough, the threshold for using such a heaven-defying talisman is also frighteningly high.
With his current mid-stage Core Formation level of spiritual consciousness, forcibly activating it would likely be extremely dangerous.
If there is a backlash, at best the soul will be damaged, at worst the sea of consciousness will collapse, and then it would be a loss that does not outweigh the gain.
It seems that this trump card for survival cannot be used in the short term and can only be kept for now.
He sighed, closed the jade box again, and carefully put it away.
Next, he took out the talismans left behind by the ancient cultivators of the Heavenly Talisman Sect.
Most of them are intermediate-level talismans, numbering over a hundred, and they vary in type.
There are offensive talismans such as Heavenly Fire Talisman, Ice Seal Talisman, and Heavenly Thunder Talisman; defensive talismans such as Golden Body Talisman, Earth Element Talisman, and Water Curtain Talisman; and auxiliary talismans such as Fire Escape Talisman, Concealment Talisman, and Wood Spirit Talisman—everything you could want.
These talismans will be enough for him to use for a long time.
Then, there were those high-level talismans.
Zhou Ding carefully took out the first one.
The talisman was light blue, about the size of a palm, and covered with intricate runes.
The runes were like vortexes, layer upon layer, one link after another.
In the center of the talisman was a swirling pattern, seemingly devouring the surrounding space.
Staring at it for too long can give you the illusion of being sucked in.
Thousand-mile teleportation talisman.
It can be used to escape; if there is no anti-flying treasure, it can instantly teleport you thousands of miles away.
This is a life-saving weapon!
If you encounter an insurmountable enemy, activating this talisman will allow you to escape thousands of miles away instantly, leaving your opponent with no chance to catch you.
Even a Nascent Soul cultivator cannot catch up to someone a thousand miles away in an instant.
He carefully put it away.
The second one is a purple talisman with lightning patterns drawn on it.
The lightning bolts were so lifelike, as if they might fly out of the talisman at any moment and strike everything.
The talisman exuded a violent aura, and holding it in one's hand could cause a slight tingling sensation, a sign of the leakage of lightning power.
Purple Demon-Slaying Thunder Talisman.
It can summon the Demon-Slaying Thunder to bombard a designated target. The thunder power is specifically designed to counter demonic paths and the primordial spirit of monsters. A single strike can destroy the physical body and primordial spirit of a Nascent Soul cultivator!
This is the real killer move!
Even an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator would not be able to withstand this attack.
It is especially effective against demonic cultivators and monsters, keeping them completely at bay.
A glint of light flashed in Zhou Ding's eyes.
This talisman will be a powerful weapon if it encounters a demonic cultivator in the future.
He carefully put it away.
With his current cultivation level, he is not yet able to activate this talisman.
The third one was a blood-red talisman with a complex rune drawn on it, and faint blood light was flowing around it.
The talisman exuded an eerie aura that sent chills down one's spine.
The blood-red light flowed slowly across the surface of the talisman, like blood flowing through a blood vessel.
Blood Essence Substitute Death Talisman.
Using a drop of one's own life essence as a catalyst, it is automatically triggered when one is fatally struck, allowing one to die in place of another without physical injury, but at the cost of fifty years of lifespan.
This is my second life!
Zhou Ding's hands trembled slightly.
Having this talisman is like having an extra life.
No matter what danger you encounter, you'll have another chance. Although it will cost you fifty years of lifespan, what is that price compared to death?
Fifty years of lifespan is nothing to him, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator with a lifespan of four hundred years.
He took a deep breath, carefully put the talisman away, and kept it close to his body.
These high-level talismans can be used as trump cards even at the Nascent Soul stage.