Chapter 172
Little Gold Advances!
Chapter 172 Little Gold Advances!
Time flies, and a whole year has passed since the "Forbidden Yuan Black Box" was opened and the Soul Nourishing Wood was obtained.
During this year, Zhou Ding did not rush to break through to the Nascent Soul stage.
He knew that the Nascent Soul stage was the biggest watershed on the path of cultivation. Success would greatly increase one's lifespan, allowing one to enter a completely new world and look down upon all living beings.
Defeat could mean death and the loss of one's cultivation, leaving no chance to start over, and a thousand years of cultivation would turn into nothing but an empty dream.
Although he already possessed Soul Nourishing Wood and the Infant Condensation Pill that could be refined from an eighth-level demon core.
These two magical items for forming a Nascent Soul are enough to increase the success rate of forming a Nascent Soul by about 30%, but he still doesn't have complete confidence.
He needs to adjust his state to its best, refine his mindset to its most perfect state, and condense his magical power to its purest state before he can touch that threshold.
To act rashly is not only irresponsible to oneself, but also a betrayal of those around him who care about him.
Therefore, he spent most of the year consolidating his cultivation at the False Infant Realm.
Every day, he meditates and practices Qi cultivation, circulating the "Qingyuan Sword Technique" to repeatedly temper, compress, and purify the magical power within his body, making it more refined and harmonious.
He could feel that his golden core had reached its fullest potential, and the outline of the curled-up infant inside was becoming clearer and clearer, as if it would break out of the core at any moment and truly descend into the world.
But he suppressed that impulse, like an experienced hunter patiently waiting for the best opportunity.
He would also take time to study the various wonderful uses of the fourth level of the "Great Evolution Manual".
His divine sense range of 450 miles has already surpassed the limit of the late Nascent Soul stage, but this does not mean that he has completely mastered this power.
He needed to refine that surging divine sense to a more precise and subtle level, making it as easy as his own arm. He tried to use his divine sense to perceive the trajectory of every speck of dust in the air, to distinguish the direction of the veins on every leaf in the courtyard, and to "listen" to the subtle rustling sound of earthworms turning over the soil.
This extreme perception of the microscopic world deepened his understanding of the great principles of heaven and earth.
In his spare time, he would guide Xia Xiaoxing in her cultivation.
Xia Xiaoxing possesses a wood-attribute celestial spiritual root, and her exceptional talent even amazed Zhou Ding.
Sometimes, when he looked at Xia Xiaoxing's focused profile while she was cultivating, he would think of himself back in Tiannan.
He was like that back then, desperately seizing every opportunity and climbing upwards.
However, he wasn't as lucky as Xia Xiaoxing back then; he didn't have a good mentor to guide him.
This child's cultivation progressed by leaps and bounds. In just one year, he went from a clueless child who knew nothing about cultivation to the mid-stage of Qi Refining. Moreover, his foundation was solid, and he did not become weak or unstable due to his rapid progress.
The azure sword energy within his body had grown from a thin wisp to the thickness of a chopstick, and when it circulated through his meridians, it faintly produced the sounds of wind and thunder.
Zhou Ding has already taught him the "Qingyuan Sword Manual".
This set of techniques is perfect for a disciple like Xia Xiaoxing, who is kind-hearted and exceptionally talented.
He did not pass on all the techniques to Xia Xiaoxing at once, but proceeded step by step, teaching him layer by layer according to his level of comprehension, ensuring that he took each step firmly.
Xia Xiaoxing did not disappoint him. Her progress in cultivating the "Azure Origin Sword Technique" was extremely fast. In a short time, she had already mastered the incantation of the first level and was able to condense a stable wisp of azure sword essence within her body.
When he successfully released his sword energy for the first time, condensing it into a cyan sword beam about an inch long at his fingertips, he was so excited that his face turned red. He ran around in the courtyard, shouting, "Master, Master, I did it!" His voice was filled with pure joy and pride.
Looking at his cheerful appearance, Zhou Ding felt very gratified, as if he were seeing himself back then, desperately cultivating in the back mountains of Huangfeng Valley.
Back then, he was just like that, overjoyed by even the smallest progress.
On this day, the sky was bright and clear, and Zhou Ding was in the courtyard instructing Xia Xiaoxing on her cultivation.
The child held a short sword and practiced each move with precision and skill.
Although the power was still shallow, the transitions between sword moves were already quite smooth, and there was a hint of discipline in them.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on him. His gaze was focused and earnest, as if he held not an ordinary sword, but the most precious treasure in the world.
Suddenly, Zhou Ding raised an eyebrow slightly.
He sensed a strange movement coming from the spirit beast pouch.
It was a faint fluctuation he had been waiting for, yet it carried an irrepressible restlessness, as if something long dormant was slowly awakening, about to break free from its cocoon.
The feeling was like a giant dragon turning over beneath the calm surface of a lake, about to unleash a monstrous wave.
It's Xiao Jin!
Since taking that level-seven dragon pill in the quiet room years ago, Xiao Jin has been in a deep sleep.
This sleep lasted for more than twenty years.
During this time, Zhou Ding could occasionally sense the dragon power within its body, which was slowly digesting and fusing through the soul connection, growing quietly and vigorously like a gestating embryo.
At this moment, the aura that had been dormant for more than twenty years finally began to fluctuate violently!
Like a dormant volcano finally awakening, the underground magma is gathering power, ready to erupt!
Zhou Ding put down the wooden sword in his hand, his movements were calm and he showed no sign of panic.
He turned around and said to Xia Xiaoxing, "Xiaoxing, let's stop our cultivation for today. Go find your master's wife. Your master has to go out for a while."
Xia Xiaoxing stopped her swordplay and looked up at Zhou Ding.
Although he was young, he was extremely sensible and naturally very sensitive to changes in people's emotions.
He could sense that something unusual was hidden beneath his master's calm tone. He didn't ask any questions, but simply nodded obediently, put away the wooden sword, and ran towards Xin Ruyin's meditation room.
After running a few steps, he turned back and said, "Master, be careful."
Then he turned and ran away.
Zhou Ding watched his small figure disappear at the end of the corridor, and felt a slight warmth in his heart.
This child, though young, already knows how to care for others.
Without further hesitation, he flashed and arrived at the secret room at the back of the cave, which was specially prepared for Xiao Jin.
As soon as the door to the secret room opened, a violent and scorching aura rushed out, as if the door to a furnace had been opened!
The aura was a mixture of the pungent smell of sulfur, the sweet and pungent smell of blood, and some indescribable primal scent belonging to a wild and ferocious beast.
In the center of the secret chamber, Xiao Jin's body was curled up on the ground, and from the gaps in its dark gold scales, a scorching, dark blue light was shining through!
The light flickered and rose and fell like breathing. Each flash was accompanied by a terrifying surge of demonic power, as if a giant beast was ramming against a cage inside its body, trying to break free!
Xiao Jin's breathing became rapid and heavy. With each exhale, a scorching stream of air carrying the smell of sulfur and blood blew up the dust on the ground.
Its body was trembling slightly, as if it were enduring some kind of great pain and impact.
The scales on its body surface sometimes become transparent, revealing the surging blood and meridians beneath.
The blood was no longer dark red, but had a faint dark golden sheen, as if it were being tempered by some higher-level power: at times it would return to normal, the dark golden light flowing erratically, like flowing metal.
Zhou Ding understood immediately with a single sweep of his divine sense.
The power of the dragon demon core within Xiao Jin's body has been absorbed to the very last moment.
The powerful dragon bloodline and demonic energy are undergoing a final fusion and transformation with Xiao Jin's own primordial bloodline.
This is like fusing two different metals together; if the fusion is successful, it can create a powerful weapon.
However, if fusion fails, the two will repel each other, causing the entire embryo to break apart.
If successful, Xiao Jin will be able to break through the shackles of a level six demon beast and enter the ranks of a level seven demon beast!
A level seven demonic beast corresponds to the late Core Formation stage or even the Nascent Soul stage in humans!
At that time, Xiao Jin's strength will undergo earth-shattering changes. Whether it is physical strength, demonic power reserves, or innate supernatural abilities, they will all reach a completely new level.
But this process is also extremely dangerous.
The two forces clashed and collided fiercely within Xiao Jin's body, like two giant dragons fighting for the same territory.
The slightest carelessness could lead to an imbalance of power, potentially causing bloodline collapse. In mild cases, this could result in serious injury and a decline in cultivation; in severe cases, it could lead to the complete rupture of meridians and immediate death.
Zhou Ding was able to clearly feel the pain that Xiao Jin was currently enduring through the soul connection.
It was an excruciating pain, as if the body were being torn apart from the inside.
"We shouldn't stay here any longer," Zhou Ding decided immediately. Although Tianxing City was safe, it was still a densely populated area with many powerful individuals and numerous informants.
The commotion caused by Xiao Jin's breakthrough, the soaring demonic aura, and the violent spiritual pressure fluctuations will inevitably attract attention from all sides.
He didn't want Xiao Jin to break through in front of everyone, attracting unnecessary covetousness and trouble.
If those Nascent Soul stage monsters knew that a strange beast with dragon bloodline was breaking through to the seventh level, they might very well have some ideas.
With a thought, he opened the spirit beast pouch, and a gentle magical power enveloped Little Gold's massive body, slowly drawing it into the pouch.
Zhou Ding tied up the spirit beast bag, and with a flicker of his body, he left the secret chamber.
He hurriedly gave Xin Ruyin a few words of advice, saying that Xiao Jin had reached a critical moment in his breakthrough and that he needed to go out to protect her for a period of several days to more than a month, so she didn't need to worry.
Although Xin Ruyin had some worry in her eyes, she knew that Zhou Ding was always prudent in his actions, so she didn't ask any more questions. She just told him to be careful in everything he did and then watched him leave.
Without further delay, Zhou Ding transformed into a streak of azure light, soaring into the sky and speeding towards the outskirts of Tianxing City.
The streaking light swept past the layers of restrictions on the sacred mountain, passed through the thin mist of the outer sea, and headed west.
Zhou Ding pushed his escape speed to the limit, and the seawater beneath his feet swept backward like flowing jade, the splashing waves shimmering with tiny sparkles in the sunlight.
His powerful divine sense, like invisible tentacles, extended hundreds of miles forward, carefully searching for a suitable place to settle.
He needed a remote, secluded island where the spiritual energy wasn't too sparse.
The secluded location is to isolate it from outside investigations and avoid disturbances; the spiritual energy cannot be too thin, so as to provide Xiao Jin with enough energy support for his breakthrough.
These two conditions seem simple, but finding a place that perfectly meets them on the vast ocean is not easy.
After flying for more than two thousand miles, Zhou Ding finally found a suitable location.
It was a tiny, deserted island, only a few miles in circumference, which, when viewed from above, looked like an inconspicuous spot in the ocean.
The island is full of jagged rocks and barren land, with only a few low shrubs, twisted and bent by the sea wind, struggling to survive in the cracks of the rocks. Their branches and leaves are blown in one direction by the sea wind, as if telling the story of the constant gales here.
The waters surrounding the island are turbulent with undercurrents and dotted with reefs. Even the most experienced fishing boats rarely approach this area, as they could easily run aground and sink.
In the center of the island, there is a small hill with a natural cave inside. The entrance is hidden by rocks and withered vines, making it extremely difficult to find without careful exploration.
Zhou Ding landed on the island and carefully scanned the entire island with his divine sense, checking it inch by inch to confirm that there was no aura of any cultivators or powerful demonic beasts, nor any hidden restrictions or formations.
He even dived dozens of meters underwater to inspect the bottom of the island, confirming that there were no sea monster nests or hidden caves.
He nodded in satisfaction.
Although the spiritual energy here is somewhat thin, it is remote and safe enough, making it a suitable place for Xiao Jin to break through.
Without further delay, he moved around the island and began to set up an array.
He took out several sets of high-level array flags and array plates that he had prepared in advance. These were carefully prepared in Tianxing City for any eventuality.
He drove the array flags into the ground one by one according to the specific directions. Each flag emitted a slight buzzing sound as it entered the ground, and the runes on the flag lit up and then quickly disappeared.
This time, he did not set up an offensive or defensive formation, but a combination of a large "Spirit Concealment Formation" and a "Spirit Gathering Formation".
The Spirit Concealing Array can completely isolate the fluctuations of energy within the island, making it difficult even for the divine sense of a Nascent Soul cultivator to penetrate.
The Spirit Gathering Array can gather the spiritual energy of heaven and earth within a radius of hundreds of miles, providing sufficient energy support for Xiao Jin's breakthrough.
The two formations complement each other, both concealing one's presence and providing energy; this was a plan he had devised before setting off.
It took most of the day to set up the formation.
As the last banner sank into the ground, an invisible light curtain slowly rose, enveloping the entire island before disappearing as if it had never existed.
From the outside, the island looks no different from before; it remains desolate, remote, and unremarkable, so much so that even seabirds are reluctant to stay there.
However, inside the island, spiritual energy is gathering at a slow and steady pace, becoming increasingly concentrated, and even a faint spiritual mist has begun to rise in the air.
Zhou Ding went to the cave inside the hill and released Xiao Jin from the spirit beast bag.
As soon as Xiao Jin's massive body appeared in the cave, it curled up on the ground, as if it didn't even have the strength to stand up.
Its body was still trembling slightly, and the dark blue light from the gaps in its scales flickered more frequently, like rapid breathing.
Its breathing became more rapid, each exhale carrying a scorching airflow that sent the pebbles on the ground tumbling.
Its eyes were tightly closed, as if it were at a critical moment, waging a final battle with the power within its body.
Zhou Ding sat down cross-legged beside Xiao Jin, reached out and gently pressed his hand on Xiao Jin's cold scales.
The scales felt slightly cool to the touch, yet one could feel the scorching heat emanating from below, like lava.
Time flowed slowly on the deserted island.
The sun rises and sets, the tide ebbs and flows. The sea breeze howls, and the waves crash against the rocks, creating an endless roar.
Occasionally, seabirds would fly by, circling a few times above the island, then quickly fly away as if sensing some danger.
Zhou Ding sat quietly beside Xiao Jin like a statue, never leaving his side.
He closed his eyes, his breathing steady and long, as if he were also engaged in some kind of cultivation.
But his consciousness remained at its highest level of alertness, like an invisible net covering the entire island and the surrounding hundreds of miles of sea.
He could sense the movement of fish swimming beneath the sea surface, the slow passage of a merchant ship in the distance, and the movement of clouds in the sky.
He could detect even the slightest unusual aura or fluctuation.
He was also paying close attention to every change in the aura within Xiao Jin's body.
He could feel those two forces.
The power of the dragon and the power of Xiao Jin's primordial bloodline are undergoing their final fusion within Xiao Jin's body.
This process was not smooth. Sometimes the power of the dragon would prevail, and Xiao Jin's body temperature would rise sharply, and his scales would turn red, as if he were about to be roasted. Other times, the power of the primordial bloodline would counterattack, and Xiao Jin's body temperature would drop sharply, and a thin layer of frost would even condense on his scales.
Each setback was accompanied by immense pain, but Xiao Jin never gave up. With astonishing perseverance, it adjusted, balanced, and integrated these two forces time and time again.
A month has passed just like that.
On this day, the once clear sky above the deserted island suddenly turned gloomy.
Thick, leaden-gray clouds, as if stirred by an invisible hand, began to converge on the sky above the deserted island from all directions.
The clouds grew thicker and lower, pressing down as if to crush the entire island.
A muffled rumble of thunder echoed faintly from within the clouds, its deep, resonant sound like some ancient beast awakening within them, uttering a low roar.
The air became unusually oppressive; even the sea breeze had stopped. The sea was as calm as a mirror, reflecting the leaden sky and exuding a deathly stillness before an impending storm.
Inside the cave, Xiao Jin's aura had reached a critical point!
The dark blue light on its body no longer flickered, but shone brightly, illuminating the entire cave as if a blue sun was rising in the cave!
Its body is expanding and growing at a speed visible to the naked eye!
Its already enormous body swelled up even more, as if inflated, pushing against the cave walls.
The cracks were followed by a shower of falling pebbles that thudded onto the ground with a dull thud!
From the gaps in its scales, a trace of dark golden liquid began to seep out—blood that had been tempered to the extreme and was about to undergo a qualitative change!
A terrifying surge of demonic power, like a volcano about to erupt, surged, compressed, and condensed wildly within Xiao Jin's body!
The aura was so strong that the entire cave trembled slightly, and loose rocks kept falling from the ceiling, as if it would collapse at any moment!
A suffocating pressure filled the air, and even Zhou Ding felt a sense of oppression, as if an invisible mountain was pressing down on his chest. His robes fluttered and rustled even without wind.
"It's coming." Zhou Ding's gaze sharpened, and he floated back several feet until he reached a corner of the cave, leaving enough space for Xiao Jin.
At the same time, he formed hand seals and cast spells, with blue magic threads flying out from his fingertips and disappearing into the ground, maximizing the power of the Spirit Concealment Array and the Spirit Gathering Array.
The light screen of the Spirit Concealing Array suddenly brightened and became even more solid, ensuring that the movement inside the island would not be detected by the outside world; the Spirit Gathering Array frantically drew in the spiritual energy from hundreds of miles around, like hundreds of rivers flowing into the sea, converging into the cave. The spiritual energy was so dense that it almost turned into liquid, forming a faint spiritual mist in the air, which was swallowed up by the little golden whale.