Stealthily cultivating in the chaotic world of demons and martial artists
Chapter 232 - 231: Ruins Revealed (Monthly Tickets Required)_1

Chapter 232: Chapter 231: Ruins Revealed (Monthly Tickets Required)_1

Inside the secret chamber.

The spiritual energy gathered by the "Spirit Gathering Array Skills" reached the third tier, forming a mist visible to the naked eye.

Zhong Hongyu sat cross-legged, her face solemn to the extreme.

She silently circulated "Mysterious Sound Skills," not knowing how much time had passed, but when she sensed that her condition had reached its peak, she did not hesitate and swallowed the low-grade Foundation Establishment Pill.

In the quiet room next door, Fang Xi’s Divine Consciousness silently monitored every move of Zhong Hongyu.

With his Divine Consciousness, now somewhat stronger than that of the late Foundation Establishment stage, not to mention Zhong Hongyu, even Ruan Xingling would not be able to detect it.

"It has begun..."

Fang Xi silently watched as Zhong Hongyu began her Foundation Establishment. The first step was the convergence of Heavenly Earth Spiritual Qi, cleansing her body’s limbs and bones!

’Zhong Hongyu is only in her forties, at the peak of her vitality, and her body does not bear hidden injuries; there shouldn’t be a problem...’

Indeed, under the cleansing of the Heaven and Earth Primordial Energy, Zhong Hongyu’s expression appeared pained, her cheeks flushed red, but with the medicinal power of the Foundation Establishment Pill, her meridians withstood the cleansing of spiritual energy and began to converge towards the Dantian Qi Ocean.

"The Magic Power gate? This woman’s foundation is quite solid, and she has a mid-grade Spiritual Root, her ’Mysterious Sound Skills’ also have their exceptional aspects, it seems even stronger than mine at the time..."

"As for the final Divine Consciousness gate? Although this woman grew up under my protection, she was later sent from the island and faced all kinds of life-and-death battles; she even overcame a cultivation-robber and survived the ordeal of the Foundation Establishment Pill... Her mentality is much stronger than Wei Yixi and Yan Hongxue’s."

"All things considered, her Foundation Establishment is quite likely."

Fang Xi’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Time passed, unknown how long.

Zhong Hongyu felt the Magic Power in her Dantian Qi Ocean become extremely dense, and without hesitation, she mobilized the last of the Foundation Establishment Pill’s power and thrust it into the Niwan Palace!

Boom!

Her head reeled, and then, between her brows, it seemed as if a third ’eye’ had opened!

Divine Consciousness!

As soon as Divine Consciousness emerged, it immediately oppressed the Dantian Qi Ocean, causing the Magic Power to liquify!

Outside the secret chamber, Heavenly Earth Spiritual Qi converged, forming a vortex, continuously drilling into it.

This scene was seen by Yan Hongxue outside, and her face involuntarily showed a complex expression of jealousy, despondency, and envy...

"Foundation Establishment was successful."

Fang Xi’s figure flashed, already at Zhong Hongyu’s side, with one palm resting on her lower abdomen.

"Island Master..."

Zhong Hongyu felt both embarrassed and anxious but dared not resist; she had to pretend Fang Xi did not exist and focused on refining the heavenly spiritual energy into liquid Magic Power.

Fang Xi’s Divine Consciousness entered the woman’s Dantian directly, observing all her secrets without reservation.

"Hmm?"

During Zhong Hongyu’s successful Foundation Establishment, as she crossed a major realm and underwent the bones cleansing phase.

Fang Xi’s Divine Consciousness finally noticed something!

In this woman’s Dantian, strands of silver light twinkled, forming mysterious and indescribable incomplete symbols.

These symbols were fleeting, carrying a certain disturbance to the Void.

Immediately afterward, everything returned to normal, as if what had just happened was merely Fang Xi’s illusion.

"Those symbols... seem similar to the array patterns used for space transfer in third-tier arrays..."

"No... It should be said that these Silver Seal Scripts are the manifestations of the rules of heaven and earth, and cultivators are only learning and mimicking whether it’s talismans or arrays..."

"By comparison, my Green Wood Spiritual Body and the Wooden Element Dharma Body seem to follow the same principle... That’s why the Silver Seal bone patterns of the Wooden Element Dharma Body have a touch-and-go effect on my Taoist of Talisman..."

Although it was only for a moment, Fang Xi had firmly remembered those few crude symbols, ready to meticulously study them later, in conjunction with the array path and his own Treasures of All Heavens.

"Island Master..."

Just then, Zhong Hongyu opened her eyes upon the successful Foundation Establishment, her gaze complex as she looked at Fang Xi.

Even for Taoist companions, such invasive scrutiny was not usual...

But habits ingrained since childhood made her neither dare nor willing to resist...

"Congratulations, Hongyu, on your successful Foundation Establishment. This low-grade Spiritual Instrument—Gold Dragon Scissors—is your congratulatory gift from me."

Fang Xi patted Hongyu’s little head, left behind the Gold Dragon Scissors, and walked away without taking any cloud with him.

For him, Zhong Hongyu’s greatest value had already been expended...

...

Inside the secret chamber.

Fang Xi quietly contemplated, silently recalling those few incomplete silver symbols.

Furthermore, he compared them with the patterns on the ’Treasures of All Heavens’ within his own Sea of Consciousness.

’Indeed... although the patterns on the Treasure Mirror are very vague, there is some similarity...’

A hint of joy crept over Fang Xi’s face.

The results were small, but after all, a discovery had been made!

He stood up, went to the Talisman-making Room, spread out the talisman paper, and began drawing immediately.

In the past, Fang Xi was merely more skilled with Wooden Element Talismans.

But now, as he wielded his brush, the cinnabar laden with spiritual energy continued to delineate on the talisman paper, eventually forming patterns that emitted the twisting silver light of the Void.

"Second-tier, high-grade... Prohibition-breaking Talisman!"

"Indeed, the principle behind the Prohibition-breaking Talisman involves the Way of the Void..."

"Although Prohibition-breaking Talismans pose significantly less threat to arrays of the same tier at the third-tier, this second-tier Prohibition-breaking Talisman is unheard of throughout Yue Country, only a few Talisman Masters can create one... After all, in order to draw a Prohibition-breaking Talisman, one must have a deep study of the array path and also be involved in the Way of the Void, which has extremely high requirements..."

Fang Xi’s face was filled with joy.

With the ascension of the Taoist of Talisman to the second-tier high-grade, he could even attempt to draw Treasure Pattern Talismans!

"Although... the materials are hard to find!"

"To carry the Treasure Pattern, it would be best to have third-tier talisman paper..."

Third-tier talisman paper required at least third-tier Spiritual Trees, or the skin of a Monster King to make.

But each one produced was enough to become the bedrock of a Core Formation Sect like Mysterious Heaven Sect!

Several days later, Fang Xi emerged from seclusion, feeling refreshed and clear-headed.

...

Within Evergreen Pavilion.

"Thank you, Island Master, for protecting me during my cultivation..."

Zhong Hongyu had also stabilized her Foundation Establishment cultivation and came out to express her gratitude.

Her expression was as usual, as if everything that had happened in the closed-door cultivation room had been selectively forgotten.

Fang Xi also appreciated the woman’s sense of propriety, "Not bad, Hongyu. Are you going to hold a Foundation Establishment celebration? Hmm...where do you plan to cultivate afterwards?"

"Hongyu doesn’t plan to hold a Foundation Establishment celebration..."

Zhong Hongyu replied softly.

After all, the cultivators of Thousand Island Lake were quite impoverished, even if she threw a grand feast, she wouldn’t receive many gifts.

"As for cultivation?"

Zhong Hongyu said, "Hongyu would like to cultivate on Dragon Fish Island for a while, if that’s permissible?"

"Certainly, Dragon Fish Island will always be your home."

Fang Xi smiled, "I’ll have someone prepare a dongfu with rich spiritual energy for you."

With abundant spiritual energy and few cultivators on Dragon Fish Island, there were plenty of spare dongfus available.

"Thank you, Island Master."

Upon hearing this, a hint of joy flashed across Zhong Hongyu’s face...

...

Only a few, including Ruan Xingling, knew of Zhong Hongyu’s successful Foundation Establishment.

Fang Xi hosted a modest banquet for them, which served as the celebration.

Afterwards, Zhong Hongyu went into seclusion within a dongfu on Dragon Fish Island.

Cultivation knows no seasons or time; in the blink of an eye, several years came and went.

On this day, in the northern region of Thousand Island Lake.

Liu Sanqi transformed into a streak of green light, pursuing a giant turtle.

This turtle was tens of feet long, with a shell as dark as night. It was overgrown with water weeds and moss, and covered in accumulated soil and stones, resembling a black reef from afar.

And among the rocks was a hint of emerald green, shining brightly.

"Catch!"

In mid-air, Liu Sanqi let out a soft shout, casting down a black fishing net.

The net expanded in the wind as soon as it was thrown, appearing like a curtain that covered several miles of the lake’s surface.

When the net was drawn, countless fish and turtles, along with the giant turtle, were brought to the surface.

The giant turtle cried out loudly, unleashing bursts of demon qi, clearly having reached the pinnacle of Qi Refining.

Its tough skin and flesh, along with its innate water-based monster skills, would pose a real challenge for ordinary Qi Refining cultivators.

However, Liu Sanqi was already at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. He easily overturned the giant turtle and stepped on its back to pick spiritual herbs.

"This turtle must be at least three to four hundred years old... The ’Turtle Backgrass’ growing on it is truly rare!"

Liu Sanqi placed the Turtle Backgrass into a Jade Grease Box, murmuring to himself.

He suddenly looked up and realized he wasn’t far from the Great Dream Marsh, where the hazy mist could be seen.

The Great Dream Marsh, a natural hazard in the north of Yue Country, birthed mists that blocked divine consciousness. Even Core Formation ancestors could become lost within it.

"That was close... If you had escaped into the Great Dream Marsh, I really would have had no way to catch you."

Liu Sanqi stepped on the turtle’s back and admired the steaming clouds above the Great Dream Marsh.

Suddenly, he rubbed his eyes, suspecting he had seen an illusion.

Boom!

The serene surface of the lake churned, and countless fish and turtles were lifted from the bottom, as if a small earthquake had occurred.

Boom boom boom!

In the direction of the Great Dream Marsh, a cluster of mist suddenly dispersed, revealing an island radiating with emerald light!

Waves of fresh grassy fragrance spread across the area, while an array of colorful prohibitions rose to the sky, absorbing the nearby mist.

"This..."

Liu Sanqi drew his divine consciousness closer bit by bit, touching the true form of the island and being startled, "An ancient ruin appearing?"

With his naked eye, he could see orderly structures and powerful prohibitions behind the prohibitions of the island.

Just by approaching the island, a surge of abundant spiritual energy hit him in the face.

"Could it be the ancient legends are true? There was no Great Dream Marsh to the north of Yue Country in the past, but then it appeared after a great battle among cultivators of ancient times... And now, part of this island’s prohibitions are malfunctioning, causing the mist to dissipate and revealing its presence from within the Great Dream Marsh?"

Liu Sanqi made a guess and then could hardly conceal his greed.

This was an ancient ruin!

In the present Cultivation World, spiritual energy was scarce, and spiritual objects were rare.

Even as a cultivator with a Green Wood Spiritual Body, he found himself hopelessly stuck in the bottleneck from mid to late Foundation Establishment without any progress.

In ancient times, it is said that spiritual energy was extremely abundant, and high-ranking cultivators were commonplace.

In the modern Cultivation World, there were lucky ones who stumbled upon ruins, acquiring spiritual pills and wondrous medicines passed down from ancient times. There were even tales of those leapfrogging from Foundation Establishment straight to Core Formation!

"If it were me... I could also..."

Liu Sanqi’s eyes held determination as he flew towards the emerald island.

However, in the next moment, he felt as heavy as if bearing a great burden and was forced to descend onto the lake’s surface, "A Space Restriction? The protective array of this island, its range is so vast?"

Boom boom boom!

The Jade Spirit Island continued to change, a beam of green light shot into the sky, clearly visible for a hundred miles around!