Chapter 51: Another Daoist Partner Acquired
"This... this is no ordinary talisman soldier; it is practically an ancient war spirit!" Lin Yue walked over quickly, looking at the floating blade of light, his tone unable to hide his shock.
The prajna divine armor on his chest felt slightly hot, as if warning him of the terror of this talisman soldier—just now, that spear strike, if it had been a regular Cultivator at the Qi Refinement Stage or even the Foundation Establishment Stage, would likely not have even had a chance to dodge.
Ling Wei reached out to touch the armor of the talisman soldier; her fingertips felt a warmth, not the coldness of an object. As her thought moved, the Golden Armored War God circled in the air, transforming into a streak of golden light that merged back into the talisman paper, which flew back into Ling Wei's hand automatically; at this moment, it was no longer yellowish, but glowing with a dark gold luster.
Ling Wei put away the talisman paper, a look of relaxed relief finally appearing on her face.
"It not only has a true spirit, but it can also autonomously absorb Spiritual Qi to grow..." She looked up at Lin Yue, her eyes shining, "If I hadn't followed Senior Brother to the market this time, I wouldn't have obtained such an Opportunity."
She looked up at Lin Yue, happening to meet his eyes filled with concern; their gazes touched in the air, then quickly moved away, and a subtle warmth seemed to increase in the air.
"If you hadn't accompanied me, I would probably have returned empty-handed this time." Lin Yue's tone carried a touch of sincerity, "From the divine armor recognizing its master to finding the spirit suppressing tripod, it was all thanks to you. So, I am the one who should thank Junior Sister."
"If Senior Brother says it like that, then it is too formal." Ling Wei's voice was softer than before, and she raised her hand to tuck the stray hair blown by the wind behind her ear, her fingertip movements carrying an imperceptible awkwardness, "We are Senior Brother and Junior Sister; we should help each other anyway..." The voice was as light as the wind at sunset.
As Ling Wei spoke, her gaze fell on the overlapping shadows of the two on the ground, and she suddenly felt that the regret of not finding more treasures in the Remnant Treasure Area had long been filled by this warmth.
At this moment, the sky was dyed a deep orange by the sunset, and even the air carried a hint of warmth.
Lin Yue looked at Ling Wei beside him, then looked at the two shadows cuddling together on the ground, and suddenly a System prompt sounded in his mind:
[Detected that the bond depth between the Host and Ling Wei has reached the standard. Ling Wei's emotions of "approval + reliance" toward the Host are significant, Favorability +20 (Current 30), meeting the binding conditions!]
[Confirm binding of Dual Cultivation partner: Ling Wei?]
"Confirm!" Lin Yue confirmed in his heart without hesitation.
[Ding! Successfully bound Dual Cultivation partner: Ling Wei!] [Binding basic reward issued: "Heavenly Evolution Array Diagram" × 1 — Can unlock the "Zhou Tian Star Array" advanced array patterns, significantly improving the array defense and Spiritual Qi conversion rate.]
[Special reward: Triggered "Dao Resonance" effect — The Host can share 50% of Ling Wei's insights on the Dao of Formations. When Ling Wei sets up a Formation, the Host can synchronously perceive the flow of array patterns, accelerating the learning progress of the Formation.]
The moment the System prompt fell, Lin Yue felt a cool spiritual power surge from his Sea of Consciousness, and countless knowledge of the Dao of Formations instantly appeared in his mind; even the Spirit Gathering Array patterns he couldn't understand before became clear at this moment.
He turned his head to look at Ling Wei, shoved the newly obtained "Heavenly Evolution Array Diagram" into Ling Wei's hand, and said, "This is an array diagram that Senior Brother has collected for many years. I have never been able to comprehend it, so I think only a Formation Genius like Junior Sister can solve it!"
"This... isn't this too valuable!" Ling Wei took the array diagram and looked at it, wanting to decline.
"This is finding the right owner for the object!" Lin Yue naturally held her hand, his feelings sincere and passionate, "If it were in the hands of others, it would be a waste of a treasure..." He seemed to have already seen a scene where the two of them practiced 'Dao Resonance', setting up a Zhou Tian Spirit Gathering Array together, one setting up the array foundation, the other guiding the Spiritual Vein...
Ling Wei's cheeks turned even redder, but she did not pull her hand away, only saying softly, "Then... then let's go back quickly. Junior Sister Qingyuan is still waiting for the jiaowei sword casket."
As the sun set, the two walked out of the Remnant Treasure Area side by side. The prajna divine armor on Lin Yue's body glowed with pale gold, and he was carrying the green wood food tripod, the hundred refinements pill furnace, and the jiaowei sword casket, while Ling Wei gently held the dark gold talisman soldier...
The evening breeze blew, lifting their robes, and the air was filled with the scent of Spiritual Plants and a faint ambiguous atmosphere — the harvest in the Remnant Treasure Area was full, and what was more precious than the treasures were the two hearts gradually drawing closer.
...
The twilight of Black Wind Ridge came heavier than in ordinary mountains and forests. The spiritual mist flowed down the steep rock walls like ink-mixed gauze, dyeing the mountain road hazy.
Lin Yue carried the hundred refinements pill furnace and walked in front; the purple copper furnace body still retained the residual Pill Fire heat from the Remnant Treasure Area, and the medicine residue condensed at the furnace mouth shone with a pale purple light in the spiritual mist; Ling Wei followed by his side, the dark gold talisman paper carefully tucked away close to her body, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the edge of the talisman paper — the true spirit that had just awakened on it was still slightly hot, like holding a warm, soft star.
"We will reach the Sect boundary in half an hour." Ling Wei looked up at the sky, the last wisp of sunset being swallowed by the mountain peaks, "Although Rogue Cultivators often appear in this Black Wind Ridge, with Senior Brother's prajna divine armor and my Formation, it should..."
Before she could finish her words, a "rustling" sound suddenly came from behind the rock walls on both sides of the mountain road, as if something was moving through the spiritual mist.
Lin Yue's footsteps stopped abruptly, the prajna divine armor instantly flashed with pale gold light, and the mark on his chest felt hot — this was the armor's warning of danger.
He listened intently. Three powerful auras were approaching from the mist. The spiritual power of the leader was as solid as sinking iron, actually carrying the "spiritual power pressure" unique to a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator, and the other two also had the level of Peak Ninth Level of Qi Refining.
"Come out." Lin Yue's Wanjun Overlord Body was quietly circulating, the muscles on his arms tightened with pale gold patterns, "Hiding in the mist and playing tricks, are you worthy of being Rogue Cultivators?"
The spiritual mist churned violently, and three black shadows leaped out from behind the rock walls, landing steadily in the center of the mountain road.
The leader was wearing a black robe, the hallmark of a Rogue Cultivator, and a hideous ghost mask on his face, revealing only a pair of cold eyes; his two followers behind him were also wearing the same black robes, holding a chain hammer and an iron rod respectively, their auras weaker than the leader's, but they also carried a bit of ferocity.
"I opened this mountain, and I planted these trees!" The leader deliberately lowered his voice, his hoarse voice full of mockery, "Old thing, little bitch, leave the treasures on you — that purple copper furnace, the wooden casket, and that talisman paper, hand them all over, and maybe I can spare your dog lives!"
The follower immediately chimed in, and the Cultivator holding the chain hammer spat on the ground: "You old piece of trash at the Ninth Level of Qi Refining, dare to carry an ancient Pill Furnace? I'm afraid it's junk picked up from some garbage dump!"
Another one carrying an iron rod stared at Ling Wei, his eyes lecherous: "This little lady is quite pretty, why not follow me, it's better than following this old thing!"
Ling Wei's face turned cold, the dark gold talisman paper on her fingertips trembled slightly, but was held down by Lin Yue with a look.