240: Chapter 240 Heading to Silver Shark Island! In Search of High-Grade Spirit Stone Mines!

Chapter 238: Heading to Silver Shark Island! Searching for a High-Grade Spirit Stone Mine!

Returning to Tianxing City, the three parted ways.

Alliance Leader Ling and Ling Yuling naturally returned to their respective residences, while Lu Qiu went straight back to Liulian Residence.

When Xiao Mei saw him return safely, she chirped with joy once again.

Xin Ruyin appeared much calmer, but her gentle eyes rippled with a smile of relief when she saw him.

She knew Lu Qiu had gone to explore ancient ruins at Alliance Leader Ling's invitation, and only when they were alone did she softly ask, "Husband Lu, was your trip successful? How was the harvest?"

Lu Qiu smiled slightly and took her hand. "It was quite smooth. Although there were some twists and turns, the harvest was plentiful."

He did not go into detail about Master Xuan Gu, the heavenly void map fragment, or other matters to avoid causing her unnecessary worry, only saying that he had obtained a good Cultivation Technique manual and some useful items.

Hearing this, the smile in Xin Ruyin's eyes deepened. She did not press for details, only saying softly, "It is good as long as it was smooth."

Returning to the Quiet Room and setting up a Restriction, Lu Qiu finally had time to carefully examine the Legacy he had obtained from the old monster Master Xuan Gu.

He took out that section of rib bone "bone slip" that had turned completely pitch-black and probed it with his Divine Sense once more.

This time, without the need for the power of a ghost Soul, the complete Xuan Yin Sutra Legacy was clearly displayed within his Sea of Consciousness.

From the starting Qi Refinement Stage to the essentials of the Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, and Nascent Soul techniques, it was progressive and systematically complete.

This ghost path tome, which held a fearsome reputation in the Chaotic Star Sea, was now presented without reservation before Lu Qiu.

The understanding and application of Yin-attribute Spiritual Qi, ghost path secret techniques, and Soul essence contained within were indeed unique and profound, forming its own school; it truly lived up to its reputation as the top-tier Cultivation Technique of Jiyin Island.

"Xuan Yin Sutra..." Lu Qiu muttered to himself.

Although he himself had never practiced this technique, the core technique his Clone "Heisha" had practiced in its early years, the Blood Refining Divine Light, was originally derived from a branch of the Xuan Yin Sutra, albeit simplified and modified.

Therefore, Lu Qiu was not entirely unfamiliar with the basic concepts and some of the circulation routes of the Xuan Yin Sutra. Now, as he skimmed through the entire text, many of his previous doubts and points of incomprehension regarding the Blood Refining Divine Light suddenly became clear, and he gained a deeper understanding.

The Crimson Sky Burning Heaven Technique he primarily practiced was a top-tier fire-attribute Cultivation Technique—upright, fierce, and overbearing. It was perfectly suited to his Spiritual Root, Heart-Nature, and even his Lifebound Treasure, so he naturally would not switch to this Xuan Yin Sutra, which leaned toward the cold ghost path.

But the value of this demonic tome lay far beyond its primary technique.

Lu Qiu focused his attention on the various secret techniques and Divine Abilities recorded within.

"Tiandu Corpse Fire," "Xuan Yin Ghost Qi," "Hundred Ghosts Night Walk," "Yin Demon Slash," the complete refinement method for "External Incarnation," the art of "Soul Extraction and Refinement," "Yin Soul Silk," "Xuan Yin Escape"...

It was a dazzling array of no fewer than dozens of types, all of which were powerful means that Master Xuan Gu had relied on to run rampant and strike fear into his opponents' hearts back in the day.

Many of these secret techniques were treacherous, sinister, and nearly impossible to guard against.

"Tiandu Corpse Fire..." Lu Qiu's gaze lingered on this item for a long time.

This technique was also a top-tier offensive art within the Xuan Yin Sutra, possessing startling power and an additional corpse-refining effect. The "Tiandu Demon Corpse" that Old Ancestor Extreme Yin relied on for his fame was a byproduct of practicing this technique.

Unfortunately, the requirements for practicing this technique were harsh. It had to be based on the "Xuan Yin Magic Power" cultivated from the Xuan Yin Sutra, and one's cultivation had to reach at least the Nascent Soul Stage to begin condensing it; otherwise, it was extremely easy to suffer a backlash from the Yin fire and burn to death.

Although Lu Qiu had some interest in that eerie gray corpse fire, the cost of switching techniques was too high, and the attributes did not match, so he had to set it aside for the time being.

However, after reading through the complete cultivation formulas and key descriptions of the "Tiandu Corpse Fire," a cold light flashed in Lu Qiu's eyes.

Although this secret technique was matchless in power, several weak points and potential backlash risks that existed during the cultivation process were also implicitly mentioned in the formulas.

More importantly, it mentioned several rare but existing spiritual items and Divine Ability characteristics that could greatly restrain or even trigger a backlash from the "Tiandu Corpse Fire."

"Old Devil Ji Yin..." Lu Qiu sneered in his heart. Now that he and Extreme Yin were both Early Stage Nascent Soul Cultivators, and he knew the fatal weakness of the signature Divine Ability "Tiandu Corpse Fire," if they crossed paths in the future, he could definitely make the other party suffer more than they could handle under a calculated ambush, and might even use it to severely wound or even kill the scoundrel!

This was undoubtedly an extremely valuable trump card.

Browsing through the many secret techniques, Lu Qiu finally locked his gaze onto a Divine Ability called "Yin Demon Slash."

The description of this technique reminded him of the Blood Spirit Drill he had obtained in his early years.

The two shared a similar logic; both involved using a special method to refine, compress, and condense a portion of one's own essence over a long period to form a special attack method with extremely concentrated power for a one-time burst.

The cultivation of "Yin Demon Slash" involved combining one's own pure magic power with a trace of Divine Sense Origin and repeatedly refining and polishing it within a specific aperture in the body using the secret methods recorded in the Xuan Yin Sutra, eventually forming an invisible and intangible yet incomparably sharp "Yin Demon Blade" specifically designed to slash Divine Souls and the spiritual light of Magic Treasures.

This blade was normally nurtured within the body. As the practitioner's cultivation improved, the refining time increased, and more essence was injected, its power would continuously rise, with almost no upper limit.

Rumor had it that if the "Yin Demon Slash" was condensed to the highest Realm, it could even slice through the void and sever Karma, possessing terrifyingly extreme power.

Compared to the Blood Spirit Drill, the "Yin Demon Slash" focused more on lethality against Divine Souls and spiritual bodies. Furthermore, because it incorporated a trace of Divine Sense Origin, it was much more agile and responsive to control, even capable of turning and pursuing within a certain range, making it impossible to guard against.

Although the cultivation process required continuous consumption of magic power and mental effort to nurture, as a trump card for critical moments, it was undoubtedly of immense value.

"This technique is indeed worth practicing," Lu Qiu nodded to himself.

Moreover, this technique did not require switching Cultivation Techniques, making it extremely suitable as an auxiliary attack method.

In addition to offensive secret techniques, Lu Qiu also discovered something in the miscellaneous chapters of the Legacy that piqued his interest—an ancient Pill Formula related to the "nine-curved spirit ginseng."

This Pill Formula did not involve directly consuming the nine-curved spirit ginseng; rather, it used it as the main ingredient, combined with several rare auxiliary medicines, to refine a Spirit Pill called the "nine-curved spirit ginseng pill."

This pill had a miraculous effect on stabilizing the Nascent Soul and nourishing the Divine Soul. It also played a significant auxiliary role for Core Formation Cultivators striking at the Nascent Soul Bottleneck, slightly increasing the success rate of Nascent Soul Formation and effectively resisting Heart Demons.

"The soul nurturing wood has already been given to Ruyin to wear and nourish her Divine Sense. If I can also obtain this 'Nine-Curved Peiyuan Pill'..." Lu Qiu calculated in his heart.

Xin Ruyin was currently at the Middle Core Formation Stage, still some distance away from Pseudo-Nascent Soul and Nascent Soul Formation, but there was nothing wrong with preparing nascent soul formation spiritual items for her in advance.

The soul nurturing wood could settle the Soul and nourish the Divine Sense, while this "nine-curved spirit ginseng pill" could stabilize the Foundation and assist in a Breakthrough; the two combined would yield even better results.

As long as he could find that legendary "nine-curved spirit ginseng," Xin Ruyin would possess two solid nascent soul formation spiritual items, and her future path would be much smoother.

His mind made up, Lu Qiu put away the black bone slip and began his seclusion.

The primary goal of this seclusion was to practice the "Yin Demon Slash."

Following the formula, he first carefully separated a strand of essence from his own magic power and Divine Sense, leading it into a hidden aperture near his Dantian, where he slowly refined and polished it using the secret method from the Xuan Yin Sutra combined with his own understanding of Yin and Yang.

This process was a slow, painstaking task that could not be rushed. It required daily nurturing with magic power and communication with the mind to make it gradually condense and completely fuse with his own aura.

Time flew by, and the only sounds in the Quiet Room were the gurgling of the spirit eye spring and Lu Qiu's steady, long breaths.

Two years passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, Lu Qiu, who was sitting cross-legged in the Quiet Room, suddenly opened his eyes. A tiny, almost imperceptible dark sharp light flashed through his eyes before sinking deep into his pupils and vanishing.

He slowly raised his right hand, pointing his fingers like a sword, and shifted his thoughts slightly.

Without any brilliance or the slightest fluctuation of spiritual power, a black crack as fine as a strand of hair silently appeared in the air about a foot in front of his fingertips!

The crack vanished in a flash, as if it had never appeared, but the leak from that moment was an extreme sharpness and frigid chill that made even the Soul sting!

"Yin Demon Slash, initial success," Lu Qiu whispered to himself, his tone carrying a hint of satisfaction.

After two years of unceasing refinement and nurturing, this "Yin Demon Blade" had initially taken shape. Although it was far from reaching the stage of Major Achievement, its power was enough to threaten or even severely wound the Nascent Soul and Magic Treasures of a fellow Nascent Soul Cultivator, which undoubtedly gave him another powerful offensive trump card.

After ending his seclusion, Lu Qiu habitually checked the reorganized intelligence light screen.

The light of the silver information remained as before. Some of the information regarding certain rare Materials, Magic Treasures, or secret techniques might have tempted him when he was in the Core Formation Stage.

But now that he had reached the Nascent Soul Stage, the value of this information had greatly diminished for him, and it was difficult to pique much interest.

"After the Nascent Soul, ordinary opportunities can no longer provide much help. To quickly raise my cultivation and accumulate resources, I must seek out those truly great opportunities," Lu Qiu mused.

In his mind, he couldn't help but recall the world-shaking opportunities mentioned in the original story that had not yet been discovered or were not yet time to emerge.

One of them seemed to have a certain degree of feasibility for him at this moment.

Biling Island.

In the timeline of the original story, that was a peculiar island that was only accidentally discovered and occupied hundreds of years later.

The reason this island later became famous in the Chaotic Star Sea was not because of any ancient ruins or shocking Legacy on it, but because the island itself was a massive, extremely high-quality Spirit Stone vein!

And it wasn't an ordinary low-grade Spirit Stone mine; it was a super-rich mine that produced large quantities of mid-grade and high-grade Spirit Stones, and was even said to have yielded a legendary "Top-Grade Spirit Stone"!

The island's location was remote, far from the main shipping routes, and the island itself seemed to have some kind of natural Formation or geological structure that could perfectly mask the fluctuations of the Spiritual Vein. Coupled with the complex environment of the nearby sea and the presence of Yao Beasts, it had remained obscure before its discovery.

But now, at this point in time, Biling Island should still be an undeveloped virgin land, its name unknown to the world.

"A high-grade Spirit Stone vein..." Lu Qiu's eyes flashed with light.

High-grade Spirit Stones were of great use to Nascent Soul Cultivators for cultivation, setting up Formations, driving large-scale Magic Treasures, and even breaking through Bottlenecks; their value was far beyond what low or mid-grade Spirit Stones could compare to.

If he could find and secretly control such a vein, it would not only mean a massive, sustainable fortune but could also provide a solid resource base for him, Xin Ruyin, and even a future power.

Its value was even above many one-time ancient Cultivator Legacies!

Furthermore, no one had discovered this Spirit Stone mine yet.

Once he discovered it, it would mean the entire Spirit Stone mine was his private property, to be excavated as he pleased.

This was a high-grade Spirit Stone mine, and there were even Top-Grade Spirit Stones inside.

Top-Grade Spirit Stones probably couldn't be found in many numbers in the entire Human Realm.

If he could possess such a Spirit Stone mine, Lu Qiu's net worth would reach an extremely terrifying level.

Even the top-tier powers of the Chaotic Star Sea would not be able to match Lu Qiu's Foundation.

However, Biling Island had not yet been unearthed.

It wasn't called Biling Island yet; it was just a nameless deserted island.

Finding this island would likely require some energy and time.

Although the description of Biling Island's specific location in the original story was vague, only mentioning it was in a remote area of the outer sea, Lu Qiu already had several rough search ranges in mind by combining the locations of some surrounding reference points and the general description of its environment.

"With my current powerful Divine Sense, which is comparable to the Middle Nascent Soul Stage, coupled with the assistance of the System's intelligence, and personally going to that sea area to search carefully... I might not be without a chance to find it in advance!" An air of expectation rose in Lu Qiu's heart.

This feeling of using the advantage of foresight to quietly seize a future world-shaking Opportunity while no one knew was truly heart-stirring.

With the intelligence System, as long as the direction was correct, Lu Qiu believed he could definitely find this high-grade Spirit Stone mine.

No sooner said than done.

Lu Qiu found Xin Ruyin, who was studying the "Seven Treasures Mysterious Gold Art."

"Ruyin, I need to go out for a trip; it might take some time," Lu Qiu said warmly.

Xin Ruyin looked up from the Jade Slip, a flash of surprise in her beautiful eyes. "Going out again? Is there something urgent?"

Lu Qiu had just come out of a two-year seclusion and was already leaving again, which made her feel a bit reluctant.

"Yes, to look for something that will be of great benefit to our future cultivation."

Lu Qiu did not explicitly mention Biling Island, as this matter was too significant and the fewer people who knew, the better. "Don't worry, there isn't much risk on this trip; it will just take some time to explore the location."

Seeing his calm expression and determined gaze, Xin Ruyin knew his mind was made up and did not ask further. She only stepped forward, straightened his collar which had no wrinkles, and softly urged, "Be careful in everything, go and return early. I will wait for you."

"Alright." Lu Qiu's heart warmed, and he gave her a gentle hug before turning to leave.

Leaving Liulian Residence, Lu Qiu did not delay and went straight to the "Starry Sky Hall" on the fiftieth floor of the Holy Mountain.

After paying enough Spirit Stones, he stepped into the large-scale teleportation Formation leading to the distant Outer Star Sea.

The white light flashed violently as the power of space enveloped his entire body.

In the next moment, Lu Qiu's figure appeared tens of thousands of miles away in a sea area filled with a primitive aura.

This place would be the starting point for his search for "Biling Island."