70: Xin Ruyin returns to Tianxing Sect Market!

Chapter 70: Returning to the Tianxing Sect Market Town! Xin Ruyin!

Outside the Tianxing Sect Market Town in Yuanwu Kingdom.

A streak of green light descended, revealing the figure of Lu Qiu.

He gazed at the massive market town ahead, which was even more prosperous and bustling than the Yellow Maple Valley Market, with rows of buildings standing side by side. A hint of reminiscence flashed in his eyes.

"After nearly two years, I'm back."

He murmured softly, a subtle smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

His last experience here could be described as thrilling; he was pursued by a Tianxing Sect Foundation Establishment Cultivator but ended up killing his opponent instead, gaining a foundation establishment pill for free. It was truly a blessing in disguise.

At the market entrance, there was a constant stream of Cultivators. The aura of Qi Refining Perfection Cultivators could be seen everywhere, and one could even occasionally feel the Divine Sense of Foundation Establishment Cultivators sweeping past.

Lu Qiu composed himself. The mana within his body quietly circulated according to the path of the Myriad Transformations Hidden Origin Art. His surrounding Spiritual Pressure quickly retracted and transformed, finally stabilizing at the Realm of the thirteenth level of Qi Refining Perfection, appearing completely unremarkable.

This was one of the results of his nearly two months of bitter cultivation. He had already reached the entry level of the Myriad Transformations Hidden Origin Art; although he hadn't mastered it, it was sufficient for daily disguise.

"I hope this place will bring me another Opportunity."

Lu Qiu thought to himself as he stepped into the market with the flow of people.

Over the past month in the Taiyue Mountain Range, the newly organized Opportunity intelligence mostly consisted of common items with limited value, which gave him the idea of changing environments to try his luck.

Thus, he returned to the more prosperous Tianxing Sect Market Town, which had a greater flow of Cultivators and was the closest to him.

Familiar with the area, he rented a temporary Immortal Cave in a quieter section of the market's western district.

Only after setting up his own simple Formation to block detection and provide soundproofing did he finally settle in.

Sitting cross-legged in the quiet room of the temporary Immortal Cave, Lu Qiu reviewed his gains from the past two months.

Reaching the entry level of the Myriad Transformations Hidden Origin Art had greatly increased his ability to hide his tracks and change his aura.

Inside the gray spatial bead, the second batch of Illusion Spirit Butterflies eggs had all hatched.

Now, counting the first batch, the number of Illusion Spirit Butterflies under his command had reached over four hundred!

Although the vast majority were still juveniles, when they flew in a swarm, they could already create faint illusions sufficient to interfere with the senses of Late Stage Qi Refining Cultivators or even Early Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators. Their future was promising.

The greatest progress was in the Puppet Truth Sutra.

Relying on the growth of his Divine Sense from the first layer of the Great Evolution Art and his preliminary understanding of Divided Soul control, he had successfully crafted several Rank One Puppet beasts, including wolf types and ape types.

These Puppets were driven by Spirit Stones, with their cores engraved with simple attack and defense command runes. Their mobility and combat power were not at all inferior to the humanoid puppet he had purchased at the Tianxing Sect Market auction years ago.

This marked the true first step he had taken on the path of Puppets.

The next day, early morning.

Lu Qiu opened his eyes in the temporary Immortal Cave and immediately checked the newly organized Opportunity intelligence for the day.

[White Opportunity: The 'Hundred Treasure Pavilion' in the eastern district of the market received a new batch of hundred-year-old 'Heart Clearing Grass' today, which includes a single two-hundred-year-old Cold Jade Grass.]

[White Opportunity: Deep inside an abandoned mine five miles to the southwest, a small amount of 'Red Iron Stone' remains.]

[Silver Opportunity: Loose Cultivator Yu Quan encountered Bandit Cultivators at Windy Ridge, ten miles outside the Tianxing Sect Market Town. His Storage Pouch contains a piece of soul nurturing wood, which can help increase Divine Sense.]

"soul nurturing wood!" Lu Qiu's eyes suddenly lit up.

soul nurturing wood was a rare type of spiritual wood. It wasn't an Artifact Refining material; its greatest effect was that when worn long-term or placed by one's side, it could subtly nourish a Cultivator's Divine Soul and increase the strength of their Divine Sense.

For Lu Qiu, who was currently practicing the Great Evolution Art and Spirit Shocking Thorn and needed to strengthen his Divine Sense, this item was exactly what he needed!

"It seems that changing locations was indeed a good idea."

Lu Qiu's spirits rose, and he didn't delay any further.

Maintaining his Qi Refining Perfection disguise, he left the market, mounted an ordinary flying Magical Artifact, and flew toward Windy Ridge as indicated by the intelligence.

Windy Ridge had rugged terrain and wailing mountain winds; it was indeed a suitable place for an ambush.

Lu Qiu concealed his presence and hid behind a large rock.

Before long, he saw a Late Stage Qi Refining Cultivator dressed in grey robes with a slightly nervous expression. The man was riding a Flying Sword, cautiously flying along the path through the ridge.

This person must be the Loose Cultivator Yu Quan from the intelligence.

Just as Yu Quan flew to a narrow mountain hollow, a sudden change occurred!

Three figures suddenly lunged from behind the rocks on both sides. All three were at the Qi Refining Perfection level, with ferocious faces and Magical Artifacts in hand. Without a word, they launched an attack, their target clearly being Yu Quan!

Yu Quan was shocked and hurriedly sacrificed a shield Magical Artifact to defend himself, but facing three opponents alone, he was clearly about to be overwhelmed.

At that moment, Yu Quan and the three Bandit Cultivators suddenly felt the light and shadows before their eyes become blurred and distorted. A faint but omnipresent buzzing sound seemed to ring in their ears.

The surrounding scenery instantly became blurred and warped. The figures of their enemies and the light from the incoming Magical Artifacts all seemed to be separated by a shimmering, multi-colored water curtain, making them hard to grasp.

It was precisely the dozens of Illusion Spirit Butterflies that Lu Qiu had quietly released!

The illusions these little fellows could currently create might be insufficient against Foundation Establishment Cultivators, but they were more than enough to interfere with the perception of these Qi Refining Stage Cultivators.

Taking advantage of the moment when the four were trapped in a brief illusion and their minds were distracted, Lu Qiu's figure flickered past like a ghost.

He didn't kill Yu Quan; he merely flicked his fingers, shooting out several precise threads of Crimson Heaven Mana that instantly killed the three Bandit Cultivators. Simultaneously, another strand of mana swept away the Storage Pouch from Yu Quan's waist. The entire process was silent and as fast as lightning.

Subsequently, the Illusion Spirit Butterflies were retracted, and the illusion vanished.

Yu Quan shook his head blankly, only to see the three Bandit Cultivators lying on the ground for no apparent reason, while his own... Storage Pouch at his waist had vanished into thin air!

He froze for a moment, the color draining from his face. He didn't dare investigate further and didn't even care about the three Bandit Cultivators. He immediately turned around, mounted his light, and fled frantically toward the market town.

Lu Qiu, meanwhile, had already departed with the Storage Pouch.

Back at the temporary Immortal Cave, Lu Qiu took out the piece of soul nurturing wood he had obtained from Yu Quan's Storage Pouch.

The wood was about half a foot long and as thick as a thumb, with a warm deep purple color throughout. The wood grain naturally formed patterns that looked like soul ripples. Holding it in his hand, he could immediately feel a cool and peaceful aura spreading up his arm, reaching directly to the Sea of Consciousness between his brows, making his Divine Sense feel a sense of comfort.

"It really is soul nurturing wood, and the quality is quite good."

Lu Qiu nodded with satisfaction and carefully put it away. In the future, when he practiced the Great Evolution Art or nourished the Spirit Shocking Thorn, he could place it by his side.

Having resolved the matter of the soul nurturing wood, Lu Qiu remembered another potential goal of this trip.

He left the Immortal Cave and found a 'Wind Hyacinth' in the market who specialized in making connections and was well-informed.

He was a middle-aged Middle Stage Qi Refining Cultivator surnamed Zhao.

"Fellow Daoist Zhao, I've heard you're quite well-informed. I have a keen interest in the Dao of Formations. I've heard that a Miss Xin, who is highly skilled in Formations, lives in seclusion near this Tianxing Sect Market Town?" Lu Qiu got straight to the point and handed over a Spirit Stone.

The Cultivator named Zhao took the Spirit Stone, a smile spreading across his face. "Fellow Daoist Lu, your information isn't bad either. Miss Xin does indeed live near the market, but she prefers peace and quiet, so her residence is quite remote. Shall I lead you there?"

"Much obliged."

Under the guidance of the Zhao Cultivator, the two left the noisy core area of the market and arrived at a more serene bamboo forest on the edge of the western district.

Amidst the bamboo forest, a simple courtyard could be seen.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, this is Miss Xin's residence."

The Zhao Cultivator introduced in a low voice, his tone carrying a bit of admiration. "Although Miss Xin is a Loose Cultivator and has just recently started out, she is young and her Formation skills are truly extraordinary! In the Loose Cultivator circles around our Tianxing Sect Market, several old Formation Masters who have studied the Dao of Formations for years often speak highly of her, calling her a rare Formation Genius."

He paused, lowering his voice further. "It's a pity, though. Miss Xin's health has always been poor; I heard it's an Innate ailment. However, she seemed to have found some kind of treatment recently, which is why she started occasionally taking jobs to answer questions about Formations, likely to gather Spirit Stones for her treatment. Honestly, if her cultivation were higher and her fame greater, in a few years, she could earn a fortune just by customizing Formations for people."

As he spoke, the Zhao Cultivator stepped forward and knocked on the courtyard gate, calling out loudly, "Miss Xin, it's Zhao Li. This Fellow Daoist Lu has come because of your reputation and wishes to ask for guidance on the Dao of Formations."

After a moment of silence inside the courtyard, a female voice as clear as a spring but carrying an imperceptible trace of weakness came through: "Thank you for your trouble, Fellow Daoist Zhao. Please come in."

Zhao Li made a gesture of invitation to Lu Qiu, but he didn't enter himself, turning to leave instead.

Lu Qiu pushed open the unlocked courtyard gate and walked in.

The courtyard wasn't large, but it was kept very neat and elegant, with a few clumps of emerald bamboo and a stone table, giving it a somewhat ethereal feel.

By the stone table sat a woman. As the description suggested, her features weren't particularly outstanding at first glance, but she had a medium build, a small nose, and a pair of bright eyes as clear as water that seemed able to see through people's hearts.

Even more striking was her elegant and composed expression, as well as the unique grace she naturally exuded in every movement. Combined with those expressive black eyes, one wouldn't find her appearance plain upon seeing her, but would instead feel a sense of wonder.

However, her face was excessively pale, and a lingering air of sickly gloom hung between her brows, adding a touch of fragility that evoked pity.

Her cultivation was around the fourth level of Qi Refining, but her aura was somewhat turbulent and unstable.

This woman was none other than the Formation prodigy from the original story who possessed the Dragons Roar Physique and was exceptionally talented yet cursed by fate—Xin Ruyin.

She was also one of Lu Qiu's goals for this trip to Tianxing Sect.

Standing beside Xin Ruyin was a pretty maidservant.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, please sit." Xin Ruyin nodded slightly, her voice peaceful.

The maidservant, Xiao Mei, silently served a cup of clear tea.

Lu Qiu sat down as invited and got straight to the point: "Miss Xin, I am Lu Qiu, a beginner who has just entered the gates of the Dao of Formations. Although I have some Formation manuals in my possession, I feel my knowledge is superficial and I've encountered many difficulties. I've long heard that your skills in Formations are extraordinary, so I've come to seek guidance and learn some more profound Formation principles and methods of variation."

He wasn't lying.

The Heavenly Derivation Array Codex was a good Legacy, but the Dao of Formations was vast and profound. Since he had been self-studying, he had indeed hit many Bottlenecks.

Since he was going to stay here for a while anyway, if he could receive some pointers from this Formation Genius acknowledged in the original story, he would surely benefit immensely.

With only Qi Refining Stage cultivation, this woman could repair an Inverting Five Elements Array capable of resisting a Core Formation Cultivator, and even repair the ancient teleportation array connecting the Southern Heavenly Region and the Chaotic Star Sea. Her talent for Formations and the ancient legacies she possessed made her a peerless talent.

In fact, the Formation insights she gave to Han Li were of immense help to him.

Lu Qiu naturally wanted to absorb some nourishment from her as well.

Upon hearing this, Xin Ruyin's clear eyes studied Lu Qiu for a moment.

She could sense that his aura, though deliberately restrained, was still much more solid than that of an ordinary Qi Refining Perfection Cultivator, and her heart stirred slightly.

The man had been straightforward about coming to learn and seek guidance rather than simply buying a finished Formation, and his attitude seemed sincere.

"Fellow Daoist Lu is too modest. The Dao of Formations is vast; Ruyin is merely a toddler within it."

Xin Ruyin's tone was indifferent, yet it carried a confidence in her own field. "I wonder where you are currently facing obstacles? Or is there a specific type of Formation you are particularly interested in?"

After a brief thought, Lu Qiu picked out several practical problems from the Heavenly Derivation Array Codex regarding the nesting of composite Formations, the dynamic balance of spiritual power nodes, and the combination of illusion and trapping Formations, and presented them to Xin Ruyin.

Xin Ruyin listened intently at first, and after Lu Qiu finished, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.

The questions he raised weren't just general talk; they truly touched upon key difficulties in Formation layout, showing that he had a certain practical Foundation and wasn't a complete layman.

She pondered for a moment and didn't answer directly, but instead asked: "Regarding your third question about the spiritual power conflict between illusion nodes and spirit-trapping chains in the 'Water Derivation Mist Formation,' have you ever considered using the concept of 'Harmony of Water and Fire' to embed a miniature second-tier 'Water-Fire Reconciliation Rune Set' at the conflict node? Instead of forcibly suppressing it, you could guide the conflicting spiritual power to transform into extra power for the Formation's operation?"

As soon as she said this, Lu Qiu was momentarily stunned.

The problem he had puzzled over for a long time seemed to have a completely different and more ingenious solution from Xin Ruyin's perspective!

This leap in thinking and understanding of the essence of Formations made him instantly feel the gap between them.

"This... Miss Xin's words have truly enlightened me!" Lu Qiu praised from the bottom of his heart. "Such a solution is absolutely brilliant; I never would have thought of it. Your understanding of Formations is indeed far beyond that of ordinary people."

A very faint smile appeared on Xin Ruyin's pale face; it was the gratification of having a fellow traveler who could understand her thinking.

"Fellow Daoist Lu has a solid Foundation. What you lack is perhaps just a bit of inspiration and a higher-level vision. The beauty of the Dao of Formations often lies in flexibility and borrowing momentum, rather than blind insistence."

Next, the two engaged in a deep discussion regarding the several questions Lu Qiu had raised.

Most of the time, Xin Ruyin was explaining and deducing. She could often quote classics, from ancient Formation diagrams to the principles of Five Elements generation and restriction, and the solutions she proposed always gave Lu Qiu a sense of sudden enlightenment.

Occasionally, some unique perspectives from Lu Qiu, derived from the Heavenly Derivation Array Codex or his Earth-based thinking, would also make Xin Ruyin ponder for a moment, an interested light appearing in her eyes.

Time flew by in their focused exchange. The maidservant Xiao Mei quietly changed the tea several times.

When the shadows of the sun slanted westward outside the window, Lu Qiu felt that his gains for the day were already extremely rich, and many accumulated doubts had been cleared up.

He took the initiative to stop the conversation, stood up, and solemnly cupped his hands. "Listening to your words today is better than ten years of study. This Lu has benefited immensely and cannot thank you enough. This is a small token of my appreciation for today's guidance; please accept it, Miss."

As he spoke, he took out a pre-prepared small cloth bag containing five Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

This amount wasn't small for a single session of guidance, but it wasn't excessive either, fitting Xin Ruyin's current reputation and needs.

Xin Ruyin looked at the Spirit Stones and didn't decline, accepting them calmly.

"Fellow Daoist Lu is too kind. By communicating with you, Ruyin has also gained something. If you have more questions in the future, you may come here again."

She needed Spirit Stones; that was a fact.

Lu Qiu nodded and took his leave.

Walking out of the small courtyard, he looked back at the simple residence hidden in the bamboo forest and felt a sense of emotion.

This exceptionally talented but ill-fated woman's wisdom and talent were truly admirable.

It was a pity that she was destined for an early death due to the Dragons Roar Physique.

Perhaps in the future, besides learning Formations, he could also form a good relationship in other aspects.