Cultivation of Immortality: Start by Improving Spiritual Root Qualifications

Chapter 1020 Lu Xinghai: You went out perfectly well, but came back to find your home gone?
After sorting and organizing these treasures, Zhou Xun took out the ancient token.

The token felt warm to the touch, and its surface was engraved with intricate star runes, making it extremely unique.

He probed into his divine sense and began the refining process.
With his spiritual cultivation far surpassing that of others of the same level, he successfully refined the token.

Immediately afterwards, a massive amount of information flooded into his mind.

It contains detailed information about the protective array of Xingyuan Island.

This grand formation is called the 'Nine Stars Celestial Formation', and its grade is as high as the mid-grade of the sixth rank!

According to records, this formation was acquired by Lu Xinghai at a great cost from an ancient ruin.

This formation excels in defense and can withstand the full-force attacks of a late-stage Void Refinement cultivator for several hours.

At the same time, its ability to trap and attack enemies is also quite strong.

It is a top-tier formation that integrates offense and defense.

What surprised Zhou Xun the most was that this great formation could draw upon the power of the nine heavens stars to condense powerful spirit puppets to fight enemies.

Depending on the energy distribution, one spirit puppet at the mid-stage of the Void Refinement realm or two spirit puppets at the early stage of the Void Refinement realm can be condensed.

If even lower-level combat forces are gathered, the number will be even greater.

"Generally speaking, with this formation under its protection and Lu Xinghe in charge, it would be extremely difficult to break through unless someone in the late stage of the Void Refinement realm came here."

Zhou Xun muttered to himself, a hint of lingering fear flashing in his eyes.

If he hadn't used a clever trick, trying to forcefully attack this great formation would have been a pipe dream.

"But as the saying goes, the strongest fortresses are breached from within, and this place is no exception."

He recalled his experience of infiltrating Xingyuan Island.

First, he disguised himself and infiltrated the island, and then used Lu Deyi's token to enter and leave at will.

If we launch a direct attack, we probably won't even be able to break through the defenses of the great formation.

As for the present situation…

A burning desire flashed in Zhou Xun's eyes.

"Such a precious formation should rightfully belong to me!"

Without further hesitation, he tossed the token into the air.

He formed a hand seal and released a pure beam of spiritual light.

"Om-"

The token suddenly shone brightly, and the star runes on its surface seemed to come alive and flow.

"Nine Stars, collect!"

With a low shout from Zhou Xun, the entire Star Origin Island suddenly trembled violently.

"Rumble--"

The ground shook, as if an earthquake had occurred.

Immediately afterwards, streaks of light shot into the sky from all over the island!

These streams of light were actually array flags, made entirely of an unknown material, with mysterious runes engraved on their surfaces.

Even with his current mastery of formations, he couldn't discern any clues.

The array flags were arranged in specific directions, echoing each other and emitting powerful spiritual energy fluctuations.

Zhou Xun scanned the area with his divine sense, carefully counting the items.

There were over 1,800 flags spread across the entire island!

These banners slowly rotated in the air, forming a huge array pattern.

In the center of the design, a main array plate, about a foot in size, slowly rises.

The array plate is circular, with the sun, moon and stars engraved on its surface. There is a groove in the center that fits perfectly with the control token.

Zhou Xun unleashed his full magical power, manipulating the token collection array.

This process was quite mentally taxing, as it involved acquiring a mid-grade sixth-order array.

Time passes bit by bit.

Half an hour later, when the last array flag was inserted into the main array plate, the entire Nine Yuan Heavenly Star Array was finally completely collected!
The main array plate slowly descended and hovered in front of Zhou Xun.

He reached out and took it, feeling the terrifying power it contained, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

With this great formation, his foundation has greatly increased!
Even when facing Lu Xinghai, who was in the late stage of the Void Refinement realm, he had the power to resist!
With a large array protecting him, and a teleportation array set up inside, his life would be safe.

……

After doing all this, Zhou Xun did not leave immediately.

He had basically looted all the treasures on the island; what was left were mostly worthless items.

But there is actually another item, which is the island's most valuable treasure—

This is the Star Origin Island itself!

The island possesses a mid-grade sixth-order spiritual vein and several fifth-order branch veins, worth astronomical sums!
This is not only the true foundation of the Lu family, but also the basis for their dominance in the region.

Every year, countless spiritual objects are produced here, enough to support the entire Lu family's operations.

"No, this island cannot be left to the Lu family!"

He had planned for so long, expended so much effort, and even risked fighting against cultivators at the Void Refinement stage. If he didn't take this spiritual vein back, his thoughts would not be able to be fulfilled!

A resolute glint flashed in Zhou Xun's eyes.

Back when he was still in the human realm, he had learned a technique for self-destructing spiritual veins.

At that time, he was still in the Foundation Establishment stage and lived within the White Cloud Immortal City.
He even became a disciple of Master Baiyun, who was in the mid-stage of Core Formation.

He was truly successful and a winner in life.
Unexpectedly, good fortune never comes in pairs; not long after, a beast tide broke out, and the entire White Cloud Immortal City was besieged by demonic beasts.

Ultimately, they had no choice but to give up.

His master, True Immortal Baiyun, chose to detonate the third-tier spiritual vein beneath Baiyun Immortal City, perishing together with the demon king amidst the beast tide.

Only then did the beast tide recede.

Now he wants to do the same thing.

Although the spiritual veins here are of a higher grade, the principle of detonation is the same.

On the contrary, because the spiritual vein is of a higher level, the power it displays may be even more terrifying.

The entire Star Origin Island might be razed to the ground!
Zhou Xun turned his gaze to his left hand.

There were five storage rings there, filled with all sorts of spiritual materials and treasures, all of which were the spoils from this trip to Lu's family.

In about ten breaths, he found a suitable spiritual material.

It took half a day to master it.
They then began setting up restrictions along the island's spiritual veins.

First and foremost is that sixth-grade mid-level spiritual vein that stretches for a hundred miles.

Along the path of the spiritual vein, a restriction was set up every few miles.
These restrictions echoed each other, eventually connecting to form a massive network that triggered a major explosion.

Next came the several fifth-order spiritual veins.

He also placed restrictions on these branches to ensure absolute safety.

The whole process took a lot of his time and energy.

Three days later, Zhou Xun finally filled the entire island's spiritual veins with self-destruction restrictions.

Zhou Xun hovered a hundred feet above the ground, the fierce winds at high altitudes causing his robes to flutter loudly.
He looked up and gazed down at the most prosperous island in Lushi.

In the distance, there were still many shadowy figures, all remnants of the Lu clan.

Zhou Xun was too lazy to pay them any attention, so he decided to let them see for themselves what would happen if they became his enemies.

With a flick of his wrist, he produced a command flag that was a foot long.

The command flag was entirely crimson, its surface engraved with runes; it had only been completed yesterday.

It is the control flag that controls the many restrictions below.

Zhou Xun infused his magic power, and the spiritual patterns on the surface of the command flag immediately began to flow, emitting a dangerous aura.

Then, with a gentle release of his hand, the command flag began to fall freely.

At the same time, the crimson cloak behind him instantly activated, moving without wind, transforming into a streak of crimson light and speeding away into the distance.

In an instant, they arrived a hundred miles away and observed from afar.

Just then, the command flag landed precisely on the ground, planting itself accurately in the designated spot. "Boom—!"

A deafening explosion suddenly rang out!
The entire Star Origin Island seemed to be turning over, shaking violently.

Centered on the point where the command flag landed, a blinding white light suddenly erupted, instantly engulfing the entire island.

Immediately afterwards, a spectacular mushroom cloud shot into the sky, reaching a height of tens of thousands of feet!
The island began to disintegrate under the terrifying energy impact.

Mountains collapsed, and the ground cracked open into bottomless ravines.

The building was torn apart like paper, turning into countless fragments.

The raging spiritual energy, like a wild horse unleashed, swept across the heavens and earth.

The seawater was pushed aside by the huge shock wave, forming a tsunami hundreds of feet high.

The flying pebbles and mud poured down like a torrential rain, carried far away by the violent spiritual energy waves.

Zhou Xun activated his spiritual barrier and quietly watched this scene unfold.

Soon,
"Whoosh whoosh-"

The violent energy surged onto the spiritual shield, creating ripples.

Watching Xingyuan Island vanish before his eyes, he felt a surge of pleasure.

"Brother Jiulei, Brother Chiyang, did you see that?"

May your souls rest in peace!

"Don't worry, this is only part of it."

His gaze turned cold:

"And Lu Xinghai will also come down to apologize to you in the future!"

The aftershocks of the explosion lasted for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

When everything calmed down, only a section of broken reefs remained where Xingyuan Island had once stood.
The Star Origin Island, which originally spanned hundreds of miles, suddenly vanished!
Zhou Xun was extremely satisfied. After a moment's thought, he flashed and arrived at the few remaining reefs of Xingyuan Island.

These reefs were originally the highest peaks of Xingyuan Island, but now only some remnants remain after the explosion.

With a wave of his hand, he took out Lu Xinghe's head, which remained open in death.

His head was deathly pale, his eyes wide open, as if still expressing his resentment and anger before his death.

Zhou Xun carefully placed the head on the largest reef, so that it faced the direction of the Lu clan's territory.

To prevent the head from being eroded by wind and rain or eaten by seabirds, he pointed his fingers like a sword and set up a strong sealing barrier around the head.

A pale golden light curtain slowly rose, completely protecting the head inside.

Then, he gathered spiritual energy at his fingertips and carved a line of large, flowing characters on the reef:

"This is the price your Lu family has to pay. Next time it will be your turn, Lu Xinghai—Zhou Xunliu, the Thunder Prison Heavenly Lord!"

The writing was deeply embedded in the rock, gleaming with a dark red luster in the afterglow of the setting sun, as if it had been written in blood.

After doing all this, Zhou Xun nodded in satisfaction.

He took one last look at the ruins he had created, then turned and transformed into a streak of light, disappearing into the horizon.

……

Feihe Islands

It is one of the core regions of the Chaotic Sea of ​​a Thousand Stars, and Flying Crane Immortal City is located at its core.

This city is magnificent and imposing, with walls that are hundreds of feet high and made entirely of white jade, gleaming in the sunlight.

The city is also presided over by a cultivator at the peak of the Void Refinement stage, making it extremely famous throughout the entire Wandao Lake area.

On this day, a flash of light appeared in the teleportation hall of Flying Crane Immortal City, and an old man dressed in a red robe walked out.

The old man had a dignified face and a spirited air about him; he was none other than Lu Xinghai, the patriarch of the Lu family.

He was in a great mood at the moment, and there was even a hint of undisguised smugness on his lips.

Previously, the Lu family had obtained a map of an ancient ruin.

So he went to explore it himself, and to his surprise, everything went extremely smoothly; the ruins did indeed exist, and no one had explored them before.

Upon opening it, it turned out to be the place where a cultivator at the peak of the Void Refinement stage had passed away.

This treasure map is one of the treasures that has been passed down.
So he successfully entered.
I have obtained a treasure left by this senior.

Not only did they have opinions on mid-grade spiritual treasures, but also tens of thousands of spirit crystals.
What delighted him most was a rare treasure of heaven and earth that could help him break through to the late stage of the Void Refinement Realm—the Spirit Crystal!
This dark crystal is completely black, with what appears to be a flowing river of stars inside, emanating a profound Daoist aura.

With this item, his chances of breaking through to the late stage of the Void Refinement realm have increased by at least 30%!

"After I have rested properly in the city, I will return to Star Origin Island and go into seclusion to break through to the late stage of Void Refinement."

Lu Xinghai pondered this in his mind and walked briskly out of the teleportation hall.

Looking at the bustling scene of people coming and going on the street, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

After years of living in fear among the ruins, I've finally returned to a familiar place.

At this moment, he thought of his younger brother Lu Xinghe, who was far away at home.

"I wonder if Xinghe has broken through yet. With his talent, he should be close to it."

In truth, Lu Xinghe's talent was even slightly better than his. However, back then, in order to revitalize his family, he ventured out into the world and experienced many hardships, which actually helped him improve even faster.
Under his protection, Lu Xinghe ultimately lacked experience and ended up at a lower level.

But now, he will also advance to the mid-stage of the Void Refinement realm.

Thinking of this, a smile appeared on his lips:
"With the addition of Chi Hong, who has already comprehended the essence of the realm, my Lu clan will be able to have three Void Refinement cultivators in a short period of time."

"Once I return to my seclusion and break through to the late stage, that will be the time to take down the Que Clan!"

Thinking of the bright future, he couldn't help but chuckle softly:

"My Lu family is destined for prosperity! Hahaha!"

Lu Xinghai was in a great mood.
He concealed his cultivation level and arrived at the largest restaurant in the city—Daxing Restaurant.

Although he has practiced fasting for 10,000 years, his habit of enjoying delicious food still exists.

Looking at the two characters "Daxing" written in a vigorous, flowing style on the plaque, he felt even more delighted:
"This name is quite a good match for my Lu family!"

With that, he stepped inside.

The restaurant's interior was elegantly decorated, with only six or seven exquisite small tables.

The diners present all possessed extraordinary auras; they were all cultivators at or above the Nascent Soul stage.

Lu Xinghai followed local customs and, without any airs of a Void Refinement cultivator, sat down by the window.

From this angle, you can clearly see the bustling street scene outside.

The streets were bustling with cultivators, most of whom possessed considerable cultivation levels.

Occasionally, one can even see Nascent Soul cultivators appearing, each with an extraordinary aura.

Lu Xinghai couldn't help but yearn for it:
"As expected of one of the most outstanding immortal cities in Wandao Lake, once I advance to the late stage and deal with the Que Clan, I will build a city like this!"

"At that time, this will surely become an important source of spirit crystals for the Lu family!"

Before long, the waiter respectfully served the sacred wine and food.

The wine is a fine vintage, and the dishes are made with rare and precious ingredients.

Lu Xinghai sipped his spirit wine, listening leisurely to the idle chatter of the cultivators beside him, feeling quite content.

"Are you aware that a major event has recently occurred near the Cangyuan Sea?"

Cangyuan Sea Area? Isn't that the territory where our Lu clan is located?
Lu Xinghai's heart stirred, and he listened carefully.

"It is said that a Void Refinement family was completely uprooted, and even their ancestral sixth-order spirit island was destroyed and razed to the ground!"

"Is there such a thing?"

"Yes, I heard that the person who did such a great thing was a Nascent Soul cultivator. The news has spread far and wide."

"Nascent Soul stage? Impossible! What kind of family could be so pathetic as to be wiped out by a Nascent Soul stage cultivator? I think it's more likely that some powerful senior has concealed their cultivation level!"

"Yes, that's what I expected,"

"By the way, which company is so unlucky?"

"It seems to be something like 'Cangyuan Lu Clan'!"

"Clang-"

The wine glass in Lu Xinghai's hand fell to the ground and shattered. His expression changed drastically, as if he had been struck by lightning.

(End of this chapter)