I am in Yellow Maple Valley, and I have a demonic beast clone!

Chapter 158 Purple Treasure! Xuanhai Alliance! Auction!

Pushing open the stone door of the main meditation room, which had been sealed for ten years, the soft and abundant spiritual light and fresh air from the outside world instantly rushed in.

Zhou Ding took a deep breath, feeling the vitality and energy that was completely different from the quiet room, and slowly walked out.

The corridor remained pristine, the warm jade floor reflecting the sunlight filtering through the crystal ceiling of the courtyard. Ten years of seclusion had left everything within the cave seemingly unchanged, yet it also seemed to have quietly absorbed a deeper sense of time. His divine sense, like a weary bird returning to its nest, gently swept over every corner of the cave.

The first thing sensed was a strange yet harmonious vibration coming from the direction of Xinruyin's quiet room on the left.

It was not simply a surge of magical power, but a more profound aura that was closer to the origin of heaven and earth.

A faint golden light and countless intricate array patterns flowed and disappeared through the crack in the door of the quiet room, as if they were enacting some profound and mysterious principle.

Furthermore, it possesses a unique magical aura that is refined, sharp, yet all-encompassing, calm and profound, having undergone a complete transformation compared to ten years ago.

"Mid-stage Core Formation—and moreover, his foundation is incredibly solid, his magical power is balanced and harmonious, and his sharpness is restrained. He has indeed switched to cultivating the Nine Treasures Wonderful Gold Technique." A hint of understanding and joy flashed in Zhou Ding's eyes.

Xin Ruyin's ability to successfully break through to the mid-stage of Core Formation within ten years and smoothly switch cultivation techniques demonstrates her talent and hard work.

Judging from her aura, she has probably already grasped the basics of the "Qiankun Array Manual" and may even have achieved some success.

His consciousness then turned to the right, to Xiaomei's quiet room.

The atmosphere there was much more vibrant, full of lively life and dynamic wood-attribute spiritual energy fluctuations.

His magical power has reached the peak of the early stage of Core Formation, and is perfectly complete. He is only a thin layer away from the middle stage. Perhaps he can break through it with just a short period of seclusion or a bit of good fortune.

It seems this girl hasn't slacked off in the past ten years; with the help of the "Azure Wood Condensing Essence Pill," she has made rapid progress.

Just then, the door to Xin Ruyin's quiet room slid open silently.

A graceful white figure emerged.

She was still wearing that simple, moon-white long dress, her hair was lightly tied up, and she wore no makeup, yet she appeared even more elegant and refined, with an otherworldly air.

Compared to ten years ago, her eyes and brows have lost some of their former gentleness and beauty, but gained a sense of calm, wisdom, and an indescribable, profound radiance that seems to see through the essence of all things.

That was the natural flow of Daoist charm that came from years of studying profound formations and cultivating top-level techniques.

Her aura was as deep and solid as a mountain, yet it also contained a sharp edge, a sign that the Nine Treasures Golden Manual was beginning to take shape.

She looked up and her gaze fell on the familiar and tall figure in blue in the corridor. She was startled at first, but then her calm eyes lit up instantly, like the most brilliant stars in the night sky, filled with uncontrollable joy, tenderness and a sense of relief.

Ten years of waiting, silent seclusion. Although there was an array to block the view, I knew he was safe and sound. But seeing him emerge from seclusion with my own eyes and feeling the increasingly vast and profound aura emanating from him, which indicated he had already entered the late stage of Core Formation, finally put my mind at ease.

"Zhou Lang," Xin Ruyin called softly, a gentle smile spreading across her lips as she gracefully stepped forward to greet him.

She didn't rush into his arms like last time. Instead, she quietly walked up to him, looked up at him carefully and greedily, as if she wanted to etch all the changes in him over the past ten years into her heart.

"Like a sound."

Zhou Ding reached out and gently grasped her slightly cool, soft hand, feeling the faint golden aura emanating from her palm that resonated subtly with his own magical power. His eyes were filled with relief and tenderness: "Congratulations on your successful breakthrough and the change of cultivation method. The Nine Treasures Golden Manual and the Universe Array Manual are indeed a perfect match for you."

Xin Ruyin smiled sweetly, grasped Zhou Ding's hand tightly in return, and gazed at him, feeling the unfathomable yet steel-like fluctuations of his magical power, as well as the faintly emanating sharp sword intent and powerful blood energy that made even her heart tremble. She sincerely praised, "Young Master Zhou is truly remarkable. Ten years of seclusion, and you've broken through to the late stage of Core Formation in one fell swoop. The depth of your aura and the solidity of your foundation far surpass those of ordinary people of the same level. You must have gained a great deal from this seclusion."

"Just a little progress," Zhou Ding said with a modest smile, then asked, "By the way, where's the girl? Is she still in seclusion?"

"Miss! Young Master! Are you talking about me?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the door to another quiet room was pushed open with a "bang," and a petite figure in pale yellow rushed out like a cheerful little bird—it was Xiaomei.

She looked much the same as she had ten years ago, still with that pretty and charming face, but her eyes were more lively and alert, and her spiritual energy was more harmonious, indicating that her cultivation had greatly improved.

She spotted Zhou Ding and Xin Ruyin standing side by side, and her eyes immediately crinkled into crescent moons with laughter. She rushed over in a few quick steps and instinctively reached out to hug Zhou Ding's arm. But then she realized that her son-in-law had just come out of seclusion and that her mistress was also there. She stuck out her tongue and changed to a proper bow, but the excitement and intimacy on her face were still evident.

"Young Master! You've finally emerged from seclusion! Congratulations on breaking through to the late stage of Core Formation!"

Xiao Mei offered her congratulations in a crisp voice, then puffed out her little chest with a hint of smugness: "Young Master, Miss, I'm now at the peak of the early Core Formation stage! Just a little bit away from the middle stage! Miss said I should hone my magic power for a few more years to consolidate it, then I can try to break through!"

"Hmm, not bad. Solid foundation, well-rounded magic power. Looks like you haven't been slacking off." Zhou Ding nodded with a smile and reached out to rub her head. He could sense that although Xiao Mei's magic power had not yet broken through, its refinement and control were already among the best in its level. Clearly, she had put a lot of effort into the "Heavenly Talisman Scripture" and her own cultivation over the years.

"That's right! Both the young master and the young lady are working hard, how can I fall behind!" Xiaomei proudly raised her little face, then looked at Zhou Ding curiously, clicking her tongue in amazement, "Young master, you feel so different this time after you came out of seclusion! I can't quite put my finger on what's different, but I just feel—well, you're even more amazing! Standing next to you, I feel a bit of pressure."

Zhou Ding and Xin Ruyin exchanged a smile. Zhou Ding's cultivation had broken through, his divine sense had surged, his physical body was stronger, and his aura was naturally more dignified and imposing. It was perfectly normal for Xiao Mei to feel this way.

The three returned to the front hall, where fragrant tea steamed, and recounted the events of the past ten years.

Xin Ruyin mainly talked about her experience and gains from switching to the "Nine Treasures Wonderful Gold Technique" and comprehending the "Qiankun Array Canon". Her understanding of the Dao of Arrays has reached a new level. She has even begun to try to verify and integrate some ancient array principles in the "Qiankun Array Canon" with the "Tianyuan Array Canon", creating some unique composite arrays.

The cultivation of the Nine Treasures Golden Manual also gave her a clearer idea and plan for the crafting of her natal magic weapon, the Eight Gates Golden Light Mirror. However, the required materials were too rare, and many of them had not yet been collected.

Xiao Mei chattered on about her progress in talisman making, showing off several new and powerful advanced talismans she had developed. One of them, the "Canglan Sword Qi Talisman," incorporated some of the sword intent of the "Canglan Sword," and its power was comparable to the full-force attack of a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator. Zhou Ding was quite surprised and praised her generously.

Zhou Ding also briefly recounted his seclusion and gains, emphasizing his breakthrough to the late stage of Core Formation and Xiao Jin's evolution into the "Diamond Body," which amazed and delighted the two women.

After a warm reunion of more than half a month, Zhou Ding had completely stabilized his cultivation level after emerging from seclusion and also spent quality time with his family.

For the past two weeks, the cave has been filled with long-lost laughter, joy, peace, and happiness.

Half a month later, Zhou Ding's life returned to a certain routine.

He was not in a hurry to go into seclusion again for an extended period to try and break through to the Nascent Soul stage.

Condensing a nascent soul is no small feat. It requires not only peak magical power, divine sense, and physical body, but also a perfect state of mind and a profound understanding of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and one's own Great Dao.

He needs time to reflect, to travel, to experience, and perhaps to seek one or two special opportunities before things can truly fall into place.

On this day, the sky was bright and clear. Zhou Ding left the "Cloud and Mist Cave Heaven" alone, riding an inconspicuous cyan escape light, and slowly descended to the first level of the Holy Mountain, the core area of ​​the market that was always bustling and lively, as if it had gathered all the prosperity of the Chaotic Star Sea.

He had no specific goal, but simply strolled aimlessly among the bustling crowds, his gaze calmly sweeping over the rows of shops and dazzling stalls on both sides, his ears filled with various sounds of drinking, bargaining, and whispers among the monks.

His divine sense was contained within a hundred miles, allowing him to perceive the surrounding environment without being too conspicuous.

At the same time, he communicated with the tiny gold, which was hidden in his sleeve and shrunk to the size of a finger, and made it quietly use the "Heavenly Hearing Technique".

Over the past decade, although he has devoted most of his energy to seclusion, he occasionally comes out of seclusion to get some fresh air or to spend time with his family. He also takes Xiao Jin with him to wander around Tianxing City, using the "Heavenly Hearing Technique" as his "Heavenly Eye" to explore for any hidden treasures in the city.

As the center of the Chaotic Star Sea, Tianxing City is teeming with cultivators and treasures. Although most of them are hidden in layers of restrictions and the storage bags of high-level cultivators, making them difficult to detect, some are always found in the marketplace or in the midst of a transaction, and their brilliance can be detected by the "Heavenly Hearing Technique".

After Xiao Jin advanced, the range of his "Heavenly Hearing Technique" reached 360 miles, and his senses became more acute and clear.

Over the years, they have indeed discovered and secretly acquired several good cyan and dark cyan precious materials and pills at reasonable prices, supplementing their cultivation needs and providing Xiao Mei with more resources for talisman making and Xin Ruyin for array research.

Today, Zhou Ding was just casually strolling around and didn't have high expectations.

However, just as he was wandering aimlessly through several bustling streets and about to turn into a relatively quiet side street, a very subtle yet exceptionally clear throbbing sensation suddenly came from the small gold in his sleeve!

Through the shared "vision" of the soul connection, a cluster of purple light suddenly appeared at the core of a group of buildings about several miles to the left!

Although the purple was extremely faint, even somewhat elusive, as if interfered with or obscured by some powerful force, its essential radiance clearly pointed to the color that represented the highest level in the perception of the "Heavenly Hearing Technique"—

purple!

"A purple radiance!"

Zhou Ding paused almost imperceptibly, his heart instantly stirred with turmoil.

Purple! This is the highest grade that the "Heavenly Hearing Technique" can sense!

The mysterious golden spirit wood obtained deep in the Qingyun Mountains back then emitted a purple precious light!

Its mystical qualities continue to slowly nourish and grow, bringing him endless anticipation.

Now, a purple treasure has appeared again in the market of Tianxing City!

Even if it's just pale purple, it's definitely something extraordinary!

Its value is probably immeasurable, and it may even be related to some earth-shattering opportunity or ancient secret!

He immediately followed the sensations of the "Heavenly Hearing Technique" and looked in that direction. The pale purple light was located in a vast and magnificent seven-story circular pavilion.

The entire building is constructed with deep blue "sea soul jade" and pure white "warm sun stone," reflecting a magnificent yet understated brilliance under the sunlight. With its flying eaves, brackets, carved beams, and painted rafters, every detail exudes unparalleled luxury and cultural heritage.

The main gate of the pavilion is several meters high and is made of ten-thousand-year-old "ironwood". Above the gate hangs a huge black jade plaque with flowing spiritual light, on which are written three large gilded characters with dragon and phoenix dance and natural Taoist charm: Xuanhai Pavilion!

In the lower right corner of the plaque, there is also a striking emblem: a surging deep blue wave supporting an ancient copper coin.

This is the logo of the "Xuanhai Alliance," one of the four major merchant alliances in the Chaotic Star Sea, on par with the Fengle Alliance, and even surpassing it in certain sea trade and rare treasure channels!

"Xuanhai Pavilion — the headquarters of Xuanhai Alliance in Tianxing City."

Zhou Ding's gaze narrowed slightly.

No wonder there was a purple treasure. It's not surprising that the headquarters of such a top-tier business alliance, which spans the chaotic star sea and has unfathomable depths, would possess such a world-shaking treasure.

But is this item a treasure of the Xuanhai Alliance, or is it just something that happens to be among them today, ready for a transaction?

He hesitated for a moment, then turned and entered a seemingly ordinary teahouse next door. He asked for a private seat by the window, ordered a pot of spiritual tea, and sipped it leisurely. In reality, his powerful divine sense was spreading silently toward the Xuanhai Pavilion like the finest spider silk, while he listened attentively to the low conversations of the cultivators inside and outside the teahouse.

"Have you heard? Xuanhai Pavilion is having a large auction today!"

"That's right. It's said that the Xuanhai Alliance has been preparing for this auction for several years, collecting many valuable items from the depths of the outer seas and even other distant oceans!"

"More than that! A distant cousin of mine who works in the Xuanhai Alliance revealed that even Nascent Soul cultivators might be tempted by the final treasures this time!"

"Really? With our cultivation levels, we probably don't even qualify to go in?"

"Hehe, can't I at least go in and watch the excitement? I heard the entrance fee alone is three thousand spirit stones! And not just anyone can pay that; you need an invitation from the Xuanhai Alliance, or your cultivation level must reach the Core Formation stage!"

"Wow, that's quite a generous gesture—"

The tea drinkers' chatter reached Zhou Ding's ears intermittently. He immediately understood.

Xuanhai Pavilion is holding a large-scale auction today!

That pale purple radiance is very likely one of the highlight items of this auction!

It might even be the key to attracting those Nascent Soul stage monsters!

"Auction—Purple Treasure—" Zhou Ding tapped his fingers lightly on the table, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

This is an opportunity. If this item appears at an auction, he will have a chance to participate in the bidding.

Although he was wealthy, possessing a considerable amount of spirit stones and treasures from his gains in the outer space and his original accumulations, whether he could succeed in acquiring the purple treasure, which might attract the attention of Nascent Soul cultivators, was uncertain. Moreover, he did not want to draw too much attention.

But—the allure of the purple treasure is simply too great.

Even just a glance, to find out what it is, is worth it.

What if—if I'm lucky, I can snag a bargain?

After all, not everyone can recognize the true value of some treasures.

"Let's go take a look," Zhou Ding decided.

He is now at the late stage of Core Formation and has deliberately concealed most of his aura. As long as he avoids conflict and participates discreetly, he should be fine.

Even if you ultimately fail to obtain it, you can still broaden your horizons and understand the current market conditions and trends of high-level treasures in Tianxing City.

He paid for the tea, got up and left the teahouse, heading straight for the magnificent "Xuanhai Pavilion".

The closer you get to Xuanhai Pavilion, the denser the crowd becomes, and the more complex and powerful the aura becomes.

Many cultivators gathered from all directions, including many at the Core Formation stage. Each of them possessed a deep and focused aura and sharp, intelligent eyes. In front of the massive main gate of the Xuanhai Pavilion, a long queue had already formed. Managers and guards dressed in the uniforms of the Xuanhai Alliance, with considerable cultivation, were maintaining order, checking applicants' credentials or cultivation levels, and collecting deposits.

Zhou Ding did not formally invite anyone, but he did not need an invitation. He slightly relaxed the suppression of his aura, and the calm, vast, and subtly sharp sword intent of a late-stage Core Formation cultivator naturally emanated. Although it was only a trace, it was enough to make many surrounding cultivators turn their heads and show their awe.

He joined the queue and soon it was his turn. A Xuanhai Alliance manager, whose cultivation was at the Pseudo-Core Formation stage and whose face was sharp and capable, stepped forward. His gaze swept over Zhou Ding, and sensing the unfathomable spiritual pressure of the late-stage Core Formation realm, he immediately put on a professional and respectful smile, cupped his hands, and said, "Senior, are you here to attend this auction? Do you have an invitation?"

"There was no invitation," Zhou Ding said calmly.

"It's alright, it's alright."

The manager quickly replied, "Senior's cultivation is profound, so you are naturally qualified to participate. You only need to pay three thousand spirit stones as a deposit. After the auction, if there are no bids or if the bid is successful, the deposit will be refunded in full. Here is your number plate, please keep it safe."

He presented a warm, lustrous blue jade plaque engraved with the characters "甲字七十三" with both hands.

Zhou Ding took out five thousand spirit stones and handed them over. He accepted the jade token and nodded.

"Senior, please follow me." Another beautiful maid, whose cultivation was at the late Foundation Establishment stage, immediately stepped forward, bowed gracefully, and said respectfully, "This junior will lead you to the private room."

Led by a maid, Zhou Ding passed through the grand and luxurious first-floor hall of Xuanhai Pavilion, where guests were numerous, and ascended the spiral staircase covered with soft spirit beast fur carpets to the third floor.

This floor is noticeably quieter, with individual private rooms on both sides of the corridor, each with a number and simple barriers on the door.

The maid led Zhou Ding to VIP box number "A73," opened the door with an array plate in her hand, and respectfully invited him, "Senior, this is your box. It is equipped with soundproofing and divine sense detection arrays. Spirit tea, fruit, and snacks, as well as a jade slip containing a detailed list of this auction, are prepared on the table. If you need anything, please shake the silver bell on the corner of the table, and I will come immediately. The auction will officially begin in half an hour."

Zhou Ding stepped into the private room. The room was of moderate size and extremely luxuriously furnished, with the floor covered in snow-white beast fur and the walls inlaid with moonstones that could adjust the light themselves.

Directly opposite the door is a huge, one-way transparent floor-to-ceiling crystal window, from which one can clearly look down at the vast, circular, downward-sloping auction hall below, large enough to accommodate nearly an esteemed person. It is currently about 70-80% full, with faint sounds of people around.

From the outside, it is impossible to see anything inside the private room.

He sat down on the large rosewood chair by the window, not touching the exquisite spiritual tea and fruit snacks, but instead picked up the pale gold jade slip on the table and immersed his consciousness into it.

The jade slip contained detailed information on more than two hundred items to be auctioned, categorized and described in detail, with starting prices and increments clearly marked.

From elixirs, magic weapons, materials, and cultivation techniques to demonic beasts, ancient artifacts, and array diagrams, the variety is extensive and the quality is generally not low. Among them are some rare items that even Zhou Ding found eye-catching.

But even after he finished browsing the list, he couldn't find a single item whose description matched the level of "purple radiance".

The items on the list, even the highest-ranking few, are only close to top-tier ancient treasures or some extremely rare five-thousand-year-old spiritual medicine. Although their value is high, they do not seem to qualify as "purple".

"Either the purple treasure isn't on the public list and is the real grand prize, or a rare item added at the last minute. Or—the treasure isn't currently on the auction list and is hidden in a secret vault somewhere in the Xuanhai Pavilion." Zhou Ding put down the jade slip, his gaze calmly sweeping over the auction hall below, which was gradually filling up and the atmosphere was heating up, as he pondered to himself.

In any case, since we're here, let's make the best of it. Let's observe the auction and see how things unfold.

Perhaps the appearance of that purple treasure will bring unexpected changes.

He closed his eyes and released his vast divine sense slightly, like the gentlest breeze, sensing the atmosphere of the entire auction hall, especially the upper-level private rooms.

He could clearly sense that each of the dozens of private rooms exuded the heavy spiritual pressure of a Core Formation cultivator.

It seems this auction has indeed attracted quite a few truly high-level beings.

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