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

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Chapter Fifty-Four: The Fu Family Arrives! Young Master Zhou is Actually a Foundation Establishment Cultivator!

time flies.

In the blink of an eye, Zhou Ding had been in the Tianxing Sect Market of Yuanwu Kingdom for a whole year.

His life has been regular and fulfilling over the past year.

Every morning, he would meditate and cultivate for an hour in his inn room, circulating the true essence of the fourth level of the "Azure Origin Sword Technique" several times to stabilize his realm.

Afterwards, he would go to various shops in the market to inquire about information and purchase some spiritual materials and array tools unique to the Yuanwu Kingdom.

Almost every afternoon, he would go to Xin Ruyin's quiet bamboo grove courtyard to discuss the art of formations with her.

……

This day, in a room at the inn.

Zhou Ding sat cross-legged, holding something in his hands.

It was the golden treasure chest brought back from the Crimson Forbidden Zone.

On the surface of the box, the pale blue light curtain continued to flow, with countless fine runes moving within it, exuding an unshakeable aura of resilience.

For a year, he tried countless times to break the restriction, but all his efforts were in vain.

His current mastery of formations is far superior to what it was a year ago.

Thanks to Xin Ruyin, a genius in formations, whose insightful and often incisive guidance, as well as her unique understanding and deduction of ancient formations, Zhou Ding's progress in formations was remarkably rapid.

Many obscure and difficult parts of the "Qingyang Array Manual" have now become clear.

He was confident that his understanding of nested formations, the flow of spiritual energy, and the interactions of elemental relationships was no less than that of veterans who had studied formations for over a decade.

He was even able to try to optimize and improve certain basic formations, something he wouldn't have dared to imagine a year ago.

Xin Ruyin also praised him more than once for his amazing comprehension, saying that he could understand things immediately.

During their frequent exchanges, the two developed a subtle sense of mutual appreciation as fellow seekers of the Dao.

Although one is a Foundation Establishment cultivator and the other is only at the fourth level of Qi Refining.

"If this Miss Xin didn't possess the Dragon Roar Physique, her future achievements would truly be limitless," Zhou Ding thought to himself.

The Dragon's Roar Physique is a rare congenital incurable disease.

This illness destined her to have a short life.

In the original story, she ultimately could not escape the fate of dying young, and even with Han Li's help, she only lived a few more years.

"If there's an opportunity, I might be able to help her," Zhou Ding thought to himself, but then shook his head.

He had no relation to this woman, and there was little he could do.

Moreover, his purpose for this trip was clear.

Learn formations and break the restrictions on treasure chests.

As for other things, just let things take their course.

He snapped out of his reverie and his gaze returned to the golden treasure chest.

However, even with his improved array formation skills, Zhou Ding was still helpless against the restrictions on the treasure chest.

He tried various methods of breaking the seal, learned from the "Qingyang Array Manual" and Xin Ruyin—the mutual restraint of the five elements, the resonance of spiritual power, the clash of runes, the suppression of nodes...

But the restriction was like the deepest pool, silently swallowing and dissolving all the probing, remaining completely unmoved.

Sometimes when he inputs a tentative burst of magic, the barrier will tremble slightly, absorbing the magic and then rebounding back in a gentler way, as if mocking his overestimation of his abilities.

"This restriction... is probably not an ordinary protective or concealment restriction."

Zhou Ding frowned as he looked at the cold surface of the treasure chest: "It's more like an extremely complex, interlocking 'forbidden restriction,' designed specifically to seal away certain items. If there's no corresponding solution or an array technique far exceeding that of the one who set it up, forcibly breaking it could trigger internal self-destruction or even more troublesome mechanisms."

His current level of array formation is sufficient to deal with the restrictions of ordinary Foundation Establishment stage cave dwellings, but he is powerless against such restrictions that are clearly the work of a master.

"It seems... I'll have to trouble Xin Ruyin," Zhou Ding muttered to himself.

With Xin Ruyin's unfathomable talent in array formations and the ancient inheritance she might have mastered, the hope of breaking this restriction is far greater than if he were to figure it out on his own.

He put away the treasure chest, got up and left the inn, heading towards the bamboo forest.

……

Afternoon, a small courtyard in a bamboo grove.

Sunlight filters through the gaps in the bamboo leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

A gentle breeze rustled the bamboo leaves, bringing with it a refreshing bamboo fragrance.

Although the courtyard is simple, it is made particularly quiet and elegant by the bamboo grove.

Inside the pavilion, several battle formation diagrams drawn by Zhou Ding were spread out on a stone table. They were covered with traces of sketching and modification, with ink marks of varying ages. In some places, the original lines were almost completely obscured.

These array diagrams record every detail of the two people's discussions over the past year, each stroke representing the culmination of their hard work.

Xin Ruyin was dressed in plain clothes, and her pale face was slightly flushed with color due to her focus.

She was pointing her finger at a key node on the array diagram, her voice clear and gentle, yet carrying an undeniable certainty.

"Young Master Zhou's idea of ​​using the 'Fire Position' to receive the 'Metal Killing Qi' is quite bold. However, the two attributes are inherently conflicting, and even with the 'Earth Element Rune' used to mediate, the node load will still be too heavy after long-term operation."

She paused, her slender fingers lightly tracing lines on the array diagram, outlining several new lines: "How about trying to introduce the principle of 'water mirror reflection' to deflect some of the Geng metal's malevolent energy to the 'Dui Ze position,' using the gentleness of the lake water to soften its sharpness? Then, add a 'Yi wood vitality' rune here to nourish the node with wood energy, which can both balance the struggle between fire and metal and enhance the overall resilience of the array..."

Her words were clear and logical, and she often came up with innovative optimization solutions that impressed Zhou Ding.

Those designs that he considered ingenious could always be found to have better solutions after Xin Ruyin analyzed them.

Such talent is truly admirable.

Zhou Ding listened and nodded repeatedly, occasionally raising his own questions or making reverse deductions.

Sometimes he would suddenly interrupt, pointing to another part of the array and proposing a completely different idea; other times he would remain silent for a long time, then slowly nod, a look of sudden realization flashing in his eyes.

The two were so engrossed in their discussion that they were completely unaware of the passage of time.

The maid Xiaomei stood quietly to the side. Seeing that their teacups were getting empty, she tiptoed over and refilled their cups with spirit tea.

The way she looked at Zhou Ding was much warmer than it had been a year ago.

Over the past year, Zhou Ding has visited frequently, always with a humble attitude, and he listens attentively to Miss's guidance and seeks her advice with a sincere heart.

What's even more remarkable is that the occasional novel ideas he comes up with can actually spark a glimmer of interest in the eyes of the usually indifferent young lady.

Sometimes, after explaining something, the young lady would fall into a brief moment of contemplation, then mutter to herself, "So that's how it can be done..."

Xiaomei hadn't seen that expression on her young lady's face in a long time.

Most importantly—

This Mr. Zhou is getting more and more generous.

At first, it was just a few spirit stones as tuition, but later, when they got into a good conversation, they would sometimes spend more than a dozen spirit stones at a time.

Those spirit stones were enough for her and her mistress to buy a lot of spiritual medicine and sustain them for a long time.

Xiao Mei thought to herself with delight, and her gaze toward Zhou Ding became even more friendly.

She even secretly wished that this young master Zhou could stay here, so that there would be hope for her young lady's illness, and she wouldn't have to worry about spirit stones all day long.

"Miss Xin."

At this moment, Zhou Ding suddenly spoke, his tone more serious than usual, "I have a favor to ask."

Xin Ruyin paused slightly, put down the array diagram in her hand, and looked up at Zhou Ding.

Her gaze was clear as water, yet it carried a hint of barely perceptible unease.

Over the past year, she had grown accustomed to Zhou Ding's humility and politeness, but his tone at this moment gave her a vague sense that what he was about to say might not be so simple.

"Please speak freely, Young Master Zhou," she said softly, her fingers unconsciously twirling her sleeve.

"Does Miss Xin know anything about 'forbidden arts'?"

"Forbidden Law?" A hint of surprise flashed in Xin Ruyin's eyes, then she understood.

Forbidden Techniques is an extremely advanced branch of formations, specializing in the study of the arrangement and breaking of various restrictions.

Ordinary array masters may never even get a basic grasp of the basics in their entire lives, while those who are proficient in forbidden techniques are all masters of array formations.

"Does Young Master Zhou want to learn forbidden techniques?" she asked.

Zhou Ding nodded.

Xin Ruyin pondered for a moment, her gaze lingering on Zhou Ding's face for a few breaths, as if weighing something. After a while, she slowly spoke: "With your current foundation in formations, young master, you can barely access forbidden techniques. However..."

She paused, her tone taking on a businesslike quality: "Forbidden formations are quite expensive. But since you're an acquaintance, I'll teach you one formation for a month at a rate of fifty spirit stones. How does that sound?"

This price is indeed not low.

The cultivation expenses of an ordinary rogue cultivator over several years are no more than this.

But she had to set this price.

She needs spirit stones, lots of spirit stones, to buy life-extending pills.

Zhou Ding has been very generous over the past year, so he is obviously wealthy. He should be able to afford fifty spirit stones a month.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ding smiled slightly and shook his head: "Miss Xin, I haven't finished speaking yet."

"What I'm going to learn isn't just any ordinary forbidden formation."

With a thought, he took something out of his storage bag and gently placed it on the stone table.

It was that golden treasure chest.

As soon as the box appeared, the light blue light screen flickered slightly, and the speed at which the runes flowed seemed to increase slightly, as if it were wary of outside prying eyes.

A faint yet undeniable pressure emanated from the treasure chest, making the surrounding air feel heavier.

"Does Miss Xin know the forbidden spells on this treasure chest?" Zhou Ding asked, his gaze fixed on Xin Ruyin.

Upon hearing this, Xin Ruyin's gaze fell upon the treasure chest.

At first, she just glanced at it casually.

Over the years, many people have sought her help to break the restrictions, but most of them were simple restrictions on the cave dwellings of Foundation Establishment cultivators, not worth mentioning.

She had assumed it was just another ordinary request.

But after that one glance, the expression on her face suddenly froze.

Her gaze was fixed on the pale blue light screen, on the tiny runes flowing within it, on the arrangement, combination, and trajectory of the runes... Her eyes widened, her pupils contracted slightly, and even her breathing became shallow.

Any attempt to break the restriction will trigger a chain reaction throughout the entire system.

The person who set up this restriction must be at least a Core Formation cultivator, and possess extremely high skill in array formations!

Xin Ruyin's heartbeat quickened slightly.

Her gaze slowly shifted from the treasure chest to Zhou Ding's face.

This young master Zhou's purpose in learning formations is probably to break the restrictions on this treasure chest.

And this treasure chest clearly doesn't belong to him.

If it were his own, why would he go to such great lengths to learn formations?

Just untie it.

So, how did this treasure chest come about?

Murder for treasure?

still is……

At least that's a possibility.

Xin Ruyin's mind raced, and countless possibilities flashed through her mind.

She recalled everything Zhou Ding had done over the past two months.

He was humble and polite, generous, and eager to learn, and always treated the two women, mistress and servant, with courtesy.

He looked at himself with clear and honest eyes, never harboring any evil thoughts.

He appears gentle and refined, not like a ruthless person.

However, in the world of cultivation, one cannot judge a book by its cover.

How many seemingly kind people are actually ruthless killers behind the scenes?

Although she had always lived in seclusion in this small courtyard, she had heard many rumors.

Some people wipe out an entire family for a single medicinal herb, some betray their sect for a magical artifact, and some silence their benefactor for a secret.

If she breaks the seal on the treasure chest and sees something she shouldn't...

If the origin of this treasure chest is truly illegitimate...

Will this Mr. Zhou kill someone to silence them?

Xin Ruyin's fingers tightened slightly around her sleeve.

She remained silent and did not answer.

Zhou Ding waited for a while and saw that she remained silent, just staring blankly at the treasure chest. He gradually understood.

This woman is indeed just as described in the original work.

She is quick-witted and intelligent, far surpassing that of ordinary women.

In the original story, when Han Li took out the ancient teleportation array diagram, she became wary of him trying to silence her.

Now that she herself has taken out this golden treasure chest, she is just as wary.

She remained silent because she was weighing the pros and cons, reflecting on her own character, and considering how to respond.

Zhou Ding wasn't annoyed; on the contrary, he appreciated her caution.

In this cannibalistic world of cultivation, the only reason a weak woman at the fourth level of Qi Refining has survived this long is because of her alertness.

He was about to explain and reassure her.

"Bang!"

The main gate outside the courtyard was kicked open!

The wooden door slammed against the wall with a loud bang, causing bamboo leaves to fall in a rustling sound and startling several small birds that were roosting in the bamboo grove.

"You bitch surnamed Xin, get out here!"

A rude, angry shout came from outside the courtyard. The voice was crude and vulgar, filled with undisguised malice.

Xiaomei's face turned deathly pale instantly, and a look of terror flashed in her eyes.

She subconsciously took a step back, but then forced herself to stand still, protecting Xin Ruyin.

"It's the Fu family again!" Her voice trembled slightly.

Xin Ruyin's face paled slightly, but she took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. She slowly stood up and looked towards the courtyard gate.

Three figures barged in aggressively.

The leader was a burly, middle-aged man with a fierce face, wearing a dark red brocade robe and several bulging storage bags hanging from his waist, displaying the demeanor of a nouveau riche.

His cultivation level was around the eighth level of Qi Refining, which was not low in this market, but it was definitely not high either.

Behind him followed two equally fierce-looking cultivators, one tall and thin, the other short and fat, both at the seventh or eighth level of Qi Refining. They followed the burly man with fawning expressions, clearly his lackeys.

As soon as the three entered the courtyard, their eyes fell on Xin Ruyin in the pavilion, completely ignoring Zhou Ding sitting to the side.

"Xin Ruyin!"

The burly man strode forward, his face arrogant: "If you know what's good for you, hand over the diagram of the Reversed Five Elements Formation! Don't be stubborn!"

Xin Ruyin's face was pale, but she still forced herself to stand up straight, her voice clear and firm: "I said, if you want to reverse the Five Elements Formation, you have to exchange it for a thousand-year-old spiritual herb. That was the agreement we made back then. Does the Fu family intend to go back on their word?"

"A thousand-year-old elixir?" The burly man scoffed, his face full of disdain. "You dare call yourself worthy?"

He stepped forward, his finger almost poking Xin Ruyin's face: "Let me tell you, you have to pay today whether you like it or not! Otherwise, you're going against the Fu family! Do you know who the Fu family is? If you offend us, you won't be able to move an inch in Tianxing Sect Market!"

Xin Ruyin bit her lower lip, anger and humiliation flashing in her eyes, yet she stubbornly held her head high: "What? Does your Fu family dare to lay a hand on me in the market?"

The burly man was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"You dare not make a move in the market? You're right, we can't kill you here." He smiled sinisterly, his gaze sweeping over Xiaomei, then over Zhou Ding in the pavilion, his eyes full of contempt. "But..."

He pointed at Zhou Ding, his tone arrogant: "Kid, you're here to learn formations too, right?"

Zhou Ding did not get up, nor did he even glance at him.

He simply picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and acted as if the three people in front of him were nothing more than a few buzzing flies.

Seeing his reaction, the burly man's face flashed with annoyance, but he immediately grinned maliciously.

"I'll tell you."

He grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. "Having offended the Fu family, let's see who dares to come to her to learn formation techniques!"

"If you know what's good for you, get out of here right now! Otherwise..."

He didn't finish his sentence.

Zhou Ding slowly put down his teacup.

Then he stood up.

His movements were slow and deliberate.

But the moment his body was fully upright.

An aura of power belonging to a Foundation Establishment cultivator was released from his body without reservation!

The oppressive aura was so tangible that it instantly enveloped the entire courtyard!

The air seemed to freeze; the rustling of the bamboo leaves ceased, and even the wind stopped.

The burly man's arrogant smile suddenly froze.

He felt his legs begin to weaken, and his knees trembled uncontrollably.

A bone-chilling cold shot from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

The two thugs behind him suddenly collapsed to their knees with a thud, trembling like leaves, unable to even beg for mercy.

"A Foundation Establishment cultivator?!"

The burly man's voice had completely changed, becoming high-pitched and unlike that of a strong man.

His face turned deathly pale instantly, his eyes filled with unbelievable fear.

Foundation Establishment cultivator!

He never expected that a Foundation Establishment cultivator would come to learn formation techniques from a Qi Refining Level 4 woman!

How is this possible?!

But the real pressure was pressing down on him, leaving him no choice but to believe it.

"S-Senior, spare my life!"

The burly man knelt down with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly, his forehead hitting the bluestone floor with a dull thud.

"I was blind and ignorant, and offended you, senior. Please forgive me! I deserve to die! I deserve to die!"

The two thugs behind him hurriedly followed suit, trembling all over and unable to speak. They just kept kowtowing, their foreheads soon breaking open and blood flowing down their cheeks, but they didn't even notice.

Zhou Ding looked at the three of them with icy eyes, his tone calm and devoid of any emotion:

"Get out of here within three breaths."

His voice wasn't loud, but it exploded in the ears of the three of them like thunder.

"Yes, yes, yes! We'll leave right away! We'll leave right away!"

The three of them felt as if they had been granted a pardon, and they scrambled out of the courtyard, stumbling and disappearing into the bamboo forest.

In the distance, the burly man's terrified voice could still be heard: "Run! Run! That's a Foundation Establishment cultivator..."

The courtyard returned to tranquility.

The only sounds were the rustling of bamboo leaves in the wind and Xiaomei's rapid breathing.

Zhou Ding turned around and looked at Xin Ruyin and Xiao Mei.

The look in their eyes had completely changed.

Xiaomei's eyes widened, her mouth gaped open wide enough to fit an egg, her face filled with disbelief and shock.

Her mind went blank, with only one thought echoing repeatedly: Young Master Zhou is a Foundation Establishment cultivator? Young Master Zhou is a Foundation Establishment cultivator!

Xin Ruyin was much calmer, but the look in her eyes was equally complex.

In those eyes, there was shock, realization, and a hint of something undeniably complex...

It turned out to be the case.

It turned out to be the case.

No wonder she could never see through Zhou Ding.

No wonder he was so generous, spending over a dozen spirit stones without batting an eye.

An indescribable emotion welled up in Xin Ruyin's heart.

She took a deep breath, gave Zhou Ding a graceful bow, and spoke with an even more respectful tone than before:

"Junior Xin Ruyin greets Senior. I was unaware of your identity before and was therefore quite rude. I hope you will forgive me."

Xiaomei finally realized what was happening and hurriedly followed suit, her face flushed red. "Greetings...Greetings, Senior! I didn't know who you are...I beg your forgiveness!"

Zhou Ding found it amusing to look at the two of them so reserved.

He waved his hand, his tone as gentle as ever: "Miss Xin, there's no need for such formality. I concealed my identity because I didn't want to intimidate anyone with my cultivation level; I only wanted to focus on learning formations. Over the past two months, Miss Xin has taught me everything she knows, and I have benefited greatly from it. I am deeply grateful. If this identity has caused any distance between us, then it would be my fault."

He paused, then smiled slightly: "Just call me Young Master Zhou as always."

Xin Ruyin raised her head and looked into Zhou Ding's frank and sincere gaze, her heart trembling slightly.

This Foundation Establishment senior truly doesn't care about these formalities.

She nodded gently, her voice softening: "Then... Ruyin will respectfully comply. Young Master Zhou, please have a seat."

The two sat down again.

Xiao Mei stood to the side, secretly observing Zhou Ding, feeling both awe and curiosity.

This young master Zhou is actually a Foundation Establishment senior!

For the past year, I've been serving tea and water to a Foundation Establishment senior, chatting and laughing with him all the time...

As she thought about it, her face turned red again.

Xin Ruyin's gaze fell on the golden treasure chest on the stone table.

She paused for a moment, then said softly, "Young Master Zhou just asked if Ruyin knows how to break the spell on this treasure chest."

Zhou Ding nodded: "That's right. I've been studying this for two years, but I still haven't been able to find a way to get to the bottom of it. If Miss Xin has a solution, I'm willing to reward her handsomely."

Xin Ruyin shook her head, her tone solemn: "Young Master Zhou, you flatter me. Over the past year, you have treated me with sincerity, and today you have helped me out of a predicament. I am grateful. I can give this restriction a try."

Zhou Ding nodded: "That's right. I've been studying this for two years, but I still haven't been able to find a way to get to the bottom of it. If Miss Xin has a solution, I'm willing to reward her handsomely."

Xin Ruyin shook her head, her tone solemn: "Young Master Zhou, you flatter me. Over the past year, you have treated me with sincerity, and today you have helped me out of a predicament. I am grateful. I can give this restriction a try."

She paused, her gaze fixed on Zhou Ding, clear as water, calm and fearless: "But Ruyin has a request."

Zhou Ding's heart stirred: "Miss Xin, please speak."

Xin Ruyin said softly, "Ruyin doesn't know the origin of this treasure chest, nor does she want to know. Ruyin is only responsible for breaking the seal. After the seal is broken, Ruyin will not look at or ask about anything inside the treasure chest. What does Fellow Daoist Zhou think?"

Zhou Ding was slightly taken aback, then smiled.

This woman is truly extremely clever.

She is making her stance clear.

As long as she doesn't look at what's inside, there's no secret that needs to be covered up.

She was relieved, and so was Zhou Ding.

He nodded and said sincerely, "Miss Xin, please rest assured. Although I am not a gentleman, I am by no means an ungrateful person who would kill to silence witnesses. Over the past year, you have generously shared your knowledge with me, and I will always remember it. If you ever need anything in the future, I will do my best to help you."

Looking at Zhou Ding's composed smile, Xin Ruyin's last trace of doubt vanished.

She nodded gently, a faint smile appearing on her lips.

"Then... it's a deal."