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

The main hall of the cave.

Xin Ruyin was sitting at the stone table in the hall, holding the scroll of "Qinghe Array Manual" in her hands, her expression focused.

Sunlight streamed through the cracks in the cave ceiling, illuminating her and casting a soft glow upon her.

Her profile appeared exceptionally gentle in the light and shadow, her long eyelashes casting soft shadows on her eyelids, occasionally fluttering slightly like butterfly wings.

Xiaomei lay on the soft couch beside her, holding the purple ferret in her arms, stroking its fur intermittently.

The sable squinted comfortably, making soft whimpers, its small body curled into a ball of purple fur, looking absolutely adorable.

Xiaomei would occasionally look up at her mistress and then at her son-in-law, her eyes filled with satisfaction.

These days are wonderful.

Zhou Ding walked over to Xin Ruyin and sat down opposite her.

Xin Ruyin raised her head, a gentle look flashing in her eyes.

Its gentleness is like spring water, intoxicating.

"Zhou Lang, is something the matter?"

Zhou Ding nodded, his expression calm.

"I need to leave for a while."

Xin Ruyin was taken aback upon hearing this, and slowly put down the jade slip in her hand.

Her movements were slow, as if she were stalling for time, unwilling to hear what was to come.

"Aren't you taking me with you?"

Her voice remained gentle, but a hint of reluctance flashed in her eyes.

Zhou Ding nodded.

"Yes. There are some things that need to be taken care of."

He didn't elaborate.

It's not appropriate to discuss matters concerning the Yue Kingdom's royal palace, the fragmented map of the Void Heaven, or the external avatar at this time.

Some things are better known to as few people as possible.

Xin Ruyin remained silent for a moment, not pressing for details, but simply asked softly, "How long will it take?"

She understands Zhou Ding.

Since he doesn't say it, he must have his reasons.

She won't ask any further questions.

Zhou Ding thought for a moment and said, "A few months will be enough."

A few months is but a fleeting moment in the long life of a cultivator.

Upon hearing this, Xin Ruyin felt somewhat relieved.

A few months isn't a very long time.

She lowered her head, seemingly deep in thought.

Her slender fingers unconsciously traced the edge of the jade slip, a habitual gesture she made when she was thinking.

A moment later, she raised her head, a determined look flashing in her eyes.

"Zhou Lang, take the upgraded version of the Reversed Five Elements Formation with you. It will be a good protection in case you encounter danger."

Zhou Ding shook his head.

"No, the cave needs a protective array. I'm worried about leaving you without one if you encounter danger."

Xin Ruyin smiled slightly, took out a new set of array equipment from her storage bag, and placed it on the stone table.

It was a set of twelve palm-sized array flags, each only an inch long, with intricate runes engraved on their surfaces.

The runes were layered upon each other, with faint five-colored light flowing around them, exuding a mysterious aura.

Each flag was exquisitely crafted, clearly the result of a great deal of effort.

"This is a Five Elements Spiritual Light Array that I recently developed based on the Five Elements Mystic Light Array."

Xin Ruyin pointed at the array flags, a hint of pride in her eyes.

That pride came from the bottom of her heart, because it was her own achievement, proof of her mastery of formations.

"Although it can't compare to the upgraded version of the Inverted Five Elements Formation, its power is still enough to withstand attacks from early-stage Core Formation cultivators. With this formation in place, there's no need to worry about the safety of the cave."

Zhou Ding picked up a formation flag and examined it carefully. The runes were exquisite and intricate, with a harmonious aura; it was indeed Xin Ruyin's work.

He could sense the power of the five elements contained within the array flags: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, which mutually generate and restrain each other, forming a complete cycle.

He looked at Xin Ruyin, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"When did you figure it out?"

Xin Ruyin smiled slightly, a smile as warm as the spring sun.

"I had some free time these past few months, so I put my mind to it. The Five Elements Profound Light Array has a good foundation, but there are some areas that can be improved. I tried to improve a few things and added some of my own ideas, and that's how I came up with this Five Elements Spiritual Light Array."

She paused, then added, "Although it's not as good as the Reversed Five Elements Formation, it's enough for the cave dwelling."

A warm feeling welled up in Zhou Ding's heart.

He knew that Xin Ruyin was thinking of him.

Fearing he might encounter danger outside, I specially took out this formation and made him take it with him.

Fearing he might worry about the safety of the cave, they prepared a substitute in advance.

This gesture touched him.

He reached out and took Xin Ruyin's hand in his. Her hand was soft and warm, and holding it made him feel at ease.

"Ruyin, thank you."

Xin Ruyin blushed slightly and said softly, "Why are you saying all this, Zhou Lang? It's good that you're back safe and sound."

Watching from the side, Xiaomei couldn't help but interject, "Young Master, where are you going? Why don't you take Xiaomei with you? Xiaomei is now at the fifth level of Qi Refining, she can be of a lot of help!"

She held the sable, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Zhou Ding smiled and shook his head.

"Not this time. You stay in your cave and cultivate diligently until I return."

Xiaomei pouted, somewhat reluctant, but still nodded.

"Alright. Then, son-in-law, you must come back soon! Xiaomei will work hard in her cultivation and give you a surprise when you return!"

Zhou Ding nodded.

A few days later, Zhou Ding left the Taiyue Mountains.

……

The capital of the Yue Kingdom was located in the central plains of the Yue Kingdom, backed by the Longji Mountains.

This city has a long history; it is said that monks settled here before the establishment of the mortal dynasty.

Later, when the mortal dynasty rose to power, it established this place as its capital. After hundreds of years of expansion, it has reached its current size.

Zhou Ding piloted the Divine Wind Boat and spent two days arriving outside the capital.

From afar, a magnificent city lies sprawling on the earth, with towering walls, numerous pavilions, bustling crowds, and noisy carriages and horses.

The city wall is over ten zhang high, and is made entirely of bluish-gray boulders, which gleam with a cold luster in the sunlight.

Banners fluttered atop the city tower, and armored soldiers patrolled back and forth, maintaining a tight security.

The streets in the city are wide and straight, lined with shops on both sides, and bustling with pedestrians.

There were peddlers carrying loads on their shoulders, nobles riding tall horses, merchants hurrying along their journeys, and ordinary people strolling leisurely.

The various sounds mingled together—hawking, bargaining, and children's laughter—creating a lively symphony of the marketplace.

The seven sects have issued a strict prohibition: cultivators are not allowed to trespass into the forbidden areas of the imperial palace, nor are they allowed to recklessly use their spiritual power or cause disturbances within the capital. Violators will be jointly held accountable by the seven sects.

This was an agreement among the seven factions that maintained peace for hundreds of years.

Cultivators must not interfere with the affairs of mortals, and mortals must not interfere with the cultivation of cultivators.

If any cultivator violates the prohibition, the seven factions will join forces to hold them accountable and will not tolerate it.

Zhou Ding had a clear objective for this trip and did not want to cause any unnecessary trouble.

He concealed his presence and suppressed his spiritual power, disguising himself as an ordinary mortal, and entered Kyoto with the flow of people.

The guards at the city gate were just ordinary soldiers, so they couldn't tell his true identity.

Seeing that he was dressed plainly and had an ordinary demeanor, they casually waved their hand and let him into the city.

Zhou Ding found an inn in the city to stay in.

It was a small inn, located in an alley in the west of the city, a quiet oasis amidst the hustle and bustle, with a serene environment.

He ordered a superior room, paid the deposit, closed the door, and sat down cross-legged.

The room wasn't large, but it was clean and tidy, simply furnished. There was a wooden bed, a table, a few chairs, and a washstand in the corner with a copper basin and towels on it.

The window faces the street, offering a view of the street scene outside.

Zhou Ding sat down by the bed, closed his eyes, and slowly spread his divine sense, which instantly enveloped the entire capital city like mercury spilling onto the ground.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, a look of satisfaction flashing in them.

There are no high-level cultivators stationed in Kyoto.

The strongest auras were those of a few Foundation Establishment stage retainers, scattered throughout the palace.

Their auras varied in strength, but all were below the Foundation Establishment stage, posing no threat to him.

These cultivators are likely scions of various powerful families stationed here to handle matters between their families and the royal family; they are not a cause for concern.

This was extremely advantageous to his actions.

He closed his eyes and began to regulate his breathing.

We can start tonight.

As night deepened, Kyoto fell into slumber.

The streets were deserted, save for the occasional sound of the night watchman's clapper, which rang out clearly in the still night.

The moonlight, like water, spilled onto the bluestone path, shimmering with a faint silvery glow.

Zhou Ding quietly left the inn, his figure disappearing into the night.

With Xiao Jin's light breaking through the restrictions, the restrictions around the palace were rendered useless.

He moved through the lines of defense like a ghost, without alerting anyone.

…………

The next day, at noon.

A startling piece of news has emerged from inside the palace.

The King of Yue is dead!

Upon hearing this news, the capital was thrown into chaos.

There was a lot of discussion.

"It is said that a battle between immortals took place in the palace last night, and that the Emperor of Yue died at the hands of the immortals?"

"What immortal? That's clearly a demon. I heard that a lot of people died in the palace. It was a terrible sight, and several palaces collapsed."

"That devil really deserves to die!"

At the same time, several streaks of light from cultivators flew through the air, heading towards the Yue Kingdom's royal palace.

The death of the Yue Emperor naturally alarmed the cultivators of the seven sects of the Yue Kingdom, who came to investigate.

…………

Meanwhile, in a desolate mountain fifty miles from Yuejing.

This mountain is desolate and remote, overgrown with weeds and full of strange rocks; there is no human habitation within a radius of ten miles.

The mountain was barren, with only some low shrubs and hardly any trees.

Inside a hidden cave, an array was set up outside.

Although the formation was simple, it could block divine sense from detecting and conceal one's aura.

From the outside, it looks like an ordinary mountain wall, and there is no indication that there is a cave.

Zhou Ding sat cross-legged deep in the cave, circulating the Azure Origin Sword Technique to recover his depleted true energy.

After a long while, Zhou Ding opened his eyes.

"There should be quite a few cultivators from the seven sects gathered at the palace right now," Zhou Ding said with a smile.

The palace intrigue, Cola Novels, your portable library, more than ten thousand volumes. It was naturally him who did it.

After sneaking into the palace last night, relying on Xiao Jin's ability to hear the earth and his own powerful divine sense, he...

Zhou Ding easily pinpointed the location of the Yue Emperor.

Caught off guard, Zhou Ding unleashed a Soul-Destroying Thorn directly at the Yue Emperor's primordial spirit.

Emperor Yue sensed someone had intruded, but had not yet had time to react.

An invisible attack instantly pierced his sea of ​​consciousness!

With Zhou Ding's current spiritual strength, Yue Huang's primordial spirit collapsed instantly under this attack.

Before he could even scream or activate any magical artifacts, his body jolted violently, blood flowed from his seven orifices, and he died on the spot.

Subsequently, the four Blood Servants and the leader of the Black Fiend Cult, upon hearing the commotion, rushed out from various parts of the secret chamber and attacked Zhou Ding.

Zhou Ding immediately unleashed the Golden Fiend Sword, instantly surrounding the four of them.

As the sword flashed, the sharp sword energy sliced ​​through everything. The blood servants and the Black Fiend Cult leader fought desperately, but they were no match for him. Blood splattered and screams echoed.

Zhou Ding also manipulated Xiao Jin to launch a sneak attack underground. In just a short time, the four Blood Servants and the leader of the Black Fiend Sect were all killed by Zhou Ding.

With a thought, Zhou Ding took out a storage bag and then poured out a mountain of spoils.

He examined each item one by one, his eyes gleaming with thoughtful consideration.

The first thing that catches the eye is a few magical artifacts that exude a sinister aura.

A bowl, as black as ink, about the size of a bowl, with its surface engraved with hideous ghost faces, exudes a chilling aura that can steal your soul.

When Zhou Ding picked it up, he could feel the wailing of countless wronged souls inside, which made him feel uneasy.

The wronged souls struggled in the alms bowl, emitting mournful cries, as if trying to break free of their restraints and devour everything.

This is clearly a demonic artifact, specifically used to capture souls and refine evil magic.

If this item were to fall into the wrong hands, it would cause the deaths of countless people.

A sharp cone, only an inch long, yet crimson like blood, its tip gleaming with a cold light, faintly exuded the stench of blood.

This is the Blood Fiend Cone, forged from countless drops of blood essence. It is specifically designed to break through protective spiritual light and is extremely vicious.

The blood-red light contained endless resentment, as if telling the story of the slaughtered's unwillingness to accept their fate.

There were also several small black flags painted with images of evil spirits, clearly intended for setting up some kind of evil formation.

The flag was embroidered with hideous ghost faces, so lifelike they seemed ready to come to life at any moment. As the flag waved, faint sounds of ghostly wails and howls could be heard, sending chills down one's spine.

Zhou Ding shook his head and put the evil artifacts aside.

He doesn't need these things now, but they might be used for trading in the future.

Then there are five Five Elements Evil Pills of different colors.

Those were the four Blood Servants trained by the Black Fiend Sect and the items left behind by the sect leader after his death; each one contained a strong aura of malevolence.

Metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—five distinct colors—exuded an eerie glow.

The light flickered, as if a living thing were breathing.

Zhou Ding picked up one and could feel the violent power it contained.

Next came several jade slips of dark color.

Zhou Ding picked up one of them and immersed his consciousness into it.

As expected, what was recorded inside were the cultivation techniques practiced by the entire Black Fiend Sect.

The "Black Fiend Asura Technique" practiced by ordinary followers is crude and vicious. It uses fiendish energy to temper the body, and although it progresses quickly, it has endless consequences.

Those who practice this skill will gradually lose their humanity, become bloodthirsty and brutal, and eventually degenerate into monsters who only know how to kill.

The technique was filled with bloodshed and violence, making people uncomfortable to look at.

The "Demon-Slaying Technique" cultivated by the four Blood Servants involves selecting one of the five elements of malevolent energy to build a foundation, transforming oneself into a demon, making it more powerful, but also more likely to cause one to lose their mind, making them more terrifying than ordinary followers.

Those who practice this skill will gradually become demonic, growing scales and fangs, eventually turning into half-human, half-demon monsters.

The technique that Emperor Yue primarily cultivates is called "Blood Refining Divine Light," which requires a large amount of blood essence and baleful energy to temper. The resulting blood light is filthy and vicious, capable of polluting magical artifacts and eroding spiritual power. It is the most powerful and also the most dangerous.

The reason why the Yue Emperor was able to reach the late stage of Foundation Establishment was because of this cultivation technique.

That blood-light cultivation method requires slaughtering countless living beings and collecting their essence blood, making it extremely cruel.

Having read the original work, Zhou Ding naturally knew that these techniques and secret arts were basically derived from the fragments of the Xuan Yin Jing.

The complete "Mysterious Yin Scripture" is the top-level cultivation technique of the Extreme Yin Island in the Chaotic Star Sea. It is all-encompassing and is the island's most treasured artifact.

However, these fragments from the Yue Kingdom only inherited the quick-fix and vicious parts, losing the fundamental principles. The deeper one practiced them, the further one strayed from the true path, and ultimately, they inevitably backfired.

The Yue emperor is the best example.

He cultivated the Blood Refining Divine Light, becoming incredibly powerful, but he also completely lost his mind, turning into a bloodthirsty monster.

But these were not what he wanted on this trip.

He continued to examine the other jade slips.

Soon, they found their target in a grayish-white jade slip with an ancient texture.

"The Art of Killing Pills!"

This is an extremely bizarre and domineering secret technique that can be described as defying fate!

Zhou Ding's eyes lit up, and he immersed his consciousness in the text to read it carefully.

According to the jade slip, even if a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator has poor spiritual root aptitude and has severed their Great Dao, as long as they follow this method and take the "Blood Coagulation Five Elements Pill" refined using a special method, they will have one-third of the chance to forcibly condense a "pseudo-golden core" similar to the golden core of a Core Formation cultivator—the "Fiend Core"!

When this "Demon Core" is first successfully formed, its power, ability to amplify magical power, and life-extending effects are slightly inferior to those of a true Golden Core, but not far off. It is enough to give cultivators strength and lifespan comparable to those at the early stage of Core Formation!

For cultivators whose aptitude is too poor and who are destined to never form a core, this is simply a lifeline.

Even if there's only a one in three chance, it's worth taking the gamble.

After all, if you don't gamble, you're just waiting to die; if you gamble, there's still a glimmer of hope.

However, its flaws are also extremely fatal.

Because the "Demon Core" is a man-made pseudo-core, not a product of one's own Great Dao, once it is formed, one will never be able to make any further progress in one's life, and one's cultivation will forever stagnate at the level of the early stage of Core Formation.

Furthermore, because the condensation process is domineering and damages the foundation, the path to the future is completely severed, and there is no possibility of further advancement.

In other words, once you choose this path, you will forever be separated from the true path.

After reading it, a thoughtful look flashed in Zhou Ding's eyes.

He already knew this information.

What he valued was not using this technique to cultivate his own core.

He possesses the "Azure Origin Sword Manual," which points directly to the path of Nascent Soul, and has many other opportunities. His goal is to achieve the true Golden Core, Nascent Soul, or even higher. Why would he ruin his own future?

Although the Killing Pill is good, it is only a pseudo-pill and can never be improved further.

What he wanted was the true elixir, the foundation that could support him to go further.

What he wanted was to combine this secret technique with another secret method—the "External Avatar" technique—to create an external avatar for himself with the strength of the early stage of Core Formation!

Whether in the Yue Kingdom or in the Chaotic Star Sea, which is planned to be visited in the future, a Core Formation stage cultivator is enough to dominate a region and have a pivotal position and voice.

With a Core Formation stage avatar, many things become much easier.

For example, you can have an avatar stay in the cave while you go out to explore.

You can also send your avatar to do dangerous things while you stay behind.

His gaze then fell on another jade slip next to him, which contained the secret technique of "Avatar".

This was one of the purposes of his trip.

He picked up the jade slip and probed it with his divine sense.

The technique of "Avatar" is an ancient secret method. It requires the use of special materials to create an avatar body, and then the user's own primordial spirit is integrated into it to make it another version of themselves.

The avatar is connected to the original body's mind and spirit, and can think independently, cultivate, and fight, just like a second self.

The most crucial and difficult-to-find prerequisites for refining an incarnation are clearly recorded in the jade slip.

"The foundation of incarnation lies first and foremost in the physical body! One must possess spiritual roots, but the primordial spirit must not be solidified. For cultivators below the sixth level of Qi Refining, and after the primordial spirit is extracted, the physical body must be completely unharmed and its vitality undying, in order to bear the new consciousness!"

After reading it, Zhou Ding understood.

These conditions are extremely demanding.

Cultivators with spiritual roots are already rare.

Those whose primordial spirit is not yet solidified and whose cultivation level is below the sixth level of Qi Refining are even rarer.

To keep the physical body completely unharmed and the vitality intact after the primordial spirit is extracted is an incredibly difficult task.

But Zhou Ding already had someone in mind for this.

Naturally, it is the Qu Hun that Han Li used to refine his external avatar in the original work.

Qu Hun possesses spiritual roots, and because his body was possessed by a Core Formation cultivator from the Yu Ling Sect, his cultivation level is just below the sixth level of Qi Refining. Moreover, his physical body is strong and his vitality is vigorous, making him an excellent material for refining an avatar.

In the original story, Han Li used Qu Hun's physical body to create his own avatar.

That incarnation later condensed its evil core, possessing the strength of the early stage of Core Formation, and did a lot of things for Han Li.

Finally, Zhou Ding's gaze fell on a separate item wrapped in soft silk.

He picked it up and unfolded it.

This is a brocade handkerchief with a unique texture. It is neither silk nor linen, and it feels warm to the touch, but it is slightly yellowed, indicating that it is extremely old.

The silk was wrapped very carefully, layer upon layer, clearly showing that the owner cherished it greatly.

The handkerchief emitted an extremely faint, moonlit white light, which stood out especially in the darkness. The light was soft and mysterious, as if it contained some ancient power.

Under the light, the surrounding darkness seemed to fade.

On the handkerchief, embroidered with some unknown silver thread, was a map with simple lines, yet exuding a sense of vastness and antiquity.

The map is incomplete, with torn edges, and depicts a vast, turbulent sea in the center, dotted with islands and some ancient symbols that are difficult to identify.

The symbols were crooked and twisted, like some kind of ancient script, yet completely different from modern writing.

Each symbol seems to contain some profound meaning, making people want to explore it.

One corner was deliberately marked with a blurry palace-like pattern.

The palace was magnificent and imposing, floating above the sea, surrounded by clouds and mist, like a fairyland.

The palace's outline was faintly visible, as if it might disappear into the clouds at any moment.

The Fragmented Map of the Void!

Zhou Ding finally showed the most genuine smile he had worn on this trip, his eyes sparkling with satisfaction and anticipation.

The purpose of this trip has been successfully achieved.

Everything that was meant to be obtained has already been obtained.

The "Evil Elixir Technique" and the "External Avatar" secret methods are for refining external avatars; a complete fragment of the Void Heaven Map is an important certificate and guide for going to the Chaotic Star Sea and exploring the Void Heaven Palace.

He carefully put these things away, then stood up and walked out of the cave.

The sun was shining brightly outside, and a gentle breeze was blowing.

Zhou Ding took a deep breath, a determined look flashing in his eyes.

Next, I need to find the Soul of the Melody and then refine an external avatar.