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

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Two months later.

Deep within Jinji Ridge, in that hidden cave.

The soft light from the luminous pearl illuminated the simple stone chamber.

Traces of the excavation remain on the cave walls, the ground is uneven, and some debris is piled up in the corners.

But for Zhou Ding, who has hardly left his house for the past two months, this place is everything to him.

A figure sat cross-legged, his breathing steady and his complexion rosy.

After taking a large amount of pills, his condition has recovered.

The relentless refinement day and night for two months, the countless depletions of essence and blood, the countless exhaustion of magical power, and the countless times of excruciating pain in one's consciousness, finally came to an end at this moment.

Zhou Ding opened his eyes, a hint of fatigue flashing across them, but more so, excitement.

The exhaustion was deep in his bones; two months of torment had pushed his body and mind to their limits.

But that excitement burned like a flame in his heart, dispelling all his fatigue.

He stood up and stretched his stiff body.

The bones made a slight "crackling" sound, and the muscles were extremely sore.

I haven't moved much in two months, and my body is starting to rust.

Then, he looked across at the other side.

Qu Hun stood there quietly, his eyes slightly lowered, like a statue.

His body was covered in dust, and his hair was a mess, but his eyes already shone with light.

His aura was completely different from two months ago. Although it was still at the fifth level of Qi Refining, the aura was weak but real, proving that the body had "come back to life".

Successful.

Zhou Ding's face showed satisfaction.

The creation of this avatar went very smoothly.

Although the process was painful and extremely costly, the result was satisfactory.

The separated divine consciousness has completely merged with this physical body, forming a complete meridian circulation, simulating a structure similar to a spiritual root, and the divine soul imprint has been deeply imprinted.

From this moment on, this body is his other self.

He could sense everything within Zhou Jin's body—the direction of his meridians, the flow of his magical power, the rhythm of his heartbeat, and the frequency of his breathing.

The feeling was like having a completely new body, yet being in perfect harmony with and inseparable from the original body.

He could sense the faint but real life force within Zhou Jin's body, the slow operation of that divine consciousness source, and the gradual adaptation of that body to the new "soul".

Every heartbeat, every breath, was clearly transmitted to his mind.

As soon as he had a thought, Zhou Jin opened his eyes and looked at him.

Those eyes, which originally belonged to Qu Hun, were empty and lifeless.

That was the blank space left after the primordial spirit was extracted, like a walking corpse.

But now, there was a light in those eyes, a light that belonged to Zhou Ding.

Although the light was faint, it was real, proving that the body was no longer an empty shell, but had a "self".

Zhou Ding smiled slightly.

From now on, your name will be Zhou Jin.

He gave this avatar this name.

Xiao Jin is his spirit pet and also his alter ego, having accompanied him for many years.

This incarnation was also a part of him, so he chose this name as a way of commemorating him and also as a way of expressing his hopes.

Zhou Jin nodded.

Zhou Ding took out a pill and handed it to Zhou Jin.

It was a elixir for strengthening the body and nourishing the vital energy; it was crystal clear and emitted a rich medicinal fragrance.

Zhou Jin took it and put it in his mouth.

The pill entered his stomach and transformed into a warm medicinal power, nourishing his body.

The medicinal power spread throughout his body, permeating his meridians, flesh, and bones, making his newly "alive" body even more stable.

Zhou Ding nodded in satisfaction.

With his current resources, it won't be long before he can help Zhou Jin establish his foundation.

Once Zhou Jin reaches the late Foundation Establishment stage, he will use the Fiend Pill Technique to forcibly condense the Fiend Pill, achieving the strength of the early Core Formation stage.

An external avatar of a Core Formation stage cultivator...

A look of anticipation flashed in Zhou Ding's eyes.

An incarnation at the Core Formation stage can do so many things.

You can have your avatar stay in the cave while you go out to explore; you can have your avatar do dangerous things while you stay behind; you can have your avatar fight someone while you secretly intervene...

However, that's a matter for later.

Now, there is one more thing to do.

"Next, we should go find that golden-backed mantis."

Zhou Ding muttered to himself, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

In the original story, the golden-backed mantis was not far from Qu Hun's location.

When that Core Formation cultivator from the Spirit Control Sect perished, his primordial spirit hurriedly left with his natal magic treasure, hiding his spirit pet Black and his storage bag in a nearby cave.

Now that the Core Formation cultivator from the Spirit Control Sect is dead, the Golden-backed Demon Mantis, as his natal spirit beast, will inevitably be affected to some extent.

The breaking of the life contract will cause the spirit beast to suffer a backlash, which may result in damage to its cultivation or even injury to its soul.

Given that it has been neglected for so many years, its condition must be very poor.

This is a perfect opportunity to subdue it.

Zhou Ding's goal was naturally to subdue Xiao Jin using his Soul-Capturing Eyes.

If they can be subdued, they will be a great asset in the future.

Whether exploring hidden realms or facing powerful enemies, it can be of great use.

Moreover, the Golden-backed Demon Mantis is ranked 73rd on the list of extraordinary insects, and has great potential.

The List of Extraordinary Insects compiles extraordinary insects from all over the world; those that make it onto the list are no ordinary creatures.

The Golden-backed Mantis ranks seventy-third, which, while not top-tier, is still extremely rare.

Once mature, it can fight against Core Formation cultivators. If properly nurtured, it might become a powerful assistant like Little Gold.

Little Gold evolved from an ordinary treasure-hunting mouse, and has great potential.

The Golden-backed Demon Mantis is an extraordinary insect, and its potential is beyond question.

A look of anticipation flashed in Zhou Ding's eyes.

He released Xiao Jin, a thought forming in his mind.

Xiao Jin emerged from the corner, instantly disappearing underground and activating his Earth Listening Technique at full power.

An invisible wave emanated from Xiao Jin, spreading in all directions, penetrating rocks, soil, and all obstacles.

Every blade of grass, every tree, every insect, and every beast in the entire Golden Rooster Ridge was clearly presented in Zhou Ding's perception.

He could "see" the mountain stream, crystal clear, with fish swimming around.

You can "see" the squirrels inside the tree hole, munching on pine cones.

It can "see" the wild rabbits in the grass and prick up its ears to listen alertly to the sounds around it.

You can "see" the underground mineral veins, a thin spiritual vein winding through them.

You can "see" the texture of the rock, layer by layer, recording the traces of time.

Half a day later.

The Earth Listening Technique provided feedback.

Zhou Ding's eyes lit up.

found it!

……

After a while.

Deep in Jinji Ridge, above a dense forest.

Zhou Ding piloted the Divine Wind Boat, hovering in mid-air.

Below is a dense primeval forest, with ancient trees reaching for the sky and blocking out the sun.

Sunlight could only filter through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

The air is filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees, mixed with the aroma of earth, which is refreshing and invigorating.

Zhou Ding looked into the depths of the dense forest, his gaze piercing through layers of branches and leaves, landing on the entrance of a hidden cave.

The cave was located on a steep mountain wall, several tens of feet above the ground, and was completely hidden by dense vines.

You wouldn't notice it at all if you didn't look closely.

Inside the cave, a faint golden light shimmered—the light reflected from the carapace of the Golden-backed Demon Mantis.

Zhou Ding released his divine sense and silently probed into the cave.

A moment later, he withdrew his divine sense, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

The golden-backed mantis is inside.

His divine sense clearly "saw" its appearance.

It was a strange creature that inspired fear.

It was slightly smaller than usual, but the sense of oppression it gave off far exceeded that of any human cultivator.

Its entire body was covered with a dark gold carapace, which gleamed with a cold metallic light in the darkness, as if it were wearing a thick layer of armor.

Each piece of the carapace fits tightly together, perfectly sealed, without any flaws.

The joints are sharply defined and exude a sense of power; every part of it resembles a meticulously designed killing machine.

The structure of the joints, the attachment of the muscles, and the distribution of the carapace are all perfectly designed, allowing it to move quickly and unleash tremendous power.

Its head and forelimbs are the most striking features.

Its head is small and triangular, with two slender antennae at the top that tremble slightly, as if sensing everything around it.

Its eyes are compound eyes, composed of countless tiny crystals that reflect a cold, eerie light in the darkness.

Its compound eyes can detect the slightest movements and subtlest changes, making it invincible in battle.

In front of it grow two "forelimbs" that are extremely disproportionate to its body size.

Those were not the legs of ordinary insects at all, but two huge scythe-shaped blades, each three feet long, pitch black, with incredibly sharp edges, and gleaming with a dark, cold light!

The blade's arm is naturally covered with fine serrations and barbs, each serration being incredibly sharp, as if capable of tearing anything apart.

The serrations were arranged so closely together, like rows of sharp teeth, that once they bit their prey, they would never let go.

Even when still, the pair of scythes exuded a terrifying aura that could cut through anything.

One can imagine what a terrifying sight it would be when those sickles were swung.

Any defense is as flimsy as paper before those two scythes.

At this moment, the Golden-backed Mantis was resting in the cave.

Its aura was clearly not at its peak; it was somewhat listless and weak.

The golden light emanating from its body had dimmed considerably, no longer possessing its former brilliance.

Those compound eyes had also lost their luster and looked somewhat dull.

Clearly, the death of its owner, coupled with the long period of neglect, severely damaged the animal.

Zhou Ding secretly made his plans.

Although this demonic insect was not at its peak, it was still a level four demonic beast.

If it's a direct confrontation, cleaning up the mess will be quite troublesome.

The Golden-backed Demon Mantis is extremely fast, and its pair of scythes are incredibly lethal. If it gets close, even a Core Formation cultivator will suffer.

While his current strength is sufficient to defeat it, he will have to pay a price.

If it escapes during the battle, all our previous efforts will be wasted.

Considering that fighting in the cave would be difficult and that it would be easy for the creature to escape, Zhou Ding decided to lure it out and set up an array to deal with it.

……

After a while.

On an open space not far from the cave.

Zhou Ding took out the array flags and began to set up the Inverted Five Elements Array.

He planted the flags into the ground one by one, arranging them according to specific directions.

As each array flag was placed, a faint five-colored light flickered, and runes flowed, gradually forming a complete array.

The first pole, planted due east, gleamed with golden light.

The second pole, placed due south, gleamed with a bright red light.

The third pole, placed due west, gleamed with a chilling white light.

The fourth pole, placed due north, was shrouded in black mist.

The fifth pole, placed in the center, gleams with a thick, yellow light.

A flagpole was inserted, and five-colored rays of light gradually connected, forming a complete cycle.

The five elements interact and counteract each other, resonating with one another, and ultimately transforming into a five-colored light curtain that enveloped the entire open space.

This is an upgraded version of the Inverted Five Elements Formation, capable of withstanding attacks from late-stage Core Formation cultivators.

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It's more than enough to trap a level four monster that's in poor condition.

After setting up the formation, Zhou Ding captured another wild beast.

It was a wild boar, plump and strong, weighing at least two or three hundred pounds.

It was digging for food in the woods when Zhou Ding knocked it unconscious with a single slap.

He used a dagger to make a cut on the wild boar's leg, and blood immediately gushed out, filling the air with the stench of blood.

The pungent, bloody smell was enough to attract carnivores from miles around.

Zhou Ding threw the wild boar into the center of the formation, then hid and waited quietly.

He concealed his presence, hid behind a large tree, and remained motionless.

Time passed by, second by second.

A quarter of an hour.

Two quarters of an hour.

Half an hour.

Zhou Ding waited patiently.

He knew that in times like these, there was no time to rush.

After waiting for nearly half an hour, just when Zhou Ding thought the demonic insect wouldn't fall for the trick, his divine sense suddenly detected movement.

Inside the cave, the golden-backed mantis stirred.

It seemed to smell blood; its tentacles trembled slightly, capturing the scent molecules in the air.

The tentacles swayed gently, like two sensitive antennas, searching for the source of the scent in the air.

A moment later, it determined its direction.

It stood up and silently crawled out of the cave.

Its movements were swift yet silent. Its six legs moved simultaneously, perfectly coordinated, without making a sound.

The pair of enormous scythes swayed gently, yet not even the air was disturbed.

It was like a golden ghost, moving through the dense forest without disturbing a single leaf in its path.

A moment later, it reached the edge of the formation.

It saw the wounded wild boar; blood was still flowing, and the boar was still twitching slightly.

It cautiously surveyed its surroundings, its compound eyes scanning every inch of space, while countless tiny crystals rotated simultaneously, leaving no corner unchecked.

After confirming there was no danger, it quickly rushed over.

It was as fast as lightning, and in an instant it rushed to the wild boar's side.

It grabbed the wild boar and was about to leave—

With a thought, Zhou Ding instantly activated the Reversed Five Elements Formation!

A five-colored light curtain suddenly rose up, enveloping the Golden-backed Demon Mantis!

The golden-backed mantis was terrified. It abandoned the wild boar and rushed madly toward the light screen.

Its speed was astonishing; the pair of scythes left two black afterimages in the air before slashing fiercely at the light screen!

"boom!"

With a loud bang, the light screen trembled violently, the runes flickered wildly, and the five-colored light flashed erratically.

The entire formation was trembling, as if it would collapse at any moment.

But the light curtain remained completely still.

Although the light barrier trembled violently, it never broke.

The runes flickered a few times, then stabilized and continued to circulate.

The golden-backed mantis emitted a sharp hiss and continued its attack.

Its scythe struck the light screen again and again, producing loud clanging sounds like tolling bells. Its speed increased, its attacks became more and more frenzied, and the entire light screen trembled violently.

But the light screen remained completely still.

This upgraded version of the Inverted Five Elements Formation can even withstand attacks from late-stage Core Formation cultivators, so it's naturally not something a weak level four demon beast could destroy.

The golden-backed mantis attacked for a full day and night.

It used its scythe to slash, its body to ram, and its teeth to bite—it used every means at its disposal.

It even tried to dig its way out, but the ground was also shrouded in an array, making it impossible to dig.

But the light screen remained completely still, without even a crack.

Its demonic energy was rapidly depleting, and its aura was becoming increasingly weak.

The dark golden carapace lost its luster and turned gray.

The fierce light in those compound eyes gradually faded, replaced by weariness and despair.

the next day.

It continued its attack, but its speed and strength decreased.

Its scythe struck the light screen, causing it to tremble slightly, and even the runes stopped flashing.

Day three.

It finally stopped. He was on the ground, panting heavily.

It lay there, motionless, with only its belly rising and falling slightly.

Seeing that the time was right, Zhou Ding took out a mid-level Imprisoning Wood Talisman, activated it, and threw it into the formation.

The Imprisoning Wood Talisman transformed into countless blue vines, growing wildly from the ground and instantly binding the Golden-backed Demon Mantis tightly, rendering it unable to move.

The vines were incredibly tough, tightening even more the more it struggled, binding its six legs and the pair of sickles tightly.

The golden-backed mantis struggled a few times, but couldn't break free at all.

It could only let out a weak hiss, its eyes filled with fear and resentment.

The piercing, desperate cry was so poignant that it evoked a sense of pity in the listener.

Zhou Ding stepped forward and stood outside the light screen.

He looked at the trapped demonic insect, his heart as still as a deep well.

He released Xiao Jin, a thought forming in his mind.

Little Gold arrived in front of the Golden-backed Mantis, and its golden eyes suddenly emitted an eerie purple light!

Soul-Capturing Eyes!

The purple light was deep and dark, like two purple flames burning in Xiao Jin's eye sockets, shooting straight into the compound eyes of the Golden-backed Demon Mantis.

The golden-backed mantis's body trembled violently.

Its consciousness struggled frantically, trying to resist this bizarre invasion.

It is a level four demon beast with considerable intelligence, and it knows what this means.

It doesn't want to be enslaved, it doesn't want to lose its freedom.

Within its sea of ​​consciousness, a faint light pulsed wildly; that was its primordial spirit, its last stand.

But Zhou Ding was prepared.

He switched his consciousness to Xiao Jin, and his powerful divine sense instantly overwhelmed him!

That was a full-force suppression based on his mid-stage Core Formation divine sense, as vast as the sea and as heavy as a mountain!

That divine sense, like a monstrous wave, instantly surged into the Golden-backed Demon Mantis's sea of ​​consciousness, completely enveloping that faint light.

The Golden-backed Demon Mantis struggled and resisted, but its resistance seemed so pale and powerless in the face of that overwhelming divine consciousness.

Its resistance grew weaker and weaker until it finally gave up completely.

The faint light stopped flickering and gradually became docile.

A moment later, its eyes changed.

From fear and resentment, they turned into meekness and obedience.

Those compound eyes regained their light, but it was no longer a fierce light; instead, it shone with loyalty.

Zhou Ding withdrew his consciousness and looked at the now docile golden-backed mantis in front of him, a satisfied expression on his face.

Successful.

With a thought, the golden-backed mantis struggled to raise its head and look at him, its eyes full of docility.

The pair of enormous scythes swayed gently, but showed no intention of attacking.

It even let out a few soft chirps, as if trying to win over its new owner.

Zhou Ding took out several pills to treat the injuries and restore qi and blood, and tossed them to it.

Those were specially refined pills, specifically for healing demonic beasts.

It contains Nourishing Essence Pills, Cultivating Essence Pills, and Qi and Blood Pills, all of which are of superior quality.

The golden-backed mantis opened its mouth and swallowed the pills. The pills entered its stomach, transforming into a warm medicinal power that nourished its injured body.

The medicinal power spread throughout its body, merging into its flesh, bones, and demon core.

Its breathing gradually stabilized, and the light in its eyes returned somewhat.

The dark golden carapace regained its luster.

Zhou Ding nodded.

This golden-backed mantis will be his from now on.

After subduing the Golden-backed Demon Mantis, Zhou Ding went to its cave.

The cave wasn't large, but it was very deep. The entrance was hidden by vines, and the inside was pitch black.

The cave walls were covered with claw marks, crisscrossing each other, clearly dug out by the golden-backed mantis's scythe.

The claw marks were several inches deep, which gives an idea of ​​how sharp the sickles were.

After walking several dozen feet, the view suddenly opened up before us.

This is a natural karst cave, several meters square.

Many stalactites hung from the cave ceiling, faintly glowing in the darkness.

The ground was fairly flat, covered with dry grass and branches, clearly the nest of the golden-backed mantis.

Next to the nest, there was a storage bag.

The storage bag was dusty and covered in dirt, clearly indicating that it hadn't been touched in a long time.

But because of its special material, it has not been damaged at all, even after so long.

Zhou Ding picked up the storage bag and probed it with his divine sense.

Inside were bottles and jars, neatly stacked.

Most of them were engraved with the words "Food for a certain demon beast" or "Food for a certain insect." Clearly, these were prepared by the cultivators of the Spirit Control Sect for the various spirit beasts he had bred.

Zhou Ding casually picked up a bottle, opened it, and took a look.

It contained some black particles that emitted a strange smell.

He sniffed it and discovered it was a special kind of elixir, specifically used to feed spirit beasts.

The other half, slightly better, consisted of various insect samples in transparent bottles; they were dead but well-preserved.

Each bottle was engraved with the name of an insect, which Zhou Ding had never heard of or seen before.

The insects were all kinds of strange creatures; some looked like a thread, some like a grain of rice, some had wings, and some had poisonous stings.

Each one is so lifelike, as if it might come to life at any moment.

At the very bottom of the storage bag, a green jade slip was found.

The jade slip was entirely emerald green, radiating a faint spiritual light, quite unlike those dull gray bottles.

Clearly, this is the true inheritance of this Spirit Control Sect cultivator.

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

A moment later, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes.

This jade slip contains some insights from this cultivator of the Spirit Control Sect on cultivating rare insects.

It not only introduces thousands of strange insects that Zhou Ding had never heard of, but also records some secret methods for cultivating and controlling insects.

How to select insect eggs, how to hatch larvae, how to feed them, how to train them, how to fight... every step is clearly written.

Although most of it was of little use to him, the method of breeding the Golden-backed Beetle was quite valuable.

The diet of the Golden-backed Demon Mantis, its growth cycle, its advancement conditions, its fighting style... are all recorded in great detail.

With these methods, he can better nurture the newly subdued demonic insect.

"Maybe it will come in handy someday."

Zhou Ding put the jade slip away.

He searched the cave again to make sure nothing was missed before leaving.

Outside the cave, the sun shone brightly.

Golden sunlight streamed down, dispelling the gloom in the mountains and forests.

The birds sang merrily on the branches, as if celebrating something.

Zhou Ding stood on the open ground, looking at Zhou Jin and the Golden-backed Mantis in front of him, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

An avatar, a level four demonic insect.

The trip was much more fruitful than expected.

Zhou Jin stood quietly to the side, his breathing steady.

Although he is only at the fifth level of Qi Refining, it won't be long before he can establish his foundation, condense his evil core, and become a Core Formation stage cultivator.

The golden-backed mantis lay on the ground, its enormous scythes tucked away in front of it, as quiet as a pet.

It occasionally raised its head to look at Zhou Ding, its eyes full of obedience.

Zhou Ding looked up into the distance.

"Next, it's time to head to the Crimson Forbidden Zone."

Now that the avatar has been successfully created and the ancient restrictions of the Crimson Forbidden Land are about to weaken, it is the best time to enter the Crimson Forbidden Land.

With a thought, Zhou Ding sent the Divine Wind Boat soaring into the sky as a white streak of light.

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