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

Chapter Five: Treasure Hunt in the Taiyue Mountains! Chen Qiaoqian!

Zhou Ding opened the storage bag directly.

There wasn't much inside:

A palm-sized, willow-leaf-shaped, shimmering blue shuttle is a high-quality flying artifact.

A three-edged spike, entirely black with a tip gleaming with a cold light, is also a high-level offensive magic weapon.

In addition, there were fifty or sixty low-grade spirit stones, a few bottles of ordinary healing and qi-restoring pills, and some miscellaneous refining materials.

"Judging from the configuration of this magic weapon and the number of spirit stones, the original owner was most likely a cultivator at the peak of the Qi Refining stage, and his wealth was quite substantial." Zhou Ding felt slightly gratified.

The two high-level magic artifacts, along with the spirit stones, are worth another one or two hundred spirit stones, which is quite a windfall.

They explored for another half hour, but found nothing more.

Zhou Ding was not greedy, knowing that treasure hunting was all about chance, and although the Taiyue Mountains were vast, spiritual objects were not everywhere.

He glanced at the sky, put away Little Gold, and quietly returned to Xuankun Mountain.

A tally of today's gains: one hundred-year-old Jade Spirit Grass, one high-grade flying magic weapon "Willow Leaf Shuttle", one high-grade attack magic weapon "Black Light Cone", fifty-six low-grade spirit stones, plus other odds and ends.

The total value is close to four hundred low-grade spirit stones!

This is a huge sum of money for a Qi Refining stage disciple.

Having tasted success, Zhou Ding did not act rashly.

In the following period, he maintained a fixed rhythm, taking Xiao Jin to explore the area within dozens of miles of the Taiyue Mountains every half month or so.

This distance is both far from the areas where sect cultivators usually operate and not in a remote location where they might encounter overly powerful demonic beasts, making it relatively safe.

……

Half a year has passed in the blink of an eye.

Xuankun Mountain Courtyard.

In the quiet room, Zhou Ding slowly finished his practice, exhaling a wisp of blue aura with a slight medicinal fragrance.

He had just taken a "Condensing Essence Pill," a pill suitable for improving magical power in the late stage of Qi Refining. Its medicinal effects were mild and long-lasting. He had purchased it from Wanbaolou using the treasures he had collected during his treasure hunt over the past six months.

"At this rate, with the help of sufficient Qi Condensation Pills, I should be able to break through to the twelfth level of Qi Refining in at most another year." Zhou Ding secretly estimated, feeling quite at ease.

With ample resources, the path of cultivation became much smoother.

My gaze drifted to the corner of the quiet room, where Xiao Jin was curled up in a ball, seemingly fast asleep, her breathing steady and long.

However, as soon as Zhou Ding made contact, he could clearly sense that compared to when Xiao Jin had just advanced to the first-level high rank half a year ago, Xiao Jin's demonic power had become much more profound and solid, and its body was also stronger.

In the past six months, it has consumed nearly two hundred metal and earth elemental spirit stones, and its growth rate far exceeds that of ordinary demon beasts.

Zhou Ding spared no expense in doing so.

He knew that Xiao Jin's growth was closely related to his own future.

If we can help him reach the top level of level one as soon as possible, the range and effect of the Earth Listening Technique will be improved again, greatly increasing the efficiency of treasure hunting.

More importantly, the feedback that the entity receives at that time may be even more astonishing!

…………

After finishing his cultivation for the day, Zhou Ding got up. Feeling a little stuffy in the room, he strolled out of the courtyard and wandered leisurely along the quiet mountain path of Xuankun Mountain.

The mountain path is lined with lush trees, and occasionally you can see monks emerging from other courtyards, some hurrying along, others leisurely enjoying the scenery.

When Zhou Ding encountered several disciples from other cultivation families whom he had met a few times before, he stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and exchanged a few pleasantries, maintaining a superficial harmony.

As they walked, a slightly surprised voice came from ahead:

"Junior Brother Zhou? Long time no see!"

Zhou Ding looked up and saw a middle-aged cultivator in his thirties, dressed in a brocade robe, with a kind face, walking towards him with a smile.

Behind this person were a young man and a woman.

The man was in his early twenties, tall and handsome, but his eyes and brows carried an undisguised air of arrogance. When his gaze swept over Zhou Ding, it was with a hint of scrutiny and a touch of indifference.

The woman was even younger, around sixteen or seventeen, with a slender figure. She wore a pale yellow dress, had a beautiful face, fair skin, and a gentle demeanor that carried the refined elegance of a noblewoman.

Information about the person immediately came to Zhou Ding's mind.

Chen Qiaotian comes from the Chen family, one of the high-ranking immortal cultivation families under Huangfeng Valley. He is a direct descendant of the Chen family and his cultivation level is at the twelfth level of Qi Refining. He had interacted with the other party a few times before and found him to be a cheerful and enthusiastic person.

"Senior Brother Chen, it's been a long time." Zhou Ding stopped and returned the greeting with a respectful but not servile attitude.

"Haha, Junior Brother Zhou has been keeping a low profile lately, it's rare to see you here." Chen Qiaotian stepped forward and patted Zhou Ding's shoulder warmly, appearing quite familiar with him.

He then stepped aside to introduce the two people behind him, his tone clearly full of admiration: "Come, Junior Brother Zhou, let me introduce you to two outstanding talents. This is Junior Brother Lu Mingyuan, who possesses a rare wind-attribute spiritual root. He is exceptionally talented and is currently one of the most prominent figures among the Qi Refining disciples of our Yellow Maple Valley!"

The handsome young man named Lu Mingyuan merely nodded slightly to Zhou Ding upon hearing this, a polite but distant smile appearing on his lips, before looking away. Clearly, he did not take Zhou Ding, this "lower-class aristocratic scion," seriously.

Chen Qiaotian seemed used to Lu Mingyuan's attitude and showed no embarrassment. She then smiled and pointed to the girl beside her, her tone softening: "This is my younger sister, Qiaoqian. Qiaoqian, and this is Senior Brother Zhou Ding from the Zhou family."

Chen Qiaoqian!

Zhou Ding's heart stirred slightly; he was quite familiar with this name.

Isn't this the Miss Chen from the original story, who had a complicated relationship with Han Li?

Therefore, Han Li should have already joined Huangfeng Valley and was quietly "developing" somewhere.

He glanced at Chen Qiaoqian without making a sound. The young girl was in her prime, with a beautiful face and a refined temperament. Standing next to the handsome Lu Mingyuan, they seemed like a perfect couple at first glance.

However, Zhou Ding, who was familiar with the subsequent plot, remembered it clearly.

It was this seemingly outstanding Lu Mingyuan who, in order to seize the Foundation Establishment Pill, would soon kill Chen Qiaoqian in the Taiyue Mountains, but by chance, he ended up "helping" Han Li, who happened to be passing by.

Chen Qiaotian continued enthusiastically, "Junior Brother Zhou, Junior Brother Lu, and Qiaoqian, we all come from families of cultivators. We should get closer to each other in this Yellow Maple Valley so that we can take care of each other in the future and be of one mind with each other."

Upon hearing this, Lu Mingyuan's eyes flashed with a barely perceptible hint of disapproval. His lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but after glancing at the gentle Chen Qiaoqian beside him, he ultimately remained silent.

Zhou Ding took everything in, his mind clear and calm.

Mutual support?

Like siblings?

He knew all too well that the relationships between cultivation families were intricate and intertwined with interests.

The Zhou family is merely a low-ranking aristocratic family, and the only Foundation Establishment ancestor in the clan has little lifespan left. In the eyes of these people, they probably have little value in "supporting" them.

What Zhou Ding sought was his own path to enlightenment; he had no intention or interest in getting involved in the social interactions and grudges of these aristocratic scions.

He maintained a polite smile, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Chen Qiaotian's words. After exchanging a few simple pleasantries, he excused himself, bowed, and took his leave, continuing his leisurely stroll along the mountain path.

Behind them, the faint sounds of Chen Qiaotian and Lu Mingyuan talking and laughing in hushed tones could be heard, along with Chen Qiaoqian's gentle, brief responses.