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

Author Nongfu Spring 123 highly recommends: I hope you enjoy the story of "I Have a Demonic Beast Doppelganger in Yellow Maple Valley!" on Cola Novels.

Chapter Sixty-Two: Breaking the Treasure Chest's Restriction! The Heavenly Origin Token!

Zhou Ding stood outside the bamboo grove courtyard, his gaze falling on the few unfamiliar cultivators.

They were three middle-aged men, all at the Qi Refining stage. The leader was at the ninth level of Qi Refining, and the other two were at the seventh or eighth level.

They blocked the entrance to the courtyard, looking completely emboldened, and kept hurling threats at each other.

"Xin Ruyin, I advise you to be sensible and hand over the diagram of the Inverted Five Elements Formation!"

The leader's voice was hoarse and carried an undisguised threat.

"You've offended the Fu family! Let's see who dares to learn formations from you now! Has anyone else come this past month? If you know what's good for you, hand it over obediently, or you can just wait to die in this courtyard!"

Another person chimed in, their tone full of sarcasm.

"Your illness can't be delayed. Without spirit stones, you'll die in this courtyard sooner or later. And then, won't everything in this courtyard belong to the Fu family?"

The third person went even further, resorting to cursing.

The courtyard was silent; there was no response.

But the Fu family members weren't in a hurry; instead, they smiled smugly, as if they had Xin Ruyin completely under their control.

Zhou Ding frowned slightly.

The Fu family?

It's the Fu family again?

He remembered that two years ago, the Fu family had sent people to cause trouble, but they were scared away by his Foundation Establishment aura.

I thought the Fu family would behave better after that incident, but I didn't expect them to do it again.

And this time, they actually blocked the entrance, and the blockade lasted for a whole month?

He looked at those people, feeling somewhat disappointed.

He originally thought that Xin Ruyin's message to him meant that there had been progress in the ancient forbidden matter.

Unexpectedly, it was these people who harassed him and left him with no other choice but to ask me for help.

This feeling is like eagerly anticipating opening a big gift, only to find the box empty.

Zhou Ding shook his head, pulling himself out of his thoughts.

Now that we're here, we can't just stand by and watch someone die.

He strode forward and walked towards the courtyard gate.

The three members of the Fu family were talking smugly when they suddenly saw someone approaching. The leader's face darkened, and he raised his hand to block their way.

"Stop right there! You can't come in here, get out of here!"

He sized Zhou Ding up and down, noticing his ordinary clothes and unassuming aura, and assumed he was some arrogant rogue cultivator. His tone was extremely overbearing.

Zhou Ding stopped and looked at the man's face.

That gaze was calm as still water, yet it sent a chill down the spine of the leader.

But relying on the Fu family's reputation, he stubbornly refused to give way.

"What are you looking at? I'm talking to you! This is Fu family territory. If you know what's good for you, get out of here, or else..."

He hadn't finished speaking.

Zhou Ding unleashed an aura of power befitting a Foundation Establishment cultivator without reservation!

That oppressive aura was so tangible that it instantly enveloped the entire area!

The air seemed to freeze, the surrounding bamboo forest rustled, and bamboo leaves fell softly.

The arrogance on the faces of the three members of the Fu family froze instantly, their legs went weak, and they knelt down with a thud.

"A Foundation Establishment cultivator?!"

The leader's voice completely changed, becoming shrill and unlike that of a strong man. His face instantly turned ashen, and his eyes were filled with terror.

"Senior...please spare me! I was unaware of your arrival and have offended you. Please forgive me!"

He kowtowed repeatedly, his forehead hitting the ground with a dull thud.

The other two also kowtowed, their bodies trembling, unable to utter a single word.

Zhou Ding didn't even bother to look at them, simply uttering a single word.

"roll."

The word struck the three members of the Fu family like a thunderclap.

"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 fled the scene in a panic, disappearing into the bamboo forest in the blink of an eye.

From afar, the leader's terrified voice could still be heard: "Run! Run! That's a Foundation Establishment cultivator..."

Zhou Ding withdrew his gaze and walked towards the courtyard.

……

In the courtyard, everything remained the same.

The pavilion remains, the stone table remains, and the green bamboo remains.

only……

Xin Ruyin sat in the pavilion, her face as pale as paper, her brows shrouded in a lingering air of sickly melancholy.

She looked much more haggard than she had two years ago.

His eyes were sunken, his lips were pale, and he looked as if a gust of wind would knock him over.

Xiao Mei stood beside her, her eyes red-rimmed. When she saw Zhou Ding come in, she quickly came to greet him.

"Young Master Zhou, you've finally arrived!"

Her voice was choked with sobs, and her eyes were filled with gratitude.

Zhou Ding nodded, walked into the pavilion, and looked at Xin Ruyin.

Xin Ruyin barely managed to stand up, gave Zhou Ding a graceful bow, and spoke in a weak and apologetic voice.

"Please don't be offended, Young Master Zhou. Ruyin was desperate and had no other choice but to use the spirit talisman to alarm you."

Her tone was full of apology, clearly indicating that she was uneasy about using the talisman to resolve her personal matters.

Xiao Mei quickly chimed in, "Yes, Young Master Zhou, these members of the Fu family have been blocking this place for a month. They shout and curse at the door every day, driving away everyone who comes to learn formations. Miss is also sick and can't go out. If this continues, my young lady won't be able to hold on any longer."

As she spoke, her eyes reddened again.

Looking at Xin Ruyin's pale face, Zhou Ding understood.

Now that the medicine has run out of effect, the Dragon Roar Physique has started to flare up again.

He was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke.

"How's the research on the ancient forbidden items going?"

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

She knew that Zhou Ding had come here this time specifically to discuss the ancient forbidden matter.

However, it was indeed inappropriate for him to use a talisman for personal matters.

But she really had no other choice.

The Fu family blocked her door for a month, preventing her from leaving the house, taking on jobs, or earning spirit stones to buy life-extending pills.

That Snow Jade Ginseng was excellent, but it could only suppress the illness for two years.

Now that the medicine has run out of effect, her Dragon Roar Physique has flared up again, and she won't be able to hold on for much longer.

She wouldn't have used that talisman if she hadn't been truly desperate.

She took a deep breath, suppressing her apology, and said softly, "Young Master Zhou, rest assured, I have almost figured out how to break the ancient restriction. Give me another month, and I will definitely be able to break it."

Zhou Ding nodded.

"Okay. Then let's wait another month."

He paused, his gaze falling on Xin Ruyin's pale face.

"As for the Fu family, you don't need to worry. With me here, they won't come again."

Upon hearing this, Xin Ruyin's eyes flashed with gratitude, and she bowed again.

"Thank you, Young Master Zhou."

Xiaomei thanked them repeatedly, her face full of joy.

Zhou Ding waved his hand, indicating that the two did not need to be so polite.

He turned and left the courtyard, then went to an inn in the market to stay.

For the next month, he stayed in the Tianxing Sect market, waiting for Xin Ruyin to break the ancient restriction while acquiring the essence blood of level three demon beasts.

……

Time flies, and the month is up.

On this day, Zhou Ding came to the bamboo grove courtyard again.

In the courtyard, Xin Ruyin was already waiting in the pavilion.

Her complexion was better than it was a month ago, clearly indicating that she had been able to rest peacefully without the disturbance from her family over the past month.

Seeing Zhou Ding enter, she stood up, a relieved smile on her face.

"Young Master Zhou, Ruyin has fulfilled his mission without fail."

Zhou Ding was overjoyed and quickly took out the golden treasure chest from his storage bag, gently placing it on the stone table.

The treasure chest remained unchanged, and the pale blue light curtain continued to flow endlessly, with countless fine runes moving within it, exuding an unshakeable aura of resilience.

But Zhou Ding knew that this restriction would be broken today.

Xin Ruyin walked to the treasure chest, took a deep breath, took out several array flags from her bosom, and inserted them one by one into the stone table around the treasure chest.

Those banners were only the size of a palm, with intricate runes engraved on their surfaces, and a faint spiritual light emanating from them.

After she planted the array flags, she asked Zhou Ding for a few mid-grade spirit stones and embedded them into the base of the array flags.

After completing these preparations, she looked up at Zhou Ding.

"Young Master Zhou, Ruyin is about to begin. This process may take a while, so please be patient."

Zhou Ding nodded, took a few steps back, and sat down on a stone bench nearby.

Xin Ruyin took a deep breath, formed hand seals, and began to break the restriction.

She moved slowly and carefully.

Each time a spell is cast, the array flag trembles slightly and emits a beam of light.

The lights intertwined, gradually forming a complex array that enveloped the golden treasure chest.

The array made contact with the restrictions on the treasure chest, emitting a slight buzzing sound.

The runes on the light screen began to flicker and their circulation accelerated, as if resisting the erosion of the formation.

Xin Ruyin remained calm as she continuously changed hand seals, casting spells into the formation.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and her face grew paler and paler, but she clenched her teeth and remained motionless.

Time passed by, second by second.

One hour.

Two hours.

Three hours.

As night falls, the moonlight shines down, draping the bamboo forest in a silvery veil.

Zhou Ding sat to the side, watching quietly without making a sound.

He could sense that Xin Ruyin was engaged in a silent battle with that ancient restriction.

finally--

"Buzz!"

A soft sound came from the treasure chest.

The pale blue light barrier fluctuated violently, the runes on it flashed wildly, and then...

"Click—"

Like the sound of breaking glass.

Countless fine cracks appeared on the light screen, and those cracks spread rapidly, covering the entire light screen in the blink of an eye.

The next moment, the light screen shattered with a crash, turning into specks of spiritual light and dissipating.

The golden treasure chest lay quietly on the stone table, now free from any protective barriers.

Xin Ruyin swayed and almost fell over.

She leaned against the stone table, her face as pale as paper, but her eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Young Master Zhou, the ancient restriction has been broken..."

Before she could finish speaking, everything went black, and she fainted.

"Miss!"

Xiao Mei exclaimed in surprise and rushed over to support Xin Ruyin.

"Miss! Miss, what's wrong? Don't scare Xiaomei!"

She held Xin Ruyin in her arms, tears welling up in her eyes.

Zhou Ding's expression changed, and he quickly stepped forward, took out a pill from his pocket, and fed it to Xin Ruyin.

That was a top-grade Nourishing Essence Pill, which had a remarkable effect on restoring vital energy.

The pill melted instantly upon entering her mouth, and a warm medicinal power spread throughout Xin Ruyin's body.

After a short while, Xin Ruyin's breathing became more stable, and her complexion improved slightly.

Zhou Ding breathed a sigh of relief and said to Xiao Mei, "Help your young lady inside to rest. She's just overexerted; she'll recover in a few days."

Xiao Mei nodded repeatedly, wiping away her tears, and helped Xin Ruyin into the house.

Zhou Ding watched the two enter the house, then turned and returned to the pavilion.

His gaze fell on the golden treasure chest.

The treasure chest lay quietly on the stone table, its lid tightly closed, with no further restrictions or obstructions.

Zhou Ding took a deep breath, reached out, and slowly opened the box lid.

The moment the lid was lifted, a rustic and ancient aura wafted out.

Two things lay quietly inside.

A golden token and a pale blue jade slip.

Zhou Dingxian picked up the token.

The token is palm-sized, gold in color, and feels heavy in the hand; it's unclear what kind of metal it's made of.

On the front of the token are three simple, ancient characters—

Tianyuan Order.

Zhou Ding's pupils contracted slightly.

Tianyuan Order?

He examined the token carefully, turning it over and over several times.

On the back of the token are engraved some intricate patterns that faintly form the pattern of an array.