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

"I Have a Demonic Beast Doppelganger in Yellow Maple Valley!" - Stunning writing style and a thrilling plot!

Chapter Sixty-Five: Secret Market Auction! Divine Sense Technique! Soul-Destroying Thorn! Xin Ruyin's Response!

After leaving the bamboo grove courtyard, Zhou Ding walked slowly along the bluestone path.

Zhou Ding's shadow stretched long in the sunlight, his steps unhurried, yet a ripple stirred within his heart.

He didn't know if Xin Ruyin would agree.

This woman is gentle and kind, yet extremely opinionated.

Behind those clear, watery eyes lies a wise and cautious heart.

Through their time together, he had already realized that Xin Ruyin was not the kind of person who could be easily moved.

Will she agree?

Zhou Ding couldn't say for sure.

If he agrees, he will have a cultivation partner who is proficient in formations, and the Yin-Yang Creation Technique will also come in handy.

With Xin Ruyin's talent in array formations, coupled with her own resources, she will surely become a great asset in the future.

The two support each other and cultivate together, allowing them to go further on the path of cultivation.

More importantly, this woman is gentle and kind-hearted, making her very comfortable to be around.

Unlike those scheming female cultivators, or those arrogant sect prodigies.

With her by my side, my future path of cultivation might not be so lonely.

Zhou Ding recalled Xin Ruyin's pale face, her clear eyes, and the way she focused on deducing the formation.

This woman has a troubled life, but she is determined and would make a good partner for dual cultivation.

But what if she doesn't agree...

Zhou Ding shook his head.

He cannot force anyone to do something.

He's not that kind of person.

His upbringing in his past life and his experiences in this life both prevented him from forcing women.

If Xin Ruyin doesn't agree, he won't care whether she lives or dies.

The other character will only die young, just like in the original story.

It's a pity that such a genius in the art of array formations was lost.

A pang of regret flashed through Zhou Ding's mind, but he quickly put it aside.

There are too many regrettable things in the world of cultivation.

Everyone has their own destiny.

He can help this once, but not forever.

Everything depends on Xin Ruyin's own choice.

Thinking of this, Zhou Ding felt relieved.

He quickened his pace and headed towards the main street of the market.

……

Just as Zhou Ding reached the main street of the market and was about to return to the inn, he suddenly heard a familiar voice.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, what a coincidence that we've met again!"

The voice, filled with surprise and enthusiasm, was exceptionally clear on the street.

Zhou Ding turned his head and saw a middle-aged cultivator in a gray robe with a kind face walking towards him with a smile.

It was the same hyacinth named Lin that he had met on his first visit to Tianxingzong Market.

"So it's Fellow Daoist Lin."

Zhou Ding nodded slightly and greeted him.

The cultivator surnamed Lin, all smiles, quickly walked up to Zhou Ding and bowed respectfully.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, how was Miss Xin, whom I introduced to you last time? She didn't disappoint you, did she?"

His eyes gleamed with a mixture of curiosity and a desire for credit.

Zhou Ding smiled slightly and nodded.

"Indeed impressive, Miss Xin's skill in array formations is truly admirable."

Upon hearing this, the cultivator surnamed Lin's smile widened, and he nodded repeatedly.

"Of course! I've been in this market for so many years, I can't say for sure about anything else, but I'm definitely well-informed. Although Miss Xin is young, her skill in array formations is renowned around here. So many people want to ask her for guidance but can't get one! For Fellow Daoist Zhou to receive her guidance is an incredible stroke of luck."

He paused, then leaned closer and lowered his voice, saying, "Fellow Daoist Zhou, is there anything I can do for you during your visit to the Tianxing Sect market? Just ask! I have extensive connections and many ways to get things done, as long as it's not too difficult."

Zhou Ding glanced at him, a slight thought stirring in his heart.

Although this cultivator surnamed Lin was not highly skilled, he was indeed a shrewd individual.

He was well-informed and had a wide network of connections, making him very successful in this market. Sometimes, such a person is even more useful than some high-level cultivators.

He pondered for a moment, then said, "I wish to purchase some demonic beast essence blood, preferably from level three demonic beasts. Do you have any connections?"

"Blood of a level-three demon beast?"

Upon hearing this, the cultivator surnamed Lin's eyes lit up, but he immediately looked troubled.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, the blood of a level-three demonic beast is quite rare. Although it's useless to most cultivators, it's still taken from a level-three demonic beast, so it's scarce and expensive. Moreover..."

He looked around and lowered his voice, saying, "This kind of thing isn't easy to buy openly; you need connections."

Zhou Ding understood what he meant.

He took out a spirit stone and handed it over.

It was a low-grade spirit stone of decent quality, enough for an ordinary rogue cultivator to cultivate for several days.

The cultivator surnamed Lin took the spirit stone, his eyes immediately narrowed into slits, and the troubled look on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a broad smile.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, you're so straightforward! I won't hide it from you, there are two places where you can buy the blood of a level three demon beast."

He held up one finger.

"The first one is naturally Star Pavilion. It's run by the Heavenly Star Sect itself, so it has a complete selection and a good reputation. However... Star Pavilion's prices are relatively high, and they might not have rare items like level three demon beast blood in stock; you might have to wait. Even if they do, the price won't be cheap."

He then raised his second finger.

"The second one is the Secret Market Auction tomorrow."

Zhou Ding's heart stirred.

"A secret market auction?"

The cultivator surnamed Lin nodded, a mysterious glint in his eyes.

"This secret market auction is impossible to find without an introduction from someone you know. It's held monthly and mainly targets cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage and above. The items sold there are all rare treasures that are hard to find outside. Magical artifacts, pills, spiritual materials, talismans, cultivation techniques and secret arts... everything is available. The chances of finding level three demon beast blood at the secret market auction are quite high."

He looked at Zhou Ding, his eyes questioning.

"If Fellow Daoist Zhou has time, I'll take you there tomorrow. I guarantee it will broaden your horizons."

Zhou Ding pondered for a moment, then nodded.

"Alright, I'll be waiting for you at the inn at this time tomorrow."

The cultivator surnamed Lin nodded repeatedly, chatted for a few more minutes, and then took his leave.

Zhou Ding watched his departing figure, secretly making plans in his heart.

Secret City Auction...

I hope there will be something good.

……

Zhou Ding returned to the inn and stayed in the superior room he had rented.

The room was small, but clean and tidy, with elegant furnishings.

A desk with the Four Treasures of the Study on it was placed by the window, and several landscape paintings hung on the wall, exuding an air of literati elegance.

From the window, one can see the street scene of the market, which is brightly lit and quite lively at night.

Zhou Ding sat down by the bed, his mind involuntarily replaying the events of the day.

Xin Ruyin's clear eyes, her pale face, and the words, "Ruyin is willing to pay any price"...

He shook his head, putting those distracting thoughts behind him.

Thinking about it is useless.

We'll wait for their reply before discussing anything further.

He sat cross-legged and began his cultivation.

……

The next evening.

As the sun sets, the evening glow paints half the sky red.

As agreed, Zhou Ding arrived at the entrance of the inn.

The cultivator surnamed Lin had been waiting for a long time, and when he saw him come out, he hurriedly came forward to greet him.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, this way please."

The two walked through several streets and arrived at a secluded spot in the market.

This place is far from the main street, with few pedestrians, and is surrounded by low-rise residential buildings.

The bluestone path was covered with moss, indicating that few people passed by.

Several old locust trees stood by the roadside, their dense branches and leaves blocking the afterglow of the setting sun.

The monk surnamed Lin stopped in front of an inconspicuous courtyard.

The courtyard was small, with blue bricks and gray tiles, and looked no different from the surrounding houses.

The courtyard walls were covered with vines, and the paint on the gate was peeling and looked dilapidated.

But two guards in black stood in front of the courtyard gate.

Both of them were at the Qi Refining stage, but their eyes were sharp and their aura was steady, clearly indicating that they were well-trained individuals.

They stood there like two statues, motionless, yet exuding an undeniable sense of oppression.

The cultivator surnamed Lin stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Fellow Daoists, my name is Lin Tao, and I have brought a guest here to attend the auction."

The two guards in black glanced at the cultivator surnamed Lin, clearly recognizing him.

One of them nodded, his gaze falling on Zhou Ding.

Zhou Ding was wearing a black cloak that concealed his face, but the spiritual pressure emanating from him, a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, was impossible to hide.

The faint but palpable pressure made the two black-clad guards tense up.

The guard in black immediately cupped his hands in respect, his attitude instantly becoming deferential.

"Please come in, senior."

He stepped aside and pushed open the courtyard gate.

Zhou Ding stepped inside.

The courtyard was a pitch-black passageway, so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

The passageway was flanked by cold stone walls, and the path beneath your feet was paved with smooth stone slabs. A faint musty smell permeated the air, indicating that ventilation was scarce.

A guard in black followed behind, respectfully saying, "Please follow me, senior."

Zhou Ding nodded and followed him into the passage.

He secretly released his divine sense and cautiously explored the passage.

Although this secret market auction looks legitimate, in the world of cultivation, it's always better to be cautious.

The passage wasn't long; after walking about a dozen steps, the view suddenly opened up before us.

A bright hall appeared before us.

The hall was about three or four zhang square, with several lamps hanging around it, illuminating the entire space as if it were daytime.

The Spirit Lamp is a special magical artifact that can emit light for several months with just a small amount of spiritual power, and it is quite expensive.

The fact that so many spotlights could be used for lighting indicates that the owner of this auction is clearly very wealthy.

A number of cultivators, about twenty or thirty people, had already gathered in the hall.

Some wore masks, and some wore cloaks to cover their faces.

Some wore magnificent robes, while others wore simple cloth clothes.

There were men and women, old and young, all sorts of people.

Zhou Ding scanned the area with his divine sense and was secretly surprised.

Nearly half of these people were Foundation Establishment cultivators!

The rest were all at the late stage of Qi Refining or the Great Perfection of Qi Refining, clearly elites from various families and forces.

The fact that so many Foundation Establishment cultivators could gather in the Tianxing Sect Marketplace shows that this secret market auction has considerable influence.

Zhou Ding calmly found a corner to stand in and silently observed the people around him.

He noticed that although these cultivators had covered their faces, some clues could still be discerned from their figures, mannerisms, and auras.

Several people exuded a chilling aura, clearly cultivators practicing demonic arts.

Several of them possessed pure auras and should be disciples of righteous sects.

There were also a few people whose auras were obscure and difficult to discern; they might be rogue cultivators or experts deliberately concealing their identities.

In a corner, two Foundation Establishment cultivators were talking in hushed tones.

"Have you heard? There are some good items at this auction."

"What good stuff?"

"We have top-tier magical artifacts and high-grade spiritual herbs."

"Oh? Then we'll have to take a good look."

Zhou Ding withdrew his gaze, secretly anticipating what was to come.

After waiting for about half an hour, more and more people gathered, and forty or fifty people had already gathered in the hall.

At this moment, an elderly man in the early stage of Foundation Establishment walked out from the back hall and came to the high platform in front of the main hall.

The old man had gray hair and a thin face, but his eyes were bright and his breathing was steady.

He wore a gray robe and walked with a steady gait, clearly demonstrating solid cultivation.

He cleared his throat and said, "Welcome, fellow Daoists, to our auction."

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

It's a special sound transmission technique that allows you to send your voice to every corner without having to speak loudly.

"This time, we have both regular customers and first-timers. But that's fine; we treat everyone equally!"

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room, and continued, "The rules for this transaction remain unchanged. Our shop will still announce a base price in spirit stones, and everyone will then compete using spirit stones. Those who do not have enough spirit stones can use other items of equal value as collateral. The specific value will be assessed by our shop! In short, the highest bidder wins the item."

After a brief opening speech, the old man announced the official start of the auction.

"The first item up for auction—"

A maid brought over a crimson longsword, about three feet long, with faint flames flickering around it and radiating a scorching heat.

The flames danced on the sword, as if they were about to burst forth and illuminate the entire platform.

"Top-tier magic weapon, the Blazing Sun Sword! Forged primarily from the scales and fangs of the level-two demonic beast, the Flaming Sun Python, and fused with fire-attribute ores. When activated, it unleashes a blazing sun sword aura of astonishing power! Starting price: three hundred spirit stones!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a murmur of discussion arose in the hall.

"The first item is a top-tier magic weapon?"

"This auction was truly extravagant!"

"The Blazing Sun Sword... looks to be of good quality. The blade is smooth, and the flame is pure. It should be a top-grade sword."

Many cultivators' eyes flashed with interest, their gazes fixed on the Blazing Sun Sword.

Zhou Ding also raised his eyebrows slightly.

Top-tier magic weapons are not common in the outside world. Although the Blazing Sun Sword is just an ordinary top-tier magic weapon, its starting price of three hundred spirit stones is indeed very attractive.

Soon, the bidding began.

"Three hundred and twenty!" A burly man was the first to bid.

"Three hundred and fifty!" Another middle-aged man with a sinister face followed closely behind.

"Three hundred and eighty!"

"Four hundred!"

"Four hundred and twenty!"

Prices have been rising steadily, and competition is fierce.

Zhou Ding stood in the corner, observing coldly.

He possessed top-tier magical artifacts such as the Black Dragon Sword, the White Scale Shield, and the Divine Wind Boat, all crafted from materials from the Black Dragon, far surpassing the quality of the Blazing Sun Sword.

He didn't even want the Blazing Sun Sword.

In the end, the Blazing Sun Sword was bought by a Foundation Establishment cultivator for 450 spirit stones. The cultivator was overjoyed. After paying the spirit stones, he carefully put the Blazing Sun Sword into his storage bag, as if he had obtained some rare treasure.

The old man continued the auction for the second item.

It was a vibrant green herb with intact roots, emitting a faint medicinal fragrance.

Dewdrops rolled faintly on the leaves, shimmering under the light.

"Three-hundred-year-old Jade Yang Grass, one of the main ingredients in refining the Foundation Establishment stage elixir 'Jade Yang Pill'. Starting price: one hundred and fifty spirit stones!"

Zhou Ding glanced at it and then looked away.

He might be interested in a five-hundred-year-old elixir.

He has plenty of 300-year-old ones in his storage bag.

In the past two years, Xiao Jin has been searching for treasures and has found many spiritual herbs, ranging in age from a hundred to several hundred years, enough for him to use in alchemy.

The bidding remained fierce, and the final price was 230 spirit stones.

When the third item appeared, Zhou Ding's eyes lit up.

It was a fist-sized purple bead, crystal clear, with faint flashes of lightning within it, radiating a violent and dangerous aura.

The lightning crackled inside the bead, making a soft "crackling" sound, as if it might burst out of the bead at any moment.

The old man picked up the bead and introduced it: "The Purple Sun Bead is a one-time attack magic weapon. Once activated, it can instantly unleash powerful lightning force. If the distance is close enough, it can severely injure a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator! Starting price: 350 spirit stones!"

Zhou Ding's heart stirred.

Purple Sun Pearl.

He had heard of this thing before. Similar to the Heavenly Thunder Stone, it was an extremely rare, one-time-use magical artifact. It was very difficult to refine and rarely seen on the market.

It is said that it requires the power of lightning during thunderstorms, combined with special materials, and a complex process to successfully refine.

The success rate is extremely low; you might not succeed even once out of ten attempts.

Although it can only be used once, it is enough to turn the tide of battle at crucial moments.

Although his current strength is enough to fight against a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, and he might even be able to defeat him, he will always have to pay a price.

If attacked by multiple people, or if the opponent has special methods, the outcome is unpredictable.

If one has the Purple Sun Pearl in hand, one can use it at a crucial moment to catch the opponent off guard and save a lot of trouble.

It might even turn the tide of the battle and turn defeat into victory.

He was determined to get his hands on the Purple Sun Pearl.

Bidding begins.

"Three hundred and eighty!" A young monk was the first to bid.

"Four hundred!" Another middle-aged cultivator followed closely behind.

"Four hundred and fifty!"

"five hundred!"

"Five hundred and fifty!"

Prices have skyrocketed, and competition is fierce.

Zhou Ding did not rush to make a bid, but instead observed from the sidelines.

He noticed that the most enthusiastic bidders were a burly man and a middle-aged man with a sinister face.

The burly man was in his early thirties, with a Foundation Establishment stage cultivation level. He was dressed in a black tight-fitting outfit, and his muscles were bulging. He was actually a rare body-refining cultivator.

He gritted his teeth every time he made a bid, clearly determined to get the Purple Sun Pearl.

The middle-aged man was about forty years old, with a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation level. He had a sinister face and cold eyes.

He bid calmly and patiently, increasing the price only slightly each time, but never backing down.

Soon, the price reached 600 spirit stones, and the bidding slowed down.

Only the burly man and the middle-aged man remained, still fighting over the issue.

"Six hundred and twenty!" the burly man gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead.

"Six hundred and fifty!" The middle-aged man's expression remained unchanged as he calmly raised the price, as if six hundred and fifty spirit stones were just a small amount to him.

The burly man's face turned grim. After hesitating for a moment, he finally shook his head and gave up bidding.

He glared at the middle-aged man and turned back into the crowd.

The middle-aged man's lips curled slightly upward, and he was about to speak—

"Seven hundred spirit stones."

A calm voice came from the corner.

It was Zhou Ding.

The middle-aged man's expression changed, and he turned to look at Zhou Ding in the corner.

Zhou Ding wore a black cloak, obscuring his face, but his voice was calm as still water, as if seven hundred spirit stones were a small amount to him, not worth mentioning.

The middle-aged man frowned, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes.

He looked Zhou Ding up and down, trying to glean something from the gaps in his cloak.

The middle-aged man said in a deep voice, "Fellow Daoist, this Purple Sun Pearl is of great use to me. I would be extremely grateful if you could give it to me."

As he spoke, he stirred his consciousness, and an invisible pressure swept towards Zhou Ding.

That was the divine pressure of a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, carrying a hint of probing and threat.

He wanted to use his divine sense to pressure Zhou Ding and make him back down.

This is a rather subtle form of suppression used in auctions, employing divine sense to intimidate opponents and prevent them from continuing to bid.

The other cultivators in the hall also noticed this scene and looked at Zhou Ding with a hint of curiosity in their eyes.

They couldn't sense Zhou Ding's exact cultivation level, but they could guess his strength from the middle-aged man's oppressive attitude.

Zhou Ding sneered inwardly.

Trying to outwit him with spiritual power?

With a thought, he unleashed a powerful counterattack, far stronger than the opponent's!

That divine sense was as vast as the sea and as heavy as a mountain. It instantly crushed the middle-aged man's divine sense pressure and then crashed hard into his sea of ​​consciousness!

The middle-aged man's face turned deathly pale instantly, and he swayed, nearly falling over.

He stared wide-eyed at Zhou Ding, his eyes filled with disbelief and horror.

This... is this the level of spiritual power that should be present in the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment?

Clearly late-stage Foundation Establishment!

No, it's even stronger!

The strength of that divine sense was even greater than that of some late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators he had ever seen!

It felt as if a mountain was pressing down on his head, making it hard for him to breathe.

He quickly bowed and apologized, his voice trembling.

"Fellow Daoist, please forgive me! I was blind and offended you! I no longer want this Purple Sun Pearl! I don't want it anymore!"

After saying that, he quickly lowered his head, not daring to look at Zhou Ding again, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

The other cultivators in the hall also turned their heads, their gazes towards Zhou Ding filled with more awe.

To be able to make a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator lose his composure so easily with a single strike of divine sense, this person's divine sense strength must be at least at the late Foundation Establishment stage!

It might even be stronger!

Those who had previously harbored some interest in the Purple Sun Pearl now abandoned their plans.

Zhou Ding remained calm, as if he had only done a trivial matter.

He looked at the old man on the stage and said calmly, "Seven hundred spirit stones, is there anyone else bidding?"

The old man snapped out of his daze and quickly said, "Seven hundred spirit stones once, seven hundred spirit stones twice, seven hundred spirit stones three times! Deal! This Purple Sun Pearl belongs to this fellow Daoist!"

Zhou Ding stepped forward, took out seven hundred spirit stones from his storage bag, and handed them to the old man.

The old man took the spirit stone and handed the Purple Sun Pearl to Zhou Ding, his face beaming with smiles.

"Please accept this, fellow Daoist."

Zhou Ding took the Purple Sun Pearl and put it into his storage bag.

……

The auction continued.

The following items included magical artifacts, elixirs, spiritual materials, and talismans, among many other things.

But Zhou Ding did not make a bid.

Those magical artifacts were not as good as his Black Dragon Spear and White Scale Shield.

Some of those pills were not as good as the ones he made himself.

While some of those spiritual materials are quite good, they are not urgently needed and not worth spending a lot of money to buy.

He stood quietly in the corner, waiting for what he truly needed.

Until the old man took out a jade scroll.

It was a pale blue jade slip, which looked quite old, with a faint glow flowing across its surface. The edges of the jade slip were somewhat worn, indicating that it had been read many times, but it was generally well-preserved.

The old man picked up the jade slip and said, "The next item up for auction is a secret technique for attacking with divine sense—the Soul-Destroying Thorn!"

The hall fell silent as everyone turned to look at the scroll of jade slip.

"Soul-Destroying Thorn?" someone asked in confusion.

The old man nodded and explained, "This technique can divide a portion of one's divine consciousness, condense it into a soul spike, and hide it within the sea of ​​consciousness. When facing an enemy, it can be suddenly released to attack their primordial spirit and cause damage."

He paused, then continued, "However, this technique has a drawback—it only works on cultivators whose spiritual sense is lower than the caster's. Against cultivators of the same level, it can only have a slight effect and cannot cause any real harm."

As soon as he finished speaking, a murmur of discussion arose in the hall.

"It only works on cultivators with lower cultivation levels? That's such a waste!"

"Yes, it's true. Cultivators of the same level can only have a slight influence. What's the use? They can't determine the outcome."

"I thought it was some kind of amazing secret technique, but it turns out to be such a useless skill."

"What's the bottom price?"

The old man said, "The starting price is two hundred spirit stones."

Upon hearing this, everyone's interest waned considerably.

Two hundred spirit stones may not be much, but no one would be willing to buy a useless secret technique that can only bully the weak.

Moreover, this secret technique requires the cultivation of one's divine consciousness.

Divine consciousness is something that is related to a cultivator's life; how can it be easily divided?

To divide one's divine consciousness in order to cultivate a secret technique that can only be used against the weak is utterly foolish.

Only a handful of people made bids, and the price rose very slowly.

"Two hundred and twenty," a Qi Refining stage cultivator tentatively offered.

"Two hundred and fifty," another monk chimed in.

"Two hundred and eighty." The third monk raised the price.

Zhou Ding stood in the corner, but a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

Soul-Destroying Thorn!

This secret technique seems useless to others, as it can only work on cultivators whose spiritual sense is weaker than their own.

But for him, it was a divine skill!

He was only at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, but his spiritual sense strength had already reached the early Core Formation stage!

What does this mean?

If he cultivates the Soul-Destroying Thorn, he can transform his powerful divine sense into combat power.

It is entirely possible to annihilate the primordial spirit of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator in a single encounter!

No need to lift a finger, no need to fight with magic, all you need is a single thought!

The feeling was like piercing the enemy's soul instantly with an invisible, sharp blade.

This kind of tactic is simply impossible to defend against!

Moreover, as his cultivation level increases, his divine sense continues to strengthen, and he may even pose a threat to Core Formation cultivators in the future!

At that time, even cultivators in the early stages of Core Formation will have to be careful in front of him and dare not provoke him easily.

At that moment, Zhou Ding made a decision.

He was determined to obtain this Soul-Destroying Thorn technique!

Prices are still rising slowly.

"three hundred."

"Three hundred and twenty."

Three hundred and thirty.

Zhou Ding didn't wait any longer and spoke directly.

"Three hundred and fifty spirit stones."

His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness.

The hall fell silent immediately.

Everyone looked at him with a hint of surprise in their eyes.

Three hundred and fifty spirit stones to buy a useless secret technique?

But no one argued with him.

After all, this secret technique is indeed useless, and it's not worth offending a powerful expert whose cultivation is comparable to the late Foundation Establishment stage for it.

Seeing that no one else was bidding higher, the old man announced, "Three hundred and fifty spirit stones once, three hundred and fifty spirit stones twice, three hundred and fifty spirit stones three times! Sold! This Soul-Destroying Thorn Secret Technique belongs to this fellow Daoist!"

Zhou Ding stepped forward, took out 350 spirit stones from his storage bag, and handed them to the old man.

The old man took the spirit stone and handed the jade slip to Zhou Ding, still somewhat puzzled.

He hadn't expected this secret technique to fetch a good price.

Unexpectedly, this senior, who was suspected to be in the late stage of Foundation Establishment, bought it at a high price.

But when business comes his way, he naturally doesn't ask many questions.

Zhou Ding took the jade slip and put it into his storage bag.

An overwhelming sense of excitement welled up inside me.

Soul-Destroying Thorn...

With this secret technique, his strength will leap forward once again!

After several more items were auctioned off, the level-three demon beast essence blood that Zhou Ding had been waiting for finally appeared.

The old man took out several jade bottles from his storage bag and placed them on the table.

The jade bottles were about the size of a palm, crystal clear, and faintly glowed with a blood-red aura. Sealing talismans were affixed to the mouths of the bottles to prevent the spiritual energy inside from escaping.

"Five bottles of level-three demonic beast blood essence. They contain the blood essence of the Crimson Flame Wolf, the Frost Python, and the Golden Armored Rhinoceros. Starting price: one hundred spirit stones per bottle!"

Zhou Ding's eyes lit up.

Level 3 Monster Blood Essence!

This is exactly what he needs!

With this essence blood, he could continue cultivating the Hundred Beasts Body Forging Technique, taking another step closer to breaking through to the sixth level.

The essence blood of demonic beasts has no effect on ordinary cultivators.

In the southern region, body cultivators are still very rare, and cultivators who cultivate their physical bodies are extremely few and far between.

Most people pursue profound magical power and exquisite spells, and few are willing to spend time tempering their physical body.

Therefore, the bidding was not intense.

Only two Foundation Establishment cultivators were bidding, clearly intending to buy it back for research or to refine some special pills.

Zhou Ding calmly joined the bidding.

He never raised the price by much, but his attitude was resolute, as if he was determined to win.

In the end, he successfully obtained the five bottles of essence blood.

Zhou Ding paid the spirit stones and carefully put the jade bottle away.

He was secretly pleased.

This trip was quite fruitful.

Purple Sun Pearl, Soul-Destroying Thorn Secret Technique, five bottles of level three demon beast essence blood.

Each and every one of them was something he desperately needed.

……

After the auction ended, Zhou Ding left the courtyard and returned to the inn.

He sat cross-legged on the bed, took out the jade slip containing the secret technique of the Soul-Destroying Thorn, and probed it with his divine sense.

In his mind's eye, lines of ancient characters slowly emerged.

The Soul-Destroying Thorn was created by ancient cultivators and is specifically designed to target the primordial spirit.

To cultivate this technique, one must divide a portion of one's divine consciousness, condense it into a soul spike, and hide it within the sea of ​​consciousness.

When facing an enemy, a single thought can unleash the Soul Spike instantly, silently and without form, directly attacking the opponent's primordial spirit...

Zhou Ding read it carefully and memorized every word.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, a sharp glint in them.

He had already mastered the method of cultivating this technique.

Divide the divine consciousness and condense the soul thorn.

It sounds simple, but it's extremely dangerous in practice.

For cultivators, splitting their divine consciousness is an extremely dangerous operation.

The divine consciousness is an extension of the divine soul. If one is not careful, the divine soul will be damaged. At best, one's cultivation will regress; at worst, one will become an idiot.

This is why this secret technique has become useless.

There are very few cultivators who dare to split their divine consciousness.

Who would want to go through so much trouble to master a secret technique that can only be used to bully weaker opponents?

But Zhou Ding was different.

He also needs to divide his divine sense when cultivating the Great Evolution Technique, and he is already proficient in this.

The second level of the Great Evolution Technique requires splitting one's divine consciousness into dozens of parts.

He had experienced that kind of pain and risk countless times before.

Each time one's consciousness is divided, it is like cutting one's own soul with a knife.

That kind of pain goes deep into the bone marrow, yet it is indescribable.

But it was this pain that forged his will and gave him a control over his consciousness that far surpassed that of ordinary people.

For him, splitting his consciousness was commonplace.

He immediately began to cultivate.

……

Time passed day by day.

Inside the inn room, Zhou Ding sat cross-legged with his eyes closed.

Within his sea of ​​consciousness, his divine sense was slowly coalescing.

According to the secret technique, he carefully separated a small portion of his divine consciousness and then used a special method to compress and condense it.

This process is extremely painful.

Each compression is like striking one's own soul with a heavy hammer.

The pain was indescribable; it felt like my whole head was about to explode.

But Zhou Ding gritted his teeth and remained motionless.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, sliding down his cheeks and dripping onto his clothes.

His face was pale, his lips were tightly pressed together, and his brows were furrowed, as if he were enduring immense pain.

But he didn't stop.

He gritted his teeth and continued his cultivation.

Within the sea of ​​consciousness, a small portion of divine consciousness was slowly gathering.

From a blurry cloud of light, it gradually condensed into the shape of a thin needle.

The fine needle became increasingly solid and clear, gradually revealing a pale golden luster.

Seven days later.

Within the sea of ​​consciousness, a pale golden needle floated silently.

The needle was only about an inch long, as thin as a hair, yet it exuded a sharp aura.

Soul Piercer, complete!

Zhou Ding opened his eyes and let out a long breath.

He felt the soul thorn in his sea of ​​consciousness, and an indescribable excitement welled up in his heart.

With this Soul Thorn, he will be invincible below the Core Formation stage!

Unless the opponent possesses a secret treasure that can withstand attacks from divine sense.

With a thought, the Soul Spike trembled slightly in his sea of ​​consciousness, as if responding to his call.

With just a thought, it can be released instantly, directly targeting the enemy's soul.

Zhou Ding's lips curled up slightly.

This auction was definitely the right choice.

Just then, a slight ripple came from outside the room.

Someone is triggering the security measures he has set up.

Zhou Ding frowned, got up, walked to the door, and opened it.

A familiar figure stood outside the door.

Xiaomei.

She was wearing a light green dress, her small face showing a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.

Her hair was a little messy, obviously she had rushed over and hadn't even had time to wash up.

When Zhou Ding opened the door, she quickly bowed.

"Young Master Zhou, my young lady requests your presence."

Zhou Ding's heart stirred.

Xin Ruyin has finally made a decision.

P.S.: I will post two chapters as one from now on. Thank you for your support.