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

In the quiet room, Zhou Ding sat cross-legged beside Xiao Jin, his expression solemn.

He was in perfect harmony with Xiao Jin and could feel the pain Xiao Jin was enduring.

The pain surged like a tide, clearly transmitted to his senses through the mysterious connection between the man and the beast.

It was the excruciating pain of bones shattering and reforming, the torment of meridians tearing and healing, and the agony of flesh being burned and reborn.

With every breath, every moment, Xiao Jin was enduring unimaginable pain.

Zhou Ding could feel that every bone in Xiao Jin's body was breaking, every meridian was tearing, and every piece of flesh was burning.

That kind of pain is enough to break any living being.

Zhou Ding forced himself to endure the discomfort and reached into his storage bag to take out a few auxiliary pills.

These were all special pills he prepared for Xiao Jin to aid in his advancement.

There are Blood Nourishing Pills to strengthen the body's foundation and replenish vital energy, Yuan Tonifying Pills to nourish the meridians, and Qi and Blood Replenishing Pills to replenish qi and blood.

Each one is of superior quality and quite valuable.

Over the years, he has been exploring the Taiyue Mountains, collecting many rare medicinal herbs and refining many pills, some of which were prepared for Xiao Jin.

He carefully fed the pill into Little Gold's mouth.

Xiao Jin opened his mouth and swallowed the pills.

The pill entered Xiao Jin's stomach and transformed into a warm medicinal power that spread throughout his body.

The medicinal power nourished its damaged meridians and replenished its depleted qi and blood, giving it an extra layer of protection during its advancement.

Just then, a soft footstep sound came from outside the quiet room.

Immediately afterwards, Xin Ruyin's voice rang out.

"Zhou Lang, what happened inside?"

Her voice carried a hint of worry and concern.

Clearly, Xiao Jin had made too much noise; the violent aura emanated through the restrictions of the quiet room, attracting Xin Ruyin's attention.

She waited outside for a long time, but still couldn't rest easy, so she came over to ask.

Zhou Ding said in a deep voice, "It's Xiao Jin who's going to advance."

Outside the quiet room, Xin Ruyin was taken aback upon hearing this.

She already knew about Xiao Jin's existence.

Zhou Ding had told her that Xiao Jin was a spirit pet he had raised since it was a cub, and that it had been with him for many years, with whom he had a deep bond.

She only knew that Xiao Jin was a level two demon beast, but she didn't know what kind of beast it was or what abilities it had.

Zhou Ding didn't say anything, and she didn't ask.

Hearing that Xiao Jin was going to advance, she was filled with surprise.

If a level 2 demon beast advances, wouldn't it become a level 3 demon beast?

A level three demonic beast is equivalent to a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Most Core Formation cultivators only raise level three spirit pets.

Zhou Lang, a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, actually has a spirit pet that is about to advance to level three?

Xin Ruyin was secretly shocked.

She found herself increasingly unable to understand her Daoist partner.

From their first meeting, he, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, approached her, a young woman in the Qi Refining stage, to learn formation techniques with humility and without any airs.

She felt that this person was different from others at that time.

Later, he took out the 800-year-old Snow Jade Ginseng without even blinking.

That rare and precious elixir was priceless and unavailable, yet he gave it to me so casually.

Then, he deciphered the ancient seal on the golden treasure chest, revealing a level of expertise far beyond that of ordinary people.

The ancient seal was so complex that even she had to spend a great deal of effort to crack it, which shows that it had an extraordinary origin.

Finally, we arrive at the Spirit Eye Spring within this cave, and the spirit pet that is about to advance to level three...

Zhou Lang's profound knowledge repeatedly pushed the limits of her understanding.

She stood outside the quiet room, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her.

There was surprise, admiration, and a sense of relief.

I'm glad I made the right choice back then.

"Zhou Lang, does Little Gold... need help?" she asked softly.

Zhou Ding's voice came from the quiet room.

"No need. Advancement is up to the individual. You should go back and rest; I'll be fine here."

Xin Ruyin nodded, and although she still had worries in her heart, she turned and left.

She knew that there was nothing she could do to help at this time.

All I can do is silently pray that Xiao Jin can advance smoothly.

She returned to her quiet room, but instead of practicing, she sat on a futon, gazing out the window in a daze.

Xiao Mei brought in a cup of spiritual tea. Seeing her like this, she asked curiously, "Miss, what's wrong?"

Xin Ruyin snapped out of her daze and shook her head.

"It's nothing. Just... a bit sentimental."

Xiaomei blinked, not quite understanding.

Xin Ruyin smiled but offered no explanation.

……

Inside the quiet room, Xiao Jin's advancement continued.

Time passed by, second by second.

One hour.

Two hours.

Three hours.

one day.

Two days.

Little Jin huddled beside the Spirit Eye Spring, his aura fluctuating in strength and intensity.

Its aura was sometimes as violent as a volcanic eruption, and sometimes as weak as a candle flickering in the wind; every rise and fall was heart-wrenching.

Golden light shimmered continuously on its body. Beneath its fur, the twisted protrusions grew more numerous and denser, as if countless small snakes were frantically wriggling beneath its skin.

Each time it bulges out, you can see the skin stretched until it's transparent, and you can vaguely see something wriggling underneath.

Each time it bulges out, you can see the skin stretched until it's transparent, and you can vaguely see something wriggling underneath.

Xiao Jin kept emitting low growls, which were painful howls.

The roar was filled with pain and struggle, making one's heart tremble.

Zhou Ding sat cross-legged to the side, silently watching over it and protecting it.

That's all he can do.

For two days, he stayed by Xiao Jin's side without leaving its side, his eyes constantly fixed on it, fearing that something might happen to it.

……

Two days later.

Inside the quiet room, the violent aura finally began to subside.

Xiao Jin's breathing gradually became steady, and the golden light on his body gradually subsided.

The twisted bumps gradually subsided, and the fur became smooth and soft again.

It was curled up on the ground, panting heavily, covered in sweat, its fur clinging to its body wetly.

Its eyes were half-closed, its gaze tired and weak, but deep within them gleamed an undisguised excitement.

Zhou Ding could sense that Xiao Jin had become stronger.

As the last breath subsided, the quiet room fell completely silent.

Xiao Jin's advancement has finally come to an end.

Zhou Dinggang was about to get up and check.

Just then.

A familiar warmth suddenly surged from the mysterious connection between the two!

That's the power of feedback!

Every time he breaks through, Xiao Jin will be strengthened.

Similarly, every time Xiao Jin makes a breakthrough, he will receive feedback and reinforcement!

The heat, like boiling magma, surged into Zhou Ding's body and began to frantically transform his body!

Zhou Ding grunted and quickly sat down cross-legged, circulating his internal energy to guide the heat flow through his body.

Where the heat flows, meridians are torn apart and then reshaped; flesh and blood are burned and then reborn...

That kind of pain was exactly the same as what Xiao Jin endured.

Zhou Ding gritted his teeth and endured it without uttering a sound.

He knew this was the price of becoming stronger.

Large 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 his gaze remained steadfast.

Half an hour later.

The heat flow finally subsided.

Zhou Ding slumped to the ground, panting heavily. He was covered in sweat, and his clothes were soaked and clung to his body.

But his eyes gleamed with barely suppressed excitement.

He took a deep breath and began to examine the changes in himself.

First, there is the divine consciousness.

With a thought, his divine sense surged forth like a tide, spreading outwards.

Quiet room... cave dwelling... valley... Taiyue Mountains...

The divine consciousness continued to extend, going further and further.

Ten li... twenty li... twenty-five li... thirty li...

Finally, at a distance of thirty miles, the divine sense detected the boundary.

Thirty li!

Zhou Ding's pupils contracted slightly, and a look of shock flashed across his face.

He remembered clearly that his spiritual strength was previously twenty miles.

That was the result of two years of cultivating the Great Evolution Technique and the accumulation of experience when breaking through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, which far surpassed that of other cultivators of the same level.

And now, it has risen to thirty li!

What does this mean?

The spiritual sense of an ordinary early-stage Core Formation cultivator can cover a range of about twenty miles.

A cultivator in the mid-stage of Core Formation is approximately thirty to forty miles away.

His spiritual power has now reached thirty miles!

This is the limit of the divine sense of a cultivator in the early stage of Core Formation, extremely close to the divine sense of a cultivator in the middle stage of Core Formation!

It could even be said that he is comparable to a typical mid-stage Core Formation cultivator!

An overwhelming sense of excitement welled up inside Zhou Ding.

He possessed the spiritual strength of a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator.

What does this mean?

This means that in the future, when he encounters cultivators below the Core Formation stage, his spiritual sense will completely overwhelm them!

Any Foundation Establishment cultivator is transparent to him; no disguise or concealment can escape his detection.

This means that the Soul-Destroying Thorn will be even more powerful!

With his current spiritual strength, a single Soul-Destroying Stab would kill even a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator on the spot.

The improvement in spiritual awareness will make future cultivation of the Great Evolution Technique much smoother!

The pain of splitting one's consciousness will be lessened, and the success rate will increase.

He continued to examine other changes.

The purity and total amount of magical essence have also increased significantly.

The azure true essence in the dantian became more condensed and denser, and as it flowed through the meridians, it made a faint whistling sound.

That true essence was like a rushing river, full of power.

The physical body has also been greatly enhanced.

Zhou Ding clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within his body.

He could clearly feel that every muscle, every bone, and every meridian was much stronger than before.

He was even confident that he could engage in hand-to-hand combat with a monster of the same level!

With his current physical strength, he should be able to withstand the attack of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator without any problem.

If an ordinary magical weapon were to strike you, it might not even break the skin.

Finally, there is Qi and Blood.

Qi and blood are the manifestation of vitality and are directly related to lifespan.

Zhou Ding carefully sensed the changes in the Qi and blood within his body, and after a moment, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes.

My blood and qi have improved a lot!

He could feel that the vital energy was like a blazing fire, flowing through his body and nourishing every inch of his flesh.

Lifespan has increased by another century!

His original lifespan was approximately three hundred years.

That was accumulated through numerous breakthroughs and feedback, far surpassing that of cultivators of the same level.

And now, another hundred years have been added!

A lifespan of four hundred years!

What does this mean?

The lifespan of an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator is approximately two hundred years.

If you live to be two hundred years old, you should start preparing for your funeral.

A Core Formation cultivator takes about five hundred years.

That's a true old monster, capable of ruling over a region.

He, a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, has a lifespan of over four hundred years!

This is already close to the lifespan of a Core Formation stage cultivator!

Zhou Ding took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement.

At the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, one possesses the divine sense and lifespan of a Core Formation stage cultivator.

This gave him even more confidence in breaking through to the Core Formation stage.

He stood up, walked to the Spirit Eye Spring, scooped up a handful of water, and washed his face.

The cool spring water made him feel much more refreshed.

He looked at his reflection in the water, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

It feels so good to become stronger.

……

After calming down, Zhou Ding began to examine the changes in Xiao Jinfa's hair.

Little Jin was lying beside the Spirit Eye Spring, drinking the spring water in large gulps.

Zhou Ding smiled slightly, squatted down, and carefully examined its condition.

Its physical size hasn't changed much; it's still the size of a giant tiger.

But the intensity has clearly increased significantly again.

He reached out and touched Xiao Jin's fur; it felt as hard as iron and had a faint warmth to it.

Its fur was smooth and supple, yet incredibly tough, like a thin layer of armor.

The golden scales on its body became even denser.

Originally, it only covered its back and head, but now even its limbs and abdomen have grown fine scales.

The scales were a pale gold color, gleaming softly under the glow of the light, making them look both mysterious and majestic.

Defensive capabilities will inevitably be greatly enhanced.

Zhou Ding estimated that an attack from an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator might not even be able to break through their scales.

He manipulated Little Gold to extend its front paw and gently tap it.

The claws were as hard as iron, striking the stone wall with a crisp "clang," leaving several deep claw marks.

Zhou Ding then had Xiao Jin use several of his innate abilities.

The quality and quantity of demon essence have both increased significantly.

Previously, it could only support the light of breaking the barrier for thirty breaths, but now it can support it for at least sixty breaths.

This means that there will be enough time to pass through large formations in the future.

The coverage area of ​​the ground listening technique has also been slightly improved.

In precise detection mode, no movement within a 30-mile radius can escape Xiao Jin's perception.

Whether it's the escape light of a cultivator, the tracks of a demonic beast, or the fluctuations of spiritual veins deep underground, all can be clearly detected.

The Earth-遁术 (Earth-遁术 is a type of technique that allows one to move underground more quickly, like a fish swimming in water, with fluid and natural movements).

Zhou Ding had it try it out; it took only half a breath to get from one end of the quiet room to the other.

The Black Spirit Claw is even more powerful; when it is used, the claw tip glows with a dark light and faintly makes a sound as it cuts through the air.

With a single swipe of its claws, Little Gold left five deep claw marks on the stone wall, each two feet deep with smooth, mirror-like edges.

The clone technique has undergone significant changes. Previously, it could only create one clone, but now it can create two clones simultaneously.

Zhou Ding had Xiao Jin use his clone technique, and three identical Xiao Jins appeared in front of him, moving in sync and exuding the same aura, making it impossible to tell which one was the original.

With just a careful sense, one can detect that the other two are significantly weaker than Xiao Jin's main body.

It seems that although the number has increased, the strength of the clones has weakened somewhat.

Zhou Ding nodded in satisfaction.

Looking at Xiao Jin's current appearance, he suddenly felt a surge of amusement.

If you let it out, no one would be able to tell that it is actually a rat.

Whose mouse looks like this?

Its body is covered in scales, shimmering with golden light, and it can burrow underground, create clones, and break barriers.

If someone saw this, they would definitely think it was a descendant of some ancient mythical beast.

Zhou Ding smiled and shook his head, then reached out and ruffled Xiao Jin's hair.

No matter what it becomes, as long as my strength improves, that's fine.

……

And so, another month passed.

That day, Zhou Ding came to the hall.

In the lobby, Xiaomei and Xin Ruyin were chatting, both with smiles on their faces, creating a warm and harmonious atmosphere.

Xiaomei was gesturing wildly as she spoke, occasionally letting out a silvery laugh.

Xin Ruyin listened with a smile, nodding occasionally, her eyes full of doting affection.

Sunlight streamed through the cracks in the cave ceiling, shining warmly and brightly on the two of them.

When she saw Zhou Ding come out, Xiao Mei's eyes lit up and she quickly went to greet him.

"Young master, you've come at the perfect time! Come and see the array formations that young lady has recently crafted!"

She took a set of array tools from the table and presented them to Zhou Ding as if presenting a treasure.

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 densely packed, layer upon layer, with faint traces of the five elements flowing through them, exuding a mysterious aura.

Zhou Ding took the array equipment and examined it carefully.

A moment later, a look of surprise appeared on his face.

This formation is based on the five elements' generating and restraining relationships. By reversing the order of the five elements, it produces mysterious changes that can trap, kill, and defend against enemies, making it quite powerful.

But he remembered that at this point in the original story, Xin Ruyin was still unable to perfect the complete version of the Inverted Five Elements Array.

What she traded with Han Li was only an incomplete version of the array diagram.

This set of equipment now has complete runes and a harmonious aura, clearly indicating that it is the complete version!

Xin Ruyin smiled slightly and nodded.

"Great, and it's the complete version."

A hint of smugness flashed in her eyes; it was a genuine sense of pride.

Zhou Ding looked at her, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"How did you do that?"

Xin Ruyin smiled, a sly glint in her eyes.

"This is all thanks to the Qingyang Formation Manual that you gave me, Zhou Lang."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ding nodded in understanding.

Since Xin Ruyin became his Daoist partner, he naturally had nothing to hide.

He gave the "Qingyang Formation Manual" that he obtained from Qingyangzi's cave directly to Xin Ruyin.

With his current mastery of formations, studying the "Qingyang Formation Manual" is still too much of a stretch.

Rather than letting it gather dust in your hands, it's better to give it to someone who truly needs it.

Xin Ruyin was the one who truly needed it.

She is a natural-born genius in the art of formations, possessing an extraordinary understanding and passion for them.

After obtaining the "Qingyang Array Manual," she treasured it like a precious gem and studied it day and night. In just over half a year, her mastery of array formations advanced once again.

With a deeper understanding of array formations, it will be natural to go back and perfect the Inverted Five Elements Array.

"I see."

Zhou Ding nodded, but even so, he was still shocked by Xin Ruyin's talent in array formation.

He knew all too well how profound the "Qingyang Array Manual" was.

That was the culmination of a lifetime's work by a Core Formation cultivator who was an expert in array formations. It recorded more than a dozen ancient array formations, ranging from basic to advanced.

Each formation comes with detailed instructions on how to set it up, an analysis of the formation diagram, and Qingyangzi's own insights into the art of formations.

He's studied it for so long, and he's only just gotten started.

Many aspects are still only partially understood and require repeated scrutiny.

Xin Ruyin, however, had basically mastered it in just over half a year.

Did this also help to perfect the Inverted Five Elements Formation?

Looking at the woman before him, whose face was rosy and whose eyes sparkled with wisdom, Zhou Ding felt a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him.

There was surprise, but also relief.

I'm so glad I chose her.

The abundant yang energy generated by the Dragon Roar Body can be transformed into cultivation power through the Dual Cultivation Yin-Yang Creation Technique, thus aiding his cultivation.

In the past six months, his cultivation level has improved at a rate nearly twice as fast as before.

Xin Ruyin's talent in formations will make her a powerful assistant on her path to immortality.

Whether it's exploring secret realms, breaking ancient restrictions, setting up formations, or fighting enemies, she can play a huge role.

Having such a Daoist companion is more valuable than any other opportunity.

Zhou Ding reached out and put his arm around Xin Ruyin's waist, then gently kissed her forehead.

"Ruyin, you are truly my lucky star."

Xin Ruyin's cheeks flushed slightly, but she did not flinch. She simply said softly, "You flatter me, Zhou Lang. I owe everything I have today to you. If it weren't for you, I would have died in that little courtyard long ago."

Her voice was soft, yet filled with genuine gratitude.

Xiaomei watched from the side, covering her mouth and giggling.

"Oh my, the young lady and her husband are so loving, Xiaomei is too embarrassed to watch."

As she spoke, she covered her eyes and ran away, but secretly peeked at the two of them through her fingers, her face full of smiles.

Xin Ruyin glared at her, but couldn't help but laugh out loud.

……

Several more months passed.

On this day, in the quiet room.

Zhou Ding sat cross-legged, with several empty jade bottles placed in front of him.

That was the essence blood of a level four demon beast purchased from the Star Pavilion.

For the past few months, he has been tempering his body day and night with the essence blood of level three and four demonic beasts. Each time, it felt like being burned by raging fire, causing him unbearable pain.

But he gritted his teeth and persevered, never stopping.

At this moment, he could clearly feel that his physical body was much stronger than it had been a few months ago.

His muscles were firmer, as if forged from steel. With a light clench of his fist, one could feel the explosive power within.

The bones are more resilient, like millennia-old cold iron. When struck hard, they produce a dull metallic sound.

The body's Qi and blood become even more vigorous, like boiling magma.

As it circulates within the body, a faint whistling sound can be heard.

finally--

"boom!"

A muffled rumble came from inside his body.

The Hundred Beasts Body Tempering Technique has broken through to the sixth level!

Zhou Ding opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them.

The brilliance was so real that it flashed and disappeared in the void.

He clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within him.

That power, like a primordial beast, roared within him, ready to burst forth at any moment.

He stood up and threw a punch.

"Bang!"

A loud bang echoed through the air—the sound of a fist tearing through the air.

He estimated that with his current physical strength, he was strong enough to fight a level four demonic beast hand-to-hand!

A level four demonic beast is equivalent to the late Foundation Establishment stage!

Zhou Ding took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement.

The sixth level of the Hundred Beasts Body Forging Technique has finally been completed.

Of course, besides cultivating the Hundred Beasts Tempering Body Technique and the Azure Origin Sword Technique.

Zhou Ding also did not give up his research on formations and alchemy.

Xin Ruyin lightly tapped the runes on the array diagram with her finger, explaining something in a soft voice.

Zhou Ding listened attentively, occasionally raising his own questions.

Sunlight streamed through the cracks in the cave ceiling, shining warmly and brightly on the two of them.

Xiao Mei served tea and water, occasionally glancing over to look at the array diagram, but she would quickly become dizzy and disoriented by the dense runes, and would retreat to the side in frustration.

Just then, a fluctuation came from the Five Elements Mystic Light Array at the entrance of the cave.

Someone triggered the restriction and sent out a sound transmission talisman.

Zhou Ding frowned, and his divine sense probed out, instantly covering the area outside the cave.

A moment later, his expression changed slightly.

Xiaomei brought out a communication talisman from outside and handed it to Zhou Ding.

"Young master, someone is looking for you."

Zhou Ding took the communication talisman and probed it with his divine sense.

A familiar voice came from the talisman.

"Senior Brother Zhou, Han Li is here to pay a visit."

Zhou Ding was taken aback.

Han Li?

Why would Han Li suddenly visit after several years?

A sense of doubt welled up in his mind.

Since Han Li successfully established his foundation and came to his cave to ask for the Third Revolution Rejuvenation Technique, the two have not seen each other again.

In recent years, he has been traveling around, first going to the Tianxing Sect market to learn formations, and later becoming a Daoist couple with Xin Ruyin. He has hardly ever shown his face in the sect.

Why did Han Li suddenly come to visit?

He hesitated for a moment, then stood up.

"Ruyin, we have a guest. I'll go greet him."

Xin Ruyin nodded, a hint of curiosity flashing in her eyes.

Han Li?

She had never heard Zhou Ding mention this name before.

"Are you a fellow disciple of Zhou Yu?"

Zhou Ding nodded.

"My junior brother from Huangfeng Valley is someone I have some connection with."

He paused, then said, "This person... is not simple. You'll know when you meet him."

Upon hearing this, Xin Ruyin became even more curious.

The person who could elicit the words "not simple" from Zhou Ding must be no ordinary person.

She stood up and straightened her clothes.

"Then I'll go prepare some spiritual tea."

Zhou Ding nodded and walked towards the entrance of the cave.