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

Lanzhou, Jiayuan City.

Although this city is not the prefecture capital, it is a bustling metropolis in Lanzhou due to its convenient water and land transportation, thriving commerce, and dense population.

The city is crisscrossed by waterways, with merchant ships coming and going in droves. Shops line both sides of the streets, and the sounds of vendors hawking their wares rise and fall, creating a lively scene.

The afternoon sun shone on the bluestone pavement, casting long shadows of pedestrians.

The air was filled with various smells.

The aromas of food from restaurants, fabrics from cloth shops, cosmetics from cosmetic shops, and the fishy smell from the docks all blend together to create the unique flavor of this bustling city.

The second floor of a rather lively restaurant in the city.

This restaurant, named "Zui Xian Lou," is one of the top restaurants in Jiayuan City, renowned for its fine wines and delicacies.

It was lunchtime, and the second-floor lobby was packed with diners, clinking glasses and chatting merrily.

The waiters, carrying trays of food, moved about busily, calling out "Enjoy your meal, sir!" and "The wine is here!"

A young man dressed in an ordinary blue cloth robe sat alone by the window, pouring himself a drink.

It was Zhou Ding who had rushed over and concealed his aura.

He sat by the window, with a pot of wine and a few small dishes in front of him.

The wine was ordinary Zhuyeqing liquor, and the dishes were common braised beef and peanuts, no different from the other diners around.

He was dressed plainly, and his demeanor was ordinary. He sat there unremarkable, as if he were just an ordinary scholar in the city.

He seemed relaxed, occasionally picking up his wine glass to take a sip, his gaze drifting to the street scene outside the window.

But if someone observes closely, they will notice that his ears are twitching slightly, as he carefully listens to the idle chatter of the diners around him.

Restaurants are places where all sorts of people gather, and they are the most well-informed.

You can hear a lot of local gossip and rumors here.

Peddlers, merchants,江湖人士 (jianghu figures), and down-on-their-luck scholars—after a few cups of wine, they dare to say anything.

"...Who could have imagined that the once-powerful Mo family would collapse so quickly!"

A middle-aged man took a sip of his drink, shook his head, and sighed.

He was dressed in shorts, had dark skin, and calloused hands, clearly someone who had spent years traveling the world.

His face was flushed, and he was already somewhat drunk.

"you do not say!"

A thin young man standing nearby chimed in. He was dressed in a blue long robe and looked like a shop assistant: "I heard that once it was confirmed that Old Master Mo was dead, the various branches of the family fought over power and profit, and it was quite a scene."

He gestured with famous hand signs, describing the scene vividly as if he had witnessed it himself.

"It's one thing to cause trouble, but then the enemy takes advantage of the situation to attack us."

The middle-aged man lowered his voice, looked around, and continued, "I heard that several families had been eyeing the Mo family's properties for a long time, and took advantage of their internal strife to launch a joint attack. The Mo family was busy fighting for their inheritance, so they had no time to care about outside affairs. As a result, they were caught off guard, lost their territory, their businesses failed, and they couldn't even keep their houses. I heard that now everyone in the Mo family is dead."

"Tsk tsk, such a vast empire, vanished in just a few years."

The young man sighed, a hint of melancholy in his eyes, "That's why I say, harmony in the family brings prosperity, and internal strife is the worst thing you can do. If the Mo family hadn't been fighting amongst themselves, how would their rivals have had a chance?"

The middle-aged man nodded and took another sip of wine.

"Now, the entire Lanzhou is under the control of the 'Five-Colored Gate'!"

He lowered his voice, his tone tinged with awe: "Most of the Mo family's original territory and businesses have fallen into the hands of the Five Colors Sect. I've heard that the Five Colors Sect is now very powerful, with countless experts within its ranks, and even the government has to give them some face. Their sect leader is said to possess magical abilities, able to summon wind and rain; he's incredibly powerful."

"Shh, keep your voice down..."

The young man looked around, then leaned closer and whispered, "The Five Colors Sect is powerful now. I heard they have 'immortals' backing them, so we can't say anything carelessly. A few days ago, someone got drunk and cursed the Five Colors Sect, and the next day he disappeared without a trace. I heard he was captured by the Five Colors Sect, and nobody knows where he's buried."

The two exchanged a glance, fear flashing in their eyes, then shut their mouths and buried their heads in their drinks.

The Mo Family Mansion? The Five-Colored Gate?

Zhou Ding's heart stirred slightly.

Having read the original work, he had some recollection of these names.

The Mo family was once the dominant force among the mortals in Lanzhou, wielding immense power and having influence in both the legitimate and underworld circles.

The Five Colors Sect is an emerging force that has risen rapidly in recent years, annexing a considerable amount of territory.

According to the original work, all of these are related to Han Li, and are a karmic connection he made in the secular world of Lanzhou before entering Huangfeng Valley.

However, his purpose in this trip was not to concern himself with the changes in these mundane forces.

In his eyes, these worldly forces were nothing but fleeting clouds, destined to turn to dust a hundred years from now.

Who will remember the Mo Family Mansion and the Five-Colored Gate a hundred or two hundred years from now?

He put down his wine glass and called out.

"Waiter, the bill is due."

A waiter in a short jacket ran over eagerly, his face beaming with smiles.

"Sir, that'll be three qian of silver in total."

Zhou Ding tossed a small piece of silver from his sleeve, about five or six coins.

"I need to ask you something."

The waiter took the silver, his eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly.

This is several days' wages for him! This customer is really generous.

"Please speak freely, sir! I will answer all your questions to the best of my ability!"

Zhou Ding asked, "Do you know where the headquarters of the 'Siping Gang' is located?"

The waiter thought for a moment, then a look of realization dawned on his face.

"The Siping Gang? I know them! They're on Siping Street in the west of the city, in the biggest house! There's a 'Siping Gang' sign hanging at the entrance, and their flag is on the flagpole. They're easy to spot."

He paused, then kindly reminded him, a hint of apprehension on his face: "However, sir, the Siping Gang is no pushover. Their leader, Sun, is particularly ruthless; it's said he's had blood on his hands. A few years ago, a businessman from out of town didn't know the rules and offended them, getting his leg broken and being thrown out of the city. If you're going there to do business, you'd better be very careful."

Zhou Ding nodded.

Thank you.

He got up and went downstairs, joining the flow of people on the street.

……

Half an hour later.

Siping Gang Headquarters

This is a rather large mansion with two large flagpoles in front of the gate, hanging the "Siping Gang" flag, which flutters in the wind.

Inside the lobby.

Zhou Ding sat on the throne that originally belonged to the gang leader, looking down at the burly man kneeling in front of him.

The burly man was tall and strong, with a broad back and thick waist, a face full of scars, and a knife scar on his left cheek. He was clearly not a good guy.

At this moment, he was trembling all over, kneeling on the ground and kowtowing repeatedly. His forehead was bleeding, and blood was flowing down his cheeks, but he was completely unaware of it. He just kept kowtowing and begging for mercy.

"My lord, have mercy! I have said everything I could. Please spare my life!"

His voice trembled, choked with sobs, and there was no trace of his former "fierce and menacing" appearance.

At this moment, he was like a stray dog, humbled to the dust.

This burly man was none other than the fierce-looking "Chief Sun" mentioned by the waiter.

When Zhou Ding entered, he was still drinking with his concubine in the hall. He was about to get angry when he saw someone trespassing.

As a result, when Zhou Ding slightly used the methods of a cultivator, he was so frightened that he immediately knelt down and begged for mercy.

The full name of Chief Sun is Sun Ergou. Before Han Li left, he entrusted Qu Hun to this person.

When Han Li left Lanzhou for Huangfeng Valley, he entrusted Qu Hun to Sun Ergou's care.

It was precisely because of the power of Qu Hun that Sun Ergou was able to rise from a street thug to the leader of the Siping Gang in just a few years, wielding immense influence in Jiayuan City.

Whenever someone disagreed, he would take Qu Hun to confront them, and those adversaries would immediately back down when they saw Qu Hun's demeanor.

With Qu Hun's strength, he would indeed be a powerful force in the mortal world.

Zhou Ding's expression was cold, his gaze icy.

"I doubt you'd dare lie to me."

After a brief interrogation, he learned Qu Hun's whereabouts from Sun Ergou.

Several years ago, Qu Hun broke free from Sun Er Gou's control and fled into the deep mountains and forests.

Presumably, it was at that time that the Core Formation cultivator from the Yuling Sect seized Qu Hun's body.

In just a few short years, those cultivators from the Yuling Sect have at most reached the Qi Refining stage, so they are nothing to fear.

Thinking of this, Zhou Ding stood up, not even glancing at Sun Ergou kneeling on the ground, and left directly.

After a long while, Sun Ergou finally dared to raise his head.

He slumped to the ground, panting heavily, covered in cold sweat, his clothes soaked through, as if he had just been pulled out of the water.

His concubine had already fainted from fright and lay to one side.

"Immortal Master... Immortal Master..."

He muttered to himself, his eyes filled with fear.

Just now, he really felt the breath of death.

The overwhelming aura prevented him from even having the thought of resisting.

If that immortal master wanted to kill him, he would have died long ago.

He even had a feeling that the immortal master could make his soul disappear with just a single thought.

He shivered and dared not think any further.

……

Outside Jiayuan City, Zhou Ding piloted the Divine Wind Boat and flew towards Jinji Ridge, twenty miles to the west.

The Divine Wind Boat sped through the air at an astonishing speed.

Below are rolling hills, lush forests, and winding streams.

Occasionally, you can see a few villages, with wisps of smoke rising from their chimneys and the sounds of chickens and dogs roaming the streets.

Several children were playing at the village entrance when they looked up and saw the streak of light in the sky. They exclaimed and pointed in surprise.

Zhou Ding stood at the bow of the boat, his clothes fluttering, his gaze calm.

His divine sense had already spread out, carefully exploring the mountains and forests below.

His divine sense spread like mercury, covering an area of ​​dozens of miles in radius, and no movement could escape his perception.

"A Core Formation cultivator from the Spirit Control Sect... the Golden-backed Demon Mantis..."

He muttered to himself, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.

The Yuling Sect is one of the six demonic sects that invaded the Yue Kingdom. It is famous for its beast taming techniques, and its disciples are skilled in taming demonic beasts and have considerable combat power.

Each cultivator of the Spirit Control Sect is accompanied by one or even several spirit beasts. When fighting, the combined power of humans and beasts is greatly increased.

According to the original story, Qu Hun had already been possessed by the Core Formation cultivator from the Yu Ling Sect, but had almost completely lost his combat power, and had even lost control of the spirit beast Golden-backed Mantis.

With Zhou Ding's current strength, taking him down would be a piece of cake.

"I hope the outcome of this trip will not disappoint me."

The mountain wind howled, fluttering his robes.

A moment later, he arrived at Jinji Ridge.

Jinji Ridge is a continuous hilly area covering dozens of miles, with undulating terrain and dense forests.

The mountains are home to many wild animals, and a few low-level monsters also roam there; it is a place rarely visited by humans.

Occasionally a few hunters would go into the mountains to hunt, but they only dared to stay on the outskirts and not venture deeper.

Zhou Ding landed in a secluded valley and released Xiao Jin.

Xiao Jin instantly burrowed underground, 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 can "see" the streams in the mountains, the squirrels in the tree holes, and the wild rabbits in the grass.

You can "see" the mineral veins underground, you can "see" the texture of the rocks, and you can "see" the insects and ants in the soil.

A moment later, a smile appeared on Zhou Ding's lips.

"Found it!"

In Xiao Jin's perception, in a valley deep within Jinji Ridge, a figure was meditating and cultivating, completely still.

If I'm not mistaken, this person should be Qu Hun.

……

A moment later.

In a valley.

Zhou Ding looked at Qu Hun, who was standing motionless, and smiled.

Qu Hun remained the same, tall and stern-faced, with his eyes closed, like a sculpture.

His aura was faint, almost imperceptible, which was the state after his primordial spirit was extracted.

But his physical body was intact, still alive, his skin was still elastic, and his blood was still pulsating slightly, making him the perfect material for refining an incarnation.

In Zhou Ding's hand now lay a green flying sword.

The flying sword was about three feet long, entirely emerald green, with fine runes engraved on its blade, faintly shimmering with spiritual light. At the hilt, a dark green gemstone was inlaid, emitting a cold, eerie glow.

The sword trembled slightly, emitting a faint hum.

This sword naturally came from the Core Formation cultivator of the Spirit Control Sect who possessed Qu Hun's body.

Judging from its quality, it must be a treasure that the other party has nurtured for many years.

Previously, after locating the enemy's position, Zhou Ding launched a sneak attack without hesitation.

The cultivator from the Yuling Sect was meditating and cultivating in the valley, completely unprepared for Zhou Ding's approach.

Under the combined attack of Xiao Jin's sneak attack and Zhou Ding's Soul-Destroying Needle, this Core Formation cultivator from the Spirit Control Sect was utterly powerless to resist.

The entire attack, from start to finish, took only two breaths.

This Core Formation cultivator didn't even have time to react before his soul and spirit were completely annihilated.

Even in his current state, this Core Formation cultivator would be no match for Zhou Ding in a direct confrontation.

However, the opponent was once a Core Formation cultivator, so we cannot be careless.

Zhou Ding looked at the Green Locust Sword in his hand, a look of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

A Core Formation cultivator's natal magic weapon—this is a treasure.

Although he doesn't need it now, it would be a good option to sell it later when he reaches the Core Formation stage.

A magic weapon of this caliber could fetch at least tens of thousands of spirit stones in the market.

"Next, it's time to create an external avatar."

……

This Golden Rooster Ridge is located in a remote and sparsely populated area, making it an ideal place to refine an external avatar.

Deep in the valley, Zhou Ding chose a secluded spot and used magic to create a cave.

The cave wasn't large, about two zhang square, which was enough for him to perform his movements.

He set up an upgraded version of the Inverted Five Elements Array in the cave. The five-colored light curtain flowed and enveloped the entire cave, isolating it from all aura and divine sense probing.

From the outside, it looks like an ordinary mountain wall, and there is no indication that there is a cave.

Then, he moved Qu Hun's physical body to the center of the cave and sat down cross-legged.

The most crucial and dangerous step in creating an external avatar is to separate one's own divine consciousness and implant it into the avatar!

Zhou Ding sat cross-legged opposite Qu Hun, his five hearts facing the sky, abandoning all distracting thoughts.

He closed his eyes and let his mind sink into his sea of ​​consciousness.

Within his sea of ​​consciousness lay an endless golden void.

Countless golden points of light floated within, representing his divine consciousness, as dazzling as a sky full of stars.

In the center of his sea of ​​consciousness, a dazzling golden light slowly rotated; it was the origin of his divine consciousness, shining like the sun throughout his sea of ​​consciousness.

Following the methods of the "Avatar" secret technique, he began to forcibly separate a part of his divine consciousness.

This is not a simple manipulation of divine sense, but a true "severance"!

He needed to use his willpower to forcibly cut off a part of that divine consciousness source!

"laugh--!"

It was as if an invisible, red-hot blade had slashed deep into Zhou Ding's sea of ​​consciousness!

An indescribable, excruciating pain instantly swept over my entire body!

That wasn't physical pain, but a tearing pain that directly affected the very core of the soul!

The pain was indescribable; it felt as if my soul was being torn apart, as if my whole body was being split in two.

That kind of pain was a hundred or a thousand times more intense than any physical pain.

Zhou Ding's body jolted violently, his face instantly turned ashen, veins bulged on his forehead, and large beads of cold sweat soaked through his clothes.

His body was trembling violently, his jaw was chattering, and he looked as if he might collapse at any moment.

He clenched his teeth so tightly that he could hear the grinding sound of his teeth, and he almost fainted.

His fingernails dug deep into his palms, and blood dripped from between his fingers, but he was completely unaware.

But he can't faint.

Once the person faints, the fragmented consciousness will dissipate, all previous efforts will be wasted, and irreversible damage will be caused to the consciousness.

At best, their cultivation will regress; at worst, they will become mentally impaired.

He must persevere.

Fortunately, Zhou Ding had already experienced cutting off divine consciousness when he was cultivating the Soul-Destroying Needle.

He had experienced that kind of pain many times.

Each time the divine consciousness is divided to condense the Soul-Destroying Needle, it is a form of torture.

He had endured that soul-tearing pain several times.

It was those painful experiences that gave him the perseverance and experience to endure such excruciating pain.

He knew that although the pain was unbearable, he would be able to get through it if he persevered.

He guarded the last bit of clarity in his mind, enduring the immense pain of his soul being torn apart, and with unparalleled willpower, controlled the pure spiritual essence that had been separated out, which accounted for about one-tenth of his total body weight.

The primordial essence of that divine consciousness slowly drifted out from the center of the sea of ​​consciousness, appearing as a faint golden color, trembling slightly, as if it too was enduring the pain of separation.

It was like a newborn baby, fragile and helpless, trembling in the sea of ​​consciousness.

It has left its origin and lost its support, and can only maintain its form by relying on Zhou Ding's will.

"go!"

Zhou Ding let out a low growl, his voice hoarse, his finger trembling as he pointed to the brow of the "blank" body on the ground.

A pale golden ball of divine consciousness slowly rose, emerging from between Zhou Ding's eyebrows. It trembled slightly in the air before gently falling and disappearing into Qu Hun's brow.

Qu Hun's body trembled slightly before returning to calm.

That divine consciousness thus entered this empty body.

Step one, done.

Zhou Ding slumped to the ground, panting heavily, his body covered in cold sweat, as if he had just been pulled out of the water.

His clothes were soaked through and clung tightly to his body, and his hair was also wet with sweat and stuck to his forehead.

He felt his consciousness weaken considerably, as if something had been drained from him.

That's one-tenth of divine consciousness, no small amount.

But he knew this was just the beginning.

The days that followed were a long and arduous process of refinement.

……

In the days that followed, Zhou Ding had to perform complex rituals every day.

He needed to continuously use his own essence and blood as a guide and his magical power as fuel, following the steps in the secret method, to completely fuse that ball of divine consciousness with this blank physical body.

First, you need to nourish that source of divine consciousness with your essence and blood, allowing it to gradually adapt to the new body.

Zhou Ding bit his fingertip, forcing out drops of blood, which landed on Qu Hun's brow.

The essence blood slowly seeped into the skin upon contact and was absorbed by the source of divine consciousness.

He could sense that the source of divine consciousness gradually became more stable after absorbing the essence blood, no longer as fragile as it had been when he first entered.

Every drop of his blood contains the essence of his life.

With each drop he forced out, his face grew paler.

That feeling was like my life force was slowly slipping away.

But he didn't stop.

Then, you need to use your magic to construct new meridian circulation.

Zhou Ding placed his hands on Qu Hun's dantian and slowly channeled his own magical power into it.

The magical energy coursed through Qu Hun's body, constructing new meridians little by little along specific routes. These meridians were as intricate as a spider web, requiring extremely precise control.

The slightest carelessness could damage the already formed structure and render all previous efforts futile.

He could feel the magical power flowing slowly within Qu Hun's body, inch by inch opening up new paths.

Every step forward requires a great deal of mental effort.

Finally, an imprint of absolute obedience and perfect harmony with the original soul is placed upon it.

This is the most complicated step.

One needs to construct a complex array within Qu Hun's sea of ​​consciousness using the origin of divine consciousness, and imprint one's own will within it.

In this way, the avatar will be absolutely obedient and in harmony with one's own will.

No matter where you are, you can communicate with and control your avatar through this mark.

This formation is extremely complex, and failure can occur if one is not careful.

Zhou Ding could only build it carefully, bit by bit.

Zhou Ding consumes a large amount of essence and mana every day.

His face grew paler and paler, and his breathing became increasingly labored.

Sometimes, after a day of rituals, he couldn't even stand up and could only sit slumped on the ground, panting heavily.

His eyes were sunken, bloodshot, and he looked much thinner.

But he did not give up.

He knew this was the price he had to pay to create the avatar.

Inside the cave, only the constant light of the luminous pearl and Zhou Ding's occasional suppressed groans recorded this perilous and tedious process.

Time slipped away quietly amidst the painful trials.

The sun and moon outside the cave have rotated dozens of times.

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