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

Inside the spirit beast room, Zhou Ding squatted down in front of Xiao Jin, carefully examining the changes after its advancement.

Little Gold lay on the ground, its crimson-gold scales shimmering in the light of the luminous pearl.

Zhou Ding first tested the art of hearing the ground.

Xiao Jin closed his eyes, and invisible waves spread in all directions.

Sixty li. The range of the Earth Listening Technique has increased to sixty li.

Next, we tested the Golden Armor Technique.

Zhou Ding had Xiao Jin stand in the center of the spirit beast room. He took a few steps back, and with a thought, thirty-six golden demon swords flew out simultaneously, forming a golden demon sword array in the air.

The moment the sword formation was completed, sharp sword energy surged through the spirit beast chamber, cutting the air and producing a piercing whistling sound.

He manipulated the sword formation and slashed at Xiao Jin.

"Clang clang clang—"

A series of dense metallic clanging sounds rang out as flying swords from the sword formation rained down on Xiao Jin.

But the golden light shield remained completely still, blocking all attacks.

The surface of the light shield trembled slightly before returning to its original state without leaving a trace.

Zhou Ding retrieved his flying sword, a look of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

The power of the Golden Armor Technique has been enhanced once again.

Previously, Xiao Jin was able to barely withstand the attacks of a level 5 demon beast thanks to his Golden Armor Technique.

Now, however, they are directly comparable to level five demonic beasts, equivalent to early-stage Core Formation cultivators in humans.

With the strength of someone in the early stage of Core Formation, even in the Chaotic Star Sea, he would be considered a powerful figure.

Even the most outstanding rogue cultivators are nothing special.

With Xiao Jin by his side, his safety in the Chaotic Star Sea was further guaranteed.

Finally, the physical body was tested.

With three level-four demonic beasts by his side: Little Gold, Golden-backed Mantis, and Blood Jade Spider.

Even when he is weakened by the dissipation of his internal energy, his safety is guaranteed.

Xiao Jin alone is equivalent to a cultivator in the early stage of Core Formation.

Even if the three of them joined forces, they wouldn't fare well against a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator.

Besides, even without these spirit beasts, his current physical body is enough to temporarily withstand attacks from even Core Formation cultivators.

This gave Zhou Ding enough confidence to carry out his next plan.

His plan, of course, had been decided long ago.

Dissipate your energy and start over.

The Three-Turn Rejuvenation Technique, which accompanies the Azure Origin Sword Manual, makes the true essence more refined, thus increasing the chance of forming a core.

Although it has undergone multiple transformations by feedback power, Zhou Ding's true essence is already extremely pure, and there should be no problem for him to directly form a core.

Each feedback force transformed his body, making his true essence increasingly solid and pure.

With his current foundation and the assistance of a Core Formation artifact, his success rate in directly forming a Core is at least 70%.

But if it could further solidify his foundation, he naturally wouldn't let it go.

On the path of cultivation, a solid foundation is of utmost importance.

Even if one successfully forms the Golden Core, it will be difficult to go far in the future if one's foundation is unstable.

He didn't want to ruin his future for the sake of temporary convenience.

Moreover, he also wanted to try whether Xiao Jin could regain the power of feedback after dispersing his cultivation and starting over.

This is what he cares about most.

If Xiao Jin can regain his nascent core state after dispersing his cultivation, he can receive feedback again. By repeatedly dispersing his cultivation, he can maximize Xiao Jin's potential.

If you have enough resources, it doesn't take much time to rebuild your skills after they've been broken.

He now has a lifespan of six hundred years, and the one thing he has in abundance is time.

Those ordinary pseudo-core cultivators should start thinking about their affairs when they reach two hundred years old.

He has hundreds of years to slowly make his way in the world.

A glint of light flashed in Zhou Ding's eyes.

This experiment is worth trying.

…………

The following day, a streak of light flew across the sky above the Qingyun Mountains.

Zhou Ding piloted the Divine Wind Boat and headed out of the mountains.

Kui Xing Island is quite vast, comparable to a medium-sized country in the south. It is dotted with dozens of ordinary cities and countless towns, but the most central and prosperous one is undoubtedly Kui Xing City, located in the northern part of the island's center!

It was not only the absolute center of commerce for ordinary people on the island, but also the main place for cultivators to conduct activities, trade, and reside.

Zhou Ding's purpose for this trip was to visit Kui Xing City.

He was going to Tiandu Street to purchase a batch of medicinal herbs.

Rebuilding one's cultivation requires a large amount of medicinal pills. Although he has the main ingredient in his storage bag, he still needs some auxiliary ingredients.

The airship was extremely fast, flying over several sizable ordinary cities along the way.

The cities flashed by below, revealing densely packed houses, crisscrossing streets, wisps of smoke rising from chimneys, and pedestrians the size of ants moving about on the streets.

Finally, a colossal structure surrounded by tall, thick city walls appeared ahead!

The city wall stretches endlessly, its height estimated to be over fifteen zhang (approximately 33 meters). It is entirely constructed of massive, neatly cut, bluish-gray rocks, its walls thick and imposing with crenellations.

Each of those rocks weighs several tons, its surface polished smooth and shiny by the passage of time, with moss and weeds growing in its crevices.

Banners fluttered on the city walls, and the figures of armored soldiers patrolling could be faintly seen.

The armored soldiers, clad in iron armor and wielding long spears, paced back and forth on the city wall, vigilantly watching everything outside the city.

Inside the city, the spires and eaves of countless pavilions and palaces jut out from the city walls, standing side by side. Smoke curls from chimneys, and the sounds of people and carriages can be faintly heard, creating a grand, prosperous, profound, and vibrant atmosphere.

Zhou Ding secretly admired it. This was the grandeur of a great city.

He piloted his flying boat, preparing to fly closer, soaring over the city gate to find a suitable landing spot.

However, just when the flying boat was still several miles away from the city wall, Zhou Ding suddenly felt the flying boat beneath his feet sink sharply!

It was as if an immense burden had been placed upon it in an instant, causing its flight speed to plummet and making it sluggish and difficult.

He could feel an invisible force surging from below, pulling the airship downwards.

The further he flew, the greater the resistance became, and the circulation of spiritual energy was also subtly suppressed, as if an invisible hand was vying with him for control of the flying boat.

"No-fly zone!" Zhou Ding understood instantly.

Important cities like Kuixing City must have a powerful anti-air formation covering the entire city and a certain area around it, prohibiting cultivators from flying freely in and around the city.

This is to maintain order and security within the city and prevent anyone from causing trouble or launching a sneak attack from the air.

At the same time, this is also a way to demonstrate authority.

"It seems we have no choice but to go into the city." Zhou Ding slowly landed the flying boat at the edge of a secluded and deserted forest outside the city and put away his magical artifact.

He straightened his clothes and strode toward the city gate.

……

After entering Kuixing City, Zhou Ding headed straight for the northern part of the city.

The streets in the city are wide and straight, lined with shops on both sides, and bustling with pedestrians.

There were peddlers carrying loads on their shoulders, nobles riding tall horses, merchants hurrying along their journeys, and ordinary people strolling leisurely.

The various sounds mingled together—hawking, bargaining, and children's laughter—creating a lively symphony of the marketplace.

After passing through several bustling main roads, when Zhou Ding arrived at the edge of the North District, the scene before him suddenly changed, forming a stark contrast to the mundane prosperity he had just witnessed!

A huge, semi-transparent, arc-shaped light shield, emitting a soft and stable white light, like a giant glass bowl inverted on the ground, completely enveloped the entire North District!

Pale golden, mysterious runes occasionally appeared and disappeared on the surface of the light shield, flowing like ripples on water, emitting a powerful yet restrained spiritual energy fluctuation.

The runes were extremely complex, layered and interlocked, clearly indicating a large-scale formation with multiple functions such as protection, isolation, and warning.

This formation not only isolates the view between the inside and outside, but also differentiates the spiritual energy environments. The concentration of spiritual energy inside the protective barrier is significantly higher than that outside!

Even standing outside the light barrier, Zhou Ding could feel the rich spiritual energy emanating from it, as if he were standing at the entrance of a spiritual vein.

Through the slightly hazy light, one could vaguely see the crisscrossing streets inside, neatly planned like a chessboard. Pavilions and halls were densely packed, with flying eaves and brackets of various styles, ranging from tall and majestic buildings like palaces to exquisite and elegant courtyards like gardens.

Its scale is so vast that it hardly resembles a "street"; it's practically a small, independent town!

This is Tiandu Street, the most bustling street in Kuixing City.

In the very center of this "city within a city" shrouded in light, the most eye-catching feature is a three-story pavilion, its entire body lush and green, flawless and lustrous, as if it were carved from a single, enormous piece of top-quality jade. It is quietly suspended in mid-air, more than thirty feet above the ground!

The pavilion has a simple yet exquisite design, with eaves that spread like phoenix wings, layered brackets, and complete doors and windows. The details are carved with cloud patterns and auspicious beasts.

The carvings were exquisite, with cloud patterns resembling flowing mist and lifelike mythical beasts that seemed ready to leap out of the pavilion at any moment.

The entire pavilion exudes a faint, warm, and non-glaring green light, shimmering with a dreamlike glow under the sunlight. It is so beautiful and exquisite that it seems otherworldly, more like a legendary palace inhabited by immortals that has accidentally descended to earth.

"This is Yunmeng Pavilion? It is indeed magnificent!" A hint of admiration flashed in Zhou Ding's eyes.

Although I knew of its existence from the original work, seeing this floating emerald pavilion in person was still quite awe-inspiring.

This is not only a symbol of wealth, but also a combination of superb weapon crafting, formations, and levitation technology, demonstrating the uniqueness and advancement of the Chaotic Star Sea's cultivation civilization in certain aspects.

"To remain suspended for an extended period entirely by the power of an array... requires extremely precise and stable control over spiritual energy, and the consumption must be considerable. The power behind the Cloud Dream Pavilion is unfathomably deep."

Zhou Ding sighed inwardly.

He had never seen such a building in the Yue Kingdom.

He turned his gaze away and went to a spot on the edge of the light shield that was clearly the entrance.

The light barrier here opened a portal about three zhang wide and two zhang high, with spiritual light flowing around the edges of the portal, like a curtain of water.

Two cultivators dressed in standard blue robes, with cultivation levels at the eighth or ninth level of Qi Refining, stood guard, their eyes watching each person entering and leaving with vigilance.

There was a small table next to it, behind which sat an older, serious-looking early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, who was checking the credentials of those entering.

Zhou Ding stepped forward and handed over his identity token.

The early Foundation Establishment cultivator took the token, scanned it with his divine sense, and confirmed that it was correct.

He looked up at Zhou Ding again, his gaze lingering on him for a moment, as if judging his cultivation level.

Then, he looked behind Zhou Ding to make sure there was nothing suspicious, nodded, and handed the token back.

"You may enter."

His voice was brief and devoid of any emotion.

Zhou Ding took the token and stepped into the light shield.

Upon entering the light-covered area of ​​Tiandu Street, the environment suddenly changed.

The first thing is spiritual energy.

The concentration was at least two to three times that of the outer city. With each breath, one could feel the spiritual energy flowing through the body, nourishing the meridians and flesh.

Although it cannot compare to a truly large spiritual vein, it is more than enough for the daily cultivation of Qi Refining stage cultivators and ordinary Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.

The air was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood, herbs, and the unique fresh aroma of various spiritual materials.

The scents blended together to create a unique fragrance that invigorated the senses.

Secondly, there is tranquility.

Although the streets were still bustling with people, the number of pedestrians was much less than in the outer city, and almost 90% of them were cultivators!

Ordinary people are rarely seen here. Even if they are, they are either servants of some shops or accompanying a cultivator. They are in a hurry and dare not look around casually.

The shops lining the streets are also quite different from those in the outer city.

No longer ordinary silk shops and restaurants, but shops specializing in all kinds of cultivation resources—magical artifact shops, elixir shops, talisman shops, spiritual material shops, cultivation method shops... everything is available.

Zhou Ding did not linger in the peripheral areas. These shops mainly catered to Qi Refining stage and low-level Foundation Establishment cultivators, and he looked down on most of the items they sold.

With a clear goal in mind, he walked straight toward the central area of ​​Tiandu Street.

The further you walk towards the center, the wider the streets become, and the paving stones are replaced with more luxurious white jade slabs.

Those jade slabs are so smooth they reflect a person's image, and stepping on them gives a warm, smooth feel.

The shops on both sides were larger and more impressively decorated, and the aura of the cultivators coming and going was stronger, with a significant increase in the proportion of Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.

The shops no longer had shop assistants shouting outside; instead, they quietly opened their doors, waiting for wealthy customers to come in.

Before long, a vast and meticulously maintained square came into view.

The square was paved with neatly cut, warm, and white strips of jade, so smooth they were like mirrors, spotless and immaculate. Against the backdrop of the surrounding buildings, they appeared both luxurious and ethereal.

Sunlight fell on the jade slabs, reflecting a soft glow that illuminated the entire square with brightness and warmth.

The center of the square was empty, except for the floating jade "Yunmeng Pavilion" which hung quietly above, looking down like a guardian deity.

Its shadow was cast on the square, slowly changing as the sun moved.

The attic door was closed at the moment, and there were no steps in front of it, suggesting that it was not open to the public at all times, but perhaps only on specific days or for VIPs of a certain status.

Zhou Ding glanced at it and then looked away.

Surrounding this white jade square stand six palace-style buildings of different styles, each built in a magnificent and exquisite manner!

These six palaces are either resplendent in gold and jade, or simple and heavy in ancient style, or exquisite and delicate, or solemn in appearance. They are evenly spaced apart, subtly forming a hexagonal confrontation. The signs above the doorways are also very eye-catching, engraved with some kind of spiritual material that can emit a faint light: "White Water Pavilion", "Jade Ring Residence", "Mountain and Sea Pavilion", "Star Dust Palace", "Listening to the Tide Pavilion", and "Myriad Wonders House".

These are the six core branches of the "Six Linked Palaces," a powerful cross-island business alliance in the Chaotic Star Sea second only to the "Four Great Business Alliances," which were mentioned in the original work and opened on Kui Xing Island!

These six shops practically monopolized the most core, high-end, and profitable transactions on Tiandu Street.

These represent different factions or main business directions within the Six Linked Palaces, forming both cooperative alliances and internal competition.

Zhou Ding's gaze swept over the six magnificent palaces, and after a moment's thought, he stepped towards "Jade Ring Residence".

Yu Huan Ju is famous for dealing in elixirs and spiritual materials. His purpose in this trip was to purchase a batch of spiritual materials needed to refine elixirs.

As you enter Yuhuan Residence, a rich aroma of medicinal herbs wafts through the air.

The hall was extremely spacious, with tall wooden shelves all around displaying various medicinal herbs.

Each item is packaged in a specially made jade box or porcelain bottle, labeled, and clearly priced.

A steward in the Foundation Establishment stage came forward with a broad smile.

"Fellow Daoist, what do you need?"

Zhou Ding took out a list and handed it over.

"I want as many of these elixirs as you can."

The manager took the list, glanced at it, and his smile widened even more.

"Fellow Daoist, please wait a moment, I will go and prepare immediately."

"I want as many of these elixirs as you can."

The manager took the list, glanced at it, and his smile widened even more.

"Fellow Daoist, please wait a moment, I will go and prepare immediately."

In less than half an hour, all the spiritual medicines Zhou Ding needed were prepared.

He paid with spirit stones, put the elixir into his storage bag, and turned to leave.

It was already evening when they returned to their cave dwelling on Lingmu Peak.

As the sun sets, the evening glow paints half the sky red, turning Lingmu Peak a golden-red hue.

Xin Ruyin was studying the formation in the hall, while Xiao Mei served her.

The ferret lay dozing at Xiaomei's feet.

When Zhou Ding returned, Xin Ruyin looked up, a look of concern flashing in her eyes.

"Zhou Lang, have you bought everything?"

Zhou Ding nodded and sat down next to her.

"I've bought it; it'll last us a long time."

Xin Ruyin was silent for a moment, then asked softly, "When do you plan to start?"

Zhou Ding took her hand and whispered, "Tomorrow."

Xin Ruyin didn't speak, but simply gripped his hand tightly in return.

Zhou Ding smiled slightly.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine."

Xin Ruyin nodded and leaned on his shoulder.

……

The two arrived at a quiet room.

This quiet room was specially prepared for dual cultivation and is decorated in a warm and elegant manner.

Soft animal hides were laid on the ground, several landscape paintings hung on the wall, and calming incense was burning in the corner, its faint fragrance permeating the air.

Since he was preparing to dissipate his cultivation, Zhou Ding naturally couldn't waste his power.

The Yin-Yang Creation Technique is a top-tier dual cultivation method. It contains a secret technique that allows one to transfer their cultivation to their Daoist partner through dual cultivation.

Zhou Ding sat down cross-legged, and Xin Ruyin sat opposite him.

The two men faced each other with their palms touching.

As the Yin-Yang Creation Technique was activated, the true essence within Zhou Ding's body began to slowly flow into Xin Ruyin's body.

The pure essence contained immense power, flowing through Xin Ruyin's meridians and nourishing every inch of her flesh and blood.

One month later.

Zhou Ding's cultivation level has dropped to the tenth level of Qi Refining, while Xin Ruyin's aura, although still in the early stage of Foundation Establishment, has already shown faint signs of a breakthrough.

Her face was rosy, her eyes sparkled, and she radiated an indescribable glow.

Over the past month, she has absorbed a large amount of Zhou Ding's true essence, and her cultivation level has increased significantly.

Although I haven't broken through to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment yet, I'm just one step away.

Zhou Ding withdrew his hand and let out a long breath.

His face was somewhat pale and his breathing was weak, but there was a smile in his eyes.

"Ruyin, I'm going into seclusion to focus on my cultivation from now on. Don't disturb me unless it's absolutely necessary."

Xin Ruyin nodded, her eyes flashing with reluctance, but even more so with determination.

"Zhou Lang, I'll be waiting for you."

She stood up, glanced at Zhou Ding one last time, and turned to leave the quiet room.

The stone gate slowly closed behind her.

In the quiet room, only Zhou Ding remained.

He sat cross-legged on the futon, took out several bottles of pills from his storage bag, and placed them in front of him.

Those pills were all prepared by him for his own cultivation to be restored after his cultivation was depleted; each one was extremely valuable.

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and began to cultivate again.

Losing your skills is simply starting over again.