Chương 118: Xin Ruyin Forms Her Core!

Although the matter of Jiyin Island has been temporarily suppressed, the potential threat it brought is like a tiny thorn quietly piercing Zhou Ding's heart.

He has always believed in the principle that "preparation is the key to success, and lack of preparation leads to failure." Faced with the potential threat from a Nascent Soul cultivator, he naturally had to take precautions.

Inside the quiet room, the lights were dim. Zhou Ding sat cross-legged, his gaze calm and serene.

With a slight thought, something appeared in his palm.

It was neither a jade slip nor a magical treasure, but a seemingly ordinary talisman that exuded an indescribable ancient Daoist charm.

The talisman is about a foot long and three inches wide, with a mysterious and deep silver-white background, as if it contains the faint light of thousands of stars.

The talisman paper felt warm and smooth to the touch, yet possessed a subtle metallic resilience and coolness. It wasn't drawn with ordinary cinnabar or spiritual ink, but rather with an almost liquid, flowing, silvery-gray brushstroke that seemed to contain the very essence of the laws of heaven and earth. This brushstroke outlined an extremely complex and profound pattern, dazzling and mesmerizing at a single glance!

Those were six layers upon layers of armor, nested together yet clearly distinct!

These six layers of armor are all different in shape, some are ancient and heavy like mountains, some are light and graceful like flowing clouds, some are ferocious and domineering like beast armor, and some are sacred and majestic like heavenly generals...

Each layer is meticulously crafted, lifelike, and its surface shimmers with different colors of light—red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, and blue!

The six-colored light flowed slowly across the silver-white talisman paper, echoing each other and forming a perfect and stable whole. It was as if it were not a drawn talisman, but a projection of six real divine armors with all-powerful defense, which were forcibly sealed and condensed into this thin talisman paper with great supernatural power!

A powerful, profound, and seemingly indestructible "protective" Daoist aura emanated from the talisman, making the air in the entire quiet room seem to solidify and become more stable.

Six Ding Heavenly Armor Talisman!

This is one of the three secret talismans that Zhou Ding obtained after going through many hardships from the ruins of the Tianfu Sect in the Yue Kingdom!

It is also his trump card, his strongest life-saving trump card!

The method of making this talisman has long been lost. Its most distinctive feature is that it does not consume the talisman master's or user's own magical power to activate its power, but rather "borrows the power of heaven and earth"!

Any cultivator, regardless of their cultivation level, can successfully communicate with and activate this talisman as long as they have a sufficiently pure and refined divine sense. This allows them to draw upon the supreme talismanic intent contained within, and then frantically absorb the spiritual energy of the surrounding world. In an instant, the "Six Ding Heavenly Armor" will condense around the caster!

The protective strength of the "Six Ding Heavenly Armor" is not fixed, but directly depends on the concentration of spiritual energy in the environment where the caster is located when it is activated!

The richer and purer the spiritual energy, the more spiritual energy this talisman can absorb from heaven and earth, and the more solid, thicker, and more astonishingly powerful the "Heavenly Armor" it condenses will be!

In theory, in certain rare treasure lands where the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is so rich that it becomes liquid, or even forms special spiritual eyes and spiritual vein nodes, the "Six Ding Heavenly Armor" formed by fully activating this talisman may even be able to withstand the full force of a Nascent Soul stage cultivator's attack!

Of course, this is only the theoretical limit under the most ideal conditions.

Even in ordinary places, as long as the spiritual energy is sufficient, the protection formed by this talisman is more than enough to withstand the attacks of a Nascent Soul stage cultivator!

This is undoubtedly a "get-out-of-jail-free card" that can turn the tide of life and death and create miracles in critical moments!

However, despite its immense power, the conditions for its activation are extremely demanding.

Within the talisman, the mental imprints for activating the incantation are clearly recorded:

"The Six Ding Heavenly Armor borrows the power of Heaven and Earth. To activate this talisman, one's divine consciousness must be as refined as an infant's, reciting the incantation to draw upon the spiritual energy of the four directions. If one attempts to force it with insufficient divine consciousness, one will inevitably suffer a backlash from the talisman's power; at best, the soul will be damaged, and at worst, the sea of consciousness will collapse!"

Activating this talisman requires no expenditure of one's own magical power, which is its extraordinary nature.

However, its requirements for "divine consciousness" are outrageously high, requiring it to be "condensed like an infant's consciousness"!

This means that one needs at least the strength and refinement of divine sense comparable to that of a Nascent Soul cultivator in the early stages to barely meet the minimum requirements for activating this talisman!

Otherwise, if one's divine sense cannot bear the burden of the vast protective Daoist essence within the talisman and the ability to draw upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, forcibly activating it will result in being devoured by the talisman, severely damaging one's soul, or even causing one's sea of consciousness to collapse, turning one into an idiot!

In the past, although Zhou Ding coveted this talisman, he knew that his spiritual strength was far from reaching the standard of "condensed like an infant," so he could only keep it hidden and dared not try it easily.

But things are different now!

"With my current spiritual strength and refinement at the late Nascent Soul stage... activating this talisman should be a piece of cake." Zhou Ding gently brushed his fingers over the flowing six-colored armor phantom on the talisman, feeling the vast protective power within, which calmed him down considerably.

Although limited by the concentration of spiritual energy in the environment, he could not activate this talisman to the legendary extreme state of "hardly resisting the Nascent Soul stage," but it should be more than enough to resist attacks from early or even mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

This undoubtedly adds a very important trump card to his arsenal when facing a potential Nascent Soul threat like the Extreme Yin Ancestor.

Moreover, he has now condensed a divine sense killing move called "Soul-Destroying Thorn".

If one were to truly confront a mid-Nascent Soul stage monster like the Extreme Yin Ancestor, and were unable to defeat him, one might be able to block his fatal blow with the Six Ding Heavenly Armor Talisman, and then use the Soul-Destroying Thorn to interfere with his soul, thus taking the opportunity to escape. There might not be no chance of survival.

"Of course, it's best if we never have to face each other," Zhou Ding thought to himself, carefully putting the Six Ding Heavenly Armor Talisman into a specially made jade box and keeping it close to his body.

Those Nascent Soul stage monsters who have lived for hundreds of years are all shrewd and resourceful, with endless hidden tricks and cunning schemes. It's best to avoid provoking them if possible.

He only hoped that the deaths of Li Yun and the other two were just a minor incident among the outer forces of Jiyin Island, and would not attract the attention of the higher-ups, much less be investigated about him, the "Elder of the Six Halls" who was far away on Kuixing Island.

……

Time flies like an arrow. In the blink of an eye, another three years have quietly passed in the blink of an eye.

Inside the quiet room, Zhou Ding slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was restrained, and his aura was deep and harmonious. He had made great progress compared to three years ago, and seemed to be one step closer to the threshold of the later stage.

His magical power, physical body, and even his understanding of the "Qingyuan Sword Technique" are all steadily improving.

However, his brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes.

"I never expected that the bottleneck of the fourth level of the Great Evolution Technique would be so solid..." he muttered to himself.

In the past three years, he has focused most of his cultivation on the "Great Evolution Technique," hoping to break through to the fourth level in one fell swoop and take his divine sense to another level.

With his current Nascent Soul stage spiritual strength, if he could break through to the fourth level, he could probably directly touch the threshold of the Divine Transformation stage spiritual sense!

At that time, its power will be even more unimaginable.

However, things didn't go as planned.

No matter how he circulated his cultivation techniques, tempered his consciousness, or consumed nourishing pills for his soul, the bottleneck representing the fourth level remained as solid and unmoving as a divine mountain stood in the ocean of his consciousness.

After three years of arduous cultivation, he had reached the pinnacle of perfection in the third level, a level from which there was no further progress. However, he still couldn't take that final step.

"The path of divine consciousness is extremely profound, and one cannot make great progress simply by practicing hard."

Zhou Ding pondered, combining the fragments of the Great Evolution Manual with his own insights, and gradually a realization dawned on him: "Since I began my cultivation, although I have experienced life and death, most of my time has been spent in struggle, training, and honing my skills. My understanding of the bustling world, the myriad aspects of life, and the ever-changing human heart is ultimately somewhat superficial.

This fourth level of the Great Evolution Manual seems to place greater emphasis on a kind of 'worldly' experience, a kind of insight and refinement into the myriad phenomena of the mortal world and the true nature of humanity…"

He recalled that in the original work, Han Li seemed to have also chosen to "enter the world and become an ordinary person" at a certain stage, experiencing all aspects of life in the mortal world, and finally breaking through his mental state and improving his cultivation.

"It seems I should follow this method."

Zhou Ding made up his mind: "Simply closing myself in seclusion for arduous cultivation will no longer be of much use in breaking through this realm. I need to take some time to conceal my cultivation, hide my spiritual light, and truly step into the mortal world, to see the world with the eyes of an ordinary person, and to feel emotions with the heart of an ordinary person. Perhaps then I can find the opportunity to break through the bottleneck."

This matter is not urgent and requires careful consideration. Right now, he sensed a slight fluctuation coming from the array outside the meditation room.

He got up and pushed open the stone door.

Xin Ruyin stood quietly outside the door, still wearing her elegant blue dress. Her face was beautiful, and her temperament was even more serene and otherworldly, like a secluded orchid in a valley.

At this moment, however, her brows held less of their usual tranquility, replaced by an indescribable solemnity and determination, and her aura was harmonious and balanced. There's a subtle sense that "when things are full, they overflow."

"Zhou Lang".

Upon seeing Zhou Ding, Xin Ruyin's eyes softened with tenderness, but her tone was resolute: "I have sensed the time, my mind is at peace, and my magical power is abundant. I am preparing to... go into seclusion to form my core."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ding's eyes instantly lit up with a bright light, and a genuine joy appeared on his face!

He strode forward, took her hands in his, and felt the coolness and determination in her palms.

"Great! That's wonderful!"

Zhou Ding's voice was filled with excitement: "You've finally reached this point! Forming your core on Spiritwood Peak is the safest option here, with abundant spiritual energy and a powerful protective array. I will personally protect you and ensure that nothing interferes with your progress!"

He flipped his hand and took out two jade bottles, placing them into Xin Ruyin's hands. He solemnly said, "These are the 'Dust-Clearing Pill' and the 'Mind-Concentrating Pill.' The Dust-Clearing Pill can assist in condensing the Golden Core and improve the quality of the pill; the Mind-Concentrating Pill can stabilize the mind and resist inner demons. Keep these safe and take them as needed when you break through a bottleneck."

Xin Ruyin took the pill, feeling the warmth of Zhou Ding's palm still lingering on the jade bottle, and a warm current surged in her heart.

She knew that Zhou Ding must have spent countless efforts and resources preparing for her to achieve her Core Formation.

She raised her eyes and gazed deeply into Zhou Ding's eyes, a thousand words unspoken, reduced to just one sentence: "Zhou Lang, wait for me."

"Okay, I'll wait for you." Zhou Ding squeezed her hand tightly, his eyes filled with unwavering trust and encouragement.

Xin Ruyin said no more, turned around, and walked resolutely towards the depths of the cave, to the meditation room with the richest spiritual energy that had been prepared for her. The stone door slowly closed, isolating the inside from the outside.

Zhou Ding waited outside the quiet room like the most loyal guard.

With a wave of his hand, he fully activated the "Inverted Five Elements Formation" and the "Five Elements Annihilation Formation" covering Lingmu Peak, and released Xiao Jin and the Golden-backed Demon Mantis, ordering them to lurk around the mountain peak and guard against all external enemies.

Xiaomei stood nervously by her side, her little hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes.

In the days that followed, Lingmu Peak was exceptionally peaceful.

Only deep within the cave, the ever-rising, compressed, and condensing aura belonging to Xin Ruyin, like a butterfly about to emerge from its cocoon, silently accumulated earth-shattering power.

And so, a full six months passed.

On this day, at midday, the sky was clear and cloudless.

Suddenly—

"Buzz—!"

An indescribable and mysterious fluctuation of heaven and earth suddenly rippled out from the depths of Lingmu Peak!

In an instant, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth within a hundred miles of Lingmu Peak seemed to be commanded by an invisible monarch, and began to frantically converge towards the peak!

At first it was just a gentle breeze, then it turned into a whirlwind, and finally into a visible, colorful tide of spiritual energy, like a giant funnel, pouring down from all directions and flooding into that quiet room!

Above the sky, the wind rises and the clouds surge!

The pure white clouds were torn apart and gathered by an invisible force, transforming into layers upon layers of thick, auspicious spiritual clouds that covered the entire sky above Spiritwood Peak and continued to expand outwards!

Amidst the clouds, faintly, seven-colored rays of light flowed, ethereal celestial music wafted, and the Daoist principles were naturally present, as if the laws of heaven and earth were celebrating and blessing it!

"It's finally starting."

Zhou Ding stood outside the cave, gazing up at the magnificent and beautiful celestial phenomenon of Core Formation in the sky, with its array patterns faintly visible. His eyes were filled with satisfaction, anticipation, and a hint of undisguised pride.

He knew that with Xin Ruyin's talent and accumulated knowledge, coupled with the foundation of the "Tianyuan Array Manual", her Core Formation this time would be extraordinary!

The scale and uniqueness of this phenomenon far exceed those of ordinary Core Formation cultivators.

"Miss... Miss, you must succeed!"

Xiao Mei gripped Zhou Ding's sleeve tightly, her face upturned, her eyes filled with a mixture of nervousness and excitement, tears welling up in her eyes. She and Xin Ruyin were nominally mistress and servant, but in reality, they were like sisters, so naturally she was filled with anticipation.

Such an astonishing celestial phenomenon, with its surge of spiritual energy, could not possibly be kept secret from others.

Within a few breaths of the appearance of the strange phenomenon, countless cultivators in the thirty-six peaks of the Qingyun Mountains and even in the distant Kuixing City were alarmed!

One after another, divine senses, strong or weak, carrying complex emotions of shock, curiosity, inquiry, envy, and even jealousy, converged toward the direction of Spiritwood Peak like invisible tentacles.

"A Core Formation Phenomenon! It's a Core Formation Phenomenon! Someone on Spiritwood Peak is about to form their Core!"

"Is it Elder Zhou? No, Elder Zhou has already reached the Core Formation stage... Could it be Madam Zhou, who has always lived in seclusion?"

"What an astonishing phenomenon! The spiritual energy is gathering so fiercely... If this woman forms her Core, the quality of the Core will likely be extremely high, far from ordinary!"

"Tsk tsk, this Spiritwood Peak is truly remarkable. First, the Zhou brothers formed their Core Formation one after another, and now this Daoist partner is about to take that step... Three Core Formation cultivators from one family? This strength is probably about to rival True Person Wood Dragon's Heavenly Pillar Peak!"

"Look! Island Master Mulong and the other peak masters have also passed by in their escape light!"

In the sky, several powerful beams of light, each a different color, rose from Tianzhu Peak and several other main peaks, hurtling towards Lingmu Peak. Leading the way was none other than the signature azure beam of light from Mulong Zhenren, the master of Kuixing Island!

Clearly, Xin Ruyin's formation of her Golden Core had alarmed the highest levels of the cultivation world on Kuixing Island.

Zhou Ding stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze calmly sweeping over the rapidly approaching streaks of light in the sky, his eyes devoid of sorrow or joy.

He knew that the real test might have only just begun.

The process of forming the core must not be disturbed. He must ensure that during this critical period, no one can cross the line and interfere with the figure in the meditation room who is striving to transform and fighting against fate.