102: The amethyst sable is asleep! Xin Ruyin's choice!

Chapter One Hundred and Two: The Purple Crystal Sable's Slumber! Xin Ruyin's Choice!

Leaving the Star Dust Pavilion, Lu Qiu went straight back to the small courtyard Zhao Wen had rented.

He entered the Quiet Room, first setting up several layers of protective and isolation Formations to ensure the inside and outside auras were completely blocked, with not a sliver leaking out.

Then, he retrieved the two treasures he had purchased at great cost today from the gray spatial bead—the purple crystal marrow and the thousand-year phantom mist glazed branch.

First, he summoned the Purple Crystal Sable.

The little creature seemed to have just woken up, its crystal-like purple fur still a bit fluffy, its gem-like eyes holding the dazed confusion of early awakening.

But the moment it saw the flowing, radiant, star-flecked purple crystal marrow in Lu Qiu's hand, its spirits immediately soared. It let out a 'squeak', its little nose sniffing hard, its eyes erupting with a light of extreme longing. Its four tiny paws scratched restlessly on the ground, eagerly wanting to get closer.

Lu Qiu smiled faintly and placed the fist-sized purple crystal marrow before it.

The Purple Crystal Sable practically pounced on it, its two front paws tightly clutching the cool crystal stone. It extended its pink little tongue and first cautiously gave it a lick.

The next moment, as if it had tasted a peerless delicacy, it hesitated no longer. It opened its small mouth, revealing fine, crystal-like teeth, and began gnawing away with a 'crunch, crunch'.

The hard purple crystal marrow, under its seemingly small and delicate teeth, was easily bitten and swallowed like a crisp biscuit.

As the purple crystal marrow was consumed, the little creature's body began to emit increasingly bright purple light. Its crystal-like hairs stood on end as if tiny electric currents were flowing within.

The cluster of purple crystals on its forehead shone even more brilliantly, like a small purple star.

After roughly the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the entire piece of purple crystal marrow was eaten clean, not even a speck of debris remaining.

*Burp~*

The Purple Crystal Sable let out a small, satisfied burp. The purple light surrounding it had already become so dense it resembled a tangible purple mist.

It lifted its head and looked at Lu Qiu, its purple eyes filled with dependence and a trace of... drowsiness?

Immediately after, a strange change occurred!

Intense purple light erupted abruptly from within its body, instantly enveloping its entire small form!

The purple light rapidly condensed and solidified, actually forming a layer about half an inch thick, crystal clear, as if carved from purple crystal, encasing its body!

The crystal shell perfectly conformed to its shape, sealing it within, like an exquisite purple crystal sculpture.

Through the crystal shell, one could vaguely see the Purple Crystal Sable curled up inside, eyes tightly shut, its breathing becoming extremely long and slow. Yet, its life fluctuations were exceptionally vigorous. It was digesting and absorbing the vast, pure crystalline energy contained within the purple crystal marrow with all its might, in a unique manner.

"Purple crystal cocooning, slumbering evolution..."

Observing the little creature sealed within the crystal shell, a satisfied smile appeared on Lu Qiu's face. "It seems the purple crystal marrow has an excellent effect on it. Once it finishes absorbing and breaks out of the shell, it should smoothly advance to become a Second-Grade Demonic Beast."

He carefully moved this purple crystal 'sculpture' back into the gray spatial bead, placing it in the quietest spot beside the spirit eye spring, allowing it to complete this important transformation undisturbed.

Having dealt with the Purple Crystal Sable, Lu Qiu then took out the section of thousand-year phantom mist glazed branch.

This branch was about a foot long, its entire body displaying a mesmerizing, dreamlike iridescent glazed color. Inside, it seemed as if clouds and mist slowly flowed, emitting pure and gentle illusory attribute fluctuations.

With a thought, he sent it into the area within the spatial pearl specifically designated for raising the Illusion Spirit Butterflies.

The Illusion Spirit Butterfly swarm was now quite sizable.

The previous batch of new eggs, under the continuous nourishment of the spirit eye spring and ample food supply, had long since hatched.

At this moment, over a thousand Illusion Spirit Butterflies of varying sizes were dancing gracefully within the designated space.

Their wings were iridescent, scattering specks of dreamy light dust as they fluttered. Gathered together, they caused the light in that area to warp slightly, permeating it with a hazy and peculiar atmosphere.

The moment the thousand-year phantom mist glazed branch appeared, the butterfly swarm immediately became agitated!

*Hummm...*

As if summoned by their most primal instincts, over a thousand Illusion Spirit Butterflies flew in unison towards the branch emitting pure illusory power!

They fluttered up and down around the glazed branch, extending their tiny proboscises to greedily suck in the seven-colored mist naturally emanating from it. The halos on their wings visibly became more dazzling and bright, and the illusory spiritual aura they emitted grew more condensed and powerful.

Especially the few dozen mother butterflies from the earliest batch, which had already reached maturity. After absorbing this high-quality phantom mist, their abdomens slightly swelled, and their egg-laying frequency noticeably increased.

It was foreseeable that before long, the number of the Illusion Spirit Butterfly swarm would experience another wave of explosive growth.

"Over a thousand Illusion Spirit Butterflies... If released all at once, converging their group illusion, the power would be enough to deeply trap a Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, making escape difficult. Even a Late Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator's mind would be significantly affected, their actions slowed, their judgment impaired."

Feeling the joy and growing power transmitted back from the butterfly swarm, Lu Qiu felt quite encouraged. "If I can Cultivate them for a few more years, increasing their numbers to several thousand or even tens of thousands... By then, this Illusion Spirit Butterfly swarm might truly become a strategic means to threaten the minds of Core Formation Cultivators and interfere with their spellcasting!"

The tactic of insect swarms was equally terrifying in the cultivation world, especially with strange insects like Illusion Spirit Butterflies that primarily focus on mental interference and creating illusions.

Having properly settled the two Materials, Lu Qiu then took out the dark red Jade Slip purchased for nine hundred Spirit Stones—the *Blood Burning Art*.

He sat down cross-legged, sinking his Divine Sense into the Jade Slip, and began carefully studying this beast-taming secret art with its immense cost yet astonishing power.

The content within the Jade Slip wasn't particularly lengthy, but between the lines, there was an aura of ferocity and determination.

The core of the secret art lay in using the caster's essence blood as the "fuse," constructing a special "Blood Burning Seal" with a unique incantation, and imprinting it into the spirit beast's body. This would instantly ignite its Origin essence blood and latent life force in exchange for a brief burst of power.

The casting process had extremely high requirements: absolute control over the spirit beast was needed, and the caster's own essence blood had to be sufficiently pure, with a Divine Soul strong enough to withstand the backlash of the secret art and the impact of the spirit beast's suffering.

Once successful, the spirit beast's power would skyrocket in an extremely short time, like a final flash of brilliance, becoming ferocious and peerless.

But the cost was also clearly written: damage to its Origin, a permanent drop in cultivation by at least one minor Realm; permanent reduction of potential by at least ten percent; shaken Foundation, making future Cultivation more difficult, even potentially cutting off the path to the Dao.

"This art... is truly drinking poison to quench thirst. In a desperate situation, it might allow one to defy fate, but it absolutely cannot be used as a regular method." After finishing his study, Lu Qiu felt a chill.

This secret art was like a double-edged sword, harming both enemy and self.

Unless at the final, life-or-death moment when all hope is lost, it must never be lightly employed.

He firmly memorized the incantation and precautions of the *Blood Burning Art*, then carefully stored away this dark red Jade Slip.

This art would become one of his trump cards, and he hoped the day to use it would never come.

---

Time slipped quietly away in Cultivation, study, and waiting. In the blink of an eye, a month had passed.

During this month, Lu Qiu basically remained in seclusion, diligently digesting the many gains from his Panlong River trip.

He integrated the Core Formation Stage cultivation insights from the *Golden Malice Art* and the exquisite theories regarding Yin and Yang harmony from the *Yin-Yang Crown* into his own cultivation comprehension. His control over the *Crimson Sky Burning Heaven Technique* and his own mana became increasingly refined.

His Cultivation of the *Xuanji Pupil* also progressed steadily. Occasionally, a faint golden light would flash in his eyes. His vision's penetrating power and perception of spiritual fluctuations had indeed improved.

All miscellaneous matters outside the Immortal Cave were handled by Zhao Wen.

Zhao Wen carried out his duties diligently. Besides continuing to keep an eye out for clues regarding purple spirit crystal veins and illusory attribute Materials, he also promptly gathered and reported various pieces of information from inside and outside the market to Lu Qiu.

The most important among these was the news regarding the Panlong River.

According to Zhao Wen's multi-faceted inquiries and confirmation, the Tianxing Sect's large-scale operation at the Panlong River had long since completely ceased, with all stationed Disciples withdrawn back to the Sect.

The river surface and areas along both banks had completely returned to their former "normality"—Yao Beasts entrenched, Loose Cultivators taking risks, occasional conflicts and struggles, but with no further signs of intervention by major Sect forces. Even many newly-arrived Loose Cultivators who had heard the rumors of the "Bloodline Flood Dragon" began heading to that area to try their luck, attempting to find any possible leftover "Opportunities."

"Master, judging from all signs, the Tianxing Sect has likely completely given up their search in the Panlong River. At least on the surface, that's the case," Zhao Wen concluded.

Hearing this news, the last trace of doubt in Lu Qiu's heart finally dissipated, and he completely relaxed.

The Tianxing Sect giving up meant the Bloodline Flood Dragon's hiding place was safe, and it meant the external risks were greatly reduced when he returned in the future to claim that Opportunity.

This was undoubtedly good news... One day, while Lu Qiu was in the Quiet Room pondering a difficult point in the *profound mechanism array canon* regarding the "Nested Analysis of Composite Ancient Seals," a pale green communication talisman at his waist suddenly grew slightly warm, emitting a soft glow.

It was precisely the one he had left with Xin Ruyin.

Lu Qiu's movements paused. He put down the Jade Slip in his hand, a flash of understanding and calmness in his eyes.

A month had passed. It was time for a result.

He stood up, straightened his robes, and pushed the door open to leave.

Arriving once more outside that serene bamboo grove, the door to the Bamboo Courtyard was slightly ajar.

Lu Qiu gently pushed it open and walked in.

The scene in the courtyard remained unchanged. Xin Ruyin sat alone by the stone table. Before her, there were no Formation diagrams, no jade brush, only a cup of clear tea that had long gone cold.

It seemed she had been sitting like this for a long time.

Hearing footsteps, she slowly lifted her head.

A month without seeing her, Xin Ruyin's complexion seemed even paler than last time. The weariness between her brows and that lingering trace of worry had also deepened.

Clearly, the torment of the "Dragon's Roar Physique" had not ceased. On the contrary, perhaps because she knew the "solution" yet struggled to make a decision, it had taken an even greater toll on her mind and spirit.

Her gaze was extremely complex, interwoven with bashfulness, struggle, resolve, and a hint of confusion and hope for the future.

Seeing Lu Qiu, her cheeks involuntarily flushed with a faint red again. But this time, she did not immediately avert her gaze. Instead, she met Lu Qiu's eyes calmly.

Lu Qiu walked to the stone table but did not sit down. He simply looked at her quietly, awaiting her decision.

Silence spread between the two. Only the rustling of wind through bamboo leaves was exceptionally clear.

After a long while, Xin Ruyin seemed to have used all her strength to take a soft breath. Her voice was so low it was almost inaudible, yet it carried a kind of all-or-nothing determination:

"Young Master Lu... I... have agreed."

She lifted her head, her clear eyes meeting Lu Qiu's directly. Though her cheeks were still flushed, her gaze no longer evaded. Instead, it revealed a brave, all-out resolve.

"I am willing... to try the method you spoke of."