123: Combined attack technique! Ancient treasure breaking the restriction bead!

Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Three: Combined Attack Secret Technique! ancient treasure restriction breaking pearl!

The morning mist hadn't fully dissipated when Lu Qiu left his rented courtyard alone.

First, he went to a general store near the market entrance and spent a few Spirit Stones to buy a fairly detailed "Detailed Map of the Surrounding Area of the Yanyue Sect Market."

Spreading the map in his hands, Lu Qiu's gaze swept across it quickly.

The map clearly marked the mountains, rivers, roads, and some well-known Yao Beast habitats or activity points for low-level Cultivators within a hundred-mile radius of the market.

His finger pointed to two locations—"Yue Yang Valley" to the northeast and "Black Water Pool" to the west.

"Plenty of time, I'll go to Yue Yang Valley first." Lu Qiu decided, put away the map, and with a flash of his body, blended into the flow of people leaving the market.

Once out of sight of the guards at the market entrance, he found a secluded corner, summoned his green wind boat, and turned into an inconspicuous cyan-gold Escape Light, speeding towards the northeast.

Controlling this fast boat with his Late Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation, the fifteen-mile distance was covered in an instant.

A valley running east-west with dense vegetation appeared below. There was a gurgling stream at the entrance, and both slopes faced the sun, hence the name "Yue Yang Valley."

At this moment, the sun was just rising, the valley was filled with mist, and birds chirped faintly; it looked peaceful and serene.

Lu Qiu lowered his Escape Light and landed on a ridge several miles from the valley, concealing all his aura.

He didn't enter the valley directly but first used his powerful Divine Sense, comparable to the Early Core Formation Stage, to silently cover the entire valley like an invisible tide for a meticulous probe.

Soon, the corners of his mouth curled slightly; he had discovered something.

In the middle of Yue Yang Valley, in a hollow on the cliff half-hidden by dense vines, and in the shadow of a huge ox-shaped rock by the stream at the bottom of the valley, two spiritual fluctuations were hidden, deliberately suppressed but unable to escape Lu Qiu's perception.

These two auras were cold and carried a hint of ferocity. Their cultivation was around the Early Foundation Establishment Stage, and their concealment skills were quite good. If not for Lu Qiu's Divine Sense far exceeding those of the same Realm, an ordinary Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator passing by would likely have failed to notice them in advance.

"It's you two." A cold glint flashed in Lu Qiu's eyes.

His target wasn't the Yanyue Sect Cultivator Li Xuan, who was about to arrive, but these two Bandit Cultivators lurking here, preparing to kill for treasure.

Within the Yanyue Sect's sphere of influence, attacking their Disciples for no reason carried too high a risk and was quite unwise.

But for such Bandit Cultivators, even if the Yanyue Sect found out afterward, they wouldn't say anything and might even be happy to see it happen.

With a thought, hundreds of Illusion Spirit Butterflies silently flew out from the gray spatial bead.

Under Lu Qiu's exquisite Divine Sense control, these spirits with shimmering wings, particularly skilled at creating illusions, split into two groups. Like two wisps of ethereal seven-colored mist, they drifted silently toward the two hiding spots, using the morning mist and trees in the valley as cover.

In the cliff hollow, a gaunt, fierce-eyed old man in grey robes was holding his breath, clutching a handful of poisoned black flying needles, staring fixedly at the only path in the valley.

Suddenly, he caught a scent that was extremely elegant, as if a mix of various floral fragrances, and the light before his eyes seemed to warp slightly.

"Hmm?" Just as a warning bell rang in the old man's heart, before he could react, the scene before him changed abruptly!

It was as if he had instantly left the dark cliff and was now in an endless, hallucinatory sea of seven-colored flowers.

Countless stunning and enchanting beauties walked gracefully out of the flower sea, dancing around him, smiling sweetly, their breath like orchids... That beautiful and dreamlike scene made his alert mind involuntarily relax and sink into it.

The same situation happened to the short, fat Bandit Cultivator under the ox-shaped rock by the stream.

He only felt a moment of daze before finding himself back in his hometown's mansion, with piles of Spirit Stones, rare Magic Treasures, and several beautiful concubines smiling and beckoning to him... In the depths of the intoxicating illusion, an imperceptible golden light flashed—it was Lu Qiu's Spirit Shocking Thorn quietly mixed into the illusion, enough to give the Divine Soul a slight tremor the moment the opponent's mind faltered, completely dismantling their resistance in coordination with the illusion.

Two breaths later, the seven-colored mist silently dissipated.

In the cliff hollow, the grey-robed old man leaned against the rock wall, his eyes wide open, pupils dilated, a trace of an obsessed, eerie smile still on his face. His life was gone, and the poison needles were scattered on the ground.

Under the ox-shaped rock by the stream, the short, fat Bandit Cultivator lay prone on the ground, motionless, also completely devoid of breath.

From beginning to end, no sound was made, and not a single intense spiritual fluctuation was leaked.

Two Early Foundation Establishment Stage Bandit Cultivators had walked unknowingly toward death in the silent dreamlike bubbles, as if they had simply fallen into a deep sleep.

Lu Qiu's figure appeared in the valley like a ghost. With a wave of his hand, two Storage Pouches flew from the two corpses into his hand.

Immediately after, two clusters of Chixiao True Fire fell, turning the corpses into ashes that scattered with the wind, leaving no trace.

Having finished all this, Lu Qiu didn't stay. His figure soared into the sky, and he steered the green wind boat to turn around, flying rapidly toward the Black Water Pool to the west.

On the boat, Lu Qiu finally had time to inspect the two Storage Pouches he had just obtained.

His Divine Sense probed in, and the items in the bags were clear at a glance. The two Bandit Cultivators were fairly wealthy, with a total of about two thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, several Intermediate Talismans, a few bottles of ordinary Medicinal Pills, two or three ordinary Top-Grade Magical Artifacts, and some miscellaneous Materials.

For Early Foundation Establishment Stage Loose Cultivators, it was a small fortune, but for Lu Qiu, it was merely better than nothing.

His attention was quickly drawn to a pale green Jade Slip in the corner of one of the Storage Pouches.

The Jade Slip looked quite old with worn edges, yet it faintly emitted a unique spiritual charm.

He took out the Jade Slip and immersed his Divine Sense.

A few large Ancient Restriction characters entered his Sea of Consciousness—Spirit Transfer Technique!

Reading carefully, a look of interest appeared in Lu Qiu's eyes.

This Spirit Transfer Technique wasn't an offensive or defensive technique, but a rather peculiar auxiliary Combined Attack Secret Technique!

Its core lay in the requirement for two Cultivators to Cultivate it together, and their cultivation Realms had to be similar.

Once successfully cultivated, the two would be of one mind and could perform this technique at critical moments.

Once performed, one person could temporarily "transfer" most of their own mana to the other in a mysterious way!

The Jade Slip gave an example: if two Early Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators performed this technique, the one receiving the mana infusion could forcibly raise their cultivation to the Middle Stage Foundation Establishment level for a short time!

The duration depended on the depth of the practitioners' mana and their level of cooperation, usually lasting about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

After the effect wore off, the recipient would fall into a brief state of weakness, while the one who provided the mana would need to meditate for a long time to recover.

"What a Spirit Transfer Technique!" Lu Qiu praised in his heart.

In certain specific situations, this secret technique could be called a Sharp Weapon for reversing the situation!

Imagine two Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators suddenly exploding with combat power close to the Late Foundation Establishment Stage, or two Late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators temporarily possessing the power of a False Core... it would be enough to catch an opponent off guard!

"This secret technique is very suitable for Ruyin and Xiao Mei." Lu Qiu immediately thought of his Dao Companion and maidservant.

Although Xin Ruyin had extraordinary talent in Formations, her own cultivation was still shallow, and her combat ability was weak.

Xiao Mei was loyal. If they could Cultivate this technique, their future cooperation could greatly enhance their self-protection abilities at critical moments.

"When Hei Sha's strength improves in the future, I might also try to Cultivate this technique in coordination with him." Lu Qiu's thoughts shifted to his External Incarnation.

The Incarnation and he were originally one, having a natural advantage in being of one mind. If they could master this technique, it might produce unexpected results at critical moments.

Lu Qiu solemnly put away the Jade Slip recording the Spirit Transfer Technique, feeling in a good mood.

The silver Opportunity had been successfully obtained, and its value satisfied him.

The green wind boat was extremely fast, and before long, a small pool with dark water appeared in the mountain forest below.

The area around the Black Water Pool was densely forested and dimly lit, with a faint smell of swamp and coldness in the air. Ordinary Mortals and even low-level Cultivators rarely approached this place.

Lu Qiu landed in a dense forest on a high ground several miles away from the Black Water Pool, put away the boat, and hid his figure.

The view here was open, allowing him to observe the movements around the Black Water Pool without being too close and drawing suspicion.

It was now more than an hour before the "hour of the monkey" mentioned in the intelligence.

Lu Qiu wasn't anxious. He sat cross-legged under an ancient tree, eyes closed, adjusting his state to the optimum while his Divine Sense, like the most precise radar, enveloped the area for several miles around the Black Water Pool, not missing any movement.

Time passed slowly in the silence. The sun gradually moved west, and the light and shadows in the forest were dappled.

The hour of the monkey was approaching.

Lu Qiu's tightly closed eyes suddenly snapped open, looking toward the small path on the east side of the Black Water Pool.

In his Divine Sense perception, a spiritual fluctuation belonging to the Qi Refining Stage Great Perfection Realm was moving unhurriedly toward the Black Water Pool.

Soon, the figure of a Loose Cultivator appeared on the path, dressed in simple grey robes, with an ordinary face, looking about thirty years old, with a hint of caution and fatigue in his expression.

He alertly observed his surroundings, especially that unsettling dark pool, and his pace unconsciously quickened, clearly wanting to pass through this area as quickly as possible.

This person was exactly the Loose Cultivator Lin Fei mentioned in the intelligence.

Just as Lin Fei was about to pass the edge of the Black Water Pool, his mind slightly tense due to his vigilance—

The change came quietly!

Without any warning, Lin Fei only felt the scene before him blur slightly, as if a very faint seven-colored halo flashed at the edge of his vision.

Immediately after, he was horrified to find that he had somehow ended up in a completely unfamiliar wilderness burning with raging fires!

Scorching air currents rushed at him, the ground beneath his feet was cracked, the sky was as red as blood, and countless hideous fire beasts pounced on him from all directions!

"An illusion? An enemy attack?!" Lin Fei was terrified. Although his cultivation wasn't high, his experience and vigilance far exceeded those of the same level.

He immediately bit his tongue hard, trying to use the pain to break free from the illusion, while frantically reaching for the Storage Pouch at his waist, wanting to take out a protective Magical Artifact.

However, this illusion came too suddenly and was too realistic. The heat and the ferocity of the fire beasts were almost indistinguishable from reality, instantly shaking his mind.

It was in this split second of distraction!

A figure as light as green smoke swept past him at an incredible speed. His waist felt light, and the Storage Pouch that looked ordinary but was actually reinforced by him with a secret method had vanished!

The illusion receded like a tide.

Lin Fei stumbled, suddenly coming to his senses, and looked around in horror—it was still that dim forest path, with the dark pool lying quietly beside it. Where were the fiery wilderness and hideous fire beasts?

But the empty feeling at his waist was so real!

"My Storage Pouch!" Lin Fei's face instantly turned as pale as paper, devoid of blood.

He hurriedly felt his waist, then searched the ground like a madman, even ignoring the danger to use his Divine Sense to probe everywhere, but where was the shadow of the Storage Pouch?

"It's over..." A bone-chilling coldness rushed from the soles of Lin Fei's feet to the top of his head. He slumped to the ground in despair, his eyes full of hopelessness and fear.

In that Storage Pouch was not only his entire fortune but also his most important secret.

Now, it had actually been taken away without him noticing!

Who was this sacred being?

Was it a high-level Cultivator just passing by, or an enemy who had long been targeting him?

Extreme fear and despair made him dare not stay. He didn't even stop to wonder why the other party only took his things and didn't kill him. He scrambled to his feet, no longer caring about being cautious, and fled toward the way he came in a panic, only wanting to escape this place of trouble that had made him lose everything as quickly as possible... Several miles away, on the forested high ground.

Lu Qiu's figure reappeared, holding the Storage Pouch he had taken from Lin Fei.

He didn't even look in the direction Lin Fei was fleeing in panic. His Divine Sense easily erased the original owner's weak Divine Sense imprint on the bag and poured all the items onto a flat blue stone.

Just as described in the intelligence, as the descendant of a fallen Sect, Lin Fei's fortune was indeed meager.

About a hundred scattered Low-Grade Spirit Stones, a few bottles of the most basic Qi Refining Stage Medicinal Pills, two low-level Magical Artifacts, some miscellaneous Ores and herbs, and several Jade Slips recording basic Cultivation Techniques and fragmented Legacy information from the Xuanji Sect.

The only thing worth a bit of money was perhaps a small jar of "Star Sand" used for refining Formation Flags.

Lu Qiu's gaze swept over these miscellaneous items and finally fixed on an inconspicuous grey stone bead among the pile.

The stone bead was about the size of a longan, grey all over, with a rough surface and no luster, as if it were a pebble picked up randomly by the river; it would never draw a second glance if thrown into a pile of junk.

But Lu Qiu could feel a very restrained, ancient, and strange fluctuation from it.

He took the stone bead into his hand; it felt slightly cool to the touch.

Looking closely, on one side of the stone bead were two extremely tiny Ancient Restriction characters that almost merged with the stone texture—Restriction Breaking!

"restriction breaking pearl!" A brilliant light burst from Lu Qiu's eyes, and a surge of joy at his harvest rose in his heart.

It really was it!

He tried to inject a wisp of pure Crimson Heaven Mana into the stone bead.

However, the mana was like a clay ox entering the sea; the stone bead had no reaction and remained that grey, stubborn stone-like appearance.

Lu Qiu wasn't surprised.

ancient treasures were special treasures refined and passed down by ancient Cultivators. Their power was unpredictable, but they often had unique activation requirements.

The most common point was the need for mana and Divine Sense at the Core Formation Stage or above to initially refine and activate them.

This restriction breaking pearl was clearly no exception.

"Restriction Breaking... as the name suggests, it should be an ancient treasure specifically used to break various Restrictions and Formations."

Lu Qiu held the stone bead, feeling its restrained ancient aura, and thought to himself, "I just don't know to what extent its 'Restriction Breaking' ability can reach? Can it only break ordinary Formations and Restrictions, or... can it even shake those complex 'Ancient Restrictions' left in ancient ruins and Secret Realm Immortal Caves?"Standard

If it could break Ancient Restrictions, then the value of this restriction breaking pearl would far exceed an ordinary offensive or defensive ancient treasure!

For Lu Qiu, who aimed to explore ancient ruins and find Opportunities, it was like adding wings to a tiger!

He carefully put the restriction breaking pearl into the Storage Pouch he kept close to him, along with his other most important items, and Lu Qiu stood up, looking toward the Yanyue Sect market.

The harvest from this trip far exceeded his expectations.

Not only did he obtain the practical Combined Attack Secret Technique, the Spirit Transfer Technique, but he also acquired the ancient treasure "restriction breaking pearl" with infinite potential.

The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the mountain forest a golden red, and Lu Qiu's figure gradually faded in the light and shadow, leaving only a cool breeze on the ground.