164: Tiandu Street! Settle down! Plan to form the Golden Core!

Chapter 164: Tiandu Street! Settling Down! Planning for Core Formation!

Led by Lu Qiu, the group followed the wide, flat road towards the towering city gate of Kuixing City.

The city gate was wide open, extremely spacious, estimated to allow ten four-wheeled carriages to pass side-by-side without crowding. On either side of the gate, a team of Mortal soldiers, uniformly dressed in dark brown leather armor, holding refined iron halberds, and with solemn expressions, stood guard, their sharp gazes sweeping over the incoming and outgoing crowds.

In the shadows inside the city gate, a simple lean-to shed was set up. Two Cultivators in gray short robes, with Qi Refining Stage cultivation of roughly the fifth or sixth level, were lazily sitting on bamboo chairs. A small tea table was placed in front of them, and they chatted idly, occasionally glancing up at the city gate.

Their main duty was clearly to supervise the guards and handle any sudden situations that might require Cultivator intervention.

As Lu Qiu's group approached, the two Qi Refining Cultivators almost instantly sensed the undisguised, profound Spiritual Pressure belonging to a Late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator, as well as the equally strong auras of the few people behind him.

Their originally lazy expressions immediately stiffened. They sat up straight, their gazes quickly sweeping over Lu Qiu and the others, their eyes filled with awe and a hint of nervousness.

However, they did not step forward to question or obstruct. For Foundation Establishment Cultivators, especially High Grade Late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators, as long as they were not obvious Demonic Path magnates or wanted criminals, Kuixing Island generally maintained an open attitude and would not deliberately make things difficult.

Lu Qiu and the others entered the city gate unimpeded.

Stepping inside, the scene within the city immediately unfolded. Even Lu Qiu, who was well-traveled and mentally prepared, nodded secretly, praising the city's prosperity and order.

The main street underfoot was as wide as a small plaza, paved with neatly cut, smoothly polished, thick bluestone slabs, so clean that hardly any debris or dust could be seen.

On both sides of the street, shops were lined up in an orderly fashion, with flying eaves and intricate brackets, carved beams and painted pillars. Various signboards and banners fluttered in the breeze, displaying words like "Silk Shop," "Restaurant," "Pharmacy," "Bank," and "Carriage and Horse Rental," a dazzling array.

Pedestrians rubbed shoulders, dressed in various styles, including local residents, traveling merchants, Jianghu wanderers, and scholars.

There was a constant flow of traffic, with ornately decorated carriages, pack animals laden with goods, and human-powered wheelbarrows interspersed among them.

Its bustling degree far surpassed that of the capital city, and it carried an openness and mixed atmosphere unique to maritime civilizations.

Lu Qiu's objective was clear, and he did not linger in the bustling area near the city gate.

Following the map he had memorized, he led the group directly towards the northern district of the city.

After passing through several main thoroughfares bustling with carriages, when Lu Qiu arrived at the edge of the northern district, the scene before him suddenly changed, forming a stark contrast to the mundane prosperity he had just witnessed!

A huge, arc-shaped translucent light shield, emitting a soft and stable white glow, like a giant Glazed Bowl inverted on the ground, completely enveloped the entire northern district!

On the surface of the light shield, faint golden, profound runes occasionally flowed and flickered like water ripples, emitting a powerful yet restrained spiritual energy fluctuation. This was clearly a large-scale Formation with multiple functions, including protection, isolation, and warning.

This Formation not only isolated the view from inside and out, but also differentiated the Spiritual Qi environment both inside and out.

The Spiritual Qi concentration inside the light shield was clearly several times higher than outside!

Through the slightly hazy light shield, one could vaguely see streets crisscrossing inside, laid out as neatly as a chessboard.

Pavilions and palaces were densely packed, with flying eaves and intricate brackets, each in a different style. There were tall and majestic palace-like buildings, as well as delicate and elegant garden-like courtyards. Its grand scale made it seem less like a mere "street" and more like an independent small town!

It would probably not be an exaggeration to say there were hundreds of streets and thousands of buildings inside.

And in the very center of this "city within a city" enveloped by the light shield, the most eye-catching feature was a three-story pavilion, entirely emerald green and flawlessly radiant, as if meticulously carved from a single massive piece of top-grade jadeite, quietly suspended thirty-odd zhang above the ground!

The pavilion's design was both ancient and exquisite, with flying eaves spreading like Phoenix wings and layers of intricate brackets. Doors and windows were complete, and details were carved with cloud patterns and Auspicious Beasts.

The entire pavilion's surface emitted a faint, warm, and gentle green glow, shimmering with a dreamlike luster under the sunlight, breathtakingly beautiful, unlike anything found in the Mortal world, more like a palace where Immortals were said to reside, accidentally descended into the mundane.

"Is this Yunmeng Pavilion? It truly is extraordinarily grand!" A hint of admiration flashed in Lu Qiu's eyes.

Although he knew of its existence from the original work, seeing this suspended jadeite Immortal pavilion with his own eyes still left him quite shocked.

This was not only a symbol of wealth but also a combination of superb Artifact Refining, Formation, and levitation techniques, showcasing the unique and advanced aspects of the Cultivation civilization in the Chaotic Star Sea.

Xin Ruyin looked up at the suspended pavilion, her beautiful eyes sparkling with wonder. She was more concerned with its levitation principle and the sustaining Formation: "Long-term suspension purely by the power of a Formation... this requires extremely precise and stable control over spiritual energy, and the consumption must be considerable. The power behind this Yunmeng Pavilion is unfathomable."

Xiao Mei and Zhao Wen were also dumbfounded, awestruck by the unimaginable sight.

"Let's go, let's take a look inside." Lu Qiu composed himself and led the group to an obvious entrance at the edge of the light shield.

Here, the light shield had an opening, a gateway about three zhang wide and two zhang high. Spiritual light flowed along the edges of the gateway, guarded by two Cultivators in standard green robes, with Qi Refining Stage cultivation of the eighth or ninth level. Beside them was a small table, behind which sat a slightly older, stern-faced Early Foundation Establishment Cultivator, checking the credentials of those entering.

Lu Qiu stepped forward and handed over his temporary identification token.

The Early Foundation Establishment Cultivator took it, swept it with his Divine Sense, confirmed its authenticity, then looked at the few people behind Lu Qiu. Seeing that they were not repelled by the Formation, he nodded, returned the token, and gestured for them to enter.

Stepping inside the Tiandu Street light shield, the environmental sensation abruptly changed.

First was the Spiritual Qi; its concentration was at least two to three times that of the outer city. Although it still couldn't compare to a truly large Spiritual Vein area, it was more than enough for the daily Cultivation of Qi Refining Stage and ordinary Early Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

The air was filled with faint scents of sandalwood, medicinal herbs, and the unique fresh aroma of various spiritual Materials.

Secondly, it was quiet.

Although the streets were still busy, the number of pedestrians was much smaller than in the outer city, and almost ninety percent were Cultivators!

Mortals were rarely seen here; even if present, they were either servants of certain shops or accompanying a Cultivator, hurrying along, not daring to look around freely.

The shops on both sides of the street were also completely different from those in the outer city.

They were no longer ordinary silk shops or restaurants, but rather establishments specializing in various Cultivation resources.

These shops were similar in size, generally two-to-three-story wooden and stone pavilions, with ancient and elegant styles. Their lintels displayed black-bottomed, gold-lettered or jade plaques, and banners embroidered with their shop names and logos.

Lu Qiu did not linger in the peripheral areas; these shops primarily catered to Qi Refining Stage and low-level Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

His goal was clear, and he headed straight for the central area of Tiandu Street.

The closer he got to the center, the wider the streets became, and the paving stones were replaced with more luxurious white jade slabs.

The shops on both sides were larger, their decor more imposing, and the auras of the Cultivators entering and exiting were stronger, with a noticeable increase in the proportion of Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

Before long, the view suddenly opened up, and an extremely wide, meticulously maintained plaza appeared before them.

The plaza ground was paved with neatly cut, warm, and pure white jade strips, reflective enough to show one's image, and spotless. Against the backdrop of the surrounding buildings, it appeared both luxurious and imbued with an Immortal elegance.

The center of the plaza was empty, with only the suspended jadeite "Yunmeng Pavilion" quietly hanging directly above, overlooking the area like a guardian deity.

At this moment, the pavilion's main gate was tightly shut, and there were no stairs in front of it, suggesting it might not be open to the public at all times, perhaps only on specific days or for specific VIPs.

Surrounding this white jade plaza, six magnificent and exquisitely built palace-style buildings, each with a distinct architectural style, stood at equal intervals!

These six pavilions were either resplendent in gold, ancient and substantial, delicate and ingenious, or imposing and solemn. They were equally spaced, subtly forming a hexagonal standoff. The signboards above their entrances were also extremely eye-catching, carved from a certain type of spiritual Material that emitted a faint glow: "White Water Tower," "Jade Ring Residence," "Mountain Sea Pavilion," "Stardust Palace," "Tide Listening Chamber," and "Myriad Wonders House."

These were precisely the six core branch stores opened on Kuixing Island by the "Liulian Hall," a cross-island commercial Alliance mentioned in the original work, which was powerful in the Chaotic Star Sea, second only to the "Four Great Merchant Alliances"!

These six shops almost monopolized the most central, highest-grade, and most profitable transactions on Tiandu Street.

They represented different factions or main business directions within the Liulian Hall, forming both a cooperative Alliance and internal competition.

Lu Qiu's gaze swept over these six imposing pavilions, and he pondered for a moment.

He primarily needed to sell a large number of Magical Artifacts, many of which had Demonic Path characteristics. He needed to find a large, reputable shop that was relatively accepting of goods from various sources.

"White Water Tower... it seems to mainly deal in Magical Artifacts and some Artifact Refining Materials. This one it is."

Lu Qiu made up his mind and led the group towards the pavilion with the golden signboard of "White Water Tower," whose overall style leaned towards being heavy and square, decorated primarily with dark wood and obsidian.

Upon entering the White Water Tower, the first thing one felt was a cool sensation, as if the interior was equipped with a miniature Formation for temperature regulation.

The interior space was exceptionally spacious, with a ceiling height of over three zhang, and the lighting was bright and soft.

The four walls were designed like a Duobao Pavilion, with various Magical Artifacts neatly arranged by category.

There were not many customers in the shop, only a few Cultivators speaking in low voices with the shop assistants at the counter.

A young shop assistant, dressed in a blue brocade short shirt, with a quick-witted face and Qi Refining Stage cultivation of the seventh or eighth level, habitually greeted the new guests.

When he instinctively swept his Divine Sense and sensed the unfathomably deep, mountain-like steady Spiritual Pressure of a Late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator on Lu Qiu, his professional smile instantly froze, then transformed into immense respect, even carrying a hint of imperceptible fawning and nervousness.

He scurried forward, bowed deeply, and said with extreme enthusiasm: "Seniors, what an honor to have you grace the White Water Tower with your presence. This Junior failed to greet you properly, please forgive me! May I ask what treasures Seniors wish to see? I presume ordinary goods would surely not catch Seniors' Dharma Eye.

Why don't you all, Seniors, move to the private VIP room next door to rest for a while and enjoy a cup of spiritual tea? This Junior will go invite the shopkeeper and bring out some top-tier Magical Artifacts that have recently arrived, possess extraordinary power, and even special Divine Abilities, for you Seniors to carefully appreciate and choose from. How does that sound?

His words were thoughtful, and his attitude was impeccable.

Lu Qiu waved his hand, his tone calm and unperturbed: "No need to trouble yourself. I'm not here to buy Magical Artifacts; I'm here to sell them."

The shop assistant was stunned, but those who worked at a Liulian Hall branch were all quick-witted.

He immediately put on a smile again, nodding repeatedly: "So that's how it is! This Junior was presumptuous. Senior, please wait a moment, please go to the private room for tea first, this Junior will go invite the shopkeeper to discuss with you in detail!"

With that, he more eagerly led Lu Qiu and his group to an elegant side hall, separated by exquisite screens, on one side of the shop.

The side hall wasn't large, but it was decorated with extreme elegance. The tables and chairs were all crafted from excellent spiritual wood, landscape paintings with profound Concept hung on the walls, and faint wisps of green smoke rose from an incense burner in the corner, emitting a calming fragrance.

The shop assistant offered two pots of fragrant tea, rich with Spiritual Qi, and some exquisite spiritual fruit pastries, then bowed and retreated, leaving in a hurry.

Before long, a steady sound of footsteps approached. A middle-aged man, dressed in a dark gold brocade robe, with a plump and rosy face, a meticulously groomed three-strand beard, sharp and spirited eyes, and a cultivation of Middle Stage Foundation Establishment, walked in with a smile.

"Haha, honored guests have graced us with their presence! I am Cao Hu, the shopkeeper of this establishment. May I know Fellow Daoist's name?" Cao Hu cupped his hands and laughed, his attitude warm but not fawning, carrying the unique smoothness and amiability of a merchant. His gaze quickly swept over Lu Qiu and Heisha, secretly assessing them.

"Lu Qiu." Lu Qiu responded concisely, also cupping his hands in return.

"So it's Fellow Daoist Lu, a pleasure to meet you!"

Cao Hu's smile grew wider as he sat opposite Lu Qiu: "I heard Fellow Daoist intends to sell Magical Artifacts? May I ask about their quality and quantity? Fellow Daoist, rest assured, my White Water Tower has operated on Kuixing Island for several hundred years, and our prices have always been fair and honest."

Lu Qiu said no more, directly taking out several bulging Storage Pouches of different styles and placing them on the table.

Most of these Storage Pouches were obtained from Demonic Cultivators in Yue Country, and they themselves were decent spoils of war. He picked up one of them, turned its opening downwards, and activated it with his magical power.

"Whoosh la la—"

A flash of spiritual light, accompanied by crisp clashing sounds, saw dozens of Magical Artifacts of various shapes, colors, and mixed attributes pour out like a stream, piling up in the open space in the center of the side hall, quickly forming a small mound.

Immediately after, Lu Qiu picked up the second, then the third Storage Pouch... A moment later, a "small mountain" composed of forty to fifty Magical Artifacts had accumulated in the open space in the center of the side hall!

Swords, spears, blades, halberds, axes, battle-axes, hooks, forks, mirrors, banners, bells... The types were numerous, their spiritual light strong or weak, their attributes covering the Five Elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, and even rare attributes like wind, lightning, ice, and darkness.

More than half of these Magical Artifacts bore obvious characteristics of the Demonic Path or Evil Path, such as eerie ghostly Qi, bloody Evil Qi, or scorching flames and swirling poisonous mist.

These were all spoils of war Lu Qiu obtained from eliminating Demonic Cultivators from the Ghost Spirit Sect, Demonic Flame Sect, Joyous Union Sect, and other Demonic Path sects on the front lines in Yue Country.

Shopkeeper Cao Hu looked at the large pile of Magical Artifacts that clearly had a "story," a flicker of imperceptible surprise in his eyes, but the smile on his face remained unchanged. He had managed the White Water Tower for many years, handling countless "black market goods" and "spoils of war," and was long accustomed to such sights.

With numerous islands and intertwined forces in the Chaotic Star Sea, sea battles, raids, and private duels were frequent. Goods of this origin were all too common.

He knew well that he should never ask what shouldn't be asked; this was a trade rule and a way of survival.

"Fellow Daoist Lu has reaped a bountiful harvest," Cao Hu praised with a smile, then stood up, walked to the pile of Magical Artifacts, squatted down, and began to carefully inspect them one by one.

He first observed the Magical Artifacts' appearance, inscriptions, and degree of wear, then injected a trace of magical power to test their spiritual power flow, whether the core Restrictions were intact, and if there were any hidden damages. From time to time, he would pick up one or two to weigh in his hand, or lightly tap them against other Magical Artifacts to listen to their sound.

His movements were professional and swift, clearly demonstrating his seasoned experience.

Approximately an incense stick's time later, Cao Hu stood up, patted non-existent dust from his hands, returned to his seat, and smiled at Lu Qiu: "Fellow Daoist Lu, the quality, power, and intactness of these Magical Artifacts vary. Among them, there are seven High Grade, fifteen Medium Grade, twenty-two Low Grade, and six of Low Grade or slightly damaged. Moreover... their attributes are quite mixed, with a predominance of those bearing sinister and Evil Qi, which will require some cost to process."

He pondered for a moment, as if calculating seriously, then extended two fingers: "How about this, for all Magical Artifacts, regardless of grade or attribute, our shop is willing to purchase them all for twelve thousand Low Grade Spirit Stones. What do you think, Fellow Daoist?"

Twelve thousand Spirit Stones!

Lu Qiu quickly calculated in his mind.

This price was not far from his estimate, and perhaps even slightly higher, given that Cao Hu considered his Late Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation and the considerable quantity of goods.

Spirit Stone mines in the Chaotic Star Sea were relatively abundant, but the base number of low-level Cultivators was enormous, so the actual purchasing power of Magical Artifacts was not much different from Tiannan. This price was fair.

"Alright." Lu Qiu nodded in agreement, without bargaining.

"Fellow Daoist Lu is straightforward!" Cao Hu's smile grew wider, evidently very satisfied with the transaction.

He immediately took out an exquisite leather pouch from his waist Storage Pouch, untied the string, and inside were neatly stacked, vibrant Spirit Stones of various colors, primarily Low Grade Spirit Stones, mixed with a small amount of more refined mid-grade Spirit Stones.

He counted them in front of Lu Qiu, exactly twelve thousand, and pushed them towards him.

Lu Qiu swept his Divine Sense over them, confirmed they were correct, and with a wave of his hand, put the Spirit Stones into his Storage Pouch.

The transaction was complete, and both parties were pleased.

Cao Hu personally escorted Lu Qiu out of the White Water Tower, warmly expressing his welcome for a return visit.

After leaving the White Water Tower, Lu Qiu did not immediately depart from Tiandu Street.

He visited several other larger raw material shops and Medicinal Pill shops in the district.

He sold some Yao Beast Materials he had obtained from hunting Yao Beasts in Golden Drum Plain but had no use for, as well as some Low Grade Medicinal Pills and miscellaneous items with ordinary effects or unsuitable attributes that he had plundered from Demonic Cultivators.

These odds and ends brought him another three to four thousand Low Grade Spirit Stones.

Thus, Lu Qiu's liquid funds became extremely abundant.

Afterward, he took Xin Ruyin and the others to a quiet inn called "Listening Bamboo Cottage" in the outer area of Tiandu Street, which specialized in hosting Cultivators, had a good reputation, and a serene environment.

This inn occupied a bamboo forest, with individual courtyards inside. Each courtyard had basic protective, soundproofing, and early warning Restrictions, and the Spiritual Qi was also denser than outside. Although the price was not cheap, its privacy was a distinct advantage.

Lu Qiu rented a courtyard with three Quiet Rooms, a small hall, and an independent yard for a period of three months.

He paid the rent in full at once.

Upon entering the rented courtyard, Lu Qiu waved his hand and cast several incantations, first fully activating the courtyard's inherent Restrictions, then additionally setting up several soundproofing and early warning Restrictions he knew, completely isolating the inside from the outside to ensure no one could spy.

After settling Xin Ruyin and Xiao Mei, instructing them to rest or Cultivate on their own, Lu Qiu then ordered Zhao Wen: "Zhao Wen, go out and thoroughly investigate the specific business scope, reputation, and possible background connections of all shops on Tiandu Street, especially in the central area of Liulian Hall, as well as other important Cultivator gathering places, markets, and information exchange venues in Kuixing City. Be discreet and avoid attracting attention."

"Yes! Master!" Zhao Wen acknowledged the order and immediately turned to leave.

His cultivation was already Middle Stage Foundation Establishment, and he was alert, making him skilled at such tasks.

After arranging these matters, Lu Qiu entered his own Quiet Room, waved his hand to close the stone door, activated the small Spirit Gathering Formation inside, and sat cross-legged on the central futon.

The outdoor noise was completely cut off, leaving only the faint hum of the Formation's operation and his own breathing.

He slowly closed his eyes, but his mind was swirling with thoughts as he began to meticulously plan his future Cultivation path and action plan.

"My cultivation has now reached the False Core Realm. The Foundation Establishment chapter of the Crimson Sky Burning Heaven Technique has long reached Perfection, my magical power is pure and refined, my Divine Sense is close to Middle Core Formation Stage, and my Foundation is solid. Next, the most important goal is naturally to form a Golden Core and officially step into the Core Formation Stage!"

Core Formation is truly the first insurmountable chasm on the path of Immortal Cultivation.

Countless astonishingly talented Foundation Establishment Cultivators stop here, their Lifespan exhausted, turning into dust.

Even with ample preparation, the success rate of Core Formation is shockingly low.

"I have the Crystal Condensing Marrow, such a spiritual item for Core Formation. If I can acquire a few more spiritual items for Core Formation, it could slightly increase the success rate and stabilize the newly formed Golden Core. This is a major advantage."

Lu Qiu meticulously deduced the various conditions that might be needed for Core Formation and the difficulties that might be encountered.

"However, before I prepare for my own Core Formation..."

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes: "I can let Heisha try to condense a 'fiend core' first!"

Heisha, as his External Incarnation, had already reached Late Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation and practiced the rapid but powerful Demonic Technique, Blood Refining Divine Light, having long met the requirements for condensing a 'fiend core'.

The five blood condensing five elements pills obtained from the Yuejing Imperial Palace were precisely the 'pseudo-pills' prepared for condensing a fiend core!

Once Heisha successfully condenses a fiend core, even if it's just a 'pseudo-pill' achieved through clever means, with an unstable Realm and limited potential, he will at least possess the combat power of an Early Core Formation Stage Cultivator in terms of total magical power and quality for a short period!

This will be an extremely powerful immediate combat asset.

"With an Incarnation bodyguard with Core Formation Stage combat power by my side, whether I'm venturing out to seek Opportunities, exploring the Chaotic Star Sea, or responding to potential sudden dangers, I will be much more at ease and my safety will greatly increase."

Lu Qiu mused: "After all, while the Bloodline Flood Dragon and Golden-Backed Demonic Mantis are powerful, they are Yao Beasts, with large bodies or obvious characteristics, making them unsuitable for easily appearing in human Cultivator gathering places, as they might attract unnecessary attention or even greed. Heisha is different; he is a human Cultivator, making it easier for him to blend into the environment, carry out covert missions, or act as an overt guard."

"The most urgent task is to first let Heisha adjust his state and attempt to condense a fiend core. At the same time, I also need to start preparing for my own Core Formation..."

A clear short-term action plan gradually formed in Lu Qiu's mind.

In this unfamiliar Chaotic Star Sea, strength is the Foundation for survival and obtaining everything.

Improving strength will always be the top priority.