172: Chapter 172 The Void-Escape Boat! Dust-Descending Pill Acquired! Preparations for Core Formation!

Chapter 172: void escape boat! dust settling pill Obtained! Preparing for Core Formation!

Tianmen Peak.

At a flat, open clearing on the mountain peak, the surroundings were concealed by a Formation, cutting off any prying eyes from the outside world.

Lu Qiu stood with his hands behind his back, a crystal-clear jade boat resting in his palm. His magic power circulated, but it felt like a clay ox entering the sea, unable to activate it in the slightest.

"As expected, it requires Core Formation cultivation to be driven."

He wasn't surprised and handed the jade boat to the Black Fiend beside him. "You try it."

The Black Fiend took it, his crimson eyes narrowing slightly in focus.

He slowly injected his own magic power, and the jade boat immediately emitted a layer of pale green, translucent light. The hull trembled gently and then expanded upon meeting the wind!

In the blink of an eye, the exquisite small boat, originally less than three inches long, transformed into an ancient flying boat about ten feet long. Its entire body was crystal clear like jade with smooth lines, hovering three feet in the air. Distorted spatial ripples faintly shimmered around the hull.

With a flash of his silhouette, the Black Fiend was already seated inside the boat.

The next moment—

The jade boat suddenly turned into a blurred green phantom, as if it had pierced through a spatial barrier, and instantly vanished from its original spot!

There was no sound of breaking air, no explosion of spiritual energy; it simply vanished into thin air as if it had never existed.

Lu Qiu spread his powerful Divine Sense to its full extent, yet he could not capture even a trace of it.

About three breaths later.

In the sky more than ten miles away, a speck of green light flickered, and the jade boat reappeared. Then, with another flicker, it instantly landed back on the clearing of Tianmen Peak.

The Black Fiend's figure emerged from the boat, the blood-red evil spirits (fiendish qi) around him visibly fluctuating. Clearly, the magic power consumption of this round trip was extremely staggering.

Lu Qiu had already reached a conclusion: this boat could teleport instantly, covering about fifteen to twenty miles at a time, and its trajectory was difficult to track. However, the magic power consumption was immense. With an Early Core Formation Stage cultivation, driving it with full force would require meditation to recover after at most four uses.

A sharp light flickered in Lu Qiu's eyes.

Instantly teleporting fifteen miles with a near-invisible trajectory that was hard to track.

This was clearly a spatial treasure specifically designed for life-saving escapes!

Unlike the one-time-use "great teleportation talisman" gifted by Nangong Wan, this boat could actually be used repeatedly!

Although the consumption was huge and it would be difficult to use multiple times in succession during actual combat, this ability to "vanish into thin air" at a critical moment was equivalent to having an extra life.

"Since you are a treasure for escaping through the void, I shall name you the 'void escape boat'." Lu Qiu took the jade boat and carefully stored it inside the gray spatial bead.

With this treasure in hand, whether he went out to roam after his own Core Formation or the Black Fiend performed dangerous missions in the future, the certainty of survival would be greatly increased... Time flew by like a shuttle, and another year passed.

On this day, Lu Qiu stood in the Spirit Medicine garden of his Tianmen Peak Immortal Cave. Seeing that the several newly planted Spiritual Plants were growing well, he nodded with satisfaction.

By now, his False Core Realm had long been polished to a state of perfect harmony. His magic power was concentrated, and his Divine Sense was smooth without a hint of instability. Everything was ready, lacking only that crucial "dust settling pill".

He had already arranged a two-pronged approach.

One line was through Third Mother Feng.

Half a year ago, through his Guest Elder channel in the Liulian Hall, he had formally commissioned Third Mother Feng to source the goods from other islands.

The other party had agreed readily, stating it would take some time.

Lu Qiu regularly visited Tiandu Street, both to scout for information and to fulfill his duties as a Guest Elder... Kuixing City, Tiandu Street.

In an elegant room in the back hall of the White Water Tower.

The shopkeeper Cao Hu personally escorted Lu Qiu to the door, his face filled with a sincere smile as he cupped his hands. "Guest Elder Lu, take care! We've troubled you this time to reinforce the warehouse Formations for our six branch stores all at once. This level of formation mastery truly leaves me, Cao, in utter admiration! If there are such needs in the future, I will surely have to bother the Guest Elder again."

Lu Qiu returned the gesture calmly. "Shopkeeper Cao is too polite; it was merely my duty."

He had just spent half a day inspecting and reinforcing all the protective Formations of the core warehouses for the Liulian Hall's six branch stores on Kuixing Island.

Such a task would be quite mentally taxing for an ordinary Formation Master, but with Lu Qiu's current Formation attainments, it was no more than a simple effort.

Leaving the White Water Tower, he glanced at the sky and asked casually, "Has Steward Feng returned to the island?"

Cao Hu shook his head. "Not yet. A message sent back a few days ago said something came up in the Southwestern Islands, and she needs to stay a few days longer. However, Steward Feng has always kept the matter Guest Elder Lu entrusted to her in mind; as soon as there is news, it will certainly be sent back immediately."

Lu Qiu nodded and said no more, departing as a streak of Escape Light.

Not long after returning to Tianmen Peak.

A green Sound Transmission Talisman streaked through the air, hovering outside the Immortal Cave's Restriction, its spiritual light flickering.

Lu Qiu raised his hand to beckon it, and the Talisman fell into his palm. Upon contact with his magic power, a respectful and familiar voice came from within:

"Fellow Daoist Lu, I am Chen Tao. By the order of my master, Wood Dragon, I have come to deliver the dust settling pill. I have arrived outside the peak; please open the Restriction, Fellow Daoist."

Lu Qiu's heart jolted, followed by an irrepressible surge of joy.

Wood Dragon's side had actually succeeded!

With a shift of his body, he reached the edge of the peak's Restriction.

He saw Chen Tao dressed in green robes, holding an exquisite red sandalwood box with both hands. The surface of the box was covered with Spirit Sealing Talismans.

"I've troubled Fellow Daoist Chen to come all this way." Lu Qiu took the wooden box. His tone was calm, but the ripples in the depths of his eyes betrayed his mood.

"Fellow Daoist Lu is too polite. My master said this item was allocated from the main treasury through internal Star Palace channels, which was quite difficult. He hopes you will use it well."

Chen Tao paused, then smiled again. "My master also asked this Junior to bring a message: I wish you an early success on your Great Dao."

Lu Qiu solemnly cupped his hands. "Many thanks to Senior Mu Long for the generous gift; This Lu will remember this kindness. I will certainly visit Tian Zhu Peak in person to express my gratitude another day."

Chen Tao returned the salute and took his leave.

Lu Qiu returned to his Immortal Cave and stepped into the Quiet Room. He personally laid down several soundproofing Restrictions before slowly opening the red sandalwood box.

As the lid opened, an elegant and refreshing pill fragrance permeated the air. With just one sniff, he felt his mind clear and his stray thoughts instantly vanish.

Lying quietly in the box was a pill the size of a longan, pale green all over with faint cloud patterns flowing on its surface. It was precisely the dust settling pill he had been waiting years for!

This pill did not increase magic power nor temper the Physical Body; its sole effect was to subdue Heart Demons and purify the Divine Soul, allowing a Cultivator's mind to remain stable when striking at a Bottleneck, making it less likely to suffer Qi Deviation.

For a dangerous hurdle like Core Formation, with this pill's protection, the success rate could be increased by at least half a percent.

Lu Qiu gazed at the pill for a long time before gently closing the lid.

At this point, the items he had prepared for his Core Formation were finally complete.

heavenly fire liquid: To temper magic power and harmonize Yin and Yang.

snow spirit water: To nourish the Golden Core and stabilize the Foundation.

Crystal Condensing Marrow: To increase the success rate of Core Formation and stabilize the newly formed Golden Core.

dust settling pill: To subdue Heart Demons and purify the Divine Soul.

ningxin pill: A supplementary Core Formation secret pill recorded in the Qing Yang Pill Scripture, which can focus the mind and guide magic power.

His False Core cultivation had long been polished to perfection, pure and condensed.

Everything was ready.

It was time... The next morning.

Lu Qiu summoned Xin Ruyin, Xiao Mei, and Zhao Wen to the Immortal Cave's main hall.

Seeing his solemn expression, the three of them sensed something. They all took their seats and waited for him to speak.

"I am going into seclusion," Lu Qiu said straightforwardly. "This period of seclusion is indefinite; it could be several years, or it could be over a decade."

Hearing this, Xin Ruyin's eyes flickered slightly as she said softly, "Husband Lu... is it to attempt Core Formation?"

Lu Qiu nodded, not hiding it.

Xin Ruyin was silent for a moment, not saying much, only whispering, "Okay."

In that "okay," there was no panic, no reluctance, only complete trust and support.

Lu Qiu looked at her, his gaze softening slightly as he continued his instructions:

"Ruyin, those few newly planted Spiritual Plants in the medicine garden need to be watered regularly with the spirit eye spring; do not be negligent. You are now close to Middle Stage Foundation Establishment; your cultivation must not fall behind. You can continue to study the Dao of Formations intensively; if you have difficulties, consult Senior Ling at any time."

Xin Ruyin nodded earnestly. "Don't worry, I will take care of the internal affairs of the Immortal Cave properly."

Lu Qiu turned to Xiao Mei.

Xiao Mei was no longer the thin, weak little girl of the past; she had grown into a fair and elegant young woman, and her Early Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation was becoming increasingly stable.

She was holding the Purple Crystal Sable, which was glowing with purple light all over and had fur like top-grade carved purple crystal, looking at Lu Qiu expectantly.

"Young Master, just rest assured!"

Xiao Mei patted her already well-developed chest with confidence. "I will definitely raise your spirit pets to be plump and healthy! The Purple Crystal Sable loves eating purple spirit crystals now; it can eat three a day!"

The Purple Crystal Sable in her arms gave a lazy yawn, purple light circulating around it and its aura heavy; it had surprisingly stepped firmly into the Fourth-level Monster Beast realm!

After consuming that batch of purple spirit crystals and some of the thousand-year purple crystal marrow, this little fellow had finally completed its evolution. Although it hadn't reached Level Five yet, its strength was no longer the same.

Lu Qiu then instructed Xiao Mei to look after the Illusion Spirit Butterfly Swarm.

The number of Illusion Spirit Butterflies was approaching four thousand, and among them, there were over two thousand "Gold-Patterned Illusion Spirit Butterflies" with pale gold patterns on their wings, all of which had broken through to Level Three.

This swarm of butterflies was an illusion technique army he had carefully nurtured. If they could continue to grow, they would surely become a trump card in his hand in the future.

Xiao Mei nodded repeatedly, her eyes full of earnestness.

Lu Qiu finally looked at Zhao Wen and took out a list to hand over.

"On this are the resources I've organized that need to be continuously collected. Some are for cultivation, and some are for spirit pet fodder. There's no rush; take your time and prioritize safety."

Zhao Wen took it with both hands, read it through carefully, solemnly tucked it into his robe, and cupped his fists. "Rest assured, Master, your subordinate will do his utmost."

Having finished his instructions, Lu Qiu's gaze finally landed on Xin Ruyin.

She sat there quietly, elegant as an orchid, her features gentle. There was no trace of reluctance or pleading in her eyes, only calm waiting and total trust.

"Go into seclusion with peace of mind," she said softly. "Everything here has me."

Lu Qiu nodded and said no more.

He turned and stepped into the stone door of the Quiet Room that had long been prepared.

The stone door slowly closed behind him, cutting off the light and sound from the outside world.

Inside the Quiet Room, the spirit eye spring gurgled, and the rich Spiritual Qi was as dense as mist.

On the central prayer mat, Lu Qiu sat cross-legged and slowly closed his eyes.

He took out a ningxin pill and placed it in his mouth.

The medicinal power dissolved, and his mind gradually sank.

Vast magic power flowed slowly through his Meridians. Within his Dantian, that speck of scarlet gold False Core light circulated, as if waiting quietly for that complete transformation.

Cultivation began.