199: Chapter 199 Late Stage of Core Formation! Refining the Natal Magic Treasure! Crimson Sky Thunderfire Pearl!

Chapter One Hundred and Ninety-Nine: Late Core Formation Stage! Refining Lifebound Treasure! chixiao thunder fire pearl!

Immortal Cave Hall.

Sunlight spilled through the window lattices, casting mottled light and shadows on the bluestone floor.

Xin Ruyin sat upright before a desk, holding a volume of Formation Dao scriptures in her hands, her expression focused; occasionally she frowned in thought, and occasionally she smiled knowingly.

The aura around her was as calm and heavy as water, exactly the bearing an Early Core Formation Cultivator should have.

To the side, Xiao Mei was excitedly spinning in circles in the hall, her skirt fluttering gently with her movements like a dancing butterfly.

Her face overflowed with uncontrollable joy, and her agile eyes sparkled with brilliant light.

"Young Miss, I never expected that I, Xiao Mei, could also become a False Core Cultivator!"

She stopped her steps, cupping her cheeks with both hands, her eyes filled with an incredible light, "False Core! I didn't even dare to dream of it before!"

Now, she was no longer the thin and weak little girl of back then.

Time had left traces of maturity on her.

Her figure was as slender as a willow, her appearance as beautiful as a painting; a light green long dress made her look like a Fairy walking out of a painting, with skin whiter than snow and eyebrows like dark mountains.

Those agile eyes were still as clear as water, but they held a bit more stability and composure, with a natural charm in every gesture.

Thinking back to the beginning, when she and her mistress Xin Ruyin were in the Tianxing Sect Market Town, scraping by and living in constant fear.

Back then, they were just minor Cultivators at the Qi Refining Stage, and even Foundation Establishment was a luxury; they were on edge every day, fearing that some big figure might kill them on a whim.

They lived frugally every day, and cultivation resources were something they didn't even dare to think about.

Who would have thought that now the Young Miss has become a Core Formation Cultivator, and she herself has become a False Core Cultivator, with Core Formation right before her eyes.

All of this was because of the Young Master.

A thick sense of gratitude welled up in Xiao Mei's heart.

Without the Young Master, the Young Miss's Dragons Roar Physique would have flared up long ago, and she would have withered away.

And as for herself, the little maid following the Young Miss, she probably wouldn't have lived until today either.

It was the Young Master who gave them a new life, gave them resources for cultivation, and gave them a stable home.

She turned her head to look at Xin Ruyin, seeing that the Young Miss was still focused on studying the scriptures, she couldn't help but lean over, sitting down beside Xin Ruyin, and asked with her chin in her hands: "Young Miss, when exactly do you think the Young Master will come out of seclusion? I'm still waiting for him to take me to achieve Core Formation!"

Xin Ruyin put down the scriptures in her hand, looked up toward the Quiet Room, her gaze soft as water: "It should be soon."

Four years had passed since Lu Qiu entered seclusion.

During these four years, besides her daily cultivation, she studied Formation Dao scriptures, occasionally discussing the essentials of Formations with True Person Ling Yun.

The Great Evolution Art had already been cultivated to the third level, and the Xuanji Pupil had reached the stage of Major Achievement.

True Person Ling Yun once lamented that with her current attainments in the Dao of Formations, looking across the entire cultivation world, there weren't many who could surpass her.

She only gave a faint smile upon hearing this, not becoming complacent because of it.

She knew her path was still very long.

With the supply of resources from her and Lu Qiu, Xiao Mei had advanced rapidly, finally breaking through to the False Core Realm not long ago.

This little girl's talent wasn't bad to begin with, and with her unremitting hard work over these years, achieving this was within expectations.

It was just that she had a lively personality, and in her spare time from cultivation, she always liked to pester Xin Ruyin with idle chatter.

"If the Young Master breaks through this time, won't he be at the Late Core Formation Stage?"

Xiao Mei's eyes lit up, counting on her fingers: "After Late Core Formation Stage, it's Nascent Soul! If the Young Master becomes a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator, won't we be able to walk tall in the Chaotic Star Sea?"

The more she thought, the more beautiful it seemed, and a smile of longing appeared on her face: "At that time, let's see who still dares to bully us! Those island masters and Elders will have to bow obediently when they see the Young Master! Don't you think so, Young Miss?"

Hearing this, Xin Ruyin couldn't help but smile.

She was about to speak when suddenly—

"Who said a Nascent Soul Cultivator can walk tall?"

A familiar voice sounded, carrying a bit of a smile and a bit of teasing.

The two women turned their heads at the same time and saw the stone door of the Quiet Room slowly opening, as a figure stepped out.

It was precisely Lu Qiu.

After four years of seclusion, the aura on him had become increasingly steady and profound.

In every gesture, a faint natural majesty was subtly revealed; that was the change brought about by the elevation of his Realm, a leap in the level of life.

His gaze was deeper, as if he could see through people's hearts, yet it remained as gentle as before.

"The Young Master is out of seclusion!" Xiao Mei cheered and hurried forward to meet him, her face full of surprise.

Xin Ruyin also stood up, her eyes full of joy, quietly watching the figure she had been longing for day and night.

Lu Qiu walked to the two women's side, lightly flicked Xiao Mei's forehead, and laughed: "Only by becoming a Soul Transformation Cultivator can one walk tall. Nascent Soul Cultivators? Although they are top-tier existences in the Chaotic Star Sea, if they provoke someone they shouldn't, they'll still have to face the consequences."

Xiao Mei clutched her forehead and pouted: "It was just a joke, Young Master is such a killjoy."

Lu Qiu looked her over, a flash of approval in his eyes.

This little girl had now grown into a graceful and exceptionally beautiful woman, and her cultivation had reached the False Core Realm; she indeed hadn't been lazy.

"Not bad, you've also broken through to the False Core, it seems you haven't been lazy these years." He praised.

Xiao Mei immediately beamed with joy and proudly puffed out her chest: "Of course! I've been very diligent! Every day is just cultivation, I've even gone out to play less!"

Xin Ruyin stepped forward and took Lu Qiu's hand, her gentle eyes carefully looking him over, as if she wanted to take in every change in him over these four years. She said softly: "Husband Lu, how was this seclusion?"

Lu Qiu looked at her, feeling the warmth from her palm, his heart filled with warmth.

A smile curled at the corner of his mouth, a smile that carried a bit of pride and a bit of relief:

"I am already at the Late Core Formation Stage."

These few words caused a sudden burst of joyful light in Xin Ruyin's eyes.

Four years of bitter cultivation, day and night without pause, exhausting countless Medicinal Pills, and enduring untold loneliness and hardship, Lu Qiu had finally taken another step forward, becoming a Late Stage Core Formation Cultivator!

At this moment, the Golden Core within his Dantian was even more rounded and full, with scarlet gold light flowing, containing pure magic power several times stronger than when he was at the Middle Core Formation Stage.

His Divine Sense had also been nourished once again; although it hadn't yet broken through to the fourth level of the Great Evolution Art, it was more condensed, with a faint feeling of touching that threshold.

His Divine Sense at this moment had already surpassed ordinary Early Nascent Soul and was close to Middle Nascent Soul.

"Congratulations, Husband Lu," Xin Ruyin said softly, her eyes full of pride and joy, her gentle gaze seemingly able to melt everything.

Lu Qiu tightened his grip on her hand, feeling the warmth from her palm, his heart filled with warmth.

Xiao Mei smiled as she watched from the side, covering her mouth and saying: "Young Miss and Young Master are truly affectionate, it makes me want to find someone for Dual Cultivation too."

Xin Ruyin's cheeks turned slightly red, and she glared at her: "Xiao Mei!"

Xiao Mei stuck out her tongue and quickly changed the subject: "Young Master, now that you've broken through to Late Core Formation Stage, aren't you closer to Nascent Soul?"

Lu Qiu smiled and sat down in a chair, while Xiao Mei hurried to pour him tea.

He picked up the teacup and took a sip, saying: "Nascent Soul is still a long way off. From Late Core Formation Stage to Nascent Soul, there is still the Pseudo-Nascent Soul stage, which is a natural chasm. Many Cultivators are stuck at this step and cannot cross it until death. Although I have some confidence, I dare not say I will definitely succeed."

Xin Ruyin sat down beside him and said softly: "Husband Lu has extraordinary talent and deep opportunities, you will surely succeed."

Lu Qiu shook his head and laughed: "You certainly have confidence in me."

"Of course!"

Xiao Mei chimed in: "Young Master is the most amazing! From Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment, from Foundation Establishment to Core Formation, which time wasn't smooth? This time will definitely work too!"

Lu Qiu was amused by her and said: "Alright, I'll take your word for it."

...

Chatting with the two women for half a day, he listened to Xiao Mei chatter about the trivial matters that had happened on Kuixing Island during these four years—

Island Master Mu Long has not yet come out of seclusion, and it is unknown whether he can successfully break through to the Late Core Formation Stage.

His Immortal Cave has been closed all along; occasionally Disciples send in some supplies, but he has never been seen coming out.

Third Mother Feng is also still in seclusion attempting to achieve Core Formation.

She received the ningxin pill gifted by Lu Qiu, plus the Core Formation spiritual items accumulated over many years, so the hope of success is not small.

It's just that Core Formation is dangerous, and it's unknown how she is doing now.

The business of Liulian Hall is also quite stable under the management of several shopkeepers.

That fellow Cao Hu is indeed an old hand, managing the White Water Tower impressively; it is said that profits have increased by twenty percent compared to previous years.

...

Xiao Mei spoke with great animation, and Lu Qiu listened with interest.

These trivial matters gave him a more concrete understanding of the four-year gap.

Evening， After eating the spiritual food that Xiaomei had carefully prepared， Lu Qiu and Xin Ruyin returned to the bedroom。

Red candles burned brightly, and cloud curtains hung low.

Four years of longing, released all at once.

Xin Ruyin leaned in Lu Qiu's arms, softly recounting her longing over these four years.

Lu Qiu stroked her long hair, listening quietly, occasionally responding with a few words.

As the night deepened, the silhouettes of the two overlapped in the candlelight.

Xin Ruyin's Dragons Roar Physique revealed its wonders during Dual Cultivation.

That thick Yang Qi and Lu Qiu's magic power blended with each other, harmonizing Yin and Yang, making both of their cultivations subtly improve.

Lu Qiu could clearly feel that pure Yang Qi nourishing his Meridians and tempering his magic power.

And under his guidance, Xin Ruyin further suppressed the hidden dangers of the Dragons Roar Physique.

A night of spring breeze, several rounds of clouds and rain.

When the east turned white and the morning light spilled through the window lattices, the two finally fell asleep in each other's arms.

...

A few days later, Lu Qiu returned to the Quiet Room once again.

The stone door slowly closed behind him, isolating everything from the outside world.

He sat cross-legged on a futon, his gaze sweeping over this familiar Quiet Room.

For four years, he had spent countless days and nights here; returning now, he felt a long-lost sense of familiarity.

He took a deep breath to calm his emotions and retrieved a Cold Jade Box containing the Purple Flame Thunder Crystal from the gray spatial bead.

Opening the lid, that scorching and violent aura rushed toward him once more. The purple crystal lay quietly in the box, its interior seemingly filled with burning flames and dancing lightning.

Even with his current strength, that pressure made his heart palpitate slightly.

"It is time."

He murmured to himself, a flash of anticipation and gravity in his eyes, but mostly an eager excitement to begin.

Now that his cultivation had broken through to the Late Core Formation Stage, it was time to refine his own Lifebound Treasure.

Upon becoming a Core Formation Cultivator, one could refine their own Lifebound Treasure.

Yet, even though he was already at the Late Core Formation Stage, he still did not have his own Lifebound Treasure.

Now, the Opportunity had finally arrived.

During these four years, Hei Sha had been gathering the auxiliary Materials needed for him to refine his Lifebound Treasure.

Thousand-Year Cold Iron, Thousand-Year Ice Jade, Void Gazer Stone, Deep Sea Profound Iron, Fire Copper Essence Gold...

Every single one was a rare item and had cost a significant amount of Spirit Stones.

But Hei Sha handled matters reliably; after four years, the Materials on the list were almost all collected.

Lu Qiu took out the Jade Slip of the Crimson Sky Burning Heaven Technique, probed it with his Divine Sense, and once again carefully studied the steps for refining the crimson heaven fire spirit orb.

This orb used Fire Spirit Crystals as the primary material and required five steps to complete: tempering, shaping, arraying, restricting, and Fusion.

Every step was extremely critical; the slightest carelessness would lead to total failure and could even trigger a backlash from the Materials, endangering himself.

And his Purple Flame Thunder Crystal contained fire spirit power hundreds or thousands of times greater than ordinary Fire Spirit Crystals, making the refining process naturally much more difficult.

"Let us begin."

Lu Qiu took a deep breath and formed hand seals with both hands.

*Whoosh—*

A cluster of scarlet gold flames rose from his palm; it was none other than his Natal True Fire—Chixiao True Fire!

This flame merged the extreme yang of the Profound Yang True Fire with the bone-corroding nature of the Qingyang Demonic Fire, possessing startling power.

As the flames flickered, they were at times as scorching and dazzling as the sun, and at other times as cold and eerie as netherworld ghost fire; two diametrically opposed characteristics were perfectly fused together.

It was the most suitable tool for tempering the Purple Flame Thunder Crystal.

With a thought, the Chixiao True Fire transformed into a tiny golden fire snake, slowly reaching toward the Purple Flame Thunder Crystal inside the Cold Jade Box.

As if sensing a threat, the Purple Flame Thunder Crystal suddenly erupted with a dazzling purple light!

Countless fine purple electric arcs surged from the crystal, colliding violently with the golden fire snake!

*Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!*

Ear-piercing explosive sounds rang out!

Golden and purple lights intertwined and clashed within the quiet room, as violent thunder and fire power ravaged the surroundings! The protective Restriction on the walls of the quiet room flickered wildly, barely withstanding the impact!

The smell of scorching filled the air, and the temperature soared instantly.

Lu Qiu's expression remained unchanged as he continuously formed hand seals, increasing the input of Chixiao True Fire.

The golden fire snake instantly expanded several times over, transforming into a golden fire dragon several yards long that firmly enveloped the Purple Flame Thunder Crystal!

"Refine!"

He gave a low shout, and the golden fire dragon suddenly tightened its grip!

The Purple Flame Thunder Crystal struggled violently, its purple thunder and fire power resisting frantically!

The strength of that power caused even Lu Qiu to feel a surge of palpitations.

But he gritted his teeth and suppressed it firmly, circulating the Chixiao True Fire at full power to erode the Purple Flame Thunder Crystal's defenses bit by bit.

Time passed minute by minute.

One day.

Ten days.

One month.

Two months.

When the Purple Flame Thunder Crystal finally stopped resisting and its surface Impurities began to be stripped away by the Chixiao True Fire, dissipating into wisps of green smoke, Lu Qiu let out a long sigh of relief.

The first step, tempering the Impurities, was a success.

The current Purple Flame Thunder Crystal was a full size smaller than before, but it was purer and more brilliant.

Its purple glow was like the purest amethyst, with golden flames and purple lightning faintly intertwining and flowing within.

He did not rest and immediately began the second step—shaping.

He controlled the Chixiao True Fire to slowly mold the now-pure Purple Flame Thunder Crystal into the shape of a round orb.

This process required extremely delicate control; the slightest mistake would destroy the crystal's internal structure, leading to total failure.

Lu Qiu was fully concentrated, his Divine Sense acting like the most precise carving knife, sculpting the crystal bit by bit.

He could clearly sense that every time his Divine Sense touched it, the thunder and fire power inside the crystal would produce a slight fluctuation.

He had to carefully guide these fluctuations to make them stable rather than let them erupt.

Several more days passed.

When the crystal finally took on the form of a perfect round orb, fine beads of sweat had already seeped from Lu Qiu's forehead, and his face was slightly pale.

Shaping, complete.

He took out several Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, held them in his palms, and quickly absorbed the spiritual power within.

After twelve consecutive hours of high-intensity consumption, even at the Late Core Formation Stage, he felt a wave of fatigue.

The Spirit Stones turned into powder one by one as his magic power rapidly recovered.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, his gaze still firm.

The third step—setting up the Formation.

He took out the previously prepared auxiliary Materials like Thousand-Year Cold Iron, Thousand-Year Ice Jade, and Void Gazer Stone from his Storage Pouch, using the Chixiao True Fire to melt them into a liquid state.

Those Materials slowly melted in the flames, turning into droplets of liquid shimmering with various colored lights.

Using his Divine Sense as a brush, Lu Qiu guided those liquid droplets to draw profound Formation patterns inside the orb.

These Formations were unique arrays recorded in the Crimson Sky Burning Heaven Technique; each one was extremely complex and required incredibly refined control.

The position, depth, and angle of the inscriptions all had strict requirements; the slightest deviation would affect the Formation's effectiveness.

Lu Qiu's hands were as steady as boulders, and his Divine Sense was like the most precise carving knife, inscribing these arrays inside the orb bit by bit.

Every stroke and every line condensed his heart's blood.

One day.

Two days.

Three days.

...

In the blink of an eye, a month passed.

When the final Formation was completed, Lu Qiu felt as if he were on the verge of collapse; his face was as pale as paper, and his entire body was soaked in sweat.

But he did not stop, immediately beginning the fourth step—inscribing the Restriction.

Restrictions differed from Formations; they were used to control the power of the Magic Treasure.

He needed to inscribe his own Divine Sense brand, magic power imprint, and the unique control techniques of the Crimson Sky Burning Heaven Technique into the orb one by one.

This step similarly required extremely delicate control.

Every Restriction had to perfectly align with the Formations to form an organic whole.

Another ten or so days passed.

When the final Restriction was inscribed, Lu Qiu let out a long sigh of relief and leaned against the wall, gasping for air.

For several consecutive months, without sleep or rest, with his mind highly focused and his magic power exhausted and replenished several times, even at the Late Core Formation Stage, he felt a deep sense of exhaustion.

That fatigue was not just physical but mental—it felt as if his entire being's energy had been drained dry.

But he did not stop.

There was still one last step—Fusion.

This step was the most critical and the most dangerous.

Success meant the Major Achievement of the Lifebound Treasure; failure meant all previous efforts were wasted, and might even result in a backlash from the treasure, endangering his life.

Lu Qiu bit the tip of his tongue and forced out a mouthful of Essence Blood, spraying it onto the orb!

The Essence Blood was instantly absorbed by the orb!

In an instant, the orb erupted with a dazzling scarlet and purple light!

The light was so intense it almost illuminated the entire quiet room!

A terrifying energy fluctuation surged from the orb, impacting every inch of space in the quiet room!

Simultaneously, a feeling of being connected by Bloodline was established between Lu Qiu and the orb!

He could clearly sense the orb "breathing" and "pulsing," as if it had come to life!

The Lifebound Treasure was complete!

Lu Qiu stared blankly at the orb hovering above his palm, his eyes filled with irrepressible joy and excitement.

It was an orb about the size of a dragon's eye, its entire body flowing with scarlet and purple radiance.

The scarlet was like fire, dancing with scorching flames; the purple was like thunder, flickering with violent electric arcs.

The two lights intertwined, forming a magnificent and mysterious beauty, as if the thunder and fire power of heaven and earth had been condensed into this tiny orb.

He could clearly sense the terrifying power contained within the orb.

It was the essence of the ten-thousand-year Purple Flame Thunder Crystal, the crystallization of countless Formations and Restrictions.

It was also the culmination of Lu Qiu's months of hard work, the Fusion of his Essence Blood and Divine Sense.

Although he had not yet tested its power, Lu Qiu had absolute confidence that his Lifebound Treasure was many times stronger than ordinary Magic Treasures!

Furthermore, the greatest characteristic of a Lifebound Treasure was that it could continuously grow as its master nurtured it.

Today it was merely newly formed; in time, it would surely become the strongest Sharp Weapon in his hands!

As his cultivation increased in the future, the power of this orb would also rise accordingly.

Thinking of the incredibly terrifying thunder and fire power hidden within the orb, a satisfied smile curled at the corners of Lu Qiu's mouth.

"I shall call you... the chixiao thunder fire pearl."

He spoke softly, his voice full of pride and satisfaction.

Lu Qiu withdrew it into his Dantian to be nurtured by his Golden Core.

As soon as the chixiao thunder fire pearl entered his Dantian, it spontaneously began to rotate slowly around the Golden Core, greedily absorbing the magic power it radiated.

With every bit it absorbed, its radiance grew brighter, and its connection with Lu Qiu became tighter.

From this day forward, this orb would be linked to his very life.