272: Chapter 272 The Fake Infant! Goodbye Ling Yuling!

After returning to Dengxing Island, Lu Qiu did not leave immediately.

He first sought out the most secluded Quiet Room in the headquarters of Liulian Hall and set up multiple layers of Restrictions.

Then, he took out the wood-attribute rank-eight demon core delivered by Silver Crane.

He was in no hurry to refine the Origin of the wood-attribute demon core; instead, he meditated for several days to adjust his state to its peak.

Refining the water-attribute demon core's Origin a year ago had already allowed his cultivation to rise steadily, and he was not far from the peak of the Nascent Soul Early Stage.

If he could refine the Origin of this wood-attribute demon core, with the pure Origin Qi refined by the burning heaven cauldron, he had a high degree of certainty that he could break through the Bottleneck in one go, step into the peak of the Nascent Soul Early Stage, and even lay a solid Foundation for impacting the Nascent Soul Middle Stage.

Inside the Quiet Room, the burning heaven cauldron once again emitted a simple and heavy Dao rhyme.

The scarlet gold Three-Colored Chixiao True Fire rose, enveloping the emerald-green, life-filled wood-attribute rank-eight demon core. The refining process began once more, as pure herbal essence and life Origin were extracted bit by bit.

This time, Lu Qiu remained in seclusion for a full year.

When the door to the Quiet Room opened again, Lu Qiu walked out slowly.

His overall aura had become increasingly deep and restrained; if he didn't deliberately reveal it, he was almost indistinguishable from an ordinary Core Formation Cultivator. But as those deep eyes opened and closed, a faint divine light flowed within, as if capable of seeing through all falsehoods.

With every movement, his integration with the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was more harmonious and natural.

After a year of hard work, the Origin Qi of that wood-attribute rank-eight demon core had been completely refined and absorbed by him.

Not only had his cultivation successfully broken through to the peak of the Nascent Soul Early Stage as he wished, with the Middle Stage barrier seemingly only a step away, but his magic power was also purer and more robust. His Nascent Soul was solid and agile, and his perception and control over wood-attribute Spiritual Qi had become much sharper.

The circulation of the Crimson Sky Burning Heaven Technique became even more fluid, and his body was brimming with vitality. Any slight hidden dangers that might have been left behind by rapidly raising his cultivation or refining exotic fires were nourished and smoothed over by this pure wood spiritual Origin.

“It is time to return to Tianxing City.”

Lu Qiu gazed toward the Inner Star Sea, the figures of Xin Ruyin, Xiao Mei, and others flashing through his mind. He also thought of the matter of commissioning the Fengle Alliance to collect Materials, wondering how the progress was.

On Dengxing Island, with Nangong Hai presiding and the controlled trio of Long Yunzi as hidden pieces, there was no need for him to worry too much for the time being.

The connection with the Nixing Alliance had also been established; he only needed to wait for the follow-up.

He stayed no longer and quietly left the Liulian Hall headquarters, without even alerting Nangong Hai.

Just as when he arrived, he restrained his aura, changed his appearance, and blended into the bustling crowd. Through the teleportation Formation, he left this Dengxing Island where hidden currents swirled, returning toward the familiar, cloud-piercing Holy Mountain and the prosperous, clamorous Tianxing City.

On the chessboard of the Chaotic Star Sea, the few pieces he had quietly placed had already begun to take root.

And he himself, through these step-by-step schemes and cultivation, was constantly climbing toward higher Realms.

The future winds and rains might be more urgent, but the chips and strength in his hands were also quietly accumulating.

...

Tianxing City, below the Holy Mountain, Liulian Residence.

Three years of time, for this eternally bustling giant city, was nothing more than a shallow mark left by water dripping from the eaves, the fading of a market sign, or a silhouette of another batch of young Cultivators arriving full of longing or leaving in dejection.

But for the Quiet Room on the top floor of Liulian Residence, guarded by multiple layers of Restrictions, and for the woman in the moon-white gown with hair like a waterfall inside, these three years were a crucial climb on the path of the Dao—the final accumulation of strength before her life level launched an impact toward a higher dimension.

Inside the Quiet Room, Spiritual Qi was dense, almost condensing into a faint spiritual mist.

On the warm jade bricks covering the floor, the Spirit Gathering Formation patterns outlined with special Spirit Stone powder were shimmering with a steady and soft light, continuously channeling the pure Spiritual Qi pervading from the Holy Mountain and the High-grade Spirit Stones Lu Qiu had specifically left behind into the center of the Quiet Room.

Xin Ruyin sat cross-legged with her eyes slightly closed, her long eyelashes casting faint shadows on her eyelids.

She was enveloped in a layer of warm spiritual light woven from pale gold and moon-white. The light expanded and contracted slightly with her long, steady breaths, as if completely synchronized with the rhythm of her own life.

Her aura, compared to three years ago, had undergone a world-shaking change.

It was no longer the solid majesty of the Late Core Formation Stage, but a more fluid, more restrained, yet subtly mysterious state that resonated strangely with the surrounding heaven and earth.

In her Dantian, the originally golden, pigeon-egg-sized Golden Core had now expanded to the size of a fist. Its entire body presented a translucent glazed texture, and inside, a blurry infant phantom that was seventy percent similar to Xin Ruyin's face could be vaguely seen, slowly gestating and breathing.

The Pseudo-Nascent Soul Realm!

As the last trace of stray Spiritual Qi was taken into her body and completed the final cycle along the specific circulation route of the Seven Treasures Mysterious Gold Art, returning to that translucent "Pseudo-Nascent Soul," the spiritual light around Xin Ruyin shook slightly. Then, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, it was all retracted into her body.

The thick spiritual mist in the Quiet Room also slowly dissipated, revealing her exquisite and tranquil face.

She slowly opened her eyes. Those eyes, which were always as gentle as autumn water, were now even clearer and deeper, as if they could reflect the tracks of the Great Dao, or like a mirror that had undergone the baptism of time—transparent and calm.

In the depths of her eyes, an indescribable light, a mixture of realization, joy, emotion, and endless tenderness, flashed and vanished.

“Pseudo-Nascent Soul... it is finally done.”

Xin Ruyin murmured softly, her voice echoing gently in the silent Quiet Room. She raised her hand, a wisp of pure and condensed magic power with a faint metallic sharpness and the profound aura of Formations lingering at her fingertips. Feeling the unprecedented power within her body and the clearer perception of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, she felt no great ecstasy, but rather a complex emotion as if a lifetime had passed.

Her thoughts involuntarily drifted back to many years ago, the small bamboo courtyard in the Tianxing Sect Market Town.

At that time, she possessed the Dragons Roar Physique, the Pure Yin Qi in her body was out of balance, and her cultivation was stalled at the Qi Refinement Stage. She endured the pain of Yin Qi eroding her body day and night, with little Lifespan remaining. Like a candle in the wind, she could only rely on a bit of Formation craftsmanship to barely make a living, her heart filled with helplessness toward fate and despair toward the path of the Dao.

She thought her life would perhaps burn out silently in that small bamboo courtyard, in a corner known to no one, turning into dust.

How could she have ever imagined that one day, she would not only cure her chronic illness but also break through Foundation Establishment and Core Formation all the way until today, standing before the threshold of the "Pseudo-Nascent Soul" that countless Cultivators dreamed of, truly seeing the hope of forming a Nascent Soul, enjoying a thousand-year Lifespan, and glimpsing the higher Dao!

And the source of all these changes was all because of one person.

Thinking of Lu Qiu, Xin Ruyin's cold fingertips seemed to be stained with a hint of warmth, and a smile from the bottom of her heart, tender to the extreme, bloomed on her exquisite face.

It was he who appeared when she was at her dimmest and her life was in peril, alleviating her pain with Dual Cultivation secret techniques.

It was he who took her away from the market town, giving her a stable cultivation environment and sufficient resources.

It was he who taught her the Seven Treasures Mysterious Gold Art, a top-tier Cultivation Technique, allowing her cultivation to progress all the way.

It was he who repeatedly rushed about and took risks outside, bringing back all kinds of rare resources to pave the way for her.

And it was he, with his consistent companionship, trust, and deep affection, who made her never feel cold or afraid on this lonely path of immortal cultivation.

From a minor Qi Refining Cultivator to Foundation Establishment, to Core Formation, and now to Pseudo-Nascent Soul... every step was deeply imprinted with Lu Qiu's figure.

He was not only her Dao Companion and her reliance, but also the greatest Opportunity and blessing on her path of immortal cultivation.

“Without Husband Lu, how could there be the Xin Ruyin of today...” she whispered, a thin layer of water mist appearing in her eyes. That was not sadness, but full of happiness and gratitude.

To have such a fine man to accompany her and seek the Great Dao together, what more could she ask for in this life?

The door of the Quiet Room was gently pushed open, and a tall figure walked in silently; it was Lu Qiu.

He had obviously been acting as a Protector outside. Sensing the change in aura within the room, he knew that Xin Ruyin had successfully ended her seclusion.

“Ruyin, congratulations.”

Lu Qiu walked up to her, his eyes carrying unconcealed praise and a tender smile.

He could clearly perceive the stable Pseudo-Nascent Soul aura on Xin Ruyin, as well as her increasingly beautiful and radiant presence due to the Breakthrough in cultivation and the leap in her life level.

Ruyin had finally reached this step as well.

“Husband Lu.” Xin Ruyin stood up and naturally threw herself into Lu Qiu's arms, pressing her face against his solid chest. Listening to that powerful and steady heartbeat, she felt the last bit of palpitation brought by the Breakthrough completely settle down, leaving only full peace and joy.

“I succeeded.”

“I knew you would make it.” Lu Qiu lightly stroked her back, his voice gentle.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

He knew better than anyone the talent and dedication Xin Ruyin possessed in the Dao of Formations, as well as her diligence and resilience in cultivation.

That she could reach this point today was certainly due to his assistance, but it was even more a result of her own hard work and extraordinary nature.

"Young Miss! Husband! I smell something delicious... Ah! Young Miss, you've finished your seclusion!"

Xiaomei's cheerful voice, accompanied by a fragrant breeze, wafted in from outside the door.

Upon seeing the two embracing, her pretty face flushed red, and then her eyes widened into perfect circles.

After carefully sensing Xin Ruyin's aura, she immediately jumped up and exclaimed with delight, "Pseudo-Nascent Soul! Young Miss, you've reached the Pseudo-Nascent Soul Realm! That's wonderful! I just knew Young Miss was the most amazing!"

She excitedly circled around Xin Ruyin, chattering non-stop, as if it were she herself who had made the Breakthrough.

Lu Qiu and Xin Ruyin exchanged a smile, both infected by her happiness.

That evening, Xiaomei meticulously prepared a sumptuous table of spiritual dishes.

On the terrace at the top of Liulian Residence, the three of them celebrated simply and warmly, facing the brilliant lights of ten thousand homes in Tianxing City and the star-filled sky.

The meal was mostly filled with casual chatter; Xiaomei shared interesting news from the city, Xin Ruyin talked about some of her realizations during the Breakthrough, and Lu Qiu listened with a smile, occasionally serving dishes to the two women.

The moonlight, like water, spilled over the three of them, creating a serene and beautiful atmosphere.

However, beneath this warm facade, Lu Qiu's heart had already begun to calmly plan the next step.

After the celebration, Xin Ruyin returned to seclusion to consolidate her Pseudo-Nascent Soul Realm, while simultaneously beginning preliminary preparations and accumulations for the final push to Nascent Soul.

Xiaomei also sensibly stopped disturbing them too much, focusing on her own cultivation and shop affairs.

In the Quiet Room, Lu Qiu sat cross-legged alone, his fingertips unconsciously tracing lightly on the jade table.

The Pseudo-Nascent Soul was achieved; the next step was the true condensation of the Nascent Soul!

This was a crucial chasm on the path of cultivation.

Countless brilliant Core Formation Cultivators had fallen before this step, their bodies destroyed and their Dao dissipated, or they remained trapped in the Pseudo-Nascent Soul Realm for the rest of their lives.

When Lu Qiu himself condensed his Nascent Soul back then, he had also endured great hardships and made ample preparations before finally succeeding.

He absolutely would not allow Xin Ruyin to have any mishaps in this matter.

"nascent soul formation spiritual item..." Lu Qiu frowned slightly.

For ordinary Cultivators attempting to reach the Nascent Soul Realm, if they could have one or two nascent soul formation spiritual items to assist, their success rate could be greatly increased.

And like him back then, gathering more than five top-tier nascent soul formation spiritual items was as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns.

It was precisely because of this that the Nascent Soul he condensed was of extremely high quality, and his Foundation was incomparably solid.

Now, preparing for Xin Ruyin, he naturally hoped to do his best.

Currently, in his hands, he had the soul nurturing wood, and the "nascent soul condensing pill" that used an eighth-grade demon core as the main ingredient and was ready to be refined... but this was far from enough.

At the very least, he still needed "spirit source items" that could provide massive amounts of pure Spiritual Qi to support the Nascent Soul condensation process, "protective treasures" that could protect the Physical Body and resist the Lightning Tribulation or spiritual power backlash, and certain "strange items" that could temporarily enhance Divine Soul strength and help control the condensation process.

nascent soul formation spiritual items had always been treasures in the cultivation world that were priceless and hard to find.

Especially high-quality ones, which were usually only in the hands of those top-tier Sects, ancient families, or... ruling-level forces like the Star Palace.

In ordinary market towns or auctions, the one or two pieces that occasionally leaked out would immediately be bid up to sky-high prices, and competition was fierce, making them difficult to obtain.

With Lu Qiu's current wealth, Spirit Stones were not an issue, but the problem was that there was simply nowhere to buy them.

"It seems I can only start from the Star Palace." A sharp glint flashed in Lu Qiu's eyes.

The Star Palace had ruled the Chaotic Star Sea for thousands of years; the reserves of nascent soul formation spiritual items in its treasury were likely the greatest in the Chaotic Star Sea.

Moreover, within the Star Palace, for meritorious officials or Cultivators with certain special identities, they would occasionally bestow nascent soul formation spiritual items as rewards.

This was a relatively "formal" path, and one that could potentially yield high-quality items.

As for how to obtain nascent soul formation spiritual items from the Star Palace... Lu Qiu already had a clear outline of a plan in his mind.

He thought of a person, someone with a special status who also had a not-insignificant friendship with him.

Ling Yuling.

This Young Lord of the Star Palace had a transcendent status within the Star Palace, and the resources and information she could access were incomparable to those of ordinary Cultivators.

Through her, he might be able to access the channels within the Star Palace for obtaining nascent soul formation spiritual items, whether through trade, mission exchanges, or other means.

Moreover, regarding Ling Yuling, having observed her Heart-Nature, Lu Qiu knew she was not an ungrateful or narrow-minded person.

She had always remembered their friendship from back then.

This favor might, at this moment, be transformed into an Opportunity to obtain nascent soul formation spiritual items.

"However, this matter requires caution. The internal factions of the Star Palace are complex, and Ling Yuling's status is sensitive. Asking directly might be inappropriate and could easily expose my own needs, attracting unnecessary attention. I need to find a suitable reason and method..."

Lu Qiu tapped his fingers lightly, his mind rapidly simulating several possible scenarios and arguments.

With his thoughts decided, he did not hesitate any longer.

The next day, Lu Qiu arrived at the Fengle Alliance headquarters again.

Three years had passed, and the Fengle Alliance was becoming increasingly prosperous.

Ling Feiyan's cultivation also seemed to have advanced further, as if only a thin veil separated her from the Nascent Soul Realm.

Seeing Lu Qiu visit again, a flash of surprise crossed Alliance Leader Ling's beautiful eyes, but it quickly turned into a warm smile.

Last time Lu Qiu entrusted her with collecting Materials, he had been generous.

Although there was still no definite news on those top-tier Materials, the Fengle Alliance had collected quite a few other Materials, and both sides had cooperated happily.

Moreover, Lu Qiu's cultivation was unfathomable, and he was a Guest Elder, so Ling Feiyan naturally dared not be negligent.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, are you here today to ask about the progress of the material collection? To be honest with you, Fellow Daoist, the alliance is still inquiring about those most critical items through various channels, and there is no definite news yet. However, a new batch of other Materials has arrived, and as you instructed, they have already been sent to the Liulian Hall."

Alliance Leader Ling personally served tea, her tone gentle.

"I have troubled Alliance Leader Ling. The matter of the Materials is not urgent. This Zhou came today to ask for something else."

Lu Qiu got straight to the point, putting down his teacup, his expression slightly solemn.

"Oh? Please speak freely, Fellow Daoist." Ling Feiyan also responded seriously.

"This Lu would like to ask Alliance Leader Ling for help in contacting Fairy Ling."

Lu Qiu said slowly, looking at Ling Feiyan with a calm gaze, "This Lu has some... private matters I would like to discuss with Fairy Ling in person. I wonder if it would be convenient?"

Upon hearing this, a trace of obvious surprise flashed in Alliance Leader Ling's eyes, and then she fell into deep thought.

Many thoughts flashed through her mind, but the smile on her face remained unchanged as she pondered, "That child Yuling... ever since that incident back then, she returned to the palace to Cultivate. Now, her status is increasingly different from before, and her movements are arranged by the palace, so she is rarely seen. However, Fellow Daoist Zhou has a deep friendship with Yuling, so I can convey the message and ask on your behalf. It's just... whether Yuling can get away to come, or when she can come, I cannot guarantee. After all, the Star Palace has strict rules, and Yuling has her own duties."

She said this tactfully, but the meaning was clear: she could help contact her, but Ling Yuling was now the Young Lord of the Star Palace, not someone who could be seen just because one wanted to; it depended on the arrangements of the Star Palace and Ling Yuling's own wishes.

"No problem, This Lu understands. It is enough for Alliance Leader Ling to convey this Zhou's intention. This Lu will wait in Tianxing City. Whether Fairy Ling has time or not, this Zhou will be extremely grateful."

Lu Qiu slightly cupped his hands.

"Fellow Daoist is too polite. I will go and handle it now."

Seeing Lu Qiu's determined attitude, Ling Feiyan did not decline further and stood up to walk towards the inner chamber, clearly intending to use some secret means of communication.

Since it concerned the Young Lord of the Star Palace, and was entrusted by a personage like Fellow Daoist Zhou, she did not dare to leave it to others.

Lu Qiu waited patiently in the Quiet Room.

He was not worried that Ling Yuling would refuse.

Friendship was one aspect; on the other hand, he believed Ling Yuling was a smart person and should be able to guess that his seeking her out at this moment was definitely not as simple as catching up, and must involve important matters.

And given the strength and potential he currently displayed, as well as his relationship with the Fengle Alliance, Ling Yuling, both publicly and privately, would likely not easily refuse this meeting.

This wait lasted half a day.

When the sun gradually slanted to the west, and Tianxing City outside the Quiet Room window was shrouded in a magnificent sunset glow, footsteps finally came from outside the Quiet Room.

The door was pushed open, and Ling Feiyan walked in first, nodding slightly to Lu Qiu, then stepped aside.

A woman dressed in the moon-white attire of the Star Palace, with a slender figure and her face covered by a light veil, revealing only a pair of beautiful eyes as clear as cold stars but carrying a complex and unreadable emotion, slowly walked into the Quiet Room.

It was none other than the Young Lord of the Star Palace, who had been separated from him for many years—Ling Yuling.