335: Chapter 335 Return to Biling Island!

Above the vast sea, a pitch-black flying vessel was sailing toward the depths of the Outer Star Sea at a steady and rapid speed.

The vessel was about twenty zhang long and five zhang wide, crafted entirely from a rare material called "Black Obsidian Ironwood." This wood, produced at the bottom of the deep sea, was as hard as iron yet as light as a feather. It naturally possessed the ability to isolate Divine Sense detection, making it an excellent choice for refining flying Magical Artifacts.

The hull was covered in dense, intricate runes that shimmered with a faint Spiritual Qi under the sunlight. It was clearly a high-grade flying Magical Artifact, further reinforced with multiple acceleration and defensive Formations.

The sails billowed in the wind, emitting a snapping sound. The bow cut through the waves, churning up white spray and dragging a long white trail behind the stern, like a white ribbon floating on the azure sea surface.

On the deck of the flying vessel, Lu Qiu stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the horizon where the sea met the sky. The sea breeze blew through his robes, causing them to flutter loudly.

There was a hint of ease and composure on his face, forming a sharp contrast with Tianxing City, which had already fallen into the flames of war behind him.

He had finally left that place of trouble. He no longer needed to be on guard against the eyes and ears of the Star Palace and the Nixing Alliance every day, nor did he need to worry about being drawn into the conflict between the two major factions.

That feeling of relief made him feel much lighter.

The destination of this trip was, naturally, Biling Island.

That place was already his base of operations.

Moreover, Biling Island was located in the depths of the Outer Star Sea, far from the disputes of the Chaotic Star Sea, which was just right for avoiding the chaos currently sweeping through the entire Chaotic Star Sea.

Once those factions had fought enough, it wouldn't be too late for him to go out and see the situation.

As the saying goes, "When the snipe and the clam grapple, the fisherman reaps the benefit." He could take advantage of this time to improve his strength and convert his gains from the Void Heaven Palace into tangible combat power.

Beside the ship's railing, Xiaomei was leaning over, curiously observing the vast, boundless sea before her.

This was her first time leaving the Inner Star Sea to come to the Outer Star Sea, where Yao Beasts ran rampant and danger lurked everywhere.

Seeing the azure seawater sparkling in the sunlight, watching strange fish occasionally leap out of the water to trace beautiful arcs in the air, and hearing the loud cries of giant seabirds soaring in the sky, she felt incredibly fresh and curious. From time to time, she let out exclamations of surprise, like a little bird just released from a cage.

"Master! Look over there! Such a big fish!" Xiaomei pointed to a giant sea fish, several zhang long, leaping out of the sea in the distance. She called out excitedly, her eyes wide and her face full of pleasant surprise.

Lu Qiu took a glance. It was just an ordinary Second-Grade Demonic Beast, so he said casually, "That's just an ordinary Iron-Backed Fish. Its meat is quite delicious, and we can add it to our meal tonight. I'll have Zhao Wen catch it later, and we'll have grilled fish tonight."

"Really? That's great!" Xiaomei cheered immediately, clapping her hands and jumping up. "I've never eaten fish from the Outer Star Sea! I wonder how it differs from the ones in the Inner Star Sea! You are truly the best, Master!"

Xin Ruyin stood beside Lu Qiu, watching Xiaomei's joyful appearance, and could not help but reveal a gentle smile.

She spoke softly to Lu Qiu, her voice as gentle as a spring breeze, carrying the unique tenderness of a woman from Jiangnan: "Husband Lu, how much further is it to Biling Island? The concubine sees that this sea area is becoming increasingly desolate. Having sailed for these days, I imagine the distance is not short."

Lu Qiu estimated the journey and looked toward the seemingly endless horizon in the distance, saying, "At our current speed, it will take about another month. The Outer Star Sea is vast and boundless, and the journey is long; there is no need to rush. It is just as well; you can take this time to adapt to the environment of the Outer Star Sea. It is not like the Inner Star Sea; you may encounter powerful Yao Beasts at any time, so you need to remain vigilant."

"A month..." Xin Ruyin nodded, not asking further. She just stood quietly beside Lu Qiu, accompanying him as they watched the endless sea.

The sea breeze blew her skirt and hair, making her look like a moving painting.

In her heart, there was both anticipation for a new life and anxiety about the unknown, but as long as Husband Lu was there, she felt at ease.

She believed that no matter what difficulties lay ahead, Husband Lu would be able to lead them to overcome them.

The flying vessel continued forward, traveling day and night, through wind and rain.

On the way, they occasionally encountered some blind sea Yao Beasts that came to attack the vessel.

However, these Yao Beasts were mostly Fourth or Fifth-Rank existences, which were not worth mentioning to Lu Qiu today.

He didn't even bother to use his Magic Treasure; he just flicked out a few sharp finger winds. The finger winds shot out like sharp arrows, accurately piercing the vital points of those Yao Beasts and killing them easily, turning them into the "extra dishes" Xiaomei spoke of.

Whenever this happened, Xiaomei would run over excitedly, directing Zhao Wen to drag the Yao Beast's corpse onto the deck, and then calculate whether to braise it, stew it, grill it, or make soup with it tonight.

Even when they encountered some powerful Sixth or Seventh-Rank Yao Beasts, after sensing the faint, terrifying aura emanating from Lu Qiu, they would avoid them from afar, not daring to approach.

The intuition of Yao Beasts is often sharper than that of humans. They could sense the dangerous aura on Lu Qiu—that was the pressure from a higher-level life form. Occasionally, one or two blind Seventh-level Demonic Beasts would charge up, but they were easily killed by Lu Qiu with a few casual moves, and even their Yao Beast cores became his spoils of war.

Xiaomei would carefully collect those Yao Beast cores, seal them in a special jade box, and say that she must save them for Master to use for alchemy, so they must not be wasted.

A month of time passed slowly in such a calm and interesting voyage.

Xiaomei's mindset underwent many changes, from her initial excitement and curiosity to later getting used to it, and finally to her eagerness to return home.

She began to miss the land and a stable life, instead of drifting on the sea every day.

When an island with an extremely monotonous color, gray and white as far as the eye could see, appeared in front of the flying vessel, Lu Qiu knew that Biling Island had finally arrived.

The entire island seemed to be carved from a huge piece of gray-white rock. The rocks were gray-white, the ground was gray-white, and even the few towering stone peaks were gray-white, reflecting a dazzling light under the sun.

Not a trace of green vegetation could be seen, as if life had become extinct here.

The surface of the island was crisscrossed with gullies and jagged rocks, with strange shapes. Some looked like sharp swords pointing directly at the sky, some looked like giant beasts crouching on the ground, and some looked like old men gazing into the distance. Yet, eerily, there was no trace of any water flow, streams, or lakes. It was so dry that it didn't look like an island, but rather a wasteland forgotten in the ocean, a dead and silent place abandoned by time.

Xiaomei looked at this desolate island, which seemed to have no signs of life, and could not help but open her mouth wide. The smile on her face stiffened.

She asked curiously, her voice filled with a trace of disappointment and confusion, and even a hint of grievance: "Master... are we going to live here from now on? This place... seems like it has nothing... not even a tree, not even a flower. Won't it be too boring? Can we change to another place?"

Xin Ruyin also frowned slightly. Although she trusted Lu Qiu's choice, the desolation of this island still exceeded her expectations.

She had originally thought that Biling Island would be a beautiful immortal island with abundant Spiritual Qi, but she didn't expect it to be like this—even worse than the worst situation she had imagined. A hint of doubt could not help but rise in her heart, but out of trust in Lu Qiu, she did not question it, just quietly waiting for Lu Qiu's explanation.

Lu Qiu smiled slightly, a mysterious light flashing in his eyes, and said, "Don't worry. Once we go in, you will know. The secret of this island is not on the surface. As the saying goes, 'One cannot judge a person by their appearance, nor can one measure the sea with a bucket.' This island is the same."

The flying vessel slowly landed on a flat open space in the center of the island. The ground was hard gray-white rock, which felt solid underfoot, but carried a hint of chill. The air was filled with a dry and slightly salty, fishy smell—the scent of the sea breeze mixed with the rocks.

The moment Lu Qiu and the other four stepped off the flying ship, two figures, like ghosts, shot out from a stone peak deep within the island and instantly appeared before Lu Qiu.

Their speed was extreme, kicking up a gust of wind, demonstrating their powerful cultivation and familiarity with this area.

The two figures were a man and a woman.

The man had a sinister face and dark skin, exuding a cold, damp aura, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, ready to strike a fatal blow against an enemy at any moment; he was the Transformed Great Yao formed from the Black Water Poison Python.

His eyes were long and narrow, flickering with a chilling light that sent shivers down one's spine, as if one were being watched by a venomous snake.

He wore a black robe embroidered with snake patterns, which added a touch of eeriness.

The woman had a fiery figure, dressed in a tight red outfit that outlined her curvaceous body—full chest, slender waist, and round hips. Her face was pretty, with a hint of allure and wildness in her brows; she was Lu Jiaoer, the Transformed Great Yao formed from the Bloodline Flood Dragon.

Her movements were graceful, carrying a natural charm in every gesture, yet hidden within was a dangerous aura, like a rose with thorns.

Her eyes were a pale red, as brilliant as two rubies.

Seeing Lu Qiu, these two Transformed Great Yao showed expressions of respect in their eyes, simultaneously kneeling on one knee, cupping their fists in a salute, and saying: "Subordinates pay respects to Master! Welcome back, Master! Master has had a tiring journey!"

Lu Qiu looked at the two Transformed Great Yao before him, nodded in satisfaction, raised his hand to signal them to rise, and asked: "Hmm, rise. In the years I have been away, has Biling Island had any problems? Have any blind fellows come to cause trouble? Tell me in detail."

Lu Jiaoer stood up first and replied respectfully, her voice crisp and melodious, like silver bells: "Reporting to Master, during the time Master was away, there were indeed a few blind Eighth-level Demonic Beasts passing through here who wanted to occupy this island, likely because they had their eyes on the Spiritual Vein and Spirit Stone mine here."

However, they were all driven away by Black Water and me working together. With us two Transformed Great Yao guarding the place, they dared not be too presumptuous; after clashing a few times, they knew when to retreat.

Master, rest assured, everything is well on Biling Island, and the Spirit Stone mine is being mined normally; no outsiders have discovered the secret here."

The Black Water Poison Python also nodded and chimed in, his voice low and hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing: "That is correct. With the two of us here, ordinary Yao Beasts would not dare to set foot here. Master, rest assured. It is just that those few Yao Beasts seemed to know something about some forces in the Outer Star Sea, which might bring some trouble, but currently, it is of no major consequence. We have already strengthened the patrols and vigilance around the perimeter."

Hearing this, Lu Qiu was even more satisfied. With two Transformed Great Yao guarding, the safety of Biling Island was indeed well guaranteed.

He nodded and praised: "Well done. If they dare to come again, do not show mercy; kill them directly, no need to leave any alive. Your cultivation also needs to be properly improved."

He took Xin Ruyin and the others to a high platform in the center of the island. The view here was open, overlooking the entire island, and one could even see the distant scenery where the sea met the sky.

He looked around, sensing the rich Spiritual Qi emanating from the High-grade Spirit Stone vein underground. Although most of the Spiritual Qi was blocked by the surface, one could still feel its massive potential.

He instructed Zhao Wen: "Zhao Wen, go and open up a temporary Immortal Cave. The scale does not need to be too large, but it must be comfortable and practical. Open up a few more Quiet Rooms, and there must be a Pill Refining Room and an Artifact Refining Room. I will give you three days; can you do it?"

Zhao Wen quickly responded, his voice full of confidence: "Yes, Master! This subordinate will go and handle it immediately! I guarantee it will be completed within three days!"

Then he took the order and left, bringing several mechanical Puppets, and began working vigorously. Those Puppets possessed immense strength and extremely high work efficiency; they soon began digging and building, with gravel flying and dust rising.

Lu Qiu looked at the grayish-white island before him, a profound light flashing in his eyes.

He planned to go into secluded cultivation here for ten years, waiting for the great chaos in the Chaotic Star Sea to subside a little before doing anything else.

Coincidentally, he could also use this time to properly digest the huge gains from the Void Heaven Palace this time, raise his own cultivation and Divine Ability by another level, and perhaps even consider attempting the Bottleneck of the Late Nascent Soul Stage.

When Xin Ruyin and Xiaomei learned from Lu Qiu that hidden beneath this seemingly desolate island was a High-grade Spirit Stone mine with extremely rich reserves, both were very excited, their eyes lighting up.

Xiaomei's eyes shone even brighter as she counted on her fingers, longing, her voice filled with joy and yearning: "Wow! A High-grade Spirit Stone mine! Does that mean we won't lack Spirit Stones to spend in the future? This servant will buy lots and lots of delicious food! And buy pretty dresses! And buy lots and lots of cultivation Materials for Master! And buy lots and lots of Materials for laying Formations for Sister Xin!"

Xin Ruyin was also full of joy; she finally understood why Lu Qiu had chosen this place as their base camp.

She said softly, her voice carrying a hint of realization: "No wonder Husband Lu had so many more Spirit Stones on him after returning last time; it turns out he had found such a treasure trove! With this Spirit Stone mine, we have sufficient resources to Cultivate with peace of mind, no longer needing to worry about Spirit Stones. This is simply a blessed land bestowed by heaven!"

Lu Qiu looked at their happy expressions and smiled, then looked at Xin Ruyin, his tone becoming serious: "Ruyin, I plan to go into secluded cultivation here for a while to properly digest the gains from the Void Heaven Palace. You should also prepare to attempt a Breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage. This is the best Opportunity for you to improve your strength."

Upon hearing this, Xin Ruyin was slightly stunned, her face revealing a hint of surprise and uncertainty: "Attempt a Breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage? Husband Lu, although I have already Cultivated to the peak of the Late Core Formation Stage, I am still some distance away from the Nascent Soul Stage, and, I do not have absolute certainty... I have long heard of the difficulty of Nascent Soul Formation; among ten people, perhaps not even one succeeds. I am worried..."

Lu Qiu waved his hand and said firmly, his voice carrying unquestionable confidence: "It does not matter. This time in the Void Heaven Palace, I obtained a nine-curved spirit ginseng. This item is the main ingredient for refining the nine-curved spirit ginseng pill, which has great benefits for breaking through the Nascent Soul Bottleneck and can significantly increase the success rate of Nascent Soul Formation. I will personally refine a batch of nine-curved spirit ginseng pills for you to help you with your Breakthrough. You just need to prepare with peace of mind; leave the rest to me."

"nine-curved spirit ginseng?!" Xin Ruyin gasped upon hearing this, her eyes widening, her face full of shock!

She naturally knew the preciousness of the nine-curved spirit ginseng!

That was a legendary heaven and earth Spirit Medicine; it was said to grow only in Secret Realms with extremely dense Spiritual Qi and dangerous terrain, growing one segment every hundred years, and only reaching maturity at nine segments, having incredible miraculous effects for breaking through to the Nascent Soul Stage!

In the entire Chaotic Star Sea, one probably could not find even a few! Husband Lu was actually able to obtain such a treasure! This was simply a massive Opportunity!

She took a deep breath, suppressed the excitement in her heart, nodded solemnly to Lu Qiu, her eyes filled with gratitude and determination, her voice carrying a hint of choking: "Thank you, Husband Lu! I will definitely not let down Husband Lu's expectations! I am confident that within five years, I will adjust my state to the best, polish my own cultivation to be flawless and round, and then begin to attempt Nascent Soul Formation! With the nine-curved spirit ginseng pill, I have at least a seventy percent chance of success!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Qiu was also delighted.

With Xin Ruyin's attainments in Formation, if she could successfully achieve a Breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage, relying on her endless Formation and Restriction methods, she would likely be enough to fight a Middle Stage Nascent Soul Cultivator!

By then, he would have gained another capable assistant, giving him more confidence in this chaotic world of the Chaotic Star Sea.

He nodded and said: "Good! Then it is settled. You go and rest first, adjust your state, and when I finish refining the nine-curved spirit ginseng pill, we will begin secluded cultivation. This Biling Island will become our new starting point."