96: Break through the formation! Enter the cave! The Yin-Yang Crown! Ancient treasures!

Chapter 96: Breaking the Formation! Entering the Immortal Cave! Yin-Yang Crown!

Two days later.

The stone door of the temporary Immortal Cave quietly slid open a crack, and a figure shrouded in a wide black cloak, with an aura suppressed to almost nothing, flashed out like a shifting shadow.

It was Lu Qiu.

He stopped at the edge of the mountain hollow, his gaze first falling on the river several miles downstream.

The scarlet gold light barrier that once enveloped the heavens and earth, burning the river and boiling the sea, had completely disappeared, leaving only the river water still strangely churning and turbid, with an lingering unique scent of scorching, blood, and high-temperature charring permeating the air.

On both sides of the riverbank, some rocks showed traces of vitrification, and all the vegetation had turned to charcoal, silently narrating the tragic intensity of the earth-shattering battle that lasted for nearly a month.

In the sky, a few streaks of escape light, varying in color but mostly weak in aura, occasionally swept cautiously across this area, sometimes pausing as if probing something, then quickly flying away.

Judging by their attire and conduct, most were Loose Cultivators or Cultivators from minor forces who had heard the news and intended to “pick up scraps.”

Lu Qiu was not surprised by this.

The two Core Formation Cultivators from the Tianxing Sect had pursued the flood dragon and failed to completely clear the battlefield, which naturally attracted these keen-scented “vultures.”

As long as he didn't provoke them, he and these scavengers would not interfere with each other.

He quietly circulated the Myriad Transformations Hidden Origin Art, reducing his presence to a minimum, while his Divine Sense, like the most precise radar, cautiously spread out, capturing residual Spiritual Qi fluctuations and fragmented whispers in the air.

Among the scattered rocks on the riverbank not far below, two young men dressed in Tianxing Sect Disciple attire, both at Qi Refining Perfection, were conversing in low voices while vigilantly scanning their surroundings.

Their conversation was keenly captured by Lu Qiu's Divine Sense:

“Alas, who would have thought that Bloodline Flood Dragon would be so ferocious! Even Elder Chu and Elder Cao’s Heaven Burning Sea Boiling Grand Array couldn't completely refine it to death, and in the end, it broke through the Formation and escaped!”

One round-faced Disciple spoke with shock and regret.

The other tall, thin Disciple interjected, “Indeed, I heard that beast ultimately used some secret art that damaged its Foundation, causing its strength to instantly surge, and even its Demonic Core showed cracks… However, the two Elders have already given chase. That Bloodline Flood Dragon was already severely wounded and on the verge of death, and then forcibly activated a secret art. It probably can't escape far, and will eventually become the two Elders' possession.”

The round-faced Disciple nodded: “Let's hope so. It's just a pity about the Heaven Burning Sea Boiling Grand Array. I heard it consumed a lot, and this time it didn't achieve complete success, so the Sect might…”

Their voices faded, the rest of their words carried away by the river wind.

Lu Qiu withdrew his Divine Sense, understanding in his heart: “It's as I expected. The Bloodline Flood Dragon escaped by fighting for its life, but at a heavy cost. Its Demonic Core is damaged, and it's being pursued by two Core Formation Cultivators; its fate is uncertain. Although the Tianxing Sect didn't capture it on the spot this time, they severely injured this flood dragon, and there's still a very high chance they'll succeed later.”

This was good news for him.

At least for a short period, the attention of those two Core Formation Cultivators would be firmly drawn to the severely wounded and fleeing Bloodline Flood Dragon, leaving them no time to look back at this area.

“It's time.” Lu Qiu no longer delayed, his figure flickered, merging into the shadows of the mountain forest.

Instead of immediately heading to Hidden Dragon Ravine, he followed the Opportunity information recorded in the Jade Slip that he had accumulated during this period, starting from the nearest and gradually “harvesting” them one by one.

Most of these Opportunities were located at the periphery of the battle-affected area, or at locations previously marked by the demise of Cultivators or Yao Beasts.

Lu Qiu was like the most patient hunter, and also the most efficient scavenger.

He found the charred corpse of the Third-Tier Demonic Beast, Iron-armored Crocodile, which had been affected by the lingering power of the grand array and eventually died. From its not yet completely destroyed skull and heart, he extracted relatively intact portions of bone marrow containing vital blood.

He infiltrated the Black Wind Ridge valley where the Late Foundation Establishment Stage Loose Cultivator Lu Yong had perished, and in an extremely hidden tree hollow, found the Storage Pouch the Cultivator had hidden before dying.

Inside, the remaining large quantity of Spirit Stones, Medicinal Pills, and several life-saving Talismans and Magical Artifacts were still quite valuable.

In a cliffside nest in Eagle Sorrow Ravine, although he didn't find the corpse of the Fourth-Tier Demonic Beast Wind Thunder Falcon, he unexpectedly discovered a vibrant green bird egg, suspected to be laid by a Wind Thunder Falcon.

He also conveniently collected fragments of Magical Artifacts left by several deceased Qi Refining Loose Cultivators, a few Spiritual Plants that had miraculously survived, and several pieces of “Scarlet Copper Ore” newly exposed at a shallow mine outcrop burned out by a mountain fire.

For an entire day, Lu Qiu traveled without stop, relying on precise intelligence and powerful stealth abilities, sweeping through more than ten marked locations and gaining far more than expected.

Although these resources were not as abundant as Zhang Qiu's Legacy, they accumulated over time, causing his wealth to rise again.

It wasn't until the next morning, as the sun began to rise and the thin mist on the river had yet to dissipate.

Lu Qiu quietly arrived at the final destination indicated by the intelligence—about ten miles east of Dragon Gate Gorge, a hidden mountain valley called “Hidden Dragon Ravine.”

The entrance to this valley was extremely narrow, obscured by dense vines and jagged strange rocks, making it very easy to overlook unless specifically searched for.

The terrain within the valley sloped downwards, with towering rock walls on both sides, and dim light. Only a stream gurgled along the bottom of the ravine, adding to its deep and quiet atmosphere.

Lu Qiu did not enter rashly, but first used his Divine Sense to meticulously scan the entire valley from a higher position outside.

At first glance, the valley appeared unremarkable; the Spiritual Qi concentration was similar to the surroundings, and vegetation grew normally.

But when he condensed his Divine Sense to the extreme of the second layer of the Great Evolution Art, combined with the basic spiritual sense of the Xuanji Pupil, which had just been initiated and had a slight perception of “illusion,” and repeatedly probed a seemingly ordinary rock wall area, he finally detected an extremely faint, almost imperceptible spiritual energy distortion and incongruity that blended with the environment.

“This is it… a natural illusion Formation!” Lu Qiu's eyes flashed with brilliance, locking onto the target.

This illusion Formation, naturally formed by the valley's terrain and the spiritual energy of the earth pulse, cleverly “disguised” the rock wall where the Immortal Cave entrance was located, making it appear seamlessly integrated with the surrounding mountains, without any flaws.

If not for his powerful Divine Sense, his cultivation of a pupil technique that could see through illusions, and clear intelligence guidance, he would probably have returned empty-handed like previous explorers, or even… been trapped and died within it.

He cautiously approached the rock wall, his Divine Sense like the finest carving knife, beginning to analyze the spiritual energy structure and operational patterns of the illusion Formation.

“Indeed extraordinary… borrowing the power of heaven and earth, cycling endlessly, perpetually regenerating. Forcibly attacking it would only trigger the Formation's counterattack or make it more concealed. I need to find its 'nodes' and 'gaps' in the spiritual energy flow, and break it with skill.”

Lu Qiu sat cross-legged outside the illusion Formation, clearing his mind, fully focused.

In his mind, the records of natural illusion Formations in the Heavenly Derivation Array Codex, the exquisite treatises on the “borrowing power” Dao of ancient Formations in the profound mechanism array canon, and Xin Ruyin's advanced concept of “spiritual energy field steady-state conversion” from her insights, flowed, collided, and merged like water.

He occasionally formed hand seals, casting out subtle, probing streams of Mana, observing the illusion Formation's feedback.

Sometimes he closed his eyes to deduce, constructing a Formation model in his Divine Sense.

Time passed bit by bit.

One day, two days, three days… On the evening of the third day, the lingering glow of the sunset painted the valley in golden red.

Lu Qiu, who had been sitting in meditation for three days, suddenly opened his eyes. The fatigue in them was gone, replaced by the clear light of understanding.

“Found it! The instant of the 'Dragon Head Rising' spiritual energy tide conversion is where the Formation's weakest 'Gate of Life' lies!”

He rose to his feet, his hands dancing rapidly like butterflies through flowers. Streaks of pure Crimson Heaven Mana, instead of forcefully impacting, precisely “tapped” several seemingly insignificant but actually crucial “hubs” in the spiritual energy flow of the illusion Formation, using a specific frequency and trajectory that mimicked the natural fluctuations of the earth pulse spiritual energy!

“Break!”

A soft shout!

The seemingly solid rock wall in front of him rippled violently like water!

Light and shadow twisted, scenery dislocated!

Then, with a soft “pop,” like a soap bubble bursting.

The illusion dissipated!

Revealing a dark, gaping cave entrance behind the rock wall, half-covered by vines!

The cave entrance was about human height, extending inwards, with a faint breeze wafting out.

And on the ground near the entrance, five skeletons, long turned to white bone, were scattered!

From the posture of the skeletons and the remaining fragments of clothing, three should have been Qi Refining Stage Cultivators, and two were Foundation Establishment Stage!

Beside them, several remnants of Magical Artifacts that had long lost their spiritual light and Storage Pouches were also scattered.

“It seems I'm not the only one who discovered this illusion Formation.” Lu Qiu's gaze swept over the skeletons, his heart undisturbed.

Such was the cultivation world; Opportunity often came with danger, and those lacking strength or luck would meet such an end.

He waved his hand, drawing the Storage Pouches near the skeletons. A quick inspection showed that most of the Spirit Stones and Medicinal Pills inside had been lost over the years, but it was better than nothing; perhaps some Jade Slips and Materials could still be used.

He put these items away, considering it a “burial” for these predecessors.

Then, he took a deep breath and stepped into the cave entrance.

The passage was initially narrow, allowing only one person through. After walking about ten zhang, the front suddenly opened up, revealing a stone hall about three zhang square.

At the end of the stone hall was a closed, large door made entirely of some dark green metal, its surface inscribed with complex Restriction runes.

In the center of the main door, there was a distinct groove that perfectly matched the shape of the golden fiend sword's hilt.

Lu Qiu took out the dark golden golden fiend sword, aligned its hilt with the groove, and slowly inserted it.

"Click."

With a soft sound, it fit perfectly.

Lu Qiu activated his Mana and injected it into the golden fiend sword.

"Buzz—!"

The sword suddenly emitted a low hum, and flowing golden patterns lit up on its dull blade!

The Restriction runes on the great door also lit up one by one, echoing the golden fiend sword's spiritual light!

After a few breaths, all the runes simultaneously burst into brilliant light!

"Rumble..."

Amidst the heavy sound of metal grinding, the dark green great door slowly opened inward, revealing a downward stairwell. A scent of long-sealed dust, mixed with faint Spiritual Qi and decay, wafted out.

Lu Qiu put away the golden fiend sword and slowly stepped into the passage.

The stairs wound downwards, and after about dozens of steps, they led to a more spacious main chamber of the Immortal Cave.

The main chamber was circular, about five zhang in circumference, with several large luminous pearls embedded in the ceiling, emitting a soft, cold light that illuminated the entire space.

The four walls were smooth, engraved with some simple cloud patterns.

The Immortal Cave's furnishings were extremely simple.

In the center, on a cushion that had long lost its spiritual glow, sat a skeleton clad in an old golden Daoist robe, long since turned to white bones.

The skeleton maintained a meditating posture, its bones crystalline with a faint golden luster, clearly indicating that its cultivation was profound in life, having reached the Late Core Formation Stage.

On the ground in front of the skeleton, there was only a dusty, unremarkable Storage Pouch.

Other than that, the entire main chamber was empty, with nothing else.

There was no Alchemy room, no Artifact Refining room, no Spiritual Plant garden, not even extra tables and chairs.

"This Core Formation Cultivator was truly an ascetic; his Immortal Cave is so simple."

Lu Qiu mused inwardly, stepped forward, and first bowed to the skeleton: "Junior Lu Qiu, I have inadvertently entered Senior's Immortal Cave. If I have disturbed you, I hope you will forgive me."

After the bow, he carefully picked up the Storage Pouch.

There was no Restriction on the pouch's opening, perhaps because the owner had dispelled it before passing away.

His Divine Sense probed into it.

The Storage Pouch's space was not too large, and there were very few items inside, indicating that the owner had consumed or disposed of most of his personal belongings during his lifetime.

The first thing his perception registered was a small pile of Spirit Stones—about fifty-odd Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, with no Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

For a Late Core Formation Stage Cultivator, this amount of Spirit Stones was rather meager.

Beside them, two items quietly floated, their spiritual light contained, yet emitting a faint Magic Treasure aura.

One was a palm-sized, ancient bronze mirror with a rustic design.

The mirror surface was dim, its edges carved with blurry cloud-beast patterns, and its back featured a simple Tai Chi Yin and Yang fish design, though the eyes of the Yin and Yang fish were empty.

The mirror body was covered in fine scratches and bronze rust, clearly indicating its extreme age and apparent damage; its spiritual power fluctuations were weak, but the intrinsic aura of a Magic Treasure could not be concealed.

The other item was a small, one-inch square seal, entirely dark gold, with a coiling Dragon as its knob.

The seal body was engraved with two ancient seal characters, "Golden Malice," emitting a sharp and heavy Evil Qi. Although its spiritual light was not apparent, it was intact and should have been one of this Core Formation Cultivator's frequently used Lifebound Treasures or important Magic Treasures during his lifetime.

Besides the Spirit Stones and the two Magic Treasures, there were only two ancient-looking Jade Slips in the Storage Pouch.

Lu Qiu first properly put away the two Magic Treasures and Spirit Stones, then took a deep breath and immersed his Divine Sense into the first Jade Slip.

A vast amount of information surged in.

The opening consisted of three ancient characters—"Yin-Yang Crown"!

This was not an offensive, defensive, or escape Divine Ability, but an extremely rare... Dual Cultivation secret technique outline!

Its core essence lay in "Yin and Yang complementarity, Yin and Yang balance, and Yin and Yang harmony," believing that isolated Yin cannot generate, and isolated Yang cannot grow; only through the mutual assistance of Yin and Yang can one directly reach the Great Dao.

The secret technique detailed how to find and identify suitable Dao Companions, and how to achieve the profound effects of mutual Mana nourishment, shared Divine Soul advancement, and Breakthroughs through special Cultivation Technique operation and Divine Soul Fusion.

The intricate control, risk avoidance, and counter-recoil measures involved were detailed and profound, directly addressing the essence of the Dual Cultivation Dao.

What surprised Lu Qiu even more was that the Yin-Yang Crown secret technique was of extremely high grade; the Cultivation Technique routes and Yin and Yang harmonization methods recorded within it could actually be cultivated all the way to... the Late Nascent Soul Stage!

"Dual Cultivation secret technique... capable of reaching the Late Nascent Soul Stage..." Lu Qiu was shocked.

A secret technique of this level would absolutely be a core Legacy-level treasure even among the Seven Great Sects!

He suppressed his emotions and immersed his Divine Sense into the second Jade Slip.

The content of this Jade Slip was even more complex.

First was a complete Cultivation Technique called the Golden Malice Art, totaling twelve layers, corresponding precisely to the complete Cultivation system from the Qi Refinement Stage to the Nascent Soul Stage!

The Cultivation Technique focused on the attributes of metal and Evil Qi, producing Mana that was incomparably sharp, carrying destructive Evil Qi, and immensely powerful. However, it placed extremely high demands on the Cultivator's Heart-Nature and Physical Body, and required cultivation with the aid of special Earthly Fiend Qi or Golden Malice Treasures.

After the Cultivation Technique was the autobiography and Cultivation insights of the Immortal Cave's owner, who styled himself "Venerable Golden Malice."

According to the Jade Slip's records, Venerable Golden Malice was a Loose Cultivator who, by chance in his early years, obtained the ancient Cultivation Technique Golden Malice Art and the Yin-Yang Crown secret technique Legacy. With his extraordinary perseverance and Opportunities, and by virtue of the Yin-Yang Crown secret technique, he found several like-minded female Cultivators with excellent Aptitude to be his Dao Companions. Through the method of Yin and Yang Dual Cultivation, they supported each other, compensated for each other's shortcomings, and actually broke through numerous barriers, eventually forming a Golden Core and cultivating to the Late Core Formation Stage!

He proudly mentioned in his autobiography that for a Loose Cultivator like himself to reach the Late Core Formation Stage, the Yin-Yang Crown secret technique played a monumental role.

Dual Cultivation was not an Evil Path, but a type of Great Dao; the key lay in "being of one heart and one mind, mutually beneficial."

However, Dual Cultivation was both his making and his undoing.

Although the Yin-Yang Crown secret technique could accelerate cultivation and break through Bottlenecks, it placed extremely high demands on the Aptitude, Heart-Nature, and Opportunities of both Dao Companions, and the later the stage, the harder it was to improve.

Venerable Golden Malice's several Dao Companions passed away one after another, either due to their Lifespan running out or failure in Breakthrough.

Having lost his most important cultivation assistance, coupled with his own Aptitude not being top-tier, and with no Sect resources to rely on, Venerable Golden Malice ultimately became stuck at the peak of the Late Core Formation Stage, never able to glimpse the door to the Nascent Soul Stage.

In his later years, disheartened, he moved his Immortal Cave to this hidden place by the Panlong River, left behind his Legacy, and quietly passed away in meditation.

The damaged bronze ancient treasure was an ancient treasure he occasionally obtained in his early years, named the yin yang mirror.

The "golden malice seal" was his Lifebound Treasure, cultivated with his life.

At the end of the Jade Slip, Venerable Golden Malice left a message, hoping that any fated Junior would treat the Yin-Yang Crown and Golden Malice Art Legacies well, and if they could achieve something with them, it would be his greatest comfort.

Lu Qiu slowly withdrew his Divine Sense, his expression complex.

"So that's how it is... a Senior Loose Cultivator who used Dual Cultivation secret techniques to achieve Heaven-Defying changes but was ultimately trapped at the Nascent Soul threshold."

He solemnly put away the two Jade Slips.

Although the Golden Malice Art Cultivation Technique was good, its attributes did not match his Crimson Sky Burning Heaven Technique, and its cultivation conditions were harsh, making its reference value greater than its cultivation value for him.

However, its cultivation insights and Breakthrough experiences, especially the various understandings of the Core Formation Stage, were priceless treasures.

As for the Yin-Yang Crown... this top-tier Dual Cultivation secret technique that pointed directly to the Late Nascent Soul Stage, its value was immeasurable.

Although it was currently useless to him, the Dao path was long, and who could say what the future held?

At the very least, many of the subtle theories within it regarding Yin and Yang harmonization and spiritual power complementarity were greatly enlightening for him to understand his own Cultivation Technique and harmonize the Mana within his body.

Surveying the extremely simple Immortal Cave, Lu Qiu once again bowed to Venerable Golden Malice's remains, then no longer lingered, turning and exiting along the way he came.

Leaving Hidden Dragon Ravine, he did not return to his previous temporary Immortal Cave, but instead traveled about ten li further northeast, in a more secluded mountain hollow backed by a sheer cliff, where he once again opened a simple temporary Immortal Cave and set up a Formation.

After everything was properly arranged, isolating the inside from the outside.

Lu Qiu then sat down cross-legged and took out all the gains from Venerable Golden Malice's Immortal Cave, placing them before him one by one.

Over fifty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, and two Magic Treasures.

The ancient treasure "yin yang mirror," the Lifebound Treasure "golden malice seal," two Jade Slips containing priceless Legacies, "Yin-Yang Crown" and "Golden Malice Art" along with insights, and several damaged Storage Pouches left behind by the five Cultivators outside the Immortal Cave.

He first put away the Spirit Stones.

Then, his gaze fell upon the two Magic Treasures and the two Jade Slips.

"This trip to Panlong River... the harvest is far beyond expectations." Lu Qiu murmured softly, his eyes glinting with thought and planning.

In the coming days, he needed to properly digest these gains, especially the cultivation insights of the Golden Malice Art and the profound Yin and Yang principles within the Yin-Yang Crown.

At the same time, he also needed to closely monitor external developments, especially the final outcome between the Bloodline Flood Dragon and the Tianxing Sect Cultivators.

The path of cultivation is long and arduous.

Every Opportunity must be properly seized and transformed into resources for advancement.