Chapter 208: Fu Xue's Return, Encountering the Six Realms

"Fifth-rank... wanting to set up the Nine Tribulations Lock Demon Formation is still difficult."

After his formation expertise broke through, Lu Xun took out the diagram of the Nine Tribulations Lock Demon Formation and studied it for some time.

This diagram, originally, was as incomprehensible to him as a heavenly script.

Now, however, he can understand it.

A fifth-rank expertise is still insufficient to support Lu Xun in setting it up.

Using the body as the formation, constructing a formation within the body belongs to an internal formation.

Its difficulty, compared to setting up a grand formation in heaven and earth, is difficult by an unknown number of times.

Lu Xun estimates that at least an eighth-rank or higher formation expertise is needed to set it up.

With Ran Bing's current formation expertise, even if her comprehension were higher, reaching eighth-rank in formation expertise is not that easy.

That is, she spends all her time on formations, and even within ten years she sees no hope.

So, Lu Xun's plan is not to let Ran Bing set up the formation herself.

But rather, he will come,

After Ran Bing's formation expertise breaks through and returns, it can cause Lu Xun's formation expertise to surge wildly upward.

By then, Lu Xun can help her set up the Nine Tribulations Lock Demon Formation within her body.

"Strange, why has there been no news of the demon clan?"

Two days later, after Lu Xun returned to Lan Xing, he felt something strange.

The Rainbow Bridge has appeared for over two months now.

The cultivators of the East have already encountered quite a few foreign peoples in the Spirit Realm.

The demon clan, winged clan, barbarian clan, and shadow clan have all been encountered.

They have even encountered members of the blood clan.

Only the demon clan has had no news transmitted.

Could that demon star be fake?

Or perhaps the Spirit Realm where the demon clan currently operates is not the one the Eastern cultivators have set foot in.

Among these nebulae at the ancient road nodes, the number of Spirit Realms is extraordinarily large.

With the passage of time, it is still becoming more and more numerous.

For example, the Spirit Realms accessed by the two occupied rainbow passages were initially only opened to 100.

Now, there are already several hundred.

Including the Spirit Realms accessed by other rainbow passages, the number of Spirit Realms is at least several thousand.

These Spirit Realms are all sorts of strange; the ones Lu Xun has currently visited are basically those with a slightly better natural environment.

He has not set foot in overly large Spirit Realms.

Of course, there is also a possibility that someone encountered the demon clan but were all killed, hence no news got out.

Another possibility is that the demon clan operates in those high-level Spirit Realms, where ordinary cultivators simply cannot encounter them.

Despite the many possibilities, Lu Xun still feels that the demon clan is acting unusually this time.

Could it be that they really came for Ran Bing?

But even if they came for Ran Bing, over two months have passed, why has the demon clan shown no movement at all?

In this, there is somewhat something abnormal.

"Junior fellow student, I didn't expect you to have such a unique understanding of formations; I've learned from you."

Lu Xun specially went to see Ran Bing, communicating and exchanging some of his understanding of formations with her.

This also counts as exploiting a bug.

After his formation expertise improves, teaching Ran Bing again can let her progress faster.

After the exchange, Lu Xun informed Ran Bing of the demon clan's abnormality and urged her to be extra careful.

"Indeed somewhat strange... junior fellow student, rest assured, I will not leave the South Heaven Gate during this time; there are many strong ones here, and even if the demon clan knows I am here, they can do nothing to me."

Ran Bing followed Lu Xun's advice.

Anyway, she is studying the true explanation of formations, so during this time she does not plan to leave the South Heaven Gate.

After settling matters with Ran Bing, Lu Xun then went to see Murong Wan, Chu Youqing, and Bai Ling.

Bai Ling also came up to the South Heaven Gate.

Lu Xun rented a shop for her, so that the medicinal pills Bai Ling refines can be made and sold on the spot at the South Heaven Gate, and they are extremely popular.

Shops at the South Heaven Gate are not easy to obtain; the rent is calculated per day, with the rent per square meter reaching as high as 100 Dark Energy.

This is equivalent to 100,000 money per square meter, and the key point is that it is only for one day.

At such a high price, the shops there are still in short supply; even with money it is not easy to rent one.

Lu Xun rented one at great expense from a second-hand dealer.

Bai Ling currently sells medicinal pills mainly of the Heavenly Tier.

Although she can refine Saint-tier medicinal pills, her success rate is far inferior to Lu Xun's, often requiring several batches to succeed in one.

The successfully refined Saint-tier medicinal pills she still holds in her hand, preparing to unleash this trump card when she can refine a fourth-rank Saint-tier medicinal pill.

By then, it will also be the time for Lu Xun to formally launch the alchemy consortium.

Interestingly, after the Jia Clan Consortium discovered Bai Ling's medicinal pill shop, they, who originally engaged in hunger marketing, also began to open up supply.

On Chu Youqing's side, after her cultivation breakthrough, she went off to deal with the worm offspring.

Lu Xun was unable to meet her.

On Murong Wan's side, after spending over a month adjusting her bodily condition to its best, she is already preparing to open the secret apertures of the five viscera and six bowels.

From her, Lu Xun learned what happened to the Chu family.

Still unconscious?

Well, a Five Realms physician from the Martial Manor came specially to see him, the Chu family also used considerable resources to treat him, all his brother-in-law's injuries have healed, he's just remained unconscious.

Lu Xun also learned something: Chu Youqing's father has remained unconscious.

Right, older sister said not to tell Youqing yet, so as not to affect her cultivation.

It seemed she was afraid Lu Xun might let it slip, so Murong Wan specifically instructed him.

I know, Wan'er.

Lu Xun gently embraced her.

Every time he returns, he inevitably spends some intimate time with Murong Wan.

Murong Wan is now completely compliant toward Lu Xun.

Lu Xun's Returning Heaven Creation Pill successfully restored Murong Zhan's dantian, and with it he surged to the peak of the Four Realms.

He even gained hope of breaking through to the Five Realms.

This made Murong Wan feel extremely grateful toward Lu Xun.

So now, no matter what Lu Xun does to her, she lets him have his way.

Her reserve still exists, so Murong Wan basically won't take the initiative.

Every time she is bullied by Lu Xun, she still feels shy.

Such her instead makes Lu Xun like her even more.

Each time he bullies her for a long while.

Hope it helps.

The next day, Lu Xun refined a bottle of pills, then found some courier cultivators to send them to the Chu family in Rong Cheng.

These pills are useful for repairing the soul.

Chu Yuping's situation is rather tricky; his bodily injuries have long healed, his soul shows no major problem, yet he remains unconscious.

The Martial Manor's Five Realms physicians have no good solution.

To cure it, probably need a Six Realms physician.

How could a Six Realms physician be easily summoned?

Even if Lu Xun steps in, getting a Six Realms physician is not easy.

So Lu Xun first refined some pills to help stabilize his condition.

The rest, we'll talk about later.

For now, the most important thing is still to search for spiritual materials and other resources.

However, with the passage of time, resources in the Five-Star Spirit Realm are rapidly dwindling.

Even without the Heavenly Dao Eye, the number of cultivators there, plus the foreign races also searching.

The resources in the Spirit Realm will surely keep decreasing.

Heaven-and-earth spiritual materials need time to grow.

Some heaven-and-earth spiritual materials that are hundreds or thousands of years old, once taken, to obtain them again would require waiting hundreds or thousands of years.

Lu Xun's recent gains from two Spirit Realms have become much smaller.

Unfortunately, Fu Xue hasn't returned.

Otherwise, going to Six-Star and above Spirit Realms would surely yield a big harvest.

Found you!

After finishing the pills, Lu Xun also used the Heavenly Dao Eye, preparing to look again for the Insect Clan's nest underground on Lan Xing.

These days, the Insect Clan's progress hasn't stopped.

Even if Lan Xing had an Eight Realms expert return, the Insect Clan would still keep launching attacks.

Their numbers seem endless.

This search, Lu Xun unexpectedly made a discovery.

In an underground space, he saw a vast number of insects.

So cunning, no wonder I couldn't find it.

That underground space is very hidden, located deep beneath the Pacific Ocean seabed.

Lu Xun used to search mostly land areas, so he couldn't find it.

It should be here.

Lu Xun took out his phone and sent a message to Xu Tongling of the Martial Manor.

Haha, good, I'll send someone over to check.

Xu Tongling was very pleased.

These insects, are they that hard to deal with?

Little Xun, you've done your best, no need to blame yourself or worry too much; these insects won't stir up too much trouble.

A few days later, when Lu Xun returned from the Spirit Realm, the news he received was not optimistic.

That underground space is indeed an Insect Clan nest, where the insects continuously send Lan Xing's spatial coordinates, causing the Insect Clan's wormholes to firmly latch onto Lan Xing.

The Martial Manor's people joined with some cultivators from other countries and successfully destroyed that place.

But,

Such places... are not just one!

Now Lu Xun also doesn't have a good solution.

Lan Xing has too many underground spaces; unless Lu Xun guards Lan Xing every day, it's hard to find them all.

So Lu Xun no longer wants to expend effort on this matter.

He entered a five-star-rated Spirit Realm again.

Before Fu Xue returned, Lu Xun prepared to continue farming these five-star Spirit Realms, gathering as many resources as he could.

These five-star Spirit Realms are essentially five-star Spirit Realms, occasionally slightly exceeding the standard.

None of them are as special as the Scarlet Flame Continent.

"Elder Fu, you've finally returned."

On the third day after Lu Xun entered the Spirit Realm.

Fu Xue finally returned from the Spirit Realm.

This time she remained in the Spirit Realm for quite a while—she stayed for over two months.

Not long after she returned, Steward Zhu came to see her.

"What is it?"

Fu Xue has always been aloof in the outside world.

"Lu Xun has been looking for you all along, often coming to ask if you've returned."

Steward Zhu said.

"Lu Xun?"

Fu Xue took out her phone, looked, and sure enough.

Lu Xun had sent her quite a few messages.

Every few days he would send a message asking if she had returned, saying he had found some good stuff and needed her help.

She hadn't received these messages while in the Spirit Realm; they only appeared after she came back.

"And the others?"

Fu Xue called Lu Xun, but found he was out of service range.

"He must have entered a Spirit Realm, though Lu Xun comes back every few days."

Steward Zhu said.

"Fine, I'll wait here for him; if he returns, let me know."

"Yes, Elder."

Fu Xue entered the garrison of the Northern Dipper Hall located at South Heaven Gate, and waited there.

"Little Gold, let's go."

In the Spirit Realm, Lu Xun hid inside the Golden Toad's mouth, driving the Golden Toad to charge toward the massive storm ahead.

This is a storm Spirit Realm where storms cover the ground.

In the Spirit Realm there is a shattered planet.

These storms are not ordinary; they are genuine gale winds and void storms, and some larger storms would cause even four- or five-realm cultivators to meet their doom (GG) if caught.

For Lu Xun, however, it's not much of a problem.

Because the Golden Toad's defensive power is terrifying, even storms that could threaten Six- or Seven-realm cultivators, the Golden Toad can withstand head-on.

The storm the Golden Toad is charging into is one that even Six-realm experts dare not forcefully break through.

Within the storm, the violent gale winds slash down like billions of blades, and the void turbulence wildly tears, yet only striking the Golden Toad's body produces dazzling sparks, unable to harm it in the slightest.

The Golden Toad thus charged into the storm's center.

Although the storm is violent, its center is calm.

"This Dark Energy... so thick... Huh? Is this primal spiritual energy?"

After Lu Xun flew out of the Golden Toad's mouth, he discovered something good at the storm's center.

"Primal spiritual energy!"

They gathered together, and the quantity was not small.

"Is this... turbid energy?"

Besides the primal spiritual energy, Lu Xun also discovered some primal turbid energy.

"That's right; these two always appear together."

Lu Xun recalled the information he had looked up.

Moreover, the Dark Energy here is exceptionally rich.

"I've struck it rich."

Just the Dark Energy in here—no one knows how many cubic units.

Lan Xing measures Dark Energy by regular density.

The Dark Energy here, being extremely rich, has a density far exceeding the regular standard.

One unit of Dark Energy here equals several units according to Lan Xing's measurement method.

Lu Xun quickly began gathering it.

The storms in this Spirit Realm are numerous; their high-speed rotation can sweep all the Dark Energy encountered along the way into the center, and also separate some components from the Dark Energy.

The primal spiritual energy and primal turbid energy likely come about this way.

But not every storm center has this much Dark Energy.

Because there are also star-space aberrations devouring Dark Energy everywhere.

Besides the star-space aberrations, when these storms collide with other storms, they often cause Dark Energy to leak, leaving the storm center empty.

Given the abundance of storms here, this situation is not uncommon.

Therefore, a storm like this is something you can encounter but not seek out.

Lu Xun used the Heavenly Dao Eye for several days and happened to spot it.

"Lord Yu, this is the storm; we examined it with the Magic Eye, and it contains primal turbid energy."

When Lu Xun was gathering Dark Energy at the storm's center.

Outside the storm, more than ten demon people came.

The leader resembled a human, but was more muscular, and their eyes were blood-red.

This is a blood demon of the demon clan.

"Come in, I'll take you inside."

Around the blood demon, a blood-colored domain appeared.

All the demon folk entered it.

Next, the blood demon named Yu stirred and boldly charged into that extremely huge storm.

Inside the storm, the gale winds were extraordinarily terrifying; anyone of the Five Realms who barges in will be torn apart.

Even ordinary Six Realms cultivators would hesitate a bit.

But this blood demon, relying on its astonishingly defensive demon armor and blood-colored domain, managed to break through.

"Human aura!"

Before even charging into the storm's center, he smelled the human aura.

Someone from humanity got there first!

"Damn it!"

He suddenly accelerated, and the blood-colored domain, like a blade, ripped through the layers of gale winds, and wherever it passed, even space rippled with distortion.

At the storm's core, Lu Xun seemed to sense something and lifted his head.

A streak of blood light tore through the storm at astonishing speed, lunging straight at him.

"Six Realms!"

Lu Xun's eyes narrowed.

Only someone of the Six Realms could break through like this.

I'm afraid it's not an ordinary Six Realms cultivator.

He who walks by the river often gets his shoes wet.

He had already been careful enough, yet he still encountered a Six Realms cultivator.