Chapter 370: Duan Xueyi

Half a month later, at the entrance of an inn in Guiyun Market.

On the bustling street, a man wearing a bamboo hat looked up at the signboard above the inn entrance. After confirming that he hadn't found the wrong place, he lifted his legs and walked into the inn with big strides.

After entering the inn, the man in the bamboo hat asked the waiter at the entrance and went directly to a guest room on the second floor of the inn's backyard, knocking gently on the door.

Before long, the guest room was opened from the inside, and a woman in white slowly appeared from within.

"Fellow Daoist Song, please come in quickly. You are truly very punctual. If I hadn't seen you appear, I'm afraid that senior sister of mine would have sent another sound transmission to urge me."

Hearing this complaint from Gao Yuyao, Song Qingming smiled and removed the bamboo hat from his head, explaining:

"I actually arrived in the vicinity long ago, but I was just worried that if I came too early, I might run into other acquaintances before you arrived, so I didn't enter the market in advance. I hope you can forgive me, Fairy."

Half a month ago, after thinking about it repeatedly, Song Qingming decided to accept Gao Yuyao's invitation this time, and not long after, he arrived near Guiyun Market according to the time they had agreed upon.

Compared to the lifespan of over five hundred years for a Core Formation cultivator, Song Qingming's current lifespan as a Foundation Establishment cultivator was only four sixty-year cycles. Once he could not successfully form a core before the age of two hundred, Song Qingming would definitely be like Gao Jinhe, whom he had sent off not long ago, and would eventually pass away in his own cave dwelling and turn into a pile of withered bones.

Song Qingming's cultivation had now reached the seventh level of Foundation Establishment, and it was estimated that in another twenty or thirty years, he would be able to cultivate to the ninth level of Foundation Establishment. Since he was not too far from the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, it was time for him to make plans for core formation in advance.

In the world of immortal cultivation, things that could assist cultivators in forming a core were at least third-tier spirit objects. Such high-level spirit objects were rare to see even in major markets, let alone in large auctions or black markets.

Moreover, high-level spirit objects were as rare as Foundation Establishment Pills. Many times, even if you encountered them, you might not be able to buy them even if you had enough spirit stones. In most cases, you could only exchange them with spirit objects of the same tier.

When Song Qingming was still in the Qi Refining stage, he had once followed Old Daoist Chen to open a cave dwelling of a Foundation Establishment senior. That time, Song Qingming not only obtained several second-tier spirit objects but also shared a lot of spirit stones and cultivation technique classics, which could be said to be an overnight fortune for him, who was not wealthy at the time.

This trip to the Floating Cloud Mountain Range, if he could truly find that Core Formation cave dwelling and obtain one or two high-level spirit objects left behind by a Core Formation cultivator, it would certainly be able to exchange for some precious resources for his future core formation.

Regardless of whether there was a harvest, by agreeing to help Gao Yuyao this time, Song Qingming would at least be able to obtain the five hundred sect merit points in Gao Yuyao's hands after returning. In this way, he could strive for a Foundation Establishment Pill for the family in a short period of time.

For this trip to the Floating Cloud Mountain Range, whether it was for himself or for the younger generation of the family to have a chance at Foundation Establishment, Song Qingming felt it was worth making this trip.

After meeting with Gao Yuyao at the inn, under her guidance, the two wore bamboo hats to cover their faces and left Guiyun Market directly, heading west.

After flying for nearly a hundred miles, the two arrived at a high mountain in the northwest corner of Guiyun Market. Here, Song Qingming also saw the other two companions for this trip.

One of them was a man with a square face, thick eyebrows, and a very tall stature. His cultivation was about the same as Gao Yuyao's, and he was also a cultivator about to advance to the eighth level of Foundation Establishment.

The other was a woman in pink, also wearing a bamboo hat like Gao Yuyao. Because of the veil covering her face, Song Qingming couldn't see her appearance clearly, but the aura emanating from her body had already reached the ninth level of Foundation Establishment. Without asking, Song Qingming knew that this was likely the senior sister Gao Yuyao had mentioned.

That this woman could see the secret of the Spirit-Blocking Sand mixed into the mysterious hairpin on Gao Yuyao meant she was definitely a cultivator with powerful spiritual sense. With such strength in the Carefree Sect, Song Qingming estimated that this woman's status was not much worse than that of Li Yungong in Black Stone Valley, and she should also be a core formation seed that the Carefree Sect focused on cultivating.

"Junior Sister Gao, is this the Fellow Daoist Song you mentioned a few days ago?" The woman in pink first stepped forward to greet Gao Yuyao, and then immediately pointed to Song Qingming, who was standing beside her, and asked.

Gao Yuyao nodded and introduced, "Fellow Daoist Song is also from Qinghe County, and he is the patriarch of the Song family on Mount Funiu. These two are Senior Sister Duan and Fellow Daoist Fang, both of whom are my close friends."

"I am Song Qingming, greetings to both Fellow Daoists." Song Qingming bowed and took the initiative to greet the two.

On the way here, Gao Yuyao had actually briefly introduced the two companions to Song Qingming. The "Senior Sister Duan" she mentioned was not only a closed-door disciple of a Core Formation senior in the Carefree Sect but also a second-tier alchemist with a very high level.

The reason Gao Yuyao had such a good relationship with her was also because both were alchemists who often cooperated in refining pills and discussing pill formulas and spirit herbs in the sect. Gao Yuyao herself was now a second-tier alchemist, while this Senior Sister Duan's alchemy level seemed to be even higher.

The woman in pink and her companion also returned the salute immediately and said with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Song, greetings. I am Duan Xueyi of the Carefree Sect, and this is Fellow Daoist Fang Wuqian of Mount Yukong."

"I heard from Junior Sister Gao earlier that Fellow Daoist Song is also a second-tier array master. None of us specialize in the way of arrays. This time, when we explore the senior's cave dwelling, if we truly encounter difficult magic arrays, we will have to rely on Fellow Daoist Song."

"Since I have promised Fellow Daoist Gao to come, I will naturally do my best. Please rest assured, everyone." Song Qingming agreed with a smile.

When cultivators travel in a group, whether hunting demon beasts or exploring for treasures, they naturally share the spirit objects obtained according to their contributions. If there was truly an opportunity for him to show his usefulness, Song Qingming would naturally not be stupid enough to refuse.

After the few introduced each other, Gao Yuyao said to Duan Xueyi, "The senior's cave dwelling recorded in the hairpin is still several thousand miles away from here. Senior Sister Duan, since everyone has arrived, why don't we seize the time and set off immediately."

Duan Xueyi nodded slightly, casually threw out a white flying boat, and jumped on it first.

Seeing that Duan Xueyi actually had such a spirit object as a small flying boat, Song Qingming also showed a hint of surprise and couldn't help but look at her twice more.

After Duan Xueyi controlled the flying boat, Song Qingming and the other two followed closely and jumped onto the flying boat under her feet. Soon, a white light lit up on the mountain and headed directly north. The mountain, which had been somewhat lively, returned to its former tranquility.