Chapter 322: Array Formation on the Island

Chapter 322: Array Formation on the Island

Inside Meng Ling's cave abode, the three of them sat around a table.

Chu Ning decided to cut straight to the chase and address both of them directly, "Fellow cultivators, I have other matters to attend to, and I plan to leave in the next couple of days."

Wu Rongfeng and Meng Ling exchanged a glance, and after the latter nodded, Wu Rongfeng spoke up, "Fellow cultivator Chu, don't be hasty. What do you think of Shenyin Valley as a place for cultivation?"

Chu Ning was a little puzzled by Wu Rongfeng's question.

Nevertheless, he replied, "It's undoubtedly an excellent place, abundant in spiritual energy and a true wonderland for cultivators."

"We would like to invite Fellow Cultivator Chu to be a guest elder in our valley. May we know your thoughts on this proposal?" Wu Rongfeng inquired.

Chu Ning was taken aback by Wu Rongfeng's offer, but then he realized what their intentions might be.

No, that couldn't be right either. Didn't Meng Ling mention that all the guest elders in this valley were...

Just as this thought crossed Chu Ning's mind, Wu Rongfeng continued, "Fellow Cultivator Chu, I'll be frank. Junior Sister Meng wishes to become your Dao companion."

"Junior Sister has been thinking about finding a Dao companion for a while now, but she hasn't come across a cultivator who caught her eye. Your display of prowess in Xuewu Valley has won over her heart. However, since you've only met once, it might be too soon to bring this up. That's why I specially invited you here, so you two could get to know each other better." As Wu Rongfeng finished speaking, she paused, allowing Meng Ling to chime in.

"These past few days have given you both a chance to interact and develop a mutual understanding."

Chu Ning realized that his guess had been correct.

When he turned to look at Meng Ling, he noticed a hint of rosy blush on her face, and her bright eyes met his without a hint of shyness.

Chu Ning couldn't help but sigh inwardly. It seemed like he had a knack for attracting romantic interests lately.

First, there was Xi Menxia, who had confessed her feelings and offered to be his concubine, and now Meng Ling wanted to become his Dao companion.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, Chu Ning met Meng Ling's gaze and spoke, "I appreciate your affection, Fellow Cultivator Meng. However, I don't have any plans to take a Dao companion at the moment. I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you."

Hearing Chu Ning's response, the blush on Meng Ling's face gradually faded.

Wu Rongfeng quickly interjected, "Fellow Cultivator Chu, please don't refuse so hastily. I understand that you two haven't known each other for long and need more time to get acquainted. Why don't you stay in Shenyin Valley for a while longer and deepen your bond with Junior Sister Meng before making a decision?"

A complex mix of emotions flashed in Meng Ling's eyes as she listened to Wu Rongfeng. Then, she turned to Chu Ning and asked, "Fellow Cultivator Chu, do you think I'm too forward, or is there something about me that you find lacking? Ever since I was at the Foundation Establishment stage, the elders in the sect suggested that I find a Dao companion, as it could help me advance to the Golden Core stage faster. But I never took their advice."

"The reason I took the initiative to approach you is because I truly admire you. And Senior Sister Wu is right—if you agree to become my Dao companion and cultivate together, I can indeed assist you in your cultivation. Our chances of forming a Nascent Soul will increase by 20% for both of us."

"The dual cultivation technique can increase the probability of forming a Nascent Soul by 20%?" Chu Ning was astonished by Meng Ling's revelation.

He had never heard of such a cultivation technique before.

A 20% increase in the likelihood of forming a Nascent Soul was a tempting proposition that many Golden Core cultivators would fiercely compete for.

Meng Ling continued, her eyes fixed on Chu Ning's astonished expression, "And Fellow Cultivator Chu, please rest assured that I am still a virgin. Even if you agree, we won't officially become Dao companions until we reach the later stages of the Golden Core realm."

At this moment, Chu Ning saw Meng Ling in a whole new light.

Despite her petite appearance, she conducted herself with grace and openness.

However, as tempting as the offer of increasing his chances of forming a Nascent Soul was, it didn't hold that much allure for him.

After all, he had a Golden Spirit Plant in his dantian, and he also possessed two Lingming Fruits in his storage bag.

Without hesitation, Chu Ning once again addressed Meng Ling, "Fellow Cultivator Meng, I apologize, but I truly don't intend to take a Dao companion. Thank you for your kindness."

"Senior Sister!" Wu Rongfeng was interrupted by Meng Ling before she could finish.

Meng Ling turned to Chu Ning and said, "People have different aspirations. Since Fellow Cultivator Chu has no intention of taking a Dao companion, I won't force you. I was too forward."

Meng Ling paused briefly before continuing, "However, I would like to ask Fellow Cultivator Chu to stay in the valley for a couple more days. I've already asked someone to look for the Bipo Cold Iron, and we should have some news soon. It will probably take a day or two for it to arrive in Shenyin Valley. Fellow Cultivator Chu, why don't you wait for it, and in the meantime, I can think about what else I can offer in exchange?"

Chu Ning looked deeply into Meng Ling's eyes.

She met his gaze with her bright eyes, her face devoid of the previous blush, now replaced with a calm demeanor.

"Very well, then. Thank you, Fellow Cultivator Meng," replied Chu Ning.

Meng Ling smiled and stood up, saying, "I was so caught up in our conversation that I forgot to brew some yuan yang flower tea for you. Fellow Cultivator Chu, please wait a moment while I prepare some."

Taking advantage of Meng Ling's absence, Wu Rongfeng turned to Chu Ning and said, "Fellow Cultivator Chu, Junior Sister Meng truly has a sincere heart for you, even though you haven't spent much time together. I considered asking one of the Nascent Soul elders from the sect to discuss this matter with you, as it would carry more weight. But Junior Sister Meng thought that it might seem like we're trying to pressure you, so in the end, she asked me to speak on her behalf."

After listening, Chu Ning remained silent for a moment before replying calmly, "Thank you both for your kind intentions."

Subsequently, Chu Ning remained silent, indicating his stance to Wu Rongfeng.

Setting Meng Ling aside, he was already reluctant to stay in Shenyin Valley for an extended period, as it would be inconvenient for his cultivation.

His trust in the sect was nowhere near the level he had for the Jiuhua Zong.

After a short while in Meng Ling's cave abode, Chu Ning took his leave and returned to his own courtyard.

For the next two days, Meng Ling did not seek out Chu Ning.

However, Wu Rongfeng visited him daily, perhaps concerned that Chu Ning might be having second thoughts. She sat with him briefly each day but refrained from bringing up Meng Ling again.

Finally, on the third day, Meng Ling appeared.

"Fellow Cultivator Chu, I have fulfilled my promise. Here is the Bipo Cold Iron. Please check if it meets your requirements," she said, holding a piece of material with a bluish-green wave pattern.

"High-quality Bipo Cold Iron!" Chu Ning exclaimed as he took it and immediately felt the icy aura emanating from it.

"Thank you, Fellow Cultivator Meng, for your help. Previously, you also helped me obtain the Liuying Stone. Is there anything you desire? I'll see if I can provide it," he said gratefully.

"Do you still have any sixth-rank demon beast pills from your hunt in Xuewu Valley?" Meng Ling asked, lifting her head.

Chu Ning nodded, "Yes, I still have a few."

"Good," Meng Ling smiled. "I need a few sixth-rank demon beast pills. You can give me four pills as an exchange for the items."

Chu Ning's gaze flickered across Meng Ling's face at her words, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he took out five demon beast pills from his storage bag and handed them over.

In terms of value, four pills were more than enough to match the value of the two materials.

However, these materials were relatively rare, and their true value was difficult to assess.

As for Meng Ling's claim that she needed the demon beast pills, Chu Ning chose to take her at her word.

So, he directly took out five pills and offered them to Meng Ling.

"Thank you, Fellow Cultivator Meng, for your help. I have five pills here. Please accept them," he said.

"Alright, thank you, Fellow Cultivator," Meng Ling replied without hesitation, taking all five pills.

She then took out a small jade box from her storage bag.

"I noticed that you seem interested in this yuan yang flower as well. I'm giving you these seeds. However, this flower usually only grows in Shenyin Valley, so it's hard to say if they will thrive outside," she said.

Chu Ning accepted the seeds without hesitation and placed them in his storage bag.

He then bid farewell to Meng Ling.

She didn't try to detain him but escorted him to the entrance of Shenyin Valley.

"Fellow Cultivator Meng, please wait a moment," Chu Ning said, bowing politely to Meng Ling at the valley entrance.

Meng Ling nodded slightly and remained silent for a few breaths before Chu Ning spoke again.

"Chu Ning, it will probably take me a few more decades to break through to the late Golden Core stage. If you change your mind within the next decade, you can come to Shenyin Valley to find me," she finally said.

Hearing this, Chu Ning sighed inwardly and replied calmly, "I'm actually planning to seclude myself for a while, and it's likely that I won't leave for the next ten years. Fellow Cultivator Meng, farewell."

Without waiting for Meng Ling's response, Chu Ning took off, disappearing into the sky in the blink of an eye.

He left Meng Ling standing there, who sighed softly before turning back toward the valley.

"Young Master, you're quite something. Another female cultivator has taken the initiative to throw herself at you, and you still rejected her so decisively," Bai Ling teased as she was released from the spirit beast bag. They were now a hundred miles away from Shenyin Valley, and after hearing about Chu Ning's encounter, she couldn't help but laugh.

Chu Ning's expression turned somewhat peculiar as well.

He never would have imagined that Wu Rongfeng had solemnly asked Chang LingShan to pass on a message, and the reason turned out to be matchmaking.

Although the motive for this trip was somewhat absurd, the gains were quite satisfactory.

Not only did he unexpectedly obtain the Cold Marrow Pearl and a top-grade defensive robe, but he had also gathered all the materials needed to refine the Water Spirit Sword.

Moreover, he had collected all the necessary materials for setting up the array formation, and he could now return to the nameless island to cultivate in seclusion with peace of mind.

A few days later, Chu Ning left through the teleportation formation in Iceland City and flew towards the unnamed island.

"There used to be few cultivators on this island. Why are there so many here all of a sudden?"

From a distance, Chu Ning sensed the presence of several cultivators on the island, five or six of them, and his eyebrows furrowed slightly.

As he extended his spiritual sense to perceive their actions, his brow furrowed even deeper.

Among the six people, four were Qi Refining cultivators, and two were Foundation Establishment cultivators, both at the mid-stage.

At that moment, the two mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators were using a type of formation-breaking talisman to dismantle the remnants of a formation on the island.

The original formation on the island was not very advanced, and it had also sustained considerable damage.

The talismans used by the two mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators were quite powerful, and they were almost done dismantling the formation's restrictions.

Chu Ning didn't mind the dismantling of the illusion formation, but the hidden spirit vein within the island was another matter.

With that thought in mind, Chu Ning transformed into a dazzling streak of light and flew directly towards the island.

Upon landing on the island, Chu Ning immediately employed the Earth Shadow Escaping Technique, quickly burrowing into the illusion formation.

On the outskirts of the illusion formation, the two Foundation Establishment cultivators were in the final stages of dismantling the formation with their talismans.

The faces of the cultivators lit up with curiosity.

Just as they were about to break through the formation, a cold voice rang out.

"Scram!"

Hearing this voice, the expressions of the group changed slightly.

The two Foundation Establishment cultivators' faces flashed with annoyance, and they were about to speak.

The next moment, a powerful spiritual sense swept towards them, accompanied by a pressure that made their hearts pound.

"A Golden Core cultivator!"

An older cultivator among them reacted first, immediately bowing and saying, "We didn't know that a senior was cultivating here, and we have unintentionally offended you. We will take our leave now."

As he spoke, the cultivator waved his hand, signaling the other five to leave hastily.

"It seems that I need to set up the formation as soon as possible."

After watching them leave, Chu Ning's figure emerged from the illusion formation, and he murmured to himself.

Without further delay, he began to take action.

He was already intimately familiar with this island, and he had long since prepared the formation plates and flags.

Chu Ning placed the formation plate at the underground hidden spirit vein and then inserted formation flags in different directions around the island's perimeter.

He continued to bury the various formation plates he had crafted into the corners of the island.

It had been several decades since Chu Ning had refreshed his Array Spirit body, and this was the first time he had attempted to set up a formation on such a large scale.

This formation combined the foundational knowledge of formations that Cen Zikin had left him, along with insights he had gained from various formations of the Jiuhua Zong.

The Jiuhua Zong had unique insights into formation inheritance, with some of their major formations boasting formidable defensive capabilities while others possessed astonishing offensive power.

Moreover, Chu Ning incorporated the formation knowledge and insights he had gained from Di Yan of the Tianmu Continent.

Di Yan had also resided on an island, and since his island was much larger than Chu Ning's, his methods of setting up formations were particularly instructive.

However, Chu Ning's current approach was more targeted and less complex.

It was by no means an easy task.

After several days of tireless work, Chu Ning finally placed the last of the formation tools and once again returned to the location of the hidden spirit vein to set up the formation plate.

With a wave of his hand, a formation flag appeared in his grasp.

Chu Ning struck out with both hands, executing a series of intricate hand seals that landed on the formation flag.

The flag flew out and landed directly on the formation plate.

The next moment, the spiritual energy from the hidden spirit vein began to flow into the formation plate.

Witnessing this, Chu Ning's figure flickered, and he reappeared on the ground before flying out of the island.

Soon, he observed the entire island begin to gather spiritual energy from its surroundings.

Gradually, white mist started to condense on the island, and before long, the entire island was enveloped in dense fog.

Even with Chu Ning's spiritual sense, he couldn't penetrate the formation's restrictions to see what was happening inside.

However, Chu Ning was far from satisfied.

With another wave of his hand, several more formation flags appeared in his grasp, and using his Spirit Separation Technique, he activated them and drove them towards different corners of the island.

These flags dispersed and flew to various locations on the island, their distances varying, but under Chu Ning's control through the Spirit Separation Technique, they all landed on their respective formation plates at the same time.

The white mist across the island undulated, gradually fading away.

As the last traces of mist vanished, the entire island, spanning several dozen li, also disappeared from sight, hidden from prying eyes!

Chu Ning released his spiritual sense to probe forward, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Unless there's a formation master or a Nascent Soul cultivator, no one should be able to discover this island. It looks like I can finally cultivate in peace."

Murmuring to himself, Chu Ning's figure flickered, and he vanished into the formation, leaving only a fleeting afterimage in the air.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end