"Clang, clang, clang!"

Inside the Cave Mansion, the sound of swords resonated continuously, the Golden Bamboo Sword trembled incessantly, seeming to display emotions of joy.

Eighteen lines!

Nineteen lines!

Twenty lines!

Twenty-five lines

Twenty-eight lines!

Gu Yuan’s eyes were silver-white, as if countless small swords were gathering within. He sketched with his hands in the air, drawing upon the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, meticulously engraving his insights on the Sword Dao onto the Golden Bamboo Sword.

The Golden Bamboo Sword shone brilliantly, vibrating continuously, its blade as thin as a cicada’s wing becoming ever more dazzling, illuminating the entire Cave Mansion as if it were daylight.

"Whoosh!"

After a long while, the silver-white light in Gu Yuan’s eyes gradually faded away. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

The trembling of the Golden Bamboo Sword also gradually ceased.

Seeing the sword patterns, brilliant with twenty-eight lines, Gu Yuan revealed a satisfied expression.

With the augmentation of the Three-Heart Gold Seal, his comprehension was extraordinary. As long as his cultivation level and realm kept pace, engraving sword patterns and splitting more sword light was as easy as pie.

"However, the Golden Bamboo Sword seems to be falling behind..."

Yet, looking at the slightly dim Spiritual Light of the Golden Bamboo Sword, Gu Yuan couldn’t help but mutter.

The Golden Bamboo Sword was originally just a Low-grade Spiritual Sword, elevated to a Middle-grade Spiritual Sword only after being enhanced with the Golden Yi Star Grass.

When Gu Yuan was in the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment, relying on the Middle-grade Spiritual Sword naturally allowed him to be invincible, but now that he had reached the Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment, using this sword no longer gave him that dominant feeling.

"Fortunately, this sword is forged from Spiritual Bamboo. If I find a Thousand-year-old Golden Yi Spirit Bamboo or Three-Thousand-Year Golden Yi Spirit Bamboo, it could enhance this sword and elevate its quality..."

Gu Yuan gently flicked the Golden Bamboo Sword, nourished it with mana for a moment, then stored it within his body.

Then, with a flip of his hand, two peculiar ores appeared in front of him.

One of the stones was as crystal clear as jade, resembling a dragon’s horn, with wind and clouds swirling upon it, appearing very extraordinary.

The other stone was large as a disc, with six apertures, lightning flickering within, roaring continuously.

These were the "Wind Spirit Stone" and the "Six-Aperture Celestial Thunder Stone" that Gu Yuan obtained from the Spirit-Devouring Heaven-Earth Altar.

The Wind Spirit Stone is a rare stone only nurtured from the Tier Two Top-Grade Spirit Ore "Wind Spirit Ore." This stone is naturally etched with Dao Patterns, containing exceptionally strong Wind Spirit Power, capable of crafting High-grade Spiritual Artifacts.

As for the "Six-Aperture Celestial Thunder Stone," it is a rare ore only found among Tier Three Spirit Ores.

One must know, Tier Three Spirit Ore matches the Golden Core’s Top-Grade Spirit Ore, with yields that can even craft Artifacts!

Father Cen and the others risked entering the Spirit-Devouring Heaven-Earth Altar precisely for this "Six-Aperture Celestial Thunder Stone."

Within the Thundercloud Sect, there is a Secret Treasure called the "Vortex Wind Thunder Pearl," which can absorb Celestial Thunder Power, nurturing it within, to unleash upon enemies with the strength to shatter stones and an immeasurable might.

And the crafting of this pearl requires the "Celestial Thunder Stone."

The Three-Aperture Celestial Thunder Stone can forge Low-grade Spiritual Artifacts, the Four-Aperture Celestial Thunder Stone can forge Middle-grade Spiritual Artifacts, and the Five-Aperture Celestial Thunder Stone can forge High-grade Spiritual Artifacts.

As for the Six-Aperture Celestial Thunder Stone, it can forge Artifacts!

However, crafting Artifacts is extremely difficult, it is not something that can be done with ore alone, the rest of the spiritual materials, any piece of it is not something a Foundation Establishment cultivator can easily find.

And, crafting an Artifact requires a Golden Core Cultivator to act, just this requirement has stumped countless people.

Father Cen’s plan was not to rely on this stone to craft an Artifact, but to refine it into an "Artifact Embryo."

An Artifact Embryo, as called, is shaped like an Artifact, using Tier Three Ore as the main material, but lacks the Spiritual Nature of an Artifact, unable to possess the power of an Artifact.

But because the main material is rare, it’s even stronger than ordinary High-grade Spiritual Artifacts.

Even, if a Golden Core cultivator assists, supplementing with spiritual materials and Dao Patterns, there is a chance to refine it into an Artifact again.

According to Father Cen’s plan, once this treasure is successfully refined, he would immediately head to the Outer Realm of Ten Thousand Islands Sea to absorb thunder power.

Outside the Ten Thousand Islands Sea, the perpetual storm is vast and is one of the famous "Thunder Spirit Lands" in the world.

The Artifact Embryo level "Vortex Wind Thunder Pearl" would absorb the thunder power from it, and when used against an enemy, the power would be unimaginable, Father Cen believed it could even withstand a strike from a Golden Core.

With this Artifact, he and Cen Qingqing could cultivate safely within the Ten Thousand Islands Sea, and once their cultivation reached great success, they could return to the Western Sea Realm to rebuild the Thundercloud Sect.

But unfortunately, in the end, the plan failed disastrously, and Father Cen perished with nothing left, the Six-Aperture Celestial Thunder Stone fell into Gu Yuan’s hands.

Gu Yuan had this stone for several years but never attempted to refine it.

Firstly, because he couldn’t find an Artifact Refiner he trusted.

The refinement of an Artifact Embryo requires an Artifact Refining Master, Father Cen once said, the refinement of the Six-Aperture Celestial Thunder Stone at the very least should be a Middle-grade Spiritual Artifact, meaning if handled by the wrong person, it could only be refined to a Middle-grade Spiritual Artifact, forget about an Artifact Embryo, even a High-grade Spiritual Artifact would be impossible.

Secondly, this stone is extremely valuable, inevitably stirring greed and causing strife.

Previously Gu Yuan only had cultivation at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment and couldn’t manage the situation in the Ten Thousand Islands Sea.

But now, this matter could tentatively be put on the agenda.

Gu Yuan’s eyes showed contemplation, then he stored the two Spirit Ores, and afterwards organized everything that could be taken from the Cave Mansion, called over the Old Turtle, and after giving some instructions, he revealed his decision to depart.

"My Lord!"

The Old Turtle immediately dropped to its knees, pleading loudly.

But Gu Yuan was not a native of this land, Thunderwood Island was merely a resting place, why would he stay long?

Leaving behind some Spirit Stones and a couple of cultivation techniques from the Demon Race, as a token of gratitude for the Little Demons who had served on the island over the years, he then set up his Escape Light, speeding away into the distance.

...

...

Half a day later.

Thunderwood Island suddenly fell into melancholy.

Without Gu Yuan, these Little Demons didn’t know how they would survive in the future, sighing and shaking their heads.

But at this moment, a virtual image of a crimson Spirit Fox, akin to flame and three feet in size, suddenly rushed forth from above the sea, landing in front of Gu Yuan’s previous Cave Mansion.

"Who dares intrude upon my Thunderwood Island!"

The Old Turtle instinctively shouted.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

But the Spirit Fox did not respond, only turned its head, anxiously watching the back.

"Swish!"

A blue flash arrived in no time, landing beside the Spirit Fox.

From within the flash emerged a woman in a black robe, but now, the robe was scorched, her face pale, seemingly seriously injured, her breath slightly unstable.

"Is this my thin chance of survival?"

"Whose Cave Mansion is this?"

The woman looked at the Spirit Fox stopping before the Cave Mansion, seeming a bit puzzled.

Then, her gaze as sharp as lightning, turned to the Old Turtle.

The Old Turtle, seeing that the newcomer was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, was already trembling in fear, not daring to move.

Yet, facing the woman’s stern gaze, it gritted its teeth and remained silent, unwilling to speak.

"Heart Inquiry Talisman!"

But the woman merely waved her hand, a strange Golden Seal fell on the Old Turtle, which immediately appeared bewildered, revealing everything that happened half a day ago.

"...This is Fellow Daoist’s Cave Mansion?"

"Is he my thin chance of survival?"

The woman seemed puzzled, but feeling the murderous intent getting closer from behind, she had no time for further thought, instantly channeling her mana, casting it on the Spirit Fox.

The Spirit Fox immediately sniffed and leapt forward, heading north.

Seeing this, the woman hurriedly followed.

...

"Boom!"

Soon after the woman left, two crimson flares arrived quickly, landing on Thunderwood Island.

Leading them was a young man with red hair, black eyes, extremely handsome features, his gaze as sharp as lightning, aura profound, having already reached the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Perfect Realm, just one step away from the Late-stage Foundation Establishment.

Behind the young man was an old man with white hair, thin and frail, face gaunt, but his aura was unfathomable, flames in his eyes surged, his aura even stronger than the young man’s, shockingly at the Late-stage Foundation Establishment!

The young man’s gaze swept across Thunderwood Island, finding nothing unusual, then took out a crimson arrow.

"Whizzing!"

The arrow spun in the air, then suddenly pointed in a direction, speeding off.

"Chase, this woman possesses such extraordinary physique, she must not escape!"

"It’s a pity we didn’t know back then. Otherwise, when destroying the Thundercloud Sect, we should have imprisoned her, and now we wouldn’t have to bother."

The young man glanced at the arrow, snorted coldly, then chased after it.

The old man said nothing, merely following quietly behind the young man.