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Tianxing City, a city of cultivators suspended above a giant meteorite, is shrouded in brilliant starlight year-round.

The entire city was built of obsidian, and the shops on both sides of the street hung colorful lanterns that reflected the endless stream of cultivators.

When Su Ning and Zhang Tie stepped into the Treasure Pavilion, the auction was already bustling with activity.

The hall was packed, while the private rooms on the second floor were occupied by various powerful forces. One could vaguely sense the divine senses of several Golden Core cultivators sweeping across the entire room.

"The highlight of this auction is the 'Mysterious Yin Body Forging Technique'," Su Ning said in a low voice. "This technique can not only strengthen the physical body, but also temper the body with the help of Yin energy, which is perfect for your 'Body Refining Technique'."

Zhang Tie nodded, a hint of longing flashing in his eyes.

Recently, his physical cultivation path has reached a bottleneck. If he can obtain this technique, he may be able to make further progress.

The auctioneer was a female cultivator in the late Foundation Establishment stage, with a graceful figure and an undeniable air of authority: "Next item—Dust-Clearing Pill! This pill can increase the probability of a Foundation Establishment cultivator forming their Core by 15%, starting price 50,000 spirit stones!"

There was an uproar.

Dust-reducing pills are extremely rare in the outer seas, and even large sects regard them as treasures.

After all, the formation of the Golden Core is extremely important for Foundation Establishment cultivators, and no cultivator can be indifferent to it.

"Sixty thousand!" A cold voice came from the private room on the second floor.

"Seventy thousand!" Someone on the other side immediately raised the price.

Su Ning narrowed his eyes and scanned the private room with his divine sense, discovering three black-clad cultivators sitting inside, their sleeves embroidered with the emblem of the Extreme Yin Island.

"People from Jiyin Island?" Zhang Tie frowned. "Why would they appear here openly?"

"It seems the Chaotic Star Sea isn't as peaceful as we imagined," Su Ning sneered. "No matter, let's take this Dust-Subduing Pill first."

He raised his hand and waved: "One hundred thousand spirit stones!"

The whole place fell silent.

Ten thousand spirit stones would bankrupt even a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The people of Jiyin Island clearly hadn't expected anyone to dare challenge them. After a moment of silence, they gritted their teeth and said, "110,000!"

Suning smiled slightly: "150,000."

"Hiss—" The surrounding cultivators gasped.

The people from Jiyin Island turned ashen-faced, and finally let out a cold snort, refusing to raise the price any further.

The auctioneer struck the gavel: "Congratulations, fellow Daoist!"

Su Ning accepted the Dust-Clearing Pill and put it into his storage bag, but he was secretly on guard—the cultivators of Jiyin Island would never let this go.

But none of that matters when it comes to forming the Golden Core. If you're really afraid of offending people, you might as well just slit your throat and die.

Then many more rare and precious materials appeared, but Suning and Zhang Tie could only watch with envy and dare not make a move.

Soon, the "Mysterious Yin Body Forging Technique" that Zhang Tie had been longing for appeared. Perhaps because there were relatively few body cultivators, the cultivators present were not very interested.

In the end, Su Ning and Zhang Tie only spent 20,000 spirit stones to win the bid, and Zhang Tie was overjoyed to receive the "Mysterious Yin Body Refining Technique".

After leaving Tianxing City, Su Ning and Zhang Tie did not return directly to their cave, but instead rode their escape light and flew towards the depths of the outer star sea.

Because the three cultivators from Jiyin Island have tracked them down.

Half a day later, the two landed on a deserted rocky island.

"They're following us." Su Ning scanned the area with his divine sense and immediately sensed three chilling auras rapidly approaching from behind.

Zhang Tie grinned, his fists clenching so tightly they cracked: "Two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators and one mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, perfect for testing the power of the 'Mysterious Yin Body Forging Technique'!"

"To be on the safe side, I'll set up a magic array first."

Without saying much, Su Ning flipped his hand and took out seventy-two array flags, quickly setting up a "Nine Heavens Thunder Prison Array" around the area.

This formation was created by him by combining thunder magic and array formation. Once activated, it can summon heavenly thunder to kill enemies within the formation.

"coming!"

Three dark figures swept across the sky like ghosts, the leader being the sinister man from the auction.

"You brat, how dare you steal what my Extreme Yin Island has set its sights on? You're asking for death!"

Before he finished speaking, he waved his sleeve, and three jet-black Yin Sha chains pierced through the air, heading straight for Su Ning's throat!
"boom--!"

Zhang Tie roared, his muscles bulged, and he pushed his Copper Armor Technique to its limit, directly using his physical body to confront the Yin Sha Chains!

"clang!"

The sound of metal clashing rang out, the chains were forcibly shaken back, and several black lines appeared on Zhang Tie's arms—the Yin energy was eroding his body!

"You're courting death!" The cultivator from Jiyin Island sneered, his hands forming hand seals, and black mist surging around him transformed into dozens of ferocious ghost claws that swept towards Zhang Tie!
However, just as the ghostly claws were about to strike—

"Thunder Prison, rise!"

With a cold shout, Su Ning unleashed a blinding lightning bolt from all seventy-two array flags, instantly enveloping the entire reef island in a net of lightning!
"Boom--!"

A bolt of lightning struck down, catching the three cultivators from Jiyin Island off guard, and their protective spiritual light shattered instantly!
"what--!"

One of them was struck by lightning, half of his body was charred black, and he fell with a scream.

The other two were shocked and enraged, and immediately summoned their natal magic weapons—

"Yinhun Banner!"

As the black banner unfurled, countless vengeful ghosts howled forth, frantically devouring the surrounding spiritual energy, which actually weakened the power of the Thunder Prison Formation by three percent!

Su Ning's eyes turned cold, and he flipped his hand to summon his natal lightning pearl. Amidst the purple lightning, a bolt of lightning as thick as a bucket crashed down!
"boom--!"

The Yin Soul Banner was shattered into pieces, and the cultivator holding the banner coughed up blood and retreated, while another person took the opportunity to approach, and a poisoned bone spike flew out from his sleeve, piercing straight into Su Ning's heart!

"die!"

At the critical moment, Zhang Tie charged in like a wild beast and smashed the bone spur with a punch!

"What?!" The cultivator from Jiyin Island was horrified. Before he could react, Zhang Tie's second punch had already arrived—

"boom!"

His head exploded!

Seeing this, the remaining two finally panicked and turned to run away.

But how could Suning give them a chance?
"Thunder Prison, trap!"

The formation contracted, and the lightning trapped the two like a cage, ultimately turning them into charred remains amidst their shrill screams!

After the dust settled, Su Ning dispelled the formation and, together with Zhang Tie, checked the three people's storage bags.

"Tsk, as expected of people from Extreme Yin Island, they are quite wealthy."

Besides the hundreds of thousands of spirit stones, there were also rare and precious materials that the cultivators of Jiyin Island had just won at the auction, several bottles of pills for Foundation Establishment cultivators, a fragment of the "Jiyin True Scripture," and...

"Blood Demon Soul-Chasing Talisman?" Su Ning frowned.

Once this talisman is planted, it can be tracked within a thousand miles. Clearly, the people of Jiyin Island have already tampered with the Dust-Subduing Pill.

"It seems we've been targeted," Zhang Tie said in a deep voice.

Su Ning sneered, and a flash of lightning in his palm directly burned the blood talisman.

"No matter how many come, kill them all!"

He looked up into the distance, his eyes flashing with lightning.

"Next, it's time to prepare for Core Formation..."

……

Then Su Ning and Zhang Tie ventured deeper into the alien sea to set up a demon-hunting trap.

"The lair of the level four demonic beast 'Azure Phosphorous Python' is in this sea area." Su Ning stood on the reef, his fingertips forming a hand seal, and bolts of lightning silently disappeared into the water, transforming into an invisible array.

Zhang Tie took out a bottle of demon-attracting powder from his storage bag and sprinkled it on the sea surface.

This item is made from the essence and blood of demonic beasts and can attract demonic beasts from within a hundred miles.

"They're here!" Su Ning's eyes narrowed.

The sea suddenly churned, and a ten-zhang-long azure python burst from the water, its scales gleaming with a ghostly green poisonous light, spewing out a cloud of poisonous mist from its mouth.

"boom!"

Suning was prepared. The lightning array was activated instantly, and thirty-six bolts of lightning intertwined to form a net, trapping the Azure Phosphorous Python within.

Zhang Tie roared, his muscles bulged, and he pushed his Copper Armor Technique to its limit. He rushed forward and punched the python right in the seventh inch!

The python, in pain, struggled frantically, its tail sweeping across and smashing the rocks to pieces.

Su Ning snorted coldly and summoned his natal lightning pearl. A bolt of purple lightning descended from the sky and struck the python's head precisely!
"laugh--"

The Azure Phosphorus Python's head exploded, and its demon core rolled out.

"The fifth level-four demon core." Zhang Tie grinned and put the demon core into the jade box.

Su Ning skillfully peeled off the python skin, took out the venom sac and snake bones: "These materials are enough to exchange for a few bottles of 'Condensing Essence Pills', which can help us stabilize our cultivation."

Over the next few months, the two continued to hunt monsters, refine elixirs, and accumulate resources.

Their fame spread throughout the outer seas—"Thunder Demon" Su Ning's thunder magic was domineering, and "Iron Arhat" Zhang Tie's physical body was invincible; even against level five demonic beasts, they could escape unscathed.

On this day, Su Ning and Zhang Tie were resting on a deserted island when they suddenly sensed fluctuations of fighting in the distance. "There's a battle going on." Su Ning scanned the area with his divine sense and discovered that three Foundation Establishment cultivators were besieging a gray-robed old man at the Pseudo-Core Formation stage.

“It’s ‘Bloody Hand Old Demon’!” Zhang Tie whispered. “This man specializes in killing lone cultivators and has amassed countless treasures. It is said that he has already stepped one foot into the Golden Core stage.”

A cold glint flashed in Su Ning's eyes: "A pseudo-core cultivator's storage bag should contain quite a few good things."

The two approached quietly and discovered that two of the three Foundation Establishment cultivators had been killed by the old demon, and the remaining one had escaped with serious injuries.

The Blood-Handed Demon grinned maliciously and brandished a blood-red blade, about to give chase, when suddenly—

"boom!"

A bolt of lightning struck down, catching the old demon off guard, and his protective aura was shattered!

"Who?!" he roared and turned around, only to see Su Ning standing in mid-air, lightning flashing in his palm.

"Thunder Demon Suning?" The old demon's pupils shrank, then he sneered, "A mere late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator dares to come here to die?"

"You're the one who's going to your death," Su Ning said calmly.

Before he finished speaking, Zhang Tie charged out like a tiger, punching the old demon in the chest!

The old demon sneered and slashed down with his blood-red blade, but with a "clang," the blade was deflected by Zhang Tie's copper skin!

"What the hell?!" The old demon was shocked. Before he could react, Su Ning's Thunder Prison had already descended!

"Rumble--"

Lightning raged, and the old demon frantically channeled his magic to resist, but then Su Ning suddenly produced a small bronze mirror. With a flash of light, his divine sense was temporarily imprisoned!

"Not good!" Just as the old demon tried to break free, Zhang Tie's fist arrived!

"boom!"

This punch shattered the old demon's protective mirror, and the residual force caused him to vomit blood!

The old demon was furious and was about to fight back when Su Ning's Thunder Pearl pierced through his dantian!

"Pfft-"

A pseudo-core cultivator has fallen!
Su Ning put away the old demon's storage bag, scanned it with his divine sense, and immediately smiled: "There's even a Dust-Reducing Pill!"

Zhang Tie leaned over and took a look. Inside the storage bag were not only the Dust-Reducing Pill, but also tens of thousands of spirit stones, several top-grade magic artifacts, and a jade slip containing insights into Core Formation.

"Haha, senior brother, we've made a fortune again this time!" Zhang Tie grinned.

Su Ning nodded, a profound glint in his eyes: "With these, our chances of forming our core have increased even more."

After returning to his cave on the remote island, Su Ning first set up a simple teleportation array.

Moreover, whenever Su Ning and Zhang Tie arrived at a remote area in the outer sea, they would set up a simplified teleportation array in a hidden place.

In the event that Su Ning and Zhang Tie are attacked by cultivators and demonic beasts, they can escape by using short-range, multiple teleportations.

Even if it only takes a few hundred miles to teleport once, more than ten times can teleport you to tens of thousands of miles. Anyway, the Great Teleportation Order can reduce the negative effects of teleportation.

Then Su Ning set up a powerful array outside the cave, and then he and Zhang Tie began to study the method of Core Formation in seclusion.

Dust-reducing pills can increase one's success rate by 15%, and two Dust-reducing pills only increase the chance by 30%, but that's far from enough for Suning.

He took out various spiritual herbs obtained from the auction and demon hunting, and began to refine the Condensing Essence Pill and the Nourishing Spirit Pill to stabilize his magical power and divine consciousness.

Zhang Tie, on the other hand, cultivated the "Mysterious Yin Body Forging Technique," using the Yin energy to temper his physical body, and his body-refining skills gradually advanced to a higher level.

Three months later, Su Ning opened his eyes, with lightning flashing in them.

"it's time."

He looked at the sky outside the cave, where a thunderstorm was brewing in the outer star sea.

"Only by tempering the elixir with lightning tribulation can one attain the Great Dao!"

Then Su Ning and Zhang Tie left the cave again, because they had stayed there for too long, which made Su Ning feel unsafe.

……

The names of "Thunder Demon" Suning and "Iron Arhat" Zhang Tie spread far and wide throughout the outer sea.

In just two years, the two hunted down more than 30 level-four demonic beasts and three level-five demonic beasts, and even joined forces to kill a pseudo-core cultivator.

Of course, their spoils of war were also piled up like mountains...

Demon cores, spiritual materials, and cultivation technique jade slips are enough to make any Foundation Establishment cultivator envious.

But reputation often comes with trouble.

On this day, inside "Zui Xian Ju," the largest restaurant in Tianxing City, several cultivators were discussing in hushed tones.

"Have you heard? Extreme Yin Island has issued a kill order. Anyone who provides information on Su Ning's whereabouts will be rewarded with 50,000 spirit stones! Anyone who takes his head will be rewarded with 100,000!"

"Hmph, is that Thunder Demon someone to be trifled with? A few days ago, three Foundation Establishment stage cultivators from 'Extreme Yin Island' surrounded and killed him, but they were all turned into charred remains by lightning!"

"Hehe, you guys don't know, do you? There are quite a few cultivators eyeing Thunder Demon and Iron Arhat these days..."

In a corner, a monk wearing a straw hat was silently drinking, his knuckles turning slightly white.

If Su Ning and Zhang Tie were here, they would definitely recognize him as Han Li.

Han Li had been in seclusion on Xiao Huan Island for some time, but he suddenly felt uneasy and went out for a walk. He never expected to hear news about Su Ning and Zhang Tie.

……

The night was as dark as ink. Su Ning stood on the edge of a cliff on a deserted island, the sea breeze lifting his robes.

Behind him, Zhang Tie was tallying up his earnings for the day.

"Senior Brother Su, this is the seventy-second level-four demon core." Zhang Tie grinned. "Adding it to the ones we had before, it's enough for us to exchange for a few top-tier magic treasures."

Su Ning frowned and said, "Zhang Tie, we should go."

"Leave?" Zhang Tie was taken aback. "Where to?"

"Seclusion." Su Ning's gaze was profound. "In the past two years, we have been too prominent. Extreme Yin Island, the Loose Cultivator Alliance, and even some forces in Tianxing City have already set their sights on us."

Zhang Tie was silent for a moment, then nodded emphatically: "Okay!"

Three days later, the two quietly left Tianxing City and found a nameless deserted island in the vast outer star sea.

The island has a thin spiritual energy, and there are few traces of cultivators within a thousand miles, making it an ideal place for seclusion.

Su Ning took out seventy-two array flags and set up the "Nine Heavens Thunder Concealment Array" around the island. This array can not only conceal one's aura, but also draw heavenly thunder to defend against enemies.

Zhang Tie then moved a massive boulder weighing tens of thousands of kilograms and completely sealed off the entrance to the cave.

"This time, I will not leave seclusion until I have formed my core!"

Deep within the cave, Su Ning sat cross-legged, with three treasures floating before him—

Two Dust-Clearing Pills, as white as jade, with a refreshing fragrance;
A bottle of millennium-old spiritual milk, obtained from the Crimson Forbidden Land, can instantly restore magical power;
A nine-leaf golden ginseng, also obtained from a forbidden area, can stabilize the soul and resist inner demons.

"With these treasures, the success rate of Core Formation will increase by at least 40%!" Su Ning took a deep breath and began to circulate the Great Wilderness Technique.

His divine sense spread like a tide, and the magical power in his body surged along his meridians, gradually forming a vortex in his dantian.

At the same time, dark clouds began to gather in the sky outside the cave, with faint flashes of lightning.

On the other side, Zhang Tie was also breaking through the bottleneck in physical cultivation.

The "Mysterious Yin Body Forging Technique" gave his body a bronze glow, and his bones made a "crackling" sound, as if his body was being reshaped.

Time flies, and half a year has passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, dark clouds suddenly filled the sky above the deserted island, and thunder roared like dragons and snakes!

"boom--"

A bolt of purple lightning, as thick as a bucket, struck down, causing the entire island to tremble violently!

Inside the cave, Su Ning suddenly opened his eyes, lightning flashing in them!
"Dan Cheng!"

He let out a long roar, and a purple golden core slowly took shape in his dantian, its surface wrapped with fine lightning patterns.

At the same time, the lightning tribulation outside the cave became increasingly violent, and the Nine Heavens Thunder Concealment Formation was struck so hard that it was on the verge of collapse.

Zhang Tie, covered in blood, burst into laughter: "Senior brother, I'll take this tribulation for you!"

He leaped out and used his bare body to withstand the heavenly lightning!
With each bolt of lightning, his bronze armor shattered a little, but it was quickly repaired as if it were brand new under the operation of the "Mysterious Yin Body Forging Technique".

After eighty-one tribulations of lightning, the dark clouds dispersed, and the light of day appeared.

Su Ning stood in mid-air, surrounded by lightning, clearly a cultivator in the early stage of Core Formation!
Although Zhang Tie is no longer able to form a core, his physical strength is even greater than before. When he throws a punch, there is a sound of wind and thunder!
This strength is already close to that of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. If it were refined into a human puppet, it would be an absolute game-changer.

"Congratulations on your successful Core Formation, Senior Brother!" Zhang Tie, unaware that Su Ning had always wanted to refine him, sincerely offered his congratulations.

Su Ning smiled slightly, about to speak, when suddenly his expression changed!
On the distant sea, three streaks of light were rapidly approaching, each radiating the pressure of a mid-stage Core Formation level cultivator!
"As expected, they were found..." A cold glint flashed in Su Ning's eyes.

"Senior brother, should we fight them?"

"What are you doing! A wise man doesn't fight a losing battle! We should run first."

Then Su Ning and Zhang Tie quickly escaped through the simple teleportation array in the cave. While the three Core Formation cultivators were frantically attacking the magic array outside the cave, Su Ning and Zhang Tie had already escaped to a safe distance of tens of thousands of miles.

If we're talking about valuing life more, Su Ning is definitely more serious than that Han Paopao; everything he does is prioritize saving his life.

...(End of chapter)