I'm in Yellow Maple Valley, and I have one equipment slot!

Gong Yan suppressed her shock and quickly stepped forward, her attitude even more respectful than before:

"Congratulations to Master Zhou on achieving the Golden Elixir! May your path to immortality be everlasting!"

Then, she remembered her important task and took out a storage bag, presenting it to him with both hands:

"Master Zhou, these are the materials I've accumulated over the years for alchemy missions. Please take care of them."

Zhou Yuan took the storage bag and nodded: "Don't worry, Manager Gong, I will handle it as soon as possible."

After seeing off the complex-looking Gong Yan, Zhou Yuan returned to the cave with Yuan Yao and Yan Li.

"Brother Zhou, you're so good to us!"

The two women surrounded Zhou Yuan with great joy. Zhou Yuan's unwavering rejection of Feng Sanniang and his protection of them had moved them deeply and put their minds at ease.

They knew that Zhou Yuan had not wavered because the other party was a Core Formation female cultivator, which made them even more determined to follow him.

Soon after, the news of Zhou Yuan's Core Formation spread like wildfire among the high-ranking officials of Kui Xing Island and within the Six-Linked Palace.

On that day, several managers of the Six-Linked Palace Kui Xing Island branch, as well as some Foundation Establishment cultivators who were familiar with Zhou Yuan, brought congratulatory gifts to Yuqi Peak to offer their congratulations. Their attitude was more respectful than ever before, and even carried a hint of flattery.

On the third day, the well-informed Ape Lord and Kanqin Lord, a couple who had both reached the Core Formation stage, also arrived together.

"Haha, Fellow Daoist Zhou, congratulations! Your path to the Golden Core is now open and boundless!"

Master Yuanjun laughed heartily and cupped his hands in greeting, changing his address from "Young Friend Zhou" to the equal "Fellow Daoist."

"Fellow Daoist Zhou's demeanor is even more impressive than before; it's truly a double blessing." Master Kanqin also smiled broadly.

"It is an honor to have you two fellow Daoists grace us with your presence. Please come in!"

Zhou Yuan warmly welcomed the two into the cave.

"You two are even better informed than I am, the island's owner!"

A clear laugh suddenly came from the horizon. Before the words were finished, a streak of azure light landed in front of the cave. It was none other than the Wood Dragon Immortal!

Zhou Yuan's powerful divine sense was not just for show; he had already sensed the arrival of the wooden dragon.

At this moment, however, he perfectly timed his expression of surprise, then his gaze swept over Master Mulong, and his joy deepened:

"Island Master Mu! Congratulations!"

Judging from your aura, which is even more harmonious and vast than before, you must have successfully advanced to the late stage of Core Formation! The path to Nascent Soul is just around the corner!

Master Mulong's aura is indeed much more profound and solid than it was more than ten years ago, and he has already entered the late stage of Core Formation!

He laughed heartily upon hearing this, in high spirits: "Fellow Daoist Zhou, you flatter me!"

"I was able to break through by sheer luck, thanks to the 'Heavenly Origin Pill' that my fellow Daoist refined for me a few years ago. Its medicinal effects are extraordinary!"

I've come today for two reasons: first, to congratulate you on achieving the Golden Core stage, and second, to express my gratitude for your invaluable assistance back then!

The three of them smiled at each other, and the atmosphere was harmonious.

Everyone knows that the value and status of a master alchemist who has successfully formed a core will far surpass what it was before. Zhou Yuan has now truly become a pivotal figure on Kui Xing Island.

The gathering of four Core Formation cultivators at Jade Peak is quite a grand event on Kui Xing Island in recent years.

All three prepared congratulatory gifts.

The gift from Master Mulong was a bottle of "Stabilizing Essence Pill," which was quite beneficial for stabilizing the early stage of Core Formation.

The gift from the Ape Lord and his wife was a rare refining material called "Deep Sea Cold Iron".

Zhou Yuan ordered Yuan Yao and Yan Li, who were standing to the side, to respectfully accept the gift.

The two women stood obediently beside Zhou Yuan, serving him tea and water with impeccable manners. Although their cultivation was still low, their stunning beauty and gentle temperament made Master Mulong and the others nod in approval, thinking to themselves that Zhou Yuan was indeed very fortunate.

After chatting for a while, Master Mulong suddenly remembered something and said:

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, do you remember that you once asked me to inquire about the whereabouts of high-grade spirit stones?"

Zhou Yuan's spirits lifted. He put down his teacup and looked intently at True Person Mu Long: "Excellent! Fellow Daoist Mu, do you have any concrete clues?"

If one could obtain a high-level spirit stone equipment, its pure and abundant spiritual power would be enough to make his mana recovery speed reach an astonishing level after he casts a spell at full power, even reproducing the near "endless" endurance of his past, and the improvement to his combat power would be self-evident.

According to reliable sources,

Master Mulong said solemnly, "The Fengle Alliance, one of the four major merchant alliances, will hold a large-scale auction in its headquarters city, Tianxing City, a year from now in order to expand its influence."

To generate buzz, the auction is said to feature a collection of rare and precious items. Among them is an extremely rare high-grade wood-attribute spirit stone, which will be auctioned as one of the grand finales!

"Auction..."

Zhou Yuan frowned slightly.

High-grade spirit stones are already scarce, and once they are put up for auction, they will inevitably attract fierce competition from all sides, and the price may be driven up to an astonishing height.

According to the market prices in the Chaotic Star Sea, even if you try to buy a mid-grade spirit stone for a thousand, there's no market for it.

At an auction, it wouldn't be surprising if the final price of a high-grade spirit stone soared to nearly two thousand mid-grade spirit stones or even higher.

Two hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones are nothing to Zhou Yuan, who is now quite wealthy.

They were simply heading to Tianxing City.

This made Zhou Yuan hesitate.

"If you are interested in going, fellow Daoist, I also need to visit an old friend in Tianxing City in six months to handle some matters. It would be a good opportunity for us to travel together," Master Mulong extended an invitation.

Traveling with a promising alchemy master would also be a pleasure for him.

Zhou Yuan hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement: "Alright! Then I'll trouble Fellow Daoist Mu. We'll set off together in six months."

With Mu Long Zhenren, an island lord under the Star Palace, traveling with us, both safety and obtaining auction information will be much more convenient.

After seeing off the three distinguished guests, Zhou Yuan did not delay and immediately devoted his energy to the backlog of alchemy tasks.

With his current Core Formation stage alchemical fire and increasingly refined skills, he is extremely efficient at processing these Foundation Establishment and early Core Formation stage pills.

In just three months, Zhou Yuan finished refining all thirty batches of Foundation Establishment stage pills and ten batches of Core Formation stage pills that had been piling up in the hall.

As usual, he skillfully kept 40% to 50% of the finished products to enrich his private coffers.

Two more months passed, and calculating the time, the departure date agreed upon with Master Mulong was drawing near. Zhou Yuan planned to deliver the refined pills to Yu Huanju before leaving.

On this day, he arrived at Tiandu Street and had just stepped into the gate of Yuhuan Residence when he was greeted by two "acquaintances".

These were Elder Miao and Elder Gu, the Six-Hall Headquarters Elders who had come to him decades ago regarding the Infant Carp Beast and had been behaving arrogantly towards him!

At this moment, the two elders, both at the early stage of Core Formation, no longer displayed the arrogance and gloom of their youth. Instead, their faces were filled with warm smiles, and they greeted each other with clasped hands from afar.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou! Congratulations! You've achieved the Golden Core stage; your path to immortality is now smooth!"

"Upon hearing the joyous news of Fellow Daoist's Core Formation, we immediately rushed over from the Inner Sea to congratulate you! Fellow Daoist Zhou is now a rising star in alchemy nurtured by our Six-Linked Palace—a truly commendable achievement!"

The two were much more enthusiastic than they had been back then.

Zhou Yuan understood perfectly, but maintained proper etiquette, smiling and returning the greeting with a cupped hand:

"So it's Elder Miao and Elder Gu. I'm sorry I didn't greet you properly. I owe a great debt to you two for your guidance regarding what happened back then."

——ps——

A fellow cultivator asked why the protagonist, who lacks high-grade spirit stones, doesn't go to search for them, given that there are high-grade spirit stone mines in the outer sea. I'll answer that here.

First, the location of Biling Island is only specified as being north of the outer sea monster (Silver Shark) island.

Ordinary Core Formation cultivators need to fly for several months.

That's the straight-line distance.

The protagonist doesn't know the exact direction, and the area they're searching is a vast cone-shaped region.

Second, the Biling Island that appeared in later generations was located far off the edge of the sea area accessible to human cultivators.

The journey was long and arduous, and they encountered many monsters.

A prolonged search, lingering in the depths of the open sea—what if we encounter a horde of beasts or a powerful demon in its transformed state? How will we handle the ensuing trouble?