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

Zhou Yuan left the quiet room and went to the main hall.

"Master!"

A crisp sound rang out.

Zhou Yuan's disciple, Ouyang Qing, quickly stepped forward and respectfully bowed.

Today she wore a light blue dress, her black hair was styled into a simple bun, revealing a delicate and charming face.

Those eyes were bright and intelligent, revealing a cleverness. More than ten years have passed, and her cultivation has reached the peak of Foundation Establishment. Her aura is calm and solid, and she will soon be able to try to form her core.

What pleased Zhou Yuan the most was her spiritual sense—he sensed it briefly and found that this woman's spiritual sense had surpassed that of an ordinary early-stage Core Formation cultivator and was comparable to that of a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator!

"Qing'er, you have excellent aptitude. Cultivating the Great Evolution Technique can also increase your chances of forming your core. You don't need to worry too much about forming your core," Zhou Yuan encouraged her.

"Yes, Master!" Ouyang Qing's eyes flashed with joy, and she bowed respectfully again.

Zhou Yuan nodded, turned and left the cave, heading towards another mountain peak.

That was where the six Core Formation cultivators from Jiyin Island were mining spirit stones.

……

Inside the Spirit Mine Cave.

Mid-grade spirit stones were piled up like mountains, shimmering with various colors under the light of the luminous pearls embedded in the cave walls.

At a glance, there were tens of thousands of them. There were also several hundred high-grade spirit stones, neatly stacked in a specially made jade box.

Zhou Tian, ​​in his transformed form, sat cross-legged at the entrance of the cave like a statue, exuding a chilling aura.

He has been supervising the construction here for many years and has never made a mistake.

Upon seeing Zhou Yuan's arrival, the six cultivators from Jiyin Island all stopped what they were doing and respectfully bowed.

Although they were trapped here, they had food and drink, and spirit stones to cultivate, making them much more secure than when they were on Jiyin Island.

Moreover, Zhou Yuan promised them that they would be freed after a hundred years, so they naturally dared not have any disloyal thoughts.

Zhou Yuan collected all the hundreds of high-grade spirit stones, checked the operation of the formation, and only returned to his mountain cave after confirming that everything was normal.

……

Inside the main hall of the cave dwelling.

A familiar figure was sitting at the stone table, holding a cup of spiritual tea, with an elegant and composed demeanor.

It was Yuan Yao.

Today she wore a moon-white long dress, and her black hair cascaded down to her waist.

Her stunningly beautiful face appeared even more ethereal and otherworldly in the soft light, yet a gentle smile lingered between her brows.

Over the years, her cultivation level has advanced from the early stage of Core Formation to the middle stage, and her aura is profound and solid, with a firm foundation.

"Brother Zhou, you've emerged from seclusion?"

Yuan Yao put down her teacup, stood up, her eyes filled with joy.

"Hmm." Zhou Yuan walked over and sat down beside her. "How's your cultivation going?"

"Thanks to the pills Brother Zhou gave me," Yuan Yao smiled slightly. "Breaking through the bottleneck in the later stages shouldn't be too difficult."

Zhou Yuan nodded, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment, a feeling of warmth welling up in his heart.

"Brother Zhou, are you planning to go out?" Yuan Yao suddenly asked.

"Hmm." Zhou Yuan nodded with a smile. "Breaking through the bottleneck requires a catalyst. Perhaps a trip out will yield some results."

Yuan Yao didn't ask any more questions, she just gently held his hand.

After spending several days with Yuan Yao, Zhou Yuan activated the teleportation array and left Biling Island.

A flash of white light, and his figure disappeared into the teleportation array.

……

A month and a half later.

Zhou Yuan's figure appeared on the sea hundreds of miles away from Tianxing City.

The war between the Star Palace and the Reverse Star Alliance continues, but has reached a stalemate. Both sides are trading blows, with neither able to completely overwhelm the other.

As the stronghold of the Star Palace, Tianxing City was naturally under martial law.

Zhou Yuan suppressed his cultivation aura to the mid-stage of Core Formation and flew slowly towards Tianxing City.

When he flew to within a hundred miles of Tianxing City, a patrol team from the Star Palace flew towards him.

"Fellow Daoist, halt!"

The leader, a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator, raised his hand to stop him, his eyes scanning him up and down warily.

"My name is Zhou Yuan. I was formerly a collaborating alchemist with the Six Linked Halls and also a guest elder of the Myriad Sounds Sect," Zhou Yuan calmly stated his identity.

The cultivator took out a jade slip, probed it with his divine sense, and after a moment, he found Zhou Yuan's records—portrait, cultivation level, and background, all matching perfectly.

"Release them."

The patrol team cleared the way, and Zhou Yuan passed through smoothly.

……

Upon entering Tianxing City, Zhou Yuan clearly sensed a difference from the past.

Today, all the shops in the first-floor market of Shengshan are closed, and the streets are deserted; not a single person can be seen.

The bustling and lively scene of the past is long gone.

In the sky, one could occasionally see Star Palace's law enforcement team flying by, their eyes like lightning, scanning everything below.

Ordinary cultivators are strictly forbidden from flying most of the time and can only walk on the ground.

As Zhou Yuan was walking along the street, a figure suddenly descended from the sky and landed in front of him.

He was an old man with a mid-stage Core Formation cultivation level, white hair and beard, a thin face, and dressed in white Star Palace robes.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou Yuan?" the old man asked.

"Exactly." Zhou Yuan stopped in his tracks.

"I am the external affairs steward of the Star Palace. The city is currently under martial law, and all cultivators entering the city must register their identities and make a choice," the old man said, taking out a jade slip and recording as he spoke.

"What choice?" Zhou Yuan asked.

The old man put away the jade slip and said solemnly, "Now, fellow Daoist, you have two choices."

"Firstly, you can temporarily join our Star Palace side and assist us in fighting the enemy. In this way, you can move freely within the city without any restrictions. Furthermore, after each mission, our Star Palace will provide extremely generous rewards, ensuring that none of you fellow cultivators will have worked for nothing."

"Secondly, some people are unwilling to participate in the great battle and only want to stay in the city obediently. That's fine too; our Star Palace won't force you. However, except for certain designated time periods, the entire city is under martial law at other times, and no one is allowed to leave their residence at will. Otherwise, if our Star Palace's law enforcement teams see you, they will kill you without exception."

Zhou Yuan frowned inwardly upon hearing this, but he was not surprised.

Special systems implemented during times of war are understandable.

"What if we want to use the teleportation array to go to the outer sea?" Zhou Yuan asked a crucial question.

"If you want to use the teleportation array to go to the outer sea..." The old man glanced at him and said indifferently, "Then you must participate in a mission and kill a Reverse Star Alliance cultivator of the same level in exchange for a chance to use the teleportation array."

Zhou Yuan was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Okay. If there are any tasks, you can assign me one."

This task was not difficult for him.

The old man took out a yellow ring from his pocket and handed it to Zhou Yuan.

"Alright, you can enter the city now. You'll have about half a day of free time each day, but the rest of the time the entire city will be under martial law. When the great battle begins, the ring will send a message to summon you. Just wait in your cave."

After saying this, the old man slowly closed his eyes and said nothing more.

Zhou Yuan took the ring and turned to leave.

He knew that the Star Palace's higher-ups were forcing cultivators like them who wanted to leave—even if they couldn't be used by the Star Palace, they had to get their hands on the blood of the Reverse Star Alliance cultivators.

On the one hand, it can weaken the strength of the Reverse Star Alliance; on the other hand, these cultivators will no longer be able to side with the Reverse Star Alliance.

Well thought out.

……

The sacred mountain has forty-seven levels, and the boundless cave is beyond reach.

Zhou Yuan opened the cave's protective barrier and went inside.

The cave was empty, covered with a thin layer of dust. He had been gone for many years, and no one had lived there since.

He quickly tidied himself up, then sat cross-legged, closed his eyes to rest, and awaited his combat mission.

……

Half a day later.

A figure descended outside the cave.

The figure was dressed in a white palace gown, with a graceful figure and a gentle yet dignified face, but her brows carried a sense of composure and majesty befitting someone who had long held a high position.

It was a snowy night!

Now, she is a Nascent Soul cultivator!

She not only aligned the Six-Hall Palace entirely with the Star Palace, but also became an elder of the Star Palace, holding a high position in the city.

She arrived outside the Boundless Cave and sent a communication talisman into the cave's protective barrier.

A moment later, the stone door to the cave opened, and Zhou Yuan walked out.

"Master Zhou, is it really you..."

Upon seeing that familiar figure on the snowy night, a delighted smile instantly bloomed on her beautiful face. The smile was radiant and genuine, with even a hint of tears in her eyes.

She heard from the patrol team that a former collaborating alchemist from the Six Palaces had returned to the city, and she immediately thought of Zhou Yuan, so she rushed over.

"Congratulations to Palace Master Xueye on advancing to the Nascent Soul stage!"

When Zhou Yuan saw his old friend advance to the Nascent Soul stage, he smiled and cupped his hands in congratulations.