Gao Wu: Oh no! Young Master Zhen is a cultivator!

After exhausting all nine crystal cores, Lin Ran opened his eyes.

He discovered that the array formed by seventy-two third-order crystal cores was just as effective as the array formed by nine fourth-order crystal cores.

The original two formations should have required a difference of eighteen third-tier crystal cores in exchange.

The fact that the formation can achieve the same effect means that the more complex the formation, the more spiritual energy it can draw from the surrounding area.

It's not too exaggerated now that we're only using third-order crystal cores, but if we use fifth-order or sixth-order crystal cores in the future, the difference will become enormous.

Setting up ten arrays with seventy-two sixth-order crystal cores is equivalent to saving one hundred and eighty sixth-order crystal cores.

A first-order crystal core is worth 10,000 Chinese Yuan, a second-order crystal core is worth 50,000 to 80,000 Chinese Yuan, and a third-order crystal core is worth 200,000 to 300,000 Chinese Yuan.

Although the price of these crystal cores is not proportional to the spiritual power they contain, a sixth-order crystal core is still worth more than ten million.

One hundred and eighty sixth-order crystal cores are equivalent to 1.8 billion!

If we were to directly deploy a super-large array with 720 crystal cores, we might save even more.

This is hardly a spirit-gathering array.

This is practically a money printing machine!

Of course, it's too early to think about those things now.

The most important thing right now is to refine the Ninth Grade Golden Lotus and advance to the Foundation Establishment stage!

He suppressed his excitement, closed his eyes again, and activated the "Myriad Treasures Spirit Forging Technique".

Within his sea of ​​consciousness, the Xuanhuang Cauldron slowly rotated.

Above the mouth of the cauldron floats a miniature version of the nine-grade golden lotus, still shimmering with golden light.

Lin Ran condensed his spiritual power into a thin thread, probed into the Xuanhuang Cauldron, and wrapped it around the root of the golden lotus.

One spell after another flowed from his fingertips, landing on the golden lotus and stirring up golden ripples.

The golden lotus began to rise slowly, moving towards the outside of the cauldron.

With each inch it protruded, the golden light it emitted grew stronger.

The Xuanhuang Cauldron emitted a long, resonant hum, and the entire sea of ​​consciousness was dyed golden.

Once the refining process begins, it cannot be interrupted.

Today, he is destined to enter the Foundation Establishment stage!

As class time approached, Lin Haozhe stood at the door of Lin Ran's room and knocked twice.

There was no sound from inside.

He knocked a few more times and listened for a moment with his ear pressed against the door.

The room was so quiet you couldn't even hear someone breathing.

He tried to turn the doorknob, but as soon as his palm touched it, an invisible resistance bounced back, and the doorknob didn't budge.

Seeing this, a dark glint flashed in Lin Haozhe's eyes, and he pushed again with greater force.

The resistance persisted, and his hand was pushed away, leaving his tiger's mouth slightly numb.

Hearing the commotion, Song Yishu came over from the stairwell: "What's wrong?"

"Mom, I can't open Ran-ge's door, and no one answers when I knock." Lin Haozhe immediately put on a worried expression: "Could something have happened?"

Upon hearing this, Song Yishu quickly went up and knocked on the door, calling out as she did so, "Xiao Ran, Xiao Ran, it's time for school!"

However, still no one answered.

She pressed her ear against the door, but heard nothing.

At this moment, Song Yishu couldn't help but start to worry.

She pounded on the door harder, making a loud thud with her palms, but there was still no response from inside.

Song Yishu's breathing quickened as she turned on her communication bracelet and dialed Lin Hongbo's number.

The moment the call connected, she anxiously asked, "Hongbo, I can't get anyone to answer Xiaoran's door. Is something wrong?"

Lin Hongbo was silent for a moment, then his calm voice came: "Don't worry, I'll be right back!"

The Maybach made a U-turn in the middle of the road, its engine emitting a deep roar.

Lin Hongbo sat in the back seat, tapping his knees absently with his fingers.

After thinking for a moment, he dialed another number: "There's something strange about Lin Ran's room. Please wait for me at his door now."

Less than ten minutes later, Lin Hongbo pushed open the door and went up to the second floor.

Song Yishu stood at Lin Ran's door, her eyes slightly red.

Lin Haozhe stood beside her, his brows furrowed, but his eyes revealed a hint of schadenfreude.

The moment she saw Lin Hongbo, he hid himself again.

Two extraordinary realm guards followed Lin Hongbo from the stairwell.

"What's going on?" Lin Hongbo asked casually.

Song Yishu stepped aside and pointed to Lin Ran's door, saying, "Xiao Ran's door won't open. It's not locked, but we just can't push it open, and there's no response when we knock."

The lightning-elemental guard stepped forward, placed his palm on the door, and an arc of electricity shot out from his palm, striking the door.

A pale golden film of light appeared in the air. The electric arc circled the surface of the film, but the film remained motionless.

"Is there a barrier?"

The lightning-elemental guard withdrew his hand and examined the light membrane: "It's not very strong. It can probably block attacks from those below the Innate Realm, but it can be forcibly broken through."

Upon hearing this, Lin Hongbo frowned: "Then why not break it open?"

"Isn't that unnecessary?" the lightning-elemental guard asked indifferently.

"The purpose of this barrier is probably to isolate external interference. It was likely set up by Young Master Lin so that he could focus on his cultivation or break through to a higher realm."

Lin Hongbo's expression grew increasingly confused: "Breakthrough? He's only been awakened for half a month, what breakthrough could he possibly have? Those at the first or second level of Body Tempering don't need to go into seclusion."

In fact, one does not need to go into seclusion to reach the Body Tempering Realm; one usually breaks through during the training process.

"I'm not clear on the specifics." The lightning-wielding guard paused, "But if Mr. Lin insists on breaking down the door, I can do it for him. I'm just worried it might interfere with Young Master Lin's cultivation."

Upon hearing this, Lin Hongbo hesitated.

Reason told him that the lightning-type guard's judgment was probably correct, but Song Yishu was standing next to him with red eyes, making it impossible for him to just stand by and watch.

Lin Haozhe noticed Lin Hongbo's hesitation and immediately stepped forward.

"Dad, I don't think Ran-ge is breaking through. He just awakened, how could he possibly be attempting to break through to the Qi Opening Realm so quickly?"

His tone was seductive: "Maybe someone deliberately set up this barrier to deal with Brother Ran from inside?"

Upon hearing this, Song Yishu's face turned deathly pale. She grabbed Lin Hongbo's arm and urged, "No, we have to break down the door and check!"

The earth-elemental guard glanced at Lin Haozhe: "There are no experts above the Innate Realm passing by. If there were, we would definitely have noticed."

Clearly, he felt that his expertise was being questioned.

"What if the other party has some means of concealing their presence?" Lin Haozhe blurted out without thinking.

Instead of answering, the earth-elemental guard asked, "Then what is his purpose in setting up this barrier?"

Lin Haozhe was momentarily speechless, paused for a few seconds, and then continued to argue, "It's definitely because they're worried that a fight would create disturbances and attract the attention of the two of you!"

As he spoke, he nodded, as if he truly believed what he was saying.

Song Yishu grew increasingly anxious: "No! Break through the barrier now!"

The two guards exchanged a glance, and the lightning-type guard looked at Lin Hongbo, waiting for him to make a decision.

Lin Hongbo took a deep breath: "Wouldn't forcibly breaking through the barrier hurt the people inside?"

"Of course not." The lightning-elemental guard said calmly, "Since you said it's about breaking through the barrier, it will only break through the barrier and will absolutely not harm the people inside."

Lin Hongbo nodded: "Okay, break down the door!"

The lightning-elemental guard made a fist with his right hand, and a blinding arc of electricity spread from his hand, instantly condensing into a two-meter-long lightning whip.

He took a half step back, pulled his arm back, and was about to crack the whip.

boom!

A beam of golden light shot up from Lin Ran's room, piercing through the roof and shining directly into the sky.

The entire villa was trembling slightly, and the chandeliers in the corridor were swaying back and forth.

A powerful aura emanated from the lightning-elemental guard, whose lightning whip stopped in mid-air.

He abruptly turned to look at the earth-elemental guard, and both of their pupils contracted simultaneously.

"At least the aura of the Transcendent Realm!"

The lightning-type guard snapped out of his daze and, without hesitation, lashed out with his lightning whip.

Click!

The door shattered into pieces, splinters of wood flew everywhere, and the barrier slowly dissipated into specks of light under the impact of the lightning whip.