Chapter 006: Goldfish Sword Formation, Qinghe Li Clan

Wu Luo is indeed a minor character, but if Lu Yu represents the entire righteous cultivation world’s "law and order," possessing supreme symbolic significance, then causing a disturbance here would be tantamount to provoking the law and order of the entire cultivation world

In ancient times, this peculiar talisman was also known as "Fubao". Its appearance resembles that of a magical artifact, yet its essence is that of a spiritual talisman. It can be used for both offense and defense, possessing immense power, and is considered a highly valuable treasure

He placed all these items into the jade box, and then Li Qingyu took out a golden flying sword, which was only the length of a hairpin. The sword body was adorned with seventy-two fish scales, resembling a decorative fish. Here are the seventy-two fish-shaped flying swords.

Spirit talismans are rare, yet this peculiar spell astonishingly consumed three hundred and sixty sixth-grade spirit talismans in a single use, which is truly precious

The ancient and peculiar talismans passed down through the ages are all known to be extremely precious. Any sect that acquires one would treat it as a treasure of their school. In his previous life, Wu Luo enjoyed great glory, and the secret treasure trove attracted countless covetous eyes, yet he never obtained a single peculiar talisman. Unexpectedly, in this life, as merely a lowly servant, he effortlessly acquired such a priceless treasure

Inhale slowly, exhale slowly; during this process, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth gains ample settling time, merging into Wu Luo's body, continuously transforming his bones, muscles, blood, and meridians

Generally, monks cultivate by using jade essence, and it is only when crafting tools, refining elixirs, or setting up formations that they utilize a higher grade of jade essence spirit. For Wu Luo at present, even using jade essence for cultivation seems wasteful, let alone jade essence spirit. However, when it comes to extorting, the more precious, the better.

Wu Luo, following the methods recorded in the altered "Daozang," embraced the primordial unity and gradually adjusted his breathing. He slowly attuned himself to the rhythmic flow of the surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Unconsciously, he entered a state of oblivion to both self and surroundings, where his breathing naturally synchronized with the rhythmic movement of the spiritual energy. The boundless spiritual energy of heaven and earth flowed into his body through the pores of his skin.

The great door is right here, and it will never disappear. Wu Luo is not in a hurry at this moment; he is too lazy to face these people. He takes out a jade token and presses it against the door, just as he did when he entered. A swirling beam of light draws him in.

This is a piece of jade essence, which contains abundant spiritual energy and is of great use to practitioners. However, this jade essence is merely of the lowest grade and is not worthy of Wu Luo's attention

Qiao Hu was taken aback, yet he could not ask for more: "Sure, I will tell them not to go; you can go directly, as you are familiar with these matters."

... ...

However, at present, the resources in the hands of this middle-aged man are incomparable to those of Wu Luo

The cultivators of Baoshan focus on refining their bodies, thus each training session does not take too long, and there will never be a situation like that of advanced cultivators who may seclude themselves for decades. Therefore, Wuluo can practice here with peace of mind

Wu Luo pointed to the treasure tower that hung high above, with streams of talismans entering and exiting through the tower's door

It was only when the sun rose that Wuluo finally let out a long breath and began to regain composure

Wuluo was startled and quickly stepped back. In an instant, the illusion vanished. When he looked again, the stone sculpture remained just a stone sculpture, motionless. Wuluo was relieved, pondering whether the strangeness of this prison was due to the many cultivators who had died here.

Wu Luo still maintained his unhurried demeanor, merely casting a faint glance at Li Qingyu, who was grasping his hand. Suddenly, he smiled coldly and said: "Li Qingyu, regardless of whether your Li family is a dragon or a snake, once you enter the Ruolu Prison, you must obediently comply. You must understand that you are standing outside the most terrifying door in the entire cultivation world, and you are merely a doorkeeper; you cannot offend. If I were to shout right now that someone is breaking into the prison..."

Mu Yizhuo walked in with his hands behind his back, wearing a stern expression. He had heard from his son that Wu Luo had suddenly comprehended the essence of Qi, accompanied by unusual phenomena. Mu Yizhuo was an old fox, far more cunning than his naive son. Upon hearing this, he sensed something was amiss. Could it be that this foolish boy had encountered something extraordinary?

Mu Yi Zhuo immediately shook his head in secret, thinking to himself that he had indeed overthought the matter. This fool was merely having good luck these past couple of days; he was still just a good-for-nothing.

He contentedly tucked the strand of hair chain into his hair; now this treasure was intertwined with his flesh and blood, merging into his hair, transforming into an ordinary strand of hair, completely undetectable by anyone

Li Qingyu was momentarily taken aback. The Li family had dominated Qinghe Mountain for hundreds of years, reigning over a territory of thousands of miles around Qinghe Mountain. When had they ever been threatened in such a manner? Moreover, this was merely a gatekeeper!

After the ritual refinement, his mind was able to delve deeply into the magical artifact, allowing him to perceive it with greater clarity and insight

... ...

He wiped his mouth, strode out, and turned a corner heading straight for the main gate

Wu Luo rushed out of the door and dashed into the restaurant of Ruolu Prison, indulging in a frenzied feast. Even with his current physique, it would take him over ten days to replenish the vitality he had expended.

This is merely a routine procedure; essentially, no one dares to act recklessly inside the Ruolu Prison. Even if one enters with magical artifacts or talismans, there is actually not much danger. However, this is, after all, a prison.

The bracelet is a storage artifact, containing the majority of Li Qingyu's wealth.

He wanted to come and take a look early this morning. As soon as he entered the restaurant, he saw Wu Luo slam a large wooden barrel onto the table with a bang, and then he gave a silly smile to the people around him

Among the seventy-two fish-shaped flying swords stood a middle-aged man with an aloof demeanor, appearing to possess an extraordinary status

However, after many attempts, none were successful. Wu Luo vaguely sensed that someone was approaching, and upon turning around, he indeed saw several young servants walking this way.

Wu Luo was thinking about going to take another look at the "Daozang" and simply sent the person on duty away for the night. He had been bullied in the past and often had others ask him to cover their shifts, so it was the first time he had taken the initiative to make such a request.

Li Qingyu immediately felt a twinge of regret. He was used to flaunting his power and could not tolerate any offense from others, which led him to act impulsively. However, he did not expect to be caught off guard by this young man.

Li Qingyu was furious; he had always been the one to extract benefits from others, yet today the tables had turned, and he was expected to show respect to someone else! He looked at Wu Luona's innocent smile and felt an urge to punch him hard enough that even his mother wouldn't recognize him. However, he truly did not dare to do so, as they were outside the Ruolu Prison, and this kid was also from Ruolu Prison. If anything were to happen, the Li family from Qinghe Mountain could not bear the responsibility.

The duty of the gatekeeper at the Ruolu Prison allows for the control of personnel entering and exiting the prison. In fact, since the discovery of Ruolu Prison and its subsequent use as a prison for the cultivation world thousands of years ago, no one has ever managed to escape from here, nor has anyone been able to break in to rescue someone. Therefore, this gatekeeper merely serves as a formality, although there are times when visitors come for inspections and need to announce their presence before entering.

Wuluo slowly got up and casually picked up a thin booklet from beside the stone table

Li Qingyu and *Tu* Shu, although extremely indignant in their hearts, could only reluctantly let go of their hands, feeling as if they were swallowing a fly. They forced an unnatural smile at Wu Luo: "Hehe, little brother, little brother, I was just joking with you earlier. Surely, you wouldn't hold it against me, would you?"

He immediately turned and left, while Wu Luo's "foolish" smile, combined with the large wooden barrel, instantly drew a burst of laughter from those around.

He looked at Li Qingyu with a smile but did not reach for the item: "If the gatekeeper of Lu Yu is not a beggar, then with this size, it must at least be a Jade Essence."

"Good, good, good!" Li Qingyu repeated the word three times, awkwardly taking out a piece of smooth jade from his bosom, measuring two fingers in width, one finger in thickness, and only about a fist long, and handed it to Wu Luo with a hint of reluctance.

At that moment, a sudden golden light appeared beyond the northern sky, accompanied by faint sounds of wind and thunder, clearly indicating the presence of an extraordinary magical artifact

A middle-aged man stood outside the stone house, gazing up at the sky with his chin raised, exuding an air of arrogance. He called out loudly, "Is anyone there? Li Qingyu from Qinghe Mountain has come to visit my son, Li Wo."

Having looked at the sky, the sun was about to set, and Wu Luo was also preparing to return

Wu Luo unceremoniously snatched it away: "That's more like it. I'm not incapable of being accommodating. Rest assured, I will make allowances regarding the visitation matters"

But only when all the divine lights entered his body did Wu Luo finally open his eyes. He stretched his muscles and bones, starting from the very last tail vertebra, producing a series of crackling sounds that traveled all the way up to the back of his head, resembling the sound of a string of firecrackers.

Wu Luo rolled his eyes and said, "At your age, how can you speak such nonsense with your eyes wide open? Do you not feel embarrassed?"

The innate magical treasure that Li Qingyu forced out from within his own Nine Palaces was a pale yellow flying sword of the lower fifth grade, rather than the seventy-two fish-shaped flying swords of the middle fifth grade he had previously possessed. Wu Luo couldn't help but twitch his eyelids.

Those fortunate enough to possess the Divine Mandate Talisman can transform it into a "Ruler Talisman," while other ordinary spiritual talismans become "Minister Talismans," thereby forming a special talisman array that is significantly more powerful than a standard talisman array

Just like before, when I looked again, the stone sculpture had returned to its original state, cold and rigid, devoid of life

However, when the golden light reached outside the Ruoluy prison, it did not dare to act recklessly. The golden light was retracted, revealing seventy-two fish-shaped flying swords, which were arranged in a rather ancient style of seal script, approaching gracefully.

While he was engrossed in eating, he asked a class leader named Qiao Hu who was dining with him: "Qiao, who is on duty at the entrance today? I can take over for him."

On the enormous dragon's head, a narrow smile suddenly appeared, inevitably causing Wu Luo to feel a chill run down his spine

Therefore, the guards did not take it to heart; if they could escape, they would. In the past, Wu Luo often stood watch for others.

Wuluo does not mind either, just laugh it off. If I suddenly became smart, that would raise suspicion. Moreover, what is wrong with playing dumb? Acting like a pig to eat a tiger is the most unexpected strategy.

A full seventy-two talismans unleash a tempestuous assault; do you truly believe your sword formation can withstand it? Dare to challenge the realm of Ru? Even if I were to strike you down on the spot, no one would claim that my actions were excessive

He took the chain and examined it closely

Each breath is a cycle in which spiritual energy nourishes itself

Li Qingyu performed a spell, forcing his life-bound magical treasure out from the Nine Palaces, and then removed a wooden bracelet from his left hand, which was engraved with profound array patterns

The dark path of Wulu is indeed sinister, yet he is not an ordinary youth. The memories of his previous life allow him to far surpass his peers in insight, and he has vaguely begun to deduce something. He murmured to himself: Certainly, in this mysterious Ruolu prison, anything could happen.

However, every word spoken by Wu Luo is reasonable and hits the nail on the head. Everyone understands what the Lu Prison is, and in front of these two grand doors, the Li family of Qinghe Mountain truly pales in comparison.

He raised his eyes again, only to be startled once more; the stone sculpture of the mythical beast, the Bixie, on the left was actually displaying a hint of a sly smile

Wu Luo couldn't help but curl his lips; he had already realized that Li Qingyu intended to completely refine this fish-shaped flying sword to replace his previous life-bound treasure. However, he had not yet succeeded; he could only use it, and it did not reach the level of a life-bound treasure. Nevertheless, Li Qingyu was flying with this set of flying swords, clearly intending to show off, as a fifth-grade treasure would certainly be impressive wherever it was taken.

Upon reaching the outside, Wu Luo turned back to look at the two carved Bixie on the gate, revealing a smile. Due to the inherent memory of his own body, Wu Luo felt a sense of familiarity towards them

After ninety-nine cycles of breathing, a faint layer of colorful light membrane enveloped Wuluo's body. Within the light membrane, spiritual energy flowed, lively and vibrant, resembling a mountain stream.

He, just like before, bowed respectfully to the two statues upon coming out, saying politely, "Hello, uncles."

When Wu Luo arrived at the prison gate, there was no one else present. He carefully examined it once more, but that volume of the "Daozang" remained indistinguishable from the others.

Along the way, seventy-two fish-shaped flying swords radiated brilliant light. The passing cultivators looked on with expressions of envy and jealousy, greatly satisfying Li Qingyu.

Spirit talismans differ from magical artifacts in that they require continuous refinement. The talismans themselves are imbued with runes, allowing them to elevate their own level. Although this process is slow, it is nonetheless faster than the refinement of magical artifacts.

In fact, within the entire realm of cultivation, spiritual talismans are exceedingly rare, let alone the fateful divine talismans. As for magical treasures, the vast majority of cultivators can only obtain items of the ninth or eighth rank. Treasures of the seventh rank and above are truly scarce. If one could possess a sixth-rank magical treasure, it would be worthy of a lifetime of refinement, becoming one's own life-bound treasure

Wulogen did not even glance: "Just put it in."

After he finished speaking, he turned to leave. Li Qingyu, filled with rage, stepped forward and grabbed his arm: "You brat, are you deliberately making things difficult for me, Li? Do you know what kind of person the Li family of Qinghe Mountain is? You, a mere nobody, dare to toy with me? Don't think that just because you are in Ruolu Prison, you are something special. Our Li family is absolutely not someone you can provoke!"

This "Daozang" is indeed extraordinary, no wonder the sages of ancient times possessed such great powers as moving mountains and filling seas, or swallowing the sun and spitting out the moon

The stone house is equipped with complete tables and chairs, yet all are quite rudimentary, clearly indicating that being a gatekeeper is indeed a hard job

The Hairpin Chain is classified as a sixth-grade talisman treasure, specifically falling under the lower tier of sixth-grade. Although talisman treasures are powerful, there is a significant gap of four levels between the lower sixth-grade and the middle fifth-grade, which makes Wu Luo hesitant to take such a risk

Li Qingyu was furious. The difference between Yucui Po and Yucui was merely one character, yet it represented a whole level of distinction. Even Li Qingyu himself used Yucui during his cultivation, not daring to waste Yucui Po, as the exchange rate between Yucui Po and Yucui was one to one hundred

He placed the fish-shaped flying sword into the jade box and nodded slightly: "Alright"

As he straightened up, Wu Luo suddenly noticed that the stone sculpture on the large door to his left and the *illustration* book suddenly opened its eyes wide in anger and lunged forward with a fierce claw.

In fact, Wu Luo does not hold a high opinion of these seventy-two fish-shaped flying swords. To the average person, such a display appears impressive, and a set of seventy-two flying swords is indeed quite rare. However, in reality, a fifth-grade magical treasure is not as valuable as a sixth-grade spiritual talisman. It is just that high-grade talismans are exceedingly rare. Although this middle-aged man seems extraordinary, he is still some distance away from obtaining a sixth-grade spiritual talisman.

In the secret treasure vault of his previous life, Wu Luo had four first-grade talismans alone, in addition to an extremely precious first-grade divine talisman "Great River Breaking Mountain"—a first-grade divine talisman, second only to the "Number One in the World" series. These talismans are of no use to Wu Luo.

As Wu Luo delved deeper into his observations, he could not help but be taken aback. These runes were three-dimensional, with each rune possessing four faces. While the average person might not understand the significance of this, Wu Luo was well aware: this section of the iron ring was indeed a sixth-grade spiritual talisman! This chain was composed of three hundred and sixty sixth-grade spiritual talismans, and they were not ordinary talismans; rather, they were peculiar spells from the realm of cultivation that had long been lost to history, much like the orb atop the cave that suppressed the old demon in the Li Ren Abyss!

Wu Luo casually flipped through the booklet, and Li Qingyu suddenly understood something. Gritting his teeth, he took out a jade essence soul of similar size from his pocket, and even he felt a pang of regret this time

As the middle-aged man strode towards the stone house, Wu Luo could not help but roll his eyes in confusion

This stone house was built later and is not part of the original structure of the Ruins of Rolu. Although the stone house has a history of several thousand years, weathered and eroded, its surface is mottled and dim, giving it a certain rustic charm, it pales in comparison to the Ruins of Rolu... Almost no one passing by here would notice that there is a stone house.

In the realm of cultivation, whether it be magical treasures, talismans, techniques, or elixirs, everything is categorized into nine grades. However, within each grade, there are also three tiers: upper, middle, and lower.

Li Qingyu is the head of the Li family from Qinghe Mountain, which is why he is able to possess a fifth-grade lower-level magical artifact as his life-bound treasure

Artifacts of grade five and above are extremely rare. To obtain top-grade artifacts of grade four and above, one must either possess immense strength or have a powerful backing

Wu Luo's insight and vision are indeed extraordinary. He understands that merely observing in this manner is unlikely to yield any results, so he contemplates how to recreate the state of mind he experienced last time

Within the hair of Wu Luo, the hidden strand of hair chain suddenly stirred, transmitting a powerful desire to Wu Luo through their blood connection

In fact, Wu Luo's guess is quite close; Li Qingyu indeed has this intention. He has finally obtained this set of fish-shaped flying swords, a magical treasure of the fifth rank, and he feels that if he does not take them out to use, it would be akin to wearing splendid clothes while traveling at night.

Li Qingyu's expression changed dramatically, filled with intense anger, yet he did not dare to erupt. His face turned a deep purple-black, extremely unsightly, as he gritted his teeth and said: "Since that is the case, there is no need to speak of the useless matters. Just tell me, what exactly do you want?"

Wu Luo could hear the sound of spiritual energy flowing into his body, coursing through his meridians, reminiscent of an ancient poem: "Clear springs flow over the stones."

He was flipping through the ledger while heading out, exclaiming: "Li Wo? Didn't he just come to visit ten years ago? If it takes half a century to visit once, the time is not yet due, please go back."

Wu Luo consumed an entire wooden barrel of rice in one go. He has now reached a realm of energy perception, with his bodily functions thriving. As he eats, his digestive system works simultaneously, and his appetite is at least four times that of an ordinary person. The guards around the library also understand this principle, but such a manner of eating still astonished those nearby. This is not merely four times; it is simply fourteen times!

In the realm of cultivation, talismans are rare, which in turn makes spiritual talismans scarce. Not to mention the naturally born and nurtured divine talismans, even ordinary spiritual talismans are sought after by common cultivators, yet a ninth-grade one is hard to come by.

Wu Luo nodded in satisfaction, indeed worthy of the ancient martial arts. After just a few rounds of cultivation, he had already reached the intermediate level of Qi perception. It is likely that within three days, he would be able to break through the realm of Qi perception and enter the "Opening the Apertures" realm

The two large doors stand at a height of 30 zhang, with stone carvings of the mythical beast Li'an at each end, holding massive door rings, each also measuring about 3 zhang in height. In comparison to the Wu Luo, they are truly colossal.

Wu Luo quickly stopped the hair chain, and with a single glance, he recognized that the seventy-two fish-shaped flying swords were treasures of the fifth rank.

This chain consists of as many as 360 iron rings, each adorned with dozens of peculiar runes. These runes either devour one another or collide with each other, subtly following an indescribable pattern, as if each iron ring represents an independent world with its own order

Moreover, the talisman itself can communicate with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and during combat, its power surpasses that of magical artifacts

Wu Luo took out an ancient jade box from under the table: "As per the usual practice, place all your treasures and talismans inside."

As the cultivation of Wu Luo progressed, the layer of light membrane became increasingly thick, and the radiance grew ever more intense. Eventually, only a blurred human figure could be seen, enveloped in a dazzling glow.

The greatest benefit of spirits lies in their ability to form talisman arrays. Different or identical talismans can be combined to create a talisman array, significantly amplifying their power.

After four time periods, the radiance on Wu Luo gradually dimmed, and the spiritual light, with each breath he took, slowly penetrated into his body

This desire is actually directed towards those seventy-two fish-shaped flying swords; it is akin to the longing of a starving person who sees a lavish banquet.

After entering, Wu Luo sat cross-legged on the stone bed—indeed, if Lu Yu were a very good place for secluded cultivation, there would hardly be any matters to attend to. If Wu Luo wished, he could assist others here every day, and for ten days or half a month, there would not be a single visitor for inspection, allowing him to cultivate during this time

Li Qingyu cast a proud glance at Wu Luo, feeling indignant after being taken advantage of by him earlier. He was unable to save face and was eager to regain his dignity. Now, he boastfully tapped the flying sword in his hand and said, "Is your jade box all right? This is a top-grade magical treasure among the fifth rank; if it gets damaged, you won't be able to afford the compensation"

In ancient times, the realm of cultivation was far more prosperous than it is today, with celestial beings frequently ascending. However, it has been countless years since anyone has been heard of ascending, and celestial beings have become a term of legend. In their place, there are now powerful figures in the realm of cultivation. Yet, the gap between these powerful figures and the sages of ancient times cannot be measured by reason.

He remained respectfully unchanged, bowed to the two sculptures of the bi'an, and turned to enter a small stone house on one side

How is it? Wu Luo innocently smiled: "You, at your age, should know better. Have you not heard the saying that losing wealth can avert disaster?"

The condition of the body has only been temporarily stabilized, but the lost vitality is not so easily replenished. The light cocoon on the table blooms like a flower under the sunlight, and the strands of hair within the chain appear somewhat different from yesterday. Between the martial realms, there is also a deep connection of flesh and blood