Chapter 567: Heavenly Eye (I)
A purplish-red world stretched out in all directions, the entire space saturated with scorching heat. Even ordinary five-pattern yaos would not dare venture this deep into the crimson magma.
The searing magma bubbled endlessly, releasing smoke-filled bubbles one after another. Lin Zheyu had reduced himself to a three-meter form and was pacing around an utterly unremarkable spot deep within the magma. A slight frown rested on his face, which was covered in fleshy tumors so densely packed that it could trigger trypophobia at a glance.
Within Lin Zheyu's perception, an incomparably intricate formation was inscribed in the void before him. It fused demonic patterns with Immortal Dao formations and restrictions. He could even sense traces of shamanic-pattern auras related to the Shamanic Dao woven into it.
Completely immersed in studying the formation, Lin Zheyu unconsciously took several steps forward when he reached a crucial point of insight. Yet he passed straight through it. The mysterious formation was extraordinary, seemingly existing only in a separate dimension rather than in the same void he occupied. Had it not been for his unique perception, he would never have discovered its existence.
"Tsk, tsk..." Lin Zheyu came to his senses and could not help but let out a series of amazed clicks of his tongue.
He glanced around, then reached out to touch the formation he perceived. Once again, his hand passed straight through it. Lin Zheyu shook his head slightly. It still wasn't enough. His understanding of this formation had not even reached the stage of Initiation. At best, he had only grasped a tiny fraction of its surface mysteries.
Lin Zheyu withdrew his hand and sighed in admiration. "Remarkable... To think someone could combine formations, restrictions, and demonic patterns so perfectly! This person, or rather, this yao, possessed attainments in formations and demonic patterns that are truly breathtaking."
More than ten days had passed since he discovered this formation. Aside from occasionally entering the space-time node and using the energy lake within to strengthen himself, Lin Zheyu had spent nearly all of his time here studying this mysterious formation.
As far as formations were concerned, Lin Zheyu could only be considered a beginner. Even after studying it for so long, he still could not touch the space in which the formation existed and could only rely on his unique perception to sense and comprehend it.
Even so, the gains he had obtained were immense. The expert who created this formation possessed astonishing mastery over both Immortal Dao formations and restrictions as well as demonic patterns. Two completely opposing Dao resonance structures had been merged together through an ingenious method, producing an effect far greater than the sum of its parts.
Although Lin Zheyu had only comprehended a tiny fraction of its mysteries, it still felt as though a veil had been lifted from his eyes and enlightenment had descended upon him. The formation's unique method of fusion had profoundly inspired him. The third stage of the Primordial Golden Body, which had already taken shape in rough form, was now on the verge of complete perfection. Only a few minor issues remained unresolved.
For example, how to transform the fleshy tumors covering his body into sleek, elegant scales. Or how to conceal the black openings scattered across those tumors beneath dark scales, or simply abandon that sliver of profundity contained within the Saha Scripture altogether. Matters like these were all relatively trivial. If Lin Zheyu did not care about his appearance, he could begin cultivating the third stage of the Primordial Golden Body immediately.
The roar of a yao echoed from the distance. Lin Zheyu snapped out of his contemplation of the mysterious formation and raised his head, frowning toward the depths of the purplish-red magma. The yao that occupied this region had returned yet again. It was absurdly homebound. Every time it left, it merely wandered around the nearby area before returning within half a day.
Even when it roamed, it never strayed far from this place. Otherwise, Lin Zheyu would have long since found an opportunity to kill it. His figure flickered and vanished from the spot in an instant. A short while later, a yao clad in sleek, elegant scales wandered back lazily. Its body was entirely purple, covered in purple scales from head to tail, and its tail resembled that of a dragon.
The yao let out a thunderous roar. A terrifying pressure spread outward, as if proclaiming its sovereignty and warning any nearby yaos to get lost. At its roar, the surrounding yaos scattered in all directions. Only after confirming that no other yao auras remained nearby did it finally settle down close to the spot where Lin Zheyu had been studying the formation.
Remaining here seemed to make it feel exceptionally comfortable. After wriggling and rolling around for a while, it finally found the most comfortable position. A distinctly human-like expression of contentment appeared on the Purple Flame Qilin's face. It was certainly enjoying itself, but Lin Zheyu was not. Restlessness stirred within him, and he found himself increasingly tempted to kill the troublesome yao on the spot.
However, the moment he thought of the terrifying aura lurking in the depths of the magma, Lin Zheyu shook his head and suppressed the urge once more. As his strength increased and his spiritual soul grew stronger, his perception became ever sharper. He could vaguely sense that more than one six-pattern Purple Flame Qilin resided deep within the crimson magma. There was even another aura far more powerful than any six-pattern yao. It was very likely a terrifying seven-pattern yao comparable to the Nascent Soul realm!
This yao is probably not far from developing true intelligence. Could it be staying beside the formation because there's something special about it? Lin Zheyu wondered silently as he observed the creature's remarkably human expression of comfort.
This was not the first time he had seen such an expression on a yao. There were no caves here, nor was it a normal nesting ground. Yet every time the yao left, it always returned and settled around the formation. Clearly, there was something unusual about it.
This yao itself was also somewhat extraordinary. Even yaos above the six-pattern level lurking deep within the magma might not be able to detect what made this place special. Yet this yao, which was merely at the peak of the five-pattern level, had discovered its uniqueness. That alone was enough to show that there was something remarkable about its perception.
This was one of the reasons Lin Zheyu wanted to kill it and bring its corpse back for study. A yao's strength and abilities were largely embodied in the demonic patterns covering its body. If he could comprehend the demonic patterns on this creature and uncover the source of its unusual perception, the benefits to him would be immense. Unfortunately, now was not the ideal time to act.
Lin Zheyu shook his head slightly as he considered his next steps. "I'll head back first. In another two days, once my mind has fully recovered, I can cultivate the Yellow Springs Nirvana Scripture to Perfection of the third stage and open the spirit divine repository. Then I'll see whether I can awaken any special spirit divine abilities."
This yao's perception was exceptionally sharp. The moment Lin Zheyu made a move, it would likely draw the attention of the powerful yaos below. After all, this was their territory. Though he was powerful, he was not yet confident of facing several six-pattern yaos at the same time in their own domain.
His figure shifted as he quietly swam toward the upper layers of the crimson magma. Near the surface, he discovered a yao around the mid-five-pattern level. Silently approaching, he unleashed the immense power within his body in an instant. A deafening explosion rang out through the scorching magma like a bolt of thunder from a clear sky. Before the Purple Flame Qilin could react, its head exploded with a wet burst.
After succeeding in a single move, Lin Zheyu immediately grabbed the headless corpse of the Purple Flame Qilin and shot out of the crimson magma.
His enormous fleshy wings snapped open behind him. With a single powerful beat, he vanished into the pitch-black void.
In the blink of an eye, two days passed. As usual, Lin Zheyu returned to the void space within the space-time node. Looking at the violent, chaotic rule energy and the howling black winds, the corners of his mouth curled upward into an excited smile. Returning here felt like coming home. His mood immediately brightened. This place was, without question, his favorite.
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