This fire cave nest is located halfway up an active volcano. The entrance is hidden behind a boiling lava waterfall, but the interior is a completely different world. The cave is spacious and dozens of feet high. The walls and the ground are all dark red glass-like rocks formed by years of scorching earth fire, radiating intense heat.
Jagged, crimson stalactites hang from the cave ceiling, their tips dripping scalding lava from time to time. The air is distorted by the heat, filled with a strong smell of sulfur mixed with the stench of demonic beasts. Deep in the cave, several passages leading to the earth fire veins below can be vaguely seen.
What a treacherous place!
Cultivators without protective measures would not dare to enter!
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"This way."
Lin Changheng's expression was normal. His nose twitched. He had already smelled the scent of the [Mysterious Fire Spirit Rhinoceros] and chose the one in the middle.
"Whoosh~"
His feet seemed to fly, and combined with his fire escape technique, he moved like a ghost through the intricate cave passages, silent and incredibly swift. His
[Magic Sword Embryo], possessing sentience, transformed into a bluish-purple dragon, swirling rapidly around him. Before him, the humanoid puppet faithfully performed its "lightning-clearing" duty, though it now bore several deep cracks and burn marks from the force of the impact.
"Roar!"
Suddenly , angry and painful roars echoed throughout the cave, causing rocks to shatter and fall from the walls. Lin Changheng ventured deeper into the fire cave, having already killed four more [Mysterious Fire Spirit Rhinoceroses], including several strong male beasts at the late second-tier level.
The battle was intense and efficient. The dense fire elemental energy within the fire cave made him feel like a fish in water, and the narrow terrain provided an ideal setting for unleashing the true essence of his third-tier body refinement and [Mountain-Carrying Divine Power]. One by one, the ferocious [Mystic Fire Spirit Rhinoceros] fell to the ground, their life force extinguished. Adding to the number of rhinoceros beasts he encountered in the crimson mountains, the number killed by Lin Changheng had reached ten. Because of the close combat, the scalding beast blood soaked his robes even deeper, and the murderous aura mingled with the intense heat of the earth fire made him look like a demon god emerging from purgatory. "Boom boom boom!" With the final two heavy thuds, the last two exceptionally robust male beasts, whose auras had reached the peak of the second tier, blocking the passage leading to the deepest "Beast Den," fell unwillingly, their crimson pupils rapidly fading.
Obstacles removed.
Lin Changheng waved his hand to sheathe his sword embryo, controlling the puppet in front while he slowly stepped into the core of the final lair.
Before him was a relatively open circular space, the ground covered with a thick layer of warm, baked volcanic ash.
At this moment, in this "beast den," only a dozen or so adult female beasts, noticeably smaller in size and with auras mostly at the early stage of the second tier or even the peak of the first tier, remained, along with several cubs, no bigger than calves, their scales still showing signs of immaturity, nestled beside their mothers.
They might have been resting or nursing, but were now awakened by the intense stench of blood and the undisguised, powerful killing intent emanating from Lin Changheng. "Woo woo woo~"
Seeing this uninvited guest, who had trampled on the blood of his own kind and barged into the depths of the lair like a god of death, the eyes of these female beasts and cubs were filled with extreme fear. They let out low, trembling moans, their bodies shaking, constantly retreating into the corners of the rock walls, huddling together in a ball.
The male beasts had been slaughtered, and without their protectors, they appeared utterly helpless.
Lin Changheng's gaze calmly swept over the trembling beasts.
Adult female beasts, especially those of the second rank or higher, were untamed and intelligent, harboring deep-seated hatred. Even if forcibly confined, they were unlikely to be genuinely tamed and might even turn on him or commit suicide.
Keeping them alive was useless; releasing them into the [Gourd Heaven Blessed Land] would likely only cause further destruction and unnecessary trouble.
He wasn't bloodthirsty, but a cold glint still flashed in his eyes.
The next moment, he moved like lightning!
Sword light and fist shadows flashed rapidly in the beast's den, accompanied by short, mournful cries and the sound of them falling.
Moments later, apart from two adult female beasts and several cubs huddled together, almost unable to move in terror, the rest lay dead on the ground. Lin Changheng swiftly collected their life essence, demonic cores, and valuable materials.
The stench of blood in the air grew stronger, mingled with the faint, terrified whimpers of the young beasts.
Lin Changheng walked up to the young animals. The cubs were frozen in fear, too terrified to utter a sound, their large, dark eyes wide and wet with terror as they stared at the tall, dark figure.
He extended his blood-stained hand, not to attack, but instead using his magic to create a soft, protective aura, enveloping two of the strongest-looking cubs, whose eyes held a glimmer of intelligence amidst fear, and gently lifted them up.
"Not yet fully wild, they can still be tamed. Take them back and give them to Mingyi to train; they might become good guardian spirit beasts, and can also provide a continuous supply of essence blood."
With a thought, he sent the two imprisoned cubs into a pre-prepared isolation area within the [Gourd Heaven Space], equipped with simple restrictions and a spirit-gathering array.
The relatively peaceful environment and abundant spiritual energy within the space might allow them to gradually calm their fear and adapt to their new "home."
As for the remaining cubs, Lin Changheng glanced at them, neither killing them outright nor paying them any further attention.
In this perilous secret realm, the two adult female rhinoceroses greatly increased their chances of survival, but the final outcome depended on their fate.
As the saying goes, Heaven leaves a way out, and Lin Changheng's heart was the same.
After doing all this, he took one last look at the fiery lair filled with the aura of blood and death, turned around, and his figure blended into the shadows and rising geothermal heat of the cave, silently retreating as if he had never appeared.
A moment later, Lin Changheng's figure appeared in a newly opened cave on a hidden rock ridge outside the volcano crater.
He changed into a clean, light blue outfit, using several Cleansing spells to wash away the bloodstains, his aura returning to its unremarkable state.
A crimson light flashed in his hand. He
had already absorbed all the essence of the [Mystic Fire Spiritual Rhinoceros] he had obtained.
There was no time to hesitate or delay.
"Buzz~"
The illusory image of the treasure seed within the cauldron solidified continuously, its progress increasing steadily.
[Mystic Fire Spiritual Rhinoceros Treasure Seed - Level 1]
[Spirit Absorption: 100/100]
[Mystic Fire Spiritual Rhinoceros Treasure Seed - Level 2]
[Spirit Absorption: 12/100]
[Can continue refining into the demon race's innate talent: Mystic Fire Furnace]
Lin Changheng looked at the identical treasure seed, and with a thought, the seed instantly entered his mind.
A burning yet warm feeling permeated his soul, sweeping throughout his entire body.
[Already Refined: Mystic Fire Furnace Technique - Spiritual Movement]
—
Feeling the molten lava heat flow into his dantian and into the illusory volcanic base on his left, Lin Changheng didn't immediately use internal observation, to examine, sense, or test it.
Instead, he excitedly focused his internal gaze on — his spiritual roots!
A total of six: the five elemental spiritual roots plus the wind-attribute unique spiritual root that had been transformed.
"Buzz~"
At the same time, a strange, resonant sound, seemingly originating from the depths of his soul, quietly spread within Lin Changheng's body.
The fire-attribute spiritual root hidden within Lin Changheng's body now gained another wisp of spiritual energy.
During the first level of Spirit Seizure, [Mystic Fire Spiritual Seed], Lin Changheng's spiritual roots had reached seventy wisps.
Now, after seizing another level, it had reached — seventy-one wisps!
Seventy-one wisps was the bottom line for earth spiritual roots!
Like a sacred watershed, a qualitative leap!
It also meant that Lin Changheng possessed — the earth spiritual root he had dreamed of!
It's important to understand that spiritual roots are formless and intangible; only the spiritual energy they contain is perceptible, reflecting their quality.
This determines a cultivator's efficiency in absorbing, transforming, and controlling corresponding elemental spiritual energy.
"Earth Spiritual Root—I finally possess an Earth Spiritual Root!"
Even with Lin Changheng's composed nature, an indescribable surge of excitement and elation welled up within him, almost bursting through his usually placid face!
An Earth Spiritual Root! This is a qualification that countless cultivators dream of but cannot obtain!
Even in powerful forces like the [Purple Extreme Sect] and the [Southern Palace], disciples possessing Earth Spiritual Roots are undoubtedly core figures, attracting immense attention and receiving staggering resources for cultivation!
Comparable to this are innate extraordinary spiritual roots and, even more so, celestial spiritual roots!
Extraordinary spiritual roots are relatively easier to find, but celestial spiritual roots are probably few and far between in the entire Song region.
At least, in his over a hundred years of cultivation, Lin Changheng had never even heard of one!
It's unclear whether it never appeared at all, or if it was a case of "keeping a low profile," quietly hidden away by certain sects.
After all, a Heavenly Spiritual Root grants no pressure in Foundation Establishment and Core Formation; it 's practically
a done deal. Barring unforeseen circumstances, it's even a guaranteed Golden Core cultivator.
Although a Heavenly Spiritual Root doesn't increase the chance of Nascent Soul formation, the starting point is too high, and the lower limit is too astonishing. Only the [Southern Palace] dares to openly possess and announce it.
But judging from the current situation, Lin Changheng hasn't heard of it. Of course, it could also be because he's too cautious and rarely goes out—
"Fire-attribute Earth Spiritual Root—"
Lin Changheng murmured to himself, sitting cross-legged, circulating the perfected version of the *Jade Void Bright Scripture*. The moment
the incantation began, an extraordinary phenomenon occurred!
In the past, circulating this scripture, absorbing and refining the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, was like a trickle flowing into a river—smooth and orderly, yet always with a sense of "barrier" and "filtering," especially with fire-elemental spiritual energy, requiring extra mental effort to draw it out, separate it, and transform it.
But now, the situation was completely different!
The moment the cultivation technique was activated, the spiritual energy within a radius of several dozen feet clearly "layered." All the fire-elemental spiritual energy particles seemed instantly imbued with life and direction, spontaneously, actively, and eagerly surging towards Lin Changheng's location!
The speed and concentration of their convergence far exceeded previous levels!
This fire spiritual energy no longer required his laborious "capture" and "refinement." Once it entered his meridians, it was like a prodigal son returning home, naturally merging into the torrent of magical power generated by the operation of the *Jade Void Bright Scripture*. The conversion efficiency was astonishingly high, with almost no loss.
The process that originally required several cycles to refine a trace of pure magical power could now be largely completed within a single cycle!
"Hoo—
After half an hour, Lin Changheng stopped his cultivation and exhaled a long breath of turbid air. This breath, after leaving his body, actually condensed into a pale red arrow of air, still warm, shooting several feet away before slowly dissipating.
This was a natural manifestation of the overflow of the excessively pure and abundant fire elemental power within his body.
"What a fine earth elemental root!" Lin Changheng exclaimed inwardly. He
was certain that his efficiency in sensing, absorbing, and refining fire-attribute spiritual energy had undergone a tremendous change!
Lin Changheng guessed that if an earth elemental root was like this, what if he had the aptitude of a heaven elemental root? Would that spiritual energy actively and automatically drill into his body?
Would it even shamelessly follow the meridians and qi channels, being refined and transformed instantly? He
was even more excited!
After some more exploration and testing, Lin Changheng discovered that in addition to the obvious improvement in cultivation, it mainly included two aspects:
the first was perception.
Without consciously circulating his cultivation technique, the previously imperceptible, subtle fire-elemental spiritual energy floating in the surrounding world now seemed to transform into stars in the night sky, clearly discernible.
He could even "hear" the gurgling sound of the earth's fire veins deep underground and "smell" the unique "aura" emanating from different fire-elemental spiritual objects.
The entire world, in his eyes, seemed to have gained an additional, fiery and vibrant dimension of "fire."
If Lin Changheng were to circulate his Four-Colored Divine Light at this moment, he would surely find that this world was even more vibrant.
If other attributes were like light strokes, then fire-related attributes were like bold strokes with a single color.
Exceptionally prominent and obvious!
Perception was also much sharper!
Secondly, there was control and potential.
Earth-elemental spiritual roots not only represented the efficiency of spiritual roots but also meant a broader path of cultivation in the future!
Cultivating fire-elemental techniques and spells would be twice as effective with half the effort, and there would be fewer obstacles when breaking through fire-related levels.
He had a higher affinity for the fire-elemental energy floating in the world, and his cultivation speed would also be faster!
Choosing a path related to fire magic will greatly benefit my future Core Formation, increasing my chances by at least 30%!
This is a fundamental improvement in my innate talent!
"Seventy-one strands of spiritual energy—that's just the starting point for an Earth Spiritual Root. The highest Earth Spiritual Root can reach ninety strands, and the lowest is ninety-one strands—"
Lin Changheng suppressed his excitement, his eyes shining brightly, "But with a beginning, with a foundation, there's a more tangible hope for future advancements. Since the Yuan Ding can help me break through to this point, I'm sure I can continue to improve to even higher levels in the future!"
After a long while, Lin
Changheng turned his attention back to the volcanic phantom within his dantian. The phantom was clearly more solid, its aura more stable, and its power undoubtedly had a stronger push and change. "I wonder how long the fusion progress of the 'Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Pearls' can sustain?" As the two-colored flames rose in his palm, another golden-blue bead, no bigger than a longan but radiating a chillingly dangerous aura, appeared above his hand! The gold and blue colors intertwined on the bead's surface, like yin and yang fish, head to tail, slowly rotating. "Eighty percent! After extreme compression, eighty percent has been fused!" Only a very small portion of the bead remained chaotic, but the enhancement was clearly visible. Moreover, this time, there was no sense of instability or inability to hold it for long, nor the feeling of Lin Changheng gritting his teeth, as if it would explode in his hand if he didn't release it at any moment. Instead, he could disassemble and pull it apart. Soon, under Lin Changheng's control, the golden-blue bead transformed back into two flames—one a dark gold, the other an icy blue—each in one hand, constantly rising and leaping. "Excellent!" It should be noted that this method was quite energy-consuming; Lin Changheng estimated that fusing and releasing one bead would require drawing at least half of his mana. Now that he can stop halfway, aside from some compression and control of the energy and mental exertion, the consumption of magical power is not excessive; most of it can be "returned" and replenished. This greatly enhances the deterrent effect of this method. "If my [Dark Blaze Profound Flame] can be enhanced again, the effect will definitely be even better—" " Then, when I enter the core area, I will have more confidence and security to do anything—" With a slight glint in his eyes, Lin Changheng took out nearly forty [Mystic Fire Spirit Cores] in the cave. They varied in size, some as large as pomegranates, others as small as an adult's fist. Without hesitation, he channeled his magical power into his palm, using the guiding force of the [Mystic Fire Furnace] talent to extract the "Mystic Fire Essence" from these cores. A wisp of "Mystic Fire Essence" was precisely guided into his body, directly "feeding" it to the [Dark Radiance Mystic Flame] primordial fire seed, which had been restless and throbbing on the volcano of his dantian. "Hiss—" The [Dark Radiance Mystic Flame], like a long-starved child, emitted a clearly discernible, human-like excitement and joy! The golden flames flickered and swayed excitedly, eagerly "devouring" the injected "Mystic Fire Essence" in one gulp! With each wisp absorbed, the Dark Radiance Mystic Flame's light suddenly blazed brighter, and at the same time, a more intense, purer, and even anciently imbued power emanated from it! The scorching heat spread uncontrollably from Lin Changheng's body, causing the temperature of the entire cave to rise sharply, the rock walls glowing slightly red. Three more days passed. Less than four days remained before the secret realm opened its exit and he could fall into slumber. Lin Changheng had already gone three days without sleep. Finally, he had completely extracted and fed the "Mysterious Fire Essence" contained within the forty-odd demon cores, transforming it all into resources for the growth of the [Dark Radiance Mysterious Flame]! The demon cores piled up beside him had now faded in color and lost much of their spirituality, like stubborn rocks drained of their essence. This was not enough. He flipped his hand and took out the [Crimson Jade Sword Orchid], which he had obtained from the trouble-bringing cultivator, had grown beside the Crimson Flame Rhinoceros herd for over five hundred years, and had already undergone a positive transformation. Deep within this herb, there was a more refined "Mysterious Fire Essence" that had been perfectly integrated with the aura of the [Mysterious Fire Spirit Rhinoceros] for hundreds of years, almost becoming a special mark deeply etched into the spiritual plant. Lin Changheng did not hesitate and extracted it with even more careful techniques. This mark was more condensed and gentle than that in the demon cores, yet it carried a profound sense of weightiness accumulated over the years. He gently placed it into the [Dark Radiance Mysterious Flame]. "Boom!" The Dark Flame suddenly surged, its golden hue expanding several times in an instant, almost filling half of his dantian! An aura far more powerful, more solid, and even carrying a hint of ancient majesty emanated from the Dark Flame. The color of the flame, within its golden hue, already faintly revealed a noble "purple-gold radiance"! Lin Changheng's heart was filled with excitement. He could clearly sense that after being nourished by a large amount of "mysterious fire essence," especially with the integration of the final mysterious fire imprint, the Dark Flame had reached an unprecedented level of strength! Its grade was already infinitely close to the mid-grade of the third rank! It only needed an opportunity, a suitable "resource" or a thorough "tempering" to break through that barrier, achieve a qualitative leap, and officially advance into a powerful strange fire capable of threatening or even severely injuring a True Core cultivator! "Within reach—only the last step is left!" Lin Changheng's eyes flashed with a sharp light.
Once he reaches the middle stage of the third tier, his power will be far beyond what it is now. Whether used for combat, alchemy, or as an aid to cultivation, it will bring about profound changes.
He composed himself, suppressing his surging thoughts, and slowly rose: "The matter here is over, and all that I've gained has been transformed into strength. It's time to go—to meet the true core of this secret realm."
He gazed at the distant areas where spiritual energy soared into the sky, concealing enormous phenomena and violent energy fluctuations. That was where the opportunities and risks of the [Jiazi Secret Realm] were most concentrated.
He took out the obviously injured humanoid puppet again, urging it forward, rushing towards the core area. He himself blurred, transforming into a dim stream of light, following behind.
Behind him, only the still-erecting crimson volcano spewing scorching heat and the lingering stench of blood deep within the lair remained.
Half a day passed in the blink of an eye.
This was now the true core area of the secret realm, rich in spiritual energy, yet fraught with danger.
Lin Changheng emerged from behind a massive, deafening waterfall,
his eyes gleaming with surprise.
This waterfall was no ordinary stream; it was "heavy water," imbued with pure water essence and a trace of the earth's chill.
For water-based cultivators, places with pure water essence were considered treasure troves for cultivation, but the presence of heavy water was akin to honey mixed with poison—
irresistible yet impossible to absorb.
Moreover, the force of this waterfall was astonishing; even ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators would struggle to withstand it for long.
If Lin Changheng hadn't achieved mastery in body refinement and possessed protective magical power, even venturing upstream to investigate what lay beyond the waterfall would have required considerable effort.
The reason for this thought was that Lin Changheng had sensed from afar that the waterfall was covered by an extremely sophisticated concealment array, perfectly integrated with the surrounding water vapor and rock textures!
If his Four-Colored Divine Light hadn't reached perfection, making him exceptionally sensitive to the flow of spiritual energy array light, he would have been unable to detect the hidden world within.
"There's no treasure here, why bother?"
Lin Changheng's vigilance surged,
and he began to investigate. His caution and persistence paid off.
Beyond the waterfall, the mountain wasn't solid; there was a naturally formed, exceptionally dry, waterless cave!
Using Xuan Yan to traverse the formation and fire escape techniques to enter, Lin Changheng was already adept at the route.
Once inside, the view opened up dramatically.
Lin Changheng quickly discovered numerous traces of intense combat on the stone walls near the cave entrance!
Claw marks, scorch marks, sword marks, and dents from the impact of some heavy weapon—judging from the lingering aura, at least one of the combatants was a powerful second-tier demonic beast, while the other side was clearly human cultivators, and more than one!
These traces, both old and new, indicated that the battle had lasted for some time and was quite fierce.
Lin Changheng's gaze was ultimately drawn to one particular mark: a terrifying hole, the size of a bowl, running straight through a section of stone wall near the depths of the cave
!
The edges of the hole were smooth, showing the characteristics of being instantly pierced by something extremely sharp. Even after a considerable amount of time, a chilling, piercing sharpness, as if capable of penetrating the soul, could still be felt from the remaining traces!
"This is—a magic weapon embryo! And it's left behind by a magic weapon embryo that has been nurtured to an extremely high level, already close to its complete form!"
Lin Changheng's eyes narrowed slightly.
A magic weapon embryo with such power must have belonged to at least a top-tier Foundation Establishment cultivator! Judging from the shape of the hole and the residual aura, it was very likely a magic weapon embryo of the halberd type!
"It seems that this group of cultivators encountered a guardian demon beast here. After a fierce battle, they finally used the thunderous strike of this magic weapon halberd to severely injure or even kill the demon beast."
Lin Changheng speculated, his gaze sweeping across the cave floor. Sure enough, in some inconspicuous corners, he found traces of blood that had turned black but were still recognizable as belonging to some kind of large demon beast, along with scattered fragments of broken scales.
The demon beast was dead, and the cultivators seemed to have left as well.
But why set up a concealment array?
Unless—there's something they couldn't take away deep inside the cave?
Lin Changheng no longer hesitated and flashed into the cave.
The cave wasn't too deep, but the interior space was quite large. He explored inwards following the traces of the battle and the faint guidance of spiritual energy, quickly arriving at the deepest part of the cave.
Here, there was a small stalactite forest, with a naturally formed stone basin in the center. Above the stone basin, a thick stalactite tip was slowly, drop by drop, condensing a milky white liquid that emitted a refreshing fragrance and abundant, pure spiritual energy!
Then it dripped into the basin.
"This is—[Stalactite Spiritual Milk]?!"
Lin Changheng's pupils shrank as he recognized it.
Stalagmite spiritual milk is born from the essence of heaven and earth, an excellent material for refining various high-level pills, especially effective for stabilizing one's foundation and breaking through realms. And the one accumulating in the stone basin and the one condensing on the stalactite, judging from its color, fragrance, and concentration of spiritual energy, was clearly a third-grade treasure!
However, in the stone basin below, there was only a shallow layer of spiritual milk.
Clearly, it had been removed.
But that wasn't the key point. Lin Changheng noticed residual white marks on the wall of the stone basin, three inches higher.
Lin Changheng's nose twitched slightly. He reached out and wiped some away, then his eyes suddenly changed, shining with a terrifying brightness: "It's actually [Centennial Stalagmite Milk]?"
[Stalgia Spiritual Milk], under special conditions, can undergo transformation after a hundred years of sedimentation.
It becomes [Centennial Stalagmite Milk]!
Its value increases several times over, enough to drive a Foundation Establishment cultivator mad!
What made Lin Changheng's heart race even faster was that this substance was one of the three main ingredients for refining the third-tier spiritual pill, [Dust-Clearing Pill]!
How difficult it was to find the main ingredients for the Dust-Clearing Pill! Unexpectedly, he had encountered a considerable amount of [Centennial Stalagmite Milk] here!
"This stalagmite milk is clearly still being generated, albeit slowly, but the source is not exhausted."
Lin Changheng instantly understood the cultivators' intention in setting up the array. "They took most of it, killed the guardian beast, but couldn't take away this continuously producing milk source." Setting up the array to conceal it was to leave it for future generations of the sect to collect, as a long-term resource point!
Unfortunately, although their array was ingenious, it encountered Lin Changheng, an "anomaly" with divine light techniques, and could not completely block his observation.
"If Heaven gives something and you don't take it, you will suffer the consequences. Heaven let me discover this milk remnant, most likely with the intention of giving it to me—"
Lin Changheng's eyes were sharp. "Those cultivators left not long ago, and the traces of battle are still fresh." He might be able to catch up, and with some kind persuasion, they might be willing to lend me some of this milk.
After leaving the waterfall and exploring for a while, he resolutely headed straight in a certain direction.
It's unclear whether these cultivators were quite confident in their group's strength or simply in a hurry, as they only slightly concealed their tracks without completely erasing them.
This made it easy for the unsuspecting Lin Changheng to discover their presence, and he silently followed.
It must be said that the terrain of the core area of the secret realm was becoming increasingly complex and bizarre, filled with unstable spatial folds and violent spiritual energy currents.
After tracking for about half an hour, Lin Changheng stopped at the edge of a relatively open depression surrounded by twisted, strange rocks, and quietly concealed himself behind a huge rock. His
pseudo-Core Formation level divine sense spread out, and the scene in the center of the depression came into view.
There were three people in total.
All were Purple Extreme Sect cultivators in purple robes with gold patterns.
The leader was a cultivator wielding a halberd that was entirely dark gold, its blade gleaming coldly, exuding a chilling and sharp aura. This person was thin, but his face was resolute, and his aura was extremely solid, clearly indicating that he was at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage.
Beside him were two men. One was a short, stout old man holding a compass, his cultivation at the late Foundation Establishment stage, who was examining something.
The other was a burly, bald man, as imposing as an iron tower, his cultivation at the peak of Foundation Establishment. His bronze skin shimmered with a metallic sheen, clearly indicating he was also a body cultivator, but he was busy holding array plates and flags.
"It's him."
Lin Changheng was taken aback; the man looked familiar. He had indeed met him before.
His name was Jin Daoyao, a second-tier high-grade array master from the Ziji Sect. He had been invited by Mo Zhaoli to hunt demons in the near-third-tier spiritual land of the Wilderness, and this man had been his companion.
Now, his cultivation had advanced further, reaching the peak of Foundation Establishment, and he was probably seeking to form his core.
Not far from their feet lay a corpse. Judging from its clothing, it seemed to be a cultivator from a small force. A large, charred hole in its chest indicated it was dead, likely killed by the three men after their encounter.
At this moment, the three of them did not enter the ancient, rustic stone hall with its tightly closed stone door, which was clearly a relic from ancient times, but instead were surrounding the stone hall, nervously and systematically setting up an array!
Lin Changheng watched intently. With his second-tier, low-grade, high-quality array mastery, he could easily see that the placement of the array flags and the direction of the connecting spiritual patterns possessed the dual effects of powerful sealing and divine sense shielding!
Subtle rays of spiritual light flowed along specific trajectories, gradually enveloping the seemingly ordinary yet heavy and ancient stone door of the stone hall, isolating it from the aura and movement of the inside and outside.
"This is—they're afraid that too much noise during the exploration will attract others, or they're worried that any unusual activity inside the stone hall might leak out?"
Lin Changheng understood.
It seemed that they valued this stone hall quite a bit and also harbored a desire to possess it exclusively.
Soon, the array was completed, a flash of light appeared, and then disappeared. The stone hall seemed to blend even more seamlessly into its surroundings, and without prior knowledge, it would be extremely difficult to detect anything unusual.
The thin cultivator wielding the halberd exchanged a glance with Jin Daoyao, nodded, and then gave a few instructions to the short, stout old man.
The short, stout old man patted his chest, indicating that he understood. After pulverizing the cold corpse on the ground with a single blow, he took his compass and retreated to a better vantage point at the edge of the formation. He used the compass to activate the earth's energy, concealing himself and warily surveying his surroundings, clearly intending to stay outside and guard the entrance.
The thin cultivator and Jin Daoyao, without hesitation, moved swiftly, disappearing into the stone hall's entrance shrouded by the formation as if passing through a curtain of water.
In the depression, only the short, stout old man, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, remained. He appeared focused on his vigilance, but a hint of complacency stemming from confidence lurked deep in his eyes.
Aside from the arrival of a large number of cultivators from the [Southern Palace], their side was practically invincible. Hadn't the two Southern Palace cultivators who dared to confront them last time met their demise?
"An opportunity!"
Lin Changheng's eyes turned cold.
The three opponents were not weak, especially the halberd-wielding cultivator and Jin Daoyao. However, with the two deep inside the stone hall and only an old man guarding the outside, it was the perfect opportunity to defeat them one by one!
He had to act quickly, eliminating the guard and seizing control of the stone hall entrance before the two inside noticed anything amiss!
He took a deep breath, pushing the "Shadow Escape Technique" and the "Concealing Breath Demon Technique" to their limits, his figure seemingly melting into the air.
The next moment, he moved!
There was no earth-shattering sound, only a blurry phantom, dimmer than a shadow and faster than a breeze, silently slid out from behind the rock, skimming the ground, approaching the short, stout old man with almost ghostly speed!
To deal with a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, he needed a fatal blow, giving the opponent no chance to raise an alarm!
At the same time, with a slight thought, two flames leaped in his right palm, hidden beneath his sleeve, and merged with his five fingers—
as the [Mysterious Fire Furnace Technique] improved, it became effortless and quick to take shape!
It transformed into a strange flame of gold and blue, possessing both extreme cold and heat, coiling around Lin Changheng's palm.
"Ice and Fire Tai Chi Flame!"
Lin Changheng's approach was swift, silent, and unpredictable!
The short, stout old man's mind was mostly focused on the "outsiders" who might appear in the distance, completely unaware of the murderous intent that was so close, already blending into the environment.
Just as his gaze swept over a patch of jagged rocks on his left, and he was about to turn to his right, a strange, piercing pain, a mixture of extreme heat and extreme cold, suddenly shot through his back, along with a deadly crisis that sent shivers down his spine!
"Not good!" he roared in horror. His late-stage Foundation Establishment stage reaction speed made him instinctively want to unleash his magic power, activate his protective shield and spiritual artifact, and simultaneously open his mouth to scream!
But it was too late!
Lin Changheng's thoughts shifted, and a cloud of mist descended upon the short, stout old man. The next instant, an illusion entered his mind,
causing a brief mental breakdown!
At the same time, the "Ice and Fire Tai Chi Flame" had silently and gently landed on the back of the short, stout old man.
There was no deafening roar, only an extremely soft "plop" sound, like a hot knife cutting into solidified fat.
The extreme heat and extreme cold contained within the "Ice and Fire Tai Chi Flame," upon contact, did not explode, but rather erupted in a more bizarre and thorough way!
The short, stout old man felt a numbness in his back, followed by an indescribable pain that instantly spread throughout his body!
He felt as if his heart had been thrown into a furnace and vaporized in an instant, then frozen and shattered in icy ice. Extreme heat and extreme cold energies, like two venomous dragons, raged wildly along his blood vessels and meridians, instantly carbonizing and turning to ice powder wherever they passed, extinguishing his life force at a terrifying speed!
His eyes bulged, bloodshot, and his face instantly lost all color, unable to even fully display a final expression of horror.
His magical shield didn't even have time to light up before silently collapsing under the onslaught of the intertwined ice and fire. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out; only a wisp of strange blue smoke mixed with the aura of burnt ice crystals escaped from his mouth and nose.
His body convulsed violently twice, then stiffened completely. All his life force was utterly annihilated in less than half a breath by the domineering and eerie dual attributes of the "Ice and Fire Tai Chi Flame"!
Then, the short, stout old man slumped forward.
Lin Changheng waved his hand, unleashing a burst of magical power that captured the corpse along with the fallen compass. With a thought, he stored it within the [Blessed Land of the Pot], leaving only a wisp of lingering, strange aura, still carrying a burnt and icy scent.
From launching the attack to collecting the body, the entire process was lightning fast, less than a breath! The actual contact time for the kill was only a fleeting instant!
Clean, swift, and silent!
"The first one."
Lin Changheng didn't even glance at the spot where the corpse had disappeared, his heart unmoved, as if he had merely brushed away a speck of dust.
His aura remained perfectly concealed, his gaze calmly fixed on the stone hall entrance shrouded in the array.
"The guards are gone, the array intact, the people inside shouldn't have noticed yet."
Lin Changheng's mind raced. "Should I infiltrate now, or wait for them to emerge and wait for them to attack?"
He quickly assessed the situation.
Infiltrating carried some risk; the situation inside the stone hall was unknown, and the two opponents were formidable.
However, if they were to emerge, they would likely have already obtained the treasures within the hall. Moreover, since the two were together and had discovered the old man's death, they would be on guard, making them even more difficult to deal with.
"Perhaps, catching them off guard is the best strategy!"
Lin Changheng's eyes sharpened, and he made a decision.
Since he could silently kill the old man guarding the outside, he could also quietly observe and understand the situation inside, relying on the strength of his divine sense and divine light. In addition, he could also silently infiltrate the formation and approach the other party, so he might be able to kill them instantly as well!
To be on the safe side, he did not immediately enter, but instead used his divine light to carefully observe the formation that enveloped the stone hall's entrance.
This formation combined sealing and shielding, and was quite ingenious, but it also had weaknesses.
Through the flow of the formation's spiritual light, he quickly found a relatively weak point.
At this time, using Xuan Yan and Fire Escape to penetrate the formation, he could not reveal any abnormal phenomena or alarms!
"Buzz~"
The scene before Lin Changheng's eyes changed, and he had already passed through the stone door and entered the interior of the stone hall. Instantly
, an even more ancient, somber, and subtly oppressive aura swept over us.