Camel Ridge Mountain

Three short days passed in the blink of an eye.

Inside the cave abode, Zhang Tie sat with his eyes tightly shut, like a sleeping lion—quiet and steady. Yet amid that tranquil atmosphere, his eyelids suddenly trembled slightly, as though awakened by some invisible force.

With that subtle movement, Zhang Tie slowly opened his eyes. A streak of brilliance flashed through his originally pitch-black pupils like a meteor, vanishing instantly into their depths.

He drew a deep breath and felt the power within him, as vast and surging as a raging sea.

That power raced endlessly through his meridians like mighty rivers, while the force of blood and vitality hidden within his flesh was like a dormant beast, ready to erupt with astonishing might at any moment.

Zhang Tie was extremely satisfied with this powerful strength. He nodded lightly, and an almost imperceptible smile rose on his lips.

After several days of cultivation, all the demon beast blood essence he had used had been completely depleted. Yet his gains had far exceeded his expectations. Not only had his cultivation broken through to Mid Foundation Establishment in one stroke, but his body-refining realm had also reached Initial Marrow Forging. This was undoubtedly an immense leap forward.

Zhang Tie slowly clenched his fist. A series of crackling sounds rang out, as though his bones were cheering. The motion appeared simple, yet it contained boundless power. Even the surrounding air seemed to tremble faintly beneath it.

Only about half a month remained before the upper sect selection. Time was tight, and there was no room for delay. Zhang Tie knew that if he wanted to stand out in the selection, great strength alone was far from enough. He also needed a suitable magic artifact.

Therefore, before refining an artifact, he decided to find