Melting Demonic Cores, Exploring Movement Techniques

The night receded, and the dawn began to break. The morning in the Green Peak Mountain Range carried a refreshing coolness and the fragrance of grass and trees. Birds chirped merrily on the branches, and dewdrops rolled on the leaves, reflecting crystalline light. Everything appeared serene and peaceful, as if the brief and bloody battle of last night had never happened.

Lin Chen's figure, like a monkey, nimbly clung to a steep cliff face. His movements were swift and silent, each exertion perfectly placed, displaying a seasoned skill and flawless control over his own power that belied his age.

He was searching for a hiding place that was sufficiently safe and concealed.

Last night's spoils were truly abundant, especially those two precious Demonic Cores. The seventh-tier Dark Panther Core, in particular, contained such immense energy and a unique attribute that he was eager to refine and absorb it!

But he knew that refining Demonic Cores was not something that could be done overnight. Especially high-tier Demonic Cores, whose contained energy was more volatile and attributes more peculiar. The refining process could cause quite a stir and even take a considerable amount of time.

He needed to find a place that was absolutely safe and where he wouldn't be disturbed!

The outer regions of the Green Peak Mountain Range, while having relatively lower-level demonic beasts, also meant more frequent human activity. Whether it was lone hunters or organized mercenary groups, they could all pose a threat to him while he was cultivating.

Therefore, he chose to venture deeper, heading towards the less frequented inner regions where demonic beasts might be stronger.

With his strength at the Body Tempering Realm Seventh Layer and his keen senses, he carefully avoided the territories of obviously powerful demonic beasts and skirted around areas that might show signs of human activity.

Finally, deep within a treacherous canyon, he discovered a naturally formed, hidden cave concealed by dense vines.

The cave entrance was narrow, allowing only one person to pass sideways, but the interior was a different world, quite spacious, spanning over ten zhang in area. It was also dry and well-ventilated. Traces of unknown animal activity remained on the stone walls, but there was no aura of powerful demonic beasts.

More importantly, the cave's location was extremely secluded, situated midway up the cliff face. A rapid river flowed below, and steep rock walls rose above. It would be difficult to find without a thorough search.

"This is it!" Lin Chen's eyes lit up, and his heart settled.

He first meticulously inspected the cave's interior, ensuring there were no hidden dangers. Then, near the entrance, he used broken stones and vines to set up some simple camouflage and warning measures. Though rudimentary, they would at least provide an extra layer of security while he cultivated.

After completing these tasks, he finally relaxed and sat down cross-legged on a relatively flat stone surface deep within the cave.

He didn't immediately begin refining the Demonic Core. Instead, he took out some clean water and dry rations from his Storage Ring (prepared earlier just in case; though coarse, it was enough to fill his stomach). The night's travel and his previous intense cultivation had left him feeling somewhat hungry and tired.

He silently ate his rations and drank his water, simultaneously adjusting his breathing and calming his mind.

Breaking through to the Body Tempering Realm Seventh Layer had brought a surge in strength, but it also required time to settle and adapt. Especially with the impending refinement of a high-tier Demonic Core, he needed to maintain his optimal mental state.

About half an hour later, Lin Chen felt his spirit, energy, and mind had all recovered to their peak state.

His gaze intensely focused on the two Demonic Cores he had carefully taken out!

One was a thumb-sized, pure green Sixth-tier Green Wind Wolf King Demonic Core, emitting faint fluctuations of wind-attribute energy.

The other was the size of a dragon's eye, completely black, with flowing light on its surface, radiating a dense dark-attribute energy and a powerful, pure essence – a Seventh-tier Unicorn Black Panther Demonic Core!

"I'll start with this Sixth-tier Wind Wolf Demonic Core," Lin Chen decided.

Although the Seventh-tier Dark Panther Core was more tempting, its contained energy was also more volatile, and its attribute more peculiar. Refining it rashly would be too risky. It would be better to practice with this Sixth-tier Wind Wolf Demonic Core first, get familiar with the process of refining Demonic Cores, and at the same time, further enhance his strength and increase his chances.

He held the green Wind Wolf Demonic Core in his palm, feeling the agile and slightly sharp wind-attribute energy it contained.

With a thought, he communicated with the Myriad Dao Furnace!

"Melt!"

Buzz!

The furnace erupted with a deep, dark glow! A devouring force, more domineering and refined than that used for melting Spirit Stones, instantly enveloped the Demonic Core in his palm!

Crack!

A faint crisp sound! The surface of the incredibly hard Sixth-tier Demonic Core, capable of withstanding sword strikes, instantly showed a minute crack!

Following that!

Wisps of pure wind-attribute energy essence, like streaks of green smoke, along with more potent, attribute-less primal energy, were forcibly extracted from the Demonic Core as if under intense attraction! They surged madly into Lin Chen's body!

This energy was more than ten times purer than Low-grade Spirit Stones! It was even slightly superior to Mid-grade Spirit Stones! And it contained a trace of the artistic conception of wind?!

"Such pure energy! And the rhythm of the wind?!" Lin Chen was inwardly shocked!

He clearly felt that as this wind-attribute energy essence flowed in, not only was the true qi within his body rapidly increasing, but even his movement speed and reaction ability seemed to have gained a subtle, almost imperceptible improvement?! It was as if his understanding of the wind had deepened by a layer!

The Myriad Dao Furnace could not only purify energy but also refine and absorb the innate attributes and artistic conceptions of demonic beasts?!

This discovery made Lin Chen ecstatic!

Didn't this mean that as long as he refined enough Demonic Cores of different attributes, he could master all sorts of elemental powers? And even comprehend various laws and artistic conceptions?!

This… this was simply… omni-attribute dominance!

Lin Chen's heart pounded wildly! He felt a brand-new door leading to the path of invincibility slowly opening before him!

He suppressed his excitement and immediately focused his attention entirely on the refinement!

The Myriad Dao Furnace operated at high speed! It continuously extracted, purified, and transformed the energy contained within the Sixth-tier Wind Wolf Demonic Core, bit by bit!

And Lin Chen, like a sponge absorbing water, greedily absorbed this pure energy, along with the trace of wind's artistic conception it contained!

His cultivation, once again, began to steadily advance at a visible rate!

Time slowly passed in the silent cave.

Approximately two hours later.

When the green Demonic Core in Lin Chen's palm had completely lost all its luster, turning into a gray-white waste core like an ordinary pebble…

The true qi within Lin Chen's body finally reached a saturation point again!

And it was a peak of extremely solid foundation and maximally condensed true qi!

Not only that!

He could also clearly feel that his perception of wind had become sharper! When he used his movement techniques, he also felt lighter and more agile, as if he had become one with the wind!

Although this improvement was still very slight, it was an incredibly huge surprise!

"Just one Sixth-tier Wind Wolf Demonic Core had such an effect. Then what about this Seventh-tier Dark Panther Core?!" Lin Chen's eyes blazed with an unprecedented fervor, his gaze fixed on the eye-sized, pitch-black demonic core lying quietly beside him!

Dark attribute! Seventh-tier Demonic Beast!

The energy contained within it was undoubtedly far more magnificent, its attribute more bizarre, and its profound meaning more mysterious than the previous Wind Wolf Demonic Core!

If he were to refine and absorb it...

Lin Chen's heart began to pound uncontrollably again!

But he didn't start immediately.

He knew that the more powerful the energy, the greater the risk in refining it. Especially this rare dark attribute, which was full of unknowns and dangers.

He had to be fully prepared!

He first spent about half an hour completely stabilizing his realm, which had just broken through to the peak of the Sixth Layer, and adjusting his condition.

Then, he carefully held the Seventh-tier Dark Panther Core, which exuded a cold aura, in his palm.

It felt cold to the touch, yet it seemed to contain a strange power that devoured light! It made one's mind tremble!

"Come on! Let me see how strong you really are!" Lin Chen's eyes were firm, and he took a deep breath!

Myriad Dao Furnace! Activate at full power again!

"Melt!!!!!"

BOOM!!!!!!!!!

This time, the devouring power unleashed by the furnace was more terrifying and more overbearing than ever before!

It was like a true cosmic black hole, intending to completely devour and assimilate this demonic core containing the dark source!

Crack! Crackle!!!

The surface of the Seventh-tier Dark Panther Core, whose hardness far surpassed that of a Sixth-tier demonic core, was instantly covered with dense cracks!

Following that!

A viscous, black ink-like, immensely powerful essence of dark attribute energy, filled with negative auras such as coldness, death, devouring, and corrosion, along with even more vast and pure primordial energy, surged out of the demonic core like an out-of-control abyssal dragon! It fiercely rushed into Lin Chen's body!

"Ugh!!!!!"

Even though Lin Chen was prepared, he let out a muffled groan from the sudden, terrifying impact filled with negative energy! His face instantly turned ashen!

He felt a bone-chilling cold spread throughout his body, as if it were freezing his blood and dragging his soul into an endless dark abyss!

At the same time, the devouring and corrosive power contained within the dark energy was madly eroding his meridians, attempting to assimilate and destroy him!

What terrifying dark energy!

No wonder dark-attributed demonic beasts were so difficult to deal with and so feared!

If it were any other Body Tempering Realm martial artist, even one at the peak of the Seventh Layer, they would likely be completely eroded and assimilated the moment they came into contact with this energy, ultimately becoming a mindless dark puppet!

But Lin Chen had the Myriad Dao Furnace!

"Suppress it for me! Refine it!!!" Lin Chen roared inwardly, mobilizing all his focus and will, frantically urging the Myriad Dao Furnace!

Hummmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!

The Myriad Dao Furnace, fused with the Nine Aperture Dao Foundation, unleashed unprecedented brilliant black light! The nine mysterious apertures spun wildly like nine vortices that devoured heaven and earth!

A vast and unparalleled supreme power, capable of suppressing all heavens and myriad daos and purifying all filth, erupted with a roar!

It instantly suppressed and enveloped the rampant, negative-energy-filled dark energy within him! Then, like grinding, it slowly stripped, purified, and erased the negative attributes of coldness, death, devouring, and corrosion!

This process was far more difficult and painful than refining wind-attribute energy!

Lin Chen felt as if his body had become a battlefield! On one side, the cold and overbearing dark energy was madly eroding him! On the other side, the even more overbearing power of the furnace was forcibly suppressing and purifying it!

The violent clash of these two forces put unimaginable pressure on his meridians, as if they would snap at any moment! His consciousness was also suffering a tremendous impact, as if he were struggling back and forth between endless darkness and light!

But he gritted his teeth and held on tightly, his eyes filled with unyielding madness!

He knew this was a crisis, but even more so, it was a tremendous opportunity!

As long as he could successfully refine and absorb this dark energy completely, his strength would undoubtedly undergo another earth-shattering transformation! He might even comprehend a trace of the profound mysteries of darkness!

Time seemed to become incredibly long at this moment.

After an unknown amount of time.

Perhaps an hour, perhaps two, or perhaps even longer...

When the Seventh-tier Dark Panther Core in Lin Chen's palm finally lost all its luster and turned into a dull, lifeless waste stone...

The earth-shattering energy war within his body finally came to an end!

The Myriad Dao Furnace, relying on its heaven-defying power, had ultimately "tamed" the vast and overbearing dark energy, purifying all its negative attributes and impurities!

In the end, only a pure dark primordial energy remained, refined to the utmost extreme! Vast to the utmost extreme! It presented a profound, dark, yet seemingly boundless mystery and power!

And, even more immense and purer formless energy!

RUMBLE, RUMBLE, RUMBLE!!!!!!!!!

When this unprecedented, terrifying torrent of energy, like a dam bursting and releasing a world-ending flood, poured into Lin Chen's Dantian Sea of Qi, which had already reached the seventh layer, that solid and thick seventh-layer barrier couldn't even put up a decent resistance!

It was like it was made of paper!

Instantly shattered! Pierced through!

CRASH, CRASH, CRASH, CRASH, CRASH!!!!!!!!

True Qi liquefied! Condensed like mercury! Connecting heaven and earth!

Body Tempering Realm Seventh Layer Early Stage!

It happened naturally!

And!

This breakthrough was far from over!

That dark primordial energy and the vast formless energy continued to pour in like an endless ocean, driving his cultivation to continue soaring madly upwards!

Seventh Layer Early Stage Peak!

Seventh Layer Mid Stage!

Seventh Layer Mid Stage Peak!

Seventh Layer Late Stage!!!

Only after completely absorbing and refining the energy from the Seventh-tier Dark Panther Core did Lin Chen's cultivation finally stabilize at the Body Tempering Realm Seventh Layer Late Stage!!!

He was now just one step away from the Body Tempering Realm Eighth Layer!

"Huuu!!!"

Lin Chen slowly opened his eyes, exhaling a long breath of turbid air that carried a faint, dark aura.

His eyes became deeper! Darker! As if they could swallow all light! Dark runes faintly swirled within them!

The aura emanating from him also became more powerful! More restrained! More dangerous!

Body Tempering Realm Seventh Layer Late Stage!

In just over a day, he had crossed another major realm and advanced three minor realms!

If this cultivation speed were to spread, it would be enough to make the entire Qingyang Town tremble!

"The power of darkness is indeed formidable!" Lin Chen muttered to himself, feeling the completely different dark True Qi within his body, filled with an aura of devouring and concealment (although it retained a trace of dark primordial characteristics after being transformed by the Furnace), a hint of excitement flashing in his eyes!

He even felt as if he had truly grasped a sliver of the mysteries of darkness? Such as stealth? Concealment? Devouring?

With a thought, he tried to circulate the dark True Qi to its limit while simultaneously activating a breath-concealing technique.

Hum...

An incredible sight occurred!

His figure slowly began to fade in place! As if it were merging into the surrounding shadows! His aura became almost imperceptible, making him nearly impossible to detect!

"This... this is... Darkness Stealth?!" Lin Chen's heart was greatly shaken!

This was absolutely not the effect that his previous rudimentary breath-concealing technique could achieve! This was clearly a talent ability of some kind, born from comprehending the attribute of darkness!

The Myriad Dao Furnace could actually allow him to gain the innate abilities of demonic beasts by refining their cores?!

Lin Chen's heart pounded wildly once more at this heaven-defying discovery!

He quickly retracted the dark True Qi, and his figure became clear again.

"It seems I need to hunt more demonic beasts with special innate abilities in the future!" Lin Chen's eyes gleamed with greed!

The surge in his strength, coupled with the unexpected acquisition of "Darkness Stealth," filled Lin Chen with unprecedented confidence for the upcoming trials!

He stood up and stretched his limbs, feeling his body filled with explosive power!

It was time to leave this cave and explore a wider world!

However, before leaving...

His gaze fell upon the mysterious beast hide book he kept close to him.

After this significant increase in his strength and his slight comprehension of the mysteries of darkness, could he finally understand a little of the profound movement techniques recorded within?

With a hint of anticipation, Lin Chen sat down cross-legged again, carefully took out the beast hide book with the blank cover, and slowly turned to the first page