Innate Second Stage

After washing himself, Zhong Shan put his clothes into the hot spring and washed them as well. Once he was done, he discovered that there was actually a huge, oddly jutting rock beside the spring, almost as if it had been specially placed there for him to dry his clothes.

The rock was slightly warm. Perhaps even if his clothes were not left out to dry, the rock could bake them dry.

In the hot spring, Zhong Shan felt the powerful heat entering his body. On a whim, he dove downward. Would it be even hotter at the bottom?

At the Innate Stage, one could already breathe internally and hold one's breath underwater for a long time. Moreover, Zhong Shan knew the Turtle Breath Technique, so diving was child's play for him.

He slowly swam toward the center of the spring, then quickly sank toward the bottom. The farther down he went, the higher he found the water temperature, while streams of tiny bubbles rose from below.

Zhong Shan continued diving. After some time, he finally felt the temperature of boiling water—one hundred degrees.

But Zhong Shan was now at the Innate Stage. He was not afraid of the great kiln at all, so why would he fear this little bit of heat? He continued downward. The water temperature remained unchanged, but gradually, Zhong Shan sensed something even hotter.

It was Fire Essence. When it touched his body, it felt as though a flame were burning him. Although it appeared only as a wisp now and then, Zhong Shan was certain that the deeper he went, the more abundant this Fire Essence would become.

That wisp of Fire Essence suddenly invigorated Zhong Shan, who practiced the Great Yang Divine Skill. Yes, this is the heat! It's even hotter than inside the kiln. I must absorb it. Only by absorbing it can I break through more easily.

As he descended, the Fire Essence grew dense enough that he could sense a current every breath. Zhong Shan felt every pore on his body boiling. He was now at the peak of the First Innate Stage; with a little more absorption, he would be able to break through.

If only there were a quiet meditation room here. I can't cultivate properly in this place.

Just as Zhong Shan was growing disappointed, he suddenly spotted a cave at the bottom of the water. Faint red light seeped through from the other side.

The deeper he had dived, the darker the bottom had become. This sudden red light quickly drew Zhong Shan's attention.

Looking toward the source of the red glow, Zhong Shan was startled. He slowly approached it. The cave was just large enough for one person to enter.

Zhong Shan slowly dived inside. The farther in he went, the brighter the red light became, and the more abundant the Fire Essence was. Zhong Shan happily absorbed it.

Zhong Shan restrained his excitement. He had thought of a certain term: a cave heaven. Could this be a blessed cave-heaven paradise?

After moving sideways for the time it took an incense stick to burn, he finally passed through the passage. The place was filled with red light, and there was another underwater passage leading up and down. There was no way farther below. As for above the hot spring from earlier...

Zhong Shan quickly swam upward. After swimming for some time, he reached the surface.

"Splaaash~~~~~~~~~~~~"

Zhong Shan's head broke through the water.

The interior was suffused with red light. Zhong Shan saw that it was actually a completely enclosed mountain cave, with only one entrance—the passage through which he had come. At the other end of the cave was a platform. Stark naked, Zhong Shan quickly climbed onto it.

After climbing onto the platform, Zhong Shan looked toward the corner, where the red light originated.

There was a plant with black roots and stems, two purple leaves, and a fist-sized, bright-red fruit growing at its top.

The red fruit was the source of the light. It radiated an enormous amount of red light, and flames seemed to burn around it. Zhong Shan knew that they were not flames, but energy—Fire Essence. No wonder the Fire Essence here was so dense.

Swallowing hard, Zhong Shan knew that he had struck treasure this time. Although he did not know the origin of this scarlet fruit, its aura alone showed that it was absolutely top-grade.

Should he pick the spirit fruit? Zhong Shan did not dare. Swallow it? He dared even less.

The mountain cave was filled with drifting Fire Essence, while his own True Qi was still extremely lacking in comparison.

Sitting cross-legged, Zhong Shan quickly began practicing the Great Yang Divine Skill. An hour later, he discovered that cultivating the Great Yang Divine Skill here was more than ten times faster than in the kiln. Having felt the benefits of this place, Zhong Shan immediately decided that he would cultivate here from then on.

After taking one look at the Flame Fruit, Zhong Shan swiftly leaped into the water. He dived down and soon emerged from the other side of the cave, returning to the passage beneath the hot spring.

He swam to the spring's entrance, retrieved his clothes, Wind Chasing Boots, great saber, and provisions, then dived down again. Once he reached the passage entrance, he entered the small cave heaven within.

Zhong Shan temporarily named this small cave heaven the Flame Fruit Cave Heaven. He found a large rock and blocked the entrance connected to the hot spring below, at the very least preventing the red light from leaking out.

After that, he shut himself away inside to cultivate. When he was hungry, he ate some provisions. When he was thirsty, he drank some water.

The red light inside mainly came from the fruit, while the Fire Essence itself had no color. Zhong Shan had never expected the energy to condense enough to become visible. Being able to cultivate here was already more than enough for him.

One month later.

"Ha~~~~~~~~~~~~"

Zhong Shan let out a furious roar and punched with both fists. A thick, fiery-red Baleful Qi streamed from his fists.

The Second Innate Stage.

At last, after four months, he had reached the Second Innate Stage.

Feeling his own cultivation, Zhong Shan's eyes shone with intense satisfaction. Then dissatisfaction replaced it once more. The Sky Splitting Crown Prince reached the Nascent Soul Stage long ago, didn't he? His eyes turned cold as he reaffirmed his determination to work hard.

His provisions were gone. He had to return and make more.

He took a gentle look at the Flame Fruit. It was all thanks to you. Then he leaped into the water.

When he emerged from the cave entrance, he found a large rock and blocked the opening, then floated up toward the surface of the hot spring lake.

Once he reached the surface, he used his True Essence to dry his clothes. With the great saber on his back, he sprinted toward the place where he had come a month earlier.

Along the way, he encountered demonic beasts. He did not dare provoke the formidable ones. When he encountered a Mountain Cat at the same level as the one before, however, he fought it once more. This time, he used neither the Red Phoenix Heavenly Scripture nor the Heavenly Devil Body Tempering Great Technique, yet he still dealt with the Mountain Cat. Although he was covered in blood, he was clearly much stronger than before.

Four months had passed. In the fourth month, Zhong Shan reached the Second Innate Stage.

At dusk, he returned to his small courtyard with the Mountain Cat's corpse.

Zhong Shan had also hung a small plaque at the courtyard, naming it the Listening Water Pavilion.

After putting down the Mountain Cat's corpse, he looked at his vegetable garden and fields. The rice had ripened, and the vegetables were ready as well.

He spent a day harvesting all the vegetables and rice. After making some food, he continued cultivating.

Five days later, he planted new vegetables and crops in the garden and fields. Zhong Shan prepared to take the provisions he had made over the past few days and head to the Flame Fruit Cave Heaven again.

"Zhong Shan, you're back? Why couldn't I find you these past few days?" Tian Ling'er's voice suddenly came from outside.

"Have you harvested all the vegetables? I was planning to take some back to eat." Nan Batian's voice sounded again.

Frowning slightly, Zhong Shan put away the provisions he had prepared and walked out of the courtyard.

"Ling Er, Batian." Zhong Shan greeted the two of them gently when he saw them.

"Where have you been these past few days?" Tian Ling'er asked.

"In the mountains, fighting demonic beasts and tempering my techniques." Zhong Shan looked at the two of them and answered with a slight frown.

"No wonder I couldn't find you despite coming several times. I'm already at the Innate Ninth Stage now—the Third Senior Sister of the third generation!" Tian Ling'er suddenly said with a smile.

"Have you broken through in the past month?" Nan Batian also looked at Zhong Shan.

"The Second Innate Stage." Zhong Shan answered honestly.

"Good. Once you reach the Sixth Stage, I'll spar with you again. I can't hold back right now." Nan Batian smiled.

"Thank you." Zhong Shan replied honestly.

"But Zhong Shan, you have to work hard. I heard Father say that someone has already cultivated their innate technique to the Third Stage." Tian Ling'er spoke at once.

"The Third Stage?" Zhong Shan frowned. Someone is stronger than me?

"Mm, but that's normal. The first five stages of an innate technique are the easiest to practice, and the farther you go, the harder they become. When I first entered the Innate Stage, it took me only two months to reach the Third Stage—the same cultivation speed as Senior Brother." Tian Ling'er spoke proudly.

"Senior Brother?" Zhong Shan frowned and looked at Tian Ling'er.

"Senior Brother is incredibly powerful. In his first year after joining the Kaiyang Sect, he cultivated to the Sixth Innate Stage and formed True Essence. Then, in three years, he directly cultivated to the Tenth Innate Stage. After another two years, he broke through the Innate Stage and reached the Golden Core Stage. Later, Father took him as his chief disciple. He's also the strongest person at the Golden Core Stage right now." Tian Ling'er proudly recounted Senior Brother's accomplishments as though listing precious treasures.

"No, that may not be true anymore. Bei Qing Si of Snow Bamboo Peak also cultivates extraordinarily quickly. Although she joined the Kaiyang Sect fifty years after Senior Brother, her cultivation speed is not inferior to his at all. Perhaps she may even advance to the Nascent Soul Stage faster than Senior Brother." Nan Batian spoke.

Hearing this, Tian Ling'er puffed out her cheeks and said stubbornly, "Sister Qing Si is powerful, but Senior Brother is definitely stronger than her."

"Perhaps." Nan Batian could only answer helplessly.

"Wait a moment. I found some tea in the mountains a while ago. It tastes pretty good. I'll make some for you." Zhong Shan shook his head.

The two of them still spoke with a hint of childishness. Perhaps I'm just old. Zhong Shan laughed at himself.

He brewed a pot of tea and brought it outside the small courtyard. There was a stone table in the yard. No matter what, the two of them had helped him before, so Zhong Shan rarely gave himself half a day off and sat with them for a chat.

As the two of them continued talking, Zhong Shan also learned that Bei Qing Si was the chief disciple of Gu Shuangzi, master of Snow Bamboo Peak. Within the Kaiyang Sect, she was known as the Third Senior Sister of the second generation, a genius who had been the third person of her generation to reach the Golden Core Stage.

Senior Brother was named Tian Sha, the foremost person of the second generation in the Kaiyang Sect. Tian Ling'er greatly worshiped Senior Brother—or, more precisely, admired him romantically. Senior Brother, however, had always treated her as a little girl.

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