Innate Second Stage

After washing his body and putting his clothes in the hot spring to clean, Zhong Shan discovered that beside the hot spring, there was a large, protruding rock, as if it were specifically for him to dry his clothes.

The large rock was slightly warm. Perhaps, even if his clothes weren't dried by the air, they would be baked dry by the rock.

In the hot spring, Zhong Shan felt a powerful heat. Feeling this heat enter his body, a thought suddenly struck him. He dived down. Would the bottom be even hotter?

At the Innate Stage, one could perform internal breathing and hold their breath for a long time underwater. Moreover, Zhong Shan also knew the Turtle Breath Technique, so diving was too easy for him.

Slowly swimming towards the center of the hot spring, he quickly sank towards the bottom. The further down he went, the higher the water temperature Zhong Shan found, with small bubbles rising from below.

Zhong Shan continued to dive. After diving for a while, he finally felt the temperature of boiling water, one hundred degrees.

However, Zhong Shan was now at the Innate Stage. He wasn't afraid at all in the great kiln, so would he be afraid of this bit of high temperature? He continued to dive. The water temperature didn't change, but slowly, Zhong Shan felt something even hotter.

Fire Essence. When it touched his body, it felt like a fire burning him. Although only a trace appeared occasionally, Zhong Shan was certain that further down, this Fire Essence would be even more abundant.

Because that trace of Fire Essence suddenly invigorated Zhong Shan, who practiced the Great Yang Divine Skill. Yes, it was this high temperature, even higher than that in the kiln. Absorption, only by absorbing, could he break through more easily.

Going down, when the Fire Essence became so dense that he could sense a surge every breath, Zhong Shan felt all the pores on his body boiling. He was now at the peak of the Innate First Stage. If he absorbed more, he could break through.

How wonderful it would be if there was a quiet cultivation room here. He couldn't cultivate properly here at all.

Just as Zhong Shan was feeling disappointed, he suddenly saw a cave at the bottom of the water over there. Through the cave, a faint red light shone.

One should know that the deeper he dived, the darker the bottom became. This sudden red light quickly attracted Zhong Shan.

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

Zhong Shan slowly dived into it. The further he dived inside, the stronger the red light became, and the more Fire Essence there was. Zhong Shan happily absorbed the Fire Essence.

Zhong Shan suppressed the excitement in his heart, because he thought of a term, Cave Heaven. Could this be a blessed Cave Heaven?

He moved horizontally for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, finally passing through the passage. This place was filled with red light, and it was another underwater passage going up and down. There was no bottom, just like the previous hot spring. What about the top?

Zhong Shan quickly swam upwards. After swimming for a while, he reached the surface.

"Splash~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"

Zhong Shan's head emerged from the water.

Inside, it was a sea of red light. Zhong Shan saw that it was actually a completely enclosed cave-like place. There was only one entrance, which was the passage he came through. On the other side of the cave was a platform. Zhong Shan, naked, quickly climbed onto it.

Zhong Shan climbed onto the platform and looked towards the corner, the source of the red light.

A plant, with a black root system and two purple leaves. At the top of the plant, a fist-sized red fruit grew.

The red fruit was the source of the red light. The red fruit emitted a large amount of red light, and around the red fruit, it seemed as if flames were burning. Zhong Shan knew that it wasn't flames, but spiritual energy, Fire Essence. No wonder the Fire Essence here was so dense.

Swallowing his saliva, Zhong Shan knew that he had found a treasure this time. Although he didn't know the origin of this fiery red fruit, just from the aura it emitted, he could tell that it was definitely a top-grade item.

Take out the spiritual fruit? Zhong Shan didn't dare to now. Consume it? Even less so.

A large amount of Fire Essence floated in the cave. His True Qi was still very lacking in this spiritual energy.

Sitting cross-legged, Zhong Shan quickly practiced the Great Yang Divine Skill. An hour later, Zhong Shan found that the cultivation speed of the Great Yang Divine Skill inside was more than ten times faster than in the kiln before. Feeling the benefits brought by this place, Zhong Shan immediately decided that he would cultivate here from now on.

Looking at the Flame Fruit, Zhong Shan quickly jumped into the water, dived, and quickly exited the cave from the other end, returning to the previous hot spring passage.

Swimming to the entrance of the hot spring, he retrieved his clothes, Wind Chasing Boots, and broadsword, took his dry food, and dived down again. He reached the entrance of the passage and entered the small Cave Heaven inside.

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

Next, he began cultivating in seclusion inside. When he was hungry, he ate some dry rations. When he was thirsty, he drank some water.

The red light inside was mainly emitted by the fruit, while the Fire Essence had no color. Zhong Shan didn't expect the essence to become so dense that it would show color; being able to cultivate here was enough.

A month later.

"Hah~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"

Zhong Shan roared, swinging his fists. A strong, fiery red killing intent emanated from his fists.

Innate Second Stage.

Finally, after four months, he reached the Innate Second Stage.

Zhong Shan felt his cultivation and a strong sense of satisfaction appeared in his eyes. Then, dissatisfaction replaced it again. Sky Splitting Crown Prince reached the Nascent Soul Stage a long time ago, right? His eyes turned cold, and he reaffirmed his resolve to work harder.

His dry rations were depleted; he had to go back and make more.

He glanced at the Flame Fruit. Thanks to it, he leaped into the water.

When he emerged from the cave entrance, he found a large stone to block it before floating to the surface of the hot spring lake.

Once on the surface, he used his True Qi to dry his clothes, slung the large saber over his back, and sprinted towards the place he had come from a month ago.

Along the way, he also encountered Demon Beasts. He didn't dare provoke the powerful ones. When he encountered ones at the same level as the Mountain Cat from last time, Zhong Shan fought one. This time, he didn't use the Red Phoenix Heavenly Scripture or 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 Innate Second Stage.

In the evening, carrying the Mountain Cat's corpse, he returned to his small courtyard.

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

He put down the Mountain Cat's corpse and looked at his vegetable garden and fields. The rice had ripened, and the vegetables were also ready.

Zhong Shan spent a day harvesting all the vegetables and rice, made some food, and then continued cultivating.

Five days later, new vegetables were planted in the vegetable patch, and new seeds were sown in the fields. Zhong Shan prepared to take the dry rations he had made over the past few days and head back to the Flame Fruit Cave Heaven.

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

"You've harvested all the vegetables? I was planning to take some back to eat," Nan Batian's voice followed.

Frowning, Zhong Shan put away the prepared dry rations and walked out of the small courtyard.

"Ling'er, Batian," Zhong Shan greeted them softly when he saw them.

"Where did you go these past few days?" Tian Ling'er asked.

"In the mountains, fighting Demon Beasts to hone my cultivation techniques," Zhong Shan said, looking at the two with a frown.

"No wonder I couldn't find you after coming a few times. I'm already at the Innate Ninth Stage now, the third senior sister of the third generation!" Tian Ling'er suddenly smiled.

"Have you had any breakthroughs in the past month?" Nan Batian also looked at Zhong Shan and asked.

"Innate Second Stage," Zhong Shan replied truthfully.

"Good. When you reach the Sixth Stage, I'll spar with you again. I can't hold back now," Nan Batian said with a smile.

"Thank you," Zhong Shan said truthfully.

"But, Zhong Shan, you have to work hard. Dad said that now, someone has already cultivated an Innate technique to the third stage," Tian Ling'er immediately said.

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

"Yes, but that's normal. For Innate techniques, the first five stages are the easiest to practice. The further you go, the harder it gets. When I entered the Innate Stage, it only took me two months to reach the third stage, the same cultivation speed as Senior Brother," Tian Ling'er said proudly.

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

"Senior Brother, he's very powerful. In his first year of cultivation after entering the Kaiyang Sect, he cultivated to the Innate Sixth Stage and formed True Essence. Then, it took him three years to cultivate directly to the Innate Tenth Stage, and another two years to break through the Innate Stage and directly reach the Golden Core Stage. Later, my dad took him as his eldest disciple, and he is now the strongest in the Golden Core Stage," Tian Ling'er recalled Senior Brother proudly, as if listing family treasures.

"No, that's not necessarily true now. Bei Qing Si of Snow Bamboo Peak also has an exceptionally fast cultivation speed. Although she came to the Kaiyang Sect fifty years later than your Senior Brother, her cultivation speed is not weaker than his at all. Perhaps she will advance to the Nascent Soul Stage faster than Senior Brother, it's not impossible," Nan Batian said.

Hearing Nan Batian's words, Tian Ling'er pouted and said somewhat stubbornly, "Although Sister Qing Si is powerful, Senior Brother is definitely stronger than her."

"Perhaps," Nan Batian could only say helplessly.

"Wait a moment, I found some tea in the mountains a while ago. It tastes quite good. I'll get some for you," Zhong Shan shook his head and said.

Their conversation still felt a bit childish. Perhaps I'm getting old. Zhong Shan smiled self-deprecatingly.

He brewed a pot of tea and brought it outside the small courtyard. There was a stone table outside the courtyard. Regardless of everything, the two had helped him, and Zhong Shan rarely took half a day off for himself. He chatted with the two of them.

Subsequently, through their conversation, Zhong Shan also learned that Bei Qing Si was the eldest disciple of Gu Shuangzi, the master of Snow Bamboo Peak. In the Kaiyang Sect, she was called the Third Senior Sister of the second generation, the third genius of the second generation to reach the Golden Core Stage.

Senior Brother was named Tian Sha, the number one person of the second generation in the Kaiyang Sect. Tian Ling'er greatly admired Senior Brother, or perhaps it was more accurate to say she was infatuated with him. However, Senior Brother had always treated her as just a little girl.

PS: Begging for recommendation votes. Currently ranked eleventh, just one spot away from the list. Recommendation votes. Urgently need recommendation votes, and collections. Thank you.