Crimson Sun Barbecue

The strong smell of blood permeated the forest, mixed with the scent of soil and humus, creating a primitive and wild atmosphere.

Li Yuan knelt beside the massive corpse of the Tusked Boar, his Iron Rod skillfully cutting a thick piece of muscle from its hind leg. The boar's hide had already been stripped and its tusks removed and set aside. At this moment, the greatest value this corpse held for him was the abundant blood energy it contained.

He cut off a deep red chunk of meat, weighing a full five or six catties. Muscles crisscrossed, the grain distinct, and it even trembled slightly, emitting a rich aura of life energy. Just being close to it, the "Crimson Sun" within his body felt a stronger, more direct craving than when he had previously absorbed the death energy from ore.

Eat it raw? Although the "Crimson Sun" could refine it, the strong fishy and gamey smell and the cold touch were ultimately uncomfortable.

A thought flashed through his mind.

He remembered that the power of the "Crimson Sun" was scorching, capable of refining the energy of dead silence. So, could it be used for... cooking?

With this thought, Li Yuan no longer hesitated. He held the heavy piece of raw meat in one hand, and with the other, he formed his fingers into a blade and gently pressed it onto the surface of the meat.

His consciousness sank into his Sea of Qi, activating the tiny "Crimson Sun."

A scorching airflow, thinner than a strand of hair and pale gold in color, slowly seeped from his fingertips. Like the most agile flame, it carefully enveloped the surface of the meat.

"Chh..."

A faint sound, different from the burning of ordinary flames, arose. The part of the meat that came into contact with the pale gold airflow rapidly changed at a speed visible to the naked eye!

The deep red surface of the meat instantly turned scorched yellow, and grease was forced out by the high temperature, emitting a pleasant "sizzling" sound. The rich aroma of meat, mixed with a wild, roasted scent, erupted violently, instantly overpowering the surrounding fishy and gamey smell!

This was not ordinary scorching. Under the precise control of the "Crimson Sun" power, the high temperature only affected a very shallow layer on the surface, instantly locking in all the internal juices and essence, without damaging the tender interior.

In just three to five breaths, the originally bloody raw meat had a golden-brown, crispy exterior, with rolling grease. The enticing aroma madly stimulated Li Yuan's sense of smell. Internally, however, it remained perfectly tender.

Li Yuan withdrew his fingers, looking at this piece of "Crimson Sun Roasted Meat" emitting astonishing heat and fragrance. His Adam's apple involuntarily bobbed. He could even feel that the blood energy essence contained within this meat, after the initial tempering by the "Crimson Sun" power, had become gentler and easier to absorb.

Without further hesitation, he opened his mouth and took a fierce bite of the scorching roasted meat!

"Crunch!"

The crispy outer skin shattered between his teeth, emitting a crisp sound. Immediately after, a surge of hot, delicious juice, mixed with the locked-in rich meat aroma, instantly filled his entire mouth! The meat was firm and springy, with the chewiness and wild flavor unique to Fierce Beasts. With every chew, it felt like he could sense the surging blood energy power within!

It was too delicious!

This far exceeded any food he had eaten in the past dozen years! It was not just the satisfaction of his palate, but a direct impact of life energy on his taste buds and soul!

He tore and swallowed large mouthfuls, like a glutton reborn.

And the moment this roasted meat, containing abundant blood energy, entered his stomach--

"Boom!"

It was like pouring a ladle of cold water into a sizzling hot oil pan! The "Crimson Sun" within his body began to operate with unprecedented ferocity!

The power of "Melting" was unleashed in full!

The roasted meat in his stomach was decomposed and refined at an astonishing speed! Far more immense, purer, and more violent than the beast meat soup and the dead silence energy, the blood and qi essence erupted like a mountain flood breaking through a dam, surging into his limbs and bones!

"Ugh--!"

Li Yuan couldn't help but let out a low growl, his skin instantly turning crimson, like a boiled shrimp! Rolling waves of heat steamed out from the pores all over his body, even forming a faint white mist around him!

His muscles madly absorbed this energy, like parched seedlings receiving timely rain, expanding and solidifying at an unprecedented speed! His bones crackled like a dense rain of banana leaves, becoming tougher and more compact! Under the surge of the majestic blood and qi, his meridians widened further, and the total amount of Crimson Sun Qi and Blood grew rapidly like a balloon being inflated!

He could "see" clearly how his gaunt body was becoming full and strong as if being inflated! His arms, chest, thighs... the outline of every muscle became clearer, filled with a greater sense of power!

This Tusked Boar meat, initially tempered by "Crimson Sun," had an effect far beyond his imagination!

He sat cross-legged, fully operating "Crimson Sun," guiding this vast energy to strengthen every corner of his body.

This process lasted for nearly the time it takes an incense stick to burn.

When the last trace of blood and qi essence was completely absorbed and refined, Li Yuan slowly opened his eyes.

Two beams of sharp light, like substance, flashed in his eyes and vanished!

He looked down at himself. His muscles, which had only begun to take shape, were now sharply defined, his pectoral muscles thick, his abdominal muscles clearly chiseled, and his arms and thighs were more than a circle thicker! His entire physique seemed to have been reshaped, filled with a streamlined sense of power, and his weight had increased by at least twenty to thirty jin!

He casually threw a punch at a tree about a bowl's thickness beside him.

"Bang!"

A dull thud, the tree trunk shook violently, wood chips flew, and a fist print sank in by an inch! The power of this punch was several times stronger than when he had killed the boar!

Not only that, but he felt his five senses improve again, and his thoughts became more agile. The Crimson Sun Qi and Blood surging within him was like a warm and mighty river, bringing endless vigor.

He stood up and stretched his limbs, his whole body filled with explosive power, as if he could kill a cow with one punch!

Looking at the remaining half of the boar carcass on the ground, Li Yuan's eyes flickered with a fervent light.

This Black Mountain Forest was no longer a dangerous place for him, but an inexhaustible... treasure trove of flesh and blood!

He prepared the remaining pork in the same way, quickly roasting it with the power of "Crimson Sun," then wolfed it down, swallowing it all and converting it into pure qi and blood energy.

Only after devouring all the most valuable blood and qi essence of the entire boar did Li Yuan stop, still feeling unsatisfied. He felt his "Crimson Sun" had solidified a bit more, his qi and blood were more majestic, and his physical condition had reached an unprecedented peak.

He rolled up the stripped boar hide and carefully wrapped the pair of tusks, his gaze cast in the direction he came from.

It was time to use this first pot of gold to knock on the door leading to a broader world.