The thick stench of blood hung in the forest, mingling with the smell of soil and humus to create a primitive, savage atmosphere.
Li Yuan knelt beside the enormous carcass of the Tusked Boar, deftly cutting into the fattest part of its hind leg with the Iron Rod in his hand. The boar's hide had already been peeled off, and its tusks removed and set aside. At this point, the greatest value its carcass held for him was the abundant blood qi within.
He cut off a deep-red chunk of meat weighing a good five or six pounds. Muscle and sinew crisscrossed its clearly defined grain, and it even trembled faintly, radiating a rich aura of life energy. Just being near it stirred an even stronger, more direct craving in the "Crimson Sun" within him than when he had devoured the deathly ore.
Eat it raw? Though the "Crimson Sun" could refine it, the heavy gamey stench and icy feel would still be unpleasant.
A thought flashed through his mind.
He remembered that the power of the "Crimson Sun" was scorching, capable of burning away the aura of deathly stillness. Could it also be used... for cooking?
With that thought, Li Yuan didn't hesitate. He lifted the heavy chunk of raw meat in one hand and pressed the fingers of his other hand against its surface, held together like a blade.
His consciousness sank into his qi sea, drawing on that tiny "Crimson Sun."
A thread of scorching, pale-golden qi, finer than a strand of hair, slowly seeped from his fingertips. Like the most nimble of flames, it carefully wrapped around the surface of the meat.
"Tszz..."
A faint sound rang out, unlike the crackle of ordinary flames. The spot where the meat touched the pale-gold qi changed at a visible speed!
The deep-red surface of the meat instantly turned golden-brown. The heat forced out its fat, which sizzled pleasantly, and the rich aroma of meat mingled with a wild, seared scent, bursting forth and instantly overpowering the stench around them!
This wasn't ordinary charring. Under the precise control of the "Crimson Sun," the heat affected only a thin layer on the surface, sealing in all the juices and essence within without harming the tender meat inside.
In just three or five breaths, the raw, blood-soaked meat had turned golden and crisp on the outside, its fat bubbling as its tempting aroma fiercely teased Li Yuan's senses. Inside, however, it remained tender to perfection.
Li Yuan withdrew his fingers and looked at the "Crimson Sun Roasted Meat," which radiated astonishing heat and fragrance. His Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily. He could even sense that after the power of the "Crimson Sun" had initially tempered it, the Blood Qi Essence within the meat had grown gentler and easier to absorb.
Without another moment's hesitation, he opened his mouth and sank his teeth into the scorching roasted meat!
"Crunch!"
The crispy skin shattered between his teeth with a sharp crack. Then came a rush of piping-hot, delicious juices, mingled with the rich aroma sealed inside, filling his mouth in an instant! The meat was firm and springy, with the chewiness and wild flavor unique to a Fierce Beast. With every bite, he could almost feel the surging blood qi within!
It was unbelievably delicious!
It surpassed every food he had eaten over the past decade and more! This wasn't merely the satisfaction of his appetite; it was the direct impact of life energy upon his taste buds and soul!
He tore into it and swallowed mouthful after mouthful, like a glutton reborn.
The instant the roasted meat, brimming with blood qi, reached his stomach—
"Boom!"
It was like a ladle of cold water splashed into a searing wok! The "Crimson Sun" within him began to whirl with unprecedented fury!
The power of "Smelting" surged to its full strength!
The roasted meat in his stomach was broken down and refined at an astonishing speed! Blood Qi Essence far more abundant, pure, and violent than that from Fierce Beast broth or deathly qi burst forth like a mountain flood breaking through its banks, pouring into every limb and bone!
"Ugh—!"
Li Yuan couldn't help but let out a low growl. His skin instantly turned red all over, like a cooked shrimp! Waves of heat steamed from every pore, even forming a faint ring of white mist around his body!
His muscles frantically drew in the energy, swelling and growing denser at a speed never seen before, like parched crops drenched by a timely rain! His bones cracked in a dense patter, like rain striking banana leaves, growing tougher and more compact! As the surging blood qi coursed through his meridians, they widened further, and his total Crimson Sun Qi and Blood swelled as rapidly as a balloon being inflated!
He could clearly "see" his gaunt body filling out and growing strong, like a balloon being pumped full of air! His arms, chest, thighs... the shape of every muscle grew more defined, more powerfully built!
The Tusked Boar meat, initially tempered by the "Crimson Sun," was far more effective than he had imagined!
He sat cross-legged and circulated the "Crimson Sun" with all his might, guiding this tremendous energy to strengthen every part of his body.
The process lasted nearly the time it took an incense stick to burn.
When the last trace of Blood Qi Essence had been completely absorbed and refined, Li Yuan slowly opened his eyes.
Two beams of tangible light flashed in his eyes and vanished!
He looked down at himself. His muscles, which had only just begun to take shape before, were now sharply defined. His chest was thick with muscle, his abs clearly sculpted, and his arms and thighs had grown by more than a full circumference! His entire body seemed to have been remade, filled with streamlined strength, and his weight had increased by at least twenty or thirty pounds!
He casually punched a tree beside him, its trunk as thick as a bowl.
"Thump!"
A dull impact rang out. The trunk shook violently, wood chips flew, and his fistprint sank an inch into the bark! The force of this punch was several tenths greater than when he had killed the boar!
Not only that, but he felt his five senses sharpen once more, and his thoughts grow quicker. The Crimson Sun Qi and Blood surging within him flowed like a warm, roaring river, bringing him endless energy.
He rose to his feet and loosened his limbs. His body brimmed with explosive strength, as though he could kill a bull with one punch!
As he looked at the more-than-half of the boar's carcass still lying on the ground, a fervent light shone in Li Yuan's eyes.
To him, the Black Mountain Forest was no longer a dangerous place, but an inexhaustible... treasure trove of flesh and blood!
He prepared the rest of the pork in the same way, swiftly roasting it with the power of the "Crimson Sun." Then he wolfed it down, devouring every last bite and converting it into pure blood qi energy.
Only after he had devoured all the most valuable flesh and Blood Qi Essence from the boar did Li Yuan finally stop, still wanting more. He felt that his "Crimson Sun" had grown a little more solid, his blood qi was even more abundant, and his body had reached a peak unlike any he had experienced before.
He rolled up the boar's hide, carefully wrapped the pair of tusks, and looked toward the direction from which he had come.
It was time to use this first windfall to knock on the door to a wider world.
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