Deep within the Blood-Colored Forbidden Land, inside a secluded, naturally formed stone cave, Han Li sat cross-legged. His aura fluctuated, and his complexion alternated between light and dark. He had already laid a Profound Yin Aura-Hiding Formation and several warning restrictions at the entrance, ensuring his safety for the moment.
He tightly gripped the Mystic Womb Spirit-Transforming Vine. Seven-colored radiance flowed through its amber stem, and its pure spiritual essence seemed ready to burst free. After the life-and-death struggle in Blood-Weeping Gorge and his unexpected gains in the ancient cultivator's cave abode, he knew all too well that strength was the foundation of everything. Now that he had brought himself to peak condition, this was the perfect moment to use the vine to break through the bottleneck to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage!
At the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, liquefied spiritual power must become purer and more condensed, and the dantian's sea of qi must also expand. The primordial creation qi contained in the Mystic Womb Spirit-Transforming Vine is a supreme treasure for tempering spiritual power and nourishing the dantian. Han Li's gaze hardened with resolve. Without further hesitation, he opened his mouth and drew the foot-long spirit vine into his belly!
The spirit vine dissolved the instant it entered his belly. Rather than unleashing a violent surge of medicinal power, it became a vast, gentle current of warmth that instantly spread through his limbs and bones before converging in his dantian's sea of qi. Wherever it passed, his meridians tingled with a soothing itch. His already-liquid dark attribute spiritual power began to boil violently, compress, and refine itself like ore cast into a furnace! Impurities were tempered out in fine strands, and the spiritual power grew ever deeper and darker in color, its quality improving at a speed visible to the naked eye!
Meanwhile, part of that warm current merged into the walls of his dantian. Faint cracking sounds came from the edges of his already spacious sea of qi as it was slowly forced open and expanded! The process brought a swelling ache, but Han Li's will was iron. He kept his mind clear and guided the power through an orderly circulation.
He circulated the Foundation Establishment section of the Profound Fiend Asura Art at full force, accelerating his refinement of the medicinal power. Within his dantian, his liquid spiritual power spun faster and faster, a tiny vortex faintly forming at its center and releasing a powerful suction. Waves of coolness flowed from the Spirit-Nurturing Stone against his chest, protecting his soul and allowing him to perceive and control every minute change in his spiritual power with greater clarity.
Time flew as he cultivated. Spiritual qi suffused the cave, and a thick layer of dark Spiritual Light enveloped Han Li as his aura climbed steadily.
After an unknown stretch of time, a muffled boom sounded within him, as though some barrier had shattered! His dantian's sea of qi abruptly expanded by a third. The liquid spiritual power within grew thicker and purer, flowing slowly like mercury and radiating spiritual pressure far stronger than before!
He had reached the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage!
Yet at the very instant of his breakthrough, an unexpected change occurred! Perhaps his increased cultivation had stirred a deeper aura, or perhaps the medicinal power of the Mystic Womb Spirit-Transforming Vine had connected with something hidden here. Whatever the cause, Han Li's keen spiritual sense suddenly detected an extremely faint yet unusually pure fluctuation from a yin vein... deep within the cave, behind what had seemed an ordinary stone wall!
"Hm?" Han Li abruptly opened his eyes, a brilliant light flashing within them. With a swift movement, he reached the wall and pushed his Profound Yin Spirit Eye to its limit, examining it closely. Sure enough, several feet behind the wall, he could faintly "see" an underground yin vein as thin as a strand of hair, winding downward! Though exceedingly small, the pure yin qi it released would greatly benefit his cultivation of the Profound Fiend Asura Art!
There's actually a tiny branch of a yin vein here? No wonder the yin qi feels denser here than elsewhere. Han Li's interest stirred. If he could cultivate with this yin vein, he would be able to stabilize his new stage far faster. He tried extending his spiritual sense downward along it, only to discover that a powerful natural restriction seemed to block the depths below, preventing him from probing farther.
It seems the main vein lies deep underground, protected by restrictions. Human effort alone won't easily draw upon it. Finding this branch was already a stroke of luck. Han Li felt a little regret, but soon let it go. Discovering this branch was already an unexpected blessing.
He immediately sat cross-legged above the branch and circulated his cultivation art. Fine strands of pure yin qi were drawn toward him and merged into his spiritual power. His newly attained stage rapidly stabilized, and his spiritual power became increasingly responsive to his will.
Half a day later, Han Li had fully consolidated his Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivation. Strength filled his entire body, and the range of his spiritual sense had expanded to nearly two hundred zhang. His control over his spiritual power had also become more precise. He estimated that if he faced that Foundation Establishment Late Stage leader of the Black Fiend Cult again, he could put up a fight even without relying on a surprise attack!
Just as he was about to continue drawing in yin qi to strengthen his foundation, his brow suddenly furrowed. He suppressed his entire aura, pushed the Essence-Concealing Technique to its limit, and cast a sharp gaze toward the cave entrance. Through his warning restrictions, he sensed two powerful auras approaching rapidly! One carried a cold, sinister fiendish aura he recognized!
Pursuers? Or a coincidence? Han Li's eyes turned cold. Without a sound, he slipped into the darkest corner of the cave. The Shadow Blade slid into his palm, poised to strike.
Several breaths later, two streaks of light landed not far outside the cave, revealing two cultivators. One wore black robes and had a sinister face—none other than the Foundation Establishment Late Stage leader of the Black Fiend Cult who had pursued Han Li earlier! The other was a short, thin man with darting eyes, his cultivation at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage. Judging by his clothing, he seemed to be a Rogue Cultivator.
"Are you certain that brat's last traces vanished around here?" the Black Fiend Cult leader demanded harshly.
"Rest assured, Elder Feng. My Tracking Mouse has an exceptionally keen nose. That brat may be good at hiding, but the traces he left after such a fierce battle can't escape its senses. He must be hiding nearby!" The small, thin man offered an ingratiating smile, holding a gray-furred mouse whose nose twitched constantly.
Elder Feng's icy gaze swept over the surroundings before settling on the cave where Han Li hid. A cruel smile curled his lips. "This cave certainly makes a fine hiding place... Brat, get out here and meet your death! Otherwise, I'll blast this cave apart and bury you alive!"
Inside the cave, Han Li sneered inwardly. They had indeed caught up with him. He made no sound and remained quietly concealed. There were two of them, and Elder Feng was at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage. A head-on clash was not the wisest course.
When no movement came from within, Elder Feng snorted coldly. He raised a hand and gathered a mass of pitch-black fiendish qi, preparing to attack!
Just then, another sudden change occurred!
"ROOOAR!"
A terrifying, deafening roar suddenly thundered from the distant horizon! It carried a heart-shaking aura of primordial savagery and monstrous qi that surged to the heavens! Immediately afterward, the ground trembled slightly, and birds and beasts scattered in alarm through the distant mountain forests. Clearly, a powerful demonic beast had been disturbed!
Elder Feng and the small Rogue Cultivator both paled!
"That's the cry of a Blood-Eyed Demon Ape! Judging by this commotion, it's probably a fully grown one, equivalent to an early Core Formation cultivator!" the small Rogue Cultivator exclaimed in horror. "That brute is fiercely territorial. Our earlier commotion or that roar must have disturbed it!"
Elder Feng's gaze flickered. He looked at the cave, then toward the source of the roar, apprehension showing on his face. Dealing with a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage brat was important, but provoking a demonic beast equivalent to a Core Formation Stage cultivator would truly be courting death.
"Consider yourself lucky, brat!" Elder Feng spat resentfully, then told the small Rogue Cultivator, "We'll avoid that brute first! The brat can't get far. We'll come back and deal with him later!" With that, the two transformed into streaks of escape light and hurried away in another direction.
Inside the cave, Han Li breathed a slight sigh of relief, but his brow knitted even tighter. A Blood-Eyed Demon Ape? A demonic beast equivalent to the Core Formation Stage? The depths of this forbidden land really are extraordinarily dangerous. That roar didn't seem far away. This place is no longer safe either.
He swiftly made his decision. He had to leave immediately! With Elder Feng driven away by the demon ape, this was the perfect chance to escape!
He carefully erased the traces of his aura left inside the cave, paying particular attention to the signs of the tiny yin-vein branch. He absolutely could not let anyone discover it. Then he slipped out of the cave like a specter in the dark, choosing a route opposite the direction Elder Feng had taken while also avoiding the source of the demon ape's roar. Pushing Shadowless Escape to its limit, he fled soundlessly into the distance.
After this interruption, Han Li became even more cautious. Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivation was still far from enough in the depths of this forbidden land. He had to reach the area marked on the map where a Profound Yin True Fiend Vein might exist as quickly as possible. Greater opportunities might await him there-or even deadlier dangers might lurk.
Yet his steps did not falter in the slightest. Contending on the path to immortality was like rowing against the current: to fail to advance was to fall behind!
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