Taking a knife from his backpack, Lin Feng cut open the exotic beast's head and removed its crystal core.
A crystal core was a crystallization formed from the condensed essence of an exotic beast's life.
Exotic beasts were not native to this world.
A thousand years ago, martial cultivation did not yet exist, and humanity developed technology alone.
But in the first year of the martial era, enormous spatial rifts appeared across the world.
Endless exotic beasts poured out of the rifts, ravaging the human world.
Powerful technological weapons lost their deterrent power, unable to kill the exotic beasts.
Just as humanity was on the verge of extinction, people discovered that ancient martial arts, which had previously been impossible to cultivate, could unleash tremendous power.
In the 50th year of the martial era, humanity began its counterattack.
After a joint research effort by the entire world, the first cultivation technique, the 18 Body Tempering Forms, was finally introduced, ushering in an era of universal cultivation.
Later, martial experts discovered that the crystal cores in exotic beasts' brains could increase cultivation speed. The higher the grade of the crystal core, the greater its effect.
Moreover, many precious medicinal herbs, ores, and other extraordinary things of great use to humanity appeared in the wilderness, and humanity began its counterattack.
In the 200th year of the martial era, humanity finally regained a foothold in the world.
Cities rose from the ground, each protected by a barrier against the exotic beasts' attacks.
Even so, humanity had only enough strength to protect itself. The cities belonged to humans, while everything outside them belonged to the exotic beasts.
To leave a city, a person needed considerable strength.
Thus, martial artists became humanity's most esteemed profession.
Lin Feng was a Body Refinement Fourth Grade martial artist.
Body Refinement had nine grades, which tempered the skin, flesh, tendons, bones, marrow, five solid organs, six hollow organs, twelve primary meridians, and the Ren and Du meridians, respectively.
Once the entire body had been tempered, opening the dantian would allow one to break through to the Qi Sea Realm.
Lin Feng had left the city this time for his martial school's practical combat trial.
The trial was no exam. It meant fighting exotic beasts with real weapons, and people could die.
Lin Feng's father had died at the hands of an exotic beast. From that day on, Lin Feng had sworn to kill every last exotic beast.
Lin Feng removed all the crystal cores and sat on the ground, ignoring his tattered clothes.
After killing more than a dozen fourth-grade exotic beasts, Lin Feng had gained another 520 Energy Points, enough to upgrade again.
He pressed the upgrade button. His Energy Points decreased, and his flesh began to be tempered.
After his flesh was tempered to perfection, Lin Feng still had 300 Energy Points. He could continue upgrading and temper his tendons.
Before long, his tendons were tempered to perfection as well.
As Lin Feng circulated his qi and blood, a faint white glow appeared on his skin, drawing the eye. It was a sign of Perfect Body Refinement.
Feeling the strength in his body, Lin Feng couldn't help sighing. "Back when I tempered my body, who knows how much I suffered? Now, even though it's easy, I always feel like something's missing. Pain... I really miss the feeling of pain."
Having finished cultivating, Lin Feng headed toward the valley entrance.
He looked around. There was no one left at the entrance; Chen Qiang and the others had long since gone.
"Chen Qiang, Hu Xia, both of you can just wait for death." Lin Feng's fury soared to the heavens.
Lin Feng was a man who held grudges. Since the three of them had dared to set him up to die, they were already dead men in his eyes.
There was still a week left before the trial ended.
Lin Feng was in no hurry to return. The wilderness was the best place to kill exotic beasts, and he had no intention of wasting the opportunity.
Lin Feng now had a Perfect Third Grade cultivation. Combined with the strength boost from the Black Iron Battle Body, he could unleash 700 kg of force.
With the added defense of the Black Iron Battle Body, Lin Feng would not be afraid even if he faced an ordinary Body Refinement Seventh Grade martial artist.
[By the way, the best app for listening to readings and audiobooks right now, install the latest version.]
Heading deeper into the wilderness, Lin Feng planned to find a few places where exotic beasts gathered and earn himself a good number of Energy Points.
Looking for them one at a time would be far too much of a waste of time.