C2 Robbing the Opportunity

"Master, it appears the Black Phoenix has ascended to the Second Rank."

Wang Meng watched the approaching Demonic Beast with a hint of panic. His cultivation was still at the Body Refining level, and he knew he wouldn't truly set foot on the cultivator's path until he reached the Spirit Gathering Stage.

"Stay calm. This creature's power barely surpasses that of a Core Formation cultivator," the elder reassured him.

This elder was Wang Meng's master, Guu Yi, an Inner Sect Elder of the Profound Purity Sect.

With a casual flick of his wrist, Guu Yi produced a silver whip and struck the Black Phoenix with precision. A bolt of lightning flashed, sending the beast reeling back with pained cries.

Before it could recover, the elder leapt up and delivered another whip strike.

Crack.

Each lash brought with it a burst of lightning and a paralyzing sting, noticeably slowing the Black Phoenix down.

Clearly, the Black Phoenix was no match for Guu Yi; its defeat was inevitable.

"Is this the might of someone at the Spiritual Pedestal Tier?" Lin Feng marveled, his eyes shining with admiration. It was a level he had previously thought unattainable.

Indeed, only cultivators of the Spiritual Pedestal Tier could soar through the skies, even if just for a moment.

It was no surprise that Wang Meng was so bold; with such a formidable master, who would dare cross him?

As the Black Phoenix neared defeat, a fireball shot out from a tree hollow, hurtling straight toward Wang Meng, who had been spectating from the sidelines.

Close behind the fireball, a slightly smaller Black Phoenix swooped in.

Wang Meng's heart skipped a beat. This was the Black Phoenix's signature true fire, and at his current level of cultivation, contact would mean instant incineration.

Guu Yi's brow furrowed in disapproval of the Black Phoenix's underhanded tactics.

He hadn't anticipated that the Rank Two Demonic Beast would possess enough cunning to attempt rescuing its ally.

With a swift motion, he coiled his whip around Wang Meng's waist, yanking him to safety.

Just then, the second Black Phoenix seized the moment to launch another fiery assault.

With the situation escalating, Guu Yi knew it was time to act or face dire consequences.

Lin Feng seized the moment to slip into the tree hollow.

Inside, a pungent, fishy odor hit him.

At the center lay a massive bird's nest cradling a speckled white and black egg.

He quickly scooped it up and tucked it away in his chest with great care.

As he was about to turn away, some grass nearby caught his eye.

Flame Pearl Grass!

Essential for any Body Refining Cultivator, it could significantly hasten their cultivation pace and enhance bodily tempering.

A single Flame Pearl Grass was valued at fifty Low Grade Spirit Stones.

Considering his monthly stipend from the Profound Purity Sect was a mere ten Low Grade Spirit Stones—all of which he used for cultivation—he couldn't dream of affording the grass.

Without a second to count, he gathered every blade into his embrace.

[Energy flow intercepted successfully. You are rewarded with a chance for a complete transformation.]

A complete transformation?

Lin Feng was overwhelmed with excitement.

It was well-known that his unsuitability for cultivation, labeled as trash, was due to his physique.

His body was riddled with impurities, and most of his meridians were blocked, preventing him from properly absorbing Spiritual Qi.

This transformation signified his chance to shed the label of trash once and for all.

As he peeked out of the hollow, he witnessed the smaller Black Phoenix plummeting down, its wings shattered by Guu Yi's whip.

The other Black Phoenix cried out mournfully before diving towards Guu Yi.

Lin Feng quickly hitched up his pants and made a stealthy escape in the opposite direction.

Having dispatched the two Black Phoenixes, Wang Meng, led by Gu Yi, approached the tree hollow's entrance.

Wang Meng was brimming with excitement; he had paid a hefty sum for this tip from an Inner Sect disciple.

In the northwest outskirts of the North Nether Mountains, beneath an ancient tree, two Black Phoenixes guarded a nest harboring a millennium-old Fire Spirit Grass.

The Fire Spirit Grass was a potent aid for Body Refining Cultivators to grasp the Spiritual Energy of the cosmos and to form a vortex of power. The effects of a millennium-old specimen were beyond compare.

"Go ahead, it's clear. There's no trace of any aura left."

Wang Meng nodded, unable to contain his eagerness, and dashed inside.

"Impossible."

"Where could it be?"

Wang Meng's voice, laden with confusion, echoed through the cave.

Sensing something amiss, Guu Yi decided to investigate.

Inside the three-meter-high tree hollow, there was nothing but an enormous bird's nest and a heap of refuse.

Guu Yi's brow furrowed deeply.

"He dared to sell me false intelligence. Once I'm in the Inner Sect and my Body Refining Cultivation Level rises, he'll regret it," Wang Meng grumbled in frustration.

He had spent a full thousand Low Grade Spirit Stones on this tip and even enlisted his master's aid, only to come up empty-handed.

"Hold on, if there's truly nothing here, those two Black Phoenixes wouldn't have been so fiercely protective."

Guu Yi's attention fixed on a mound of earth where, just moments before, Flame Bead Grass had grown.

Wang Meng caught Guu Yi's look and dashed over to inspect.

"Someone beat us to it."

Wang Meng's fist slammed into the dirt mound with force.

"I suspect it was snatched while we were tangled up with the Black Phoenixes. We might still have a chance to catch up."

With that, Guu Yi took off, carrying Wang Meng with him into the sky.

Little did they know, an Outer Sect disciple had already outpaced them, securing the prize.

Thus, their pursuit veered in a different direction from Lin Feng's retreat.

Back at his dwelling, Lin Feng laid out all the herbs with a surge of elation.

A millennium-old Fire Spirit Grass – a treasure worth a hundred Middle Grade Spirit Stones, the equivalent of ten thousand Low Grade Spirit Stones.

Not to mention the fifteen stalks of Flame Bead Grass.

This venture had netted him goods worth a grand total of ten thousand seven hundred and fifty Low Grade Spirit Stones.

Yet, the true fortune Wang Meng sought wasn't these items, but the Black Phoenix egg.

The Black Phoenix, a commonplace Demonic Beast of the North Nether Mountains, carried a mere trace of Phoenix lineage, rendering it virtually worthless. Without a condensed Beast Core, such a creature would fetch only a few hundred Low Grade Spirit Stones at best, let alone its egg.

But Lin Feng understood the extraordinary nature of this egg; it was the key to Wang Meng's fortune.

Exchanging ten stalks of the Spiritual Bead Grass for five hundred Low Grade Spirit Stones, Lin Feng then invested in a variety of herbs.

After returning, Lin Feng combined the Flame Bead Grass with his other ingredients, tossing the mixture into the medicinal barrel he had prepared. He was determined to seize this chance for a radical transformation and planned to further temper his body with this opportunity.

Once the medicinal properties had fully infused the water, he submerged himself in it. He then requested the system to initiate the transformative process. A second later, Lin Feng emitted a pained moan. He could feel every bone in his body shattering and then reassembling. It was as though thousands of ants were crawling over his skin, causing a sensation that was both agonizing and ticklish.

The ordeal seemed to stretch on indefinitely. His face contorted from agony to a grimace, then settled into a blank stare before finally relaxing into a look of utter comfort.

Upon reopening his eyes, he saw the medicinal water had turned murky, and a peculiar odor wafted up from the barrel. To his delight, he discovered his cultivation level had skyrocketed from Body Refining Level Three to Level Six. Gathering all his strength, Lin Feng punched the air, creating a booming sound. The force behind the punch was on par with, if not stronger than, those at Body Refining Level Eight.

His meridians were now completely clear, and his body moved with exceptional agility. He swiftly pulled out a Low Grade Spirit Stone and, within a mere fifteen minutes, had fully absorbed it. Previously, such a small stone would have taken him a whole day to absorb.

Savoring the advantages the system had granted him, Lin Feng licked his lips. His moment of triumph had finally arrived.

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