C8 Rich

Feeling the impact of Lin Feng's assault, the mother Flame Beast glanced upward. Gathering its strength, it exhaled a diminished flame. The Five-spirit Silver Ape stood its ground, unfazed. Shielded by the Jade Ganoderma, it feared no ordinary fire.

Lin Feng's brow furrowed in concentration. He closed in once more, employing the Ghost Shadow Mystery technique. This time, however, his hands were balled into tight fists, each enveloped in a faint aura of intent.

Boom! His Five Elements Fist hurtled toward the Five-spirit Silver Ape's lower region. Agony ensued—a pain so intense it was as if his heart was being torn apart. The punch, imbued with the essence of his intent, left a mark upon the ape's body. It was clear: true power of the fist could only be unlocked through mastery of the technique.

But the assault didn't end there. An explosive force detonated within the ape's vitals. While not strong enough to rupture its form, the excruciating pain in its groin was beyond endurance. The Five-spirit Silver Ape clutched itself, writhing on the ground in torment.

Lin Feng acted swiftly, retrieving a Flame Crystal from his pack and tossing it into the mouth of the mother Flame Beast. Revitalized by the crystal's spiritual energy, the beast recovered significantly, nodding in gratitude to Lin Feng before resuming its attack on the ape.

The Five-spirit Silver Ape, despite the pain, managed to fend off the blows. It seethed with a desire to make Lin Feng experience a similar, haunting sorrow. Meanwhile, Lin Feng continued to exploit the Ghost Shadow Mystery, launching sporadic sneak attacks. Each strike only inflicted fleeting pain upon the ape, failing to cause serious harm. Nonetheless, these distractions afforded the mother Flame Beast precious moments to recuperate.

The Trident Flame Sparrow, however, was not faring as well. Its endurance paled in comparison to the male Flame Beast, and after a prolonged battle, the spiritual energy within its Beast Core had dwindled to a mere fraction. It was losing ground.

Anxiety gripped the Five-spirit Silver Ape. A defeat of the Trident Flame Sparrow would mean certain defeat for itself, especially with the addition of a Third Rank Flame Beast to the fray. Abandoning its pursuit of the airborne mother Flame Beast, the ape shifted its focus squarely onto Lin Feng.

The persistent nuisance of a fly was the reason the mother Flame Beast had repeatedly managed to escape, soaring into the sky.

Its priority was to eliminate Lin Feng first.

Upon noticing this, the mother Flame Beast quickly gestured for Lin Feng to leap onto its back.

Had it not been for this human youth before them, the beastly pair might have already met their demise.

Thus, it momentarily lowered its guard around Lin Feng, ready to collaborate.

Lin Feng executed the Ghost Shadow Mystery technique, reaching the Flame Beast's back just in time to evade the grasp of the Five-spirit Silver Ape, which was left seething with frustration.

It was the first instance it had witnessed a Demonic Beast and a human working in tandem.

Lin Feng then replenished the Flame Beast with another Flame Crystal, feeling the surge of scorching Spiritual Energy.

The Flame Beast unleashed another fiery vortex at the Five-spirit Silver Ape.

The ape, protected by the Jade Ganoderma Blue, had been withstanding the Flame Beast's inferno.

But this time, as it braced to resist once more, the thin layer of frost on its body vanished abruptly—the effects of the medicine had worn off.

The massive vortex of fire relentlessly battered its body, first reducing its fur to ashes, then charring the skin beneath.

The Five-spirit Silver Ape shrieked in agony, leaping wildly in distress.

Without any reservation, Lin Feng leapt from the Flame Beast's back, employing the Ghost Shadow Mystery, Five Elements Fist, and the force of his punch intent all at once!

He struck directly at the burned flesh of the Five-spirit Silver Ape, harnessing the force of his descent from above.

Lin Feng's punch finally penetrated the ape's arm.

Simultaneously, the male Flame Beast seized the Trident Flame Sparrow with its foreclaws, slamming it into the ground before pulverizing its head with a crushing blow.

The sparrow perished without uttering a final lament.

The male Flame Beast extracted a Beast Core from the carcass and swallowed it, rejuvenating its vitality.

Clutching its severed limb, the Five-spirit Silver Ape leapt from the volcano and vanished into the jungle, not once glancing back.

The Flame Beast made no move to pursue.

They had expended a tremendous amount of energy and now required time to recuperate.

At the Flame Beast's invitation, Lin Feng re-entered the mouth of the volcano.

Inside the lair, Lin Feng clumsily freed the young Flame Beast from its bindings.

No sooner had it been released than the little Flame Beast positioned itself protectively in front of its parents, snarling and slashing at Lin Feng.

With a sheepish expression, Lin Feng produced the Flame Stone.

To his surprise, the mother Flame Beast shook her head, gesturing for Lin Feng to keep it.

Had it not been for him, she would have fallen to the Five-spirit Silver Ape.

Ultimately, Lin Feng accepted the Flame Beast's offer to stay temporarily within the volcanic abode.

What truly astonished Lin Feng was when the Flame Beast moved a boulder aside to reveal a staggering hoard of Flame Crystals.

The young beast puffed up proudly in front of the treasure, as if boasting to Lin Feng.

Regrettably, the Spirit Stones brimmed with a wild fire attribute, unsuitable for his cultivation.

Still, it was an immense wealth.

The Flame Beast signaled to Lin Feng that he could take more if he wished.

Lin Feng declined with a shake of his head; he could carry no more.

Yet, amidst the Flame Crystals, he spotted fragments of the Five Elements Fist technique.

Evidently, the martial skill of humans held no value for the Demonic Beast, discarded as if it were mere rubbish.

Noticing Lin Feng's interest in the torn manuscript, the Flame Beast allowed him to take it—it was of no use to them.

With just over ten days until the competition, Lin Feng was fortunate to spend this time cultivating within the volcano.

He swiftly learned the next three movements.

But the final movement proved to be a formidable challenge, demanding precise control over the body's meridians.

Gradually, the little Flame Beast grew accustomed to Lin Feng's presence, contentedly gnawing on Flame Crystals while observing Lin Feng's persistent practice.

Lin Feng meditated with his eyes closed, attuning himself to the flow of energy through his meridians—the Shaoyin, Jueyin, and Taiyin pathways.

On each of the twelve meridians, there are five specific acupoints known as the five transport acupoints, totaling sixty across the human body. Each transport acupoint is associated with different elemental attributes based on the principles of Yin Wood and Yang Metal. The complexity of activating so many acupoints at once is staggering.

Lin Feng's eyes snapped open, and he launched a punch.

A resonant tone echoed once.

Then twice.

Thrice.

Four times.

On the fifth echo, the rock wall before him cracked and crumbled into innumerable fragments. He could sense his aura climbing higher with every breath. A month of dedicated cultivation had brought the spiritual energy within him to a critical juncture, facilitated by the flow of the Dragon Travelling Scripture. All he needed was the right catalyst for a breakthrough.

And now, he had achieved it, ascending to Body Refining Level Eight. This milestone granted him the eligibility to compete in the Inner Sect's advancement trials.

"Wang Meng, you're in for it," he vowed silently. "The shame you dealt me a month ago will be avenged by my own hand."

The little Flame Beast, brimming with excitement, darted around Lin Feng, playfully butting him with its head.

In stark contrast to the tranquility here, the Outer Sect Plaza of the Profound Purity Sect was alive with activity and anticipation. Disciples had gathered, all eagerly awaiting tomorrow's competition.