C5
"Hmm, where am I?" Ling Yunfan, who had lain unconscious at the bottom of a ravine for three days, suddenly snapped open his eyes and sprang to his feet, his gaze filled with curiosity as he peered into the dim surroundings that were just barely visible. "It's so dark here, hard to make anything out."
No sooner had the words left his lips than the memory of how he had come to be in this place flooded back to him.
"It's incredible! I was hit by such intense lightning during my fall, and from such a height, too. To think I've come away with nothing more than a few scrapes!" While marveling at his lack of serious injuries, Ling Yunfan felt a rush of air currents swirling around his dantian and couldn't help but cry out in astonishment, "I've actually advanced to Body Refining Level Three!"
With that, he began to vigorously swing his fists, warming up with an energy that resembled someone experiencing a second chance at life, loosening his limbs and getting accustomed to his newly empowered body.
Eventually, he stopped, drenched in sweat, his body still quivering with the thrill of his unexpected breakthrough.
Ling Yunfan was overwhelmed with excitement, a feeling he hadn't known since the day his attempt to reach Body Refining Level Three had failed, causing his fall from the pedestal of a prodigy. The subsequent days were marred by repeated failures, culminating in a talent test that branded him as talentless, a waste. But now, after seven long years, this serendipitous miracle had propelled him forward, casting a brilliant light upon his life's path.
"Hmm, isn't this my birthmark? What's happened to it?" As Ling Yunfan's excitement subsided, he noticed that the egg-shaped, pale birthmark on his right arm had vanished, replaced by a vivid and peculiar phoenix with a silver body and a golden dragon's head.
Buzz.
As Ling Yunfan's gaze fixed on the extraordinary creature, the birthmark burst into a dazzling light that shot directly into his eyes.
"Where am I? Wasn't I at the bottom of a valley?" Once the blinding light receded and he opened his eyes again, Ling Yunfan was stunned to find himself enveloped in utter darkness, a void with nothing in sight. A wave of unease washed over him, and he looked ahead, his expression one of sheer disbelief at what lay before him.
Surveying his surroundings, Ling Yunfan's gaze was locked onto a phoenix soaring through the sky not far ahead. This was no ordinary phoenix; it bore no resemblance to the creatures described in the books he had read. Its massive form was cloaked in silver, adorned with red dragon horns, golden whiskers, and a head that blazed like fire. The creature seemed a fantastical fusion of a phoenix and a fiery Divine Dragon.
As Ling Yunfan beheld the extraordinary phoenix, he felt as though a grandmaster of martial arts was scrutinizing him from a lofty height. The creature's golden eyes held a bewitching power, making Ling Yunfan feel an inexplicable connection, as if the phoenix were part of him—akin to the bond between soul and flesh. Moreover, the phoenix's gaze was unexpectedly warm and familiar.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The moment was fleeting; the phoenix let out a sky-piercing roar and its body burst into silver flames, hurtling toward Ling Yunfan with a ferocious momentum.
"This is bad, it's after my life!" Realizing the imminent threat, Ling Yunfan understood that the creature sought to end him. Overwhelmed by its formidable aura, he had no choice but to close his eyes and brace for the end.
But when the silver phoenix plunged into Ling Yunfan's body, the world went dark, and he was suddenly back in the valley. His eyes, once dull as he gazed at the birthmark in his hand, now sparkled with vitality. Staggering back several steps, he panted heavily.
"God Devil Exterminating Spell? What kind of technique is this? I've never heard of it. It outlines the practice but not the level. And what's this about a Divine Devil Bloodline within me?" As the glow from the birthmark faded, Ling Yunfan, clutching his chest and struggling to catch his breath, was still reeling. Shock and awe filled his eyes as he stared at the birthmark, the silver-bodied phoenix with the golden dragon head, and murmured to himself.
Ling Yunfan was in a state beyond words. His unexpected breakthrough in cultivation was thrilling enough, but now, he had witnessed a bizarre phoenix merge with him. To add to the astonishment, a technique named the God Devil Exterminating Spell had materialized in his mind, along with knowledge of the Divine Devil Bloodline coursing through his veins.
"Given that the God Devil Exterminating Spell is a technique without rank, it's likely unknown to others as well. It might just provide me with some unexpected assistance. Besides, the cultivation methods of my family aren't exactly top-tier, so I might as well focus on this one." After a prolonged period of calm, Ling Yunfan took some time to contemplate the God Devil Exterminating Spell within his mind.
In his quest to grasp the nuances of this unrated technique, Ling Yunfan devoted a full hour to discover that the God Devil Exterminating Spell was both thrilling and perilous. The technique was split into three levels, with the first being relatively straightforward. Anyone with the Divine Devil Bloodline could practice it, and upon mastery, one's cultivation speed and combat prowess would double, potentially outstripping peers. However, the second level could only be pursued once a cultivator reached the Profound Cultivator Stage. Attempting it prematurely could result in a lethal backlash from the overwhelming power.
The requirements to fully master the first level of the technique were enough to make Ling Yunfan roll his eyes. The prerequisites called for two stalks of Earth Rank High Level Hundred-year Fire Lotus Root, three sections of Earth Rank Middle Level, and three Earth Rank High Level Heavenly Essence Fruits to concoct a medicinal broth. This potion would then synergize with the body, enhancing the effects of the cultivation process.
"Since I can't leave this place anytime soon, with the height being several hundred meters, and my current strength at Body Refining Level Three Mirror insufficient to scale it, I might as well make the best of it. Despite the dimness and the slightly murky air, the Cosmic Spiritual Energy here is superior to that of the outside world, and there are even some Human Rank Spiritual Herbs growing nearby. I'll just settle down and cultivate here for a while," Ling Yunfan mused. He decided to postpone gathering the Spiritual Herbs required for the first level of the God Devil Exterminating Spell until later, aiming to perfect the technique eventually. For now, he could use the God Devil Exterminating Spell to accelerate his cultivation without any rush. With no need for further thought, he fashioned a torch from some branches and dry grass in front of him to light up the area.
Hualala... Hualala...
In no time at all, Ling Yunfan had lit a torch, casting a bright glow around him. As he surveyed his surroundings more closely, he realized the valley he found himself in was quite peculiar. Faint traces of pale green aura drifted through the air, and the space was expansive. It was less of a valley and more akin to a vast, damp forest, with soft, yielding soil that seemed like it would give way under a firm step.
"This place could truly be considered a treasure trove," he mused. Not far into his exploration, Ling Yunfan stumbled upon several trees bearing fist-sized brown fruits. The spiritual energy radiating from these fruits was substantially richer than the Human Rank Spiritual Herbs he had previously gathered. There could only be one explanation: these fruits were of a higher caliber than the Human Rank Spiritual Herbs.
To the untrained eye, they might seem like nothing more than peculiar fruits, easily overlooked. But Ling Yunfan was no ordinary observer. Having read extensively about Spiritual Herbs in the past, he immediately recognized the fruits as Spirit Azure Fruit, a Profound Rank Middle Level Spiritual Herb.
These fruits were treasures indeed, capable of accelerating a Martial Cultivator's training pace. The spiritual energy within them could effortlessly propel a Body Refining Level Five Martial Cultivator to the next stage, Level Six. However, one couldn't simply consume the Spirit Azure Fruit without caution. It required the right cultivation techniques or methods to be used safely; otherwise, the consequences could be fatal.
Martial Cultivators at the Body Refining Stage lacked the finesse to wield spiritual force at will, necessitating extreme caution when ingesting Spiritual Herbs laden with potent energy.
Yet, Ling Yunfan's current predicament wasn't about the potential dangers of consumption, but rather the challenge of harvesting the fruits. The ripe fruits hanging from the Spirit Azure Fruit Trees were tantalizing, but with no branches to aid in climbing, reaching them seemed an impossible task.
"It seems I'll have to resort to using brute force to shake the trees vigorously enough for the ripe fruits to fall," he contemplated. "I just hope these Spirit Azure Fruit Trees are resilient. I'd hate to harm such precious spirit medicine." With a silent prayer for the trees' fortitude, Ling Yunfan readied himself to act.
"Hah!"
With his strength fully gathered, Ling Yunfan let out a thunderous shout and unleashed a powerful punch with one hand.
"Bang."
Struck by the full force of Ling Yunfan's attack, the massive Spirit Azure Fruit Tree trembled violently, causing two ripe fruits to plummet to the ground.
"Tap tap."
Ling Yunfan swiftly caught the falling fruits, then looked up in astonishment to find a hole the size of his fist in the trunk of the towering Spirit Azure Fruit Tree. The sight left him momentarily stunned.
Though it might have seemed uncharacteristic, anyone witnessing the scene would likely share Ling Yunfan's amazement. The Spirit Azure Fruit Tree was known for its Defense Power, typically withstanding the full-force strikes of a Body Refining Level Four martial artist. Even a Level Five practitioner would struggle to breach its defenses and cause significant damage, relying on a stroke of luck to create such a large hole. Yet here was Ling Yunfan, merely at Body Refining Level Three, inflicting such damage—his surprise was more than justified.
Normally, it would take the 2,500-kilogram strength of a Body Refining Level Five warrior to inflict such harm. Ling Yunfan's cultivation level was significantly lower, yet he had managed to achieve the same effect, suggesting that his strength might now be on par with that of a Level Five warrior. Whether this was truly the case would need to be confirmed through further testing.
It didn't take long for Ling Yunfan to recall the God Devil Exterminating Spell he had come across earlier. According to the technique, he had already reached the first level of cultivation, meaning he now possessed strength that exceeded that of his peers. This provided a logical explanation for the gaping hole he had created in the Spirit Azure Fruit Tree with a single strike.
"To think I now possess strength that surpasses that of a Rank Two warrior—what an incredibly fearsome cultivation technique this is! And there must be equally formidable aspects to the Divine Devil Bloodline. I'm eager to discover the unique abilities it will bestow upon me!" Ling Yunfan mused, filled with excitement as he contemplated his own body. He also made a mental note to himself, "I must keep the God Devil Exterminating Spell and the Divine Devil Bloodline secret, or else they could bring about a disaster beyond my wildest imagination."
Before long, the ripe fruits from the remaining Spirit Azure Fruit Trees were harvested as well. Subsequently, Ling Yunfan gathered a total of seven Spirit Azure Fruits and a multitude of Azure Essence Grass.
