Chapter 75: Flame Swamp

Chapter 75: Flame Swamp

At night, the mystic beasts of the Fire Demon Mountain Range became active once more. Deafening roars echoed through the mountains, evoking a primal fear of nature's raw power!

No martial artist dared to wander the Fire Demon Mountain Range at night, not only because of the mystic beasts but also the potential encounters with ancient, unknown creatures.

Ning Xiaochuan dug a four-meter-deep hole in the ground and hid inside, planning to spend the night in this makeshift shelter.

Sitting cross-legged at the bottom of the cave, Ning Xiaochuan retrieved the Golden-Threaded Purple Wood Box and placed it in his palm.

"Boom!"

Earth Martial Essence surged violently from the Golden-Threaded Purple Wood Box, flooding into Ning Xiaochuan's body and dispersing into Martial Arts Profound Qi.

The Martial Arts Profound Qi within Ning Xiaochuan's body skyrocketed, instantly reaching fifty times the normal absorption rate.

The reason Ning Xiaochuan had chosen to part ways with Qi Chan'er was to focus on cultivation without distractions. With her around, he would have been wary and refrained from using the Golden-Threaded Purple Wood Box, slowing his progress significantly.

In the perilous Fire Demon Mountain Range, where one battled humans, mystic beasts, and the harsh environment, every ounce of strength mattered.

A crimson Profound Qi Sphere enveloped Ning Xiaochuan's body, while inside the sphere, lightning crackled and thunder roared, as if he sat at the center of a massive thunderball.

Ning Xiaochuan's first divine ability was the Lightning Thunder Beast!

His second divine ability was the Heavenly Thunder Bell!

The second ability had only recently manifested, so its power was still limited. Primarily, it served to intimidate opponents in battle—its thunderous toll could deafen enemies and leave their minds momentarily blank.

But even that brief moment was enough for Ning Xiaochuan to strike a fatal blow.

Of course, the Heavenly Thunder Bell's potential far exceeded this. Once it reached Great Perfection, its true power would unleash a deafening peal that could shake heaven and earth, carrying for hundreds of kilometers, killing countless with its resonance—even collapsing entire cliffs.

Moreover, the sound could be condensed into the shape of a massive bell, making its destructive force even more terrifying.

Within Ning Xiaochuan's body, the thunderous resonance continued unabated. His bones seemed to transform into thunderstones, his blood into electrified water.

Only by cultivating the Heavenly Thunder Bell to Great Perfection could he break through to the Third Level of the Divine Body Realm and awaken his third divine ability.

For Ning Xiaochuan, the fastest way to increase his strength wasn't the Golden-Threaded Purple Wood Box—it was the demonic sword's power to absorb Blood Qi.

However, he didn’t want to rely too heavily on the demonic sword, nor did he wish to fall into demonic ways. Thus, he had always restrained himself from using its power. But the Fire Demon Mountain Range was too dangerous. Without sufficient strength, he could easily fall prey to mystic beasts—or worse, be hunted by other examinees.

He decided to wield the demonic sword's devouring power to break through to the Third Level of the Divine Body Realm.

Ning Xiaochuan set aside the Golden-Threaded Purple Wood Box for now and retrieved the Vinewood Snake's corpse from the Heaven and Earth Bag.

The Vinewood Snake was a Third-grade Mystic Beast, its body stretching over twenty meters long—far too large to fit in the underground cave. Ning Xiaochuan had no choice but to carry the serpent's carcass back to the surface.

Although the Vinewood Snake had been dead for several days, its skin provided natural protection, keeping the blood inside remarkably fresh, as crimson as gemstone spirit liquid.

Ning Xiaochuan placed his palm on the snake’s head and channeled Profound Qi. The demonic sword within him seemed to sense something, immediately humming with excitement as it began frantically absorbing the blood from the Vinewood Snake’s body.

"Boom!"

A surge of Blood Qi flooded into Ning Xiaochuan’s body, transforming into a raging crimson river.

It took a full half-hour before Ning Xiaochuan completely drained the snake’s Blood Qi.

All that remained on the ground was a shriveled snake skin!

Ning Xiaochuan stored the skin in his Heaven and Earth Bag and immediately leaped into the underground pit to refine the massive amount of Blood Qi within him.

By dawn the next day, Ning Xiaochuan opened his eyes, lightning flickering within his pupils, flashing with each breath.

"My cultivation has indeed advanced significantly. If I can absorb the fresh blood of two more Third-grade Mystic Beasts, I should be able to reach Great Perfection in my second divine ability."

As Ning Xiaochuan emerged from the pit, a blood-red tiger crouched nearby, its eyes gleaming with ferocity as it stared at him. Not far away, on a tree trunk, perched a bat the size of a washbasin, exuding a chilling aura.

Ning Xiaochuan shook his head and chuckled. "A mere First-Grade Mystic Beast dares to set its sights on me? Truly ignorant of life and death."

"Swish!"

With a flick of his finger, a sword-like energy shot out, piercing the bat over 20 meters away. Then, gripping his Nishui Han blade, he cleaved the blood-red tiger in half with a single slash.

Carrying half of the tiger’s flesh, Ning Xiaochuan planned to find a place with abundant Earth Fire to roast it for his meal today.

The Fire Demon Mountain Range was perpetually aflame, with flames in the soil never extinguishing. The mystic beasts living here could naturally resist the scorching Earth Fire while alive, but once dead, they would still burn to charcoal.

Ning Xiaochuan finally found a spot where the flames burned intensely—a vast Flame Swamp, with crimson fires reaching over two meters high. Even a person stepping inside would be completely engulfed.

He skewered the tiger meat on his blade and roasted it over the flames. Soon, the meat turned golden-brown, releasing a mouthwatering aroma.

As he cooked, Ning Xiaochuan pondered his next steps. "While searching for Ning Xin’er, I’ll hunt Third-grade Mystic Beasts, absorb their Blood Qi, and break through to the Third Level of the Divine Body Realm."

"I don’t urgently need more Black Firewood Pearls right now. The priority is to raise my cultivation."

Just as he was deep in thought, a long howl echoed from the Flame Swamp—whether from a warrior or a mystic beast, he couldn’t tell.

Ning Xiaochuan abruptly stood, storing the roasted tiger meat in his Heaven and Earth Bag. Gripping his Nishui Han blade, he stared warily at the Flame Swamp ahead.

"Rumor has it that powerful mystic beasts in the Fire Demon Mountain Range bury their Mystic Beast Eggs in the soil after laying them, using Earth Fire to incubate them. With flames this dense in this swamp… could there be a Mystic Beast Egg buried here?"

Ning Xiaochuan's heart surged with excitement. If he could dig up the egg of a powerful Mystic Beast and successfully hatch it, he would gain a formidable combat companion.

Wrapping his body in Profound Qi and gripping his blade, Ning Xiaochuan cautiously stepped into the Flame Swamp. The earlier howl indicated that another creature had already entered.

The deeper he ventured toward the swamp's center, the higher the flames' temperature rose, scorching his skin until it felt like his body might melt. In the distance, he spotted a small pool at the very heart of the swamp—a pool not filled with water, but with fire.

The flames within the pool had turned a brilliant gold. If a powerful Mystic Beast had indeed left its egg here, it would undoubtedly be inside that pool.

As Ning Xiaochuan advanced toward the central pool, another creature approached from a different direction—an Explosive Ape, towering over six meters tall. Its body was covered in thick black fur, its muscles as solid as metal, and its legs as thick as pillars. Just the sight of its massive frame exuded overwhelming explosive power.

The earlier howl had come from this beast.

The moment Ning Xiaochuan spotted the Explosive Ape, it noticed him as well.

"ROAR!"

The ape's eyes, as large as bronze bells, glowed crimson as it let out a deafening roar, shaking the surrounding flames. It was a warning—the Mystic Beast Egg in the Golden Flame Pool belonged to it, and Ning Xiaochuan was not to interfere, lest it retaliate.

Among Third-grade Mystic Beasts, the Explosive Ape was exceptionally powerful, but it wasn’t enough to intimidate Ning Xiaochuan.

Activating the "Heavenly Thunder Bell," Ning Xiaochuan unleashed a thunderous shout that shook the earth, challenging the ape from afar.

For a brief moment, the Explosive Ape was stunned by the thunderous roar, but it quickly recovered, bellowing again before charging toward the Golden Flame Pool.

Ning Xiaochuan accelerated as well.

They reached the edge of the pool almost simultaneously, neither immediately going for the egg—instead, they attacked each other at once.

"BOOM!"

The Explosive Ape swung a fist at Ning Xiaochuan, its knuckles encased in thick Profound Qi.

Gripping his blade with both hands, Ning Xiaochuan slashed out a crescent-shaped sword aura, slicing through the ape's Protective Profound Qi Armor and leaving a bloody gash on its arm.

Yet, the strike failed to sever its limb—only a shallow wound remained.

The Explosive Ape's body was astonishingly tough, almost indestructible.

Realizing his attack had little effect, Ning Xiaochuan swiftly retreated.

Enraged by the pain, the Explosive Ape grew even more ferocious, chasing after him with terrifying speed—each stride covering seven to eight meters.

"BOOM!"

Ning Xiaochuan twisted mid-air, slashing down at the ape's neck with another fierce strike.

Despite the razor-sharp blade, it still couldn’t decapitate the beast, merely leaving another shallow wound.

"There’s no other way!"

Ning Xiaochuan suddenly stops, his gaze turning resolute as he coldly stares at the approaching Explosive Ape. A terrifying sword intent brews within him, exuding an aura of supremacy. The highly intelligent Explosive Ape senses the danger. Ning Xiaochuan utters, "Annihilation Demonic Sword," and a crimson sword energy erupts from his chest, piercing toward the ape.