Soon after, Ling Feng came across a colossal mountain cave not too far away. Judging by the aura emanating from within, it appeared to be the lair of the cloud-striped tiger.
Inside the lair, a multitude of animal bones, including those of humans, cluttered the space.
Clearly, these were all individuals who had previously set their sights on the Sunfire Crimson Fruit.
With a sweep of his sword qi, Ling Feng cleared a space and then settled into a cross-legged position. From within his robes, he retrieved the Sunfire Crimson Fruit.
Without hesitation, Ling opened his mouth and ingested the fruit. The Sunfire Crimson Fruit instantly dissolved upon entry, transforming into liquid as it flowed effortlessly down his throat and into his stomach.
"It's so hot!"
As Ling Feng swallowed the Sunfire Crimson Fruit, his immediate sensation mirrored the scorch of flames searing through his body. The fruit harbored Sunfire Spiritual Energy, capable of drastically boosting one's true qi while naturally imbuing it with a fiery and domineering essence.
Ling Feng sweated profusely, his skin turning a deep crimson reminiscent of a steamed crab. Wisps of heat emerged from his pores, swiftly condensing into billowing white mist upon contact with the air, gracefully rising into the sky.
The juice of the Sunfire Crimson Fruit inside him resembled the flowing of molten lava, raging and coursing through his internal organs.
With clenched teeth, Ling Feng sensed an internal blaze, growing fiercer by the second, as if it aimed to consume him entirely, turning him into a pile of ashes from within.
In such a situation, ordinary individuals would have likely lost consciousness, yet Ling Feng persevered against the intense heat. He methodically utilized the Wenxian Qi Refining Technique, gradually absorbing and refining the exceedingly pure spiritual energy contained within the Sunfire Crimson Fruit.
The Sunfire Crimson Fruit, an immensely robust and yang-oriented celestial fruit, holds heat that's far beyond what a Qi Formation Realm martial artist can easily refine. Generally, it necessitates the concoction of several complementary medicinal herbs with neutralizing properties to create the Sunfire Pill before it can be consumed.
Ling Feng's impulsive decision to swallow it directly was only feasible due to his unique constitution. For an average person, such an action would likely have caused severe brain damage due to the overwhelming heat.
Gradually, Ling Feng acclimated to the searing and commanding energy, enhancing the pace at which he refined the medicinal potency. Consequently, his internal true qi surged at a rapid rate.
The intensity of the Sunfire Crimson Fruit's heat bolstered the resilience of his meridians.
After an unknown duration, Ling Feng opened his eyes and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.
"Sixth level of Qi Formation!" Brilliance surged in Ling Feng's eyes. He had recently ascended to the fifth level, and even with the assistance of his Human Dao Eye absorbing the world's spiritual energy, along with the Sect Master's Qi-boosting pills, it should have logically taken another ten days to two weeks for him to continue the breakthrough.
The Sunfire Crimson Fruit not only directly elevated his cultivation by a level but also infused his true qi with a natural scorching heat, enhancing the might of his sword qi even further.
…
"Damn it! Where did this little mongrel run off to?"
With a single sword stroke, Xiao Qinggang brought down a demonic beast, his eyes glinting with a fearsome aura of killing intent.
Five whole days had passed!
For five days, Xiao Qinggang searched the outskirts of the vast wilderness mountains, but he had yet to spot any trace of Ling Feng. This was beginning to make him rather impatient.
"Senior Brother Xiao, do you think that kid might have ventured into the area where second-tier high-level demonic beasts appear?" the red-haired man ahead suddenly asked.
"How is that possible? That kid's strength is merely at the fourth level of Qi Formation. How could he dare to go there?" Xiao Qinggang scoffed coldly.
"Senior Brother Xiao, have you forgotten? That kid has even slain Qingfeng," the red-haired man added.
"Nonsense! That kid just took advantage of Qingfeng's distraction and launched a sneak attack; that's how he got the upper hand."
With a fierce glare, Xiao Qinggang delivered a swift kick to the red-haired man's rear. "If Qingfeng hadn't been careless, do you think that kid alone could have taken him down?"
As Xiao Qinggang sheathed his sword and tilted his nose skyward, he snorted coldly before saying, "However, it doesn't rule out the possibility of that kid being arrogant and venturing into deeper areas."
The red-haired man and several inner sect disciples beside him had a twitch at the corners of their mouths, but they dared not provoke Xiao Qinggang further. Immediately, someone echoed, "Senior Brother Xiao's analysis is quite reasonable. Let's set out at once!"
"Let's go!" Xiao Qinggang's eyes bore a chilling intent. Deep within, he made a silent vow: upon finding Ling Feng, he would utterly crush him to rid himself of this deep-seated resentment!
The group dashed forward at an incredible speed.
For these past few days, they've been tirelessly scouring the outskirts of the vast wilderness mountains, yet haven't found even a shred of evidence.
However, upon descending from Jiuxian Mountain, there exists only one entrance into the vast wilderness mountains. If Ling Feng entered through this gateway, he would undoubtedly traverse along the path paved by previous travelers.
There's no doubt about this fact.
Soon enough, Xiao Qinggang and the others did find some signs of a recent battle. They followed the clues and eventually came upon a "battlefield."
Two days had passed since Ling Feng slew Wang Tong and his group. Due to the lingering scent of the cloud-striped tiger, the bodies on the ground remained untouched by any wild or demonic beasts, merely infested with maggots. The entire battlefield was engulfed in the stench of decay.
"These people must have died just a few days ago." remarked the red-haired man at the forefront, crouching down to inspect the wounds on the corpses. "It appears they met their end under the Wenxian Sect's Starshatter Sword Technique. I've heard of Ling Feng using this very technique when he killed Qingfeng."
"Little mongrel, there's nowhere for you to run this time!" Xiao Qinggang's eyes flashed with a chilling resolve. "Search the vicinity thoroughly. The moment you find him, inform me right away. I intend to personally crush him to dust!"
"Understood!" The disciples responded in unison. Swiftly, they dispersed from the center, each heading in different directions, searching for any trace of Ling Feng.
…
At the same time, Ling Feng was inside the lair of the cloud-striped tiger, completely unaware that danger was drawing near.
After spending two days absorbing the medicinal potency of the Sunfire Crimson Fruit, Ling Feng's cultivation had settled at the pinnacle of the sixth level of Qi Formation. He was nearly poised for another breakthrough, just a step away from the final advancement.
After stretching lazily, Ling Feng slowly stood up and rubbed his stomach. The past two days had made him quite hungry.
A martial artist in the Qi Formation Realm was, in the end, just a mortal being and far from achieving a state of transcendence from worldly needs.
"It's time to head out!"
Ling Feng stepped out from the cave, preparing to procure some wild game to satisfy his hunger.
"Stop right there!"
Suddenly, a sharp and commanding shout came from the side.
Ling Feng turned to see a man dressed in the attire of an inner disciple of the Wenxian Sect. His hair, fiery red and standing on end, resembled the quills of a porcupine.
"You must be Ling Feng!" With a quick stride, the red-haired man approached Ling Feng, sporting a faint smirk. His sharp, intense gaze fixed on Ling Feng, akin to a hawk assessing its prey.
Furrowing his brow slightly, Ling Feng glanced at the red-haired man and asked in a cold tone, "What do you want?"
"Indeed, it's you!" The red-haired man's gaze narrowed, then he burst into hearty laughter. He reached into his bosom, retrieved a resounding arrow, and shot it into the sky.
"Senior Qinggang, come quickly! A sky-piercing arrow has been released!"
With a resounding roar, the red-haired man launched the echoing arrow into the upper half of the sky. In mid-air, it emitted a dazzling radiance, serving as the prearranged signal between the red-haired man and Xiao Qinggang.
