313: Chapter 313 Fire Spirit Marrow Liquid

The sulfurous toxic sludge madly scorched and stung Ye Tian's protective light membrane.

With every inch he sank, that fragile barrier grew a fraction dimmer.

"Go down... the pure fire energy is repelling the toxins... get closer to it..." Venerable Jiehuo's thoughts came through intermittently.

Even in his slumber, this remnant soul of a former half-step Cave-Heaven stage powerhouse had a perception of the Fire Dao that far surpassed ordinary people.

At this moment, he was exhausting his last shred of clarity to point the way for Ye Tian, using his remaining Origin Soul Power to bolster the light membrane that was on the verge of shattering.

"I can't give up! The Dragon Ape is waiting for it! Xiao Jie is still up there!" Ye Tian roared in his heart, using both hands and feet to swim with all his might toward that speck of golden-red light.

Ten zhang... five zhang... three zhang...

The distance was shortening, but the light membrane had become as thin as a cicada's wing, looking as if it would shatter at any moment.

Ye Tian could even feel the slimy, cold touch of the toxic sludge; it had already penetrated the light membrane and begun to burn his skin.

His lungs burned with pain, and his consciousness began to blur.

Just as his strength was failing and the light membrane was about to completely disintegrate...

"Pop!"

The despairing, terrifying pressure from his surroundings suddenly lightened!

He fell into a peculiar spherical space, barely a zhang in diameter, enveloped by a faint golden halo!

Inside the space, it was warm and dry, the air was fresh, and there wasn't a trace of toxic gas.

In the center of this spherical space, atop a crystal-clear scarlet jade stone, a small puddle of liquid—golden in color like flowing molten gold and radiating immense vitality—was quietly suspended. Countless tiny golden-red specks of light within it slowly circulated, appearing and disappearing.

fire spirit marrow liquid! A rare treasure that grows alongside Earth Core Fire Spirit Milk, a treasure of heaven and earth containing the vitality of creation!

Found it! I finally found it!

Ye Tian collapsed onto the ground, coughing violently and spitting out several mouthfuls of turbid air laced with black strands—the fire poison that had invaded his body.

Ignoring his injuries, his eyes were fixed on that small puddle of golden marrow liquid, his heart churning with complex, unspeakable emotions.

For this item, he had left Zhelong Hill, crossed thousands of miles of crimson wasteland and treacherous mountains, galloped for seven days and nights without rest, contended with the Shadow Calamity Tower in Crimson Flame Town, fought on the precipices of the Earth Fire Demon Abyss, slain Sea Transformation Realm experts, and jumped into a toxic lake, experiencing a narrow escape from death!

How many times had he brushed past the Grim Reaper? How many times had he gritted his teeth and persevered in despair... All of it was for this hope of salvation before him!

He cautiously used a specially made jade bottle to collect every last drop of the fire spirit marrow liquid.

As the marrow liquid entered his hand, the jade bottle felt slightly heavy; even through the bottle walls, he could feel the exuberant vitality contained within.

This energy far surpassed the Ten-Thousand-Year Molten Fruit he had consumed before!

If the Molten Fruit was a sweet rain, then this fire spirit marrow liquid was the very fountain of life!

Not daring to delay, Ye Tian tightly stowed away the jade bottle.

He looked up at the ceiling; the faint golden halo blocked the toxic sludge outside and also faintly guided the direction of the energy flow.

Sensing carefully, he discovered the halo wasn't fully sealed; there was a crack leading toward the rock layers to the side and below.

Ye Tian once again forced his remaining Qi to circulate and swam toward that crack.

Passing through the crack, he found an underground rock vein passage.

Though the temperature in the passage was high, it was non-toxic; it was clearly a special path formed by the long-term saturation of the fire spirit marrow liquid's energy.

He followed the passage for an unknown amount of time until he finally saw daylight ahead.

When he crawled out from a rock crevice on a cliff at the edge of Sulfur Valley, he felt as if he had returned from another world.

But he had no time to enjoy the fresh air. Relying on his memory and the cover of the descending night, he quietly returned to the area of sulfur rock pillars where he had previously settled Hou Xiaojie.

"Senior Brother!" Hou Xiaojie, who had been curled up behind a rock pillar and was so nervous he was nearly collapsing, saw Ye Tian return safely. Tears immediately gushed out as he threw himself forward.

"It's okay now, Xiao Jie, I found the item." Ye Tian patted his back, his voice carrying a hint of relief. He quickly checked the Dragon Ape's condition; it was still unconscious, but its breath remained.

"This place isn't safe to stay; the pursuers might still be searching nearby. We must leave Sulfur Valley immediately and find an absolutely secure location," Ye Tian decided decisively.

Taking Hou Xiaojie with him and using the night as cover, he carefully bypassed several areas that might still have hidden sentries and found a geothermal fissure passage leading out of Sulfur Valley.

The two trekked through the fissure for an entire night. It wasn't until dawn that they completely left the range of Sulfur Valley and entered the Silent Hills, a region covered in black volcanic rock.

Not a blade of grass grew here, and it was devoid of human presence.

On the mountainside of a dormant volcano, Ye Tian found a natural cave hidden by a massive volcanic rock.

He set up layers of early-warning and concealment Restrictions at the cave entrance and cleverly disguised it with rocks before leading Hou Xiaojie and the Dragon Ape into the depths of the cave.

Ye Tian didn't stop to rest, immediately taking out the bottle of fire spirit marrow liquid.

He carefully separated about two-thirds from the jade bottle and dripped it into the Dragon Ape's slightly open mouth.

Ye Tian concentrated fully, circulating his Qi to help the Dragon Ape refine this massive energy.

The marrow liquid rapidly repaired the wounds within the Dragon Ape's body and nourished its Yao soul.

Its dull, pale-golden fur regained its luster at a speed visible to the naked eye, becoming even more brilliant than before.

The unstable blood-colored sword-bane mark on its right claw also began to slowly calm and withdraw.

The Dragon Ape's weak aura began to rise, growing stronger and stronger...

This process lasted for an entire day and night.

When evening came the next day and the afterglow of the setting sun spilled into the cave through the rock crevices, the unconscious Dragon Ape's eyelids flickered slightly, and then it slowly opened its eyes.

Those were a pair of golden pupils even more majestic than before. The aura of this Sea Transformation Realm Yao Beast seemed deeper than before its injury, already approaching the Sea Transformation Realm Middle Stage!

"Xiao... Long?" Hou Xiaojie's voice trembled, filled with unbelievable joy.

The Dragon Ape blinked, looked at Ye Tian and Hou Xiaojie standing by its side, and seemed to understand something.

A low sound rumbled in its throat as it struggled to stand up.

Ye Tian supported it and briefly informed it about the remaining fire spirit marrow liquid.

"Master, Xiao Jie, thank you..."

It looked at the remaining three or four drops of golden marrow liquid in the jade bottle in Ye Tian's hand and shook its head. "I... have had enough. Any more and I won't be able to bear it. Master and Xiao Jie should use the rest."

Ye Tian felt a warmth in his heart and nodded.

He looked at the jade bottle in his hand, pondered for a moment, and divided the marrow liquid into two equal portions.

He swallowed one portion and handed the other to Hou Xiaojie.

"Xiao Jie, this substance's energy is gentle but vast. Absorb what you can according to your ability, but do not be greedy and push too fast," Ye Tian instructed solemnly.

"Yes, Senior Brother!" Hou Xiaojie excitedly took the jade bottle and swallowed the two drops of golden marrow liquid without hesitation.

Ye Tian sat cross-legged and focused on refining the fire spirit marrow liquid that had entered his body.

The energy nourished his exhaustion from the great battle. His cultivation, which was at the True Martial Realm Tenth Stage Early Stage, rapidly stabilized under this power and advanced toward the Tenth Stage Middle Stage.

He felt refreshed, his body filled with abundant power; his state was better than ever before!

Not only were his injuries fully healed and his cultivation stabilized and improved, but even his Divine Soul had become several degrees clearer.

Next, he looked at Hou Xiaojie, who was still Cultivating with his eyes closed.

Hou Xiaojie's small face was flushed red, and white steam faintly rose from the top of his head as his aura fluctuated and climbed violently!

Ningyuan Eighth Stage Peak... Ninth Stage... Ninth Stage Peak!

"Crack!"

Hou Xiaojie's aura surged abruptly, unexpectedly breaking through the shackles of the Ningyuan Realm to reach the True Martial Realm First Stage! Moreover, the rising momentum did not stop!

True Martial Realm First Stage Middle Stage... Late Stage... Second Stage! Second Stage Middle Stage... Second Stage Late Stage!

The surge continued until the True Martial Realm Second Stage Late Stage, where the violent aura around Hou Xiaojie finally calmed down and came to a steady halt.

He opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing through them before being replaced by immense joy.

He looked down at his hands and felt the powerful, ceaseless Qi flowing within him—far exceeding what he had before—and he was completely stunned.

"I... I broke through to the True Martial Realm? And... the Second Stage Late Stage?" Hou Xiaojie's voice carried an unbelievable tremble.

He clearly remembered that he was only at Ningyuan Eighth Stage before. Breaking through to the True Martial Realm was a threshold that countless Outer Sect Disciples dreamed of but found incredibly difficult to cross; many were stuck at the Ningyuan Peak for years or even over a decade without being able to advance an inch.

He... just like that, easily broke through several barriers to reach True Martial Second Stage? This was simply like a dream!

Ye Tian looked at Hou Xiaojie. Usually steady and calm, his eyes were now filled with astonishment.

He knew the fire spirit marrow liquid had Heaven-Defying effects, but the magnitude of Hou Xiaojie's improvement was far too shocking.

While this was certainly due to the marrow liquid's miraculous effect, it likely also had to do with Hou Xiaojie's own accumulation, his pure Heart-Nature, and the insights gained from this life-and-death ordeal.

But regardless, this was a monumental stroke of fortune!