95: Earth Fire Pool

Xiao Qinghan seized the opportunity to cast the Beast Taming Technique again. A spirit ring descended, finally completely trapping the violent Flame Scale Rhinoceros.

She looked at the Shadow Scale Snake: "Junior Brother Lin, this spirit snake of yours is truly extraordinary. To be able to ignore the Flame Scale Rhinoceros's protective fire current and penetrate its defense—its potential is likely even more astonishing than I had anticipated."

Xiao Qinghan let out a soft breath. Fine beads of sweat seeped from her forehead, and a few strands of hair stuck to her cheek, her breathing slightly rushed.

She subconsciously leaned closer to Lin Feng and took out a plain white silk handkerchief, raising her hand to wipe his forehead, which had been scorched by splashing sparks and stained with a little ash just moments ago.

Lin Feng was slightly taken aback and subconsciously turned his head to avoid her. He raised his hand and wiped away the marks with his own sleeve, saying: "Thank you, Senior Sister, it is no matter."

His gaze fell upon the Flame Scale Rhinoceros, which, even after being subdued, still radiated terrifying heat from its entire body, resembling a small volcano, and his heart stirred slightly.

This beast's fire was so violent and pure; its Origin fire spirit must certainly be extraordinary.

He turned to Xiao Qinghan and asked naturally: "Senior Sister Xiao, having witnessed the power of this Flame Scale Rhinoceros this time, I wonder, besides such Yao Beast inner cores, where else can one find fire-attribute spiritual items of similar quality?"

Seeing him avoid her, Xiao Qinghan's hand paused in the air before she naturally withdrew it. Her fingertips twisted the silk handkerchief, and a trace of very faint disappointment flashed in the depths of her eyes, but it was quickly concealed.

Hearing him ask, she followed the topic and replied: "If we are talking about pure fire spirits, ordinary Yao Beast inner cores have many Impurities and are violent and difficult to tame; they are far less gentle and majestic than spiritual items nurtured by heaven and earth.

The Earth Fire veins under the jurisdiction of the Chiyan Sect are the most famous, producing all kinds of fire-type spiritual materials. I have heard that their Sect's Young Lord, Yan Li, obtained a rare treasure called the 'crimson sun pearl,' which is said to be condensed from the essence of the Earth Heart fire veins after a thousand years of sedimentation."

On the return journey, while passing through a narrow lava tunnel illuminated red by magma, Xiao Qinghan stepped on a loose, scorching rock, and her figure swayed slightly. Lin Feng subconsciously reached out to steady her arm.

His palm touched the cool, smooth sleeve, and even through the fabric, he could feel a trace of warmth; both of them paused.

Xiao Qinghan's earlobes grew slightly hot, and after steadying herself, she whispered a word of thanks. Lin Feng quickly withdrew his hand, responded with a "Be careful, Senior Sister," and shifted his gaze toward the steaming heat ahead.

The two returned to the Sect. When parting, Xiao Qinghan stopped at the mountain path of the Beast Taming Peak and looked at Lin Feng, seemingly with anticipation, and also seemingly with helplessness, which finally only turned into one sentence: "Thank you for today, Junior Brother. In the future... if you have time, you may often come to the Beast Taming Peak to sit for a while."

Lin Feng cupped his hands in return: "You are too polite, Senior Sister."

Although Xiao Qinghan felt slightly disappointed in her heart for not having "captured" Lin Feng, seeing that he trusted her more and recalling the tacit understanding when fighting side by side, it left a trace of sweetness and warmth in her heart, thinking that there would be plenty of time in the future.

Lin Feng slowly opened his eyes in his Immortal Cave. The fragments of intelligence gathered over the past few months were repeatedly pieced together and deduced in his mind, finally pointing to one target: the rare treasure carried by the Chiyan Sect Young Lord, Yan Li, the "crimson sun pearl."

The pure Yang fire contained in this item was the key to him refining his Fire Attribute Sword Essence. However, the risk was immense; Yan Li's own cultivation had already reached the Foundation Establishment Mid-stage, and he had the protection of a Core Formation grandfather.

He rose to his full height, his gaze calm as water. The plan was set, and the rest was execution.

Several months of time flowed by in the shadows. Like the most patient hunter, Lin Feng utilized every means available, even sparing no expense in Spirit Stones to go through black market channels, bit by bit outlining the behavioral patterns of Yan Li.

This person was arrogant and conceited, and the "Xuan Fire Technique" he was cultivating was at a critical Bottleneck, requiring him to regularly go to a secret place at the Sect border called the "Earth Fire Flame Pool" to absorb the purest Earth Fire born at a specific hour in order to achieve a Breakthrough.

The location of that flame pool was special, situated at the edge where the two Sects' forces intersected, and the environment was harsh, so the guards were not an impenetrable iron barrel.

This was the only opportunity.

Lin Feng wore the hidden star pendant, and with a slight emission of spiritual power, the aura around his body suddenly dimmed and collapsed, revealing a weak fluctuation of only the Qi Refining Middle Stage.

He changed his appearance and disguised himself as a down-and-out Loose Cultivator who had come to try his luck and collect fire-evil stones, blending into a group of low-level Cultivators active on the periphery of the Chiyan Sect.

Over the course of several months, he traveled back and forth to the area around the "Earth Fire Flame Pool" several times, silently surveying the terrain, recording the patterns of the Earth Fire's flow, and engraving the shadow of every rock and the direction of every hidden Earth Fire current into his mind.

After determining the next time Yan Li would come, Lin Feng arrived several days in advance and, relying on his familiarity with the environment, quietly infiltrated the core area of the flame pool.

This place was exceptionally scorching. He avoided several weak warning Restrictions and, at the nodes closest to the flame pool where the Earth Fire energy was most violent, set up the "Inverted Five Elements Array" that he had painstakingly improved and strengthened. At the eye of the Formation, he even buried dozens of Yin Thunder Beads and a large number of Illusion Smoke Talismans.

After completing all of this, he hid in a rock crevice from which he could observe the whole situation but remained concealed, lowering his own aura and breathing to the minimum, waiting patiently.

The time was approaching. Yan Li appeared right on time, bringing only two Chiyan Sect Disciples at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage.

His expression was arrogant. He scanned his surroundings and did not notice any abnormalities. He casually set up a few simple warning Talismans, then impatiently stepped into the center of the flame pool, sat cross-legged, and prepared to absorb the gushing Earth Fire.

Just as Yan Li's mind was completely immersed in cultivation and he was gradually entering a state of deep focus, a cold light flashed in Lin Feng's eyes. He formed a hand seal with one hand and activated the Formation.

Hum!

An invisible ripple instantly spread. The Formation Flags that had been buried long ago suddenly lit up, and streaks of spiritual light wove into a net, instantly shrouding the entire core area of the flame pool.

The brilliance shot into the sky, forming an inverted bowl-shaped light screen, completely isolating the inside from the outside.

The two Disciples outside the Formation turned pale.

"Not good! There is an ambush!"

"Protect the Young Lord!"

The two reacted extremely quickly. Almost the instant the Formation light screen formed, they simultaneously unleashed their Magical Artifacts, roaring as they lunged toward the light screen and bombarded it with all their might.

Boom! Boom!

Two attacks from the Early Foundation Establishment Stage slammed heavily into the light screen, causing the Formation to shake violently.

The two guards' eyes were bloodshot, and their attacks were like a violent storm, not sparing any spiritual power. They knew deeply that if the Young Lord were lost, they would face a fate even more terrifying than death.

At the same time, Yan Li was interrupted in his cultivation, his Qi and blood churning. He opened his eyes in shock and anger, only to see that the scene around him was distorted and the Five Elements Spiritual Qi had become manic and chaotic.

He tried to probe with his spiritual sense, but it was bounced back by the Formation light screen.

"Who is it? Get out here!" Yan Li roared, his body exploding with crimson spiritual light as he punched toward the light screen. The light screen shook violently but did not break.

His face darkened; he clearly had not expected this Formation to be so resilient. Immediately, without hesitation, he unleashed the crimson sun pearl from his chest: "Shatter for me!"

The crimson sun pearl floated up, and a force of extreme Yang burst forth, crashing into the Five Elements light screen.

Crack!

Under the fierce attack of a rare treasure like the crimson sun pearl, the Formation light screen could not withstand it and was instantly covered in spiderweb-like cracks.

Where Lin Feng was hiding, his face went pale, and a taste of blood surged in his throat.

He was maintaining the Formation with all his might, but the absolute gap in cultivation was now undoubtedly revealed, and the Formation was on the verge of collapse.

A look of determination flashed in Lin Feng's eyes, and without hesitation, he triggered his second layer of preparation: all the buried Yin Thunder Beads.

Boom! Rumble!