5: Chapter 5: The Kuafu Clan! A stunningly beautiful woman from the primordial era!

But he knew very well that this bit of strength was still as insignificant as an ant in the Classic of Mountains and Seas.

He needed to become stronger.

The next step was to find a Qian sheep.

Qian sheep fat could neutralize the violent malevolent aura in the flesh of fierce beasts, allowing him to continue consuming the flesh of the Daying.

Mount Qianlai, the foremost peak of the Huashan Mountains.

Lin Ye stood up and walked westward.

After walking for an unknown length of time, the sky instantly turned dark.

The Torch Dragon had closed its eyes.

Enhanced by night vision, the darkness was no longer an obstacle, but rather an advantage.

The night vision of most exotic beasts would be affected, whereas he could see everything clearly.

Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks.

On the ridge ahead, there was something.

In the dim light, there seemed to be a person—a giant at that, with a massive physique?!

Lin Ye's pupils contracted slightly.

In the Classic of Mountains and Seas World... there were people?

He crouched low, his eyes narrowing slightly.

The figure drew closer...

Five zhang tall, nearly twenty meters, as tall as a six-story building!

A woman—no, a giantess.

Clad in a short hide top, her skin was snow-white.

Her proportions were striking: broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and absurdly long legs.

Her features were not the rough, savage look Lin Ye had imagined, but instead remarkably grand and elegant.

Thick brows swept sharply up toward her temples, with a high-bridged nose, full lips, and a crisp, well-defined jawline.

Her coarse black hair, stiff like a horse's mane, cascaded loosely over her shoulders, reaching down to her waist.

Her entire being exuded a natural beauty crafted by heaven and earth.

She was far more attractive than the celebrities and internet influencers Lin Ye had seen online, who relied heavily on beauty filters.

The Kuafu Clan?!

Descendants of the sun-chasing giants in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, known for their heroic and righteous nature.

But Lin Ye suppressed the urge to step forward and speak with her.

Seven days were precious, and he didn't yet know their attitude toward outsiders, so he decided to observe first.

The giantess suddenly stopped, threw the carcass of an exotic beast off her shoulder onto the ground, and turned to call out toward the other side of the ridge.

Lin Ye could barely understand the language she spoke... Ancient phonology shared a sixty percent similarity with ancient Chinese, which he had specifically studied in his past life.

"Father! The miasma in the valley has thickened again! Uncle Yan's leg has started to fester!"

On the other side of the ridge, an even taller male giant stood up, nearly ten zhang high, his muscles bulging like mountains.

"How could it be so fast?" The male giant's voice boomed like muffled thunder.

"The yin energy hit hard this time! The fog is like black ink; giant trees can't block it, and beast wood won't burn!"

The giantess spoke anxiously, "The yutaozhi can be gathered within a few days. If we miss it, we'll have to wait until next spring! The injured cubs of the clan are all depending on it to save their lives!"

"That cold, toxic miasma is the Nether Turbid Qi of Mount Zhong! Touching that stuff with our Kuafu Clan's Houtu lineage is like pouring oil on a fire!"

"I'll rush in, gather it, and run! I'll take a gamble!"

"No! It's too risky!"

The two reached a stalemate.

Hidden behind a boulder, Lin Ye's eyes slowly lit up.

Cold toxic miasma? Nether Turbid Qi of Mount Zhong? Ordinary flames extinguished the moment they entered?

The Temporal Crimson Fire of the zhulong seal was specifically designed to counter cold-attribute things; this was an absolute tier suppression that required no effort.

Lin Ye wondered if he should lend a hand.

Because yutaozhi was a top-tier spirit herb that could mend bones, regenerate flesh, invigorate blood, and disperse stasis.

Picking one plant could heal the internal injuries to his meridians caused by the Torch Dragon's pressure at the foot of Mount Zhong, and any extra could be used to help them.

The Kuafu Clan were descendants of the sun-chasing giants, a powerful ancient combat race.

If he remembered correctly, they possessed quite a few good items.

Anything the clan leaked out casually would be an enormous opportunity for a trialist like him, who had just entered the Classic of Mountains and Seas.

Such as Denglin Peach Wood, body-tempering secret arts, and various rare treasures of heaven and earth...

Furthermore, by helping them, the Kuafu Clan would owe him a favor.

In this wild world crawling with fierce beasts, the friendship of a giant clan was worth far more than a single spirit herb.

Besides, dealing with that toxic miasma really took no effort for him at all!

Thinking up to this point,

Lin Ye stood up from behind the boulder.

The gaze of the two giants landed on him simultaneously, heavy as if tangible.

But his bones and muscles, strengthened by the huai tree fruit and the flesh of the Daying, weathered it, and he remained motionless.

"Who's there!" The male giant gripped his beast-bone spear.

The giantess bent her body slightly, adopting a battle stance.

Lin Ye cupped his hands in an ancient greeting.

"I am Lin Ye, a Qi Practitioner from the outer regions of Mount Zhong. Passing through here, I happened to hear that toxic miasma is causing trouble in the valley. I may have a solution."

The male giant frowned. "You? Do you have any idea that it's the Nether Turbid Qi of Mount Zhong? Even a Grand Shaman would have trouble dealing with it!"

The giantess said nothing, but her eyes kept sizing Lin Ye up, filled with vigilance mixed with curiosity.

Lin Ye offered no explanation.

He raised his right hand, palm facing up, immersed his consciousness into his sea of consciousness, and lightly touched the zhulong seal.

A wisp of divine sense was drawn out, flowing along his meridians toward his palm...

*Pfft!*

A surge of dark red flame rose up, a palm high, surrounded by a halo of black fire at its edges.

It pulsed rhythmically like breathing, brightening and dimming, warping the surrounding air and eerily stretching and shrinking the shadows on the ground.

Temporal Crimson Fire!

The Torch Dragon governed the temporal order of day and night; the flame contained a wisp of the power of time laws.

No matter how cold the Nether Turbid Qi was, it was mere vanity before time.

The moment the flame appeared, the pervading chilly sensation dissipated slightly, and the thin layer of cold dew on the ground rapidly evaporated in the firelight.

Both Kuafu Clan members widened their eyes in unison.

The male giant loosened his grip on the spear shaft, the suspicion on his face turning into shock.

The giantess stepped forward, her amber eyes reflecting the dark red flame.

"This is... Dragon Fire!" The male giant's voice altered. "How do you have the fire of that Being from Mount Zhong?!"

"By a stroke of chance, I received a wisp of divine sense favor."

Lin Ye extinguished the flame and cupped his hands again. "Using my flame to burn a path through the valley's toxic miasma won't be a problem. If you two trust me, I am willing to lend a helping hand."

The male giant and the giantess exchanged a glance.

After a brief silence, the male giant put down his beast-bone spear, patted his broad chest with a large hand, and bowed his head slightly.

"It was I, Kuayan, who lacked discernment! Please don't take offense at my rudeness just now, little brother!"

His tone completely changed, filled with respect and gratitude. "The yutaozhi in the valley is crucial to our clan. If you can help us, our Kuafu Clan will remember this favor!"

The giantess also shed her hostile posture and squatted down to reduce her height, only to realize that even while squatting, Lin Ye still had to look up to see her face.

She let out an embarrassed laugh and simply sat cross-legged.

"My name is Kuayao; you can just call me A-Yao."

"Did you hear everything my father and I were saying earlier?"

Lin Ye nodded.

Kuayan waved his large hand and turned to walk toward the other side of the ridge.

After two steps, he suddenly realized something and turned back to say something, only to freeze.

Lin Ye had already kept pace with him.

His steps were light and nimble, his stamina astonishingly abundant.

Having eaten the huai tree fruit and absorbed energy from the zhulong seal, his body had no trouble keeping up with the swift pace of a giant like Kuayan.

Surprise flashed in Kuayan's eyes, but he said nothing, merely steadying his stride a bit.

Following behind, A-Yao watched Lin Ye's small back beside her father, radiating an indescribable confidence.

The corners of her mouth curled up slightly, and the firelight glinted in her amber eyes.