195: Jadeite from the heart of heaven, snatching food from the tiger's mouth.

Between the mountains and forests, two figures moved, one in front and one behind.

"Damn it! Lin Boy, you... you slow down! This Daoist is about to collapse!" Zhang Dabao gasped for breath, the fat on his plump face jiggling up and down.

Lin Fan ignored him, his magical power surging under his feet, increasing his speed even further.

It wasn't until they reached a steep cliff that Lin Fan finally stopped.

Just as the two were about to take a short break.

A refreshing, exotic fragrance wafted up from beneath the cliff.

Both of them felt their spirits lift.

"Heaven And Earth Treasure!"

They leaned over to look, and saw that on the misty cliff face, a plant, as clear and lustrous as jade, seemingly carved from the finest mutton-fat white jade, with three longan-sized fruits emanating a soft, precious glow, was quietly growing.

"Heavenly Heart Jade Marrow!"

Zhang Dabao exclaimed in surprise.

Such a divine object, even on the Heavenly Martial Continent, would be enough to cause countless Martial Venerable and Martial Saint powerhouses to fight madly over it.

Consuming it could cleanse the marrow and purify the veins, transforming one's Physical Body!

He never expected to encounter it in such a desolate, remote mountain forest.

Just as the two were about to pick it.

"Roar—!"

A tiger's roar, filled with endless ferocity and majesty, came from beneath the cliff.

Immediately after, a massive tiger, as large as a small mountain, covered in golden fur, with a clear 'King' character on its forehead, leaped out from the forest and landed steadily beside the Heavenly Heart Jade Marrow!

Martial Venerable!

The strength of this mountain lord, as Lin Fan had previously investigated and understood, had reached the Martial Venerable Realm.

Its lantern-sized tiger eyes stared fixedly at Lin Fan and the other, filled with undisguised killing intent and warning.

"Damn it, stealing food from a tiger's mouth?"

Upon seeing this, Zhang Dabao's face turned green.

But Lin Fan, however, smiled.

He slowly stood up and patted the dust off his body.

"Today, this Heavenly Heart Jade Marrow, this young master, I, will have it!"

The moment his voice fell!

He no longer hesitated, his internal Grand Profound Qi Gathering Art activated his magical power, and his figure, like an arrow released from a bowstring, charged directly towards the mountain lord.

"Immortal King Arrives At Nine Heavens!"

With a low shout, the illusory image of the supreme Immortal King behind him reappeared.

"Six Paths Reincarnation Fist"

He punched out!

Upon seeing this, the mountain lord also let out an angry roar, and a huge, terrifying claw descended.

Boom!

Qi surged, dispelling much of the surrounding mist!

Lin Fan's figure swayed slightly.

The mountain lord, however, retreated several steps.

It was... falling into a disadvantageous position?!

"Good opportunity!"

Lin Fan seized this fleeting opening, changing his hand seals.

"Palm Thunder!"

"Wind Manipulation Art!"

"Myriad Wood Cage!"

A series of spells were cast by him with flowing grace!

The mountain lord was already in a bad state, and now, caught off guard by these unheard-of, strange attacks, it instantly fell into a disadvantageous position.

It wanted to run, but was tightly bound in place by the vines that appeared out of thin air!

It wanted to hide, but the dense lightning followed it like a shadow!

It wanted to attack, but the invisible wind blades had already sealed off all its escape routes!

Frustrated!

Extremely frustrated!

It had lived for thousands of years, and this was the first time it had fought so miserably.

"Roar—!"

With another unwilling roar, a hint of fear flashed in the mountain lord's eyes, and it directly abandoned the Heavenly Heart Jade Marrow it had guarded for hundreds of years, plunging into the endless mountain forest and disappearing.

Ran away?!

Upon seeing this, Lin Fan also breathed a sigh of relief, slowly retracting his aura.

This battle, seemingly easy, in reality, had consumed a great deal of his energy.

He took out a jade box from his Storage Ring, carefully collected the Heavenly Heart Jade Marrow, and put it into the Storage Ring.

"Lin... Little Brother Lin... No! Grandfather Lin!"

Zhang Dabao scrambled up, throwing himself at Lin Fan's leg, his plump face filled with adoration and fanaticism.

"You... You are my true grandfather! From now on, this Daoist will follow you!"

Lin Fan was left speechless by his sudden, bizarre actions.

He tried hard to pry this human pendant off his leg: "Alright, alright, stand up and talk! Don't stick to me like a piece of sticky candy."

Zhang Dabao held on tightly: "No! No! Grandfather Lin, please accept me, your loyal little brother!"

It took a great deal of effort to finally get the overly excited Zhang Dabao off his leg.

Lin Fan looked around, sensing the still somewhat chaotic aura and the traces left by the battle just now.

"Find a place to rest."

Half an hour later, Lin Fan found a naturally formed dry cave in a relatively secluded mountain hollow.

The entrance was concealed by dense vines, making it quite hidden.

"Grandfather Lin, rest assured! I'm here! This Daoist will keep watch for you! I guarantee not even a mosquito will fly in!" Zhang Dabao immediately patted his chest, assuring him, his plump face full of seriousness (mainly fearing that Lin Fan would abandon him and run off).

Lin Fan didn't stand on ceremony with him, nodded, and walked directly into the depths of the cave.

He sat down cross-legged directly, not wasting time adjusting his breath and recovering.

Instead, he cautiously took out the jade box containing the Heavenly Heart Jade Marrow from his Storage Ring.

After thinking for a moment, he didn't touch the three most precious fruits, but instead carefully scraped off about half a qian (about 1.875 grams) of transparent jade marrow paste from the main stem with a small jade knife.

Then, without hesitation, he swallowed this bit of jade marrow into his stomach!

Boom!

Upon entering his stomach, the jade marrow ignited like scorching magma!

This power was violent and pure, like ten thousand horses galloping, madly surging through his meridians.

Within his Dantian Qi Sea, the originally condensed vortex of magical power rapidly expanded, compressed, and expanded again, becoming even more condensed, pure, and robust!

In the Sea of Consciousness at his glabella, his originally slightly hazy Divine Soul perception instantly became incomparably clear, as if a fog had dispersed, and its range expanded significantly!

After an unknown amount of time, the violent medicinal power slowly subsided, completely merging into the depths of his body like a hundred rivers returning to the sea.

Lin Fan slowly opened his eyes.

Deep within his dark pupils, two sharp glints seemed to flash and then vanish, returning to the calmness of a deep pool.

A long breath of turbid Qi, carrying a faint jade marrow fragrance, slowly exhaled from his mouth, leaving a small, clear mark on the stone wall.

He slowly clenched his fists.

An unprecedented surge of immense power flowed through his muscles and bones, a feeling of explosive energy.

He moved his arm slightly, and the air emitted a low hum as if being torn. His Physical Body strength had more than doubled compared to before!

His whole body was full of energy, his Qi and blood surged like a river, and his magical power was condensed like mercury.

The effect brought by the jade marrow far exceeded his expectations!

Lin Fan stood up with satisfaction, stretched his limbs, and his entire body's joints crackled like popping beans.

He tidied his clothes and walked out with a refreshed spirit.

Outside the cave.

Zhang Dabao was holding his tattered whisk, leaning against the stone wall at the cave entrance.

His eyelids drooped, his head bobbed like a pecking chick, and a suspicious glint of drool lingered at the corner of his mouth, clearly dozing off, looking quite comical.

Lin Fan walked behind him and gently nudged his plump backside with his foot.

"Who?!"

"Who dares to ambush this Daoist!" Zhang Dabao sprang up with a jolt, fumbling, almost sending his whisk flying. He was about to assume a fighting stance when he turned his head and saw it was Lin Fan.

The tension and fierceness on his face instantly turned into a joyous smile, even with a hint of flattery:

"Oh! Grandfather Lin! You've emerged from seclusion? You had this fatty worried to death! How are you? Have you recovered well?" He leaned closer, carefully examining Lin Fan.

Zhang Dabao chuckled, rubbed his hands, and a fawning smile appeared on his face.

But he truly couldn't suppress the overwhelming curiosity in his heart, and carefully asked:

"Uh... Grandfather Lin, you... please don't mind this fatty being long-winded, but I really can't hold it in any longer! You... what Realm are you in now, exactly?"

His eyes were full of exclamation points. To single-handedly force back a tiger Yao Beast with Martial Venerable strength! This achievement, if spoken aloud, could scare people to death!

Lin Fan heard him, glanced at him, and pondered for a moment, seemingly sensing the new power within his body.

After thinking for a moment, he realized he was a Cultivator, currently at Purple Mansion Eighth Layer, so his cultivation should correspond to Martial Emperor Eighth Layer, right? Although his actual strength was definitely more than that.

"Martial Emperor."

What?!!

The smile on Zhang Dabao's face instantly froze into a stone sculpture!

He looked as if someone had punched him in the ear, instinctively digging hard at his own ear, his eyes almost popping out.

"What?! Only... only Martial Emperor?!"

His voice rose like a duck whose neck had been stepped on, filled with incomprehension and extreme absurdity!

Martial Emperor? Forcing back a Martial Venerable Yao Beast? This is... there has to be a limit to jokes!