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Chapter 682 - Refining the Crimson Mist Fruit
Chapter 682 - Refining the Crimson Mist Fruit
The Yin-Yang Valley had been restless for some time, with strange gases erupting sporadically and luring waves of cultivators eager to search for treasures.
Little did they know, countless lives would be lost before they could even glimpse those treasures. Deathguards mercilessly slaughtered a portion of the cultivators, while others sank into the ground, swallowed by the treacherous terrain. Some met fiery deaths as magma from the volcano claimed them. The Yin-Yang Valley had become a living hell.
Screams and cries filled the valley, echoing through the chaos, each one more harrowing than the last. The tremors grew more rapid and violent, and the widening fissures revealed a dark, ominous underground world.
Liu Wuxie had always suspected there was more to the yin mountain, but now he was certain—it was far from ordinary. Beneath its depths lay countless thousand-year deathguards, their presence oppressive and terrifying. Among them, Liu Wuxie even spotted the unmistakable forms of ten-thousand-year deathguards.
If all the deathguards were released, all the humans here would die without an exception, including him. Dealing with the thousand-year deathguards was his limit, and he had no chance of winning against ten-thousand-year deathguards. Even if he had some chance against them, it would be slim.
The trio finally found a relatively safe place and stopped to rest. Liu Wuxie took out several pills and handed them to the other two, who accepted and swallowed the pills without any hesitation.
Lin Tong knew deep down that the bond between Liu Wuxie and Mu Yueying was extraordinary—strong enough for Liu Wuxie to traverse such dangerous terrain to rescue them. Words of gratitude could wait. For now, they needed to focus on recovering from their injuries; the last thing they wanted was to become a burden to Liu Wuxie.
Mu Yueying, having only suffered minor injuries, meditated for ten minutes after consuming a recovery pill, regaining her full strength. Her condition was primarily due to her depleted true essence, which had left her sore and fatigued.
On the other hand, Lin Tong would require at least several hours to regain most of his strength.
"Wuxie, what are you doing here?" Mu Yueying asked after she recovered.
"It's a long story," Liu Wuxie replied. He knew it couldn't be explained in a few words.
It had been two years since they had last met, and many things had happened. He briefly explained how he had rushed to the Heavenly Nether Battlefield after the Ten Grand Ceremony ended.
He was fortunate to have arrived in time. Had he been even a few minutes later, he would have been left with nothing but the grim task of collecting their remains.
"Thank you for coming to save us," Mu Yueying said sincerely, her gratitude evident. Without Liu Wuxie’s intervention, the consequences would have been unimaginable, and both she and Lin Tong would have died.
"What's his name?" Liu Wuxie asked, still unsure of Lin Tong's name.
"Lin Tong," Mu Yueying replied with a trace of gentleness flashing in her eyes.
"We're still not completely safe yet. We might've lost Yu Lin, but the Yin-Yang Valley has been temporarily sealed. None of us can escape," Liu Wuxie nodded. Judging from the looks of it, Lin Tong was someone worth trusting. His demeanor around him was extraordinary, suggesting he was from a distinguished lineage rather than a rogue cultivator.
"We've come face to face with death over the past month," Mu Yueying replied. The past month had been tormenting, and they had already made the preparations to die. It was a miracle that they were still alive.
Had Liu Wuxie been one minute later, Mu Yueying would've crushed the Alert Talisman, signaling her death.
Mu Yueying didn't object to it, as they would've died if not for Liu Wuxie. With that, Lin Tong didn't hesitate to give it to Liu Wuxie, requesting the latter to accept it.
"I can't accept it. This spiritual fruit belongs to the two of you, as you risked your lives to obtain it," Liu Wuxie protested, waving his hand. While the Indigo Mist Fruit was undeniably a treasure, Liu Wuxie refused to covet something that rightfully belonged to Mu Yueying and Lin Tong.
"Brother Liu, listen to me," Lin Tong said earnestly. "After months of training, I’ve already touched the threshold of the Nascent Transformation Realm. I’ll make a breakthrough once I leave this place. The Indigo Mist Fruit is no longer as useful to me, but we can maximize its benefits if you consume it." His suggestion was met with a nod of agreement from Mu Yueying.
"Even so, I still cannot accept it," Liu Wuxie rejected. Though Lin Tong had touched the threshold of the Nascent Transformation Realm, he could reach the second level of the Nascent Transformation Realm if he consumed it.
"Wuxie, listen to Big Brother Lin," Mu Yueying urged, her tone sincere. "Accept it and refine it immediately. You’re the strongest among the three of us, and it’s futile for us to rely on our breakthroughs. If we reach the Nascent Transformation Realm, we’ll only be sent out by the spatial teleportation. The greatest benefit comes from you consuming it," Mu Yueying urged, her words sincere.
They would be forcibly teleported out if they made their breakthrough to the Nascent Transformation Realm, and there was only one Indigo Mist Fruit. Lin Tong and Mu Yueying couldn't consume it as they were determined not to leave the other behind, even in death.
However, increasing Liu Wuxie’s strength would greatly improve their chances of survival. Both Lin Tong and Mu Yueying had been stuck at the pinnacle of the Astral River Realm for a long time, having fully excavated their potential through relentless training and the harrowing pursuit over the past month.
They could make their breakthrough the moment they left this accursed place. Thus, the Indigo Mist Fruit wouldn't boost their strength significantly.
On the contrary, it was a different story for Liu Wuxie, who could use the Indigo Mist Fruit to reach the fifth level of the Astral River Realm. If Liu Wuxie made a breakthrough, there would be a significant leap in his strength, and they would have a higher chance against Yu Lin's group.
"Brother Liu, accept it. This isn't only to express our gratitude to you. But we can only guarantee our survival if you consume it," Lin Tong said, forcefully shoving the spiritual fruit into Liu Wuxie's hands. He insisted that the spiritual fruit wasn't a gift of gratitude but their ticket out of this place alive.
Given Liu Wuxie’s deep bond with Mu Yueying, framing the Indigo Mist Fruit as a gift of gratitude would have been insulting. He had come to save them, not to receive thanks, and he had no intention of accepting it under such terms.
"Okay, I'll accept it," Liu Wuxie said after pondering briefly, finding sense in what they said. They had no idea what they would face next, and he had to increase his cultivation as much as possible if he wanted to leave the Yin-Yang Valley as soon as possible.
"Keep watch for me." Liu Wuxie scanned the surroundings with Ghost Eye to verify that there were no dangers before preparing to make a breakthrough. He then retrieved the Indigo Mist Fruit from the box and consumed it.
The spiritual fruit's glow was like a mixture of crimson and indigo, instantly illuminating him from within. His internal organs lit up as the desolate world began to devour the energy.
Liu Wuxie even circulated the Desolate Devouring Art to devour the energies from the yin and yang swirling whirlpools, converting them into spiritual liquids that poured into the desolate world.
When Liu Wuxie absorbed the deathly energy, the desolate world was bleak and lifeless at first. But after he comprehended the profundity of Yin and Yang, this added two variations to the desolate world, much like day and night. Even he was surprised by the transformation.
Mu Yueying and Lin Tong's faces changed. They didn't expect Liu Wuxie's breakthrough to cause such a commotion, rapidly devouring the surrounding spiritual energy.
As the aura Liu Wuxie gave off began to rise, it took him only the blink of an eye to reach the fifth level of the Astral River Realm.
He then retrieved a large number of high-grade spirit stones and fed them into the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron. The spirit stones were instantly converted into spiritual liquid and poured into the desolate world.
If someone else had absorbed so much energy, their dantian would have shattered from the massive influx. However, the energy was only sufficient for Liu Wuxie's breakthrough, and he would need even more for his next breakthrough.