Yan Hanlu, bound by Lao Bai in an extremely unique manner, was curled up under a small tree, looking very disheveled.
Wu Tie stood by the small tree, looking up at the three fruits with swirling smoke hanging from the branches.
"Poison?" Wu Tie grinned as he looked at Yan Hanlu.
"Poison," Yan Hanlu replied seriously, her gaze firm and resolute, as if she wanted to convey with her eyes that everything she said was true, without any falsehood.
"These are the Flame Three Calamities Fruits," Wu Tie chuckled, looking at Yan Hanlu.
Yan Hanlu's expression remained unchanged, with not a hint of wavering in her gaze. She looked at Wu Tie calmly and said, "Flame Three Calamities Fruits? I've never heard of that. These are Heartburning Fruits, the main ingredient of our Yan family's secret poison, the Heartburning Powder."
In one breath, Yan Hanlu crafted a story that left nothing out. "The Heartburning Powder is a secret poison passed down in our Yan family. It's specifically used to deal with formidable enemies that can't be resisted. Over the years, we have used the Heartburning Powder to deal with many powerful enemies..."
Taking a deep breath, Yan Hanlu looked at Wu Tie with a hint of worry and said, "But over the years, the supply of Heartburning Powder has dwindled. When these three Heartburning Fruits ripen, I will take them back. I..."
Wu Tie tilted his head and looked at Yan Hanlu. If he didn't possess the knowledge passed down from Lao Tie and if the Flame Three Calamities Fruits weren't considered high-level or special, he would have easily been deceived by Yan Hanlu's words.
What Heartburning Fruits? What Heartburning Powder?
This seemingly clean and pure young girl turned out to be quite mischievous.
"The Flame Three Calamities Fruits, extraordinary fruits with a fire attribute, have a unique effect on cultivators in the Yuan Building Realm... Once consumed, if you can endure the triple pain of burning flames, refining marrow, and forging the soul, you will awaken a talent for fire elemental divine abilities."
Wu Tie looked at Yan Hanlu and softly explained the characteristics of the Flame Three Calamities Fruits.
"You can manifest wind and fire, which is just an ordinary divine ability... But if you consume three Flame Three Calamities Fruits, you can gain three extremely powerful divine abilities. Your strength is bound to soar. Not to mention the increase in magic power that each Flame Three Calamities Fruit can bring."
"The Flame Three Calamities Fruits need to absorb the essence of volcanic fire for three hundred years to fully mature. And the magic power cultivation they can bring is much stronger than what a Yuan Building Realm cultivator can achieve after three hundred years of arduous cultivation."
Yan Hanlu crouched on the ground, widened her clear and bright eyes, and stared blankly at Wu Tie.
After a long time, her bright eyes gradually dimmed, and a mournful and desolate aura slowly emanated from her body.
She lowered her head and softly spoke to herself, "So, there are others who know what Flame Three Calamities Fruits are... But I didn't lie to you. In the past, our Yan family did indeed use it as the main ingredient for the Heartburning Powder."
She smiled bitterly, and Yan Hanlu's expression grew even dimmer. "This tree has been growing in this Yuan Cave for who knows how many years. It matures every three hundred years, and several ancestors of the Yan family attempted to consume it. However, they all died from burning heart and soul..."
Wu Tie looked at Yan Hanlu, seemingly instantly devoid of vitality, and curiously asked her, "So, the members of your Yan family treat it as a terrifying poisonous fruit? And where did you learn its real name?"
Yan Hanlu fell silent for a while, then raised her head and looked at Wu Tie calmly. "I and a female disciple of the Church of Longevity were good friends... I set a trap and killed her in the wild. From her belongings, I obtained a rare and exotic fruit chart compiled by the Church of Longevity..."
Sighing, Yan Hanlu said in a low voice, "Only then did I find out that what the Yan family calls the Heartburning Fruit is actually the Flame Three Calamities Fruit cherished by the Church of Longevity... and I also learned how to safely consume the Flame Three Calamities Fruit."
"Good friend? You killed her?"
Wu Tie looked at Yan Hanlu in astonishment. After a while, he questioned her. He wasn't too concerned about how Yan Hanlu learned about the true effectiveness of the Flame Three Calamities Fruit, but the means by which she obtained that knowledge left him feeling cold.
He couldn't imagine how someone with such a pure and clear temperament, someone who gave off such a clean and elegant feeling like Yan Hanlu, could set a trap to kill her "friend."
"If all your friends end up like that, it's truly pitiful," Wu Tie shook his head, and any little goodwill he had towards Yan Hanlu evaporated instantly.
"But they are enemies... the Church of Longevity is the enemy of all the families in the Cangyan Domain," Yan Hanlu said plainly. "A senior of my Yan family defected to them, and they have been causing mischief within my Yan family. They even...".
Yan Hanlu smiled wryly and continued, "My sisters, who are beautiful, have all become their playthings... Even among my sisters, who are less attractive, there are still those who have been targeted... Several times, my drink was spiked with all sorts of drugs..."
Yan Hanlu looked at Wu Tie and said calmly, "They are enemies, the most despicable kind of enemies... They have pushed me to a dead end. Is it wrong for me to kill them, these so-called 'friends'?"
Chuckling, Yan Hanlu laughed coldly, "Luckily, my father is the clan leader, and luckily, I have a few elders who care for me. So I came to this Yuan Cave to wait for the Flame Three Calamities Fruits to ripen... But I didn't expect you all to come..."
Lowering her head, Yan Hanlu spoke with a desolate tone, "If this is fate, I accept it."
Wu Tie looked down at Yan Hanlu, furrowing his brows as he pondered earnestly.
Among the knowledge left behind by Lao Tie, the part that Wu Tie's current mental power could retrieve was the most superficial.
After a long while, Wu Tie nodded and gave Yan Hanlu a thumbs-up gesture. "I have to say, you're very clever and eloquent. I was almost swayed by you... I couldn't resist returning these three Flame Three Calamities Fruits to you."
After seriously sizing up Yan Hanlu for a while, Wu Tie nodded. "So, the more you are like this, the less likely I am to give these three Flame Three Calamities Fruits back to you. These fruits are mine, I want them."
After thinking for a while, Wu Tie smiled at Yan Hanlu and said, "If you think it's dangerous to return to the Yan family, you can stay in the Stone City... Shi Meng has clearly stated his position and is opposed to the Church of Longevity. In the Stone City, you will be safe."
Wu Tie smiled brightly, revealing his eight shiny white teeth, shining even more under the red light emitted by the Flame Three Calamities Fruits.
Yan Hanlu was stunned. She finally understood the meaning behind Wu Tie's words and suddenly widened her eyes, angrily shouting at Wu Tie.
But obviously, Yan Hanlu, as clear and pure as her temperament was, barely knew any curse words. She kept repeating "shameless" and "despicable"...
Wu Tie had been influenced by Old Bai for a long time and had heard all kinds of foul language. Did he care about the mild curses from Yan Hanlu?
Chuckling a few times, Wu Tie tore off a piece of his clothing and forcefully stuffed it into Yan Hanlu's mouth.
Yan Hanlu struggled angrily.
But Lao Bai was skilled at binding people. No matter how Yan Hanlu struggled, the ropes didn't loosen. Instead, they slowly tightened, gradually rounding her up like a ball.
In the end, Yan Hanlu couldn't move at all. She could only make "hmph" sounds while glaring angrily at Wu Tie.
Wu Tie beckoned, and Lao Bai and the others quickly rushed over, carrying Yan Hanlu away.
Wu Tie looked at the three Flame Three Calamities Fruits and carefully examined the three golden lines on the fruit's peel. The moment of their ripening was imminent. These fruits were a rare treasure for cultivators in the Yuan Building Realm, because once they withstood the three calamities, their insight would undergo a transformation, allowing them to comprehend a divine ability out of thin air.
Especially since they could also significantly enhance their magic power. For low-level Yuan Building Realm cultivators, they were truly invaluable.
In Wu Tie's estimation, these three fruits would soon ripen. It could happen in the next moment or it might take another two to three days. But regardless, these three Flame Three Calamities Fruits would soon be ripe.
After circling around the small tree twice, Wu Tie furrowed his brow and pondered earnestly. Then, he clapped his hands and gathered the five stone giants, along with Lao Bai and Hei Pi. The group gathered together and had a serious discussion.
Proposed by Wu Tie, everyone agreed, and they quickly made a decision.
All the warriors on this journey would receive a varying amount of Obsidian Grass as spoils of war.
After all, such a long journey was dangerous and all participants should receive some benefits.
To avoid potential disputes with the warriors in Stone City upon their return, Wu Tie proposed that they stay in the Yuan Cave for a few days and refine the allocated Obsidian Grass into their own strength before leaving the Yuan Cave.
Wu Tie had sufficient reasons for doing so.
He had killed Jia Zhengfeng outside, so the people of Battle Blade City were undoubtedly frantically searching for the person who killed Jia Zhengfeng.
If such a large group were to leave the Yuan Cave without caution, it would be difficult to avoid the prying eyes of Battle Blade City. It would be better to cultivate here for some time, so that everyone's strength could improve. When the vigilance of Battle Blade City eased, they would be in a better position.
This way, everyone would be much safer.
Of course, Wu Tie was not an autocratic person. He also gave other options. If anyone had objections and believed that it was unsafe to stay and cultivate in the Yuan Cave, they were free to leave on their own.
However, wealth can influence people's hearts, and there might be other factors as well.
Not to mention Lao Bai, Hei Pi, and the others, even the five stone giants and the warriors under Stone Huo all unanimously agreed to stay in the Yuan Cave to cultivate for a few days.
During these days, Lao Bai continuously sent his clan members to investigate the situation inside and outside Battle Blade City. At the same time, he provided warnings to Wu Tie and the others in the Yuan Cave.
They also made detailed preparations in the complex tunnels and caves outside the Yuan Cave, leaving enough safe escape routes for themselves.
After everything was prepared, Wu Tie came to the small tree emitting a huge amount of heat.
He put on the posture of Foundation Establishment, swallowed a single Fire Cloud Grass, and the scorching medicinal power began to churn inside his body. Wu Tie slowly started unleashing the techniques after the 1,180th form of his Foundation Establishment-style.
Everything proceeded smoothly and naturally.
With enough energy supply and the early activation of innate divine abilities with their strong mental power, especially after understanding the Profound and Righteous Qi divine ability and gaining certain insights from the Relic of Non-Existence...
Wu Tie's subsequent cultivation became extremely smooth.
Breaking through the 1,181st form... breaking through the 1,182nd form...
With each breakthrough, Wu Tie's physical strength increased by one point, his elemental qi became even denser, the Profound and Righteous Qi washed through his body endlessly, forging everything within his body like a forging hammer.
Every cell, every capillary, every tiny nerve and meridian, every muscle fiber, every muscle, every tendon, every bone... everything was hammered bit by bit.
His elemental qi constantly contracted and expanded.
When it expanded to the extreme, Wu Tie's body would expand like a ball.
When it contracted to the extreme, Wu Tie's body would wither, almost becoming a skeleton.
With each contraction and expansion, golden rays of light would descend like a shower, as if it were raining down, continuously merging with his elemental qi, his muscles, and everything within his body.
One after another, he swallowed Lava Grass, Fire Cloud Grass, and Flame Flowers.
Wu Tie's body, elemental qi, and soul had already been tempered to the utmost level. Wu Tie had a feeling that he could perfectly and absolutely control every tiny corner of his body, freely manipulate every tiny part of his body, and have complete control over everything.
His elemental qi had already reached its maximum capacity and could not be increased any further.
The golden mental power enveloped his entire body, filling every cell and perfectly blending with every minute strand of his elemental qi.
In the next instant, Wu Tie's entire body suddenly shrank.
It was as if a whirlpool had appeared on his Tianling Cap, and strands of bright and dazzling elemental energy turned into a visible vortex, continuously surging into his "exposed" Tianling Cap.
With a "ka ka" sound, the Profound and Righteous Qi struck fiercely, and Wu Tie's extremely abundant elemental qi instantly collapsed.
It was like a black hole collapsing. The vital essence, spirit, and energy of Wu Tie's entire body compressed into his body, with streams of elemental energy pouring into a body-shaped black hole that had formed from the collapse.
In the next instant, a power that was a hundred times purer, larger, more flexible, and more agile than the fleshly vital essence and spirit gently rippled.
Wu Tie had cultivated his first sliver of magical power...
His black hole of consciousness fluctuated and wildly compressed. With the continuous infusion of external elemental energy, more and more faint golden magical power spurts out unceasingly from it, gradually turning into a hazy gold sea that spread throughout his body.
Foundation Establishment Realm breakthrough, Wu Tie successfully advanced to the Profound Cyclic Realm.
In the Profound Cyclic Realm, one can comprehend the mysteries of heaven and earth while also harnessing the might of heaven and earth to understand one's own profoundness.
Strands of golden magical power, like slender roots, surged into every corner of Wu Tie's body, gradually infiltrating to an even finer level than cells.
Chapter complete.