The night was as dark as ink.
The phantom images of the Five Spirit Beasts transformed into five-colored mysterious lights, continuously swirling around Li Pingcan’s body.
Radiance burst forth from his pores, forming a dazzling spectrum barely visible to ordinary eyes.
The power of the Internal Spirit Elixir exploded within his meridians, rivers of energy roaring through his blood vessels.
With each vertebra trembling, the Five Spirit Play moves grew increasingly fierce; the footprints on the ground cracked, and as he leapt, a gale of internal energy surged forth.
The medicinal power remaining from the treasured plants and fruits within his body refined together with the Internal Spirit Elixir.
“It’s coming!”
Li Pingcan’s intuition flashed; his palms pushed out slowly like moving mountains, an invisible barrier shattered in response, and a mighty surge of internal energy burst like a dam breaking, instantly clearing twelve main meridians in his body, fully connecting the Ren and Du meridians.
As the last image of the Five Spirit Deer returned to its place, the wind whispered faintly with his every movement. Ten meters away in the courtyard, he could clearly hear the buzzing of flying insects, even the dripping sound of red candle wax in the lantern under the eaves.
“I’ve broken through!”“Postnatal Realm achieved!”
Li Pingcan opened his eyes, a gleam of brilliance flashing within. This breakthrough, aided by the Internal Spirit Elixir, was smooth and natural!
It was probably the Dao Spirit Pill he obtained in the Dragon Palace that allowed him to clearly sense the internal energy flow and blockages in every meridian, making the breakthrough seem effortless.
One must know that only at the Postnatal Realm can a martial artist condense “martial courage,” gaining sudden spiritual enhancement to resist the mental suppression methods of cultivators.
“Postnatal Grandmaster now, strength comparable to a mid-level Refined Energy Realm cultivator.”
Take for example that celestial official Liang, a mid-Refined Energy cultivator; without the backing of the dynasty’s destiny, he might not hold two rounds against Li Pingcan.
After a night of cultivation, dawn gradually brightened.
“Zzz…”
Under the eaves, a little girl sat snoring, a sparkling drool trickling from the corner of her mouth.
“Still not awake?”
Li Pingcan was somewhat speechless. This girl’s sleep quality was truly excellent. He had broken through two realms consecutively to reach the Postnatal Realm with great effort, but this little girl was sleeping even more soundly than he was!
He didn’t begrudge her, after all, he had tested her with hallucinogenic mushrooms; though simple-minded, her loyalty was decent.
Looking at the max-level attribute “Enhanced Resistance” generating the trait “Mental Immunity” on his panel, he greeted his father and transformed into a golden eagle flying towards Qing River.
..........
Great Rift Valley.
Crimson light diffused in the dark blue seawater, with dark red magma surging through cracks in the rock bed. When magma met seawater, vast columns of white mist erupted, bursting with a noise like a dry iron pot.
A cyan-colored body half-hidden among glowing aquatic plants shimmered with golden scales. The rising mist was split in two by the massive body stretching across the rift, forming two streams of vapor ascending.
This beast was Qi Yong. Before his demotion to Green Jiao, he was rapidly refining his dragon skin and horns, acquiring secret techniques from the ancient dragon bloodline. From a one-zhang-long body, he had now grown to over eight zhangs, vastly different in size from the giant crucian carp formed by the Internal Spirit Elixir.
He looked at the giant crucian carp with a worried expression and said, “Brother, are you really going to go up and investigate?”
Li Pingcan took a deep breath and nodded.
Wasn’t the point of training and grinding proficiency to reach this step?
Even though the Spore Sense, the best reconnaissance ability, could not be used underwater, how could he possibly back down now?
He silently thought: “Max-level ‘Enhanced Resistance’ combined with ‘Fire Control’ fire immunity traits — definitely worth a try.”
Green Jiao gritted his teeth: “Then I’ll go with you!”
He could unleash the power of his dragon skin and horns, and if any danger lurked in the Great Rift Valley, he could help his brother.
Li Pingcan’s heart brightened.
With Green Jiao accompanying him, the odds improved. Having spent years together, he trusted the snake’s character.
Still, he said, “Green Jiao, I’ll cast a spell on you soon to increase your fire resistance. But if it gets too hot and unbearable, don’t push yourself too hard.”
Fire and magma were the greatest threats to water-based creatures.
Green Jiao beat his chest confidently: “Good brother, don’t worry. I definitely won’t hold you back.”
That’s not what I meant!
Li Pingcan was speechless. He cast “Enhanced Resistance” on Green Jiao. He had already used “Nature’s Gift” on the blue snake earlier, so this time the effect wouldn’t be as obvious, and he didn’t want to waste his mana.
“.”
Green Jiao’s eyes narrowed as he sensed his body changing. His tail excitedly released a long stream of bubbles. He said happily, “Carp, this feels pretty good. You pair it with that Thorn Technique, give me another round?”
Although all the lumps on his body disappeared, his itch-scratching hobby remained intact.
You’ve really gotten addicted, huh? Even got withdrawal symptoms!
Watching the lively Green Jiao, Li Pingcan’s nervousness vanished. He thought: “The Great Rift Valley is huge, but your size is enormous. If the valley narrows, your body won’t have room to maneuver, making you vulnerable.”
After all, no one knew the real environment of the rift or if any creatures lived there.
“Don’t worry about that.” Green Jiao chuckled, flicking his tail gently. Muttering some words, he instantly transformed into a three-foot-long small blue snake. “Watch my size-shifting wood creation!”
Li Pingcan envied him. His own shapeshifting was limited; he couldn’t even become a whale. Even if he did, it would be only a change in appearance, far inferior to the true green dragon.
Ah, afraid the brother wouldn’t fly, more afraid he’d open the road like a Range Rover; Green Jiao’s luck was just too good.
No use envying now; the stronger Green Jiao became, the better he could help him obtain the Fire Spirit.
“Let’s go!”
The fish and snake exchanged a glance and swam towards the rift.
..........
“Gurgle, gurgle.”
The deeper they swam, the warmer the water became, with more bubbles rising. Some contained red-black smoky gas.
“Don’t touch the colored bubbles.” Green Jiao’s expression turned serious. “Those are fire toxins. Once a treasure fish touched them; within seven days, it rotted all over and died, leaving only its skeleton.”
That skeleton was still in Green Jiao’s collection, used for scratching itches.
Li Pingcan nodded seriously, nimbly shifting his shape to avoid the bubbles.
“How deep is this?”
“No one knows.”
“We must have dived at least a hundred li by now?”
Li Pingcan was amazed. The rock walls of the Great Rift Valley hung upside down, with occasional sharp stone protrusions shaped like cones thirty to forty meters long, covered in red algae.
He couldn’t help but feel a chill.
Since edible algae grew at the bottom, it was natural to suspect living creatures existed there too.
Sharing this thought with Green Jiao, they both became more cautious as they descended.
As they went deeper, except for swimming sounds and bubble bursts, everything grew especially silent.
Suddenly.
A seemingly normal stone wall beside them suddenly shot out flames like a musket, startling Green Jiao into a loud “Wah wah!” The instinctive fear of fire among water creatures was strong!
Li Pingcan had already released his spiritual awareness to watch carefully. Seeing this, he immediately used “Fire Control.” The fierce flames seemed to obey the new command and quickly retracted, as if subdued.
“Scared me, huh? Just wait, I’ll teach you a lesson!”
Green Jiao spat at the fiery hole and praised Li Pingcan, “Carp, you’re amazing!”
Even if you praise me, I won’t be happy!
Li Pingcan chuckled.
The fish and snake continued swimming deeper.
As more fiery holes appeared on the stone wall, occasionally spraying fire columns, Li Pingcan with his fire immunity was fine, but Green Jiao shrieked from the blasts.
“Hot! Burning me to death!”
Though yelling, Green Jiao was lively and unharmed. With his dragon skin and “Enhanced Resistance,” this fire couldn’t harm him; it helped him overcome his fear of fire.
“Seems like we’re close.”
Li Pingcan sensed the aura of the Fire Spirit, and the initially wide rift had narrowed into countless channels like a lotus seed pod.
The red light grew brighter and hotter; even his exhaled breath turned into steaming hot air.
“Go this way.” Li Pingcan followed the Fire Spirit’s energy to make a decision.
He thought, if the path really blocked, he’d use “Plastic King” to carve out a new route forcibly.
Fortunately, his worry was unnecessary.
The fish and snake entered a channel, descending thirty-four meters. The path suddenly turned sharply, opening to a huge rocky platform below which magma constantly rolled and occasionally exploded.
The earlier red light was from this magma.
Li Pingcan swam onto the platform; the space was vast and unfathomably deep, and the Fire Spirit’s aura churned within the magma.
He was troubled.
Though he had fire immunity and enhanced resistance, a mortal body could not so easily withstand nature’s fury.
Normal fire could reach up to six hundred degrees Celsius, but magma could rise to thirteen hundred degrees.
Even a Postnatal Realm martial artist’s cultivation might not suffice.
Li Pingcan dipped his fish fin into the magma, shuddering instantly. The sensation was not heat but an extreme cold.
This was the “reverse temperature perception” caused by the excessive heat.
“Fifteen minutes? No, I’d be lucky to last three minutes.”
That time would be barely enough to dive into the magma and catch the Fire Spirit.
“Brother, come look!”
Green Jiao’s excited shout interrupted Li Pingcan’s thoughts. Before the stone wall, it twisted joyfully like a seaweed, and in front of it was a plump, bright red plant!
It looked like a mushroom, entirely red with burn-like cracks on its surface, a short stalk with a large cap firmly rooted in the rock wall. The cap swayed with the rising heat vapor.
Plants growing beneath magma!
Green Jiao exclaimed excitedly, “This is the Fire Spirit Mushroom!”
Joy also appeared on Li Pingcan’s face. Fire Spirit Mushroom—anything carrying the word “spirit” was clearly a spiritual object of heaven and earth!
Green Jiao was about to enthusiastically pick the Fire Spirit Mushroom when suddenly, a layer of the rock wall cracked open, something poked out and snapped viciously!
“What the hell!” Green Jiao quickly retreated explosively, narrowly dodging the attack. His tail flicked swiftly, shaking off the threat.
Li Pingcan glanced carefully. On the crimson rock wall, a centipede-like fiery red creature blended perfectly with the wall, invisible unless observed closely.
Green Jiao had nearly been ambushed!
“This is a Red-Eyed Centipede.”
Li Pingcan recognized the insect. In his previous life at the orphanage, he had heard similar threats: “If you don’t behave, the centipede will drill into your ear and eat your brain,” leaving a deep impression.
But a Red-Eyed Centipede able to survive in magma was certainly no ordinary species.
Even if not a spirit beast, it was at the peak of treasure beasts.
“Is this Red-Eyed Centipede the guardian beast of the Fire Spirit Mushroom?” Green Jiao curled his lips, “I, Grandpa Jiao, must get this Fire Spirit Mushroom today!”
“Wait, Green Jiao. Let me try to communicate first.” Li Pingcan stopped him and used “Animal Speech,” but felt a fierce hostility.
Rampant, furious, territorial hatred grew stronger and stronger—pure animal instinct, no chance of communication.
“That wild?”
Li Pingcan was slightly surprised. His usually reliable druid ability had failed for once!
It seemed the spirit and treasure beasts he usually encountered were too gentle.
After all, Qi Yong, living within the human realm, was generally irritable; the truly savage ones had long been cooked into small meals by cultivators.
Since peace was impossible, there was no choice but war.
Li Pingcan was determined to obtain this Fire Spirit Mushroom. He sensed that even the Fire Spirit was restless when he approached it, completely usable as “bait” to lure the Fire Spirit.
“Green Jiao, you go first.”
“Has to be me!”
Green Jiao laughed loudly, wanting to catch the Red-Eyed Centipede but was troubled in his mind.
This creature blended with the crimson rock wall, its movements hidden and swift. At this moment, he couldn’t sense the centipede’s exact location.
“Then get close and let it attack first. Catch the opening! I’m a dragon-snake spirit beast—I’m not afraid of a little bug!”
Green Jiao strode forward attentively. Just as he stepped into the centipede’s territory, a red shadow flew out fiercely, attacking him. Hundreds of sharp legs were like countless knives trying to pierce his dragon skin.
Green Jiao advanced instead of retreating; sparks flew where his dragon skin scraped the sharp legs, making a grinding sound.
His flesh and blood toughness was unmatched; indeed, the centipede’s legs couldn’t penetrate his dragon skin.
“Thunderwood!”
Seizing the opportunity, Green Jiao shouted lowly; his dragon horns emitted dazzling light. A bluish-purple lightning crackled and flashed above his head, finally roaring down.
Insects feared thunder, especially such a terrifying strike.
The Red-Eyed Centipede sensed danger and hurriedly turned to flee, diving into the crimson rock wall and vanishing.
“Finally, we can pick the Fire Spirit Mushroom.” Green Jiao proudly watched the centipede flee and was about to pluck the mushroom when the centipede suddenly reappeared, biting at Green Jiao from another direction.
Just as he prepared another thunder strike, the centipede curled up again.
This repeated several times, engaging in guerrilla tactics of “enemy advances, I retreat; enemy retreats, I harass.”
Green Jiao’s anger flared. “Watch me blow up this damn rock wall!”
“What if you blow it up?”
Li Pingcan said, noticing countless tiny holes in the crimson rock wall, hidden by the firelight. These interconnected tunnels were why the centipede was so agile.
“Try to lure it out again with thunder strike; leave the rest to me.”
Green Jiao followed the plan. The moment the centipede appeared, Li Pingcan cast “Plastic King,” sealing all rock control, trapping the centipede unable to return to the rock wall, causing it to panic.
Green Jiao was ready. His thunder strike paralyzed the centipede, and his massive serpent body pinned it down, rendering it immobile.
Opportunity lost is chance lost!
Li Pingcan had coveted this centipede for a long time. It was already rare for an insect to become a treasure beast, let alone one likely able to transcend the spirit beast realm. If magma could have Fire Spirit Mushrooms, surely other spirit plants existed!
If he could contract this treasure insect, it would be like gaining a helper that could move freely in magma, aiding in exploration and treasure hunting.
He thought silently: “Cast Insect Contract!”
A faint glow blossomed on the centipede, as if trying to forcibly merge with it.
The centipede struggled; its hundreds of legs undulated uncontrollably like a brush in water.
A sharp pain struck Li Pingcan’s mind. The centipede’s resistance far exceeded his expectations.
He could only soothe it mentally: “Look, I’m living the good life. You’ll be well taken care of!”
“Do you want to eat Fire Spirit Mushrooms? I can share some!”
“Don’t you want to transform into a true spirit insect? I can help!”
Surprisingly, all these kind words had no effect. The centipede was like an unyielding woman, completely unmoved by the “bandit’s” threats!
If the wine is refused, serve the punishment!
Li Pingcan’s eyes darkened. He said to Green Jiao, “Use your thunder strike again, shock it! I refuse to believe it won’t submit!”
If it doesn’t submit, it just means it hasn’t been shocked enough!
“Got it!” Green Jiao had long disliked the insect and unleashed several thunder strikes, shocking the centipede so fiercely that its protein smelled like grilled meat.
Strike while it’s down!
Li Pingcan showed no mercy. His strong mental power shattered the insect’s spiritual defense, forcibly completing the contract like a tyrant forcing submission.
The Red-Eyed Centipede flipped over, sending out a warm feeling in its consciousness. Its few burnt antennae waved shyly, wanting to rub against Li Pingcan but too timid—just like a bullied little wife.
Back then, you ignored me; now I’m beyond your reach.
Li Pingcan ignored it and got up to swim, looking at the plump Fire Spirit Mushroom.
If his own mushroom could gain fire resistance, wouldn’t it also be able to grow in magma?
Of course, that was very difficult to achieve.
Putting aside distracting thoughts, he reached out and plucked the Fire Spirit Mushroom.
In an instant,
The magma below the platform surged like a tsunami!
Fortunately, Li Pingcan was prepared.
“Fire Control!”
He shouted sharply, his entire body glowing, the carp’s tail turning dazzling gold. The surging magma parted around the giant crucian carp and flowed to both sides.
Within the boiling magma, a humanoid-shaped fire spirit raged furiously, looking exactly like the raging fire beast from his previous life.
“Green Jiao, you guard the Fire Spirit Mushroom. I’ll deal with the Fire Spirit,” Li Pingcan said seriously.
Green Jiao had no fire immunity and was vulnerable to magma burns. As long as Li Pingcan kept the main battlefield out of the magma, they had a 70% chance of victory!