Volume 4 Chapter 5

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Volume 4 Chapter 5: Hope

Although Little Green’s body had become enormous after evolving, appearing strong but clumsy, it charged at Xu Qingfan with unexpected speed and agility. Even though Xu Qingfan was more than ten yards away, in an instant, Little Green was already in front of him, opening its wide maw to bite at Xu Qingfan’s head. All Xu Qingfan could sense was a powerful, bloody aura rushing at him.

Looking at Little Green now right in front of him, Xu Qingfan frowned. Little Green’s strength was clearly even greater than its mother’s had been, and Xu Qingfan’s internal injuries were still not healed, making handling this situation quite troublesome.

"Wasn’t I told that with its Soul Bead, it wouldn’t bother me anymore?"

Though grumbling internally, Xu Qingfan moved without hesitation, swiftly dodging out of the "Herb Garden." However, Little Green, seemingly unaccustomed to its newfound strength, couldn’t stop itself and crashed into the spot where Xu Qingfan had just been standing. The powerful impact caused the ground to shake and crack.

But despite having evolved into the adult Blue-eyed Cloud-foot Beast, Little Green, while unable to control its power, had an incredibly tough body. It was unscathed from the collision with the ground, simply stood up, shook its head, and continued to lunge at Xu Qingfan.

Seeing Little Green pestering endlessly, Xu Qingfan frowned even more deeply. He reached out his hands, intending to use his powers to repel Little Green, but Liu Huaxiang’s voice suddenly reached Xu Qingfan’s ears.

"Silly boy, if you put the Soul Bead into the Sleeve Space, the Blue-eyed Cloud-foot Beast won’t be able to sense it."

Hearing Liu Huaxiang’s words, Xu Qingfan paused slightly, then without hesitation, continued to retreat as he quickly took the Soul Bead out from his sleeve.

All creatures in the world have souls, and the Soul Bead is an artifact refined from a wisp of a creature’s soul. Whether it’s a human or a demon beast, as soon as they see their Soul Bead, their soul will involuntarily feel a strong sense of fear.

Indeed, upon seeing the green Soul Bead in Xu Qingfan’s hand, Little Green felt an intense fear deep within his soul, as if Xu Qingfan, holding the bead, had the power to control his life or death at any moment. This fear was so profound that even Little Green’s long-standing hatred for Xu Qingfan couldn’t suppress it. His advancing body abruptly paused and then landed on the ground, casting furtive, terrified glances at Xu Qingfan while retreating secretly, seemingly trying to hide behind Ting’er, seeking protection, just like he used to do every time he ambushed Xu Qingfan before his evolution.

Watching the human-like expression on Little Green’s ferocious animal face, Xu Qingfan couldn’t help but chuckle in surprise. Noticing Ting’er’s concerned expression behind him, Xu Qingfan shook his head and was about to put away Little Green’s Soul Bead when he heard Liu Huaxiang’s voice again.

"Don’t put the Soul Bead away immediately. Doing so will make it continue attacking you. Now try to infuse a bit of Spirit Qi into the Soul Bead."

Hearing Liu Huaxiang say this, Xu Qingfan paused slightly, then began to slowly infuse some Spirit Qi into the green Soul Bead in his hand as Liu Huaxiang had suggested.

As soon as Xu Qingfan infused the Soul Bead with Spirit Qi, Little Green’s massive body suddenly trembled, the fear in its eyes grew more intense, and a look of pain began to appear on its beastly face. It wasn’t long before Little Green could no longer bear it and started to howl in pain, rolling around in the "Herb Garden," crushing many of the exotic flowers and plants Liu Hua had cultivated.

Just then, Liu Huaxiang’s anxious and pained voice echoed in Xu Qingfan’s ears, much louder than before, causing Xu Qingfan’s eardrums to ache slightly.

"I just asked you to put in a little Spirit Qi. Why did you add so much? Are you trying to kill it? My flowers and plants!"

It was unclear if Liu Huaxiang was more worried about his plants or Little Green at that moment.

Hearing Liu Huaxiang’s words, Xu Qingfan hastily stopped channeling Spirit Qi, and Little Green finally ceased its painful cries and thrashing, now lying on the ground panting heavily.

Seeing Little Green finally calm down, Ting’er, who had been anxiously watching from behind, quickly rushed to its side, gently stroking Little Green’s body, seemingly comforting it. She then glanced at Xu Qingfan, her eyes filled with reproach, making Xu Qingfan smile wryly.

When I was attacked by Little Green, I didn’t see you accuse Little Green then.

Xu Qingfan silently lamented in his heart.

Meanwhile, Liu Huaxiang rushed to the exotic plants crushed by Little Green, his eyes filled with sorrow.

After some time, Little Green finally recovered from the pain. Even though Xu Qingfan had put away the Soul Bead, Little Green still looked at him with fear, staying close to Ting’er and not daring to approach Xu Qingfan.

Seeing the situation, Xu Qingfan finally felt relieved, knowing he wouldn’t have to defend against Little Green’s attacks every day from now on.

At this moment, Little Green had just evolved and didn’t fully understand how to use its strength and abilities. Otherwise, with that earlier attack, Xu Qingfan would have been troubled given his current state and wouldn’t need to worry about daily defenses in the future.

After some time, Liu Huaxiang confirmed the irreparable damage to the rare flowers and plants, and looked at Xu Qingfan with the same reproachful eyes as Ting’er, making Xu Qingfan smile wryly.

It seemed that because Liu Huaxiang had fed Little Green many rare flowers and plants before, Little Green showed no wildness towards Liu Huaxiang. Instead, it was very friendly and even willing to share its wooden toys with Liu Huaxiang. It appeared that the Blue-eyed Cloud-foot Beast kind of demon beast not only holds grudges but also remembers kindness.

Then, after Xu Qingfan and Ting’er helped Liu Huaxiang tidy up the courtyard damaged by Little Green, Xu Qingfan promised Liu Huaxiang that he would help collect seeds of rare flowers and plants in the future. This troubling event, which vexed Xu Qingfan, finally came to an end.

Watching Liu Huaxiang, who was still sighing at the crushed plants and flowers, Xu Qingfan, though helpless, had to ask, "Martial Uncle Liu, didn’t you say you were going to guide me in cultivating immortality? Can we start now?"

Without turning his head, Liu Huaxiang tossed Xu Qingfan a purple bottle and a white bottle, saying, "Before cultivating immortality, you need to heal your internal injuries, or it will lead to big trouble in the future. These elixirs are secret treasures from the Medicine King Valley, much better than those you got. The purple one is for internal use to heal your internal injuries and speed up the restoration of Spirit Qi in your body. The white one is for external use and will greatly benefit the injury on your leg."

Hearing Liu Huaxiang say this, Xu Qingfan could only nod in agreement.

Then Liu Huaxiang turned and pointed to a dilapidated house in the courtyard and told Xu Qingfan, "That’s where you’ll be living for the coming year. Go there now and meditate to heal."

Looking at Liu Huaxiang’s complexion, it seemed that after all the commotion just now, his originally very pale face had gained a hint of rosiness.

Xu Qingfan nodded, thinking about how his Spirit Qi was severely depleted and how he didn’t know how long it would take to heal his internal injuries through meditation. He bowed to Liu Huaxiang and earnestly requested, "I will now focus on healing, and I ask Martial Uncle Liu to take good care of Ting’er."

Liu Huaxiang nodded, observing Ting’er playing with Little Green, especially noting the black flame shield surrounding her. He appeared thoughtful for a moment before saying, "Rest assured, I will take good care of Ting’er. Moreover, I can use this time to thoroughly check the anomalies within Ting’er’s body. The changes brought about by the magic orb seem to be more complex than we imagined."

Hearing Liu Huaxiang speak like this, Xu Qingfan’s expression grew slightly serious, but he nodded nonetheless. After settling Ting’er, he headed toward the grass hut Liu Huaxiang had arranged for him.

…

The grass hut Liu Huaxiang arranged for Xu Qingfan was as rundown as the "Herb Garden." It was built with some stone and straw materials, with sunlight streaming through gaps in the straw roof, casting small spots of light inside. The howling cold wind continuously seeped through the cracks in the walls.

The hut was quite large, over six feet in both width and length, but the furnishings were extremely simple; there were no chairs or cabinets, only a straw bed in one corner, making the empty hut feel very desolate.

"This is indeed a good place for rigorous practice."

Seeing the scene inside the hut, this was all Xu Qingfan could think.

Taking a leisurely stroll to the grass bed, Xu Qingfan sat down cross-legged and took out the two types of magical medicine that Liu Huaxiang had given him. He found that the purple bottle contained only a small purple pill the size of a little finger, and the white bottle had only a bit of white liquid. Compared to other pills brimming with spirit energy, these two appeared quite unremarkable, emitting an unpleasant smell that made their healing properties questionable.

However, Xu Qingfan knew that whether it was pills or magical artifacts, those of sacred quality were often inconspicuous, with spirit energy hidden within. Trusting that Liu Huaxiang wouldn’t joke about healing, Xu Qingfan didn’t hesitate to swallow the purple pill and applied the white liquid on the wound on his right leg. Then, he calmed his mind, closed his eyes, and began to meditate.

The medicine Liu Huaxiang gave him was truly a secret treasure from the Medicine King Valley. As Xu Qingfan entered a meditative state, the medicine’s power merged into his spirit energy, circulating through his body. He felt a cool force soothing his energy center and all his meridians. Under this refreshing power, his depleted spirit energy began to recover quickly, and the cracks and injuries within his meridians also healed at a noticeable pace.

Meanwhile, the liquid on his leg wound suddenly turned hot. Despite its apparent high temperature, Xu Qingfan felt no discomfort. Instead, the chill that had settled into his right leg gradually warmed up. Investigating closely, he realized the liquid was penetrating his leg, transporting warmth while extracting the icy chill from within. Added to this, his Phoenix Spirit Qi circulated through his leg’s meridians, accelerating the healing.

Feeling the changes within his body, Xu Qingfan was full of admiration for the two medicines that Liu Huaxiang had given him. He felt that with these two, healing any internal or external injuries would be achievable.

What Xu Qingfan didn’t know was that while Liu Huaxiang’s medicines were indeed marvelous, his body’s swift recovery owed not just to them. The key reason lay within his own body.

Ever since he experienced various transformations with Feng Qingtian, Xu Qingfan’s body had taken on traits of the ancient mythical beast, the Flame Phoenix, known for its extraordinary nature. The mystery of its resurrection ability remained unsolved despite thousands of years of study. What was clear was that the Flame Phoenix had unparalleled self-healing abilities among creatures. Although Xu Qingfan had only a trace of Phoenix blood, his healing surpassed that of ordinary humans.

But right now, Xu Qingfan couldn’t dwell on the changes within his body. As his meditation continued, his mind became calm and serene, eventually drifting into a state of tranquility.

…

No one knows how much time had passed when Xu Qingfan felt that all his injuries had healed, and his depleted Spirit Qi had been restored. He slowly opened his eyes after having kept them closed for who knows how long.

He tried to circulate the Spirit Qi within his body and found that with just a thought, the Spirit Qi began to flow smoothly and lively through his meridians. Xu Qingfan nodded in satisfaction. He discovered that after this healing process, not only were his injuries completely healed, but he also felt more adept at using Spirit Qi.

As Xu Qingfan stood up from the bed of grass, he felt a layer of dust fall from his body. Looking through the gaps in the thatched roof, he saw the starlit sky of Jiuhua, indicating it was already deep into the night. Xu Qingfan remembered that before he began meditating to heal, it was not even noon, yet now it was nighttime, and judging by the dust accumulated on his body, it seemed his meditation had lasted far more than just a day.

Suddenly, Xu Qingfan sensed a familiar yet peculiar fluctuation of Spirit Qi coming from outside. It was familiar because Xu Qingfan had felt this kind of Spirit Qi almost every day in the past two years. However, it was peculiar as the Spirit Qi, although mixed, integrated naturally, the demonic energy and fire Spirit Qi seamlessly blending together—a sign that Ting’er was practicing her black demon fire.

Just then, Liu Huaxiang’s voice suddenly echoed in Xu Qingfan’s ear.

"Kid, you finally woke up. Have your internal injuries healed?"

It was the moment Xu Qingfan used his Divine Sense to probe the outside situation that Liu Huaxiang noticed and asked Xu Qingfan through secret sound transmission.

Xu Qingfan smiled slightly, and for some reason, upon hearing Liu Huaxiang’s voice, his initially somewhat confused mind became calm. He pushed open the door of the grass hut and casually walked outside, where he saw Liu Huaxiang guiding Ting’er in practicing fire-casting techniques. It was clear that Liu Huaxiang was very fond of Ting’er, and even though he was a cultivator of the Condensed Core Stage (actually Mahayana Stage), he showed no impatience in teaching a Qi Refining Stage cultivator these techniques, wearing a gentle smile on his face.

As for Little Green, it obediently lay to the side, holding a small wooden puppet toy with its paws, quietly watching Ting’er and Liu Huaxiang.

When Xu Qingfan looked at Ting’er again, he noticed that her black flames were much stronger than the last time he saw them. Using his Divine Sense, he was even more surprised to discover that in just over two years, Ting’er had reached the middle stage of the Qi Refining Stage and was not far from the late stage.

Realizing Ting’er’s situation, Xu Qingfan felt a mix of joy and worry. As the only family member Xu Qingfan had in the world, he was naturally happy to see Ting’er’s progress. However, her body’s condition was so strange, and the rapid pace of her improvement left him with a lingering concern.

Seeing Ting’er and Liu Huaxiang looking towards him, Xu Qingfan quickly walked over to them, first bowing deeply to Liu Huaxiang and respectfully saying, "Thank you, Martial Uncle, for the healing herbs. The injuries within my body have fully recovered now."

Hearing Xu Qingfan say this, Liu Huaxiang showed a hint of surprise in his eyes and asked in astonishment, "In just one month, you have already healed?"

As he spoke, although Liu Huaxiang made no movements, Xu Qingfan suddenly felt an extremely pure Spirit Qi enter his body and quickly move around to inspect it.

Feeling the sudden presence of Spirit Qi in his body, Xu Qingfan knew it was Liu Huaxiang examining his condition, and he was both amazed and impressed. This ability to silently infiltrate someone else’s body with Spirit Qi seemed almost miraculous, beyond what a Condensed Core Stage cultivator should possess. With such a skill, Liu Huaxiang could easily kill Xu Qingfan in an instant if he wished.

Although Xu Qingfan knew Liu Huaxiang had a very high level of power, he hadn’t expected it to be so astonishing. Now, Xu Qingfan began to have some faith in Xiao Huazhe’s high regard for Liu Huaxiang.

After a while, Liu Huaxiang showed a strange expression on his face and softly murmured to himself, "I see, but this makes things more complicated, and I’m not sure if it’s good or bad."

Hearing Liu Huaxiang speak this way, Xu Qingfan was startled and quickly asked, "Martial Uncle, what do you mean by that? Is there still something wrong with my body?"

Liu Huaxiang noticed a hint of urgency on Xu Qingfan’s face and shook his head with a smile, saying, "It’s not as serious as you think. According to my estimation, even with the help of those two rare elixirs, it would be challenging to recover fully in less than two months. I didn’t expect you to recover in just half the time, so I found it quite remarkable."

After a brief pause, Liu Huaxiang continued, "From my earlier examination, it seems that because of your connection with the Wutong branch and the Phoenix young man, you’ve acquired a trace of Phoenix heritage in your body, showing some traits of the Flame Phoenix. So now, your body is not purely human, and your recovery ability is much stronger than that of an ordinary cultivator."

Hearing Liu Huaxiang’s words, Xu Qingfan was momentarily stunned. Although having Phoenix traits wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, Liu Huaxiang’s words, "Your body is no longer purely human," left Xu Qingfan feeling strange, as if he had turned into a monster.

Suddenly, recalling Liu Huaxiang’s earlier words, Xu Qingfan sensed something was amiss and quickly asked, "Then, Martial Uncle Liu, what did you mean when you said you couldn’t tell if my situation is good or bad?"

Liu Huaxiang pondered for a moment and explained, "It’s like this, I once came across a secret technique that can enhance the abilities of cultivators like you, who have average potential."

Seeing the hint of joy in Xu Qingfan’s eyes, Liu Huaxiang shook his head and said, "But this secret technique is only suitable for improving a normal human body. I originally planned to use it on you, but given the transformation in your body, it’s risky to act rashly."

With Liu Huaxiang’s words, Xu Qingfan felt the small glimmer of hope in his heart suddenly extinguish, plunging him into even deeper darkness.