Promise!

Chapter 237, Fire Phoenix

December 1st.

Once again, a small primordial energy tide arrives at the end of the year, enveloping the 800-mile-long Funiu Mountains. From the center, like a volcanic eruption, the surging primordial energy of heaven and earth continues to spread outward, creating a more magnificent spectacle than usual.

This wasn't the first time Zhuang Jin had seen it, but seeing it again now, he could still feel its mystery and awe.

"I've heard that among the nine provinces of the world, the wondrous lands of Cang, Qiong, Ze, Yuan, Han, Yun, Lan, and Jiao are all roughly equal in size. Only the Songling Mountains in Luozhou, at the heart of the Great Qian Dynasty's nine provinces, are truly vast, stretching over three thousand li. Even the Funiu Mountains are like this. I wonder what the primordial energy tides of Songling must be like?"

"Furthermore, eight hundred years ago, after that immortal traveled through mountains and rivers, visiting various prefectures and counties, nine extraordinary places appeared in the nine provinces, with a small primordial energy tide every year and a large primordial energy tide every five years. This is truly intriguing. I wonder what kind of grand scheme that immortal was playing?"

During this period of primordial energy ebb and flow, entering the Funiu Mountains, one can clearly feel the increased concentration of primordial energy in heaven and earth. In addition to feeling refreshed, one's innate vital energy is also much more active. Nourished by the primordial energy of heaven and earth, the forests and vegetation are dotted with green specks of light, creating a dreamlike scene. Here, the birdsong and insect chirps seem more energetic and vibrant than outside.

Zhuang Jin harbored a sense of adventure towards the unknown, seemingly experiencing the joy of beachcombing and mountain climbing, and was filled with anticipation.

Passing through the outermost stronghold and continuing forward, you can see many martial artists entering the mountains in groups. The various groups maintain a distance from each other, clearly distinguishing themselves, and are wary and vigilant towards one another. After entering the vast Funiu Mountains, they disperse like drops of water flowing into the sea.

Zhuang Jin was all alone and didn't care about the wary gazes around him. He moved quickly and went deeper inside.

The Funiu Mountains are divided into three regions by two passes: a dangerous area, a perilous area, and a deadly area. In reality, the dangerous area alone is extremely vast. Most of the martial artists below the Innate Realm explore and search for treasures on the outskirts of this dangerous area.

Groups of innate martial artists like Cen Zhanshan would come to the vicinity of the first pass, along the line of Xiaozhushan, Cuipingshan, Hutoushan, Biyunshan, and Luoxiashan. The quality of natural treasures there is higher, and there is a greater chance of encountering exotic beasts at the Five Organs Realm.

Zhuang Jin also planned to go there, to the vicinity of the first pass. Of course, he would absolutely refuse to cross the line and venture into the second level of the forbidden area.

……

"Little Purple, come out now, it's up to you now."

After venturing twenty or thirty miles deeper and approaching the first level, Zhuang Jin sensed the appearance of various strange beasts at the Bone Forging Realm. Teams of martial artists below the Innate Realm had almost disappeared. He also found the natural treasures here to his liking, so he released the little creature on his body.

Yes, Little Purple is that Purple Kangaroo, also known as the Treasure-Seeking Rat. This guy has been eating and drinking from it for over a year. It's been a long time since we've been raising it, and now it's time to use it.

"Chirp! Cuckoo! Roar! Pikachu! Pikachu!"

This guy's main feature is a read-already random reply. He shouts and waves his arms and legs as if to say, "Leave it to him!"

Zhuang Jin's lips twitched slightly. This was an unruly electric mouse that could imitate bird calls and tiger roars, but it couldn't squeak like a mouse.

On one occasion, he mischievously taught Pikachu a couple of phrases, and the creature learned them perfectly. If it weren't for the wrong color, it could easily pass for a real Pokémon.

As the man and the rat continued talking, they went further in. Suddenly, the purple kangaroo twitched its little nose, jumped off Zhuang Jin's shoulder, and came a few dozen steps away. It pulled out a flower that looked like a purple jade crystal and presented it to Zhuang Jin.

"Wild amethyst flowers, about seventy or eighty years old, can be used as an auxiliary material for Condensing True Essence Pills. The purchase price from the Suspended Heaven Bureau ranges from ten thousand to twenty thousand contribution points, depending on the quality. Not bad!"

Since Zhuang Jin had already gone into the mountains, he naturally did his homework and recognized the item at a glance.

His main purpose in this energy tide was to hunt a rare beast at the peak of the Five Organs Realm to complete the promotion mission. However, he didn't mind collecting some rare and precious materials along the way. After all, he was qualified to exchange items after obtaining the Black Python Token, but cultivation techniques, resources, and martial arts skills were not given away for free. Completing some tasks to collect rare and precious materials would also accumulate some vouchers and contribution points, which he could use later.

After picking the amethyst flower, Zhuang Jin patted the purple kangaroo's head and rewarded it with a small handful of purple bamboo seeds.

"Pica! Pica!"

The purple kangaroo excitedly grabbed the pouch, stuffed two into its mouth, making its cheeks puff out slightly, and then put the rest into its small pouch in front of it. It patted the pouch with its two small, chubby paws, and then hopped around proudly a couple of times. The sparks on its little tail were even brighter, showing that it was in a good mood.

With the reward, the purple kangaroo became more motivated to work. After finding each rare and precious material, Zhuang Jin immediately paid out the reward without delay, and determined the amount of the reward based on the value of the material, thus forming a positive feedback mechanism.

As they continued to explore, they harvested approximately 100,000 to 200,000 contribution points in just over an hour, including jade bamboo shoots, silver sunflower grass, amber seeds, golden silk plums, and fire bodhi seeds.

Of course, things weren't always smooth sailing. In most cases, he would encounter strange beasts that were vying for his attention, but they were mostly at or below the Bone Forging Realm. Because it was inconvenient to carry the corpses of strange beasts, killing too many in a short time would also leave him with malevolent energy and cause trouble. Therefore, he would only be frightened away and would not engage in any further killing.

"Chirp chirp chirp chirp chirp!" Suddenly, the purple kangaroo chirped excitedly, its voice rapid and long.

Zhuang Jin understood that the longer the guy's voice trailed off, the more precious the treasure was. Following the sound, he saw a ginseng root that was white with a jade-like color and shaped like a dragon.

"Jade Dragon Ginseng, a highly nourishing substance, can heal injuries, strengthen the body, and replenish vital energy. The Heavenly Bureau purchases it for two to three hundred thousand contribution points."

Zhuang Jin recalled the information about this object, but did not move. Instead, he looked in one direction where a hidden aura could be seen.

When the innate martial artist saw that Zhuang Jin had discovered him, he was slightly startled. He came out from a distance, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Zhuang Jin, and turned to leave, clearly taking the initiative to back down.

Zhuang Jin waited until the other party had completely left before going over to pick the fruit. In the Funiu Mountains, the enemies were not only strange beasts, but also martial artists.

Not long after, they arrived at Xiaozhushan, the first pass. It was here that Zhuang Jin caught the purple kangaroo. Seeing the familiar environment, the kangaroo became obviously excited and hopped and skipped deeper into the pass. It was clear that it intended to lead Zhuang Jin further in, but Zhuang Jin grabbed its ear and lifted it up.

"Chirp, chirp, chirp!"

"What, there are good things inside? Nonsense, this is already the edge of the first level. Go any deeper and you'll reach the second level of danger. Of course I know there are good things inside, but it's too dangerous and will cost you your life."

Normally, it would be fine; those at the Innate Qi Realm have the confidence to explore the second level of perilous lands. But now... well, now in the small-scale Yuan Qi tide, while they are qualified, dangers are inevitable.

"Pika! Pika!" The purple kangaroo hopped around twice, pointed at Zhuang Jin with its little paws, and then nuzzled against him affectionately.

"What? Don't be afraid, I'm here? What a coward! Thank you for your confidence in me, but I refuse to take the risk."

Seeing this guy acting like a rogue, straightening up and pretending to be dead, Zhuang Jin simply grabbed him and left.

Next, the two of them went treasure hunting in the Xiaozhushan area. With the purple kangaroo leading the way, they had a good harvest in the morning, with a total of about 500,000 to 600,000 contribution points.

Zhuang Jin was also cautious, always maintaining his innate qi at over 70%, and he would also take some rare and precious materials he had accumulated with him.

With his abilities and his caution, he naturally escaped unscathed.

The only slightly disappointing thing was that they didn't encounter a single beast at the Five Organs Realm all morning.

However, Zhuang Jin quickly realized that while the probability of encountering Five Organs Realm beasts in a dangerous area increases during the Yuan Qi Tide, it is only relative and cannot be said that Five Organs Realm beasts are everywhere.

In the afternoon, Zhuang Jin intended to fish. He had accumulated rare and precious materials on his person but did not give them away. Sure enough, he caught a rare beast at the Five Viscera Realm in the middle of the afternoon. However, the beast had only tempered one viscera, which was three realms higher than him. Naturally, it was as easy as cutting melons and vegetables for Zhuang Jin. He accepted this free gift.

The other dozen or so Bone Forging Realm beasts that had been attracted were driven away as usual, and need not be discussed in detail. ...

Originally, Zhuang Jin thought that this was about it for today.

"Chirp chirp chirp chirp chirp chirp chirp!"

Unexpectedly, just as he was looking at the sky and thinking that it was getting dark and he was going to call it a day, the purple kangaroo let out the longest, most urgent cry of the day.

This was clearly the discovery of a great treasure. Zhuang Jin looked at Biyun Mountain ahead and did not enter the second level of the forbidden area, but followed along with peace of mind.

"Chirp chirp!" About two or three miles away, the purple kangaroo stopped and looked at a spot in the air with longing in its eyes.

Zhuang Jin looked in that direction and saw that between the clouds, the primordial energy of heaven and earth was churning and so dense that it formed clusters of clouds. Among them was a ball of light like a burning cloud, shimmering with red, yellow and blue colors, and it was gradually taking shape.

"So this is it, the Primordial Essence of Heaven and Earth?!"

The essence of heaven and earth: the spirit formed by the primordial energy of heaven and earth under special conditions. It can be called the essence of the primordial energy of heaven and earth. After taking it, it can strengthen the tendons and marrow, cleanse the body, and eliminate hidden diseases.

Because the cultivation of exotic beasts mainly focuses on the physical body, especially after reaching the Five Organs Realm, the exotic power tempers the five internal organs, which can easily cause injuries and leave hidden ailments. Therefore, this item is a great treasure for exotic beasts.

Of course, this thing is also quite useful for martial artists. It can strengthen the tendons and marrow, widen the meridians, and improve martial arts aptitude to a certain extent.

To put it simply, the Thunder Essence Stone that Zhuang Jin had come into contact with helps martial artists using thunder-attribute techniques to overcome the physical barrier of the three innate stages; the Vermilion Fruit obtained by Feng Gu helps martial artists using fire-attribute techniques to overcome the physical barrier of the three innate stages; and the Heaven and Earth Essence is useful for all attribute techniques and can also enhance one's aptitude to a certain extent.

This item was auctioned at the Xuantian Division, where it fetched a high price of ten million contribution points.

This is quite a stroke of luck.

However, Zhuang Jin and the Purple Kangaroo were not the first to discover the Primordial Spirit of Heaven and Earth. When they arrived, there were already five exotic beasts at the Five Organs Realm waiting for them.

Each of them was: a steed with two tails and its entire body shrouded in silvery light; a strange ox that was entirely purple, with red eyes and a single horn, resembling an ox but not quite; a leopard with blue and white markings; a deer with black pupils and a crimson body; and a giant snake with shadows twisting all over its body.

The terrain here is unique, with no cover or obstruction. In addition, the purple kangaroo is only at the Bone Forging Realm, making it difficult to hide from the senses of the Five Organs Realm beasts. Therefore, Zhuang Jin did not make any deliberate attempts to conceal himself. When Zhuang Jin discovered them, these beasts also discovered Zhuang Jin and the purple kangaroo at the same time.

The five strange beasts all looked over at the same time. At this moment, the Heaven and Earth Essence was nearing maturity, and with the arrival of Zhuang Jin, a powerful alien, they felt threatened and launched a joint attack on Zhuang Jin.

"Double-tailed steed, Purple Taro, Wind Spirit Illusion Leopard, Black-eyed Red Deer, and Shadow Serpent."

Zhuang Jin calmly recited their names one by one.

Swish!
The already bright light emanating from the double-tailed steed intensified, almost blinding people, leaving a streak of silver light as it hurtled towards them like a shooting star.

"Moo!"

The purple taro's body shone with a solidified, dark yellow light. With a long cry, it stomped its two front hooves, and a bright yellow earth blade burst from the ground.

Swish swish!

With a flash, the Wind Spirit Illusion Leopard split into more than a dozen shadows, which pounced from all directions.

"YoYo!"

The black-eyed red deer's horns flickered with an unusual power, condensing into a ball of light, from which a golden ray of light pierced the sky.

"Fizz!"

The Shadow Serpent flicked its tongue, emitting an extremely unpleasant, oppressive, and irritating sound. The next moment, it seemed to disappear into the intense light, transforming into an almost imperceptible shadow as it approached.

The attack from several exotic beasts at the Five Viscera Realm, all of which had tempered three or four viscera, would have been a huge crisis for Zhuang Jin if he were still at the third level of the Innate True Qi Realm. But now...

"Innate Qi!"

Zhuang Jin didn't even try to avoid the attack. He lifted the purple kangaroo off the ground, hovering three feet in the air. With a quick hug and a turn, his innate qi surged and condensed into a silver-white energy sphere in a yin-yang-like rotation, intercepting and blocking all five strange beasts. His figure froze in mid-air.

boom!
Then, with a sudden push, the silver-white sphere expanded and swelled. Amidst the overflowing innate qi, the five beasts at the Five Organs Realm were all blown away, each flying several feet before crashing to the ground, their wounds mangled and bloody.

With just one strike, the five monstrous beasts, each with its own internal organs intact, were severely injured!
However, Zhuang Jin's expression was not relaxed; instead, he looked at a certain spot with extreme solemnity: "This is... a beast at the Six Organs Realm?!"

"Chirp!"

A large red bird, about ten feet long, surging with strange power and seemingly shimmering with flames, streaked across the sky, its powerful aura causing subtle changes in the celestial phenomena.

"A Fire Phoenix?!"

Zhuang Jin felt this real and powerful aura, which was no weaker than his own, and almost cursed inwardly. Wasn't it said that there were almost no exotic beasts above the Five Viscera Realm in the first level of danger? How come he encountered one on the very first day?

—In fact, this place is near the first level of the pass, almost at the junction of the first level of danger and the second level of peril. He has also deliberately accumulated a large number of rare and precious materials on his body and has not given them away. In addition, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is generated here... Under these various factors, it was the fire phoenixes from the nearby second level of peril that attracted them.

Wow!
As the fire phoenix flew, feathers of light fell from its body, as if burning, gathering together to form a fiery red waterfall.

This is its signature move—Meteor Shower!
"go!"

Despite cursing inwardly, Zhuang Jin reacted swiftly. As he retreated, he instantly unleashed his innate qi to block the attack. Amidst the collision between the meteor shower and his innate qi, he used the purple kangaroo's momentum to propel himself away like a willow catkin, moving at an incredible speed.

"This fire phoenix is ​​only at the initial stage of the Six Internal Organs Realm, while I have just broken through to the Innate Qi Realm. I don't even have movement techniques or offensive martial arts skills. Apart from my true and genuine realm and the innate Qi Realm's hallmark—Qi protection—I'm completely blank slate. I probably can't beat it."

Of course, it's more than enough to protect oneself. If one wanted to, one could have tried to take advantage of the distance advantage to snatch chestnuts from the fire, but it's really not worth it.

'That Heavenly Essence isn't a necessity for the path of martial arts; it's optional. Even if you obtain it, it's merely icing on the cake. There's no need to risk everything, to fight that Fire Phoenix to the death... After all, jade shouldn't collide with earthenware pots!'

'When I reach the second or third level of the Innate Qi Realm, I will avenge myself today.'

Zhuang Jin muttered to himself, then quickly ran away with the purple kangaroo.

……

(End of this chapter)