The words spoken by Duan Hou drew a crowd of surrounding martial artists. Jin Tao felt anxious and displeased, but Duan Hou grew only more excited, speaking with effusive animation.
“Everyone, do you know the benefits of consuming the Black Fire Spirit Fruit?” Duan Hou surveyed the crowd triumphantly.
“I know! Once a martial artist at the peak of the Houtian realm consumes that Black Fire Spirit Fruit, they can become a Xiantian expert!” shouted a burly man. This statement instantly caused an uproar among those nearby; even Teng Qingshan felt a jolt of shock. Xiantian experts were exceedingly rare; how could eating a single spirit fruit possibly elevate one to that realm?
Jin Tao, standing beside him, snorted, “Idiot!”
The shouting man immediately glared, ready to flare up: “You…” His companion quickly restrained him: “That’s a master from the Iron Cloth Gate!”
Duan Hou announced loudly, “Haha, reaching the Xiantian realm is not that simple! Advancing from Houtian to Xiantian depends entirely on oneself! But everyone knows that we Houtian practitioners are all in the stage of ‘Refining Essence into Qi’ (); to step into Xiantian, one must harmonize spirit and Qi to achieve ‘Refining Qi into Spirit’ ()! This so-called ‘Spirit’ () refers to the ‘Shen’ in the trinity of Essence, Qi, and Spirit. This thing is quite ethereal, difficult to explain or define! However, becoming Xiantian is profoundly linked to this ‘Spirit.’ It is rumored that this ‘Black Fire Spirit Fruit’ can nourish one’s Spirit, strengthening the ‘Spirit’ within the mind, making the breakthrough to Xiantian much easier!”
Teng Qingshan nodded inwardly; this was an internal, spiritual metamorphosis.
“Brother Duan, after all that you’ve said, does it mean that eating the Black Fire Spirit Fruit offers a chance to reach Xiantian?” someone called out.
“Naturally! That hope is greatly enhanced. If you eat the Black Fire Spirit Fruit and still fail to reach Xiantian, then you can forget about reaching it for the rest of your life,” Duan Hou asserted firmly, then added with a sly grin, “However, while the Black Fire Spirit Fruit is a treasure, the ‘Black Fire Spirit Root’ that bears it, though lesser, is also quite miraculous.”
Immediately, someone interjected: “The Black Fire Spirit Root! I’ve heard that consuming it can improve one’s physique, strengthen tendons and bones, and grant enormous strength!”
Duan Hou nodded vigorously: “Exactly. Once swallowed, the Black Fire Spirit Root allows an ordinary man to possess a strength of ten thousand jin, instantly elevating him to a first-rate martial artist! But… the effects of this Black Fire Spirit Root are far inferior to those of the Black Fire Spirit Fruit for experts at the peak of the Houtian realm!”
The ability to lift ten thousand jin marked the threshold for a first-rate martial artist, but that was merely the bottom tier.
Take Zhuge Yun, Commander Zang Feng, Commander Ji Hong, Yue Song, or the Earth Ranking expert Meng Tian—which one of them couldn’t unleash an explosive burst of several tens of thousands of jin of strength?
Teng Qingshan’s Mighty Ox Strength Art (Mang Niu Da Li Jue), having been nurtured to the ninth level of mastery, allowed him to instantly unleash sixty thousand jin of internal force.
For powerful Houtian martial artists, adding ten thousand jin of muscle strength via the ‘Black Fire Spirit Root’ was merely frosting on the cake. The ‘Black Fire Spirit Fruit,’ which offered them the hope of stepping into Xiantian, was the true treasure.
“Black Fire Spirit Root!” Teng Qingshan, however, was moved.
“Since the Black Fire Spirit Root can nurture the ‘Black Fire Spirit Fruit,’ it must contain a truly marvelous energy. Consuming the root allows this energy to merge with an ordinary person’s body, instantly granting them the strength of ten thousand jin!” As a master of internal arts, Teng Qingshan understood this clearly.
For a person to gain strength, they must constantly unlock their potential and improve themselves.
The human body exists within nature and has its inherent limitations. For instance, Teng Qingshan reaching eighteen thousand jin of strength was already nearing his limit.
To advance further, ‘increasing human potential’ was one viable method!
How could this be achieved?
“Eating the Black Fire Spirit Root instantly grants one the strength of ten thousand jin! The miraculous energy contained within the Black Fire Spirit Fruit definitely enhances human potential significantly! My body’s potential can no longer be excavated now; if I were to consume this Black Fire Spirit Root!” Teng Qingshan felt genuine anticipation.
In Teng Qingshan’s estimation, the Black Fire Spirit Root absolutely could not be limited to merely adding ten thousand jin of strength!
“The potential increased by the Black Fire Spirit Root—those who practice internal energy cannot truly excavate it!” Teng Qingshan believed this firmly. “Once the potential of the Black Fire Spirit Root is truly unlocked, the increase in strength will definitely be more than ten thousand jin. Just how much, one would only know upon consumption!”
At this moment, compared to the Black Fire Spirit Fruit, Teng Qingshan craved the Black Fire Spirit Root even more intensely.
His physical strength had plateaued for a long time; the Black Fire Spirit Root represented the hope for his body to be fortified again.
On the training grounds of the Jin Family Estate, the martial artists conversed excitedly, each eager to obtain either the Black Fire Spirit Fruit or the Black Fire Spirit Root.
For ordinary warriors, obtaining the Black Fire Spirit Root meant an immediate leap to becoming a first-rate martial artist—it was a treasure in itself.
“Hmph,” Jin Tao snorted coldly, then moved aside to retrieve his warhorse, leaving the Jin Family Estate under the cover of night.
“Brother Duan! I also have matters to attend to, so I must take my leave first,” Teng Qingshan said, cupping his hands in farewell.
“Brother Qin Lang,” Duan Hou said with a playful smile, “Make sure you don’t leave the vicinity of Flame Mountain these few days. Just you watch, with the Black Fire Spirit Fruit, the Black Fire Spirit Root, and the Scarlet Scale Beast—these three items will draw countless martial artists here. This place is going to become unprecedentedly lively!”
Teng Qingshan smiled and departed.
Watching Teng Qingshan’s retreating back, Duan Hou’s smile widened even more: “Jin Tao? You didn’t want me to say anything? Humph humph, I’ll spread the word anyway, and even the experts from Yangzhou and neighboring Qingzhou will rush over. Haha, a massive convergence of masters—that’s what makes things exciting!” Duan Hou was clearly someone who enjoyed chaos.
Duan Hou knew very well that with the Iron Cloth Gate present, he stood no chance of competing for the treasures.
Since he couldn't compete, he might as well instigate a grand commotion! Duan Hou was inherently a man who loved excitement.
**
Cloud Come Inn.
Upon returning to the inn, Teng Qingshan immediately summoned Du Hong and Teng Qinghu.
“Commander, did you see that monster?” Du Hong asked with a smile.
Teng Qingshan questioned again, “Old Du, I’m asking you: covered entirely in black scales, possessing four legs, short spikes on its back, a long, wide mouth, and capable of turning entirely bright red in a critical moment, increasing its speed and strength dramatically—is that the Scarlet Scale Beast?” Du Hong had spent a long time at the Guiyuan Sect and knew a great deal.
Du Hong paused slightly, then exclaimed with wild delight, “Yes, it is the Scarlet Scale Beast, but that was a juvenile! Once it grows up and consumes the Black Fire Spirit Fruit, it will shed its skin like a snake, replacing a layer of its scales, and its size will increase. Furthermore, it can spit fire. Commander, you said that demonic beast was a juvenile Scarlet Scale Beast? Ah, if it is a juvenile, then…” Du Hong rambled on about the Black Fire Spirit Fruit and the Black Fire Spirit Root.
Teng Qinghu also grew excited.
“What did you say?” Teng Qingshan frowned. “The Black Fire Spirit Fruit definitely only ripens after the Scarlet Scale Beast has grown up?” Duan Hou hadn’t provided such detail before.
“Correct, Commander,” Du Hong clearly knew more than Duan Hou. “The Scarlet Scale Beast can only come into being where the Black Fire Spirit Fruit grows! The growth rate of the Scarlet Scale Beast is astonishing, changing almost daily, its body growing larger every day, and its appetite increasing. It prefers meat.”
Teng Qingshan understood instantly.
The juvenile Scarlet Scale Beast, starting by eating one person a day, then two, then three… its appetite was indeed increasing rapidly.
“However, the books I’ve read do not record that it enjoys eating humans,” Du Hong remarked. “The Scarlet Scale Beast, based on what I’ve seen, should reach full maturity in about a month, growing taller than two zhang. To undergo its next transformation, it must eat the Black Fire Spirit Fruit! Our objective is to seize that Black Fire Spirit Fruit!”
Teng Qingshan added mentally: And seize the Black Fire Spirit Root at the same time!
“After the Scarlet Scale Beast matures, the Black Fire Spirit Fruit will ripen shortly thereafter. When the Black Fire Spirit Fruit matures, its color will instantly shift from black to bright red and remain so for twelve shichen (24 hours). If it is not picked within those twelve shichen, it will rot. This Black Fire Spirit Fruit must be kept in a jade box to prevent spoilage,” Du Hong explained in detail.
Teng Qingshan nodded inwardly.
“Commander!” Du Hong inquired, “This Black Fire Spirit Fruit is of great importance to our Guiyuan Sect. Should we report this matter to the sect?” Du Hong watched Teng Qingshan’s expression.
“Tomorrow morning, we will head to Huacheng in the neighboring Xuyang Commandery and notify the Guiyuan Sect personnel stationed there to send a message back to the main sect,” Teng Qingshan understood clearly that after Duan Hou and other martial artists spread the word, many people would know, and the Iron Cloth Gate would surely participate.
The Iron Cloth Gate’s stronghold was in Chu Commandery, giving them geographical advantage and a wealth of masters.
With the help of Guiyuan Sect experts, his chances of seizing the Black Fire Spirit Root would be much higher!
The next morning, Teng Qingshan and his group hurried towards the nearby Huacheng. The Guiyuan Sect maintained outposts in every city within Yangzhou. Of course, within the territory controlled by Green Lake Island, these outposts maintained minimal personnel to signal a lack of ill intent. But in Xuyang Commandery, which was outside the sect’s direct control, the outposts were heavily manned.
Jiangning Commandery City, Guiyuan Sect, in Zhuge Yuanhong’s study.
“Sect Master!”
“Master!”
Commander Ji Hong and Commander Guan bowed respectfully.
Zhuge Yuanhong tossed the secret letter in his hand toward Ji Hong: “Second Martial Uncle, you and Lü’er, look at the contents of this secret message.”
Upon seeing it, a joyful expression spread across Ji Hong’s face.
Beside him, Guan Lü’s icy demeanor melted away, replaced by pleasant surprise: “Master? There is a juvenile Scarlet Scale Beast in the Flame Mountain area bordering Xuyang and Chu Commanderies?”
“This news was reported personally by Teng Qingshan and his party; it cannot be false,” Zhuge Yuanhong smiled gently. “This Black Fire Spirit Fruit is highly beneficial to peak Houtian experts. Consuming it will greatly increase the hope of reaching Xiantian! Second Martial Uncle, this time our objective is the Black Fire Spirit Fruit, the Black Fire Spirit Root, and that Scarlet Scale Beast!”
“The Scarlet Scale Beast?” Ji Hong was momentarily stunned. “Sect Master, the Scarlet Scale Beast cannot be tamed.”
Historically, no one had ever successfully tamed a Scarlet Scale Beast. Demonic beasts were notoriously difficult to subdue, though a very select few offered a glimmer of hope.
Zhuge Yuanhong chuckled lightly: “The Black Fire Spirit Fruit is crucial for the Scarlet Scale Beast; it must eat the fruit to transform. Therefore, when the time comes, it will compete with you! If the Scarlet Scale Beast does not eat the Black Fire Spirit Fruit, the mature beast, over two zhang tall, will certainly be formidable, but with Teng Qingshan joining forces, you can still slay it. However, if that mature Scarlet Scale Beast’s scales are worn, no Xiantian expert below the level of the strongest could breach them—it is an invaluable treasure!”
The defensive power of the Scarlet Scale Beast’s armor was unquestionable.
“If the Scarlet Scale Beast proves superior and successfully seizes the Black Fire Spirit Fruit, it will transform, shedding its old scales and growing new scarlet ones. Your mission will then shift to retrieving those shed black scales,” Zhuge Yuanhong instructed. “Second Martial Uncle, Lü’er, you two will select thirty elites from the Black Armored Army, and thirty masters from the core disciples of the Guiyuan Sect. You will depart this afternoon and travel to Huacheng in Xuyang Commandery to rendezvous with Teng Qingshan and the others!”
“Yes, Sect Master (Master!)”
Ji Hong and Guan Lü bowed deeply.