C10 Enter the Mountain to Cultivate

"I haven't been here in a few days. You've always served as my sparring partner in my training—thank you for enduring all that. From now on, I won't bother you anymore." With a soft smile, Ling Yunfan caressed the Giant Iron Tree before him.

Noticing the clear scars on the Giant Iron Tree, memories of his previous training sessions here flooded Ling Yunfan's mind. It felt as though he had just finished a session yesterday and was about to resume his training.

"What's that scent?" Before long, Ling Yunfan caught a whiff of something fragrant and immediately sensed that something was amiss. His expression turned grave as he began to track down the origin of the peculiar aroma.

The scent was subtle, barely noticeable unless one was actively searching for it. Had it not been for Ling Yunfan's Divine Devil Bloodline and his enhanced physique, he might have missed the strange fragrance entirely. Inhaling it seemed to have no effect, but Ling Yunfan faintly recalled smelling a similar scent when he was pursued by the Bloodthirsty Purple Pattern Snake.

He had dismissed it then, but reflecting on it now, Ling Yunfan suspected there was more to it. This place had never been known for any distinct smells, yet suddenly there was this unusual fragrance, one that coincided with the presence of a demonic beast—certainly something that merited his attention.

After a brief search, Ling Yunfan located the source of the scent. Upon closer inspection, he found a spherical object, the color of clay, seemingly unremarkable except for its faint aroma. To assume it was just an ordinary ball of clay would be a grave error.

In fact, the object was a carefully crafted Beast Attracting Ball, made from the essence of spiritual medicine and the powdered core of a demonic beast, mixed with spiritually charged soil. Its purpose was to release a fragrance to lure demonic beasts.

Upon discovering the Beast Attracting Ball, Ling Yunfan wasted no time. With a swift kick, he sent it soaring through the air.

"It seems someone is out to get me. Once the Family Great Competition is over, I'll need to conduct a thorough investigation to avoid a repeat of this incident. I was fortunate to survive last time, but I might not be so lucky again." Ling Yunfan mused, his brow furrowed as he surveyed the dirt remnants from the Beast Attracting Ball.

After a moment of contemplation, Ling Yunfan set off toward the distant mountains.

...

Elsewhere, within a residence of the Ling family, brothers Ling Jie and Ling Xuan were deep in conversation.

"Big brother, are you seriously saying that loser can withstand your attack? That's impossible. You must be kidding," Ling Jie said, his face etched with incredulity as he stared at Ling Xuan.

"Hmph, what do I gain from deceiving you? Listen, if you don't want to be utterly defeated by Ling Yunfan in the Family Great Competition again, then you'd better get serious about your training. His current strength is way beyond your league. Don't go picking fights with him anymore," Ling Xuan replied, his voice stern and commanding.

"Fine, fine, I'll go train right now!" Ling Jie, intimidated by Ling Xuan's fierce tone, stammered and scurried off in defeat.

Watching his younger brother retreat, Ling Xuan, the elder sibling, could only shake his head in resignation.

...

Time raced on, and in what seemed like the blink of an eye, more than ten days had passed.

Bang!

Crash... Crash...

In a secluded mountain area, a striking young man with his torso bare had just felled a row of Giant Iron Trees with his fiery fists. The mighty trees, centuries old and formidable in stature, lay on the ground, continuing to burn from the lingering flames.

"Hu hu... So this is the might of the Flaming Fist combined with the power of my Body Refining Level Seven? It's truly formidable. These Giant Iron Trees have withstood the test of nearly five hundred years, their resilience unmatched by the ordinary. Yet now, they crumble before my Flaming Fist. With further cultivation, taking down Ling Xuan might not be out of reach after all," the young man reflected, astonishment clear on his face as he stood amidst the smoldering remains of the Giant Iron Trees.

If anyone from the Ling Family happened to come by at this moment, they would be in for a shock at the sight of this striking young man. Emitting the aura of Body Refining Level Seven was none other than Ling Yunfan, the same person who had long been labeled as useless by his kin.

"Man, I'm beat. All my Cultivation Spirit Medicine is gone, and I've pretty much picked this area clean. Time to eat." With the fire now extinguished, Ling Yunfan spoke to himself and headed towards the back, taking the now-empty sack with him.

"Ah, this is the life. Nothing beats a cold bath after a good sweat. And what do you know, there are fish here too. Time for a little fun." Shortly after, Ling Yunfan reached the small river he had discovered days before and dove in. He frolicked in the water like a child, playfully chasing and catching the fish below.

Half an hour flew by, and Ling Yunfan had caught over ten fish as big as his head. But since fish can't survive long out of water, and the meat would spoil, he reluctantly released several, keeping just three large ones for himself.

He quickly cleaned the fish and set them over the fire to roast. The summer heat was intense, and it didn't take long for the fish to cook through. Seasoned by Ling Yunfan, the delicious aroma began to waft through the air.

Meanwhile, as Ling Yunfan was about to enjoy his roasted fish, several pairs of crimson eyes glowed ominously in a shadowy cave, their gaze fixed on him from afar, radiating a fearsome malice.

"Something's coming my way, and fast!" Just after finishing his meal, Ling Yunfan's instincts kicked in. He leapt to his feet, his body coiled tight, fists clenched, as his previously relaxed gaze sharpened to a vigilant stare towards the unknown threat behind him.

Awoooo... Awoooo...

In no time at all, behind the thicket emerged a pack of about a dozen red-furred, red-eyed wolves with the faces of apes.

"A Rank One Peak Demonic Beast, the Crimson Wolf. Looks like there's no chance for rest today," Ling Yunfan observed with a wry smile, eyeing the wolves bristling with murderous intent. "Well, if that's how it is, I might as well savor the thrill of combat!"

With those words, a swirl of air currents enveloped his fists. He launched an assault on the pack of Crimson Wolves with the swiftest speed he could achieve. Though he refrained from deploying the martial technique Flaming Fist, he poured every ounce of his strength into his punches, targeting the wolves' most vulnerable spot—their heads.

Thus, Ling Yunfan plunged into the fray with the Crimson Wolves, quickly engaging in combat. Given that each wolf's strength was on par with Body Refining Level Eight, and their numbers were great, Ling Yunfan, who hadn't unleashed any martial skills, soon found himself embroiled in a fierce struggle. His body accumulated numerous wounds, but in the same breath, he managed to crush the skulls of three Crimson Wolves, bringing them to their demise.