The sky stretched endlessly above as Xiao Feng soared through the air, his Dou Qi wings beating steadily, slicing through the wind with sharp precision. Each movement carried him deeper into the vast and dangerous expanse of the Magical Beast Mountain Range—a place where countless experts had risen… and just as many had fallen.
Below him, the forest rolled like a dark ocean, its dense canopy hiding unknown dangers. Every shadow could conceal a predator. Every silence could precede death.
Yet Xiao Feng's expression remained calm.
His purpose this time was clear.
He needed a flame—one powerful enough to support the refinement of a Eight-grade pill.
And such a flame would never be easy to obtain.
After some time, Xiao Feng descended near a familiar valley—the same quiet place where he had once stayed with Xiao Yi Xian.
For a brief moment, he paused, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings.
But he didn't stop.
This time, he moved forward without hesitation, heading deeper into the mountain range—toward regions even seasoned hunters avoided.
As he advanced, the environment began to change.
The trees grew taller and older, their thick branches blocking out most of the sunlight, casting the forest into a dim, almost suffocating darkness. The air grew heavier, filled with the faint scent of blood and the distant echoes of beastly roars.
Xiao Feng's senses sharpened instantly.
His soul perception spread outward like invisible threads, covering everything within range.
Every movement… every breath… every hidden presence—
Nothing escaped him.
Suddenly—
Rustle!
A dark figure lunged from the shadows, its claws slicing through the air with deadly intent, aimed directly at his throat.
Xiao Feng reacted in an instant.
His arm rose, Dou Qi surging outward.
Bang!
The impact echoed as he blocked the attack effortlessly.
A wolf-like magical beast landed a few meters away, its eyes glowing with ferocity, its fangs bared as it let out a low growl.
Xiao Feng didn't even bother taking a proper stance.
"Too slow," he said calmly.
Before the beast could react again—
His figure blurred.
Whoosh!
He vanished from his original position and reappeared behind it.
Crack!
A single, precise strike landed.
The beast collapsed instantly, its body hitting the ground with a dull thud.
However—
The scent of blood had already spread.
And in this forest…
That was an invitation.
Low growls began to echo from all directions.
Shadows shifted among the trees.
Eyes—cold and hungry—locked onto him from the darkness.
One… three… five…
Soon, more than ten magical beasts surrounded him.
Different species.
Different strengths.
All drawn by the same instinct.
Xiao Feng let out a quiet breath, his gaze turning sharp.
"So you all want to try your luck?"
His aura rose steadily, flames flickering faintly around him.
"Fine… come."
In the next instant—
The forest erupted into chaos.
Beasts lunged forward from all directions, their claws, fangs, and massive bodies crashing toward him in a relentless assault.
But Xiao Feng moved like a phantom.
His movements were smooth, controlled, and precise.
Every step avoided danger by the smallest margin.
Every strike was calculated.
Deadly.
A massive serpent shot forward, its body coiling through the air like a whip.
Xiao Feng caught it mid-strike, his hand gripping its neck before slamming it into the ground with overwhelming force.
A horned beast charged from the front, its hooves cracking the earth beneath it.
Xiao Feng sidestepped calmly and drove his fist into its skull, ending its life instantly.
Above him, a flying beast descended, its claws glowing with energy.
Xiao Feng raised his hand—
A burst of flame shot upward, engulfing it completely.
Within minutes—
The battle ended.
The forest fell silent once more.
The ground was littered with bodies.
And in the center—
Xiao Feng stood untouched.
But his expression didn't relax.
After entering the cave, Xiao Feng did not rush forward recklessly.
Instead, he slowed his steps, his senses spreading outward as he carefully observed his surroundings. The further he went, the more the environment changed—until the narrow rocky tunnel opened into a vast underground expanse.
He stopped.
What lay before him… was no ordinary cave.
It looked like a volcanic region that had long since cooled down.
The ground was dark and cracked, with hardened magma patterns stretching across the surface like frozen waves. Jagged black rocks jutted out in irregular formations, and the air carried a faint, lingering heat—evidence of a once-active inferno that had now fallen silent.
Xiao Feng's eyes narrowed slightly.
"This place…"
It was ancient.
And once… incredibly powerful.
He stepped forward slowly, his gaze scanning the area.
Soon, he noticed something else.
Metallic glints scattered across the ground.
Xiao Feng crouched down and picked up a piece.
A faint energy ripple passed through his fingers.
"Rare ore…"
Not just one—but several kinds.
After gathering everything he could, Xiao Feng did not linger any longer in the outer area. With a calm expression and steady steps, he continued moving deeper into the underground region, his figure gradually disappearing into the darker parts of the cave.
As he advanced, he began to notice subtle changes in the environment.
The temperature, which had previously been filled with lingering heat from the cooled volcanic terrain, slowly began to drop. The scorching warmth faded bit by bit, replaced by a strange, neutral chill that seeped into the air. It wasn't exactly cold—but it carried an eerie stillness that made the surroundings feel lifeless.
Even the air itself seemed to grow heavier.
The faint sounds of the outside world had completely disappeared.
No wind.
No dripping water.
No movement.
Only silence.
A deep, suffocating silence that pressed against the senses.
Xiao Feng's footsteps unconsciously became lighter as he moved forward. Each step was controlled, measured, and nearly soundless. His sharp gaze swept across every corner, while his soul perception extended outward like an invisible net, probing for even the slightest trace of danger.
In a place like this…
Carelessness meant death.
After walking for some time, the narrow passage ahead gradually widened.
The jagged stone walls began to recede, and the cramped tunnel slowly opened up into a broader space. The darkness thinned slightly, replaced by a faint, dim glow reflecting off the rocky surfaces.
Then—
Xiao Feng's steps came to a natural halt.
He had entered another chamber.
This chamber was far larger than the previous ones. The ceiling arched high above, supported by naturally formed stone pillars that looked as though they had been shaped by countless years of geological change. The ground was uneven, covered in layers of hardened rock and dust, with cracks spreading like veins across the surface.
Traces of the past were everywhere.
Broken stone platforms lay scattered around, some half-collapsed, others reduced to mere fragments. The faint outlines of ancient carvings could still be seen on certain surfaces, though time had worn them down beyond recognition.
It was clear—
This place had once been used.
And not by ordinary people.
Xiao Feng's eyes slowly narrowed as he took in the scene.
His instincts sharpened immediately.
There was something unsettling about this chamber.
Not danger—
But history.
A silent story left behind.
He stepped forward cautiously, his movements slow but deliberate. His gaze shifted from one corner to another, analyzing every detail, every shadow, every unusual mark etched into the surroundings.
Then—
His eyes stopped.
Not far ahead…
Several figures lay scattered across the ground.
Or rather—
What remained of them.
Skeletons.
Their bones, pale and dry, rested in unnatural positions, as if their final moments had been filled with struggle… or desperation. Some leaned against broken stone walls, while others lay sprawled across the ground, their limbs twisted at odd angles.
A faint, ancient aura lingered around them.
Xiao Feng's expression turned serious.
He did not approach immediately.
Instead, he stood still, his soul perception expanding to its limit, carefully scanning every inch of the chamber. He moved his awareness over the skeletons, the ruins, the walls, and even the ground beneath his feet—searching for traps, formations, or hidden threats.
Seconds passed.
Then more.
But nothing responded.
No movement.
No hidden aura.
No signs of life.
Only silence.
Only death.
After confirming there was no immediate danger, Xiao Feng finally took a step forward.
Slowly…
Cautiously…
He approached the nearest skeleton and knelt beside it.
Up close, the details became clearer.
The bones were not fragile like those of ordinary people. Instead, they carried a faint sheen, indicating the strength they once possessed in life. Even after years—perhaps decades—their remains still held traces of energy.
"These weren't weak cultivators…" Xiao Feng muttered softly.
His gaze shifted downward.
Toward the hands.
Toward the waist.
And just as he expected—
There it was.
A storage ring.
A faint glint of metal, still intact despite the passage of time.
Xiao Feng's eyes flickered slightly.
Without hesitation, he reached out.
And began to search.
Storage rings.
The moment Xiao Feng's gaze landed on them, a faint glint of interest flashed across his eyes.
Without wasting even a second, he began collecting them one by one. His movements were calm yet efficient, as his fingers lightly brushed over the remains, retrieving each ring with practiced ease.
One…
Two…
Three…
His actions did not stop.
He moved from one skeleton to another, carefully checking each body, ensuring that nothing of value was overlooked.
Finally—
He stopped.
"In total… six."
Six medium-grade storage rings now lay in his palm, each one carrying the lingering aura of its former owner.
Xiao Feng slowly sat down cross-legged on the cold, cracked ground.
The dim light of the chamber flickered faintly across his face as he steadied his mind. One by one, he began to inspect the contents of the rings using his soul perception.
He started with the first.
Then the second.
Then the third.
Soon, a clear pattern emerged.
Three of the rings—
Belonged to alchemists.
As his soul force entered them, he quickly sorted through their contents.
Bottles.
Herbs.
Notes.
And then—
His attention stopped.
Two ancient scrolls floated gently before him as he took them out.
They were slightly worn, yet well-preserved.
Xiao Feng opened them carefully, his eyes scanning the contents with focused attention.
They were two sixth-grade alchemist experience manuals.
Each one recorded detailed insights, refinement techniques, and numerous common pill recipes. The depth of knowledge contained within them was far beyond what ordinary alchemists could access.
Even for Xiao Feng—
This was valuable.
A faint smile formed on his lips.
"Not bad…"
An Earth-grade, mid-level Fire cultivation technique.
The moment Xiao Feng finished reading the scroll, a faint ripple passed through his usually calm eyes.
This… was no ordinary gain.
Even among powerful sects, techniques of this level were considered treasures—carefully guarded, rarely shared, and often fought over.
He slowly lowered the scroll and turned his gaze toward the skeleton from which it had come.
His eyes sharpened.
Step by step, he approached the remains, then crouched beside them, carefully observing every detail of the bones. His fingers hovered slightly above the surface as his soul perception seeped into them, probing for any lingering energy.
Seconds passed.
Then—
He exhaled softly.
"…Not Dou Ancestor."
A trace of disappointment flickered across his face.
"If it had reached Dou Ancestor…"
His gaze deepened slightly.
A Dou Ancestor's skeleton would not decay so easily. Even after death, it would retain immense energy within its bones. If he could refine and extract even a portion of its essence blood, it could greatly enhance his own cultivation—or even improve the elemental attributes of the Xiao family members.
It would have been a priceless opportunity.
But—
Xiao Feng slowly stood up, shaking his head.
"There are no 'ifs' in reality."
What was gone… was gone.
Still, he was not dissatisfied.
The technique in his hand alone was already a significant harvest.
Carefully rolling the scroll back up, Xiao Feng muttered to himself,
"I'll study this first… then leave copies for the Xiao family."
Such a technique should not belong to him alone.
If cultivated properly, it could elevate the strength of the entire clan.
With that thought, he continued searching the ruins.
His movements were slow, deliberate, and precise. His gaze swept across every corner, leaving no spot unchecked.
The chamber returned to silence once more.
Until—
He suddenly stopped.
In a distant corner, partially buried beneath layers of dust and broken stone…
Something caught his eye.
A scroll.
It looked plain.
Pale white.
Almost unremarkable.
And yet—
Something about it felt… different.
Xiao Feng walked over slowly, his instincts subtly warning him, yet not sensing any danger.
He bent down and picked it up.
For a moment, he simply held it in his hand, his brows slightly furrowed.
Then—
He closed his eyes.
And released his soul power.
The instant his perception touched the scroll—
His eyes snapped open.
Shock filled his expression.
"A… soul cultivation technique?!"
Even he couldn't keep his composure this time.
Although the scroll was only yellow-level low grade, its true value far surpassed its rank.
Across the entire continent, soul cultivation techniques were extremely rare.
Even in the Central Plains, the powerful Pill Tower only released limited techniques to the public—most of them no higher than mid-level Profound grade. As for Earth-grade soul techniques… even ancient clans treated them as priceless inheritances.
Ordinary cultivators?
They didn't even have the right to see them.
For most people, improving their soul realm depended on only two methods:
Breaking through their cultivation level—
Or finding rare soul-nourishing treasures.
Both paths were difficult.
Dangerous.
And often soaked in bloodshed.
But now—
Xiao Feng held something entirely different.
A direct path.
A stable method.
His grip on the scroll tightened unconsciously.
"With this… reaching the Mortal Soul Perfection stage will be much faster."
His thoughts shifted immediately.
"To my teacher…"
A faint smile appeared.
"If he cultivates this… reaching the sixth-grade alchemist level will become much easier."
At this moment, Xiao Feng truly felt satisfied.
Even if he failed to find the Heavenly Flame he came for—
This journey was already worth it.
He looked at the items he had gathered:
An Earth-grade mid-level Fire cultivation technique.
A soul cultivation method.
Sixth-grade alchemist manuals.
Rare ingredients like Transformation Grass.
He let out a slow breath.
"These… are enough to support me until peak Dou Ancestor."
His gaze lifted slightly, as if seeing beyond the cave… beyond the empire.
Toward the future.
Toward Canaan College.
"With their long-standing heritage…"
"There must be at least one seventh-grade alchemist manual."
And when he reached the peak of the sixth grade—
Even if he didn't ask—
They would give it to him willingly.
Because strength…
Spoke louder than words.
Just as Xiao Feng was about to store everything—
He suddenly froze.
A strange sensation appeared within his mind.
Faint.
Subtle.
Yet impossible to ignore.
It wasn't a sound.
It wasn't pressure.
It was more like…
A call.
His expression slowly turned serious.
His instincts sharpened instantly.
"…Something is there."
Xiao Feng slowly stood up.
His eyes narrowed as he turned toward a specific direction deep within the ruins.
"That way…"
Without hesitation—
He began walking.
Step by step.
Drawn by that mysterious signal.
Deeper into the ruins.
Further into the unknown.
Toward something…
That seemed to be waiting for him.