Mortal: Starting with the Seven Mysterious Sects, I proved my Dao through sacrifice.

After leaving the ancestral cave, Murong Fan did not stay long but immediately returned to Huangfeng Valley. His master, Hong Fu, was very happy to hear that Murong Fan had returned and specially checked his recent cultivation progress.

"Has he already reached the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment?" Even with a Heavenly Spiritual Root, it would be impossible to break through to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment so quickly. Hong Fu's face was full of disbelief.

"Tell me quickly! How did you do that?" Hong Fu was worried that Murong Fan might have broken through his cultivation realm through unorthodox methods, but the examination just now showed that everything was normal.

"I have only been cultivating as Master has instructed. Not long ago, I went to Taiyue to hunt demons and obtain their cores. There is nothing else special about me," Murong Fan replied calmly.

Hong Fu naturally didn't believe it, but seeing that Murong Fan's cultivation had greatly increased, she didn't want to ask too many questions. So she handed him the token specially bestowed by Huangfeng Valley—with this token, he could enter and leave Huangfeng Valley at any time without any restrictions.

Murong Fan lifted his robes, knelt down to express his gratitude, and said in a childlike voice, "Thank you for your reward, Master. If I obtain any treasures on my next trip, I will definitely make you happy."

The usually stern Hong Fu was amused by Murong Fan's comical actions and said, "There will be more resources and opportunities for cultivation outside than inside the valley, but the dangers will also be much higher. I will also give you a red communication talisman. If you encounter danger, I will know and will immediately go to your aid."

"Master, I will always remember your kindness," Murong Fan said sincerely to Hong Fu, preparing to kneel down in gratitude, but Hong Fu stopped him.

Hong Fu left behind some cultivation pills and hurriedly departed.

Holding the token and relying on the coordinates of a hidden valley recorded in the jade slip, Murong Fan ventured deep into the heart of the Taiyue Mountains. The Taiyue Mountains, deep within their heartland.

Murong Fan's figure moved like a wisp of smoke, weaving through the shadows of towering ancient trees. Half a month had passed since he left the ancestral cave, but he was not in a hurry to return to Yellow Maple Valley. Instead, relying on the hidden coordinates recorded in the warm jade slip, he forged his way through thorns and brambles, venturing deep into this dangerous and desolate land.

The concentration of spiritual energy in the surroundings became increasingly dense as they went deeper. The air was filled with the unique stench of fermenting soil and decaying leaves. Occasionally, the roars of unknown monsters came from the depths of the dense forest, causing the leaves to fall in a rustling sound.

Murong Fan remained calm, his divine sense like an invisible net, constantly enveloping the area within a hundred feet around him.

Finally, after crossing a solitary peak that was as steep as if cut by a knife, the view in front of us suddenly opened up.

It was a deep valley surrounded by four towering peaks, shaped like a giant natural well. The valley entrance was extremely narrow, allowing only one person to pass sideways, and was shrouded in thick white miasma.

Without the guidance of the jade slip, even if one got close, it would be extremely difficult to discover this hidden place.

"This secluded valley... truly lives up to its reputation."

Murong Fan took a deep breath, sensing the pure spiritual energy emanating from the narrow valley entrance. The spiritual energy here was different from the mixed energy outside; it carried a gentle, ever-flowing vitality, making it an ideal place to cultivate wood-based techniques.

He carefully made his way through the valley entrance. Inside, ancient trees towered, their massive canopies blocking out the sun, with only dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves. A strange, refreshing fragrance filled the air; inhaling it invigorated him, making his spiritual energy flow more smoothly.

"According to the jade slip, this place was once the secluded cultivation spot of that ancestor, and it still retains a special wood spirit energy." Murong Fan's gaze swept around and finally settled on a cave in the center of the valley, backed by a mountain wall. In front of the cave grew a strange little grass that was entirely green. Although it was inconspicuous, it faintly exuded a Daoist charm.

He strode forward and carefully examined the outside of the cave. After confirming that there were no restrictions or dangers, he slipped inside.

The cave dwelling was small, but dry and refreshing, perfect for seclusion. Murong Fan set up three layers of "Bewitching Array" and one layer of "Shocking Thorn" at the cave entrance. These were low-level arrays he had exchanged from the Yellow Maple Valley market. Although they did not have strong defensive capabilities, they were enough to warn and confuse intruders.

After doing all this, he sat cross-legged on the stone bed and solemnly took out the jade slip of "Green Wood Manual" from his storage bag.

The jade slip felt warm to the touch, with a faint, swirling light. Murong Fan took a deep breath, calming the turmoil in his heart, and slowly probed it with his divine sense.

boom!

In an instant, a massive amount of information flooded into his mind like a river bursting its banks. Unlike the steady and methodical basic technique of Huangfeng Valley, "Changchun Gong," the opening of "Qingmu Jue" exuded a vast and ancient aura.

"Heaven and earth possess spirit, and all things possess nature. Green wood is ever-renewing, ever-changing through withering and flourishing. By taking its own body as a seed, it draws upon the spirit of the earth's veins and absorbs the verdant essence of the sky, thus forging an immortal foundation for its Dao..."

Murong Fan held his breath and focused intently, comprehending each word and phrase. As his divine sense deepened, he seemed to see a vast primeval forest, with countless ancient trees swaying in the wind, each leaf breathing and resonating with the heavens and earth.

Murong Fan no longer hesitated. He adjusted his posture and formed a strange hand seal—the "Azure Wood Seal" unique to the Azure Wood Technique.

At first, all around was deathly silent, with only the occasional sound of wind coming from outside the cave. An hour passed, and Murong Fan's forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, but he remained motionless, his divine sense spreading outwards like tendrils, trying to capture the trace of drifting wood spirit energy in the air.

Just as his divine sense was about to become exhausted, a sudden change occurred.

hum!

A faint tremor seemed to emanate from the air. Murong Fan keenly sensed a tingling sensation emanating from the "Azure Wood Seal" on his fingertips, as if countless tiny ants were gnawing at him. Immediately afterward, wisps of pale blue energy, like iron filings attracted by a magnet, gathered from all directions, slowly seeping into his body through his pores.

"They're here!"

Murong Fan was overjoyed, but dared not be careless in the slightest. He quickly guided the external energy according to the cultivation route in the jade slip.

This energy was completely different from the spiritual energy absorbed in the past. It was not violent or scorching, but rather carried a freshness and vitality like tender buds in early spring. After entering the meridians, it did not rush directly into the dantian, but rather flowed slowly along the meridians like a gentle stream, gradually washing away and purifying the impurities in the meridians wherever it passed.

"Such a powerful yet gentle purifying force!" Murong Fan was secretly shocked.

As the cultivation technique circulated, more and more wood elemental energy surged into his body. It gathered around his dantian, forming a small vortex. Murong Fan, who was originally stuck at the bottleneck of the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, began to show signs of loosening under the cleansing force of this pure power.

boom!

After an unknown amount of time, a muffled sound suddenly came from within the dantian. It was not a painful tearing, but a pleasant sensation like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. The previously stagnant vortex of spiritual energy suddenly accelerated, and a surge of spiritual energy several times stronger than before burst forth from the dantian, instantly flowing through all the meridians of the body.

Peak of the mid-stage Foundation Establishment!

Murong Fan suddenly opened his eyes, and two sharp glints flashed and disappeared in the dim cave.

He slowly exhaled a breath of foul air, which was grayish-black in color. Upon landing, it corroded the stone surface and emitted a fishy stench. This was the impurities expelled from his body.

"Breaking through a realm in just one meditation session—the cultivation speed of the 'Azure Wood Technique' is simply astonishing!" Murong Fan clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within his body, and was overjoyed.

To his even greater surprise, he looked down at his hands. Beneath his fair skin, he saw faint blue lines, like the veins of a leaf, winding and twisting, exuding a strange vitality.

"The Green Wood Body... is showing initial signs!"

The jade slip mentioned that when one cultivates the "Azure Wood Technique" to a certain level, the physical body will undergo a transformation, forming the "Azure Wood Body." This physique not only provides a significant boost to wood-based spells but also possesses astonishing regenerative and defensive capabilities.

With a thought, Murong Fan traced a line across his palm with his fingertip, leaving a bloody mark. But in the blink of an eye, the mark healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, leaving not a single scar.

"Good! Good! Good!" Murong Fan exclaimed three times, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit. With the "Azure Wood Technique" and the "Azure Wood Body," he now had the means to stand among cultivators of the same level, and even against a late-stage Foundation Establishment expert, he would have the power to fight.

He stood up and walked to a corner of the cave, where there was a blue stone about half a person's height. He took a deep breath, circulated his spiritual energy, and a faint blue light emanated from his right palm. He seemingly lightly pressed his palm onto the blue stone.

Click!

With a crisp sound, the incredibly hard bluestone shattered like a biscuit, the break smooth as a mirror, without a single fragment flying, as if its internal structure had been directly shattered by a gentle yet irresistible force.

"A balance of strength and gentleness, endless vitality." Murong Fan murmured to himself, his understanding of this technique deepening.

In the following days, Murong Fan did not rush to leave. He took advantage of the rich wood spirit energy in the secluded valley to continue consolidating his cultivation and tried to integrate the spiritual power circulation method of the "Azure Wood Technique" into his combat skills.

He discovered that, with the blessing of the "Azure Wood Technique," his perception of his surroundings had reached an astonishing level. He could even "hear" the breathing of plants and trees, and the subtle changes in airflow. This extension of his senses allowed him to detect the enemy's movements before they could be detected in battle.

On the morning of the seventh day.

Murong Fan stepped out of the cave, bathed in the morning light filtering through the tree canopy. At this moment, his aura was restrained, and he resembled an ancient pine tree rooted in the rock, motionless yet possessing an imposing presence.

"Although the Taiyue Mountains are vast, they are not a place to stay for long. We still need to return to Huangfeng Valley from time to time to report back. As for the secret of the 'Azure Wood Manual,' it must remain a secret."

Murong Fan had already made up his mind. He took one last look at the secluded valley, then his figure blurred, transforming into a streak of light as he sped away from the valley.

Shortly after he left, in a muddy pool deep within the valley, a pair of enormous, scarlet beast eyes slowly opened, staring at the direction Murong Fan had gone, revealing a greedy and savage expression...

"This is another excellent demon core!" Murong Fan thought to himself, "I'll make this my private hunting ground for demons from now on."

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