Chapter 682 - Refining the Crimson Mist Fruit

The Yin-Yang Valley had been restless for some time, with strange gases erupting sporadically and luring waves of cultivators eager to search for treasures.

Little did they know, countless lives would be lost before they could even glimpse those treasures. Deathguards mercilessly slaughtered a portion of the cultivators, while others sank into the ground, swallowed by the treacherous terrain. Some met fiery deaths as magma from the volcano claimed them. The Yin-Yang Valley had become a living hell.

Screams and cries filled the valley, echoing through the chaos, each one more harrowing than the last. The tremors grew more rapid and violent, and the widening fissures revealed a dark, ominous underground world.

Liu Wuxie had always suspected there was more to the yin mountain, but now he was certain—it was far from ordinary. Beneath its depths lay countless thousand-year deathguards, their presence oppressive and terrifying. Among them, Liu Wuxie even spotted the unmistakable forms of ten-thousand-year deathguards.

If all the deathguards were released, all the humans here would die without an exception, including him. Dealing with the thousand-year deathguards was his limit, and he had no chance of winning against ten-thousand-year deathguards. Even if he had some chance against them, it would be slim.

The trio finally found a relatively safe place and stopped to rest. Liu Wuxie took out several pills and handed them to the other two, who accepted and swallowed the pills without any hesitation.

Lin Tong knew deep down that the bond between Liu Wuxie and Mu Yueying was extraordinary—strong enough for Liu Wuxie to traverse such dangerous terrain to rescue them. Words of gratitude could wait. For now, they needed to focus on recovering from their injuries; the last thing they wanted was to become a burden to Liu Wuxie.

Mu Yueying, having only suffered minor injuries, meditated for ten minutes after consuming a recovery pill, regaining her full strength. Her condition was primarily due to her depleted true essence, which had left her sore and fatigued.

On the other hand, Lin Tong would require at least several hours to regain most of his strength.

"Wuxie, what are you doing here?" Mu Yueying asked after she recovered.

"It's a long story," Liu Wuxie replied. He knew it couldn't be explained in a few words.

It had been two years since they had last met, and many things had happened. He briefly explained how he had rushed to the Heavenly Nether Battlefield after the Ten Grand Ceremony ended.

He was fortunate to have arrived in time. Had he been even a few minutes later, he would have been left with nothing but the grim task of collecting their remains.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"Thank you for coming to save us," Mu Yueying said sincerely, her gratitude evident. Without Liu Wuxie’s intervention, the consequences would have been unimaginable, and both she and Lin Tong would have died.

"What's his name?" Liu Wuxie asked, still unsure of Lin Tong's name.

"Lin Tong," Mu Yueying replied with a trace of gentleness flashing in her eyes.

"We're still not completely safe yet. We might've lost Yu Lin, but the Yin-Yang Valley has been temporarily sealed. None of us can escape," Liu Wuxie nodded. Judging from the looks of it, Lin Tong was someone worth trusting. His demeanor around him was extraordinary, suggesting he was from a distinguished lineage rather than a rogue cultivator.

"We've come face to face with death over the past month," Mu Yueying replied. The past month had been tormenting, and they had already made the preparations to die. It was a miracle that they were still alive.

Had Liu Wuxie been one minute later, Mu Yueying would've crushed the Alert Talisman, signaling her death.

"Don't worry about it. I promised the sect master to bring you two out of the Heavenly Nether Battlefield," Liu Wuxie said. It was still too soon to dwell on matters of life and death.

The Yin-Yang Valley might've collapsed, but it wasn't a complete deathtrap yet. He believed there had be a way out.

Mu Yueying believed in what Liu Wuxie said, just as she had trusted him back in the mundane world. She knew Liu Wuxie was extraordinary for reaching such a height in two years.

The earthquake lasted for an entire hour before it finally ceased. By then, the yin mountain had completely split open, revealing a vast underground world. The underground environment was complex, like a labyrinth with coffin-like items scattered around, sending chills down the spine of anyone who looked at it.

That was the same for the volcano as it had erupted, revealing a large hollow space with magma flowing out.

There were a large number of cultivators who came in, but over a hundred had died for various reasons. Deathguards had killed the majority, while a small number were crushed to death by the fissures.

"What lies beneath this place? Why does it feel so unsettling?" Mu Yueying asked, looking at the abyss with a hint of shock.

Liu Wuxie frowned, as even the Ghost Eye couldn't penetrate the entire underground world. This troubled him greatly, as the Ghost Eye had never failed until now.

Some bold individuals ventured into the abyss, convinced that treasures were waiting there. Then again, they were trapped in the Yin-Yang Valley and could only try their luck. After all, not even cultivators in the Nascent Transformation Realm could tear apart the swirling yin and yang energies in the sky.

An hour later, Lin Tong opened his eyes, feeling significantly better. Most of his injuries had healed to the point that they no longer hindered him. As he rose to his feet, Mu Yueying quickly stepped forward to support him.

"I'm fine!" Lin Tong reassured Mu Yueying that he was strong enough to stand on his own.

"Thank you, little brother, for saving my life. I will never forget this kindness," Lin Tong said, giving a deep bow, though he still didn't know Liu Wuxie's name.

"Big Brother Lin, you're being too polite," Liu Wuxie said as he quickly came forward to support him. Since this person was someone Mu Yueying favored, Liu Wuxie would naturally give him enough respect.

Mu Yueying introduced the two, and they became acquainted. Lin Tong was shocked to hear that Liu Wuxie came from the mundane world.

Mu Yueying also shared Lin Tong's story with Liu Wuxie. So it turned out that the Lin Clan was a top-tier clan decades ago, only secondary to the ten major sects. But because of a disaster, the entire clan was decimated with only a few survivors.

Throughout the years, Lin Tong had relied on his unwavering dedication and hard work, gathering the surviving members of his clan and strategizing to rebuild its former glory.

Everyone had burdens, like how Liu Wuxie had to return to the Celestial Realm, while Lin Tong was committed to restoring his clan's legacy.

"Ying'er, there's something I would like to discuss with you," Lin Tong said, looking at Mu Yueying with determination.

"There's no need to ask me. You can do whatever you want," Mu Yueying said. Before Lin Tong, she was like a dedicated wife, starkly contrasting her commanding presence in the Treasure Pill Pavilion.

"I want to give him the Crimson Mist Fruit," Lin Tong said as he removed an exquisite box from his interspatial ring, revealing the purple fruit within. This spiritual fruit had caused them so much trouble.

Mu Yueying didn't object to it, as they would've died if not for Liu Wuxie. With that, Lin Tong didn't hesitate to give it to Liu Wuxie, requesting the latter to accept it.

"I can't accept it. This spiritual fruit belongs to the two of you, as you risked your lives to obtain it," Liu Wuxie protested, waving his hand. While the Indigo Mist Fruit was undeniably a treasure, Liu Wuxie refused to covet something that rightfully belonged to Mu Yueying and Lin Tong.

"Brother Liu, listen to me," Lin Tong said earnestly. "After months of training, I’ve already touched the threshold of the Nascent Transformation Realm. I’ll make a breakthrough once I leave this place. The Indigo Mist Fruit is no longer as useful to me, but we can maximize its benefits if you consume it." His suggestion was met with a nod of agreement from Mu Yueying.

"Even so, I still cannot accept it," Liu Wuxie rejected. Though Lin Tong had touched the threshold of the Nascent Transformation Realm, he could reach the second level of the Nascent Transformation Realm if he consumed it.

"Wuxie, listen to Big Brother Lin," Mu Yueying urged, her tone sincere. "Accept it and refine it immediately. You’re the strongest among the three of us, and it’s futile for us to rely on our breakthroughs. If we reach the Nascent Transformation Realm, we’ll only be sent out by the spatial teleportation. The greatest benefit comes from you consuming it," Mu Yueying urged, her words sincere.

They would be forcibly teleported out if they made their breakthrough to the Nascent Transformation Realm, and there was only one Indigo Mist Fruit. Lin Tong and Mu Yueying couldn't consume it as they were determined not to leave the other behind, even in death.

However, increasing Liu Wuxie’s strength would greatly improve their chances of survival. Both Lin Tong and Mu Yueying had been stuck at the pinnacle of the Astral River Realm for a long time, having fully excavated their potential through relentless training and the harrowing pursuit over the past month.

They could make their breakthrough the moment they left this accursed place. Thus, the Indigo Mist Fruit wouldn't boost their strength significantly.

On the contrary, it was a different story for Liu Wuxie, who could use the Indigo Mist Fruit to reach the fifth level of the Astral River Realm. If Liu Wuxie made a breakthrough, there would be a significant leap in his strength, and they would have a higher chance against Yu Lin's group.

"Brother Liu, accept it. This isn't only to express our gratitude to you. But we can only guarantee our survival if you consume it," Lin Tong said, forcefully shoving the spiritual fruit into Liu Wuxie's hands. He insisted that the spiritual fruit wasn't a gift of gratitude but their ticket out of this place alive.

Given Liu Wuxie’s deep bond with Mu Yueying, framing the Indigo Mist Fruit as a gift of gratitude would have been insulting. He had come to save them, not to receive thanks, and he had no intention of accepting it under such terms.

"Okay, I'll accept it," Liu Wuxie said after pondering briefly, finding sense in what they said. They had no idea what they would face next, and he had to increase his cultivation as much as possible if he wanted to leave the Yin-Yang Valley as soon as possible.

"Keep watch for me." Liu Wuxie scanned the surroundings with Ghost Eye to verify that there were no dangers before preparing to make a breakthrough. He then retrieved the Indigo Mist Fruit from the box and consumed it.

The spiritual fruit's glow was like a mixture of crimson and indigo, instantly illuminating him from within. His internal organs lit up as the desolate world began to devour the energy.

Liu Wuxie even circulated the Desolate Devouring Art to devour the energies from the yin and yang swirling whirlpools, converting them into spiritual liquids that poured into the desolate world.

When Liu Wuxie absorbed the deathly energy, the desolate world was bleak and lifeless at first. But after he comprehended the profundity of Yin and Yang, this added two variations to the desolate world, much like day and night. Even he was surprised by the transformation.

Mu Yueying and Lin Tong's faces changed. They didn't expect Liu Wuxie's breakthrough to cause such a commotion, rapidly devouring the surrounding spiritual energy.

As the aura Liu Wuxie gave off began to rise, it took him only the blink of an eye to reach the fifth level of the Astral River Realm.

He then retrieved a large number of high-grade spirit stones and fed them into the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron. The spirit stones were instantly converted into spiritual liquid and poured into the desolate world.

If someone else had absorbed so much energy, their dantian would have shattered from the massive influx. However, the energy was only sufficient for Liu Wuxie's breakthrough, and he would need even more for his next breakthrough.