Chapter 175: Icy Heart
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Previously, when Chen Fei refined the first Zhuhong fruit, he absorbed it gradually, fearing that the medicinal potency within the fruit would harm his body through dissolution.
As a result, refining a single Zhuhong fruit took Chen Fei several days.
Now, possessing over half of the Zhuhong fruit, Chen Fei could naturally refine it as before. However, the pace was sluggish. Continuing like this for a few more days could yield more mystical ingredients for Chen Fei and Bacca to discover.
Securing a Zhuhong fruit had already lifted Chen Fei’s spirits. With such a potent ally, he surpassed a few Visceral Tempering realm martial artists in their prime.
Without mentioning others, having defensive power as robust as Bacca’s within the Body Tempering realm was exceptionally rare; even the warriors of the Big Dipper Tower couldn’t match it.
With Bacca’s herbs, Chen Fei formulated a recipe for this half of the Zhuhong fruit, integrating it completely into a medicinal liquid.
The effects of the Zhuhong fruit remained unchanged, but the body’s harm was mitigated. Though decades’ worth of herbs were expended, their sole purpose was moderation.
“Phew!”
An hour passed while Chen Fei exhaled a breath of hot air. His flushed skin regained normalcy. The force was almost overwhelming for Chen Fei; the medicinal potency was now more than halfway merged with his inner strength.
Through this rudimentary refining, Chen Fei’s progress in the Marrow Tempering realm surged by twenty percent, nearly reaching seventy percent of the Marrow Tempering realm.
Chen Fei still needed another day to progressively assimilate the unrevised parts of his body. By then, his realm progress might increase by another 50%.
Alternatively, Chen Fei could allow his body to absorb without refinement, though this method required more time—possibly over ten days.
Chen Fei opened his eyes and noticed Bacca’s gaze fixed on him.
“I thought you might not survive.”
Observing Chen Fei’s unscathed state, Bacca breathed a sigh of relief.
Bacca didn’t feel any discomfort after consuming half of the Zhuhong fruit. Consequently, Bacca couldn’t have anticipated Chen Fei’s body reacting so strongly after ingesting the remaining portion of the Zhuhong fruit.
Bacca had acquired a rare delicacy that day—a feast created by a chef who suddenly appeared. Bacca had only tasted three medicinal concoctions, particularly the one brewed using the Zhuhong fruit. That taste was etched in Bacca’s memory.
Naturally, Bacca wished to continue savoring such delectable experiences. Lacking expertise in medicine-making, Bacca had to rely on Chen Fei.
A faint smile crossed Chen Fei’s face. He wouldn’t have ingested the medicinal concoction in front of Bacca without confidence.
Though Chen Fei’s aura appeared precarious, he could utilize the Suppressing Dragon Elephant to suppress the medicinal potency within him during unexpected situations.
Minus this assurance, Chen Fei wouldn’t have dared consume the potion in Bacca’s presence.
With only a few meetings and two collaborations between them, they remained fairly unfamiliar.
Given Chen Fei’s personality, he seldom entrusted his life to others, except when options were limited.
“Did you enjoy the concoction?” Chen Fei redirected the conversation.
“It was incredibly delicious.”
Bacca’s eyes gleamed momentarily, but he shook his head in regret. “Yet, only one fruit remains, and the tree 1 took it from was damaged by me. It’s unlikely another fruit will appear anytime soon.”
“Good food isn’t limited to that fruit alone. As long as it’s an edible mystical ingredient, I can fashion a potion to give you diverse flavors.”
Chen Fei offered this proposition. He didn’t exaggerate; any consumable ingredient could be transformed into a medicinal brew.
Chen Fei’s approach retained the original taste of these mystical ingredients, much like top-tier culinary techniques restoring the inherent flavors of dishes.
Bacca’s eyes glinted, avarice evident. If Chen Fei’s claim was genuine, numerous options lay within their grasp.
Without discussing other matters, let’s focus on the closest enigmatic acacia tree here. It actually bears fruit, though Bacca rarely pays it any mind.
Apart from the acacia tree’s considerable strength, the fruit it produces isn’t particularly delectable. It’s quite dry and possesses an icy chill. Consuming this kind of fruit would lead to discomfort in Bacca’s body for several days.
Of course, as fruit from a spiritual material, it still harbors potent energy. However, Bacca isn’t willing to endure suffering. After an initial accidental encounter, Bacca never attempted to consume this fruit again.
“Do you have a target?”
Chen Fei inquired, intrigued by Bacca’s expression. When it comes to familiarity with the mystic realm, the natives are the most knowledgeable.
Throughout his days in the mystic realm, Chen Fei had spent much of his time refining the acquired spiritual materials. As a result, he hadn’t visited many places, and naturally, he was unaware of locations where spiritual materials might appear.
“It’s not tasty, but I believe you. Give me a couple of days, and I’ll go take a look.”
Bacca licked his lips, recalling the taste of the Zhuhong fruit earlier. He believed he could negotiate with the enigmatic Strange Locust Tree.
Bacca and the Strange Locust Tree were somewhat acquainted, although their relationship developed after engaging in combat. Bacca intended to exchange some medicinal herbs with the acacia tree for its fruits.
Bacca could bolster his body by gnawing on medicinal herbs to obtain energy. Similarly, the acacia tree could absorb medicinal herbs, possessing abilities akin to Bacca’s.
“Alright, I’ll wait for your offerings.”
Chen Fei smiled, envisioning Bacca’s ardent desire for the Zhuhong fruit Juice. The recent dosage appeared to have triggered Bacca’s thirst for its stimulating flavors.
Having sparked Bacca’s proactive pursuit of that exhilarating flavor, his figure vanished from Chen Fei’s sight. Glancing around, Chen Fei detected no anomalies. He assumed a cross-legged posture on the ground, initiating the refinement of the residual medicinal potency within him.
Warmth, combined with an odd corrosive sensation, disseminated throughout his form, gradually heightening his inner strength cultivation.
Unluckily, he hadn’t secured the last two Zhuhong fruits. However, post-ingesting half of the Zhuhong fruit, Chen Fei’s cultivation approached the threshold of the Visceral Tempering realm.
Even absent a harvest from the mystic realm, Chen Fei could break through to the Visceral Tempering realm within two to three months post-mystic realm departure.
Less than three months had elapsed since Chen Fei advanced to the Marrow Tempering realm. Meaning, he could ascend from the Bone Tempering realm to the Visceral Tempering realm within half a year.
Only within the mystic realm could Chen Fei’s rapid advancement seem plausible. Outside, this accelerated pace might raise suspicions and draw unwanted attention.
Thankfully, these concerns were currently nonexistent.
After exiting the mystic realm, Chen Fei acquired five jade tokens, completing the true inheritance trial mission. Following an evaluation of his temperament, Chen Fei would transform into a bona fide disciple of the Primordial Sword Sect.
True disciples, comprising the core of the Primordial Sword Sect, were figures most would shy from provoking.
The ongoing refinement of medicinal potency in his body led to continued growth in the Suppressing Dragon Elephant’s experience points, mirroring his initial experience with refining the Zhuhong fruit.
This tangible advancement fascinated Chen Fei.
“Boom!”
A sudden explosion resonated from the distance. Chen Fei’s attention shifted, detecting Bacca’s furious roar. This commotion quickly ceased.
Two days slipped by unnoticed. Nevertheless, Bacca’s fruit-seeking excursion seemingly brimmed with obstacles. He and the locust tree probably engaged in heated combat, a confrontation likely intense.
A quarter of an hour later, Bacca’s form appeared on the horizon. In mere moments, he stood before Chen Fei.
Observing Bacca’s disheveled appearance, particularly a withered root on his head, Chen Fei couldn’t help but chuckle.
During Bacca’s assault on the Zhuhong fruit Tree, Chen Fei had already spotted one drooping root. Now, another root seemed deflated following his return from the Strange Locust Tree.
Evidently, Bacca and the locust tree had engaged in a genuine skirmish. Otherwise, Bacca wouldn’t have extracted energy from his roots.
“Can’t endure this any longer. My plan was to exchange medicinal herbs for fruits, but that darn tree refused me!”
Bacca seemed somewhat agitated, exclaiming, “What right does that tree have to refuse me? Those fruits taste horrible. Even then, that cursed tree wouldn’t budge, making things difficult!”
“So, you fought?” Chen Fei found this amusing.
Bacca was unmistakably infatuated. Non-cooperating demons were regarded as pests. The other demons dared to challenge Bacca’s whims, causing frustration.
In the past, Bacca might have abandoned the tree if fruit collection proved futile. Now, their interactions turned confrontational, indicative of Bacca’s intense longing for Chen Fei’s concoctions.
“Could I let that tree off? I plucked down both fruits and leaves,” Bacca responded, revealing a palm bearing the fruits.
Curious, Chen Fei accepted the offering. The fruits defied his expectations.
These fruits resembled connected beans, incredibly tiny even in Bacca’s miniature grip. The minuscule size underscored the fruits’ actual proportions.
Besides the fruit, as Bacca said, there were also several leaves from the Strange Locust Tree.
Despite a chilly feeling upon touching the fruit, it retained a regular temperature. In contrast, the leaves emitted an otherworldly chill, akin to exposure to subzero temperatures. Their touch invoked an icy sensation.
“Can you create a good concoction from these?” Bacca inquired, anticipation in his eyes.
“Absolutely!” Chen Fei confidently responded. Had he expressed doubt, Bacca’s frustration might have escalated.
Chen Fei embarked on a thorough examination of the fruits and leaves, assessing their medicinal properties.
An hour elapsed before Chen Fei registered surprising changes within his body.
His core soul energy seemed frozen yet devoid of fluctuations. Rather than negative, this state proved intriguing, as Chen Fei sensed every mental shift with unparalleled clarity..