CHAPTER 156: CHAPTER 156: COMPREHENDING THE GRAND MOMENTUM

The Earth Fire Killing Spirit was not strong. Its primary offensive method was to infiltrate a person’s mind, using illusions to destabilize their minds, waiting for an opportunity to devour their soul.

The Earth Fire Killing Spirit had already suffered heavy spiritual damage in Luo Feng’s mind moments ago.

Now, having been slashed dozens of times, its core essence instantly dissipated between Heaven and Earth.

Only a dark golden core remained, spinning in mid-air.

CRASH!

With the Earth Fire Killing Spirit slain, the scorching lava lost control and plunged back into the fire pool.

Luo Feng reached out and, with a sucking motion, drew the Golden Core towards him.

The Golden Core was dark gold, its surface murky black, with wisps of black gas seeping out.

"Evil Spirit Yuan Pill!"

Luo Feng’s eyes lit up with pleasant surprise.

This Golden Core was the essence of the Earth Core Fire Fiend. It was the purest and most Yin Evil Qi between Heaven and Earth, its power surpassing even the Earth Core Fire Fiend itself. It was an exceedingly rare treasure!

Luo Feng took a jade box out of his storage ring and placed the Evil Spirit Yuan Pill inside.

He stored away the box, took a deep breath, and looked around.

After the intense battle, the Earth Core Fire Fiend in the cave had been scattered and thinned out, making it unusable for cultivation.

Having obtained the far more precious Evil Spirit Yuan Pill, Luo Feng did not feel any sense of loss.

Moreover, his greatest gain from venturing deep into this cavern was not the Evil Spirit Yuan Pill.

During the mental battle against the Evil Spirit, in the final moment, he had suddenly entered an incredibly profound state.

In that instant, he felt as if his entire being had merged with Heaven and Earth, making him feel unprecedentedly powerful.

Unity of mind with Heaven... could this be the Martial Artist’s Grand Momentum that the instructors spoke of?

Luo Feng frowned, his tone filled with uncertainty.

The myriad Daos of Heaven and Earth coexisted, yet they were ethereal and elusive. Comprehending the Grand Momentum was no easy feat.

The four prodigies, the top experts of the four academies, hadn’t yet grasped the Grand Momentum.

Luo Feng was confident that his innate talent was not inferior to the four prodigies, but to comprehend the Grand Momentum at the mid-stage of the seventh-level Essence storage Realm Cultivation was still somewhat unbelievable.

I’ll know for sure by trying.

Luo Feng contemplated for a moment, his fingers resting on the hilt of his saber, as his entire being entered a profound and mysterious ethereal state, achieving Self-Forgetfulness.

The scorching heat within the stone cave did not affect Luo Feng.

In his current perception, the world was not as it once was.

Everything slowed down.

He perceived bubbles slowly rising from beneath the lava, the sparks that bloomed when they burst, and the Earth Core Fire Fiend ascending from within like strands of black silk, drifting slowly...

Everything was clear yet distant, dreamlike and illusory. Only the Tiger Soul Saber in his hand felt real to Luo Feng.

Wherever the blade points, ghosts and gods retreat. With a sharp blade in the heart, one can overcome ten thousand foes...

His clear gaze gradually turned chilling as Luo Feng began to emit an overwhelming killing intent.

Instantly, countless tiny cracks appeared on the ground around him, as if swept by a blade’s edge.

SWISH!

Luo Feng’s entire aura was like a treasured saber drawn from its sheath.

Drawing the saber, sheathing the saber! The movements were fluid and seamless, perfectly natural.

Luo Feng lifted his eyelids. The fire pool before him silently parted down the middle, revealing the dark brown rock of the earth below.

SPLASH!

After a few breaths, the parted lava, accompanied by a powerful surge, slammed shut, sending waves of fire splashing in all directions.

It is indeed the Grand Momentum, but this level merely scratches the surface. There is still a long way to go to comprehend the true Grand Momentum.

That last strike had felt different. Its power had nearly doubled! Although the feeling was very ethereal, it was undoubtedly the Grand Momentum.

Luo Feng sheathed the Tiger Soul Saber, exhaled slowly, and retracted the faint Grand Momentum he was exuding, making it imperceptible to outsiders.

Looking at the raging fire pool, a smile appeared on his face.

This accidental foray had not only yielded the Evil Spirit Yuan Pill but, even more surprisingly, allowed him to comprehend the Grand Momentum. It was truly a series of pleasant surprises.

The power of the Grand Momentum was even stronger than he had imagined. He had now closed the gap between himself and the four prodigies by another step.

Ordinarily, Luo Feng would have seized the opportunity to cultivate. However, having entered this place, he had no idea how much time had passed outside. The ten-day agreement weighed on his mind, and he dared not delay any longer.

I hope those Scorpion Tail Fire Lions have already left.

Thinking of the Scorpion Tail Fire Lions, Luo Feng still felt a little worried.

The might of a high-level Tier 3 Demon Beast was unimaginable. Even though he had now comprehended the Grand Momentum, he wouldn’t dare confront one unless he stepped into the eighth level of the Hell Realm.

Retracing his steps, Luo Feng cautiously made his way back.

Reaching the top of the crevice, Luo Feng saw a faint light filtering in from the distance. He held his breath and slowly approached.

The entrance area of the crevice was a complete mess.

Within a hundred-meter radius, signs of collapse were everywhere, and the cracks crisscrossing the rock walls were shocking to behold.

It was not hard to tell that this place had definitely been bombarded by the Scorpion Tail Fire Lion King’s Gang Qi projectiles.

Luo Feng licked his lips, employed his Teng Dragon’s Step, and darted along the rock wall towards the entrance.

Hiding behind a large boulder, he peeked out and surveyed his surroundings.

On the flat ground outside the crevice, four Scorpion Tail Fire Lions were crouched, their eyes narrowed in a lazy, indolent manner.

Luo Feng didn’t spot the Scorpion Tail Fire Lion King. Still uneasy, he slowly released his Soul Power and scanned the area outside the crevice once more.

Confirming that there were only four Scorpion Tail Fire Lions outside, Luo Feng finally breathed a sigh of relief.

These four Scorpion Tail Fire Lions must have been left here as sentries.

Luo Feng looked at the four Scorpion Tail Fire Lions, his eyes gradually growing cold.

Clutching the Tiger Soul Saber tightly, the Yuan Qi within his body surged, ready to be unleashed at any moment.

The moment the four Scorpion Tail Fire Lions glanced away from the crevice, Luo Feng exploded forward, his figure like an agile cheetah, rushing out.

SLICE!

A dark saber gleam flashed four times. A distinct line of blood instantly appeared on each of the four Scorpion Tail Fire Lions. Their massive bodies crashed to the ground without uttering a sound.

After slaying the four Scorpion Tail Fire Lions, Luo Feng finally relaxed but dared not linger. His figure flashed, and he sped off in another direction.

Luo Feng ran nonstop for five kilometers before finally stopping.

He surveyed his surroundings. The sky was filled with a greyish-brown miasma. The surrounding mountain peaks looked sinister and terrifying, hiding a murderous aura.

Judging by those scratch marks, I must have been underground for two days. Only two days left... I wonder if I can find the Purple Flame Python...

Luo Feng calculated the time needed to return to the academy, feeling somewhat vexed.

Just then, a commotion erupted in the distance. The violent roars of Demon Beasts shook the heavens and earth!

Someone’s hunting a Demon Beast?

Luo Feng looked in the direction of the sound.

Between mountain peaks several li away, flames shot into the sky. A colossal, purplish-red figure could be faintly seen, violently thrashing about between heaven and earth! Each lash made the earth tremble and the mountains shake.

Purple Flame Python!

Luo Feng gasped. If he wasn’t mistaken, that distant figure was the mid-level Tier 3 Demon Beast he had been desperately searching for—the Purple Flame Python!

After a moment’s thought, Luo Feng used his Teng Dragon’s Step and sped towards the Purple Flame Python’s location.

Having finally found the Purple Flame Python, he was determined to obtain the Red Flame Golden Crystal, no matter what!

...

In a brown valley stood nearly ten figures. In their midst, a giant python lay coiled.

The giant python was as large as half a house. Its body was covered in diamond-shaped purple scales, and wisps of purple fire Qi seeped from the gaps in its scale armor. Coiled there like a small mountain, its triangular eyes glinted with a ferocious light. Its imposing aura was astonishing, making it impossible to underestimate.

"Purple Flame Python! Young Master, its core, the Red Flame Golden Crystal, is a superior material for forging Spirit Weapons. It’s extremely precious! Worth several million taels of silver!"

These people were precisely Duanmu Ji and his group, who had tracked Luo Feng into the Smelting Mountain Range. The Martial Artist named He Qing, upon seeing the Purple Flame Python, exclaimed in surprise and delight.

If they could obtain the Red Flame Golden Crystal, they would receive significant rewards upon returning to their family.

The youth in azure robes, with a composed and unruffled demeanor, was none other than Duanmu Ji.

They had been in the Smelting Mountain Range for two days and still hadn’t found any trace of Luo Feng, causing Duanmu Ji’s mood to sour considerably.

A cold sneer appeared on Duanmu Ji’s face as he slowly approached. "Good. Before I find that brat Luo Feng, I’ll use you, beast, to warm up my muscles and bones!"

The Purple Flame Python, sensing danger, roared. A violent wind rose. Amidst the wind and sand, a streak of purple flame, carrying an overwhelming Demon Qi, swept towards Duanmu Ji.

"Young Master!"

The surrounding Martial Artists paled with shock. However, Duanmu Ji waved his hand. "All of you, stand back! I will deal with it!"

His brow furrowed slightly. A fiercely rotating azure Qi cyclone suddenly appeared in Duanmu Ji’s palm.

The Qi cyclone whirled, SIZZLING as it tore through the air, transforming into an azure streak of light that slashed outwards.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

The purple flame exploded, unleashing a rain of fire from the sky. The other Martial Artists in the vicinity hastily retreated.

The Purple Flame Python was a mid-level Tier 3 Demon Beast, its strength between that of a peak seventh-level Essence storage Realm expert and an early eighth-level Hell Realm expert.

This was a battle between Hell Realm-level experts; there was no room for them to interfere.

Duanmu Ji stood firm, splitting the flame attack with a single move. The rain of fire that fell within three chi of him was all deflected by a layer of azure Gang Qi.

Seeing that its pillar of fire was ineffective, the Purple Flame Python roared at the sky. Its ferocious aura shot into the clouds, stirring the surrounding Fire Yuan Qi and causing several jets of lava to erupt from the ground.

It can actually draw upon the earth’s fire. Interesting!

Duanmu Ji looked slightly surprised, his expression turning more serious.

This Purple Flame Python’s strength was extraordinarily ferocious, infinitely close to the mid-stage of the eighth-level Hell Realm. It could not be underestimated.

"Azure Blood Rises, Wind and Clouds Stir!"

Duanmu Ji muttered softly. Instantly, the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi around him underwent a drastic change, and the azure Gang Qi erupted with a dazzling azure light.

BOOM!

He struck out with his palm. An azure palm imprint the size of a door panel, carrying mountain-like momentum, blasted towards the Purple Flame Python.

This palm strike was astonishingly powerful. The sky itself darkened in that instant, as if a celestial phenomenon had been triggered!

Luo Feng, who had just arrived nearby, felt his heart tighten as he sensed the power of this palm strike.

What an astonishing palm wind! He’s actually an eighth-level Hell Realm expert! Who is this youth?

Luo Feng hid behind a large boulder, watching the green-robed young man fiercely battling the Purple Flame Python, an expression of astonishment on his face.

Huh, they’re from the Duanmu Family...

Luo Feng noticed that the attire of several people nearby was identical to that of Housekeeper Li, whom he had encountered before. Seeing that the green-robed youth’s face bore a seventy to eighty percent resemblance to Duanmu Yu’s, Luo Feng immediately understood and sneered inwardly.

Enemies truly walk a narrow path. It seems this time, I can even save the silver.