Chapter 16: Exploring the Cave

Half a day later, a streak of blue light cut through the sky as Lin Tianming stood atop the Qingfeng Sword, arriving at a small valley two hundred miles west of Qingfeng Town.

This was the outskirts of the Ziyun Mountain Range, a vast area of hills and dense vegetation, with countless small mountains reaching several hundred feet high.

After thoroughly inspecting the hundred-mile radius around Qingfeng Town and clearing out a significant number of wild beasts, Lin Tianming could now embark on his training journey without worrying about the town's safety.

Killing the Striped Crocodile had provided some materials for crafting, including its tough hide, which could be used to make a defensive inner armor, and its long tail, which could be refined into a whip-like weapon of considerable value.

By now, dusk had settled. Most demonic beasts preferred to be active at night, making it unwise to enter the Ziyun Mountain Range at this hour. It was safer to set out at dawn.

Lin Tianming landed on a small mountain and used the Qingfeng Sword to carve out a cave in a large rock wall, creating a simple dwelling to rest for the night and recover his strength before venturing into the mountain range.

He inscribed a few simple illusions around the entrance of the cave to conceal it, then stepped inside. From the outside, the area appeared to be just a forest, with several trees of varying sizes masking the rock wall. This setup would easily deter low-level demonic beasts but would be ineffective against higher-level beasts or cultivators.

Inside the cave, Lin Tianming sat with a contemplative look on his face. This trip couldn't last too long, as he had the responsibility of guarding Qingfeng Town. If something went wrong during his absence, it would be hard to explain to the family.

However, the unpredictable nature of training meant he couldn't control every factor. Though the Ziyun Mountain Range was small and unlikely to harbor high-level demonic beasts, there were certainly many second-level beasts, as evidenced by the Striped Crocodile he encountered earlier.

After half an hour of deep thought, Lin Tianming made a decision. He would limit his exploration to three months and avoid aimlessly wandering through the mountain range.

The map he obtained from the red-robed man likely marked the location of the cave they had mentioned. Since they had explored it once and survived, it probably wasn't too dangerous.

He spread out the map, carefully studying it. There were several marked locations, presumably the territories of certain demonic beasts. After confirming the route, he decided that if the journey seemed too perilous, he would abandon the exploration and return after he had advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage.

After another half hour of studying and planning, Lin Tianming began his meditation to restore his energy and prepare for the next day.

The next morning, as the sun rose over the valley, flocks of birds flew overhead. Lin Tianming emerged from the cave, dismantled the illusions, and cut down a few trees to conceal the entrance.

With the map in hand, he identified his direction and started running towards the interior of the Ziyun Mountain Range, his speed rivaling that of a cheetah.

He chose not to fly because flying in demonic beast territory was extremely dangerous. Without cover, he would be an easy target for attacks.

After half a day, Lin Tianming arrived at a stone forest. The sparse trees and numerous large rocks lying in disarray gave the place an eerie silence.

Carefully, he identified his position on the map. He had passed through the outer region of the Ziyun Mountain Range, encountering only a few early-stage demonic beasts, which he either avoided or quickly killed, taking their demon cores before leaving.

Extending his spiritual sense, Lin Tianming scanned the surrounding area. "Hmm, Earth Spirit Mushrooms."

Seven brown mushrooms grew in the crevices of the rocks, each the size of a bucket, with a dazzling array of colors.

Nearby were over thirty Earth Spirit Rats, mostly early-stage first-level demonic beasts, with three at the mid-stage and one nearing the late stage.

The Earth Spirit Mushroom was a top-grade first-level spiritual herb, one of the main ingredients for refining the Marrow Cleansing Pill. Lin Tianming already had Golden Flower Grass, Fire Origin Grass, and Water Celestial Grass. With these Earth Spirit Mushrooms, he would only need Mystic Vine Flowers to refine the Marrow Cleansing Pill.

Earth Spirit Rats were earth-attribute demonic beasts known for their thick hides and sharp teeth. They were incredibly fast and loved to eat earth-attribute spiritual materials and ores, which they likely guarded.

Lin Tianming pondered the situation. While most of the rats were low-level and posed little threat, the mid-level ones could be problematic if they swarmed him.

Leaving without taking the mushrooms was the safer choice, but the Marrow Cleansing Pill ingredients were rare and hard to come by. Missing this opportunity might mean not finding them again soon.

He decided to use his top-grade talismans if necessary, opting to retreat if overwhelmed. Summoning his resolve, Lin Tianming dashed forward, closing the distance to the mushrooms.

The three mid-level Earth Spirit Rats reacted first, their bucket-sized mouths snapping at Lin Tianming's head.

Summoning the Qingfeng Sword, he swung it, sending a slash of sword energy at the rats. Several low-level rats were struck and thrown against the rock walls, howling in pain.

Lin Tianming gasped. Even a full-strength blow from his Qingfeng Sword only severely injured the low-level rats, highlighting their formidable defenses.

He continued to swing his sword, forcing the rats to dodge. Taking advantage of the moment, he rushed to the rock wall, swiftly collecting a mushroom with his sword and storing it in his bag.

The mid-level rats were enraged, spitting out jade stones from their bellies at a shocking speed. Any hit would be crippling.

Just as the stones were about to strike, Lin Tianming stored five mushrooms and abandoned the remaining two. He used a top-grade defensive talisman, forming a shield before him.

With a loud explosion, he used the blast's force to escape on his sword, faster than when he had arrived.

The Earth Spirit Rats pursued him briefly before retreating, staying within their territory.

Half an hour later, Lin Tianming landed atop a large pine tree. The explosion had left him in pain, but his injuries were not severe.

Thankfully, his decisive actions had prevented a direct confrontation. His Qingfeng Sword only managed to severely injure low-level rats, indicating that mid-level rats would have been formidable opponents.

He had used a valuable top-grade defensive talisman, but acquiring five century-old Earth Spirit Mushrooms was worth the risk.

Smiling, Lin Tianming carefully placed the mushrooms in special jade boxes to preserve their potency. Now, he only needed the Mystic Vine Flower to attempt refining the Marrow Cleansing Pill.

Storing the mushrooms, he sat atop the tree, meditating to restore his energy and prepare for the next phase of his journey.