Chapter 49: Critical Situation

Somewhere in Clear Waters Hills

The wind blew dry and thick, carrying a suffocating heat that seemed to drain all the moisture from the surrounding forest. The ground, which should have been soft and moist, was cracked, parched by an intense heat wave. The trees, although they were not on fire, had their leaves withered and blackened, as if they were being roasted alive.

In the center of this desolate scenario, Lin Xu remained standing, leaning on his heavy sword, which was stuck in the ground, was its only support.

'I don't have much more time!'

This thought echoed in his mind like a warning bell.

His skin was reddened, pulsing as if he was about to combust. The heat emanating from his body was not just intense, it was destructive. Every fiber of his being burned with searing pain—his blood felt like lava coursing through his veins, his bones burned like live coals, his organs felt like they were crumbling into charcoal.

And the worst part?

There was no one there to witness your torment.

The carcasses of some spiritual beasts lay around, their bodies cooked by the unbearable heat.

Lin Xu took a deep breath, but even this simple act was torture.

His lungs were burning inside. Each gulp of air made his throat feel like it was being torn apart by flaming blades.

'Is my destiny really to die here?'

'No.'

'I won't accept this.'

He couldn't die yet.

With a determined look, Lin Xu forced his trembling hand to reach for the storage ring. From there, he removed a small object — a bluish herb covered in a thin layer of ice.

Frost Grass.

The item's cold energy instantly froze the air around him, but before it could offer any real relief, the heat from his body dissipated his strength in seconds.

Without hesitation, he swallowed the herb.

The effect was immediate—a cold wave ran through his body, relieving the pain for an instant, only to be crushed by the flame roaring within him.

'Very weak.'

He gritted his teeth and pulled out more herbs from the storage ring.

Frost resources, water essences, condensed mist.

One by one, he quickly swallowed them all, feeling every bit of energy being devoured by his flaming body before it could truly help him.

When he finished, his temperature had dropped significantly. Still, it was far above normal.

If someone touched your skin right now, he would have a serious burn.

But for him, that was enough.

For the first time in hours, he was able to breathe without feeling like he would die in the next moment.

'Still, I'm at a dead end.'

He knew that.

The problem was insoluble — If he didn't suppress his inner flames, he would be consumed until there was nothing left.

But at the same time... If he continued to suppress it, his already weakened dantian would collapse.

It was a cruel paradox.

'If my dantian breaks, I die. If i stop suppressing it, i will die.'

A smile bitter crossed his lips.

Era rare see him smile like that.

Normally, his expression was serene, a gentle and calm face that hid his true nature. But now... there was no one to deceive.

He felt a new wave of pain course through his body as his energy suddenly dropped.

Your cultivation level has plummeted to the 7th level of Body Tempering.

The pain from internal combustion lessened slightly, but It was replaced by an even worse pain.

The pain of a dantian on the brink of destruction.

The situation couldn't be worse.

Still, this only strengthened the determination that was growing inside him.

"I will not give up."

His fingers tightened around the heavy sword.

He still had things to do.

Issues to be resolved.

People I couldn't disappoint.

And revenge...

He no could still die.

Not here.

Not like this.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Xu ignored the pain and straightened his posture.

Heat continued to exude from his body like a living furnace, but his gaze now carried a different glow.

His face was still covered in black mask, hiding their true expressions.

But behind it, he smiled.

A smile that didn't belong to someone who accepted his death.

It was the smile of someone who would fight to the end.

With one last glance at the barren environment around him, he turned on his heel and began to move.

He I could not waste more time.

He still needed to find more resources.

He still needed to survive.

And with that resolution, disappeared into the forest, leaving only the trail of heat behind.

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Elsewhere in the forest...

Tang Chun Xi stood up from the tree branch, his movements light and silent like a shadow. With an agile gesture, she kept the defensive formation disc in your storage ring.

Since his first night in the forest, she had developed a preference for elevated places where he could meditate and observe the vastness of the night sky. The presence of the moon and stars above her seemed to deepen her connection to her lunar energy, making her absorption more efficient.

She breathed deeply, feeling the subtle pulse of the forest around her.

'The training and treasure hunting have been extremely helpful. If I continue at this rate, in two more days I will be able to reach the fifth level of Body Tempering.'

It was considerable progress. His body was stronger, his Qi circulation more efficient and, above all, his lunar energy was denser and more stable than it had been nine days ago.

But that wasn't the only advance that left her satisfied.

'I'm one step closer to reaching the fourth level of Bone Strengthening…'

The memory of the battle against Red-Spotted Feline came to his mind. The pain of each impact. The tension of each dodge. The adrenaline of the life and death struggle.

She knew she only survived because she was prepared.

Therefore, she had sure that had made the right choice in focusing on treasure hunting and continuous strengthening.

Now, she was ready to complete an experiment she had been secretly conducting with her lunar energy.

With that thought, entered his storage ring.

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Inside the Storage Ring...

The internal space remained the same as always, with just a few significant changes.

First, there was the button which she won from the fight against the feline.

Second, there were some spiritual herbs that she collected and planted during these eight days.

Third, the Lower Qi Tree.

She was different from before.

Its branches, which previously seemed fragile and contained only three ripe fruits, now they were full of life.

New fruits had sprouted in large quantities, and those that already existed were about to mature.

Tang Chun Xi watched the tree with a satisfied look.

'So this is the result of injecting lunar energy and starwood aura into the tree for the past eight days…'

Progress was impressive.

The trunk seemed more robust. The leaves were more vibrant.

And, most surprising... the tree had grown by half a meter.

She approached, observing the green fruits that had recently sprouted.

'If it continues to grow at this speed, in two months they will be fully mature.'

The thought brought him satisfaction.

These fruits were extremely valuable.

They could restore large amounts of Qi and, more than that, They could be the difference between life and death in battle.

'These fruits are useful in any situation...'

She remembered the fight against the cultivators.

The moment when almost she died.

If there were more of these fruits available at that moment, Maybe things would have been less risky.

Tang Chun Xi sighed.

'Not that I had a choice... I used almost all the ones I had, so I had to ration the rest.'

For this reason, she had decided to store the new fruits for emergencies.

But now, finally, she had a new reservation.

She shook off her thoughts and turned her attention to the tree. With a careful touch, she placed his palm against the trunk and sent out the same amount of lunar energy and starwood aura that he had been applying for the past few days.

The response was immediate.

The tree vibrated slightly, absorbing the energy greedily.

Tang Chun Xi felt the change. Some of the energy was absorbed by the tree itself to strengthen itself, while most of it flowed directly into the fruits.

Those that were almost ripe glowed in a mix of sparkling green and silver, the bark little by little changing to a yellowish.

She watched silently until the glow dissipated.

Now, there were thirty more fully ripe fruits.

'Excellent.'

Without hesitation, he began to collect them, storing them carefully.

'Thirty fruits that restore large amounts of Qi… They will be extremely useful.'

But while he finished storing the fruits, another thought popped into his mind.

'This mix of energies really accelerates plant growth and also improves my recovery… But can lunar energy do more than that?'

She knew her energy healed her.

But... it could heal other people?

The idea made her frown.

Until now, she had only tested it on herself and the tree.

If you could apply this skill to others, his power would gain a new level of versatility.

Tang Chun Xi he felt a sudden enthusiasm.

There was a lot to be explored, a lot she still didn't know about his own potential.

But for now, she saved that hypothesis for later.

The priority was now different.

His eyes shone with determination.

She was ready for the next fight.

Sooner than expected, would be on the fifth level.