Chapter 011: Blood Refining Fifth Heaven

"This... how is this possible?" Yang Tian's pupils suddenly contracted, his mouth hanging wide open as he stared incredulously at the space before him.

Compared to its original space, the space within the Ancestral Dragon Ring had expanded by several zhang, and the soil on the ground was identical to before, as if it had always been there.

Having suffered a great calamity since childhood, Yang Tian always maintained a vigilant mind. Clearly, this change in the Ancestral Dragon Ring had not escaped his notice.

"Could it be due to the growth from cultivation?" Yang Tian rubbed his forehead, muttering in disbelief. He had never heard of a spatial treasure that could grow, and the functions of the Ancestral Dragon Ring were exceptionally strange. If the continent's experts learned of it, it would surely trigger a bloody storm.

"Alas, what kind of past does the family have?"

The giant, the War Heaven Art, the Ancestral Dragon Ring, and the upheaval from yesterday—a fog shrouded the path ahead, obscuring where it led. He could vaguely sense that the force capable of bringing down the Yang family, once renowned in the Eastern Continent, must be immensely powerful.

"No matter what lies ahead, I, Yang Tian, will surely slay my enemies. Even if you are the supreme ruler of this continent, I will cut you down!" A fierce glint flashed in his eyes as he suddenly let out a deep shout.

After a few moments of silence, Yang Tian dug up the soil and planted the red fruit tree inside. Just as he was about to leave, his body stiffened abruptly. He stared incredulously as the red fruit tree slowly absorbed the surrounding essence of heaven and earth at a rate several times faster than outside! He could clearly sense the tree's vitality increasing.

"This is heaven-defying..." Sitting dazedly on the ground, Yang Tian stared at the red fruit tree with a nearly vacant gaze, muttering under his breath. Being able to accelerate the cultivation of spiritual herbs would make him one of the wealthiest figures on the continent, and he might even become a high-rank alchemist.

Upon breaking through to the martial artist realm, those with a fire-attributed physique would generate a spark of true fire within their bodies. Once this spark matured, it would grant the ability to refine pills. Yang Tian possessed a fire-attributed physique.

Alchemy was the most costly profession on the continent; the daily consumption of spiritual herbs alone was beyond ordinary people's means. If he could become a high-rank alchemist, Yang Tian dared not imagine the possibilities.

A vast influence would attract a large number of strong individuals to serve as enforcers. Alchemists were also one of the most fearsome groups on the continent. Countless forces treated them as honored guests, and Yang Tian's recent progress demonstrated the prestige of alchemists.

"Better wait until I break through to martial artist before thinking about that." Suppressing his thoughts, Yang Tian dashed out of the cave.

Time flew by.

A month passed. During this time, the treasure-hunting craze in the Beast Mountain Range had faded considerably, but some persistent individuals still roamed the mountains. Compared to before, the number of people in the entire range had more than doubled.

After a month of life-and-death battles, Yang Tian's temperament had undergone a dramatic change. Standing behind a large tree, his aura was completely concealed, his blood and qi as still as stagnant water, as if he had entered a state of hibernation.

Through a month of training, Yang Tian's cultivation had reached the peak of Blood Refining Fifth Heaven, and his combat skills had advanced rapidly, with his battle awareness several times sharper than before.

At this moment, his eagle-like gaze was fixed on prey in the distance. His expression was cold and stern, devoid of any other emotion. It was certain that once he moved, he would unleash an overwhelming momentum!

At that moment, Yang Tian's half-closed eyelids snapped open. As his eyes opened and closed, a piercing sharp light shot forth. At the same time, a trace of killing intent seeped out.

The beast foraging ahead suddenly stiffened, its fur standing on end as if struck by lightning. Terror filled its eyes as it felt like it was being watched by a peerless ferocious beast. Without a moment's hesitation, it turned and bolted forward.

In that instant, Yang Tian's body moved. His restrained aura burst forth, his blood and qi blazing like a furnace, with crimson light shooting into the sky. His feet stamped the ground three times in succession, his form as fast as lightning. In a single breath, he covered a distance of over ten zhang, and at the same time, his entire fist radiated a piercing crimson light, nearly materializing.

"Die!" he muttered under his breath. A fist imprint shot out from his fist, accompanied by a tearing sonic boom. The crimson fist imprint hurtled straight toward the beast's abdomen. With a loud "bang," the sound of breaking bones mixed in.

Yang Tian's fist momentum was too fast; it directly pierced through the beast's abdomen, and his abundant blood and qi continuously surged into its body. The beast fell to the ground, convulsing violently a few times, its eyes still filled with terror. Its body was drenched in blood, clearly its internal organs had been shattered by the fierce fist force. Soon, it stopped breathing—a one-hit kill against a first-rank sixth-heaven beast!

"Father once said that only by tempering an indomitable will can one make rapid progress in martial arts. I have been walking on the edge of life and death all this time, fighting all the way, but why is my will improving so slowly?"

Yang Tian raised his head and gazed at the Beast Mountain Range. The lush green mountains were perpetually tinged with the scent of blood, but this grim aura could not shake Yang Tian's steel-like heart in the slightest.

After a moment of silence, Yang Tian took a deep breath and suddenly threw a punch. His fist glowed with a crystalline crimson, and the air let out a mournful howl as it shot like thunder toward a large boulder ahead.

Boom! Boom! The ground shook. Yang Tian threw punch after punch, his feet shifting and changing in a cross pattern. As his muscles contracted and relaxed, they emitted faint sonic booms.

The boulder ahead, weighing at least five thousand jin, was shaken by him, with stone chips flying everywhere. He had only cultivated the War Heaven Art to the fifth heaven, yet he could already shake a five-thousand-jin boulder—this fully demonstrated the power of the War Heaven Art.

Yang Tian also vaguely sensed that his physical strength was increasing terrifyingly. He believed that as his cultivation deepened, his physique would far surpass that of his peers. Ordinary techniques could never achieve this.

The human body is naturally weak. Although techniques can enhance physical strength, the effect is extremely slow. But the War Heaven Art overturned Yang Tian's common sense; with his physical body alone, he could shake a thousand-jin boulder, a force comparable to that of an ordinary fourth-heaven cultivator.

"Although this fist technique is extremely fierce, it is too profound. I still cannot comprehend the second form." Yang Tian withdrew his fist and stood with his hands behind his back. He trained in the fist technique daily, and while the first form had advanced rapidly, he had yet to even touch the threshold of the second form.

Just as Yang Tian was deep in thought, a mocking voice suddenly rang out.

"Oh, isn't this Yang Tian? The formerly sickly young master of the gym now has quite the nerve, daring to come to the Beast Mountain Range."

Yang Tian looked up. When he saw a young man in blue, a cold glint flashed in his eyes. Yang Tian remained silent.

"Tap... tap..."

The footsteps were not loud, but an invisible pressure spread continuously, most of the fierce blood and qi bearing down on Yang Tian.

"Blood Refining Eighth Heaven!" Yang Tian's heart tightened as he silently exclaimed. At the same time, he became alert. The young man in blue was called Wang Xing, the young master of the Star Martial Arts Hall.

In the past, the Star Martial Arts Hall was the top martial arts hall in Qingshi Town. In the last martial arts hall competition, it took first place, earning the appreciation of the city lord of Kuangyun City, who bestowed upon it a martial arts hall. The Star Martial Arts Hall and the Dragon Star Martial Arts Hall had always been at odds. The rapid decline of the Dragon Star Martial Arts Hall owed much to the Star Martial Arts Hall's "efforts."

Therefore, when Yang Tian was bedridden, Wang Xing had often mocked him. Earlier, when Fatty Chen had set his sights on the Dragon Star Martial Arts Hall, Yang Tian's first suspicion had fallen on him.

"What a strange brat. In less than a year, his cultivation has grown so fast." Wang Xing stepped forward. He was a few years older than Yang Tian, and his handsome face now looked somewhat grim. He said harshly, "What? After a few years, you don't remember me?"

"Forget?" Yang Tian cast a cold gaze at Wang Xing, curling his lips. His eyes shifted to the five guards, and he suddenly sneered, "How could I forget you? You're still the same as before, always bringing a bunch of guards whenever you go out."

"You..." Seeing Yang Tian's mocking expression, a shadow of gloom passed over Wang Xing's eyes. He clenched his fist and said with a sinister smile, "Eight years ago, Lin Yuan's cultivation was at Blood Refining Seventh Heaven. I went to Qingshi Town yesterday and found that his cultivation hasn't changed at all. On top of that, he's suffered a minor injury. Yang Tian, if I were you, I would have already banged my head against a wall and died."

"Father is injured." Yang Tian's mind felt as if struck by a heavy hammer. Over eight years, Lin Yuan had exhausted countless resources, yet his cultivation had not improved much and even showed signs of regression.

"Was it you?" Forcing down the rage that threatened to consume his mind, Yang Tian clenched his fist until it crackled. An icy killing intent burst from his body. His cold gaze fell on Wang Xing as he let out a deep shout.

The chilling killing intent made the surrounding guards' expressions change slightly. Gazing at the faint ferocity revealed on Yang Tian's young face, they couldn't help but feel a chill in their hearts.