Chapter 29: Refining the Essence Blood
"I didn't expect there to be a cave mansion inside this cave! Could someone be cultivating inside?" Xiao Chen looked at the four large characters "Xian Yuan Cave Mansion," his face full of surprise, and he did not dare to rush in.
"Xiao Chen, there's no one inside the cave mansion; I can't sense any life aura," the Ancient White Tiger transmitted telepathically, then came out of the storage ring.
"Little White Tiger, are you sure there's no one inside?" Xiao Chen asked as he looked at the small white tiger.
The small white tiger nodded and said, "I'm sure there's no one inside!"
"Let's go in and take a look. Anyway, if I go out now, that white monkey will surely keep chasing me. It's better to cultivate here for a while," Xiao Chen said, slowly walking to the stone door of the cave mansion.
Xiao Chen saw a rotating mechanism on the right side of the stone door. He tiptoed and reached out to twist the mechanism, and the stone door began to retract upward.
Standing in front of the stone door, Xiao Chen glanced into the cave mansion and said, "There's really no one here. Little White Tiger, do you think there might be any traps?"
"I don't know about that, but I can confirm there are no formations or barriers because I can't sense any fluctuations," the small white tiger said. It could confirm the absence of formations or barriers but wasn't sure about traps.
Cautiously, Xiao Chen picked up a few stones at the entrance and threw them around the cave mansion, finding no response. Only then did he say, "No reaction at all. It seems there are no traps. Let's go in and take a look."
The cave mansion was not large, only about half the size of a basketball court. The interior was simple, with a stone table, stone stools, a wooden plank bed, and a mat on the bed, likely for cultivation. There were also some ordinary tea sets on the stone table, and nothing else.
Looking at the simple cave mansion, Xiao Chen said, "So much dust. It seems no one has lived here for a long time. Where did the owner of this cave mansion go?"
"The owner of this cave mansion might be dead or has left," the Ancient White Tiger said.
"Never mind. Since no one lives here, I'll cultivate here!" Xiao Chen smiled, then came to the stone table, glanced briefly, and continued to smile, "It seems the owner of this cave mansion liked to drink tea."
"Xiao Chen, if they liked tea, why is there no teapot? Why is there only a teacup?" The Ancient White Tiger asked in confusion, not seeing a teapot, only a dark gray teacup.
"I don't know either. I rarely drink tea. Usually, my father and the elders drink it," Xiao Chen shrugged with a smile, then curiously reached out to take the teacup.
"Eh? Why can't I lift this teacup?" Just as he tried to lift it, Xiao Chen found the teacup immovable, which surprised him.
"Can't lift it? What's going on?" The Ancient White Tiger also came over, puzzled at the teacup.
"I don't know. How strange!" Xiao Chen said, trying harder but still unable to lift it. Then, unintentionally twisting it, the teacup moved.
"Oh no, it's a trap!" Xiao Chen's expression changed abruptly as a large hole suddenly appeared beneath his feet, and both he and the small white tiger fell into the large hole below.
"Bang! Bang!"
After a while, Xiao Chen and the Ancient White Tiger heavily fell to the bottom of the large hole, both crying out in pain.
"It hurts so much. I didn't expect the teacup to be a trap! Where is this place?" Xiao Chen painfully got up and scanned around.
He found it to be a man-made cave with the exit above, dimly lit but still visible.
"Xiao Chen, are you okay?" The Ancient White Tiger asked, unable to react in time earlier. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been hurt with its wings.
Xiao Chen shook his head and said, "I'm fine."
"Xiao Chen, look, there's a skeleton over there," the Ancient White Tiger hurriedly pointed out behind Xiao Chen.
"A skeleton?" Xiao Chen quickly turned to see a skeleton. As he walked over, he wondered, "Could this be the skeleton of the cave mansion's owner?"
"Could I have been right?" the Ancient White Tiger said. It had just casually mentioned it, not expecting to see a skeleton now, not knowing if it belonged to the cave mansion's owner.
"Most likely. No one has been here for a long time. It could indeed be the cave mansion's owner. Regardless, let's bury it first," Xiao Chen said. This was a beast mountain range, and the cave mansion was in the middle of a cliff, making it hard to find. Hence, Xiao Chen was sure the skeleton was the cave mansion's owner.
When Xiao Chen touched the skeleton, it suddenly turned to powder for some unknown reason, leaving Xiao Chen shocked, "What... what's going on?"
"It should have been dead for a long time, and the skeleton has weathered. So it turned to powder when you touched it," the Ancient White Tiger said.
"Whoosh!"
At this moment, a sizzling sound echoed in the cave, and a dazzling green light appeared. Following that, a phantom of an old man appeared in the cave.
"I am Yuxuzi, nearing my end. I leave behind a drop of true essence. I hope you can use my essence blood wisely and refrain from killing the innocent."
After speaking, the phantom vanished. Xiao Chen was startled and hurriedly called, "Senior! Senior!"
"Xiao Chen, stop calling. That true essence was left a long time ago. The senior can't hear you, nor does he know who will obtain the essence blood," the Ancient White Tiger said, its voice tinged with sadness.
Seeing Yuxuzi disappear reminded Xiao Chen of Bahun, who had also vanished in a similar manner. However, Bahun could see and hear Xiao Chen.
Soon, a faint red light began to emanate in the cave, growing increasingly dazzling until it formed a drop of essence blood that floated in front of Xiao Chen.
"Xiao Chen, this is the senior's essence blood, containing his power. Quickly absorb it. You might be able to break through to the Golden Core stage directly!" Seeing the essence blood, the Ancient White Tiger couldn't help but smile excitedly.
Looking at the essence blood exuding a powerful aura, Xiao Chen exclaimed, "Is this essence blood? What a strong aura!"
"Xiao Chen, quickly refine the essence blood. I'll guard you! Haven't you always wanted to break through to the Golden Core stage? Now's your chance. Once you break through, you can return to the Xiao family!" the Ancient White Tiger said excitedly.
"Alright!" Xiao Chen also got excited and immediately sat cross-legged, running the Destruction Sacred Art, beginning to absorb the power of the essence blood floating in mid-air.
Strands of blood energy started to enter Xiao Chen's body. He ran the Destruction Sacred Art to refine the blood energy and absorb the true essence extracted from it.
"So fast! I didn't expect my cultivation to improve so quickly by refining the essence blood's power!" Xiao Chen suddenly opened his eyes and exclaimed in excitement, feeling his cultivation improve at a terrifying speed.
"Essence blood contains the senior Yuxuzi's power. Refining it will naturally be fast! Don't waste time. Quickly cultivate. Refining the essence blood will take a lot of time," the Ancient White Tiger said with a smile.
"At this speed, I'll soon break through to the late-stage of the Foundation Establishment and then hit the Golden Core stage!" Xiao Chen said excitedly, his enthusiasm for cultivation surging, full of fighting spirit.
Xiao Chen then entered a state of intense cultivation, continuously refining the essence blood's power. His cultivation level increased rapidly, and his aura grew stronger.
As Xiao Chen continued to cultivate, a faint white light began to appear on his body, with a strong aura permeating the cave.
"Xiao Chen's cultivation speed is astonishing! In a few months, he should break through to the mid-stage of the Foundation Establishment!" the Ancient White Tiger thought, feeling happy for Xiao Chen.
Time passed slowly. One month, two months, three months, Xiao Chen's aura became increasingly powerful, and the white light he emitted became more dazzling. In three months, Xiao Chen had advanced to the peak of the mid-stage Foundation Establishment.
However, the quiet cave suddenly exploded with a "boom," breaking the silence. A brilliant white light burst from Xiao Chen's body, and a surge of powerful energy erupted.
At this moment, Xiao Chen's cultivation instantly broke through the mid-stage Foundation Establishment limit, reaching the late-stage Foundation Establishment. A continuous surge of powerful energy burst forth.
"I broke through! Such powerful energy! This is the late-stage Foundation Establishment! Great! I broke through!" Feeling the aura emanating from Xiao Chen, the Ancient White Tiger cheered excitedly, its white tail wagging continuously.
Xiao Chen slowly opened his eyes, two beams of light shooting out. He smiled excitedly, "Finally broke through! I didn't expect to break through in just three months. The essence blood of senior Yuxuzi is indeed a treasure. Is this the power of the late-stage Foundation Establishment? It's really powerful! Now my true essence power is dozens of times stronger than before the breakthrough! Great, only one step away from the Golden Core stage!"
"Hehe, Xiao Chen, congratulations on breaking through again!" The Ancient White Tiger joyfully said, rubbing its big head against Xiao Chen.
"Hehe, I have to thank that white monkey this time. If it hadn't chased us, we wouldn't have found the Xian Yuan Cave Mansion and wouldn't have obtained senior Yuxuzi's essence blood! Is this considered a lucky encounter?" Xiao Chen laughed happily, his slightly tanned face full of a satisfied smile because this power was gained through his own efforts.
"Xiao Chen, continue to cultivate. The power of senior Yuxuzi's essence blood is still abundant. It's enough for you to break through to the Golden Core stage. After breaking through, we'll go back and settle accounts with that white monkey!" The Ancient White Tiger said with confidence in Xiao Chen.
"Of course. I said I wouldn't leave the Beast Mountain Range without breaking through to the Golden Core stage. Now, with such a good opportunity, I won't miss it!" Xiao Chen said with firm determination, his heart filled with joy.
Then, Xiao Chen entered the cultivation state again, full of anticipation for breaking through to the Golden Core stage. When he woke up from cultivation next time, he might have already condensed his Golden Core!