Chapter Sixteen: Second Layer of Innate Realm

After cleaning his body, Zhongshan also put his clothes into the hot spring for washing. After finishing, he noticed a conspicuous large stone by the hot spring, seemingly placed there for drying clothes.

The surface of the stone was slightly warm. Perhaps, even if the clothes weren't dried by hanging, they could be baked dry by the stone.

In the hot spring, Zhongshan felt the strong heat. Feeling the warmth permeating his body, Zhongshan had a sudden impulse to dive deeper. Would the bottom be even hotter?

With his innate talent, Zhongshan could already perform internal breathing, allowing him to hold his breath for a long time underwater. Furthermore, Zhongshan could even turtle-breathe, making diving incredibly easy for him.

Slowly swimming towards the center of the hot spring, Zhongshan quickly sank to the bottom. As he descended, he found the water temperature rising, with small bubbles bubbling up from below.

Continuing his descent, Zhongshan finally felt the temperature of boiling water—100 degrees Celsius. But Zhongshan was in the Innate Realm now, unafraid even in a great kiln. Why fear a little high temperature? Continuing his descent, the water temperature remained constant. However, gradually, Zhongshan felt something even hotter.

Fire elemental aura. When it touched his body, it felt like being engulfed in flames. Although it only occasionally appeared, Zhongshan was certain that there would be more of this fire elemental aura the deeper he went.

Because that trace of fire elemental aura made Zhongshan, who practiced the Great Yang Divine Technique, suddenly invigorated. Yes, it was this high temperature. It was even higher than in the kiln. Absorb it—only through absorption could he easily break through.

Descending further, when the fire elemental aura became dense enough to be sensed every breath, Zhongshan felt his pores boiling. Now, he was at the peak of the Innate First Realm. Another breath, just one more breath, and he could break through.

If only there was a quiet room here. It's impossible to cultivate well here.

Just as Zhongshan felt disappointed, suddenly, he saw a hole underwater. Through that hole, a faint red light was visible.

It was worth noting that as he descended deeper, the bottom became darker. This sudden red light quickly attracted Zhongshan.

Looking at the source of the red light, Zhongshan was surprised. Slowly approaching, he found that the hole could only accommodate one person.

Zhongshan slowly entered it. As he went deeper, the internal red light became brighter, and the fire elemental aura became denser. Zhongshan joyfully absorbed the fire elemental aura.

Zhongshan suppressed the excitement in his heart because he thought of a term—Paradise. Could this be a paradise?

After moving sideways for about an incense stick's worth of time, he finally passed through the passage. There, he saw a red light filling the place. It was another underwater passage. There was nothing below, including the previous hot spring. What about above?

Zhongshan quickly swam upwards and reached the surface after a while.

"Whoosh!"

Zhongshan's head emerged from the water.

Inside, everything was bathed in red light. Zhongshan saw what looked like a completely sealed mountain cave. There was only one entrance, the same one he came through. On the other side of the cave, there was a platform. Zhongshan quickly climbed up naked.

On the platform, Zhongshan looked towards the corner, the source of the red light.

A plant. A black root stem, two purple leaves, and at the top of the plant, a fist-sized red fruit.

The red fruit was the source of the red light, emitting a large amount of it. Moreover, around the red fruit, it seemed as if flames were burning. Zhongshan knew they weren't flames but rather spiritual energy, fire elemental spiritual energy. That's why the fire elemental aura here was so dense.

Swallow the fruit? Zhongshan dared not do it now. Take it out? Even more so. There was a large amount of fire elemental aura floating in the cave. His true qi was very scarce of this spiritual energy.

Cross-legged, Zhongshan quickly started cultivating the Great Yang Divine Technique. After an hour, Zhongshan found that the speed of cultivation inside was more than ten times faster than in the kiln. Feeling the benefits of this place, Zhongshan immediately decided to cultivate here from now on.

Looking at the flame fruit, Zhongshan quickly jumped into the water, dived, and soon emerged from the other end of the cave, returning to the previous hot spring passage.

Swimming to the hot spring exit, he took his clothes, Windchaser Boots, and broadsword, along with some dry rations, and dived again into the passage to the inner small paradise.

Zhongshan temporarily named this small paradise the "Flame Fruit Paradise." Finding a large stone, he blocked the entrance that connected to the hot spring. At least, he couldn't let the red light leak out anymore.

Then, he began to cultivate in seclusion inside. When hungry, he ate some dry rations. When thirsty, he drank some water.

The red light inside was mainly emitted by the fruit, and the fire elemental aura had no color. Zhongshan didn't expect the aura to condense enough to show color. Being able to cultivate here fulfilled all his requirements.

One month later.

"Ha!"

Zhongshan roared, punching out with both fists, emitting a strong fiery red qi.

Innate Second Realm.

Finally, after four months, he reached the Innate Second Realm.

Feeling the progress of his cultivation, Zhongshan's eyes showed intense satisfaction. Then, his eyes were filled with determination again. The Crown Prince of Heaven, hadn't he reached the Nascent Soul stage a long time ago? His eyes narrowed, reaffirming his determination.

Running out of food, he had to go back and replenish.

Carefully observing the flame fruit, Zhongshan leaped into the water. Emerging from the cave entrance, he found a large stone and sealed the entrance before floating to the surface of the hot spring lake.

After surfacing, he used his true qi to dry his clothes and, carrying his broadsword, he ran back to where he came from a month ago.

On the way, he encountered some demonic beasts. The powerful ones, Zhongshan didn't dare provoke, but he dealt with those of the same level as the mountain cat he encountered last time. This time, without using the Red Phoenix Scripture or the Heavenly Demon Tempering Technique, he still managed to defeat the mountain cat. Though covered in blood, he was noticeably more powerful than before.

Four months had passed. In the fourth month, Zhongshan reached the Innate Second Realm.

In the evening, carrying the mountain cat's corpse, he returned to his small courtyard.

In his small courtyard, Zhongshan also hung up a small plaque, "Listening to the Water Pavilion."

Putting down the mountain cat's corpse, he checked his vegetable garden and saw that the rice in the field was ripe, and the vegetables were ready.

It took him a day to harvest all the vegetables and rice, cook some food, and then continue cultivating.

Five days later, after planting new vegetables in the garden and new crops in the field