Chapter 101: Breakthrough

Yan Hanlu was tied by Lao Bai using an extremely special method, bound like a ball, and curled up miserably under the small tree.

Wu Tie stood beside the small tree, raised his head and looked at the three fireworks-entwined fruits on the tree.

"Poison?" Wu Tie looked at Yan Hanlu, hehe.

"Poison." Yan Hanlu looked at Wu Tie very seriously, her gaze firm and resolute, as if she wanted to tell Wu Tie with her eyes that everything she said was true, without a single false word.

"This is, Blazing Triple Tribulation Fruit." Wu Tie smirked and looked toward Yan Hanlu.

Yan Hanlu's expression didn't change in the slightest, her gaze didn't waver at all, she looked at Wu Tie and said calmly: "Blazing Triple Tribulation Fruit? I've never heard of it; this is Heart-Burning Fruit, the main ingredient of our Yan Clan's secret poison Heart-Burning Powder."

In the midst of speaking, Yan Hanlu wove a story seamlessly: "Heart-Burning Powder is our Yan Clan's secret ultimate poison, specially used to deal with some irresistible strong enemies; over the years, we have used Heart-Burning Powder to resolve many strong foes……"

Taking a deep breath, Yan Hanlu looked at Wu Tie with a hint of worry: "Just, over these years of consumption, Heart-Burning Powder has almost run out; these three Heart-Burning Fruits, once they mature, I will bring them back, in order to……"

Wu Tie tilted his head looking at Yan Hanlu; if it weren't for the knowledge he inherited from Lao Tie, and if Blazing Triple Tribulation Fruit weren't considered something too high-level or too special, then it would have been easily found in his superficial knowledge, and he actually believed Yan Hanlu's words.

What Heart-Burning Fruit? What Heart-Burning Powder?

This girl who looks pure and clean is surprisingly clever and mischievous.

"Blazing Triple Tribulation Fruit, a fire-attribute miraculous fruit, has a special effect on Chonglou Realm cultivators…… Once taken, if one can endure the threefold pain of blazing fire burning the body, refining marrow, and tempering the soul, they will surely awaken a fire-attribute innate divine ability."

Wu Tie looked at Yan Hanlu and softly spoke the characteristics of the Blazing Triple Tribulation Fruit.

"You can transform into wind and fire; this is merely the most ordinary divine ability…… If you consume three Blazing Triple Tribulation Fruits, you can obtain three sufficiently powerful divine abilities, your strength will surely skyrocket. Moreover, each Blazing Triple Tribulation Fruit can bring you a mana increase."

"Blazing Triple Tribulation Fruit must absorb earth fire essence for three hundred years to fully mature. And the mana cultivation a single Blazing Triple Tribulation Fruit can give you far exceeds the total mana cultivation a Chonglou Realm cultivator would gain from three hundred years of arduous training."

Yan Hanlu curled up on the ground, staring wide-eyed with her clear, pure eyes, dumbly looking at Wu Tie.

After a long time, her clear eyes gradually dimmed, and a bleak, cold aura slowly spread from within her body.

She lowered her head and murmured to herself: "As it turns out, someone still knows what the Blazing Triple Tribulation Fruit is…… but I didn't deceive you either; earlier, our Yan Clan's ancestors indeed used it as the main ingredient of Heart-Burning Powder."

With a bitter laugh, Yan Hanlu's face grew darker: "This tree has been growing in this primordial aperture for who knows how many years; it matures once every three hundred years; earlier, some seniors of the Yan Clan tried consuming it, and the results were all death by blazing fire burning the heart."

Wu Tie looked at Yan Hanlu, who seemed to have instantly lost her vigor, and curiously asked her: "So, your Yan Clan people just treat it as a terrifying poison fruit? And where did you learn its true name?"

Yan Hanlu fell silent for a moment, she raised her head and looked at Wu Tie calmly: "I was close friends with a female disciple of the Changsheng Sect…… I set a trap, killed her in the wilderness, and from her belongings I obtained a Marvelous Fruits Catalog compiled by the Changsheng Sect……"

She sighed and said in a low voice: "Only now did I learn that the so-called Heart-Burning Fruit of the Yan Clan is actually the Blazing Triple Tribulation Fruit treasured by the Changsheng Sect…… and I also learned how to safely consume the Blazing Triple Tribulation Fruit."

"Close friend? You killed her?"

Wu Tie stared at Yan Hanlu in shock; after a while, he finally spoke up to question Yan Hanlu.

Wu Tie wasn't too concerned about how she learned the true efficacy of the Blazing Triple Tribulation Fruit, but the means by which Yan Hanlu obtained this knowledge made him feel chilled.

He could not imagine how someone with such a pure, clear temperament, giving off a feeling of clean elegance like Yan Hanlu, could set a trap to kill her own 'friend'.

"If your friends all end up like that, it's truly pitiful." Wu Tie shook his head, and the slight fondness he felt for Yan Hanlu instantly vanished.

"But they are enemies…… the Changsheng Sect is the enemy of all clans in the Cangyan Realm." Yan Hanlu said calmly: "Our Yan Clan has an elder who defected to them; they act high and mighty within our Yan Clan, even……"

Yan Hanlu self-mockingly laughed: "Those sisters of mine with outstanding looks were all made into playthings by them…… Among the sisters, my appearance is considered inferior; even so, people still had designs on me…… Several times, my tea was mixed with all sorts of messy potions……"

Yan Hanlu looked at Wu Tie and said indifferently: "They are enemies, and moreover the most shameless kind of enemy…… they have already driven me to desperation; such a 'friend' I plotted to kill—am I wrong?"

She snorted coldly, Yan Hanlu said coldly: "Fortunately my father is the clan head, fortunately I still have a few elders who care for me, so I came to this primordial aperture to wait for the Blazing Triple Tribulation Fruit to mature…… but I never expected you guys to show up……"

Lowering her head, Yan Hanlu said in a desolate tone: "If this is fate, I accept it."

Wu Tie lowered his head to look at Yan Hanlu, furrowed his brows and thought seriously.

He was desperately searching through the knowledge left behind by Lao Tie, the most superficial part that his current mental strength could access.

After a long, long while, Wu Tie finally nodded and gave Yan Hanlu a thumbs-up: "I have to say, you're very smart, very eloquent; I was almost persuaded by your words…… I couldn't help but want to return these three Blazing Triple Tribulation Fruits to you."

After seriously sizing up Yan Hanlu for a moment, Wu Tie nodded: "So, the more like this, the less likely I am to return these three Blazing Triple Tribulation Fruits to you. This fruit is mine; I want it."

After pondering for a while, Wu Tie smiled at Yan Hanlu: "If you think returning to the Yan Clan is dangerous, you can stay in Stone City…… Shi Meng has clearly taken a stand against the Changsheng Sect, and in Stone City you would be safe."

Wu Tie laughed brightly, he slightly revealed eight pure white teeth; under the red light emitted by the Blazing Triple Tribulation Fruit, his teeth were very dazzling.

Yan Hanlu stared blankly, she finally understood the meaning behind Wu Tie's words, she suddenly widened her eyes and began to shout angrily at Wu Tie.

But it's obvious that Yan Hanlu, just like her outward demeanor, is clean and pure, very clear and clean; she hardly ever utters insults, just repeatedly saying things like 'shameless', 'base', and so on……

Having been influenced by Lao Tie for a long time and hearing all sorts of vulgar language, would Wu Tie care about Yan Hanlu's slight breeze-like scolding?

Hehe-ing a few times, Wu Tie tore a strip of cloth from Yan Hanlu's clothing and forcefully stuffed it into her mouth.

Yan Hanlu struggled angrily.

But Lao Bai's skill at binding people is excellent; no matter how she struggled, the rope didn't loosen at all, instead slowly tightening bit by bit, squeezing her until she was rounder than a ball.

In the end, Yan Hanlu could no longer move at all; she could only keep making 'mmm' sounds, glaring angrily at Wu Tie.

Wu Tie called out, and Lao Bai and a few others rushed over, lifting Yan Hanlu far away.

Wu Tie looked at the three Blazing Triple Tribulation Fruits, carefully examined the three golden lines on the fruit skins; the three Blazing Triple Tribulation Fruits could mature at any moment; this is a miraculous fruit whereby a Chonglou Realm expert, after consuming it and enduring the three tribulations, can comprehend a divine ability out of thin air.

Especially since it can increase mana cultivation out of thin air, it is truly a priceless treasure for low-level Chonglou Realm cultivators.

According to Wu Tie's judgment, the maturation of these three fruits is imminent; it could happen any moment, or perhaps in two or three days. But no matter what, these three Blazing Triple Tribulation Fruits will soon mature.

After circling the small tree twice, Wu Tie furrowed his brows and thought seriously for a while, then he clapped his hands loudly, summoning the five Stone Giants, Lao Bai, Hei Pi, and their group over; the party gathered together and seriously discussed for a moment.

Proposed by Wu Tie, the group unanimously agreed, and soon everyone made a decision.

All the warriors of this expedition could each receive varying amounts of Lava Grass as spoils.

After all, such a long-distance raid is very dangerous; participants should receive some benefit.

To prevent returning to Stone City and causing the warriors there to become jealous and start disputes, Wu Tie proposed that everyone stay in the primordial aperture for a few days, converting the allocated Lava Grass into personal strength before leaving the primordial aperture.

Wu Tie also had sufficient reason to do so.

Having slain Jia Zhengfeng outside, the people of Warblade City are surely madly searching everywhere for whoever killed Jia Zhengfeng.

Such a large force rashly leaving the primordial aperture would find it hard to avoid Warblade City's eyes and ears; it would be better to train here for a while, wait until everyone's strength has increased, then wait for Warblade City's vigilance to relax before acting fiercely.

Thus, everyone would be much safer.

Of course, Wu Tie is not a unilateral decision-maker; he also offered alternatives—if anyone objects, feeling that staying in the primordial aperture to train is unsafe, they are free to leave on their own.

However, after all, wealth moves hearts, or there may be other factors as well.

Not to mention Lao Bai, Hei Pi and those people, even the five stone giants, and the warriors directly under Shi Hu of the Great Stone City, everyone unanimously agreed to stay in the Yuan Cave to train for a few days.

During these days, Lao Bai continuously sent out his clansmen to scout the movements inside and outside Zhandao City, while also providing early warnings for Wu Tie and others in the Yuan Cave.

Furthermore, they made thorough preparations in the complex tunnels and caves outside the Yuan Cave, leaving themselves ample and safe retreat routes.

After everything was ready, Wu Tie came to the base of the small tree that emitted tremendous heat.

He assumed the posture of the Foundation Establishment form and swallowed a stalk of Firecloud Grass.

The scorching medicinal power surged within his body, and Wu Tie slowly began to perform the movements after the 1,180th form of the Foundation Establishment style, one move and one form at a time.

Everything proceeded naturally, and it happened as a matter of course.

Having sufficient energy supply, moreover he prematurely activated his innate divine ability, gaining powerful mental strength; especially he comprehended the Divine Ability of Righteous Vitality, and also from the Formless Relic he obtained some insights and experiences left by that great expert……

Wu Tie's subsequent cultivation became extremely smooth.

Breakthrough at the 1,181st form…… breakthrough at the 1,182nd form……

With each additional form breakthrough, Wu Tie's physical strength increased by one point, his primordial gang became more refined by one point, and the Righteous Vitality repeatedly scoured his interior like a forging hammer, striking everything inside his body.

Every cell, every capillary, every finest nerve and meridian, every muscle fiber, every muscle, every tendon and bone…… the Righteous Vitality hammered everything bit by bit.

The primordial gang inside his body constantly contracted and expanded.

When expanded to the extreme, Wu Tie's body expanded into a sphere along with it.

When contracted to the extreme, Wu Tie's muscles all withered, almost turning into a mere skeleton wrapped in skin.

With each contraction and expansion, the golden light cluster at his brow would have large showers of light swirling down, like flowers falling from heaven, constantly merging with the primordial gang and his flesh.

He consumed stalk after stalk of lava grass, firecloud grass, and blazing flowers.

Wu Tie's body, primordial gang, and soul had been tempered to the current extreme state; he felt that he could perfectly and absolutely control every minutest part of his body, freely control every minutest portion, and completely master his own body.

And the primordial gang had already reached the point of fullness, unable to increase any further.

The golden mental power further wrapped around his entire body, filling every cell and perfectly merging with every wisp of the primordial gang.

In the next instant, Wu Tie's entire body suddenly contracted.

On his crown of the head, a vortex seemed to appear, strand after strand of bright, crystalline primordial energy turning into visible vortices that continually swarmed into his 'open' crown.

With a crack—, the Righteous Vitality struck fiercely, and Wu Tie's primordial gang, filled to the extreme, instantly collapsed.

Like a black hole collapsing, Wu Tie's essence, energy, and spirit instantly compressed inward, with streams of primordial energy continually pouring in, continually injected into the black hole formed inside his body by the collapse.

This black hole moved straight upward from his lower abdomen, almost like teleportation, merging into Wu Tie's brow and swallowing his golden light cluster there in one gulp.

In the next instant, a strand of power arose that was a hundred times purer, a hundred times stronger, a hundred times more flexible, and a hundred times more lively than the primordial gang previously condensed from his blood and vital energy.

Wu Tie cultivated the first thread of magical power……

The black hole in his brow frenziedly contracted, and as primordial energy from outside continually poured in, increasingly more pale-gold magical power kept gushing out from within the black hole, gradually turning into a hazy golden ocean that spread throughout his body.

Having completely broken through the Foundation Establishment realm, Wu Tie smoothly broke through into the Sensation Profound realm.

In the Sensation Profound realm, one perceives the mysteries of heaven and earth; moreover, with the aid of the power of heaven and earth, one perceives the mysteries within oneself.

Strands of golden magical power surged toward Wu Tie's entire body, gradually merging into every corner of his flesh and gradually permeating into ever more microscopic levels.

Previously, Wu Tie could only control the cellular level; after his primordial gang transformed into magical power, he gradually permeated into layers that were hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of times smaller than a cell.