Long Huang once saw a drawing of the Nine Element Spirit Deer in his history of the Eastern Sun Continent records during his classes at the sect. The Nine Element Spirit Deer is a rare spirit beast.
As Long Huang gazed at the deer, it moved its head, gesturing toward him. Then, it turned and dashed deeper into the mountains. Long Huang hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided to follow the little violet deer into the heart of the mountains.
What surprised him was the deer's speed as it wove effortlessly through the thick foliage. If it weren't for Long Huang's training in the Chaos Battle Dragon breathing technique and his use of the Wind Deer Step, it would have been challenging to keep pace with the deer.
After half an hour of crossing small streams and navigating through forest areas, Long Huang finally arrived at an unusual valley while following the Nine Element Spirit Deer. The valley was quiet, with heavy yin qi permeating the area, causing Long Huang to furrow his brows in concern.
As he contemplated whether to enter the valley, the Nine Element Spirit Deer returned from within, snorting at Long Huang and seemingly urging him to follow.
After a brief moment of thought, Long Huang stepped into the valley, following the creature. Upon entering, a wave of thick yin qi hit him in the face, accompanied by an unpleasant odor. Not far inside the valley, he discovered large piles and even mountains of dead bones scattered everywhere, remnants of an era long past.
As he moved deeper into the valley, the mountains of bones grew more numerous. Despite Long Huang's experience from two lifetimes, which had strengthened his mind and will beyond that of most children his age, he felt overwhelmed by the sight before him.
Just when he decided to turn back, he stumbled upon a vast plain covered in lush green grass, filled with the scents of exotic flowers. It was as if a painted vision of paradise had come to life. In the center of the plain was a turquoise lake. Long Huang stood there, dumbfounded, gazing at the valley, unable to believe that one side was a nightmarish scene filled with bones, while the other side was a beautiful paradise.
At that moment, the Nine Element Spirit Deer scampered up a mountain cliff, squeaking and gesturing toward Long Huang, indicating he should follow. Approaching the spot, Long Huang looked up and saw several bright golden fruits hanging from a thick green vine at the cliff's top.
These red fruits seemed enchanting; just looking at them made one feel dizzy with desire. The fragrance wafting from the fruits was intoxicating.
"This... could this truly be Yang fruit?" Long Huang wondered, his eyes widening in astonishment as he leaned closer to the vibrant, golden fruit glowing softly in the sunlight. The delicate aroma wafting from it was reminiscent of sweet honey and ripe citrus, igniting a sense of curiosity and excitement within him.
He had heard tales of the legendary Yang fruit, the Yang fruit is said to grow in areas of extreme yin, absorbing nine types of yang qi from the heavens and earth. It possesses miraculous properties for those cultivating qi; consuming this fruit can significantly enhance their cultivation. It also purifies the marrow and offers unparalleled benefits for future cultivation, and also invigorates the spirit and restores vitality. As he held the fruit in his hands, a mixture of hope and disbelief surged through him, filling his heart with anticipation for the wonders it might bring.
Long Huang stared at the Yang fruits, his eyes filled with longing. His throat constricted nervously as he turned to the Nine Element Spirit Deer, finally understanding why the little deer had brought him here. The Yang fruits were about twenty to thirty meters high on the cliff, and the little creature could only watch but could not reach them, thus leading Long Huang to help pick them.
"Little guy, you brought me here to help you pick these Yang fruits?" Long Huang asked. Delight shone in the Nine Element Spirit Deer's eyes as it nodded enthusiastically.
Long Huang smiled, finding the little creature quite cute. He turned back toward the Yang fruits perched high on the cliff and assessed the surrounding area. The cliff wall was smooth all the way to the peak, with few places to get a firm grip. Picking the fruits at such a height would not be easy, especially for Long Huang in his current state.
Moments later, he sprang into action. Reaching a height of about four to five meters, he bent his fingers into claw shapes and sank them into the cliff wall. However, the rock was hard, and his fingers only managed to dig a few millimeters deep, but it was enough to support his small body while he dangled in mid-air.
Next, he did the same with his left hand, stabilizing his body as he inserted his fingers higher into the cliff wall. Step by step, Long Huang slowly climbed toward the Yang fruits.
Every step required him to exert his full strength, making the ascent extremely strenuous. By the time he passed the ten-meter mark, he was panting heavily, and his speed began to slow.
On the ground, the cheerful little deer grew quiet. Its pair of golden eyes looked worriedly at Long Huang's silhouette, as if concerned that he might tumble down at any moment.
Under the watchful gaze of the Nine Element Spirit Deer, Long Huang finally reached the Yang fruits after climbing over twenty meters in height. As he beheld the five pieces of Yang fruit in front of him, Long Huang's eyes lit up. He carefully took out a small cloth from his storage pouch, gently picking the Yang fruits one by one. Long Huang then carefully placed the Yang fruits into the cloth and wrapped them up before leaping down to the ground.
As he descended, he tapped his foot against the cliff wall a few times to reduce his landing speed. Upon seeing him successfully pick the Yang fruits, the little deer squeaked cheerfully and gestured happily with its little hooves.
After expressing its delight, the little deer calmed down and stared longingly at the cloth bundle in Long Huang's hands, containing the Yang fruits.
"Little guy, catch!" Long Huang couldn't help but laugh at the little deer's antics. He took out two pieces of Yang fruit from the bundle and tossed them over. The little deer leaped up and caught both fruits, one in each hand. It let out a happy cry, ran to a corner, and swallowed both fruits before sitting down to absorb their spiritual energy.
As Long Huang watched the little deer absorb the energy, he was not surprised. Most spiritual beasts could cultivate, which was different from demon beasts that gained energy from eating or primitively absorbing spiritual energy from the world. The Nine Element Spirit Deer was known as a rare, top-tier spirit beast. Not wanting to disturb the little deer, Long Huang surveyed the surrounding valley and, after ensuring it was safe, sat down on the side. He took out a piece of Yang fruit and swallowed it, activating the Chaos Battle Dragon breathing technique to absorb its energy.
As the energy from the Yang fruit spread throughout Long Huang's body, multiple strands of Nine Yang energy surged forth almost instantly. Nine Yang energy is the purest top-grade fire attribute spiritual energy in the world.
Immersed in the flow of Nine Yang energy, Long Huang felt extremely comfortable and warm, as if he were soaking in a hot spring. The qi within his meridians flowed rapidly.
A few hours passed.
When Long Huang finally opened his eyes, he realized that he had absorbed all the energy from the Yang fruit, and it was now morning. Suddenly, a loud sound echoed as he felt an explosion inside him—his cultivation had advanced to the 13th stage of the Skin Tempering Realm. Based on his original estimation, he would have needed at least another month and a half to reach the 13th stage, but he had achieved it much earlier than expected.
Long Huang was pleased with his progress. Just then, a horrible smell assaulted his nose. Looking down, he saw that his entire body was covered in a layer of sticky black mud. He recognized these impurities as what his body expelled after consuming the Yang fruit.
"Ewwwwww! All that was inside me? That's hard to believe!" Long Huang exclaimed, a look of revulsion crossing his face. He wrinkled his nose as he surveyed the remnants of whatever had been within him, a mixture of disbelief and relief washing over him. "Well, these robes are completely ruined," he lamented, eyeing the fabric stained and tattered from his recent ordeal.
With a newfound sense of lightness, Long Huang sprang to his feet, feeling as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his body. He stretched his limbs with a satisfying crack, reveling in the freedom of movement. As he did so, his gaze drifted to the little deer nearby, still engrossed in the process of absorbing the fiery energy from the Yang fruit. Not wanting to interrupt its delicate work, he decided to take a stroll toward the serene lake that lay in the center of the lush, grassy expanse to take a bath.
The lake shimmered under the morning sun, the water glistening like diamonds scattered across its surface. Long Huang felt drawn to its calmness, the gentle lapping of the waves at the shore inviting him to take a moment to relax and reflect. He inhaled deeply, the crisp, fresh air filling his lungs, revitalizing him further as he approached the water's edge.