Chen Qing walked into the cave, sat down cross-legged, and prepared to continue his cultivation.
The cave was silent, with only his faint breathing.
He slowly closed his eyes, activated the Azure Green True Essence within him, and began to scour his apertures according to a set rhythm.
The True Essence, like a delicate stream, weaved through the apertures, each circulation refining and nourishing them.
Chen Qing focused on scouring his apertures.
As time passed, he could distinctly feel his apertures gradually strengthening.
The First Rank High Tier water film was undergoing subtle changes under the continuous refinement and nourishment of the True Essence.
After an unknown period, Chen Qing slowly ended his cultivation and opened his eyes.
In the dim light of the cave, his gaze grew increasingly bright.
This session of cultivation had further improved his strength.
He stood up, stretched his somewhat stiff body, and then walked to a corner of the cave, taking out the strange flowers and plants he had picked during the day from his Blood Crystal Storage Gu.
This storage gu did not consume much True Essence; even with his First Rank cultivation, he could activate and use it.
Using the faint light in the cave, he carefully examined the flowers and plants, trying to figure out their purpose.
Chen Qing decided to try using these flowers and plants to assist in nourishing his Blood Qi Whirlwind Blade Gu.
When a hint of dawn appeared in the eastern sky, Chen Qing finished his endeavors.
He looked at the gradually brightening sky outside the cave, knowing that a new day had arrived.
After a night of cultivation and exploration, Chen Qing still hadn't found any significant use for the flowers, though they did smell quite pleasant.
Chen Qing walked out of the cave, greeted by the first rays of morning sun on Red Maple Mountain.
Under the sunlight, the mountain forest shed its nighttime mystery, revealing a vibrant and lively scene.
Chen Qing took a deep breath of the fresh air and stretched.
After a simple warm-up, Chen Qing began his new day of cultivation.
He sat cross-legged in the open space above the cave and summoned his First Rank Blood Qi Whirlwind Blade Gu.
A blood-colored leech tattoo slowly emerged on his hand.
As True Essence was slowly injected, a faint bloody light emanated from the Gu, and a blood-red Qi Blade instantly formed, shooting towards a nearby tree trunk with a "whoosh" and leaving a deep mark on it.
"My control over this Blood Qi Whirlwind Blade Gu is still not precise enough," Chen Qing murmured with a slight frown.
He readjusted the rhythm and intensity of his True Essence output and activated the Gu again.
This time, the blood-red Qi Blade precisely struck the edge of the previous mark, widening and deepening it, with a much smoother cut than before.
Chen Qing practiced repeatedly like this, continuously honing his control over the Gu.
With each attempt, Chen Qing's control and proficiency with the Gu increased.
Unconsciously, it was already noon, and the sun became scorching.
Tiny beads of sweat appeared on Chen Qing's forehead, but he showed no sign of stopping, immersed in the pleasure brought by possessing extraordinary abilities.
It wasn't until his stomach rumbled with a "grumble" that Chen Qing awoke as if from a dream, realizing he hadn't eaten all morning.
He quickly tidied up and decided to venture deeper into Red Maple Mountain again, partly to find something to eat, and partly to see if he could discover more resources beneficial for his cultivation.
Chen Qing followed the familiar mountain path, his steps much lighter than during his previous explorations, but his vigilance remained undiminished.
In the mountain forest, various strange birds and beasts appeared from time to time.
Chen Qing, relying on his alertness, skillfully avoided potential dangers.
Upon reaching a more secluded valley, Chen Qing's gaze was suddenly drawn to the scene before him.
In the valley, a large patch of unknown fruit trees grew, laden with enticingly colored fruits.
Chen Qing's eyes lit up, and he was about to step forward to pick them, but then he abruptly stopped.
Around the fruit trees, he noticed several faint tracks, as if left by some wild beast.
Chen Qing carefully investigated and indeed found a wild beast in the nearby bushes.
This beast was massive, covered in hard, earthy yellow scales, resembling a large water buffalo, and was currently napping in the grass.
Chen Qing was secretly alarmed; with that size... could it be a Hundred Beasts King-level beast?
A Hundred Beasts King corresponds to Second Rank combat power.
He was currently only a First Rank mid-tier Gu Master; if they clashed head-on, the outcome would be uncertain.
However, the trees full of fruit held a great attraction for Chen Qing; he truly didn't want to miss this Opportunity.
But then he thought of his own life and strength, and reluctantly gave up, quickly fleeing before the Hundred Beasts King discovered him.
He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and forced a wry smile: "This was truly a close call..." Chen Qing sighed.
After exploring the mountain forest for a while longer, Chen Qing noticed the sun gradually setting and decided to return to the cave.
On the way back, he deliberately took a detour to observe the valley where he had encountered the Hundred Beasts King earlier, and only left with peace of mind after confirming there was no danger.
When Chen Qing returned to the cave, the lingering glow of the sunset painted the cave in warm yellow hues.
He walked into the cave, sat down cross-legged, and began to summarize the day's gains and shortcomings.
"Today, my control over the Blood Qi Whirlwind Blade Gu has significantly improved, but when facing the Hundred Beasts King, it still exposed the inadequacy of my own strength," Chen Qing murmured to himself, "It seems I need to accelerate my cultivation progress and strive to Breakthrough to First Rank High Tier as soon as possible, or even aim for Second Rank!"
Chen Qing once again activated his True Essence and began to scour his apertures, preparing to use the tranquility of the night to further enhance his strength.
The True Essence, like a fine stream, slowly flowed into his apertures, each circulation refining the aperture walls.
Chen Qing could clearly sense that his apertures were being nourished little by little under the influence of this power; although the process was slow, the effect was good.
During the process of scouring his apertures, Chen Qing held a primeval stone in his hand, absorbing natural True Essence.
As his cultivation deepened, Chen Qing's mind gradually expanded.
After an unknown period, Chen Qing slowly ended his cultivation.
The walls of his apertures were well-nourished, and he estimated he could Breakthrough in a few days.
He opened his eyes, which showed fatigue but also an undeniable joy.
Chen Qing stood up, stretched his somewhat stiff body, and then took out some fruits he had casually picked in the forest earlier in the day, eating a few bites to replenish his energy.
After eating, he was not in a hurry to rest.
Instead, he walked out of the cave, wanting to experience the tranquility of Red Maple Mountain under the cover of night.