Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Cultivating Purple Cloud Wings
After successfully landing his strike, Lin Feng did not let his guard down. He swiftly retracted his spear and stepped aside, carefully scanning his surroundings.
His experiences over the past few days had taught him that in the Magic Beast Mountain Range, one could be ambushed by a magical beast at any moment.
Without enough vigilance, one might become a beast's next meal in the blink of an eye.
Once he confirmed that there were no magical beasts lurking nearby, Lin Feng's face lit up with joy as he stowed away his spear.
Since parting ways with Xiao Yixian, he had been honing his combat skills in the Magic Beast Mountain Range.
During this time, he had also been practicing the High-Grade Black-Class Dou Technique, Furious Lion's Roar!
Today was the first time he had used it in battle, and he hadn't expected it to be so powerful. With just a single strike, he had slain the Nine-Star Dou Zhe-level Black Iron Python.
Feeling satisfied, Lin Feng pulled out a dagger and rummaged through the bloody remains of the python.
Finally, he reached inside and extracted a Magic Core.
On the Dou Qi Continent, Magic Cores, also known as Magic Crystals, were energy crystals found inside magical beasts. These cores were brimming with violent heaven and earth energy, and even a Dou Wang wouldn't dare recklessly absorb them, as the rampant energy could cause their body to explode.
However, Magic Cores could be embedded in weapons, greatly enhancing their destructive power while also augmenting Dou Qi, making them highly sought after by warriors across the continent.
Aside from weapons, Magic Cores could also be embedded in armor and other equipment, providing powerful defensive capabilities that could significantly increase one's chances of survival in dangerous situations.
Moreover, while a Magic Core couldn't be directly absorbed by cultivators, it was an essential material for Alchemists when refining pills.
Through alchemical refinement, the violent nature of the Magic Core could be neutralized using various mystical herbs, transforming it into coveted elixirs that could significantly enhance one's strength—dramatically increasing its value!
Lin Feng stored the Black Iron Python's Magic Core in his storage ring before proceeding to dig through the Green Wood Mouse's corpse.
However, this time, he found nothing.
This was not surprising. Over the past few days of training, he had encountered this situation many times, so he wasn't disappointed.
Casually tossing the corpse aside, he looked up, oriented himself, and swiftly dashed toward the source of a faint sound of rushing water.
With agile movements, Lin Feng navigated through the dense forest, dodging thorns and branches. After sprinting for a short while, his vision suddenly widened, and the deafening roar of a waterfall filled the air, bringing a look of excitement to his face.
Breaking through the final cluster of towering trees, he laid eyes on a magnificent sight—
A massive waterfall, like a cascading silver ribbon, thundered down from a towering mountain peak, crashing onto boulders below and filling the air with mist.
On either side of the waterfall, steep cliffs lined the landscape, with several naturally formed caves dotting the rocky surface.
Lin Feng's eyes brightened with joy.
If he blocked the entrances of these caves with stones, he could keep magical beasts from getting inside.
No longer would he have to wake up from meditation only to find a venomous serpent coiled beside him.
Additionally, the abundant water source and surrounding wildlife meant he wouldn't need to spend so much time hunting for food.
"This is the perfect place for training."
Spreading his arms wide, Lin Feng took a deep breath of the mist-filled air and murmured with a smile.
Leaping over a small ravine, he slowly approached the waterfall, cautiously scanning his surroundings.
Only when he confirmed that there were no magical beasts nearby did he finally let out a sigh of relief.
Reaching the steep mountainside, Lin Feng carefully selected a cave that seemed suitable and swiftly slipped inside.
The interior was slightly cool, but it was spacious enough for a single person, making it more than adequate for his needs.
He swept his gaze cautiously over the ground, checking for any traces left behind by magical beasts. Only after confirming that it was safe did he finally relax a little.
After roughly cleaning the cave, he rolled several large boulders to the entrance, blocking the opening enough to allow only a single person to pass through.
Since he would be spending a significant amount of time here, safety was his top priority.
Once everything was in place, Lin Feng flipped his palm, and a pitch-black scroll appeared in his grasp.
It was the High-Grade Black-Class Flying Dou Technique he had obtained from the cave earlier.
For the past few days, he had been focused on mastering Furious Lion's Roar and hadn't had the time or a secure location to study the flying technique.
But now that he had a safe haven, he could finally dedicate himself to learning it.
Untying the fine string carefully wrapped around the scroll, he slowly unrolled it.
Two dark, chilling eagle wings immediately came into view.
Though merely an illustration on the scroll, the wings seemed almost alive, exuding a faint heat. This eerie phenomenon clearly indicated that they weren't just simple artwork.
The wings were jet black with purple cloud-like patterns faintly shimmering across them. Upon closer inspection, they appeared to have a metallic sheen, resembling black steel rather than feathers.
Lin Feng noticed that the feathers gave off a subtle warmth, so he curiously blew on them.
To his astonishment, under the gentle breeze, the feathers trembled as if they were real wings responding to the wind—a truly mystical sight.
His gaze trailed across the scroll until it landed on a line of small text beside the wings.
"Purple Cloud Black Fire Eagle, a Rank Five Flying Magic Beast. It is said to possess traces of ancient Phoenix blood, making it one of the fastest flying magical beasts in existence. Cunning and ferocious by nature, it is extremely difficult to capture and is only found in misty mountain areas at the north of the continent."
"This technique, known as Eagle's Wings, also referred to as Purple Cloud Wings, was created by myself and several companions after three years of effort. We successfully captured a Purple Cloud Black Fire Eagle and used secret methods to extract its wings, crafting this scroll as a learnable flying technique.
This technique was drawn using my Dou Qi before my death and can only be practiced by a single individual. Remember this well!"
Reading these words, Lin Feng speculated,
"If it took several people to take down a Rank Five magic beast, the creator of this technique was likely a Dou Wang-level expert."
Sensing a lingering spiritual presence within the scroll, Lin Feng remained calm. He understood that it was the remnant soul of the Purple Cloud Black Fire Eagle.
He murmured to himself,
"With my current soul power, I shouldn't have much to fear from its lingering spirit. Although it was once a Rank Five magic beast, now it's just a fragmented soul—nothing more."
With that thought, he pressed both palms firmly onto the soft, wing-like texture of the scroll, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.
The moment his hands made contact, a ferocious, violent screech erupted from within the scroll, shaking his very soul.
The frenzied eagle's cry pierced through the scroll, surging through Lin Feng's arms like a drill, ruthlessly assaulting his mind.