Suddenly, there was another rumbling sound from the forest, shaking the earth. What was this?
The Cloud Dream Ancient Ruins had opened?
Chu Chen rushed towards the sound, unwilling to miss such an opportunity!
Half an hour later.
He arrived at his destination.
A massive stone tablet stood tall, inscribed with the four golden characters "Cloud Dream Ancient Ruins." The calligraphy was sharp and carried an aura of arrogance and dominance!
"Hiss... what magnificent calligraphy!"
Even though he had seen his fair share of storms, seeing these four grand, flowing characters, he couldn't help but gasp.
"No matter what, let's go in first."
He leaped up and landed on the giant tablet.
The moment he stepped onto it, a vast and oppressive atmosphere enveloped him.
This was a ruined relic.
Traces of sword and blade marks were everywhere. Many walls had crumbled, leaving behind mottled impressions.
"Huh?"
Suddenly, Chu Chen noticed a skeleton lying on the ground ahead.
He bent down and picked up a storage ring. His divine sense probed into it, revealing a rusty longsword covered in fine cracks.
"This should be a Profound-tier weapon, but it's lost its quality due to age and is worthless."
He tossed the Profound-tier weapon to the iron tower beside him and continued inward.
Along the way, many skeletons lay scattered.
Some had already rotted into dry bones, while others were perfectly preserved, as if they had been placed in coffins within precious cauldrons and buried here.
"Huh, what's this... a Profound-grade pill!"
Soon, he found a jade bottle.
Opening it, he saw a red pill lying quietly inside.
The pill had a reddish glow on its surface, and a medicinal fragrance wafted out.
"This is the 'Crimson Sun Primordial Pill'!
It is said that after taking this pill, one's Martial Apprentice cultivation can smoothly advance by one level!"
Chu Chen was ecstatic. This was a mid-grade Profound-tier pill!
He quickly swallowed it. Instantly, his internal energy surged, his true essence exploded, and he felt a vague sense of breaking through to the seventh level of Martial Apprentice!
"I actually broke through!"
A cool sensation washed over his mind, instantly clarifying his state.
"Did I break through?"
Feeling the true qi solidifying in his qi sea, Chu Chen's heart pounded with excitement.
"Seventh level of Martial Apprentice!"
"Haha! I didn't expect to break through again!"
...
A moment later.
His aura gradually stabilized.
"Hmm? Is that... a spiritual spring!"
Suddenly, he noticed a pool of water ahead.
The spiritual spring was not very large, only about two zhang square.
But the dense spiritual energy emanating from it made him feel utterly comfortable!
"Such strong spiritual energy fluctuations, what kind of place is this?"
After taking a few deep breaths, Chu Chen eagerly approached the spiritual spring.
Buzz~!
He reached out and touched it. The spiritual spring trembled violently, as if it were boiling.
"Gurgle..."
Strands of pure spiritual energy emerged from the spring, like wisps of silk, entering his pores.
"So refreshing!"
A bone-chilling coolness spread throughout his body, making him feel completely at ease.
In just a moment, he felt all his pores open, madly absorbing spiritual energy!
"Is this the effect of the spiritual spring?"
"This is the true location of the spiritual spring's source. If I could stay here for a few months..."
His eyes burned with desire.
But soon, he frowned. "Although this spiritual energy is dense, the quantity is too small to sustain cultivation!"
"I need to find more spiritual energy."
"Since this is the outer area of the ancient ruins, there must be many more spiritual spring sources."
The immediate priority was to improve his cultivation realm as quickly as possible.
"Hmm? Someone's coming!"
Suddenly, his ears twitched.
"Whoosh!"
His figure flashed, and he hid in a large tree, looking ahead. He saw a team appearing in his field of vision.
The leader rode a warhorse, clad in silver armor, carrying a heavy-bladed saber on his back, exuding a sharp aura of killing intent!
"It's people from the Northern Desert Royal Family!"
"As expected of a top noble family and royal lineage in the Hundred Kingdoms territory!"
Many martial artists showed expressions of envy and jealousy.
The Northern Desert Royal Family was a sacred martial arts land with a long history and deep heritage!
Every five years, they would dispatch royal descendants into the Cloud Dream Ancient Ruins for training and to seek fortune.
Each of these royal descendants was exceptionally talented and possessed immense potential.
Especially the direct heirs of the Northern Desert Royal Family, they were even more terrifying!
"These people are at least at the peak of Body Tempering, and many are in the Martial Apprentice realm.
They are also all equipped with weapons, clearly indicating they are strong soldiers."
"The experts in the Northern Desert Royal Family are superior to the strong individuals from the various sects and families in the Southern Ridge. This time, it might not be easy to seize opportunities in the Cloud Dream Ancient Ruins."
"Heh heh, who says? It's full of dangers within. Even Martial Masters could perish if they're not careful!"
Many people were discussing animatedly.
"I heard that the core disciples of the Northern Desert Royal Family all possess special physiques accompanied by celestial phenomena. If you encounter such a person, you must avoid them at all costs! Otherwise, you will surely die!"
"That's right! They even dare to kill those in the Martial Apprentice realm. Aren't you afraid?"
Numerous martial artists retreated in panic.
After all, physiques accompanied by celestial phenomena were extremely rare. Each one was a prodigy with unimaginable power, absolutely invincible within the same realm!
Just then—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh...
A group of martial artists were flying through the sky in the distance, their speed incredibly fast, attracting the attention of many.
"The experts from the Northern Desert Royal Family are here, run!"
"Hurry up and leave, don't cause trouble!"
Everyone scrambled away in fear, wishing they could disappear.
Soon.
This group descended beside the spiritual spring.
"Huh? Someone beat us to it and found the spiritual spring before us?"
Among this group, the leader was a man in white, with a look of surprise. He carefully observed the environment around the spiritual spring.
His eyes narrowed: "Interesting."
Then, he turned his head and sneered at the people behind him, "Wait here, I'll go capture that kid!"
"Yes, sir!" Everyone respectfully bowed and watched as the man in white entered the jungle.
"Hmph, someone actually entered here before me."
A mocking smile played on the lips of the man in white. He spread his arms, like an eagle pouncing on a rabbit, swift and unstoppable.
With a dull thud.
An ancient tree, three to four people in circumference, was snapped. He stood nimbly on the broken wood, looking down at the dense forest below.
"Hmm? Why isn't this kid running anymore?"
The man in white raised an eyebrow, his eyes flashing with cold light. He landed lightly in the grass, crouching in the shadows and staring at Chu Chen.
At this moment.
Chu Chen sat cross-legged in the grass.
Chu Chen's eyes were closed, his body bathed in milky white spiritual energy, his cheeks slightly flushed.
His skin was red, like a fiery sunset, and his body temperature suddenly soared.
"This spiritual energy is so potent!"
Chu Chen felt the changes within his body and was overjoyed.
He found that the activity of his muscles, tendons, and blood had increased severalfold.
Even his bones, meridians, and blood vessels were becoming tougher and more vibrant under the purification of the spiritual energy!
His realm was advancing by leaps and bounds, reaching the eighth level of Martial Apprentice, and showing no signs of stopping!