Chapter Forty-Three: The Inner Core of the Spiritual Beast

Although Lin Tian recounted the events lightly, Lin Xiaobao could still imagine how fierce battles between those at the ninth stage of the Spiritual Path must be. At that level, it was impossible to merely be “slightly injured”—one was either unscathed or gravely hurt.

“Let me take a look at your injuries,” Lin Xiaobao said, reaching for Lin Tian’s wrist.

Though he knew Lin Xiaobao was in no position to actually help, Lin Tian cooperated nonetheless, extending his hand with satisfaction shining in his eyes. If his injury could earn the child’s forgiveness, then what did it matter if the wound were even worse?

Lin Xiaobao’s internal energy slowly flowed through his fingertips into Lin Tian’s body. The more he understood the extent of the injuries, the deeper his brows furrowed. Lin Tian’s internal organs had been shaken violently—had it not been for his powerful cultivation stabilizing him, his organs would have been ruptured beyond repair, leading to certain death. Yet for those who had reached the Spiritual Path, such injuries could be gradually healed with spiritual power.

The true danger, however, lay within Lin Tian’s dantian, where a cluster of red light flickered weakly, as if it might extinguish at any moment. Having entered the realm of post-heaven martial artists, Lin Xiaobao knew well what that cluster of energy signified—it was the foundation of any cultivator. Should it die out, even if one survived, all cultivation would be lost. For those who trained, losing one’s abilities was worse than death.

Lin Tian was precisely such a person. Though he always showed a loving side to Lin Xiaobao, from his attitude toward Long Xing Tian at the Hall of Justice, and his willingness to fight the Grand Elder at the slightest disagreement, Lin Xiaobao knew his father possessed a steely resolve.

“Take this Vermilion Fruit,” Lin Xiaobao released Lin Tian’s wrist and produced a fruit he had grown from his storage bracelet, handing it over.

“A Millennium Vermilion Fruit? Where did you get this?” Lin Tian examined the fruit, which was as large as a fist, radiant and red, tinged with purple. He was astonished—for even the Wind and Snow Pavilion’s storerooms held fewer than ten fruits of this age.

“A Millennium Vermilion Fruit nurtures spiritual energy, gentle in nature. While it cannot fully heal your wounds, it will guarantee your condition won’t worsen for at least a year,” Lin Xiaobao said with a faintly commanding tone. “Take it first.”

Lin Tian was well aware of the fruit’s effects; precisely because he knew them, he felt it was wasteful to use it so casually. Yet seeing Lin Xiaobao’s expression, his heart was moved far more than he felt pain for the precious fruit. If his son could forgive him, what difference did a Millennium Vermilion Fruit make—or even a lethal poison, for that matter?

With a surge of boldness, Lin Tian swallowed the fruit, his face flushing instantly. He wasted no words, knowing this was the best moment to absorb the medicinal power. He began circulating his cultivation technique, guiding the fruit’s energy to repair his wounds.

Seeing Lin Tian take the fruit, Lin Xiaobao felt relieved, pacing back and forth in the Pine Hall. He was considering which pill he could refine with his current medicinal ingredients to help Lin Tian recover.

With his knowledge of pill-making, Lin Xiaobao knew at least ten formulas that could heal Lin Tian. Yet all lacked a crucial main ingredient: a third-tier fire-type spiritual beast’s inner core.

In this world, beast cores were categorized as wild beasts, spiritual beasts, and sacred beasts.

First to third-tier wild beasts matched ordinary martial artists; fourth to sixth-tier equaled post-heaven martial artists; seventh to ninth-tier were on par with innate martial artists.

Over years, some wild beasts mutated, able to sense the world’s spiritual energy. With their long lifespans and ability to cultivate, they became spiritual beasts. First to third-tier spiritual beasts equaled the Spiritual Path realm; as for higher tiers, Lin Xiaobao had never heard of any appearing—sacred beasts were legends.

A third-tier spiritual beast was as powerful as a ninth-stage master of the Spiritual Path. With their formidable bodies, even ninth-stage cultivators found them troublesome to face—let alone hunt. Fire-type spiritual beasts were even fiercer; once engaged, the battle was to the death. Even the strongest at the peak of the ninth stage would avoid them if possible.

“Old Mo, is there any way?” After a night of fruitless pondering, Lin Xiaobao had no choice but to consult Old Mo.

“What way? I’m a pill refiner, not a miracle worker!” Old Mo snapped. “Without materials, how am I supposed to make pills?”

Just as Lin Xiaobao’s face fell, Old Mo changed his tone: “But when I first entered the Wind and Snow Pavilion, I sensed a fourth-tier fire-type spiritual beast’s inner core inside. If you use that as the main ingredient, your old man would not only heal, he might even advance further and break through the Spiritual Path.”

A fourth-tier spiritual beast’s core? Lin Xiaobao spat involuntarily. “How much contribution value would it take to exchange for it?”

“Exchange? Don’t be silly. You think the Wind and Snow Pavilion’s ‘Listening Tide Pavilion’ would be foolish enough to trade an eighth-grade ingredient for contribution points? The task rewards are nothing but ungraded herbs. Only I could turn those scraps into miraculous pills and elevate you to your current cultivation.” Old Mo grumbled.

Medicinal ingredients were graded—something Lin Xiaobao learned early in his pill training. Pill refiners assigned grades to rare herbs; as Old Mo said, task rewards were ungraded, and even the Millennium Vermilion Fruit he had cultivated barely qualified as a ninth-grade herb. The fourth-tier fire beast’s core, as an eighth-grade ingredient, was indeed not something obtainable with contribution points.

“What should I do, then?” Lin Xiaobao’s first thought was to steal it, but almost immediately dismissed the idea—his cultivation was far too weak; he’d be discovered long before he got close.

By dusk the next day, Lin Tian finally woke from meditation. Though his face was still pale, he seemed much improved compared to when Lin Xiaobao first saw him. “That Millennium Vermilion Fruit is truly remarkable—the spiritual energy within is abundant. Now I can suppress my injuries for at least two years.”

“Is there really a fourth-tier fire-type beast core in the Pavilion?” Lin Xiaobao asked eagerly as soon as Lin Tian awakened.

Lin Tian looked at him in surprise. “Yes, there is. Why do you ask?” He wasn’t concerned about how Lin Xiaobao knew; it wasn’t exactly a secret in the Wind and Snow Pavilion.

“If I use it to refine a Sunfire Pill, you could not only heal but even break through your current cultivation,” Lin Xiaobao explained.

“Really?” Hearing that his injuries could be healed and his cultivation advanced, Lin Tian grew excited—then his expression darkened. “But there’s no way to obtain that core; even if you did, no one can refine a pill to help someone break through the Spiritual Path. If that were possible, the core wouldn’t still be there.”

“Maybe I can try. Don’t forget, I managed to refine the Meridian Shaping Pill.” Lin Xiaobao, determined to help his father, didn’t bother to hide this secret anymore—at worst, he could blame it on Wind and Snow’s early teachings. “But first, I need that core.”