Chapter 18: The Return of the Divine Pill Assassin

It was a pity. Even after breaking through to the Heavenly Pill Realm, Lin Fan was still no match for the Enchantress. Having been forced to surrender early and subjected to a round of her mockery, the joy he had felt upon his breakthrough vanished into thin air.

As he straightened his clothes, Lin Fan thought resentfully to himself: Just you wait; one day, I will show you what I’m made of!

Inside the cavern, the youth tirelessly harvested the Earth Flame Ore from the stone walls. Having made his breakthrough, he did not continue to consume the spiritual ore. Although he had reached this realm before, there was a vast difference between regaining one's strength and cultivating it anew. He needed to re-adapt to his current state. After all, he had never practiced the Burning Heaven Qi Refining Art in his previous life, and the density of the spiritual energy within his body was far greater now than it had ever been.

As he stood now, even as a novice in the Heavenly Pill Realm, the density of his spiritual power was equal to, if not stronger than, a warrior at the peak of the Heavenly Pill Realm. While he was still no match for the Divine Pill Realm, he would no longer feel the utter helplessness he had experienced last time.

"Time to go back."

After half a month, Lin Fan had gathered all the Earth Flame Ore from the walls. Looking at the pockmarked rock face, a sense of pride welled up within him. This was the fruit of his labor over the past few days! With nearly two thousand pieces of Earth Flame Ore in his pouch, he knew that if he were to consume them all, he might have a chance to leap directly from the Heavenly Pill Realm to the Divine Pill Realm. Yet, he was also aware that if he were to consume them too greedily, he would have to spend even more time consolidating his cultivation. It would be a loss that outweighed the gain.

Cultivation required a steady, step-by-step approach. His progress seemed rapid, but every step and every realm had been built upon a solid foundation. As for how to quickly solidify his cultivation, the answer was, naturally, combat. Life-and-death battles, in particular, were the best way to master his surging power.

Lin Fan had spent these past days considering how to leave. He figured that by swimming to the end of the subterranean river, he might find a way back to the surface. Now that he had entered the Heavenly Pill Realm, the scalding temperature of the river could no longer burn him. With a leap, he plunged into the water.

Just as he prepared to follow the current, he suddenly noticed a flickering light beneath the water. When he had fallen into the cavern last time, his only thought had been to get to shore; he had never noticed such a strange sight beneath the river. Now, the points of light shimmered like subterranean fire, instantly piquing his curiosity.

"Could it be that I was wrong, and the way out is at the bottom of the river?"

Lin Fan frowned. Two paths, two choices. After a moment of hesitation, he decided to investigate the source of the light first. He could follow the current at any time, but the light only appeared down below.

Diving into the water, Lin Fan moved as nimbly as a fish. At his current level, holding his breath for half an hour was more than enough. The subterranean river was very deep, but at his speed, he reached the riverbed within a quarter of an hour.

Hmm?

Only upon reaching the bottom did he realize that the light was actually a naturally occurring barrier. He could not see what lay inside, but he was certain that there must be something extraordinary within.

"Could this be the lair of that mysterious fire beast?" Lin Fan grew wary. He reached out to touch the barrier, which rippled like water; his fingers passed straight through without the slightest resistance.

Seeing this, he took a deep breath, steadied his nerves, and followed his hand through the barrier.

Whoosh!

As his body entered, Lin Fan was astonished to find a hidden paradise—a sanctuary existing beneath the water. Looking back through the barrier, he could clearly see the subterranean river flowing, but the water seemed to be sealed off, unable to penetrate into this space. Was this man-made, or a work of nature?

Lin Fan was amazed. He tried to ask the Enchantress, but no matter how he called out, she remained silent, as if she had vanished. With no other choice, he had to explore this mysterious land on his own.

He stepped into the unknown paradise, his eyes scanning his surroundings in search of any clues. In the dense forest, trees towered into the clouds, their foliage so thick they blocked the sky, making it difficult for light to pierce through the emerald canopy. The air was filled with the scent of damp earth and the faint fragrance of wildflowers, evoking a sense of raw, untouched natural beauty.

He treaded carefully through the woods. The thick layer of fallen leaves crunched beneath his feet, a sound that seemed to remind him that no one had set foot here for a very long time. His heart raced with each step, and every breath felt like inhaling a fresh surge of life force.

Suddenly, a crisp, melodious birdsong broke the silence, causing Lin Fan to slow his pace. He looked up to see a few colorful birds hopping among the branches, as if welcoming his arrival. Lin Fan couldn't help but smile, feeling the vitality of this mysterious place.

Reaching an open area, he discovered a clear, green lake. The water was so transparent he could see the bottom, and a few water lilies floated on the surface, serene and peaceful. He knelt down and touched the water; the cool sensation spread through his fingertips to his entire body, refreshing his spirit.

Just as Lin Fan was immersed in the beauty of this unknown world, a sense of alarm rose within him.

Boom!

Suddenly, a murderous aura erupted from the lake. Lin Fan’s expression tightened as he watched a dark figure soar out of the water. He was all too familiar with this man—it was the assassin from the Blood Oath organization, the one he had assumed had drowned.

To his surprise, not only had the man survived, but he had arrived at this paradise before him, learned to swim, and lay in wait in the lake, intending to assassinate him.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Lin Fan perfectly deflected a series of rapid attacks. A flicker of shock appeared in the assassin's cold eyes. The youth’s counterattack had naturally revealed his cultivation: the Heavenly Pill Realm. In just half a month, the youth had reached the Heavenly Pill Realm. This was something the assassin had not expected.

However, it was only the Heavenly Pill Realm.

As an assassin of the Divine Pill Realm, his brief moment of distraction vanished in the blink of an eye. Even if the boy had broken through, he was still confident in his ability to kill him. This paradise was too peculiar; whether Lin Fan was his target or not, he could not allow a second person to know of this place.

"This guy’s strength seems to have improved as well. Could it be because of training in this mysterious land?" Lin Fan frowned. Although he hadn't fought the man directly before, he could sense from the aura bursting forth that the assassin’s cultivation had also progressed in the last fortnight, even if the degree of improvement was far less than his own.

"No matter what, only one of us will leave this place alive! So, you're in the Divine Pill Realm? Today, I’m going to kill a Divine Pill expert!"