Quickly, Cao Yun reached the denser part of the Yunling Forest. As soon as he entered, he smelled a rich scent of plants and flowers. This forest was lush and very different from all the forests of the Hongchen Kingdom. It almost looked like a tropical forest with a lot of colors everywhere. There were red, blue, purple, yellow and green plants and flowers all over the place. The flowers were particularly colorful.
As soon as he was distant enough from the Huang estate, Cao Yun activated his 'Ashen Feather Seal' fully. He didn't want the hunters and Huang Si to know how good he could really be. After all, this was his trump card to investigate on both the demonic cultivators and the Imperial City, he didn't want it to be known.
Even with his stealth, Cao Yun was able to make his way toward the location that had been indicated by the reports in less than three days. The scouts had not discovered the exact location of the Hellish Dragon Fruit, but they were sure that it was ripe thanks to the aura rich in Fire all over the place. However, they knew the general position of the Five Bloods Pheasant's nest where the Hellish Dragon Fruit was being nurtured.
While walking through the thick and lush forest, Cao Yun was rather impressed. All around him were very rare species. With the Deep Cloud Ridge serving as a form of natural barrier, this Yunling Forest was almost isolated from the outside world. As such, there were species that couldn't be found anywhere else in the Hongchen Kingdom. Maybe it was a remnant of the time demons still ruled those lands. After all, they were close to the border. The mere presence of demons could alter the environment as their Qi, like the Qi of human cultivators, would seep into the air around them.
As he was making his way toward the Hellish Dragon Fruit, Cao Yun heard Dian Mo's voice in his mind.
"If this Hellish Dragon Fruit is fully mature, this isn't something you can easily get your hands on. After all, even those three 6-core demonic beasts don't dare be careless around it. And this isn't just because they are all eyeing it. The Five Bloods Pheasant has been nurturing it for decades. But even he would be careful while plucking it. Even a 6-core demonic beast could end up heavily injured or killed if he wasn't careful. It occurred to me that the Five Bloods Pheasant may not intend to pluck it, instead he might just keep it in his nest to help his cultivation. After all it's insanely rich in both Fire element and Qi. Just being close to it could help him develop a seventh core in a matter of months."
"Yet the other two demonic beasts didn't make a move toward the fruit..."
"Indeed. Getting too close to the fruit if it is mature is too dangerous. You humans would probably class it as a 5-star Heaven or even half-step Spirit fruit. Although it has no conscience of its own, the high concentration of Fire Qi in it can cause the emergence of a pseudo-will. It will instinctively try to incinerate anyone who gets too close to it. Since it's acting on instinct alone, it won't be smart. Apart from the Five Bloods Pheasant who's been nurturing it, it won't let anyone else get too close."
"I was expecting that. Although this endeavor is dangerous, I do not think that a mere fruit can see through my 'Ashen Feather Seal'. What I'm more worried about is how to pluck it in the best way."
"Well, for that, you should synchronize your Wei Qi with the fruit itself in order to prevent other elements from interfering with the Fire element."
"Yes, that would be an application of the Golden Elixir Principle of Five Elements Wheel."
"But it will be completely different because the Hellish Dragon Fruit, unlike your ingredients and pills within a cauldron, will actively try to mess up the process. It won't want to be plucked from its root. So not only will you have to balance the five elements, you will also have to clash with the fruit itself without endangering the balance too much. I can assure you that this won't be easy at all."
"Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. However, it might help me and Hongyu a great deal. Besides, it's also a good test for me on many levels. In the worst case scenario, I could still leave. The Hellish Dragon Fruit won't chase after me, after all."
"The Five Bloods Pheasant would..."
Dian Mo was right. Besides, Cao Yun had to be discreet or very fast while plucking the fruit so that the demonic beast wouldn't come back to the nest too soon.
Cao Yun was pondering on how to approach the Hellish Dragon Fruit and was already using his 'Shen Visualization' to imagine how to pluck it. In the back of his mind, he was even already imagining how he would then use it in his alchemy to help himself and Hongyu. But it didn't make him complacent at all. Cao Yun was well aware that snatching this fruit would be a difficult thing. Although he could easily sneak inside the nest, in order to pluck it, he would be forced to reveal himself at least partially. And obviously, the demonic beast would sense that the fruit was gone. Hopefully, with his stealth, Cao Yun could leave once again without being threatened.
The plan was not perfect but it still had high chances of succeeding. After weighing the pros and cons, Cao Yun had deemed it worthwhile. Even Xiao Xuefeng could not easily obtain this kind of fruit. And he couldn't ask her to come here to pluck the tree for him. First of all, he didn't have the time. But she was also busy and it would be difficult to be allowed so close to the border for such a high character. He couldn't just wait for an expert to help him out. That was why he had agreed to help Huang Si.
-
Finally, Cao Yun entered the territory of the Five Bloods Pheasant, heading toward his nest. In the Yunling Forest, there were several territories divided between a handful of demonic beasts. The big leaders were three 6-core demonic beasts. Hunters were making sure that no demonic beast could ever exceed six cores. But the demonic beasts themselves were also keeping each other in check. If one was on the verge of breaking through, the other 6-core demonic beasts would league against it to keep their own little dominion. Thankfully, the demonic beasts here were lacking the temperament to work together.
The Hellish Dragon Fruit had emerged in the territory of the Five Bloods Pheasant. And around it, the Golden Plumed Jackal and the Flame-Tailed Wolf had both been alerted to this news. As such, the two of them had gone to the very edge of their territory to watch on this fruit. Each one was gauging the other two. It wasn't in their interest to fight but they couldn't let the Five Bloods Pheasant form another core. If that were to happen, there would be a large dispute between them and Yunling City might suffer from that as hunters couldn't hunt in peace.
Besides, the three 6-core demonic beasts were related to the Fire element in some way so this Hellish Dragon Fruit would be perfect for them. In fact, it was best suited for the Five Bloods Pheasant. After all, that demonic beast was loosely related to the Vermilion Bird. His blood was said to be as hot as fire. By absorbing the properties of the Hellish Dragon Fruit, the Five Bloods Pheasant could hope to awaken the bloodline of the Vermilion Bird in him by atavism.
As soon as Cao Yun entered his territory, he felt an intense pressure all around him. He felt as though he had just dived into a pool of boiling blood. A lesser cultivator would have simply collapsed on the spot. Thankfully, Cao Yun's blood was very resilient. Even without altering his Wei Qi and compromising his stealth, his body could resist the scorching heat and the suffocating pressure.
All around him, he saw many plants who had dried up and died. Entire patches of the forest were gone under the Five Bloods Pheasant's influence. Just to be safe and to prevent anyone from getting to the Hellish Dragon Fruit before him, he had preferred devastating his own territory.
The Five Bloods Pheasant was now perched on a dried and bent tree. It was covered in black traces of burns but it had endured. Among the brittle branches, only one had really survived and was staying strong as the big demonic beast was towering over it. As a bird, the Five Bloods Pheasant had an impressive plumage that made him look like two or even three times larger than he actually was.
And this plumage was absolutely beautiful. Any enemy would be transfixed by this beauty and in this instant of hesitation would die. His head was covered with golden feathers. They were cascading down his back where orange feathers turned to sapphire ones before golden feathers once again completed his back. On his belly, his feathers were red as blood and as lava while dark blue feathers were decorating the upper part of his legs. In his eyes, Cao Yun could see a great fire. His gaze was fixated on the horizon but he was still alert to everything around him.
Thankfully though, he couldn't pierce through Cao Yun's 'Ashen Feather Seal'. Even now, the young man was walking right under him and the bird could not sense his presence at all. Ever so slowly, Cao Yun was making his way toward the edge of the place scrutinized by the Five Bloods Pheasant. There was now no doubt that the Hellish Dragon Fruit was in that direction. Just under that tree was the Five Bloods Pheasant's nest. As he was walking forward, Cao Yun was also memorizing everything about this place in case he had to make a run for it. He was brave but he was not stupid. Although he was convinced that the plan could work - otherwise he would not be here - he couldn't be absolutely sure so he had to think about other alternatives.
For now though, Cao Yun decided to stop moving. It had taken him three days to get there. So he had to wait almost an entire day before walking forward. All around him he could feel the Fire element of the Hellish Dragon Fruit. But he couldn't really bask in it. The Five Bloods Pheasant would notice anyone trying to absorb this energy and Cao Yun had to stay hidden for the time being. He was trusting the hunters.
-
When the sun finally began to set, Cao Yun's trust was rewarded. In the distance, even he felt a huge amount of Qi. Zeng Bei's group was fighting against several demonic beasts near the Silan lake. Those demonic beasts had been coerced by the Five Bloods Pheasant to guard his territory against both humans and other demonic beasts. Right now, they were being slaughtered. After all, the hunters knew each other and could easily work as a team. One time, Zeng Bei and her men had been able to kill a 6-core demonic beast, the Moon Devouring Gray Wolf. This had been a terrible battle and many had died but they had won.
Of course, they didn't want such a battle anymore, but they were ready to keep the Five Bloods Pheasant busy for a while. And his current guards were just too weak for them as a team.
Cao Yun could feel the heat increasing around him. Some bushes to his right began to burn all of a sudden. The Five Bloods Pheasant was furious that those humans dared to enter his territory. As his eyes were burning with hatred, he looked down below for quite some time. Then, as the Qi Cao Yun could feel in the direction of the Silan lake was becoming more and more violent, the demonic beast flapped his wings. Some of his feathers let out a few sparks and he rose in the air before diving toward the lake, in the opposite direction of Cao Yun.
This was the moment!
At last, Cao Yun left his hiding spot and quickly headed toward the nest. He reached a very different part of the forest. Similarly to the Five Bloods Pheasant's territory, everything looked like it had been burned to a crisp. But this time, the soil itself appeared to have been burned down. It was as if nothing would ever grow around here. Even the plants had left no mark on this land after their deaths. This was a complete desolation.
As Cao Yun had already felt the oppressive aura of the Five Bloods Pheasant, he was not disturbed by the air around him. Indeed, it was hot enough to make a mere mortal boil from within. However, Cao Yun's blood was already hotter than the blood of a mortal. If it could sustain the oppressive might of the Drop of Wrath, it could withstand this kind of heat too. Slowly though, the heat began to go into his very mind. Thankfully, his mind cultivation preserved him from madness.
The heat was so intense though that the air around him was moving in strange ways. There were many illusions. At some point, he saw plants made out of fire that were dancing under the dying sun. Even Cao Yun could not decide whether they were true or not. This entire place was truly looking like a fiery hell. Besides the visions, Cao Yun could also hear ominous whispers in the air. Despite his 'Ashen Feather Seal', Cao Yun was still using his Wei Qi. It had been reduced to a thin membrane all around his body. This could compromise his stealth a little so he had used many of the ashes from his technique within. But he was glad he had done so. Without this Wei Qi, his clothes and his skin would have began to melt and to merge together.
Thanks to his powerful blood cultivation, he could heal from those injuries easily and his mind would reduce the pain. But this wasn't the kind of experience he wanted to go through. Thus, as he was advancing toward the Hellish Dragon Fruit, Cao Yun was increasing his Wei Qi again and again. At one point, he would necessarily be detected by the distant demonic beast. Indeed, he had to increase his Wei Qi as it truly looked like Cao Yun was about to die. He was a pebble being washed over by a torrent of fire.