Oasis and Aya had been cultivating for several weeks, taking advantage of the rich fire mana in the cave.
Oasis's strength had grown significantly, and Aya's cultivation had also improved.
They had gathered numerous high-grade fire mana stones, which further enhanced their training.
"This girl's cultivation is not bad; she has already reached the peak of the first layer of the newborn realm," Oasis thought as he just finished his cultivation.
Oasis concluded his cultivation for the first time in three months.
Aya continued cultivating, and Oasis did not disturb her.
"My cultivation level hasn't changed, but it feels more solid, and I feel stronger," Oasis thought as he felt his strength.
"Only two months remain in this place. I wonder how others are doing," Oasis thought as he thought about Zane and Tyla.
!!!
"There are cultivators coming this way," Oasis thought as he sensed auras approaching.
"About ten of them."
Oasis moved out of the cave and stood outside his barrier, leaving Aya inside as he waited for the approaching cultivators.
He could sense their energies fluctuating as they killed mystic beasts on their way.
The cultivators continued toward Oasis's location.
After some time, they reached his location and slowed their pace, walking steadily toward Oasis.
"These are definitely the same group as the people we encountered in the snow blossom trees," Oasis thought as he observed them.
The cultivators before Oasis were the Abyss Hounds.
"Oi, brat, kneel to this king, lick my shoe, and present all the treasures you have, and I might spare your life," one of them spoke, looking like their leader.
"I'm sorry, my king, but I shall never do that," Oasis replied.
"You dare become impudent and arrogant to me, Shingo?" the man spoke to Oasis.
"How dare you, brat, be disrespectful to Boss Shingo?" one of his lackeys spoke.
"Apologize to Boss Shingo now or die," another of the man's lackeys spoke to Oasis.
"You guys found me here, and we don't know each other, and you just jumped in and started flapping your mouths, and you dare tell me about respect?" Oasis spoke to them.
"I dare all of you to try and kill me, and this shall be your burial site."
"But don't worry, if you dare try, I shall not leave a trace of your existence," Oasis spoke to them.
"Ha ha ha," they all laughed at Oasis.
"This Shingo must be on par in strength with that woman I fought before," Oasis thought.
"Good thing they are underestimating me."
"I'm going to end this with one move," Oasis thought.
"I don't remember well how Azura made the mist technique. I will just try doing my water magic," Oasis thought.
As the men were still laughing at him...
"Water Magic: Arrow of Fate," Oasis whispered as he tried to unleash one of the water spells he used to be good at, a spell he had come up with.
A hot vapor was unleashed toward the enemies, enveloping the area and leaving them unable to see properly since they were caught off guard.
Oasis leaped back from the area.
"Scorching Crescent Blade: Sixth Form, Flame Burst," Oasis whispered as he held his sword.
The technique involved slamming the sword into the ground to release eruptions of fire, targeting multiple enemies at once.
As the sword struck the ground, waves of intense flame erupted, creating a series of fiery explosions that engulfed the Abyss Hounds.
Screams emerged from the vapor as the enemies were burned and killed.
After a few breaths, Shingo emerged from the mist.
!!!
"He's still alive," Oasis thought.
Just as Shingo fully emerged, half of his upper body was crumbling to ashes.
He could hardly say a word as he tried to point a finger at Oasis with his remaining hand before collapsing and dying in front of him.
"Arrogance killed all of you," Oasis thought as he looked at the scene, sheathing his sword at his waist.
Meanwhile, a distance away from Oasis's position, on one of the mountains...
"Blue flames, huh?" a young man spoke to himself out loud.
This was the same young man who had burned other cultivators as soon as he arrived in Tir Na Nog.
He was busy gouging out beast cores from mystic beasts, with a crimson crystal earring in one ear and large beads around his neck.
"I can feel Aya's aura coming from within that barrier. Who is this kid? Is he an enemy or a friend to Aya?" he thought to himself.
"He is not too simple, but why do I feel a phoenix aura coming from him? It might be dormant, but I can feel it," he pondered.
"I've never seen someone like him in the Phoenix's Peak. Is he maybe from one of the other two families?" he wondered.
"But it doesn't matter. If he kidnapped Aya and is keeping her inside there as an enemy, I shall end him today,"
the young man thought as he looked down at the scene below him, watching Oasis, who had just finished killing the Abyss Hounds in one move.
"Time to act. I cannot waste any time. What if Aya is not safe?" the young man thought as he leaped down from the top of the mountain.
As the young man leaped, his body started radiating flames, making him look like a falling meteor.
The flames wrapped around him, intensifying as he descended.
"Dancing Phoenix," he spoke, redirecting towards Oasis using the Dancing Phoenix footwork technique as he moved at high speed.
!!!
"What is this energy?" Oasis thought as he sensed the aura coming towards him.
Just after a few breaths, the young man was now visible in Oasis's field of vision. He could see him moving very fast, closing in on Oasis.
"Dancing Phoenix!!!" Oasis exclaimed, surprised to see someone using the Dancing Phoenix technique.
"Who is this person?" Oasis thought.
"He feels much stronger than anyone I've encountered since I came here."
As Oasis braced for an attack, he took a stance that would allow him to counterattack if the person turned out to be an enemy.
Boom!!!
Suddenly, the young man's speed changed, making a huge sound. In an instant, he was in front of Oasis's face, as if he had teleported.
!!!
"Huh?" Oasis was surprised to see the man already in front of him.
"Who are you?" the man asked Oasis, his intense gaze unwavering.