Chapter 9: Beast Heart Rage

Frank searched for a cave and climbed in with difficulty.

As soon as he entered the cave, without time to rest, he hurriedly took out the storage pouch from the hunchbacked old man.

As a cultivator in the Human Origin Realm, the old man's collection was rather substantial.

Without checking the rest, Frank grabbed a few bottles of Spiritual Purity Liquid and poured them down his throat. His Elixir Sea was in a crisis, and he needed to replenish his energy. The Demonic Beast Forest was full of danger. He had to stay in peak condition.

The Spiritual Purity Liquid entered his body like cool spring water and quickly circulated his body.

Meanwhile, the True Fire in his Elixir Sea activated, helping him refine the Spiritual Purity Liquid and the true energy that flowed into his Elixir Sea, his pale face visibly regaining color.

After a while, Frank's Elixir Sea was once again normal, filled with waves of pure golden energy.

However, he still hadn't broken through to the Second Level of Energy Condensation.

"Advancing is difficult." He clicked his tongue and opened his eyes.

Though he hadn't advanced, drinking several bottles of Spiritual Purity Liquid hadn't been in vain. Frank could feel his power increasing significantly.

With a sigh, Frank again focused on the storage pouch from the hunchbacked old man.

Due to the cost of advancing, only a few bottles of Spiritual Purity Liquid were left in the pouch. The rest were a pile of spirit stones, the currency of cultivators. There were over five hundred of them, which was a small fortune.

Apart from these, there was a heap of poisons, with dozens of bottles stacked up, making Frank click his tongue repeatedly.

"I'll find a use for these eventually." Frank didn't destroy the poisons, saving them for an emergency. Who knows he might need them.

After some searching, the remaining items in the pouch were a few low-grade Spiritual Weapons and an old book with a yellow cover that caught his eye. He saw the three words on the cover: Beast Heart Rage.

"It's a mystical technique." Frank's eyes gleamed. This was exactly what he lacked most.

Counting his gains from the Sunrise Sect and the Alps Sect, he only knew the most basic energy control and the domineering Thunderbolt Palm.

Energy control was the most basic technique for cultivators. It's useful against normal enemies, but not against powerful foes. Thunderbolt Palm was quite powerful but exhausting, so Frank required a mystical technique.

"It's just what I needed." Frank opened the book, eager to learn Beast Heart Rage.

After studying it, Frank realized that Beast Heart Rage was more of a martial art mystical technique. To be precise, it was a close combat technique.

The book had six chapters. The first three chapters introduced coordination between the human body parts and ways to maximize its power.

The latter three chapters finally introduced the techniques.

It's called Beast Heart Rage because it's related to beasts.

The creator of Beast Heart Rage must have been observant. He fully studied the beast's attacks, such as pouncing, clawing, and charging. He imitated beasts to create this technique.

Beasts fought primarily using their bodies.

Humans could learn from them by coordinating their legs, feet, hands, and knees to maximize strength in close combat. Combining it with Frank's increasingly powerful physique would have unexpected results.

"This is truly amazing!" Frank could not help but praise it. As he continued reading, his state of mind elevated.

Many cultivators relied heavily on their true energy and overemphasized flashy techniques, which led to neglecting basic combat skills. Many of them have high cultivation levels but are weak at close combat.

"This is a true gem." Frank laughed while slapping the ground. The training method of Beast Heart Rage was already imprinted in his mind.

With a shout, Frank threw a punch, followed by a sweeping leg and a downward chop.

The moves flowed seamlessly.

Then Frank's movements quickened. Sometimes he pounced like a wolf. Other times, he sprang like a tiger.  Later, he leaped like an agile monkey. His movements were bizarre, incorporating deadly strikes of various ferocious beasts.

Frank didn't use his true energy only his physical strength. As he moved his body, he absorbed the essence of Beast Heart Rage.

The training lasted nine hours.

When night fell, Frank sat on the ground, drenched in sweat.

Frank did not return to the Alps Sect for a few days. Instead, he continued rigorous close-combat training.

In broad daylight, he left the cave to combat powerful beasts. Each time he returned, he was covered in wounds.

At night, he went to areas with rich spiritual energy to nourish his body and practiced the Art of Flame.

To his surprise, Frank discovered the Art of Flame could also heal his injuries during body refinement. Furthermore, the recovery speed was much faster than before.

Day alternated with night, and time passed.

After a few days, Frank gradually grasped the essence of Beast Heart Rage. After continuous combats, his physical strength reached a new level, giving him the confidence to face an opponent at the peak Energy Condensation Realm.

In conclusion, acquiring Beast Heart Rage was a stroke of fortune.

On another starry night, Frank stretched his body while standing at the cave entrance. He had been out for a few days and planned to return the night.

Just as he was about to leap into the forest, Frank frowned and looked at the night sky. A long streak of light was approaching. Only when it neared did he see it was a woman in white.

"She's at the Spiritual Void Realm." Frank's heart trembled, knowing that cultivators in the Spiritual Void Realm could fly without relying on Spiritual Weapons. The fact that the woman in white could fly meant she had reached the realm.

Suppressing his shock, Frank noticed the woman's appearance.

She was extremely gorgeous.

For a moment, Frank was stunned.

The woman's white robes looked like snow. Her long black hair flowed like waves, glimmering with light. Her perfect facial features were breathtaking, like a goddess untainted by the mortal world.

However, the woman's condition didn't seem good. As she passed overhead, her speed suddenly decreased, and her radiance dimmed.

"She's being pursued." Frank narrowed his eyes, realizing three people were chasing after the woman. All of them were flying across the sky, which meant they were at least in the Spiritual Void Realm.

"I should leave now." Frank realized that this place was not safe.

Just as he was about to leave, the woman in white fell from the sky and landed right in front of him.

The woman spat blood and glanced at Frank before running into the dense forest while concealing her presence. Standing near the forest, Frank couldn't sense her at all.

Moments later, three pursuers arrived: an old man, a middle-aged man wearing a purple robe, and a young man in white. Their powerful auras nearly forced Frank to his knees.

"Hey, did you see anyone pass by?" The young man in white focused his gaze on Frank.

Frank felt a chill down his spine as if the young man could see right through him.

"I'm talking to you!" The man in purple yelled at him.

"She… she went that way." Frank pointed in a random direction, hoping they would leave quickly.

"If I found out you lied to me, you'll die miserably."

"Let's go!" The old man ordered. The three rose into the air again. "She's injured and consumed the Joy Powder. She won't get far. If we catch her, Lord Sovereign will be pleased."

Once they left, Frank exhaled heavily, feeling utterly drained.

The woman in white soon emerged from the forest. She stumbled around with a pale, dazed expression, looking frail as if she could barely stand.

A breeze blew, and she finally collapsed.

"Hey!" Frank hadn't planned to get involved but stepped forward just in time to catch her before she hit the ground.