Chapter 86: The Helpless Beauty

After confirming that the surroundings were safe, Long Feng took out two fourth-rank formation plates and placed them at two different positions within the cave.

The moment he activated them, faint ripples spread through the surrounding space.

A powerful defensive force enveloped the cave.

With these two formations protecting him, even a powerful Golden Core Realm beast would have difficulty approaching without being noticed.

Long Feng finally sat down and took out the Golden Fire Fruit. A faint warmth spread through his palm.

Without hesitation, he swallowed the entire Golden Fire Fruit in one gulp.

Boom!

The moment he swallowed it, an enormous energy erupted inside his body.

Long Feng’s expression changed. The energy was extremely violent. It was like a ball of burning sunlight exploding within his abdomen. The terrifying energy surged through his meridians.

However, he didn’t panic and immediately circulated the Scarlet Ember Cultivation Art.

The surrounding flame energy of Blazing Flame Mountain was drawn toward him.

Streams of fiery energy entered his body and began merging with the energy released by the Golden Fire Fruit.

His aura started rising. The sixth level of the Golden Core Realm began shaking violently.

Long Feng gritted his teeth and kept pushing himself. The energy continued surging through his body. His Golden Core trembled.

Cracks of spiritual energy appeared across its surface. The breakthrough barrier was beginning to loosen.

The enormous energy within his body continued transforming, becoming increasingly pure and powerful. His Golden Core became increasingly radiant.

The surrounding flame energy gathered around him like a storm.

BOOM!

Then, a terrifying aura suddenly erupted from Long Feng’s body.

The fourth-rank formations trembled violently. The rocks around him cracked, and dust fell from the cave ceiling.

His cultivation surged upward.

Seventh level of the Golden Core Realm!

Long Feng’s eyes suddenly opened. A sharp golden light flashed through them.

He clenched his fist and felt the powerful feeling surged through his body.

After breaking through to the seventh level of the Golden Core Realm, his strength had increased considerably.

He looked toward the entrance of the ruined cave. His expression slowly became thoughtful.

The training inside Blazing Flame Mountain was far from over.

And now that he had reached the seventh level of the Golden Core Realm, perhaps it was time to venture even deeper.

The sky above Blazing Flame Mountain had gradually darkened.

The final traces of sunlight had disappeared behind the distant peaks, leaving the mountain covered in a dim crimson glow.

Even after nightfall, Blazing Flame Mountain remained anything but peaceful.

The cracks scattered across the ground continued to release faint flames, illuminating the surroundings with an eerie red light.

Long Feng walked alone through the mountain.

The training inside Blazing Flame Mountain was dangerous even during the day. At night, it became even more unpredictable. Many beasts became active after darkness fell.

Long Feng had only walked a short distance before he heard a faint cry for help.

He looked toward the sound and immediately moved, his figure flashing through the darkness.

After crossing a rocky slope, he finally saw the situation.

Two figures were desperately running through the mountain. It was a young woman, and behind her was an enormous beast covered in dark scales.

Its aura was frightening, comparable to a human cultivator around the fourth or fifth level of the Golden Core Realm.

However, his attention was drawn to the woman running in front.

He knew her, she was Shen Yao.

How could he forget?

She was the beautiful woman from the Vermilion Flame Sect whom he had encountered before.

At this moment, the usual calmness on her beautiful face had completely disappeared. Her breathing was hurried, her face slightly pale, and her clothes were disordered from previous battles. Faint traces of blood stained one arm.

As a second-level Golden Core cultivator, she should have been able to escape a fourth-rank beast under normal circumstances.

But this area was crawling with beasts. Every battle had consumed her spiritual energy, and the noise had only attracted more.

"This is ridiculous!" Shen Yao gritted her teeth, running blindly. "Why are there so many?!"

The beast was closing in. Its enormous claws smashed into the ground, shattering a massive rock.

BOOM!

Shen Yao’s expression grew ugly. Her spiritual energy was nearly exhausted. If she continued like this, she wouldn’t be able to escape.

Suddenly, the beast opened its mouth and unleashed a terrifying roar.

Her footsteps became unsteady, and just as despair crept in, something descended from the sky.

Swish-

A powerful figure landed directly between her and the beast, shattering the ground and sending dust exploding outward.

Before she could clearly see him, the young man had already moved. His black hair fluttered in the wind. The enormous beast roared and charged, but the young man didn’t retreat.

He raised one hand like a claw, countering the beast’s attack directly.

BOOM!

A terrifying force slammed into the creature, sending its massive body crashing into the ground. Before it could recover, his figure flashed again, delivering a final, brutal strike.

The beast’s roar abruptly stopped. Its massive body collapsed, lifeless.

Shen Yao stared at the scene in front of her blankly, her breathing frozen. The beast that had driven her to despair had been killed almost instantly.

Just how powerful is this expert?

As the dust settled, she finally recognized his face.

"You ar..."

She was about to say something, but her gaze fell upon his robe, specifically the prominent emblem of the Azure Heaven Sect.

Her expression immediately became awkward as she realized they were from opposing parties. The two sects had never been particularly friendly.

For a moment, she didn’t know what to say.

Long Feng turned around, his gaze locking onto her as a faint smile appeared on his face.

"Don’t the disciples of the Vermilion Flame Sect learn basic manners? When someone saves your life, shouldn’t you at least say thank you?"

Shen Yao’s beautiful face immediately flushed slightly. She had been too shocked by his sudden appearance.

Now that he mentioned it, she realized that she indeed hadn’t thanked him.

No matter which sect he belongs to, at least he saved her life.

Overcoming her hesitation, she took a breath. "Thank you."

"Much better," Long Feng smiled.

Embarrassed and unwilling to owe an enemy, she immediately turned. "Since you helped me, I won’t disturb you any longer."

"Where do you think you’re going?" Long Feng’s voice cut through the air, dropping any trace of casual banter

.Before she could step away, he closed the distance instantly. His sudden proximity brought an immense, heavy pressure. His oppressive aura expanded without warning, weighing down on the immediate area.

Shen Yao’s movements completely froze. Under the sheer weight of his presence, her already depleted spiritual energy stubbornly refused to circulate.

"It’s night. The mountains are crawling with beasts, and your energy is entirely spent," Long Feng stated coldly, his eyes sweeping over her trembling form with undeniable dominance.

"I can manage..." she tried to argue, but the words caught in her throat.

Long Feng didn’t give her the chance. Stepping into her personal space, his masculine aura enveloped her entirely, completely overwhelming her senses.

For all her pride as a prominent sect disciple, she suddenly felt as helpless and docile as a cornered cat.

He reached out and forcefully wrapped a powerful arm around her waist, lifting her against his chest.

Shen Yao gasped, her body stiffening completely at the sudden, warm touch.

"W-what are you doing? Put me down!"

"Silence." The single, domineering word left no room for protest.

"I know a cave nearby. You can recover there."

Shen Yao wanted to argue, but he was already standing close, too close. For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond.

Realizing she had absolutely no strength to resist his iron grip, Shen Yao bit her lip and fell silent, her face burning with a mixture of humiliation and a strange, involuntary submission to his strength.

Long Feng carried her swiftly through the darkness, soon arriving at a secluded cave.

He stepped inside and placed her down, propping her back firmly against the rough stone wall.

Before she could pull away or cover herself, Long Feng knelt directly in front of her. His heavy presence trapped her against the rock.

"Your injuries need immediate attention," he said, his voice deep and authoritative.

Without waiting for her permission, his hands reached for the collar of her outer robe.

"Stop! What are you doing?!" Shen Yao panicked, her hands instinctively coming up to push against his hard chest.

She tried to reject his touch, her face flushing crimson, but her weak resistance didn’t even move him an inch.

"Sit still." Long Feng commanded, his tone brook no argument.

With smooth, unyielding force, his hands parted her outer robe, exposing her shoulder and the bloody wound on her upper arm.

His fingers inadvertently brushed against her bare skin, sending a jolt of warmth through her body.

Shen Yao trembled, completely overwhelmed by his strong masculine aura and the sheer weight of his domineering energy.

She wanted to pull away, to scream at his arrogance, yet looking into his calm, piercing eyes, her body betrayed her, sinking into a forced, helpless submission.

Long Feng ignored her weak protest.

He dipped his fingers into the rich healing salve, though both of them knew the truth, this minor scratch would have healed on its own in a matter of hours.

Her only real issue was depleted spiritual energy!

Treating the injury was merely a pretense, a calculated move to break down her remaining defenses.