After Meng Zhang's Lesser Yang True Fire reached a certain level of mastery, he began refining the scarlet copper ores he had harvested earlier. Among the knowledge he gained in the Trial Ground, there was information about purifying various ores. With his increasingly proficient techniques, the initially abundant scarlet copper ores were transformed into pure scarlet copper. Scarlet copper was originally a fire attribute ore, and with Meng Zhang using the Lesser Yang True Fire for purification, the final product exuded a warm Yang energy, clearly indicating that it was a top-grade scarlet copper.
After several nights of clearing, apart from those two special locations, Meng Zhang didn't encounter any more Ghosts. This meant that, except for those two places, he could no longer obtain any rewards from the Trial Ground. Now, every night, Meng Zhang could spend a considerable amount of time in the Trial Ground. It was unacceptable for him to waste time here without any gains despite spending spiritual stones and materials.
Finally, Meng Zhang decided to take a big risk and make a bold move. He chose that particular hill as his target. The yin soldiers around that area were slightly inferior in both quantity and quality to the ones in the canyon. Meng Zhang utilized the Soul techniques he had learned during this period, casting all positive effects on himself. The armor condensed with Soul power on his body and the long knife condensed with Soul power in his hand became even more solid.
Quietly using the Soul technique "Obscuring Mist," Meng Zhang sneaked over. Almost as soon as the yin soldiers noticed him, he swung his long knife and killed several of them in one go, taking the initiative. These yin soldiers were indeed well-trained and quickly formed an army formation, surrounding Meng Zhang. Not daring to linger in the battle, Meng Zhang chose a direction and rushed out with all his might. After sustaining multiple wounds, he barely managed to break free from the encirclement.
Meng Zhang fled all the way until the pursuing yin soldiers were far behind before stopping. Due to the heavy damage to his Soul this time, the cool airflow obtained from killing yin soldiers couldn't fully restore him. Meng Zhang wasn't in a hurry and circulated his soul power, slowly repairing his Soul.
Meng Zhang was determined to take this risk. As long as he could eliminate a few yin soldiers each time, and given their limited numbers, he believed that he would eventually wear them down entirely. The biggest danger of this approach was that Meng Zhang had to face extreme risks each time, getting trapped in the yin soldiers' army formation. If he made a mistake or had bad luck, he might end up being completely surrounded and killed.
To seek wealth, one must face risks. If he couldn't even take such risks, how would he face powerful enemies in the Cultivation World and establish his foothold in this world where the weak were prey to the strong?
After fully recovering his Soul, Meng Zhang once again embarked on the high-risk assault. After several attempts, he faced numerous life-and-death situations and nearly lost his life multiple times. But in the end, he succeeded in escaping.
Through these efforts, the number of yin soldiers surrounding that hill indeed decreased significantly. Meng Zhang was certain that although there were many yin soldiers, it was impossible for them to surround him all at once. In the intervals between their movements, he had a chance to escape.
When the number of yin soldiers was reduced to a certain limit, Meng Zhang's assault became smoother, and the danger decreased. At this point, Meng Zhang knew that the overall situation was settled, and it should be only a matter of time before he completely eliminated the yin soldiers around that hill.
As Meng Zhang became stronger, the number of yin soldiers on the hill decreased further. During a Soul recovery session, Meng Zhang had a sudden idea. Since the yin soldiers around the hill were already doomed, why not first test the strength of the yin soldiers guarding the canyon and see if he could use the same method to clear them out?
Thinking it through, he acted on the idea. After his Soul recovered, Meng Zhang approached the canyon entrance and used all his Soul techniques before rushing in. However, before he could get close, the sound of breaking wind resounded. A rain of arrows shot from the mountain peaks on both sides of the canyon, enveloping Meng Zhang from all directions. The yin soldiers guarding the canyon were already prepared and formed neat army formations.
Without hesitation, Meng Zhang turned around and fled. This was simply unfair. Not only did the enemy have long-range archers, but they also had a high level of vigilance. There was no way for him to approach stealthily and launch a surprise attack.
Meng Zhang realized that the yin soldiers guarding the canyon were much stronger than the ones around the hill. Moreover, he had a feeling that there was a terrifying aura hidden within the canyon. It was as if the moment he entered the canyon, that aura would tear him apart completely.
Meng Zhang had always trusted his instincts. He decided to first take down the hill, and as for the canyon, he wouldn't act hastily without a well-thought-out plan.
After making this decision, Meng Zhang followed his original plan and continued to attack the hill. After multiple life-and-death battles, Meng Zhang finally managed to eliminate all the yin soldiers surrounding the hill. On the hilltop, he obtained his spoils—a peculiar black little tree, standing alone at the top of the hill.
The Trial Ground was a desolate place with no vegetation or signs of life. Therefore, this lone tree seemed very strange and bizarre. On top of the small tree, there was a green-colored fruit emitting an enticing fragrance, making one's appetite soar, as if they wanted to swallow the fruit in one bite.
Among the various knowledge he obtained in the Trial Ground, Meng Zhang just happened to have read an introduction about this fruit. It was called the Divine Ability Fruit, capable of stimulating the Soul and inducing Soul mutations. In the Cultivation World, typically only Gold Core Daoist Masters could cultivate true Divine Abilities, known as the Great Divine Ability. Before reaching the Gold Core stage, relying on external forces or using special methods, one could cultivate a weakened version of Divine Abilities, known as Lesser Divine Abilities or False Divine Abilities. Additionally, if a cultivator's physical body or Soul underwent mutations, they might develop abilities similar to Lesser Divine Abilities, generally known as innate Divine Abilities.
The Divine Ability Fruit was a treasure that had never been heard of in places like the Endless Sea of Sand. If such a treasure appeared outside, it would have probably triggered a frenzied scramble by Gold Core Daoist Masters.
Meng Zhang calmed his excited emotions, slowly adjusted his Soul's state, and then plucked the fruit without any hesitation, swallowing it in one gulp.
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