Chapter 2

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Time returned to the Small Cavern of Heaven.

Standing on the cliff edge, Chen Mo gripped a pine branch, his body forming the shape of the character "fire" against the cliff face, which was several dozen feet high.

A strong wind blew, causing his trembling legs to show obvious signs of exhaustion. The rock beneath his feet was slightly loose. He looked up and saw that it was only half a丈 (zhang) away to a mountain stream platform.

Forgetting the fatigue of his body and mind, a surge of excitement arose in his heart. He tested the rock with his foot. Although it was loose, it could still bear his body weight. Clenching his teeth, he used the rock as a support point, leaped up, and grabbed a rock at the cliff top with one hand. His limbs hung in the air, and without further probing the hardness of the rock, he exerted himself again.

A side wind blew past his ears, and it felt as if he was stepping on floating clouds. His body soared over the top and with a "plop," he collapsed onto the edge of the cliff top. It seemed he had never felt such relaxation before. Chen Mo exhaled a deep breath, stirring up a layer of dust on the rock. He quickly flipped over, lying on his back with his eyes slightly closed, a rare smile on his lips.

Suddenly, a faint, exotic fragrance wafted through the gale, permeating his heart and lungs, invigorating his spirit.

It was a solitary platform, only a few dozen feet square. A thin stream of clear mountain water trickled out from the mottled cliff face, winding down along the moss-covered crevices, splashing onto a protruding rock, and scattering into fine droplets. Blown by the gale, it turned into a moist, cool mist.

Amidst the dense fog, where the water flowed, grew a peculiar, short, and thick tree with dark green leaves, resembling a potted plant. The tree had an unusual shape, with strong roots and several crooked branches. On the thickest branch hung a bright red, lustrous, and spirit-infused fruit.

It was this ripe, beautiful fruit that emitted a refreshing, intoxicating fragrance. At the sight of it, one's mouth would water, and a strong urge to swallow it whole would arise.

"Red Flame Spirit Fruit?" Chen Mo exclaimed in surprise, his eyes gleaming with excitement, his heart racing, almost unable to believe his eyes. After rubbing his eyes vigorously, he confirmed that he had not seen wrong. This was the Red Flame Spirit Fruit described in the "Spirit Fruits" section of the *Record of Rare Herbs and Treasures*. Whether it was the shape of the tree or the appearance of the fruit, it matched the illustrations perfectly.

Overwhelmed with mixed emotions, he could hardly contain his joy.

"Whoa~" He drew in a sharp breath. Chen Mo clenched his fist, overjoyed, his heart pounding. "This, this is a second-grade rarity. This is a perfectly ripe Red Flame Spirit Fruit, worth thousands of gold."

Indeed, there was always a way out. He had risked his life to enter the Small Cavern of Heaven, thinking it would be a near-death experience, and had come here secretly without his family's knowledge. The dangers and hardships of climbing the cliff had all been worth it.

At this moment, the fatigue in his body seemed to have vanished, replaced by a sense of elation. His mood, which had been low, lifted instantly. His eyes were fixed on the fruit, his face filled with surprise and joy. Obtaining this spirit fruit would bring about significant changes for him, possibly even altering his current predicament and bringing immeasurable benefits to his family.

His heart raced as if it were in his throat. Chen Mo swallowed, his dry, cracked lips revealing the hardships of his journey. Ignoring the discomfort in his body, as if the world around him had fallen silent, he felt a mix of sorrow and joy. Sorrow for the hardships he had endured, and joy for the hope the fruit would bring.

Even if he found nothing else, this single Red Flame Spirit Fruit would be enough to make a great contribution to his family. Not to mention, it would be no problem to exchange it for a Pulse Nourishing Pill, or even ten or eight. No, no, no. He would exchange it for a third-grade spirit pill, the Heaven Reviving Pill, which could treat meridians. Although it couldn't completely cure his elder brother, it would at least allow him to leave his wheelchair and stand again, living a normal life.

Thinking of his elder brother being able to live a normal life again made him feel even more fortunate about this trip to the Small Cavern of Heaven.

Calm down, he must remain calm. It wasn't time to celebrate yet. Chen Mo took a few deep breaths, forcibly suppressing his excited and restless heart. He knelt down reverently, took out a prepared emerald jade box, and carefully picked the Red Flame Spirit Fruit.

Holding it as if it were a precious treasure, he was afraid it might fall and be lost. His heart pounded, and he tried to suppress his excitement, holding his breath and carefully savoring the fruit. The spirit fruit was slightly warm to the touch, with a translucent, semi-transparent appearance. Inside, a refined red spirit energy seemed to flow slowly. It was crystal clear and exquisitely fragrant, truly deserving its status as a second-grade rarity, even in appearance.

The Red Flame Spirit Fruit was an extremely rare and valuable natural treasure with a wide range of uses. It could be used with other rare materials to refine various spirit pills, temper meridians and physique, and had countless miraculous effects. However, it was slightly regrettable that the powerful medicinal effects of the Red Flame Spirit Fruit contained a trace of heat toxicity, which had to be processed before consumption, or it could lead to the burning of meridians or even death.

After a few lingering glances, he carefully placed the treasure in the jade box, tucked it into his chest, patted his chest, and adjusted his collar, feeling that it was securely stored before he calmed down.

Calculating the time, if he didn't hurry, the entrance to the Small Cavern of Heaven would close. If he couldn't leave before the spatial rift closed, he would be in serious trouble.

Chen Mo composed himself, drank a few sips of the clear, icy mountain stream water, and felt his spirits lift. After sitting in a cross-legged position to recover some of his Green Wood Mystic Qi, he began to climb down. Climbing down was harder than climbing up, and the journey was filled with heart-stopping moments and near-death experiences. The Small Cavern of Heaven was unpredictable, with an uncertain entrance. Over thousands of years, countless people had explored it.

If he had just wandered around some safe mountain streams and pools, how could he have found anything valuable? To gain something, he had to take risks.

It took him more than two hours to reach the foot of the mountain. The feeling of solid ground under his feet was very comforting. After a whole day, his clothes were tattered, his legs and arms were completely drained, and his body was covered in cuts and blood.

But all of this was worth it for a single Red Flame Spirit Fruit. This was a second-grade rarity, a rare treasure even for his family. This time, he would definitely make his elder brother stand again. Chen Mo clenched his fist, filled with excitement and joy, and began to head towards the entrance rift.

"Rustle~" The rocks under his feet trembled slightly, and some loose stones rolled down. The frequency of tremors in the Small Cavern of Heaven was increasing. In just half an incense stick's time, another earthquake occurred. This indicated that the spatial entrance and exit of the Small Cavern of Heaven were becoming increasingly unstable, urging those who had entered to hurry out.

Otherwise, if the spatial rift closed, they would be trapped in the Small Cavern of Heaven. Given its unpredictability, who knew how many decades or even centuries it would take for it to reopen in some corner of the continent.

No one wanted to be trapped in the Small Cavern of Heaven for life. The spatial rift resembled a long, vertical human eye, with colorful light halos constantly swirling within, appearing mysterious and eerie. Chen Mo was secretly delighted; as long as he left the Small Cavern of Heaven, he would be safe.

He immediately circulated the thin, pale green Mystic Qi in his Sea of Qi, channeling most of it into his legs, and dashed towards the spatial rift. His body was as light as a feather, and with a single step, he could leap or float several dozen feet. This was the wonder of Mystic Qi, which, even at the initial stage of the Spirit Disciple realm, set him apart from ordinary people who did not cultivate.

Covering several dozen feet, he could cross the distance in a few short breaths at full speed.

But the world is unpredictable, and sudden changes can occur. Before he could calm down, a person appeared in front of him, instantly making his heart race with alertness.

A scorching wind rushed down from above, aiming directly at Chen Mo, accompanied by a smug, sinister laugh: "Chen Mo, I've been waiting for you for a long time."

......

(New book uploaded, please give more recommendations~)

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