The red mist drifting high above the valley began to solidify and grow viscous. Its size constantly shrank, while red liquid kept dripping from it onto the already fractured ground, corroding a foul-smelling pit.

"What... is this thing?"

Xu Ran disdainfully remarked as he eyed the red substance that was slowly transforming from mist into a viscous liquid.

There’s no way around it.

The red viscous liquid always emitted a pungent stench. Even with Innate Qi surrounding Xu Ran, the odor permeated through.

Fortunately, the smell didn’t affect Xu Ran in any way.

The stench was so strong that even the Peregrine Falcon in a safe zone could clearly smell it.

In just a single breath, the Peregrine Falcon couldn’t endure that stench. The Kunpeng Bloodline in its heart was activated, rushing towards its nostrils and completely blocking them.

Even so, some of the smell seeped into its nose, hard to withstand.

With no other choice, the Peregrine Falcon gathered its precious Innate Qi to attach to its nostrils, slightly alleviating the odor, though a trace still lingered. This was its limit.

"What is this thing? How can it be so foul?"

The Peregrine Falcon silently complained, eyes full of concern as it looked at its master, Xu Ran.

Even from such a distance, it could smell it; surely the closest master could too.

Moreover, this red liquid was far eerier than the previous white bones.

...

As Xu Ran racked his brains trying to recognize the red liquid, it had already absorbed the valley’s pale green and yearned to devour more.

The next moment.

A vicious light seemed to flash within the viscous red liquid, staring at Xu Ran.

More accurately, it fixated on the Innate Qi surrounding Xu Ran’s body.

"Whoosh!"

The next moment.

A figure, resembling red lightning, darted through the air, leaving a trail as it rushed straight towards Xu Ran.

An alert Xu Ran immediately perceived its intent. Instantly, Innate Qi surged from his body, affixing to his feet. He fiercely stomped the ground, transforming into white lightning, dashing backward away from the viscous red liquid.

The red viscous liquid, seeing Xu Ran retreat in haste, maintained a steady pace, slowly approaching Xu Ran and leaving a red trail behind. This trace remained even in the air.

The residual red trace, like a mass of red liquid, constantly squirmed, as if tiny worms were inside.

Seeing this, Xu Ran felt a foreboding sense of unease. He immediately narrowed his eyes, a golden light flickering within them, as Innate Qi wrapped around his pupils, an overpowering aura emanating.

His gold-lit eyes focused on the slowly writhing red trace, and his expression grew increasingly grave.

"Such high intelligence for a red viscous liquid!"

Xu Ran’s tone carried a hint of shock.

In this valley, if the creature was a fully formed monster, saying it possessed intelligence would be understandable. Yet the sight in front of him was just a mass of unrecognizable liquid, emitting a vile odor.

Such a creature having high intelligence.

Instantly, it discerned that during Xu Ran’s actions, Innate Qi occasionally left traces in the air, even if only momentarily.

Knowing it couldn’t seize Innate Qi directly from Xu Ran, the red liquid devised a method to acquire Innate Qi. Though transient, for that red liquid, it sufficed.

When Xu Ran retreated several hundred meters, along the way, the remaining Innate Qi wasn’t plentiful but wasn’t negligible either.

Xu Ran came to a slow stop, hovering in mid-air, watching the red viscous liquid consuming the Innate Qi along the path. He furrowed his brow.

After consuming the trail of Innate Qi, the red viscous liquid regained solidity, no longer dropping liquid to the ground, instead hovering like a stone.

With gold-lit eyes, Xu Ran stared at the red stone, unmoving. The Innate Qi within him continuously converged towards his eyes, and at once, his eyes emitted a golden light, shooting like a ray toward the suspended red stone.

"Clang!"

When the golden light struck the stone, it reflected away, a golden beam shooting skyward, piercing the clouds, and slicing through the valley’s tranquility, disappearing in the distance.

Simultaneously, golden light spilled throughout the valley. The valley was adorned with a sacred golden sheen, illuminating every contour with crystal clarity.

"Innate Qi can’t see through that red stone!"

Xu Ran was somewhat astonished.

Since absorbing Innate Qi, nothing could obstruct it, yet today in this bizarre valley, something did.

"Swoosh!"

As Xu Ran marveled, the red stone emitted a pervasive red, like billowing lava, lighting the valley and splitting its sky.

For a moment.

Gold and red, two distinctly vivid colors filled the valley. The lights intertwined as if vying for territory, neither yielding.

The Peregrine Falcon in the safe zone was dazzled by the sudden beams, closing its eyes tight.

If not for the Innate Qi and Kunpeng Bloodline within it, its eyes would have been blinded.

"How do these two auras seem so similar?"

The Peregrine Falcon was deeply puzzled by the light emergences as if they were from the same source.

Gradually.

The two lights in the valley faded, seeming to merge until they completely vanished.

Watching the dissipating lights, Xu Ran felt no relief, instead a weighty burden.

It felt like an identical figure appeared before him.

"Crack!"

Suddenly.

A crisp cracking sound echoed in the valley, a thunderous crash in the utter silence.

This sound broke the valley’s tranquility.

Following the sound.

The red stone hovering in mid-air developed a crack in its center.

With gold-lit eyes, Xu Ran watched as small stone fragments flew, dispersing into the sky.

Moreover.

Once a crack formed, subsequent fissures couldn’t be halted, webbing like a spider across the red stone.

Ultimately.

"Boom!"

A clear burst resounded, scattering red stones high above, a red glow emanating.

Looking up.

A red bone floated high in the sky. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

A streak of white breath still lingered in the bone.

"That’s... Innate Qi!"

Xu Ran’s eyes filled with gravity as he observed the red bone’s sudden appearance.

He could sense Innate Qi from the red bone.

Not because only Xu Ran had Innate Qi in the world, but because the scene of the yellow viscous liquid devouring Innate Qi behind him was still vivid.

He thought he was prepared, yet didn’t anticipate the quick manifestation.

Clearly, the Innate Qi extracted from him appeared on the red bone.

In the safe zone, the Peregrine Falcon, seeing another red bone high above, immediately felt overwhelmed.

"Another bone? Is it an Ancient Demon Beast’s remnant again?"