I’ll Take That Opportunity Chapter 23 - Acquiring The Spirit Fire

“The karma here is settled. Zhang Xiao is dead, and the only one who knows is Wang Yun.”

“Now, let’s see what fate has in store for me.”

[Name: Ye Lin]

[Cultivation base: 7th layer Qi Refinement]

[Fate grade: black (fraught with calamity)]

[Fate trait: shrouded in misfortune, transcendental perception]

[Fate prediction: Zhang Xiao is dead. Wang Yun, realizing he’s no match for you, will keep the truth to himself, fearing he’ll be next. In three months, during a secret realm treasure hunt, you will view the opportunity of another and uncover the location of a high-grade mystic-tier spirit herb, Multigem Mushroom. While seeking it out, you’ll be discovered by Lin Ziyou, an inner disciple. He will demand the Multigem Mushroom, and when you refuse, a fight will ensue. Ultimately, you will be no match for him and die by his hand.]

[Upcoming opportunity: none]

[Shrouded in misfortune: you are prone to accidents and betrayals.]

[Transcendental perception: you possess an incredible ability to grasp cultivation methods, mastering in days what others take months to learn.]

“Since you’re so sensible, I’ll spare your life. You’ll be dead in three months anyway.” Ye Lin muttered to himself.

In three months, Wang Yun would be killed by a deviant devil. Ye Lin wouldn’t even need to lift a finger.

“Multigem Mushroom… Lin Ziyou, huh?” Staring at the panel, Ye Lin’s gaze sharpened.

The Multigem Mushroom—a vital ingredient for refining Foundation Establishment Pills—was of immeasurable value.

“It seems I’ll have to keep a close eye on this Lin Ziyou. The fact that I can contend with him suggests he’s at the 9th layer Qi Refinement stage, rather than having stepped into Foundation Establishment.” Ye Lin thought to himself.

If Lin Ziyou were in the Foundation Establishment stage, he wouldn’t even stand a chance of fighting back.

“It seems that within the next three months, I must break through to the 8th layer Qi Refinement stage. More than that—I need to seize a few more opportunities. If I can obtain something like that talisman as a trump card, all the better.”

After returning to his residence, Ye Lin immediately entered closed-door cultivation, determined to push through to the 8th layer.

He swallowed the demon core. With prior experience, suppressing its violent energy was far easier this time.

Half a month passed before Ye Lin finished refining the demon core.

“Phew… 7th layer Qi Refinement—not far from the 8th layer. Once I claim Wang Yun’s opportunity, I’ll isolate myself for two months and make a breakthrough in one go.”

“By then, I’ll be able to challenge an inner disciple—perfectly timed with the opening of the Inner Sect Secret Realm.”

Within the outer sect, others surely had similar ambitions. For the past decade, no outer disciple had challenged an inner disciple—the rewards simply hadn’t justified the risk.

But this time was different.

With the Inner Sect Secret Realm about to open, the rewards were enough to drive everyone mad. Cultivators who’d been in seclusion would soon begin to emerge and challenge inner disciples.

Zhang Xiao was merely the first.

“It’s time to take Wang Yun’s opportunity.”

Ye Lin put away the mid-grade Spirit Stone in his hand, stepped out of his dwelling, and made his way toward the depths of the mountain range.

Before leaving, he stopped by the Scripture Pavilion to review the steps for refining Spirit Fire.

The Azure Cloud Sect lay on the outskirts of the Hundred Thousand Li Mountain Range, serving as a barrier to keep demon beasts from spilling into human lands.

Within the Hundred Thousand Li Mountain Range, demon beasts roamed freely, and treasures lay hidden in every corner—making it a prime area of activity for countless rogue cultivators.

Those who ventured here were all both courageous and resourceful—because the merely courageous had long since perished.

The She Mountain stood deep within the Hundred Thousand Li Mountain Range—a perilous region rumored to be guarded by a Demon King.

A Demon King was a Gold Core demon beast. Should it stir, it could flatten everything in its path.

“Phew… better be careful. If that thing notices me, I’ll be dead for sure.”

Leaping nimbly through the thicket, Ye Lin advanced swiftly, careful not to attract the attention of any nearby demon beasts.

The surrounding demon beasts were all at the Qi Refinement stage and were essentially unable to detect Ye Lin’s presence.

"I've arrived."

Ye Lin, moving at top speed, came to an abrupt halt. Before him, at the foot of a looming mountain, was a vertical fissure. As he drew closer, a wave of scorching heat rushed out to meet him.

“This must be the location of the Spirit Fire.”

His eyes gleamed with excitement. Without hesitation, he squeezed into the fissure and began inching his way forward.

If he succeeded in merging with the Spirit Fire, Zhang Xiao wouldn’t have been able to match him.

After entering the fissure, he found himself in a deep cave. The farther he went, the hotter it became. By the halfway point, his throat was already dry from the heat.

Clenching his jaw, he forced himself forward.

At last, the cave opened up into a vast chamber. Suspended in midair was a mesmerizing green flame, its glow ethereal and beautiful.

But beneath that beauty lurked a searing, terrifying heat—over ten thousand degrees. Of course, that was only at its core. The surface temperature was much lower; otherwise, the entire mountain would have vanished long ago.

“Phew… what intense heat.”

Ye Lin quickly took out a mid-grade Spirit Stone, circulating his spirit qi. A green barrier enveloped his body—the externalization of spirit qi. With the Spirit Stone replenishing his spirit qi, he could just barely withstand the environment.

“To refine Spirit Fire, I’ll have to swallow it whole… Will this thing really not vaporize me on the spot?”

Staring at the Spirit Fire ahead, Ye Lin couldn’t help but start doubting his life choices. The manuals in the Scripture Pavilion had been clear: to refine Spirit Fire, one had to swallow it whole, then circulate their cultivation method to forcibly suppress and assimilate it.

“Forget it. Passing up an opportunity like this? I’d have to be insane.”

Without another thought, Ye Lin lunged forward, grabbed the Spirit Fire, and shoved it straight into his mouth. He immediately sat down cross-legged, frantically absorbing spirit qi from the mid-grade Spirit Stone and began circulating his cultivation method.

The very next instant—his expression twisted in agony.

An excruciating, searing pain tore through him, as if his internal organs were melting.

The spirit qi he gathered to suppress the Spirit Fire was instantly devoured by it—completely useless.

If someone had been watching from a distance, they would’ve seen Ye Lin’s abdomen glowing bright red, as though it might rupture at any moment.

“No… I can’t hold on…!”

The unbearable pain dulled his consciousness, and moments later, his body collapsed to the ground, motionless.

Three days later, Ye Lin’s eyelids fluttered open.

“What… what terrific strength…”

He slowly clenched his fist, feeling a surge of strength coursing through his veins. His entire body brimmed with a newfound, indescribable vitality.

Not only had his strength doubled, but within his dantian, a cluster of green flame now hovered quietly.

“This is… Spirit Fire? It’s merged with me? That means… I can harness its power now?” A grin spread across Ye Lin’s face.

Without hesitation, he activated the Seven Kill Fist. In an instant, a swirl of green fire coiled around his right arm like a serpent.

He struck out with a punch.

A muffled boom echoed as a large hole appeared in the sturdy stone wall beside him.

The mountain quivered faintly.

Inside the opening, green fire licked at the stone, burning it as effortlessly as dry firewood.

Ye Lin reached out, his fingers brushing against the searing fire. To his surprise, the fire didn’t burn him. Instead, it danced along his fingers like a mischievous child, its flickering form light and playful.

There was no heat—only a strange, indescribable sensation.

A moment later, as if it had finished toying with him, the green fire slipped into his skin and vanished without a trace.