Facing the blazing Earth Dragon Fire, Shu Han immediately reached out his hand and began to operate the "Heavenly Fire Cultivation Technique" in his mind.

In an instant, the intricate transformation formation began to form before him. After working through half the night, the formation under his hand was complete. The gushing Earth Dragon Fire, guided by the formation, transformed into a rich hot spring that flowed into Shu Han's palm.

Suddenly, the Black Abyssal Fire flared up in Shu Han's other hand. He could clearly feel the nourishment of its source, but its growth was extremely slow.

Staring at the growing Black Abyssal Fire, despite his joy, Shu Han couldn't help but sigh. The speed was less than satisfactory. The Earth Dragon Fire from the premium caves was of top quality.

While the Earth Dragon Fire vein was more than sufficient for refining, it was still like a drop in the bucket when it came to cultivating Heavenly Fire.

In Shu Han's estimation, even if he worked continuously without rest, cultivating his Black Abyssal Fire to the level of Song Changyi's would probably take hundreds of years.

To be fair, Song Changyi hadn't misled him. This speed was already considered very good, given that the source of Heavenly Fire was exceedingly rare and not so easily cultivated.

Shu Han couldn't wait that long. Shangguan Ruolin was waiting for him; he couldn't afford to spend time cultivating the Heavenly Fire. So, he stopped and turned his focus to advancing his cultivation realm.

Shu Han took out the Earth Essence Pill, its rich medicinal scent immediately lifting his spirits. Currently stuck at the mid-stage peak, progressing to the late-stage seemed both close yet impossibly far. He thought that with the Earth Essence Pill and the help of the fire spring, he might make a breakthrough.

After some contemplation, Shu Han still suppressed his impulse. The sudden gift of the pill from Elder Lu always left him feeling uneasy. Why would someone he barely knew give him such a gift? Did he truly want to take him as a disciple? What qualities did Shu Han possess that caught his attention?

Given Shu Han's cautious nature, he should have discarded the pill immediately. He didn't believe that there were genuine altruists in the cultivation world.

However, the allure of breaking through the mid-stage peak was strong. He didn't have many options, and he had an agreement with Shangguan Ruolin; he was truly reluctant to discard the Earth Essence Pill.

Thus, Shu Han meticulously inspected the pill using his divine consciousness, placing it over the Earth Dragon Fire to refine it. After an entire night of testing and re-testing, he found nothing suspicious about the pill.

Scratching his head, he wondered, had he been overly suspicious? Was Elder Lu genuinely well-intentioned?

Shu Han remained cautious. Suddenly, an idea struck him. He pulled out the slumbering Jade Rabbit from his jade pendant space and placed the Earth Essence Pill before it.

The Jade Rabbit tilted its head, looking weakly at Shu Han, puzzled by his intentions.

With a broad smile, Shu Han coaxed, "Cabbie, don't be afraid. Over the years, you've provided me with so much Grand Yin essence. This pill is a reward for you. Go ahead, eat it! It's not poisonous, I promise!"

Upon hearing these words, the Jade Rabbit took two steps back, hesitant.

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It remembered the time Shu Han had enticed it with a heap of spiritual herbs, only to find out that he had ulterior motives. The rabbit had grown wary of Shu Han's harmless smiles, especially when hearing the words "not poisonous". Was this cunning master plotting another scheme against it?

Its tiny nose twitched continuously, sniffing the pill back and forth. Smelling the potent medicinal power of the pill, it couldn't help but drool.

In the end, after determining the pill was safe, the rabbit tried to bite into it. However, instead of the pill, it ended up biting a chunk of dirt.

Shu Han quickly retrieved the pill, laughing heartily. "Sorry, Cabbie. I need this pill for now. When I get the recipe in the future, I'll refine a few batches as snacks for you."

The Jade Rabbit, looking at Shu Han's smug expression, was so upset that tears formed in its eyes. It squealed in protest, lamenting the years of mistreatment by Shu Han.

Feeling a bit guilty, Shu Han tossed the rabbit a few ginseng legs to placate it and finally silence its grievances.

Putting the Jade Rabbit away, Shu Han, now confident in the pill's safety, excitedly made his way to the Fiery Cloud Onsen, ready for a breakthrough into the later stages.

Leaving his cave dwelling, Shu Han flew towards the Fiery Cloud Onsen.

The Fiery Cloud Onsen was a famous cultivation spot within the Fiery Cloud Instant Sect. The spring water could purify the violent power of the Earth Dragon Fire, transforming it into a rich essence that cultivators could absorb.

Cultivating at the Fiery Cloud Onsen could speed up progress several-fold. Moreover, the unique spring water, infused with various spiritual herbs, increased the probability of a cultivator's breakthrough.

From a distance, mist could be seen rising near the mountain peak of Fiery Cloud Mountain. The hazy mist, under the always-red sky, seemed like the rouge of Fiery Cloud Mountain.

Though the effects of the Fiery Cloud Onsen were outstanding, its fees were exorbitant. A single soak cost a hundred sect contributions.

When Shu Han joined the sect, he received three hundred contributions - an amount that would surely make many envious. Many Foundation Establishment disciples struggled for years to accumulate a hundred contributions.

However, Song Changyi's token was worth a whopping fifty thousand contributions, showcasing his immense wealth and status.

Around the Fiery Cloud Onsen, prohibitive formations were set up. Rumor has it that even those in the Core Formation stage found it challenging to penetrate. Anyone wanting to enter or exit the Fiery Cloud Onsen had to make their contribution through the main entrance. The main entrance was rather deserted, as only a few could afford the steep price of the spring, leaving the guarding disciple yawning out of boredom.

Seeing Shu Han approach, the guard, unfamiliar with Shu Han's face, surmised that he must be one of the less affluent disciples who had painstakingly saved up their contributions for a rare opportunity to experience the springs. Seizing the chance, he thought to gouge a bit extra from this newcomer.

So, he said, "It will be a total of 110 sect contributions to enter."

Shu Han was taken aback, "Wasn't it 100?"

The guard snorted, "Young brother, you seem out of the loop. Are you aware that the Fiery Cloud Onsen is tiered?"

"Oh? Do tell."

The disciple explained, "The Fiery Cloud Onsen is categorized into four levels based on the richness of its spiritual power: Heavenly, Earthly, Mystierous, and Primordial. The 100 contributions can only get you into a Primordial-level section. However, even within the Primordial level, there are variations in spiritual power. The additional ten is a service fee, for me to select a good spot with potent spiritual power for you."

Shu Han chuckled internally, thinking, 'Charging me ten contributions just to pick a spot? Quite the shrewd businessman, aren't you?'

With a slap, he produced his token and said, "There's no need for you to select a spot for me. Just direct me to the Heavenly-level spring!"

"Heavenly-level?!" The man jumped in shock, exclaiming, "Brother, have you lost your mind? The Heavenly-level costs 300 contributions! You only seem to be at a mid-stage cultivation. Why be so extravagant?"

Suddenly, spotting the token that Shu Han slapped down, he trembled, "A purple-red token... with fifty thousand contributions... Isn't this senior brother Song's token? How do you have it?"

"Do I need to explain? Or perhaps you'd prefer to ask senior brother Song yourself?"

Terrified, the man stuttered, "No need, no need! Senior brother... I mean, my apologies. I misunderstood earlier. Please follow me; I will guide you to the best Heaven-level pool."

Observing the man's obsequious demeanor, Shu Han mused, 'This Song Changyi's reputation sure is handy. I wonder what heinous acts this guy has committed within the sect to instill such fear, turning a mid-stage cultivator into a trembling mess.'