It was clear that the Earth King Bear was grateful to Lin Qian for sparing its life and offered its most prized possession from within its cave as a gift.
At this moment, placed at Lin Qian's feet was a strange, soft substance.
When Lin Qian picked it up, he found it incredibly soft to the touch, almost like flesh, but it wasn't flesh. What surprised him even more was that this substance could autonomously attract the surrounding spiritual energy and absorb it, which was nothing short of miraculous.
"Spirit-Absorbing Soil!" exclaimed the strongest member of the Dwarven Clan in the group upon seeing what Lin Qian was holding. The dwarf hurriedly approached Lin Qian, his eyes filled with excitement.
"Respected Lord, may I take a closer look at this?" The dwarf, upon reaching Lin Qian, respectfully bowed and looked up at him with eager eyes, hoping Lin Qian would allow him to examine the item.
Seeing the dwarf's enthusiasm, Lin Qian saw no reason to refuse and nodded, handing the so-called Spirit-Absorbing Soil to the dwarf.
Meanwhile, the Earth King Bear had quietly retreated back into its cave, and with a loud thud, it rolled a massive boulder to block the entrance.
Noticing the bear's actions, Lin Qian chuckled to himself and then turned his attention back to the dwarf before him.
The dwarf, the strongest among his kind in this rescue team, had a cultivation level of Nirvana Realm, second tier, and was also a highly skilled blacksmith.
His name was Lu Qiaosi.
Taking the Spirit-Absorbing Soil from Lin Qian, Lu Qiaosi carefully examined it, kneading it in his hands before respectfully returning it to Lin Qian. "Respected Lord, this is indeed pure Spirit-Absorbing Soil!"
Lin Qian placed the item into his storage space within the Hua Xia Empire and sent it to Zhuge Ming for further research. He then turned to the dwarf and asked, "What exactly is this Spirit-Absorbing Soil, and what makes it so special?"
"Respected Lord, this Spirit-Absorbing Soil is a miraculous material for forging weapons. It can absorb spiritual energy from the environment, much like a living being's blood and meridians, and convert it into soul power."
"By incorporating Spirit-Absorbing Soil into a soul weapon during the forging process, the weapon can store large amounts of soul power. Moreover, it doesn't require the user to infuse it with soul power manually—it will absorb spiritual energy on its own and convert it."
After listening to the dwarf's explanation, Lin Qian understood the function of the Spirit-Absorbing Soil and was pleasantly surprised to learn of such a unique material.
"This precious forging material is something only the royal family of the Blackhorn Kingdom can possess, and even then, it's extremely rare," Lu Qiaosi added with a sigh. "Spirit-Absorbing Soil has no predictable growth pattern; it can appear in ordinary soil or rock formations."
Based on the dwarf's speculation, it seemed the Earth King Bear had likely discovered the Spirit-Absorbing Soil while digging out its cave and had recognized it as a valuable treasure for enhancing its cultivation by absorbing its stored soul power.
Through sheer strength, Lin Qian had beaten this formidable beast into submission and spared its life. Out of gratitude, the Earth King Bear had given him its most precious possession.
"It seems like I've gained quite a valuable reward. Let's keep moving," Lin Qian said, satisfied, as he called out to Barrett.
Barrett, who had been staring in a daze at the cave where the Earth King Bear resided, snapped back to reality at Lin Qian's call and quickly resumed leading the way.
As they passed the cave entrance blocked by the massive boulder, everyone felt incredibly fortunate. Had Lin Qian not been with them, they would have likely ended up as the bear's next meal.
At the same time, everyone's respect and fear for Lin Qian deepened.
Previously, they had assumed Lin Qian's cultivation level to be in the Sky Piercing Realm, based on how effortlessly he had defeated Nirvana Realm enemies. That would have made sense.
As for the Life and Death Realm? They didn't even dare to consider it. After all, Lin Qian was only twenty-six years old. How could he possibly have reached the Life and Death Realm?
But now, they had a clearer understanding of Lin Qian's true strength.
"Respected Lord," called Liu Fang, the human leader within the group, finally mustering the courage to speak after taking a deep breath.
Hearing Liu Fang address him, Lin Qian curiously turned around and looked at him. "What is it?"
"May I boldly ask, Respected Lord, what is your current cultivation level?" Liu Fang hesitated for a moment before finally asking, driven by an insatiable curiosity. As a fellow human, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at Lin Qian's incredible strength.
In fact, the humans in the group had started walking with their heads held high, filled with newfound confidence.
For a long time, although humans were the most populous of the four races, they had also been the weakest. Each settlement had heard of Redhorn Clan members becoming protectors, as well as cases of Centaurians and Dwarves taking on that role.
But never, in any settlement, had a human protector emerged. Never before!
Humans had never produced a warrior as formidable as Lin Qian.
They weren't without strong warriors in the Awakening Realm, but even they paled in comparison to the Life and Death Realm powerhouses of the other races.
"My cultivation level?" Lin Qian responded straightforwardly, "Life and Death Realm, Heart Stage."
To Lin Qian, it was natural for them to be curious about his cultivation, and he saw no harm in letting them know. Satisfying their curiosity didn't bother him.
As Lin Qian spoke, Liu Fang and the others widened their eyes in shock, staring at him in disbelief.
The Life and Death Realm, Heart Stage, at twenty-six years old!
Now aware of Lin Qian's true strength, Liu Fang felt deeply humbled. He was nearing fifty years old and had only reached the Nirvana Realm.
Yet here was this young human, a mere twenty-six years old, who had already reached the Heart Stage of the Life and Death Realm, just one step away from the Awakening Realm!
It's true what they say: comparisons can be cruel.
In truth, Liu Fang wanted to ask Lin Qian why the gap between them, as fellow humans, was so vast. But knowing that such a question involved the secrets of cultivation, he didn't dare to ask.
As the group marveled at Lin Qian's strength, they finally reached their destination—the settlement.
Standing on the cliff overlooking the settlement, Lin Qian couldn't help but be impressed by the sight before him. The settlement, where four different races lived together, was truly a remarkable sight.