Translator: CinderTL
Xu Sanyan's face flushed crimson, as if his internal organs were being consumed by raging flames. The excruciating pain twisted his features as he gritted his teeth, desperately enduring the agony.
His teeth ground together with a grating crunch, and his exposed skin glowed fiery red.
He knew the true target of the flames wasn't his flesh, but his divine soul!
The Nether Phoenix hadn't been drawn into his body, but had burrowed directly into his soul.
This was now a battle of wills, a test of endurance to see who would break first. If Xu Sanyan's resolve faltered, the Nether Phoenix would incinerate him completely, resulting in mutual destruction.
But if he endured, he would achieve a monumental breakthrough, reaping rewards beyond measure.
Lost in his inner world, Xu Sanyan remained oblivious to the outside world.
At that moment, the wooden door of the stone chamber shattered under a powerful kick, revealing eight or nine figures.
The leader was someone Xiang Tan and the others recognized.
"Mo Xianxian?!"
Qin Manyang froze. Why wasn't she wearing her veil?
Though puzzled, she couldn't deny... Mo Xianxian was breathtakingly beautiful, so stunning that other women paled in comparison.
No wonder she always wore a veil. Such beauty could drive any man to madness.
"Where's Xu Sanyan? Tell him to come out and face me."
Mo Xianxian's tone was calm, seemingly unchanged from before, yet Qin Manyang sensed a distinct shift—a newfound assertiveness.
Elder Ren glanced at the group behind Mo Xianxian, recognizing one of them as a disciple of the Crimson Heart Faction—the very person who had brought Mo Xianxian and her companions here.
Mo Xianxian cast a brief glance at Huan Xi'er, her brow furrowing slightly, but she said nothing. She hadn't initially planned to come herself, but after much deliberation, she decided to come after all, realizing the contents of the jade slip were far too critical to ignore.
"May I ask why you seek our holy son?" Elder Ren asked, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture.
"You are unworthy to know. I'll ask one last time: where is Xu Sanyan?"
Mo Xianxian swept a dismissive glance over Elder Ren, her gaze briefly passing over Huan Xi'er before settling on the tunnel entrance. With a casual wave of her hand, she ordered, "Go down and check."
"Yes, Immortal Maiden."
One of her followers, ignoring Elder Ren and his group, strode forward to descend into the tunnel.
"Stop!" Xiang Tan cried out, rushing to block the entrance. Elder Ren's expression darkened, but seeing the formidable figures behind Mo Xianxian, he swallowed his anger. He could sense their overwhelming strength—far surpassing his own.
"Immortal Maiden Mo, isn't this a blatant disregard for our Holy Sect?" Elder Ren asked, his voice strained. He glanced sideways at the dozen or so disciples beside him, drawing some courage from their presence.
"Are you trying to stop me?" Mo Xianxian countered calmly, her eyes fixed on Elder Ren.
Qin Manyang quietly retreated a few steps. She sensed a dangerous aura radiating from Mo Xianxian—a chilling blend of serenity and madness. It was the kind of person who could be smiling and exchanging pleasantries one moment, then drawing a blade to strike the next.
What has she been through? Why has she changed so drastically?
Huan Xi'er squinted at Mo Xianxian. Though he disliked her intensely, Mo Xianxian was still his Godmother's disciple. They had grown up together, and he knew her personality better than anyone.
But...
Huan Xi'er pressed his lips together. He realized he no longer understood Mo Xianxian.
"Move aside," Mo Xianxian repeated.
"Yes."
Elder Ren gritted his teeth. He couldn't let Mo Xianxian leave so easily; otherwise, when the holy son investigated later, he would surely face death.
"Take another step forward, and you'll regret it!" Elder Ren warned.
"Hmph, attack!"
Mo Xianxian wasted no more words. The dozen or so figures behind her surged forward, each unleashing their unique techniques.
The moment the battle began, Elder Ren's heart froze. "Ghost generals?!"
Excluding Mo Xianxian, there were nine of them, all ghost generals—equivalent to cultivators in the Soul Refining Realm!
Though ghost generals were slightly weaker than ordinary Soul Refining Realm cultivators, they were still ghost generals.
The nine of them relentlessly pressed their attack against the sixty-plus cultivators. Elder Ren felt a bitter helplessness, wanting to flee but too afraid to move.
He might be afraid, but others weren't.
Qin Manyang was one of them. The moment the fighting erupted, she slashed through the wooden hut with her sword and fled.
Her escape triggered a chain reaction. One by one, others followed suit, until only forty-odd cultivators remained, stubbornly holding their ground.
Inside the stone chamber,
Xu Sanyan remained unaware of the battle raging outside. He continued to refine the Nether Phoenix Divine Soul with unwavering focus, a layer of illusory fire enveloping his body and clinging to his robes without causing the slightest damage.
This ethereal fire burned with a faint, unreal glow, lacking the intense heat of ordinary flames. Yet Xu Sanyan's contorted face betrayed the agonizing torment he was enduring.
The yin fire tempered his divine soul, purging all impurities from his soul.
After a long while,
The searing heat gradually subsided. Though the pain persisted, it was no longer as unbearable as before.
Xu Sanyan's senses slowly returned. He opened his eyes and immediately examined the changes within himself.
His divine soul, originally weighing nearly three kilograms, had likely been reduced to around two kilograms after the burning process. However, it had become far more condensed and responsive to his will.
With a thought, a sharp cone materialized in the air.
Previously, when using the Lu Clan's Spirit Refining Force, he could only manifest a single cone. While capable of damaging souls, it rarely proved fatal.
The Cone now possessed far greater lethality, enveloped in a faint, nearly invisible layer of yin fire detectable only through divine sense.
This Cone finally possessed true power. Against an opponent with a weaker divine soul, a single strike could shatter their soul into oblivion.
Xu Sanyan turned his gaze inward. The illusory form of the Nether Phoenix had vanished, completely merging with his divine soul, bestowing upon him immeasurable benefits.
First, his divine soul had solidified. His three pounds of soul spirit had condensed into two, a seemingly smaller quantity. However, this reduction represented the removal of impurities, resulting in a higher overall quality and an increased capacity to absorb more soul spirit.
Second, the layer of yin fire clinging to his divine soul was the true highlight. It possessed two primary abilities:
First, it could dramatically enhance the power of his divine soul mystical arts, imbuing them with a soul-scorching effect. Divine soul arts were notoriously difficult to defend against and inherently insidious. Combined with the yin fire, their effectiveness far exceeded the sum of their parts.
Second, the yin fire would continuously refine Xu Sanyan's divine soul. While the refinement process was slower and less potent than the initial fusion, its persistent nature ensured steady progress.
In Xu Sanyan's eyes, the latter was far more valuable than the former.
With this yin fire, he would gain even greater benefits when he broke through to the Soul Refining Realm.
"Hahahaha! If you can help me advance further on my Dao, then your death will have served its purpose!" Xu Sanyan laughed heartily as he stored the discipline ruler. Now that it was empty again, it was time to invite the next tenant.
Just then, he heard the sounds of chaotic fighting coming from the passage, punctuated by occasional screams of agony. Xu Sanyan strained his ears, but could only make out a jumbled mess of noise.
"Who are they fighting?"
Xu Sanyan silently speculated. Could it be the government official had brought reinforcements?
His thoughts raced as he settled back into a meditative posture. To be safe, he decided to break through to the Soul Refining Realm first.
The official's strength surpassed his own, and judging by the noise, the attacking force was likely substantial. Otherwise, they wouldn't be making such a commotion.
I hope Elder Ren and the others can hold out a little longer, Xu Sanyan thought. With a mental command, the Vitality points on his panel instantly vanished.
"Upgrade!"
(End of the Chapter)
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