165: Chapter 164 Day After Day

The ceiling of the space was three zhang high, and the four walls were also made of crystallized rock, but the color was deeper, a dark red approaching black.

Dense patterns flowed across the surface of the rocks; these were the main trunks of the earth fire spiritual vein, converging here into a natural Formation.

In the very center of the space was a three-foot square stone platform.

The stone platform was pitch black, its surface smooth as a mirror, with faint dark red light visible flowing within the platform.

Around the stone platform, streams of crimson Qi were slowly rotating like slithering spirit snakes, emitting a faint whistling sound.

Fire Eye.

Jiang Hanzhou's gaze fell upon that stone platform, his pupils slightly constricting.

He could perceive it.

Beneath that stone platform was the core of the earth fire spiritual vein. Those crimson streams of Qi were the earth vein baleful fire escaping from the Spiritual Vein.

It was the most violent, the purest, and the most difficult to tame among fire-attribute Spiritual Qi.

Ordinary Cultivators, even if they only touched a trace of it, would have their Meridians burned to nothing by the baleful fire.

But if one could tame it and guide it into the body, it was a supreme treasure for tempering the Physical Body and strengthening the true flame.

Jiang Hanzhou took a deep breath.

He did not rush to climb onto the stone platform, instead sitting cross-legged at the edge of the space to regulate his breath and calm his spirit.

After the time it takes to burn an incense stick, his state of mind was completely calm.

He opened his eyes, stood up, and walked step by step toward the stone platform.

The moment he stepped onto the stone platform—Boom!!!

An indescribable, immense force crashed down!

It was the terrifying high temperature that the earth vein baleful fire had accumulated over millions of years, capable of burning everything to ash, surging toward him at this very moment!

Jiang Hanzhou's whole body shuddered, his skin turning crimson in an instant, as if he were about to be roasted.

The Lihuo True Flame within his body surged out frantically, condensing into a thick crimson-gold light shield on the surface of his body!

But that light shield only held for less than three breaths before it began to tremble violently, the light on its surface dimming at a speed visible to the naked eye!

It was too strong.

The intensity of this earth vein baleful fire far exceeded his expectations!

If it were an ordinary Initial Stage of Yuanxiang, they would have already been burned to ash by now, with not even bones left.

But he was not an ordinary Initial Stage of Yuanxiang.

He Cultivated the Li Huo Golden Body Art.

Inside him was the Lihuo True Flame that had undergone three transformations.

He—could hold on!

Jiang Hanzhou gritted his teeth, desperately circulating the fourth-layer heart technique!

The Lihuo True Flame within his body burned frantically, desperately resisting the baleful fire surging in from all directions!

One breath. Ten breaths. A hundred breaths.

Time flowed slowly in extreme torment.

His consciousness was already beginning to blur, his body was already trembling, and his Lihuo True Flame had already been consumed by seventy percent—but he did not retreat.

Because he knew this was the only path.

To Breakthrough from the fourth layer to the fifth layer, one must endure the tempering of the earth vein baleful fire.

If you can hold on, you can transform. If you cannot hold on, you are not worthy.

He would hold on. Even if he died, he would hold on.

He did not know how long had passed. Perhaps it was the time for an incense stick, perhaps an hour, perhaps longer.

The baleful fire that was frantically surging into his body suddenly began to weaken. It was not disappearing, but being "tamed."

Those baleful fires, which were originally so violent they almost burned him to nothing, now seemed to finally acknowledge his persistence; they no longer attacked frantically, but slowly merged into his Meridians, into his blood, and into the ball of Lihuo True Flame deep in his Dantian that was already burning to the extreme.

The true flame began to transform. From the size of a fist, to the size of an infant's head. From the size of an infant's head, to the size of an adult's head. From the size of an adult's head, to—Boom!!!

That ball of true flame suddenly exploded!

The moment it exploded, countless crimson-gold light spots shot out from his body, forming a gorgeous curtain of light around him!

The curtain of light lasted for a full three breaths, then slowly retracted, surging back into his body.

Deep in his Dantian, a new ball of flame was quietly burning. That flame was purer, fiercer, and more—solid than before.

It was not the size of a fist, but the size of an infant's fist.

But Jiang Hanzhou knew that the energy contained in this small ball of flame was ten times that of the previous head-sized true flame!

The fourth layer of the Li Huo Golden Body Art, Condensing Qi into Flame, had reached Perfection.

The Bottleneck of the fifth layer—Blood Burning—was loosening.

He did not open his eyes. He continued to sit cross-legged, guiding the newly born Lihuo True Flame to flow slowly, washing over his Meridians again and again, tempering his flesh and blood again and again.

Under the washing of the true flame, the Qi and blood in his body began to undergo subtle changes. The originally crimson blood was now being dyed with a faint layer of gold.

That gold was extremely faint, so faint it was almost invisible, but Jiang Hanzhou perceived it.

That was the precursor to "Blood Burning."

When the blood was completely transformed into pale gold, and when he could actively ignite that golden blood in exchange for a short-term surge in power—that would be the day of Major Achievement for the fifth layer.

He opened his eyes. Two crimson-gold rays of light shot out from his eyes, hitting the stone platform in front of him, leaving two shallow scorch marks.

He looked down at his hands. In his palm, that wisp of Lihuo True Flame was quietly burning, purer and fiercer than before.

He clenched his fist. The true flame dissipated.

He stood up and walked off the stone platform. He looked back at the Fire Eye, which was still flowing with dark red light, a complex gleam flashing in his eyes.

One day. Only one day. His fourth layer of the Li Huo Golden Body Art had reached Perfection, and the Bottleneck of the fifth layer was beginning to loosen.

If it were ordinary Cultivation, this would require at least half a year of hard work. This was the Earth Fire Cave. This was the Opportunity Master Xue Mu had given him.

He took a deep breath and lifted his foot to walk out of the crevice.

The crevice was still narrow, and the crystallized rock walls on both sides were still scorching hot, but walking through it now, he no longer felt it unbearable. His Lihuo True Flame had already adapted to the aura of this earth vein baleful fire.

When he walked out of the crevice and returned to the karst cave, the three people were still in the same place.

The youth in the dark cyan robe was still Cultivating with his eyes closed, turning a blind eye to him.

The bare-chested man opened his eyes and looked at him; this glance lingered longer than before, his gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny and surprise.

The figure in the fire-red dress was still facing away from everyone, motionless.

Jiang Hanzhou did not stop. He walked straight through the karst cave, stepped onto the winding stone steps, and left the Earth Fire Cave.

The moment he walked out of the Earth Fire Cave, a cool mountain breeze blew against his face. Jiang Hanzhou stopped and took a deep breath.

The Lihuo True Flame within his body was still quietly burning, and that fierce aura formed a sharp contrast with the coolness of the mountain breeze, giving him a feeling of being in another lifetime.

He lifted his head and looked toward the setting sun on the horizon about to sink into the West Sea. The golden-red glow of the sunset spilled onto him, stretching his shadow very, very long.

He remembered the scene from a month ago when he had just stepped into Red Fire Peak. Back then, he was just an Outer Sect Disciple who had just entered the Primal Elephant Realm, full of unfamiliarity and awe for everything in the Dragon Abyss Palace.

Now—he looked down at his right hand. In his palm, a wisp of crimson-gold flame quietly emerged, burning quietly under the sunset.

Lihuo True Flame. Fourth layer Perfection. Fifth layer within reach.

He clenched his fist, and the true flame dissipated. Then he took a step and walked toward his Immortal Cave.

Tomorrow. Continue. Earth Fire Cave, Lijian Cliff. Two points, one line. Until the Dragon Gate Trial begins.