67: Transformation in life and death

Li Xingyan was startled awake by a strong, piercing pain.

When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the barrier, thin as a cicada's wing, and the ice-blue flames enveloping him.

Then, Li Xingyan looked up and realized he was inside a giant Glazed Lamp, with surging, platinum-colored flames engulfing him.

It was clearly trying to refine him directly.

Li Xingyan looked around and could feel a pair of eyes in the darkness staring intently at him.

Greedy, tyrannical, scorching, like a cunning and ferocious Vicious Beast.

It was hard to imagine that a ball of flame could possess sentience.

But this was a Spirit Flame, nurtured by heaven and earth, born with the ultimate Origin of Fire.

“Come on! Let’s see if you eat me, or I eat you!”

Taking a deep breath, Li Xingyan simply removed the barrier on his own.

His injuries had mostly recovered, and continuing to wait would clearly be meaningless.

As the barrier disappeared, Li Xingyan instantly fell into the Glazed Lamp.

The surging, platinum-colored flames immediately swept over his entire body, like a Pill Furnace intending to refine Li Xingyan into ashes.

Even though Li Xingyan was enveloped in a layer of Mystic Frost Ice Crystal Flame, the continuous Earth Core Glazed Flame still seeped through the gaps, constantly invading his body.

Immediately, a black flame suddenly rose from within Li Xingyan’s body.

The black flame, named Dark Demonic Fire, was the beast fire of a fourth-grade Yao Beast, the Dark Demonic Tiger, which Li Xingyan had obtained by chance during his three years of training.

With the appearance of the Dark Demonic Fire, Li Xingyan temporarily maintained his balance.

But the terrifying high temperature still reduced his clothes to powder, exposing his entire body to the flames.

Immediately after, the scorching high temperature continuously roasted him.

Some areas even blistered, densely packed with a reddish color, one glance was enough to know how painful it was.

So, Li Xingyan endured the scorching pain and quickly pulled out a handful of Medicinal Pills from his ring and stuffed them into his mouth.

Only Medicinal Pills could slightly alleviate his pain.

“Hoo…” Li Xingyan exhaled a hot breath and said with a distorted expression, “Such terrifying Earth Core Glazed Flame, yet Master endured it for so long with his Soul body. I must not let him down.”

So, while the Medicinal Pills took effect, Li Xingyan began to try to circulate his Cultivation Technique to absorb the surging flames around him.

But as soon as he started absorbing, a sharp, heart-piercing pain appeared in his Meridians.

Yet, in this extreme pain, Li Xingyan slowly closed his eyes.

Because this was his only hope for survival.

In the vast world of lava, time had lost its meaning. No one knew that in the depths of this lava, there was a young man enduring unimaginable pain every moment.

Li Xingyan didn’t know how much time had passed, nor did he have the leisure to pay attention to the flow of time, because even a slight lapse in concentration could turn him into ashes.

In this torment, Li Xingyan not only had to endure physical pain but also mental torture.

He had to remain clear-headed and vigilant at all times, but this clarity meant constant, agonizing torment.

This was an indescribable pain, and an ultimate torment.

Beyond that, there was an unprecedented sense of loneliness.

Here, there was no concept of time, only the sound of lava flowing. Other than that, there was no sound at all.

Li Xingyan was truly exhausted. He often thought that perhaps giving up would be fine.

As long as he gave up, he wouldn’t have to endure this conscious torment, nor the scorching heat.

But whenever this thought arose, Li Xingyan would think of Xin'er, remembering that Xin'er was waiting for him.

He would think of Master, who had sacrificed so much for him. How could he disappoint Master?

He also thought of Tian Linfeng; even now, those mocking words were still fresh in his memory. He wanted to prove to the world,

He, Li Xingyan.

Was not a good-for-nothing!

Therefore, how could he easily give up?

After an unknown period, Li Xingyan’s Medicinal Pills were completely depleted, so he opened his eyes.

The true decisive battle had arrived!

Li Xingyan swallowed his last Myriad Beast Pill, then fiercely removed the flames on his body surface.

In an instant, the surging flames rushed in and quickly drilled into Li Xingyan’s body.

Because of the previous refinement and adaptation, Li Xingyan’s body did not collapse immediately.

But he still underestimated the terrifying power of the Earth Core Glazed Flame’s Origin.

Even though he had previously refined a lot of Earth Core Glazed Flame and developed some resistance.

But that was just ordinary flame; in other words, any amount of such flame could be created from the Earth Core Glazed Flame.

Therefore, when Li Xingyan truly came into contact with the Earth Core Glazed Flame’s Origin, the overwhelming flames instantly enveloped his entire body.

If not for the Spirit Flame and Myriad Beast Pill in Li Xingyan’s body exerting their power, perhaps in just an instant, his body would have turned to ashes.

But even so, his hair turned to ashes in an instant.

Although Li Xingyan could still hold on, under this terrifying high temperature, his skin began to char, his blood boiled frantically, and even his bones made sounds of being overwhelmed.

“Am I really going to die?”

The Earth Core Glazed Flame continued to drill into Li Xingyan’s body, and the temperature continued to rise.

When the temperature reached a certain critical point, Li Xingyan’s body began to disappear inch by inch.

Before long, only a blood-red heart was still beating, with the Mystic Frost Ice Crystal Flame and Dark Demonic Fire enveloping it, making their final resistance.

It was at this critical moment that a terrifying suction force suddenly erupted from within that heart.

Immediately after, the Earth Core Glazed Flame was all absorbed into it.

And as the Earth Core Glazed Flame entered, that heart not only remained unharmed but instead burst forth with an unprecedented brilliance.

Illuminating the depths of this white lava world with a blood-red color.

Immediately, the colors of the three flames—blue, white, and black—began to intertwine on the heart.

Then, a miraculous scene occurred.

Intricate Meridians suddenly spread out from that heart, forming a human shape in the blink of an eye.

Accompanied by the drum-like beating sound, crimson blood began to flow into those Meridians, forming a perfect circulation.

Not only that, but every time the heart beat, the three flames would circulate with the blood through those Meridians, continuously strengthening the newly constructed Meridians.

Then, flesh and bones began to grow along the Meridians little by little, like an unprecedented transformation and rebirth.

This was an astonishing metamorphosis.

Although it was unknown how long this process would take.

But undoubtedly, when this process was complete.

What would emerge was a brand new Li Xingyan…