48: Phoenix Undying Body Initial Awakening

Lin Dao brought Phoenix Spirit back to the Lin Family of Qingzhou before long.

He did not make a grand entrance, appearing directly in the Quiet Room of the ancestral hall before sending a voice transmission to Acting Clan Head Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan arrived quickly. Upon entering the Quiet Room, he saw a dirty little girl standing beside the Old Ancestor, looking somewhat nervous and curious as she surveyed her surroundings.

What shocked him was the aura emanating from this little girl—it was actually at the Peak of the Spirit Sea Realm!

"Old Ancestor, who is this...?" Lin Xuan suppressed his astonishment and asked respectfully.

"Her name is Phoenix Spirit. From today onward, she is this seat's Personal Disciple," Lin Dao replied casually.

Lin Xuan's pupils contracted sharply! The Old Ancestor's Personal Disciple!

This status was even more revered than that of any Saint!

After all, the three Saints were merely juniors of the Family, while a Personal Disciple directly inherits the Old Ancestor's Dao lineage!

He dared not be negligent and hurriedly bowed with clasped hands towards Phoenix Spirit. "Lin Xuan pays his respects to Miss Phoenix."

Phoenix Spirit was startled by Lin Xuan's formal gesture. She instinctively shrank behind Lin Dao, her small hand clutching the hem of his robe, and whispered, "H-hello."

Lin Dao patted her little head and instructed Lin Xuan, "Issue the order. Announce to the entire clan that Phoenix Spirit is my, Lin Dao's, Personal Disciple. Her status is equivalent to that of a Saint. She need not bow to the lineage heads. Resource allocation is to follow the highest standard."

"Yes! Old Ancestor! I will see to it immediately!" Lin Xuan bowed to accept the order, gave Phoenix Spirit another curious glance, and then withdrew.

Soon, the Lin Family was once again thrown into an uproar!

The Old Ancestor had actually taken a disciple! And a ten-year-old girl at that! Status equal to a Saint! Highest resource supply! Top secret!

Countless people buzzed with discussion, curious about what kind of talent this little girl named Phoenix Spirit possessed to earn the Old Ancestor's such high regard.

But when they heard that this little girl was already at the Peak of the Spirit Sea Realm, all questioning voices vanished, replaced only by shock and awe.

A ten-year-old at the Peak of the Spirit Sea Realm? This was simply unheard of!

Phoenix Spirit was settled into the best courtyard, attended to by dedicated maids. After changing into clean, beautiful clothes and washing away the grime, she revealed a delicate face like a porcelain doll, paired with those flame-like eyes, making her exceptionally cute.

However, she was very uncomfortable with all of this, appearing somewhat reserved.

She was accustomed to the freedom and vigilance of the mountain forests. Suddenly coming to this large Family with its numerous rules and many eyes made her feel very uneasy.

Lin Dao perceived her thoughts. He only let her stay within the Family for three days, allowing her to familiarize herself with the basic situation and rules and meet a few lineage heads, before taking her away again.

"Revered Master, where are we going?" Having left the Lin Family, Phoenix Spirit clearly became livelier, looking up to ask Lin Dao.

"To the Demon Domain," Lin Dao said. "Your Physique is special. It's called the 'Phoenix Undying Body,' one of the Supreme divine fire Physiques. To truly activate it requires extreme pressure and the tempering of life and death. The Demon Domain's environment is harsh, teeming with Yao Beasts, with many fire-attribute Yao Beasts and perilous lands. It is well-suited for you."

"The Demon Domain?" Phoenix Spirit's small face paled slightly. She had heard of the terror of the Demon Domain, a world dominated by Yao Beasts where members of the Human Race entering faced near-certain death.

"Afraid?" Lin Dao glanced at her.

"Not afraid!" Phoenix Spirit immediately puffed out her small chest, though her clenched fists still betrayed her nervousness. "I want to become strong!"

Lin Dao nodded, saying no more.

He took Phoenix Spirit and directly tore through the Void Realm, performing a long-distance teleportation.

A Nirvana Realm powerhouse already possessed the preliminary ability to traverse the Void Realm.

After several teleports, they arrived at the border region where the Human Race and the Demon Domain met.

The atmosphere here had clearly become more solemn and desolate, with faint traces of Demonic Qi and the scent of blood lingering in the air.

Lin Dao did not directly enter the core of the Demon Domain. Instead, he arrived at an area on the Demon Domain's outskirts called 'Crimson Flame Ridge.'

Here, volcanoes stretched continuously, inhabited by a large number of fire-attribute Yao Beasts, ranging from low-level Flame Rats to powerful Crimson Flame Tigers and Molten Rock Pythons.

"Go on," Lin Dao placed Phoenix Spirit at the edge of Crimson Flame Ridge. His own figure then flickered, as if merging into the air, and disappeared, leaving only a strand of Divine Thought attached to Phoenix Spirit to ensure her safety.

"Starting from here, head south, crossing Crimson Flame Ridge. I will not intervene easily unless you face a truly fatal situation. Remember: fight, kill, feel the flames. At the edge of life and death, call upon the power deep within your Bloodline."

Phoenix Spirit looked at the desolate and dangerous ridge before her, listening to the faint roars of beasts in the distance. Her small face was tense. She took several deep breaths before taking her first step.

Initially, she was very cautious. Relying on her Peak Spirit Sea Realm cultivation and her Innate affinity for fire, she could sense some dangers in advance.

When encountering solitary low-level Yao Beasts, like a 'Fire Scorpion' equivalent to the Innate realm, she could barely cope, using her unskilled fireball techniques and movement skills to kill it.

But soon, she ran into trouble. A pack of 'Crimson Flame Wolves,' equivalent to the Spirit Sea Realm, had set their sights on her.

These wolves were cunning, bloodthirsty, and coordinated seamlessly.

Phoenix Spirit was plunged into a fierce battle. Lacking practical combat experience and with crude spiritual energy usage, she soon suffered several claw marks from the wolf pack. Blood flowed freely, the pain making her eyes water, but she gritted her teeth and did not call for her Revered Master.

Relying on the spiritual energy within her body, far more abundant than her peers, and a fierce determination, she stubbornly wore down and killed the Crimson Flame Wolves one by one. In the end, covered in blood and with her spiritual energy nearly depleted, she finally repelled the wolf pack.

She collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath. Looking at the wolf corpses around her, the first time she had personally taken so many lives left her feeling nauseous and fearful.

Lin Dao watched silently from the shadows, not interfering. This was a lesson she had to experience.

After resting for a moment, Phoenix Spirit struggled to her feet, roughly treated her wounds, and continued forward.

In the following days, her life became a cycle of fighting, getting injured, and recovering.

She gradually adapted to the cruelty of the Demon Domain. Her combat skills improved rapidly, and her control over her own spiritual energy became increasingly refined.

She began to learn how to utilize the environment, conceal her aura, and deliver fatal blows.

The Yao Beasts she encountered also grew stronger.

Once, she came across a 'Molten Rock Monitor Lizard' equivalent to the Early Stage of the Tongtian Realm. It had thick, tough skin and spewed molten rock of extremely high temperature.

Phoenix Spirit was no match at all. She was beaten back without the ability to retaliate, repeatedly in perilous situations, nearly swallowed by molten rock several times.

Just as her spiritual energy was exhausted and she was about to be smashed into pulp by the lizard's tail, the fear of death enveloped her!

"No! I can't die!"

*Hum!*

Deep within her body, that long-dormant, scorching Bloodline seemed ignited by this life-and-death crisis!

A trace of faint, yet supremely noble, crimson-gold light flashed briefly from the location of her heart!

*Boom!*

Her aura instantly surged significantly! Her originally depleted spiritual energy actually recovered quite a bit!

Her speed, strength, and resistance to fire all improved!

Enlightenment struck. Instinctively, she pointed her fingers together like a blade. That wisp of crimson-gold energy within her body attached to her fingertips as she slashed forward fiercely!

*Sshhh—!*

A crimson-gold thread flashed. The Molten Rock Monitor Lizard's resilient hide was easily sliced open, blood gushing forth!

The lizard roared in pain and fury, but its gaze towards Phoenix Spirit now held a trace of fear—a suppression from the depths of its Bloodline!

It actually dared not attack again, turning and fleeing.

Phoenix Spirit stood there in a daze, looking at her fingers, feeling the warm and powerful new energy within her body, both shocked and overjoyed.

"Revered Master! I... I seem to..." she exclaimed excitedly, looking around.

"Mm, you've initially stirred a wisp of Bloodline Power. Not bad," Lin Dao's calm voice sounded in her mind. "Continue. This is far from enough. You need stronger pressure to truly awaken it."

Having received her Revered Master's affirmation, Phoenix Spirit's confidence greatly increased.

She began to actively seek out stronger Yao Beasts to fight, struggling repeatedly at the edge of life and death. The wisp of Phoenix Bloodline within her was also repeatedly stimulated, becoming increasingly active.

Her cultivation naturally reached a Breakthrough to the first level of the Tongtian Realm during the battles! Moreover, her Foundation was exceptionally solid!

She even began to vaguely control the surrounding flames, forming simple fire walls and fire snakes to assist in combat.

Three months later, Phoenix Spirit had already penetrated deep into the heart of Crimson Flame Ridge.

Much of her childishness had faded. Her eyes had grown sharp, her movements clean and efficient. She exuded a scorching and dangerous aura, like a young fire spirit.

On this day, she trespassed into the territory of a 'Crimson Flame Tiger King.'

This Tiger King possessed strength comparable to the Late Stage of the Tongtian Realm and was the overlord of this area!

Phoenix Spirit used all the skills she had honed during this period: flame manipulation, movement techniques, and her increasingly potent Bloodline Power.

But the Tiger King was simply too powerful. Whether in strength, speed, or control over fire, it far surpassed her.

Once again, she was forced into a desperate situation, suffering multiple injuries, her blood staining the ground.

"Roar!" The Crimson Flame Tiger King roared, opening its bloody maw. It condensed a massive crimson fireball, carrying an aura of destruction, and hurled it towards the barely conscious Phoenix Spirit!

"Now is the time!" Lin Dao's eyes sharpened in the shadows.

Phoenix Spirit watched the deathly fireball rushing towards her. Her pupils contracted to the extreme. An intense will to survive and an unyielding, lofty pride originating from the depths of her Bloodline suddenly erupted!

"I am a Phoenix! King of All Birds! Supreme among Flames! How could I perish beneath mere mortal fire!!"

She let out a clear, melodious cry—one that did not sound human!

Though immature, it carried an indescribable majesty!

*BOOM—!!!*

It seemed as if something within her body completely shattered!

Crimson-gold light shot into the sky, enveloping her entire person!

An ancient, noble, terrifying aura that stood above all flames spread out!

Behind her, a faint, fleeting phantom of a Phoenix with spread wings flashed briefly!

The massive fireball condensed by the Crimson Flame Tiger King, upon contact with this crimson-gold light, dissipated instantly as if a subject had seen its sovereign!

It didn't even create a single ripple!

The Crimson Flame Tiger King let out a cry of extreme terror. Its massive body trembled violently, prostrating itself on the ground, not even daring to lift its head!

As the light faded, Phoenix Spirit stood in place. The injuries on her body were healing at a speed visible to the naked eye!

Her aura surged violently, directly Breaking Through to the third level of the Tongtian Realm!

Moreover, between her eyebrows, an extremely complex and profound crimson-gold flame rune faintly appeared!

The Phoenix Undying Body had Awakened—preliminarily!

Feeling the surging, seemingly endless scorching power within her body, along with the powerful self-healing ability and absolute sense of control over fire, her small face was filled with shock and joy.

Lin Dao's figure slowly materialized beside her. Looking at the flame rune on her brow and the pure Phoenix aura she now emitted, he nodded in satisfaction.

"Good. The Undying Flame Seed has condensed. The True Phoenix Blood has initially awakened. Crimson Flame Ridge no longer offers you any tempering effect. Prepare yourself. It's time for us to go to the next place."