The days passed one by one. Lin Xuan’s body grew increasingly black, and he seemed to have grown numb to the intense pain, no longer feeling any discomfort.
The others around him were in the same state. Even the bodies of the Phoenix Race members were being scorched, and all of them were in a state of extreme agony, especially since the temperature was still gradually rising!
They had to endure for ten days to pass this trial. However, the difficulty was simply too great. The participants who weren’t from the Phoenix Race were eliminated one after another, leaving only Lin Xuan. All the remaining contestants were members of the Phoenix Race, a fact that astonished the crowd of demons watching from the outside.
They all knew Lin Xuan had Phoenix Essence Blood, but they couldn’t understand how he was strong enough to hold on for so long. Was his Physique truly that powerful? Or did he have some other resistance, some other method? He had actually managed to last longer than many of the others!
"Even with Phoenix Essence Blood, it should be impossible for him to last this long... It seems we underestimated the amount of Phoenix Essence Blood he possesses. He must have a very large quantity." The Phoenix Race Elder’s perception of Lin Xuan changed once again. He felt the amount of Essence Blood in Lin Xuan’s body was definitely not small.
If the amount was too small, he wouldn’t have been able to hold out. Unless his Cultivation was truly Heaven-Defying or he possessed some other means of resistance, he absolutely could not have endured for so long.
The reason Lin Xuan could hold on was definitely not just the Phoenix Essence Blood—he also had the Yulan Pearl! The Yulan Sacred Fire could also staunchly protect his body, keeping his condition relatively stable. This was the source of his confidence that he could pass this trial.
However, right now he only wanted to rely on the Phoenix Essence Blood to endure. He had one reason and one reason only: to better absorb the Phoenix Essence Blood and completely integrate it into his body! There was a reason this trial was called Phoenix Nirvana. The name wasn’t chosen at random; it was designed to enhance the body’s fusion with the Phoenix Essence Blood in every way!
Since the concentration of his blood was still lower than that of a true Phoenix, his situation was far worse than the others. Bingxin had been keeping a close eye on him, but to her surprise, Lin Xuan’s persistence surpassed her expectations. His aura remained stable, never once wavering.
’It seems he really doesn’t need me to worry about him anymore,’ Bingxin thought. ’He’s no longer the little brother who needed my protection...’ She closed her eyes again, ceasing to focus on Lin Xuan’s condition. She was certain he would pass this trial successfully.
However, as the days passed, by the seventh or eighth day, Lin Xuan’s condition looked terrible. His entire body was so blackened that his features were unrecognizable. The surface of his skin had been burned to charcoal!
"Heh heh, I bet that kid’s already dead in there, roasted to a crisp like that. Just look at him! Compared to the others, he looks like he’s about to die!"
"That’s what he gets for trying to act tough. Even if he’s not dead, he’s close to it!"
"A human who absorbed Essence Blood is still just a human, not a Phoenix! Just die already!"
...
The insults and jeers were endless, but what they said was true. Lin Xuan’s condition was indeed terrible. Among the remaining contestants, he was in the absolute worst shape. His entire body was as black as carbon, completely scorched.
Unable to sense the situation inside, the onlookers all thought Lin Xuan was half-dead. They had no idea that, in reality, his aura was quite stable and even showing signs of growing stronger.
Submerged in the lava, Lin Xuan was indeed in a critical situation. The concentration of his Phoenix Essence Blood was not high, and his ability to resist fire was far lower than the others’. Yet he still persevered, all while rapidly refining the Phoenix Essence Blood in his body. However, he still couldn’t keep up with the lava’s swiftly rising temperature.
But this wasn’t enough to defeat him. He swiftly activated the Bloodline Power within him, fusing it once more with the Phoenix Essence Blood. In an instant, he reached a state of burning his Essence Blood, forcefully accelerating its fusion as it coursed through his meridians!
Soon, the ninth day arrived. The lava gradually receded, leaving behind scorched bodies. Every contestant was burned black, without a single exception; the only difference was the shade.
Lin Xuan was clearly in the most horrifying state. He was so black he looked like a piece of charcoal standing there, his features completely indiscernible.
FWOOSH!
Suddenly, flames erupted from within their bodies, enveloping them completely. Soon, the charred outer layer of their skin began to peel away, revealing tender, new skin underneath that looked so delicate it might break at a touch. One could faintly sense an even purer Fire Elemental Power contained within that new skin.
This was Phoenix Nirvana, a form of rebirth! After enduring for nine days, the time for healing had arrived. The ability to completely heal oneself was the key to success.
If they couldn’t successfully heal themselves, they couldn’t proceed to the next trial. How could they move on if they couldn’t even budge?
As everyone was watching to see who would heal the fastest, a sudden crackling sound was heard. The charcoal shell on Lin Xuan’s body began to fracture, and pieces of it started to fall off.
FWOOOOSH!!
A pillar of flame erupted from within him, shooting toward the heavens. The charcoal on Lin Xuan’s skin fell away rapidly, revealing the tender flesh beneath.
As if something had been triggered, the pillar of fire suddenly transformed into a colossal Phoenix that materialized behind him, absolutely massive in scale!
The sight stunned everyone. How could such a massive Phoenix appear from Lin Xuan? But in the blink of an eye, it vanished without a trace. Specks of fiery light drifted away, and then everything was gone.
By this point, all the charcoal had completely flaked off his body, leaving only the most tender skin. He had been utterly reborn in fire, completely absorbing all the remaining Phoenix Essence Blood in his body. His Cultivation surged upward once more, breaking through to the Eighth Layer of the Spirit Pill Stage in a single burst!
It hadn’t been long at all, yet he had already broken through to the Eighth Layer of the Spirit Pill Stage, advancing his Cultivation by another layer. The speed was simply astonishing.
While everyone else was still healing their bodies, Lin Xuan had already risen from the ground. He raised his hand, and a flame danced in his palm—the Phoenix Fire! Lin Xuan could now control it at will; his compatibility with the Phoenix Essence Blood had reached a state of near-perfection.
With his every move, the surrounding Fire Elemental Power surged toward him as if drawn by a familiar presence. This was the phenomenon of Fire Elemental Affinity. He didn’t even need to intentionally absorb it; the Fire Elemental Power would enter his body on its own.
This was why Divine Beasts could increase their Cultivation over time without needing to actively practice. Their affinity for Elemental Power was so high that it constantly funneled into their bodies without any effort on their part.
Before he could explore this further, he vanished from his spot and entered the next trial!
No one could have predicted that Lin Xuan would be the first to enter the final trial. It wasn’t Bingxin, nor was it the Fire Phoenix King, but an outsider—a human!