Lin Xuan was gradually being scorched. Bingxin watched, powerless. She desperately wanted to save him, but there was nothing she could do. The Heart of the Fire Phoenix was too tyrannical; once absorbed into the body, there was only success or failure.
No one could interrupt the process, which in itself acted as a form of protection. This was why the Fire Phoenix King was so ruthless, willing to risk everything for the Heart of the Fire Phoenix. Once the absorption process began, it was impervious to any external attack.
"It’s useless. He’ll be dead in a moment. You can’t save him." The Fire Phoenix King flew over, hovering nearby and staring intently at Lin Xuan. She was waiting for him to be completely incinerated so the Heart of the Fire Phoenix would float out, at which point she would frantically absorb it. "But I really have him to thank. He’s given you this opportunity!"
The Fire Phoenix King snorted again and again. This extra, time-wasting step shouldn’t have been necessary at all. She was thoroughly annoyed that Lin Xuan had interfered.
Despite her annoyance, the sight of Lin Xuan burning to death brought her boundless glee. He was, after all, on Bingxin’s side—and clearly important to her.
"Lin Xuan..." Bingxin grit her teeth. She longed to charge in and save him, but she was truly powerless. ’If I rush in, I’ll just get seriously injured myself, and I still won’t be able to save him!’
Lin Xuan’s consciousness began to fade. He grit his teeth, desperately shielding the vital areas inside his body to keep them from being incinerated. But no matter what he did, he could only slow the process, not stop it completely.
’I absolutely cannot die here! I absolutely refuse to...’
Lin Xuan roared and furiously channeled the Cloud Return Technique. The Bloodline Power within him swiftly and completely merged with the Phoenix Essence Blood, then erupted with its full potential, instantly amplifying the effects of the Phoenix Essence Blood several times over!
But even with the Phoenix Essence Blood amplified several times, the burning didn’t slow. His body continued to melt away. His resistance was simply too weak; he couldn’t withstand the tempering of the Heart of the Fire Phoenix.
The fundamental purpose of the Heart of the Fire Phoenix was to temper the recipient’s entire body. Without sufficient power, it was impossible to endure the terrifying refinement.
What was required wasn’t a strong Physique, but the Essence Blood of a Phoenix! One needed sufficient Phoenix Essence Blood and exceptionally pure Elemental Power to complete the true tempering. Failure to endure meant death, and that was precisely Lin Xuan’s current predicament.
"Soul Possession!"
With a low roar from Lin Xuan, all the souls within the Soul Pearl instantly possessed him. His aura skyrocketed, and the presence of the Spirit King Stage swept out in all directions. When it washed over the Fire Phoenix King, she was left completely stunned.
"A Sp-Spirit King Stage Cultivation?" She had clearly been deceived, mistaking the aura erupting from Lin Xuan for that of a genuine Spirit King. ’Th-this... how is this possible? How could he have a Spirit King Stage Cultivation? No, this must be an illusion! If he were that powerful, he would have subdued us long ago... But so what if he’s possessed by a Spirit King expert? Before the Heart of the Fire Phoenix, he’ll still be burned to absolute ash!’
The Fire Phoenix King immediately burst into laughter, finding the whole situation utterly absurd. ’This time, I’ve really hit the jackpot.’
Lin Xuan ignored her mockery. He focused solely on commanding all the souls and, in unison, the Elemental Power within him, frantically gathering them to once again amplify the Phoenix Essence Blood’s effect.
This not only strengthened the effect of the Phoenix Essence Blood but also fortified the Yulan Pearl, causing a ceaseless torrent of Yulan Sacred Fire to erupt and shield his body.
Despite all his efforts, the burning barely slowed; his body continued to be consumed by the Flame! The Yulan Sacred Fire was effortlessly broken and vaporized the moment it touched the Heart of the Fire Phoenix.
It wasn’t that the Yulan Sacred Fire was too weak, but that Lin Xuan’s own power was insufficient to unleash its true might. If the Youlan Emperor himself were here, he could have easily suppressed the Heart of the Fire Phoenix, even without being a member of the Phoenix Race.
But with Lin Xuan in control, its effect was drastically reduced, serving only to temporarily slow the burn. It all felt futile. No matter what he did, he couldn’t stop it. If this kept up, he would inevitably be burned to nothing.
’Is this... how it ends...?’
The consciousness Lin Xuan had fought so hard to maintain began to fade once more. He was already teetering on the brink of death. As his awareness blurred, fragments of memory suddenly drifted before his eyes. He saw his parents, he saw Lin Xue, he saw the many, many people who cared for him...
He also saw his enemies and his hatred... so much he had yet to resolve. He was filled with bitter indignation, but he was utterly helpless.
’Bloodline Power!’
He suddenly remembered something: his bloodline had yet to be fully activated! ’If I can activate it now,’ he thought, ’I wonder if it will be enough to strengthen my resistance and stabilize my condition.’ It was his last hope!
He immediately mustered what was left of his Elemental Power and, with a furious roar, unleashed it all in one burst. He actually managed to force the Flames back, just for a moment. In that instant, he retrieved the Poison Pill from his Storage Ring, the one given to him by a Lin Family Elder.
This Poison Pill was meant to stimulate one’s bloodline; by consuming it, he could fully awaken his Bloodline Power!
He couldn’t afford to hesitate. Clinging to a final sliver of hope, he swallowed it, praying for a miracle. Luckily, the Heart of the Fire Phoenix hadn’t destroyed his Storage Ring; otherwise, all would have been lost.
As he forced the Elixir Pill into his mouth, a nauseating taste spread, and its essence began to rapidly seep into his very bloodline.
"Oh? He still has the strength to take an Elixir Pill? But will that do any good?" the Fire Phoenix King jeered. "Even the finest Elixir Pill can’t suppress the Heart of the Fire Phoenix. What a pointless struggle!" She felt this was just a meaningless death throe.
Bingxin’s delicate brows furrowed. She didn’t know what Lin Xuan was doing, but she was certain he wouldn’t do something for no reason. ’But just what kind of Elixir Pill is that?’
Lin Xuan didn’t explain; he had no strength to. After consuming the Poison Pill, he felt a venomous essence seep into and merge with his blood. The next moment, his Bloodline Power began to roil violently, as if it were being brought to a boil.
Pain! An intense agony surged from deep within him. But compared to being burned alive by the Flames, it was nothing. When a man was about to die, what was a little more pain?
As his Bloodline Power boiled, he discovered it was growing more viscous. It still glowed with a vivid, emerald-green light—a clear sign of poison.
In that moment, Lin Xuan felt it—his Bloodline Power was beginning to evolve!