Internal Fortification

"Come on, let's go in!"

Dragon Locking Mountain was filled with signs of excavation. The rocks were dark black and rich in iron ore, while tunnels crisscrossed densely throughout it. Fortunately, Jian Xiong was leading the way; otherwise, finding the right passage would have been quite troublesome.

After walking for nearly half an hour, the two arrived at the heart of Dragon Locking Mountain, an enormous open space.

Before them stood hundreds of coffins. In front of each coffin was a tombstone, and each tombstone was a longsword.

Some were ancient and imposing, some radiated baleful energy, some had long since decayed, while others still looked brand-new.

"These are the ancestors of Sword Casting City. Their achievements are carved upon the tombstones, and those treasured swords were the weapons they carried in life," Jian Xiong said reverently.

Fang Xuan nodded. The Jian Family was certainly unusual. They had actually turned a mine into a graveyard, and done so with a rather distinctive style.

The gloomy mine, paired with all these coffins and tombstones, gave him the feeling of being in a ghost movie. Fortunately, this was only a martial arts world. If it had been more fantastical, the corpses would probably have risen already.

"Where is the Fire Phoenix?"

"Up ahead."

The two passed through the forest of coffins and arrived at an abyss. Looking down, they could see lava flowing below. Heat surged toward them, carrying a strong smell of sulfur.

"The Sacred Beast Fire Phoenix feeds on refined iron, bathes in lava, and breathes fire. Its form resembles a phoenix, hence the name Sacred Beast Fire Phoenix. It emerges from the abyss every day. You can wait here," Jian Xiong said.

"When will it come out?"

"I don't know. There is a platform ahead where you can observe the molten lava in the abyss. From there, you can witness Phoenix Bathed in Fire."

"Oh! Let's go."

The two headed toward the platform, one after the other. As they passed a pile of rubble, Jian Xiong suddenly leaped aside and struck the cliff wall with circulating true qi. A huge cave immediately appeared amid the broken stones.

Jian Xiong wore a smug expression as he dropped into the cave and vanished.

"This is a forbidden ground of Sword Casting City. Outsiders are not permitted to enter. Since you wanted to see the Sacred Beast Fire Phoenix, stay here and keep it company from now on!" Jian Xiong's voice echoed from within the cave.

Fang Xuan did not pursue him. Instead, he stood where he was and sighed. "Sure enough, the prettier the woman, the better she is at lying. Wuji's mother truly did not deceive me!"

Fang Xuan found the platform Jian Xiong had mentioned, sat down cross-legged upon it, and waited quietly.

Screech—

Screech, screech—

Screech, screech, screech—

Fang Xuan abruptly opened his eyes and fixed his lightning-like gaze upon the abyss. The lava, which had been flowing calmly, began to churn for no apparent reason. Scorching heat rose from the depths of the abyss.

Boom—

Accompanied by a thunderous roar, a ball of flame shot into the sky from the lava. Like the sun, it illuminated the dark abyss all around.

Looking closely, it was not some sun-like flame at all. It was clearly an enormous firebird.

It stood dozens of meters tall, crimson all over and wreathed in flames. Every beat of its wings sent countless streams of fire bursting outward.

"So this is the Sacred Beast Fire Phoenix? No, it should be a rare and extraordinary beast of this world. The phoenix of legend has the front of a unicorn, the rear of a deer, the head of a snake, the tail of a fish, dragon markings, the back of a turtle, the jaw of a swallow, the beak of a chicken, and all five colors. This one barely counts as a firebird. I wonder whether its blood will still be useful."

Though he said so, Fang Xuan had already made his preparations.

Black Ice Sword in hand, Fang Xuan's blood and qi surged the moment the Fire Phoenix flew out of the abyss. The muscles in his thighs trembled as he stomped heavily on the rock and leaped straight onto the Fire Phoenix's back.

Screech—

The Fire Phoenix was wreathed in flames. Landing on its back was no different from a moth flying into fire, with blazing flames consuming his body.

In an instant, the clothes on his body turned to ash. His hair became drifting cinders as well, while his exposed skin gave off the stench of scorched flesh beneath the flames.

"Pain, pain, pain—"

Fang Xuan's face twisted as he screamed in agony.

A fierce glint flashed through his eyes. The greater the pain, the more it could awaken the strength hidden in one's heart. He raised Black Ice Sword high with both hands.

"Wrath of the Thunder God."

"Falling Stars."

Using the inner force in his dantian to activate the Heaven's Will Four Symbols Art, he drew upon the power of heaven and earth. A silver-white phantom of the Thunder God appeared behind him, and violent lightning sprayed in all directions, blasting pits into the surrounding rock.

Gripping Black Ice Sword with both hands, he drove it down with the tremendous force of six horses, stabbing straight into the Fire Phoenix's back.

The lightning formed by the power of heaven and earth, combined with his peerless monstrous strength, instantly tore through the flames protecting the Fire Phoenix's back. Black Ice Sword plunged directly into its spine.

Screech—

A pained wail erupted from the Fire Phoenix's beak. It rapidly beat its wings, shook its body violently, and even rammed toward a nearby cliff wall.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Fang Xuan clutched Black Ice Sword tightly. In that brief moment, all the skin over his body had already turned to charred black carbon. Only the faintest outline of a human remained. If not for the surging blood and qi within him constantly protecting his heart meridian, he would have been burned alive by the flames long ago.

As Black Ice Sword pierced deeper, Fire Phoenix blood flowed from the wound. The blood was scorching hot, radiating intense heat like lava, and contained an even more peculiar energy.

Fang Xuan did not hesitate in the slightest. He bent down and drank deeply.

There was none of the imagined stench of blood. Instead, it carried a faint fragrance. It was simply far too hot. Fang Xuan felt as if he were swallowing burning coals, and agony ran from his throat all the way into his stomach.

"Ah—"

Fang Xuan screamed. As he moved, the charred carbon burned onto his body split open, exposing fresh flesh beneath, as though he were being sliced apart by a thousand blades.

The Fire Phoenix's blood entered his stomach, and a strange force spread toward his five viscera and six bowels. Beginning from his stomach, it scorched his internal organs, as though it intended to burn him to ash from the inside out.

"Pain, pain, pain—"

Enduring the pain within and without, Fang Xuan could clearly feel a strange energy strengthening his five viscera and six bowels.

"It works."

Without hesitation, he lowered his head and drank more blood.

"Internal Fortification strengthens the viscera; the organs become like iron."

Fang Xuan took a savage breath and swallowed it into his belly. It churned with gurgling sounds as his internal organs continuously worked.

Flames scorched him from without, while phoenix blood tempered him from within. His whole body was like red-hot iron in a blacksmith's forge, hammered over and over to burn away every impurity.

"Cough, cough, cough—"

Pfft—

Suddenly, his breath surged upward. Fang Xuan felt a thick wad of phlegm lodged in his throat, making him feel as uncomfortable as a bellows being pulled. He coughed, and immediately spat out a huge mouthful of bloody phlegm.

After coughing up the bloody phlegm, his entire body felt refreshed. Fang Xuan pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth, and saliva instantly filled his mouth, as though it contained Jade Nectar. With the slightest circulation of energy, the Jade Nectar beneath his tongue gushed forth in gulps, winding around his body like a fresh breeze, leaving his entire interior clear and invigorated.

The Body Refinement Seventh Stage, Internal Fortification... was complete.

Those at this realm enjoyed longer lives, and their internal organs were free of all illness. The books recorded that once one's insides were strengthened, Jade Nectar would continuously form in the mouth, impurities would vanish from the viscera, and one's constitution would rise another step.

"Holy shit."

Just as Fang Xuan was marveling at this, the Fire Phoenix, unable to shake off the little bug on its body, suddenly dove straight toward the lava.

How could he allow that?

If his small frame really fell into the lava, he would be reduced to nothing but ash and bones in an instant.