His skin flushed red at a visible rate, then turned scorching crimson, as if he had been thrown into a blazing furnace.
Xiao Peng gritted his teeth, his knuckles whitening from the force.
He remembered that Xiao Yan had not seemed to suffer this much when tempering his body.
Little Seven, coiled around his shoulder, seemed to sense Xiao Peng's pain and anxiously rubbed its head against his neck.
The flames had already seeped into his sinews and bones. Every inch of bone felt as though it were being repeatedly ground over by red-hot branding irons.
Who knew how long passed before the cyan fire ring's glow finally began to dim as the first pale light of dawn appeared on the horizon.
Xiao Peng suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing through them. He slowly clenched his fist, and his bones crackled crisply. An unprecedented sense of strength filled his limbs.
Looking down at his hands, he saw that his skin had returned to normal. It was even more lustrous than before, with a faint sheen flowing across it.
The searing pain had completely faded, replaced by a clear, comfortable sensation throughout his body. Even his breathing seemed smoother.
"Phew..."
Xiao Peng let out a long breath, and the muscles throughout his body suddenly relaxed.
He had reached the Third Turn, Third Layer. Without the Heavenly Flames helping him digest it, it would have been nearly impossible for him to improve so much.
When he had first reached the Third Turn, Xiao Peng had noticed that it differed from the Second Turn and First Turn. The resources required had increased by more than double.
Little Seven woke up at that moment as well. It affectionately nudged Xiao Peng's cheek with its snout, flicking its tongue as though celebrating for