Burning Body, Breaking Chains

The daylight was like muddy water mixed with sand, barely filtering through a few wisps from the holes in the dilapidated temple roof, illuminating Li Yuan's face. He leaned against the base of a clay statue of a mountain god, half his body hidden in shadow, his face ashen, lips cracked. Every breath sent a needle-like pain through the wounds on his ribs and back.

The most critical issue wasn't the flesh wounds, but the chilling, binding sensation deep within his bones.

Dozens of "Cursed Bone Spikes" had transformed into icy chains, still tightly wrapped around his meridians, bones, and even attempting to envelop the Crimson Sun Qi and Blood deep within his Sea of Qi. Each circulation of his Crimson Sun Qi and Blood felt like dragging a thousand-pound shackle, incredibly sluggish. If he pushed even slightly harder, the icy chains would suddenly tighten, bringing bone-chilling sharp pain, forcing him to stop.

It had been a day and a night. He had struggled from the depths of Black Mountain Forest to here, almost completely exhausted. He couldn't return to the martial arts school yet; people from the Li Family and the Netherworld Cult were likely searching for him. This abandoned Mountain God Temple was the only place he could find to catch his breath.

He had tried to slowly wear down the curse with his Crimson Sun Qi and Blood, but the effect was minimal. This Curse-Binding Power was extremely stubborn, like the toughest ice silk. His Crimson Sun Qi could only make it loosen slightly when burned. To completely refine it, at this rate, it would likely take ten days to half a month.

Ten days to half a month? He couldn't afford to wait!

Li Yuan licked his cracked lips, his eyes filled with wolf-like ferocity and resolution. He remembered the feeling of swallowing the bone whistle's curse power, remembered the devouring desire that finally erupted from "Crimson Sun."

Since gentle methods wouldn't work...

He painfully sat up, leaning against the cold, rough clay statue. He closed his eyes, his consciousness no longer carefully guiding his Qi and Blood to wear down the chains. Instead, like a soldier heading to certain death, he channeled a fierce energy and slammed it into the dim Crimson Sun deep within his Sea of Qi, which was entangled by gray-black mist!

--Either burn through these shackles, or... go down together!

His intent was resolute, like igniting the final fuse.

That dormant Crimson Sun seemed to be completely awakened by this desperate will, and it trembled violently! The point of crimson-gold light at its core began to burn with unprecedented brightness!

It was no longer a gentle warmth, but... Body-Burning Fire!

An indescribable burning pain exploded from his Sea of Qi, sweeping through his entire body! This wasn't an external flame, but a burning from the very source of his life! At this Moment, his Crimson Sun Qi and Blood became incredibly violent and scorching, like boiling magma. It no longer cared if his meridians could withstand it, nor did it mind the tightening of the icy chains. With a madness of Mutual Destruction, it launched the most ferocious Impact against the Curse-Binding Power entwined in his limbs and bones!

"Ughhh--!"

Li Yuan could no longer suppress it, letting out an uncontrollable cry of pain. His body convulsed violently, curling up on the ground. Veins bulged on his forehead, neck, and arms, like countless twisted earthworms. His skin instantly turned red, like a boiled shrimp. Fine blood beads seeped out from his pores again, quickly dyeing him into a bloodied man.

Cold and heat engaged in the cruelest Killing within him.

Under the scorching of the violent Crimson Sun Fire, the icy chains emitted a grating "sizzle," twisting and contracting violently, releasing even more bone-chilling cold to contend against, attempting to freeze this Body-Burning Fire.

Li Yuan felt as if his body had been thrown into the gap between a furnace and an ice cellar. Half of him was roasted in raging flames, his internal organs convulsing and moaning; the other half was frozen by profound ice, his blood solidifying, his thoughts about to cease. Extreme pain, like a tide, battered his will's defenses wave after wave. His vision went black, and he almost fainted.

Can't faint! If I faint, all my efforts will be in vain! I'll be completely eroded by this curse power and become a cripple!

He gritted his teeth, biting his lips until they broke. Blood mixed with sweat flowed into his mouth, carrying a coppery, salty taste. His fingernails dug deeply into the cold brick gaps beneath him, his knuckles turning white from the force.

Time was infinitely stretched at this Moment.

After an unknown duration, just as his consciousness was about to completely dissipate, on the Edge.

"Snap!"

An extremely faint, yet incredibly clear, breaking sound echoed within him.

Like a string pulled to its absolute limit, it snapped!

Following that was a second sound, a third... "Snap, snap, snap, snap...!"

The icy chains entwined around his meridians and bones, under the scorching of the Body-Burning Fire, which spared no cost, finally couldn't bear it and began to break and disintegrate one after another!

With each chain that broke, a surge of pure, icy origin power was released. Before it could wreak havoc, it was instantly enveloped, devoured, and refined by the even fiercer Crimson Sun Fire!

The pain rapidly receded like a tide.

An unprecedented sense of comfort, like a sweet spring, flowed through his dry, torn meridians. After devouring these curse power origins, the Crimson Sun seemed to have undergone a baptism. Not only had its volume subtly increased, its radiance became more intense and pure, its color deeper, and the crimson-gold at its center was almost turning into substance.

And those wounds, eroded and stiffened by the Curse-Binding Power, began to heal rapidly under the unimpeded surge and nourishment of the Crimson Sun Qi and Blood. Itching and tingling replaced the sharp pain.

Li Yuan collapsed onto the ground, as if he had just been pulled out of water, his whole body soaked in sweat and blood. He gasped for air, his chest heaving dramatically. He felt as if his body had been completely hollowed out, yet also as if a thousand-pound burden had been lifted. A strange feeling of weakness intertwined with power filled his entire body.

He struggled to raise his hand, watching the dark wounds on his arm recede at a visible speed, replaced by new skin with a healthy rosy hue.

He had succeeded.

He had forcefully burned away the Netherworld Curse-Binding with the suffering of burning his own body!

Not only that, after devouring and refining these purer curse power origins, his "understanding" of the Netherworld Cult's power deepened by another layer. His Crimson Sun Qi and Blood also integrated more cold characteristics, making its operation more steady and sharp.

He slowly clenched his fist. Although weak, he could feel the dormant, far more powerful strength beneath his dermis. The Crimson Sun in his Sea of Qi was stable, like divine iron that had been repeatedly forged and purified of impurities.

This ordeal had nearly cost him his life, but it had also brought him fortune in misfortune. His strength, in breaking and then establishing anew, had ascended to a new level.

He lay on the ground, looking at the misty gray sky through the hole in the dilapidated temple roof, and forced a smile at the corner of his mouth.

The Li Family, the Netherworld Cult...

These chains couldn't hold me.

Next time we meet, it will be your turn to taste the flavor of this Body-Burning Fire.