Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear! Orange Lotus: Samadhi Fire Domain!

Lin Jin was startled.

A pair of Cloud Titanium Forging Hammers appeared in his hands on instinct. Then Lotus Flower Flame bloomed, and he brought one hammer down.

Clang!

Pfft!

He spat out blood. Blood trickled from the corner of Lin Jin's mouth as his body crashed into Mu Xi, who had not reacted in time.

The two of them flew backward and slammed into a moss-covered boulder.

Crack!

The boulder split open.

Mu Xi, who had been caught off guard and used as a cushion, also had blood at the corner of her lips. Stars swam before her eyes.

"It's a Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear!"

"Why is it appearing here?!"

The Spirit Ascension Platform staff stared at the image on the screen, their expressions turning grim.

The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear possessed a top-tier Ferocious Beast bloodline.

Although this Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear only had a hundred years of cultivation.

Its strength made it the most powerful existence in the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform.

At the same time, it was also the guardian of the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform.

Or rather, it was the gatekeeper leading from the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform to the Intermediate Spirit Ascension Platform.

That was right.

If one ventured deep enough into the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform, one could directly reach the Intermediate Spirit Ascension Platform.

So long as one could defeat the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear.

But for anyone below the level of a Four-Ring Spirit Ancestor, defeating it was simply a fool's dream.

And now.

Although Lin Jin and Mu Xi had already ventured quite deep.

They were still some distance from the "barrier" to the Intermediate Spirit Ascension Platform.

Why had the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear appeared?

They instinctively looked toward Mu Chen, whose face had darkened.

"President Mu, should we immediately end the connection and teleport them out?"

Mu Chen drew a deep breath and was just about to nod.

Though experiencing "death" once might become an unforgettable lesson for his daughter and disciple.

It could also make them more cautious in the future.

But he could not bear it.

Nor was he willing to take that risk.

But at that moment.

His gaze shifted slightly. He stared intently at the image on the screen, his brows tightly furrowed.

And amid that silence, the Spirit Ascension Platform staff did not take the initiative to end Lin Jin and Mu Xi's connection.

The toughness of a Half-Step Spirit Forging Cloud Titanium Forging Hammer was beyond imagination.

At the very least, attacks below the Four-Ring Spirit Ancestor level could not possibly destroy it.

Yet when he had blocked that claw with a hammer earlier.

The Cloud Titanium Forging Hammer in Lin Jin's hand had been sliced apart!

Because it had undergone Blood Sacrifice, it could be repaired.

But Lin Jin still suffered backlash.

A tremendous force had also struck his body, making it feel as though his insides were burning apart.

Fortunately, Mu Xi had cushioned the impact, and his physique was already extraordinary. He had not suffered overly serious injuries.

Lin Jin landed on both feet. Keeping watch on the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear that had suddenly attacked them, he asked,

"Senior Sister, are you all right?"

The haze in Mu Xi's eyes immediately cleared.

She instinctively rubbed her chest and answered,

"Cough, cough, I'm fine..."

Then she saw the situation before her and cried out in alarm.

"A Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear?!"

"There's actually a Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear in the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform!"

Lin Jin's expression was equally solemn.

Of course, he knew about the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear, the guardian of the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform.

He even knew that this Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear had been created based on an External Soul Bone, the Dark Gold Dreadclaw.

In the original timeline, Tang Wulin's team encountered it during the final examination of their third year in the Intermediate Department, inside the Spirit Ascension Platform, and killed it.

As a result, Tang Wulin obtained that External Soul Bone.

Not only did he fuse with it within the half-real, half-illusory Spirit Ascension Platform, he also successfully brought it out.

At that time, Tang Wulin was merely a Two-Ring Great Spirit Master.

So...

This was a crisis, but it was also an opportunity.

Moreover...

The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear before them was drenched in blood, its eyes crimson.

This clearly had not been caused by its collision with Lin Jin just now.

It had clearly already gone through a fierce battle and sustained injuries before attacking Lin Jin.

And they were not light.

"We may be in trouble."

"But we also have a chance!"

Lin Jin stepped forward and put away the nearly destroyed Cloud Titanium Forging Hammer.

Two yellow Spirit Rings rose around him.

The next moment, his second Spirit Ring lit up.

"Second Spirit Skill, Orange Lotus... Samadhi Fire Domain!"

Orange Lotus: Samadhi Fire Domain.

This was the first time Lin Jin had fully unleashed this Spirit Skill since gaining his second Spirit Ring.

There was no doubt.

This was unmistakably a domain-type Spirit Skill!

Generally speaking, domain-type Spirit Skills only had a ten percent chance of appearing when one attached their ninth Spirit Ring.

For one to appear with a second Spirit Ring was clearly against all common sense.

Yet it had truly happened.

And the effect of this Spirit Skill was equally tyrannical.

First, within the fire domain, every aspect of his Lotus Flower Flame would receive a twenty percent increase.

Moreover, it could grow.

Once he broke through to become a Three-Ring Spirit Venerable, the increase would reach thirty percent!

And so on.

Second, all allied fire-element attacks would also receive an increase of the same proportion!

Lastly, and most importantly...

Samadhi!

Know its Samadhi, burn the body and destroy the soul!

This was no longer merely an ability of the Samadhi Fire Domain.

It was Lotus Flower Flame's core ability.

To know its Samadhi meant gaining insight into everything about the enemy.

Once Lotus Flower Flame ignited the opponent, the longer it burned, the more could be discerned.

Put simply.

It supplemented "insight."

The longer the time, the greater the insight, and the stronger its power.

This was actually the key behind Lotus Flower Flame's ability to Burn Everything.

As the core ability of "Samadhi" was activated, the ability to Burn Everything would naturally receive an enormous increase as well.

At the same time.

As Lin Jin took a step forward, an orange Lotus Flower Flame appeared beneath his feet.

Then it abruptly spread outward.

In an instant, everything within twenty meters was enveloped by the Orange Lotus.

Lotus Flower Flame petals could even be seen along the edge of that range.

Though it was called Orange Lotus: Samadhi Fire Domain.

Once it fully bloomed, it shifted into a blend of crimson and orange.

Roar!

The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear let out an enraged roar.

It did not regard the two frail humans before it as worthy opponents.

Its anger was only because Lin Jin had actually dared to resist.

The only reason it had not immediately continued attacking was that Lin Jin had somehow survived a single swipe of its claw.

That had left it somewhat suspicious.

But now, all such emotions were drowned beneath fury.

It charged madly toward Lin Jin.

With a sweep of its right claw, five streaks of dark-gold light slashed through the air.

A terrifying sense of danger coiled around his heart.

"Senior Sister, Repelling Fire Ring!"

Lin Jin immediately warned her.

Some time had passed since Mu Xi had used Repelling Fire Ring against the Crystal Bear.

Though she did not have much confidence.

Since Lin Jin had already decided to fight the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear.

As his Senior Sister, she naturally could not chicken out.

Besides, they were inside the Spirit Ascension Platform. They would not truly die.

The fear in her heart was suppressed.

At Lin Jin's reminder, Mu Xi's second Spirit Ring immediately lit up.

A ring of fire rippled outward.

The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's body was instantly blasted away.

At the same moment, Lin Jin wrapped an arm around Mu Xi's waist and dodged to the side.