Magic Beast Mountain Range Battle and Ascension to Godhood (Part 1)

After finishing his battles at Fire God Mountain in the preceding days, Lin Tian's understanding of the Fire Element Mystery had grown even deeper.

Since all the fire-attribute Saint Domain experts on good terms with Porter had been visited one by one, there were no new Saints left for Lin Tian to spar with. Moreover, because these were only sparring matches, Lin Tian could only rely on his profound grasp of the Fire Element Mystery to exploit weaknesses in his opponents' fire-attribute law comprehensions—all purely defensive, with no offensive moves so far. For his subsequent training, Lin Tian wanted to showcase his attacking ability instead.

Lin Tian shared his thoughts with Porter and Laun, and the three of them set out for the Magic Beast Mountain Range to fight Saint Domain magical beasts, further honing Lin Tian's strength.

The trio traveled swiftly and soon reached the edge of the Magic Beast Mountain Range. Towering trees scraped the sky, and the dense natural aura was faintly laced with a hint of danger. Porter's expression turned grave as he said, "Lin Tian, there are many Saint Domain magical beasts in this mountain range, each with its own unique law insights and innate abilities. You must be extremely careful here."

Laun nodded in agreement. "That's right. These Saint Domain beasts won't show any mercy. Every battle is a life-or-death trial, but it's precisely this kind of tempering that will help you grow faster."

A gleam of excitement and determination shone in Lin Tian's eyes. "Grandfather, Teacher Laun, rest assured—I am ready."

Stepping into the mountain range, Lin Tian headed straight for the depths where Saint Domain magical beasts roamed. Before long, he encountered his first Saint Domain beast—the Iron-Mane Rock Bear. This giant bear was as massive as a small hill, its body covered in black fur as hard as rock, exuding the heavy aura of the Earth Law.

Seeing the three of them, the Iron-Mane Rock Bear let out a thunderous roar that shook the surrounding trees. It spoke, "Humans, you have crossed the line!"

Lin Tian said nothing, stepping forward and releasing his aura.

Enraged, the Iron-Mane Rock Bear stomped its forelegs, causing the ground to tremble violently. Sharp rock spikes erupted from the earth, shooting toward Lin Tian with deadly speed.

Lin Tian's eyes sharpened as he launched his attack first. He activated the Fire Element Mystery, and blazing flames surged around him, dancing like agile spirits. The fire quickly coalesced into flaming sword beams that shot toward the rock spikes. The beams collided with the spikes in a series of booming explosions, shattering the rocks.

Seeing this, the Iron-Mane Rock Bear grew even angrier. It blurred into motion, charging at Lin Tian like a black cannonball, its massive paw raised high and crashing down with earth-shattering force. Lin Tian showed no fear, instantly transforming into a fire-elemental lifeform, drifting past the descending paw like a wisp of flame.

"A perfect chance!" Lin Tian thought with delight. As the bear's attack missed, he condensed a fireball—an extreme compression of the Fire Element Mystery—and shot it toward the bear's belly. The moment the fireball struck, it exploded, the immense force making the bear's colossal frame stagger.

The Iron-Mane Rock Bear howled in pain. It opened its massive maw, and a thick, earthy-yellow light burst forth, forming a layer of jade-like armor over its body. Lin Tian frowned, realizing that this rock bear had a deep understanding of the Earth Law; simple flame attacks would struggle to break through its defense.

Amid the fierce battle, Lin Tian kept pondering a way to overcome this. Suddenly, inspiration struck. He tried compressing the Fire Element Mystery to its extreme while spinning it continuously, forming a rotating drill.

Lin Tian launched this spinning drill at the jade armor. Under the drill's assault, the armor gradually cracked. The Iron-Mane Rock Bear watched in terror as its armor shattered and turned to flee. But Lin Tian wouldn't let the chance slip. He once again wielded the Fire Element Mystery, and flames like ropes coiled around the bear's limbs, immobilizing it.

Then, Lin Tian condensed a powerful blade of fire and drove it deep into the Iron-Mane Rock Bear. With a final cry, the bear crashed to the ground, lifeless.

"Lin Tian, well done! Your use of the Fire Element Mystery is growing more and more refined. And your combat ability is outstanding—that rotating method to break defenses is quite innovative," Porter praised.

Laun nodded with a smile. "Indeed. In real combat, you can adapt quickly and keep exploring the potential of the Fire Element Mystery. In time, you will surely reach even greater heights."

Lin Tian wiped the sweat from his brow, a gratified smile on his face. "Thank you, Grandfather and Teacher Laun."

After dealing with the Iron-Mane Rock Bear's corpse, the trio continued deeper into the mountains. Before long, they encountered a Snow-Feather Ice Phoenix, a creature radiating an icy chill. This ice phoenix had a slender form, its feathers shimmering with crystalline blue light, each one seemingly containing boundless cold. It was a master of the Water Law.

Seeing the three, the Snow-Feather Ice Phoenix let out a crisp cry, the sound slicing toward them like blades of ice. Lin Tian quickly activated the Fire Element Mystery, forming a barrier of flame in front of him that blocked the icy blades. The blades clashed against the flames with a sizzling sound, dissolving into droplets of water.

Enraged, the Snow-Feather Ice Phoenix spread its wings, and countless ice cones rained down like a torrential storm. Lin Tian did not retreat. He transformed into a fire-elemental lifeform, weaving through the gaps between the ice cones with ease. At the same time, he gathered flames and shot them at the phoenix.

The Snow-Feather Ice Phoenix dodged the fire attacks nimbly. Suddenly, it spat out a stream of blue ice flame—so cold that the air froze into crystals wherever it passed. Sensing the immense power of this ice flame, Lin Tian quickly condensed a massive fire vortex in front of him using the Fire Element Mystery.

The fire vortex spun wildly, drawing the ice flame into it. The two forces clashed and canceled each other out within the vortex, erupting in a dazzling light. Seizing the moment, Lin Tian attacked again, pushing the Fire Element Mystery to its limit. Flames surged like fiery dragons, charging at the Snow-Feather Ice Phoenix.

Feeling the threat, the phoenix flapped its wings, forming a thick layer of ice before it. The fire dragons slammed into the ice with a series of booming impacts. Lin Tian knew breaking through that ice would not be easy, and he began to think about how to further enhance the power of his flames.

Suddenly, a flash of insight struck him. He recalled the ability he had previously comprehended—Fusion at Will. Focusing his mind, he fully manifested the transformative power of the Fire Element Mystery. The form of the flames instantly underwent a wondrous change. The fire became more dispersed, showcasing its agility as it slipped through the nearly nonexistent gaps in the ice, dismantling its integrity.

Lin Tian attacked once more. This time, the flames easily pierced the ice layer and struck the Snow-Feather Ice Phoenix. With a mournful cry, the phoenix fell from the sky.

Lin Tian panted slightly, a spark of excitement in his eyes. "Through this battle with the ice phoenix, I've gained a deeper understanding of Fusion at Will within the Fire Element Mystery. I feel my control over flames has reached a new level."