The blazing Hell True Flame burned wildly, carrying a soul-gripping demonic aura.
The Holy King Sect disciples were deterred by the terrifying flames. Their expressions instantly went blank, as though an invisible giant hand had torn their souls away.
In their daze, they found themselves in a desolate world ravaged by scorching flames. Miserable demon wails echoed beside their ears, each cry stabbing into their souls like a sharp thorn.
"Flames of Hell, transform into Divine Elephants! Enlighten stubborn stones and reshape their foundations!"
Lin Yu stood before the flames, runes flickering all around him as he chanted under his breath.
As the incantation left his lips, several drops of dark golden blood essence fell from his fingertips and merged into the Hell True Flame. That blood essence resembled flowing stars, radiating a mysterious gleam. Every drop was round and full, as nimble as mercury.
"Roar!"
In an instant, the flames of Hell seemed to have devoured an unparalleled treasure and surged high into the air. The crimson blaze immediately turned dark gold, becoming even more mysterious and terrifying.
These dark golden flames were like the wrath of ancient gods, burning away every illusion between heaven and earth.
With a slight movement of Lin Yu's will, the dark golden flame split into dozens of agile fire serpents. They shot toward the disciples like lightning, wrapping around their bodies in an instant and turning each of them into a burning figure.
Under the terrified gazes of the disciples, the true flames fiercely scorched their bodies.
Within the blazing flames, impurities were refined away by the heat. Strands of black smoke rose into the air as the filth within their bodies and souls was stripped away bit by bit.
Then, the disciples quickly discovered to their delight that, after being tempered by the flames, their flesh had changed completely.
Their once ordinary flesh became crystal-clear, like smooth, warm jade. Beneath their skin, blood and qi surged like rivers, every pulse brimming with vigorous life and vitality as though proclaiming the miracle of existence.
The flames penetrated deep into their marrow. Under the shaping of that mysterious power, their bones grew thicker and began to emit a gentle glow.
With every slight movement, clear and pleasant sounds rang from between their bones, like heavenly music—the symphony of strength and resilience.
Then the flames changed, becoming faint and intangible as they burned into their minds. Agonizing pain struck them, as though their souls were about to be torn apart.
Yet the disciples clenched their teeth and endured through sheer willpower. This was a trial of breaking free from the cocoon and becoming butterflies.
At last, the Hell True Flame slowly receded, like the calm after the tide withdrew. The disciples gradually rose from the ground. At this moment, they had undergone a cleansing of the soul.
Their hearts were now as pure as crystal, free of distracting thoughts. Their former confusion and doubts had been swept away, and they faced all things in the world with reverence and compassion.
Their minds had become incomparably sharp. Wherever their gazes fell, it felt as though they could see through every illusion.
Their once dim eyes now shone brilliantly, filled with resolve and longing for the path of cultivation ahead. They had been completely reborn and were ready to carve through thorns on their journey.
"Thank you, Sect Master, for your blessing! We will cultivate diligently and never fail to repay your grace!"
The disciples knelt joyfully, their eyes devout and sincere.
"Very good. I hope you achieve success in cultivation and become the pillars of the Holy King Sect in the future."
Lin Yu nodded in satisfaction. This tempering had cost him quite a bit of blood essence, but as long as they continued to grow, they would become capable helpers when they went to other holy lands in the future.
"That will be all. You may withdraw. Tomorrow, I will sweep through the other five sects." With that, Lin Yu turned into a Divine Rainbow and vanished.
After returning to his cave dwelling, Lin Yu took out the source stones he had collected and devoured them to replenish his spent blood essence. Now that his Hell Furnace had taken its initial form, its ability to aid cultivation had become increasingly powerful.
As the source stones shattered and continuously transformed into life essence that replenished his body, the blood essence he had expended quickly recovered. His blood and qi surged through him like raging rivers.
At this time, Lin Yu calmed himself and examined his Sea of Bitterness inwardly. After continuous cultivation over this period, his Sea of Bitterness had steadily expanded and was now the size of a fist.
After yesterday's fierce battle, Lin Yu felt even more keenly that the divine power within him surged like raging waves. It seemed an invisible barrier was about to be broken, and a breakthrough was within reach.
"Sure enough, in this world, the fastest way to keep improving is through battle!"
As the saying went, "Shrouding the Heavens people, Shrouding the Heavens souls—everyone in Shrouding the Heavens is a fighter!"
In this universe, there was only one word for rapid progress: fight. From fellow disciples to every kind of prodigy, from the Ancient Starry Sky Road to clashes with Supremes, conflict was everywhere. That cultivation style of sitting in seclusion and comprehending the Dao to improve was basically impossible.
Lin Yu focused his mind. The surging divine power within his Sea of Bitterness roiled endlessly like the tide, while rosy light filled the heavens and thunder rumbled through the air.
The perfect opportunity for a breakthrough had arrived. He decided to seize the momentum and charge straight into the Divine Bridge Realm.
Lin Yu gathered his mind and will, concentrating all his spirit and strength into one point like a sharp spear, then fiercely struck at that barrier.
Who knew how much time passed before a thunderous boom shook heaven and earth, and that shackle finally shattered.
At this moment, Lin Yu's dark golden Sea of Bitterness had expanded to the size of a fist. A brilliant rainbow hung high in the sky, spanning the firmament in dazzling splendor. Moreover, he had finally condensed a short segment of Divine Meridian.
The Divine Meridian gleamed with a lustrous light as it hovered above the Sea of Bitterness, radiating a mysterious and powerful aura. Lin Yu had finally crossed this crucial threshold and officially become a cultivator of the Divine Bridge Realm.
"Perfect. I might as well break through with the Divine Elephant's Prison Technique as well!"
After adjusting his condition slightly, Lin Yu took out five hundred kilograms of source and prepared to begin refining it.
As the Hell Furnace burned, endless Life Source poured into the Giant Elephant Particles within Lin Yu's body like a surging flood.
One particle after another seemed to be infused with vibrant life, awakening one by one as the Power of the Ancient Giant Elephant continuously blessed his body.
A full five Giant Elephant Particles began to awaken. Crackling sounds came from within his body, as though he were undergoing a grand and wondrous transformation.
A vast amount of divine power began to gather. Deep within the Sea of Bitterness, all the divine power gradually took on the color of molten lava, like a rolling sea of magma.
In the depths of that magma sea, the embryo of a furnace was growing vigorously, steadily suppressing the Sea of Bitterness.
Twenty Giant Elephant Particles had awakened, raising Lin Yu's combat power by a tremendous margin. He was nearly strong enough to surpass cultivators of the Dao Palace Secret Realm.
His perception continued to soar. As his divine sense spread out, he could distinguish the various essences filling heaven and earth. When Lin Yu extended his mind toward the sun, he even felt as though he could draw down its solar essence.
"Crackle, crackle!"
Lin Yu rose to his feet. Thunder-like rumbles came from the acupoints throughout his body, and a terrifying aura enveloped the surroundings. He seemed both divine and demonic.
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