Atop the Demon Peak of Bones, a deathly silence hung like a pool of ink turned solid, tightly enveloping everything around it. Even the air seemed frozen, so oppressive it was hard to breathe. The roiling Chaos Demon Flame briefly stilled as Hun Mietian's projection shattered. Its tongues of fire, which had danced wildly moments before, now resembled enraged beasts. They hesitated for an instant, then erupted into an even more savage, silent roar, as if a sacred object had been desecrated. The viscous, dark-red waves of fire, like a horde of greedy demons, frantically lapped at the vast glassy crater blasted open by the Dragon-Phoenix Holy Seal. Along its rim, fragments of glassy stone glimmered with a desperate, tragic beauty beneath the onslaught.
At the bottom of the crater, Xiao Zhan lay motionless, like a monument that had stood firm through raging winds and driving rain, yet was scarred all over. His blue-green robe was in tatters, like a tattered banner torn by a gale, exposing a strong back covered in dreadful wounds. The scars crisscrossed his back like a hideous map, recording the hardships of his journey and the brutality of his battles. The wound in his left shoulder, pierced by the Death Soul Spear, now resembled a sinister spring. Viscous, green-black Deathly Silence energy mixed with pale golden Dragon-Phoenix blood, slowly seeping through his charred, torn flesh. With each faint pulse of blood came a chill that froze the very source of life, like a bitter wind from hell, enough to make anyone shudder. The speck of Nirvana Extinction Residual Poison between his brows had been temporarily suppressed, but it remained like a poisonous thorn embedded in his soul, burning faintly under the violent energy backlash, as if an invisible fire were blazing deep within him.
His breath was so faint it was almost nonexistent, like a guttering candle that could be snuffed out at any moment by the merciless wind. He had forced the Dragon Phoenix Tyrant Body Art to its limits, summoned his bloodline's holy imprint to withstand a Dou Sheng projection, then used his own body as a furnace to detonate his Dragon-Phoenix Dou Qi and the essence of the Green Lotus Core Flame... Every one of these actions had far exceeded what a Two-Star Dou Zong could endure! He had burned not only his Dou Qi, but also his precious life force and the very foundation of his soul, as if gambling everything he had against fate. Were it not for his Dragon-Phoenix Bloodline, tough as a sturdy rope, pulling him back from the brink of death, and the remaining medicinal power of the Nirvana Holy Blood Pill, like a warm current, protecting the last spark of life in his heart, he would already have turned to dust and vanished from this world.
[Warning! Host's life signs are at the brink of their limit! Soul Origin severely depleted! Dragon Phoenix Tyrant Body Art has collapsed from overuse! Green Lotus Core Flame essence is on the verge of dispersing!]
[Warning! "Deathly Silence Rule" erosion in left shoulder intensifying! Erosion: 15%! Worsening continuously!]
[Warning! "Nirvana Extinction Residual Poison" between brows fluctuating due to energy impact! Purification halted! Erosion rising to 1%!]
[Warning!...]
The system's icy alerts flashed and overlapped frantically in Xiao Zhan's consciousness, which teetered on the brink of silence, like death knells. Each glaring warning stabbed at his soul like a cold blade. His consciousness sank and surfaced in an abyss of endless darkness and unbearable pain, as if he were plunging into an unfathomable chasm surrounded by nothing but despair. Every struggle seemed utterly futile. It felt as though the next moment would see him sink completely and vanish into the frigid darkness.
And yet—
Just as Xiao Zhan's wavering consciousness was about to be swallowed by darkness, about to be extinguished like a guttering candle, in that one-millionth of an instant—
Bzzzz—!!!
Deep within his silent dantian qi sea, the essence of the Green Lotus Core Flame, once dim and feeble with its master on the verge of death, nearly falling apart, was suddenly given the last bit of kindling—as if a traveler in desperate straits had glimpsed a final glimmer of hope. In an instant, it unleashed a will to survive unlike anything before, an unyielding struggle against fate born of a stubborn desire to live. The jade-green flames no longer raged as they once had. Instead, they became exceptionally pure and concentrated, like fine steel tempered a thousand times over, radiating vigorous life born at the dawn of the world. Threads of incomparably pure flame essence, carrying the breath of purification and rebirth, flowed of their own accord toward Xiao Zhan's battered body, like the gentlest trickle of a stream. They poured without end, especially toward the wound in his left shoulder, where Deathly Silence energy was eating away at him, as if seeking to dispel every shadow and every torment.
At the same time! Deep within his soul! The Dragon-Phoenix Origin Imprint had endured the pressure of a Dou Sheng projection at its limit, been repeatedly eroded by Nirvana Extinction Residual Poison, and then drawn upon the bloodline's holy imprint in the desperate struggle between life and death. Like a brilliant star buried in darkness, it did not shatter or dim amid the raging storm. Instead, like peerless divine metal hammered free of every impurity, it suddenly blazed with unprecedented brilliance amid the ashes of near-death. Its radiance was dazzling, as if it would illuminate every dark corner of his soul.
The imprint's form grew more intricate, profound, and mysterious, like an enigmatic painting drawn from the laws of heaven and earth, imbued with boundless secrets and power. A vast force rose from the most ancient source of his bloodline, purer and more domineering than before, carrying the supreme Dao resonance of Nirvana rebirth. Like a volcano dormant for countless ages, it thundered awake. Blending with the vitality of the Green Lotus Flame's essence, this power surged forth like a breached flood, sweeping everything before it. In an instant, it burst through the levee of Xiao Zhan's sinking consciousness, allowing his nearly vanished awareness to gather once more and return to life.
[ Ding! In a desperate struggle between life and death, the host has stirred the bloodline's holy imprint, and his will has deeply resonated with the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Imprint! Epic breakthrough achieved: Dragon Phoenix Tyrant Body Art advanced to "Masterful" (1%)! Dragon-Phoenix Bloodline deeply awakened (10%)! ]
The system's crisp notification rang in Xiao Zhan's mind like heavenly music, bringing boundless hope and joy.
[Passive trait "Dragon-Phoenix Will" advanced to "Dragon-Phoenix Holy Might" (Basic)—greatly increases absolute resistance and purification against mental attacks, soul erosion, and negative rules! Can summon a trace of holy bloodline might to intimidate all living beings!]
This powerful trait was like an impregnable suit of armor wrapped around Xiao Zhan, giving him greater confidence and composure in the battles to come.
[Green Lotus Core Flame essence recognition reached 100%! It is protecting its master and repairing its essence of its own accord! Flame Emperor Art comprehension has advanced to the second level! Flame control greatly improved!]
The Green Lotus Core Flame essence's recognition was like a door opening onto a higher realm, bringing Xiao Zhan's flame control to a new level.
[Remaining medicinal power of Nirvana Holy Blood Pill fully activated! Fused with Dragon-Phoenix Nirvana Power! Beginning to repair life force and soul injuries!]
The remaining medicinal power was like warm sunlight shining upon Xiao Zhan's wounded body and soul, gradually restoring his vitality.
[Core threat detected: "Deathly Silence Rule" erosion! Bloodline passive triggered: Dragon-Phoenix Nirvana! Beginning to analyze and assimilate "Deathly Silence Rule"! Progress: 0.01%...]
Though the progress was slight, it was like a glimmer in the darkness, heralding that Xiao Zhan would ultimately overcome this terrifying erosion and greet a new dawn.
A flood of system alerts washed over Xiao Zhan's nearly withered consciousness like rain after a long drought, bearing the hope of life and surging vitality. The crisp notifications sounded like heavenly music from the depths of the world, playing an impassioned symphony in his soul.
A newly reborn Dragon-Phoenix Power, far purer and more vigorous than before, carrying the majestic dignity of the holy Dao, surged through the depths of Xiao Zhan's battered body like warm, searing magma. Wherever it flowed, shattered meridians were meticulously repaired, forcibly reconnected, widened, and strengthened, as if clear streams were once again flowing through dry riverbeds. His depleted dantian qi sea seemed to be infused anew with boundless vitality, refilled and expanded, like barren land nourished by spring rain and bursting with life. Under the soothing touch of this powerful, warm force, the cracks in his Soul Origin were quickly smoothed over and healed, leaving it even tougher and more vast, like a gem polished by countless trials, gleaming with even greater brilliance.
The Nirvana Extinction Residual Poison between his brows was instantly suppressed anew beneath the elevated Dragon-Phoenix Holy Might, like a savage beast clamped tight in a giant hand. The speck of black that had once lorded it over him shrank at a visible pace, like darkness retreating step by step before the light.
Most crucial of all was the terrible wound in his left shoulder. The newly reborn Dragon-Phoenix Power, blended with the vitality of the Green Lotus Flame's essence and the power of Nirvana, was like the fire of the most precise, most searing furnace. With fearless courage and unshakable resolve, it lunged fiercely at the stubborn green-black Deathly Silence energy, clinging like a parasite to the bone.
Ssssss—!!!
This time, there was no stalemate between evenly matched forces. It was a one-sided crushing! The Dragon-Phoenix Power of Nirvana, imbued with supreme vitality, was like the will of an emperor, bearing an irresistible majesty as it began to refine and assimilate the "Deathly Silence Rule" that represented death with overwhelming force. Faced with this glorious holy power, the green-black Deathly Silence energy was like a demon meeting its nemesis. It let out a silent wail, then retreated and dissolved beneath the blazing radiance. It was forcibly broken down and transformed into threads of pure gray-black energy, imbued with the dual Dao resonance of destruction and rebirth. Like a tamed beast, it docilely merged into the newly reborn Dragon-Phoenix Dou Qi, lending Xiao Zhan's power a unique quality.
[Deathly Silence Rule analysis: 0.1%...0.2%... Assimilating... Left shoulder wound repair accelerating! Erosion: 14%...13%...]
Though the repair and assimilation crept forward like a snail, their irreversible momentum was as unstoppable as the wheel of history. The deadly crisis was quietly transforming into an astonishing rebirth, a chance to rise from ruin and emerge utterly renewed, as Xiao Zhan found the light of rebirth in the depths of despair.
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