Demon Peak Shatters Saintly Shadow, Dragon Phoenix Reborn

At the summit of the Demon Peak of Bones, the deathly silence hung like a pool of congealed ink, tightly enveloping everything in its vicinity. Even the air seemed frozen, heavy enough to make one gasp for breath. The roiling Chaos Demon Flame had momentarily stagnated due to the shattering of the Soul Extinguisher projection; those tongues of fire, which had previously danced with abandon, now resembled a startled beast. Though stunned for a heartbeat, they immediately erupted into a silent roar, as if a sacred object had been desecrated. The viscous, dark red waves of fire, like a pack of greedy ghouls, frantically licked at the massive glazed crater blasted out by the Dragon-Phoenix Holy Imprint. Under the impact of the flames, the shards of glaze at the crater's edge shimmered with a desperate, poignant light.

At the bottom of the pit, Xiao Zhan lay still, like a scarred monument standing unyielding amidst a raging storm. His green robes were tattered, resembling a flag shredded by a gale, revealing a sturdy back covered in terrifying wounds. The scars crisscrossed his skin like a gruesome map, recording the hardships and the brutal intensity of the battles he had endured. The wound on his left shoulder, pierced by the Death Soul Spear, was now like a malignant spring; viscous, blue-black power of deathly silence mixed with the pale golden Dragon-Phoenix blood, slowly oozing and eroding the charred, curled flesh. Every subtle pulse of his blood emitted a chill that froze the source of life, a coldness like a wind from hell that made one shudder. The trace of Nirvana Extinction Residual Poison at the center of his brow, though temporarily suppressed, felt like a poisoned thorn embedded in his soul, throbbing with a dull ache under the intense energy backlash, as if an invisible fire were burning deep within his spirit.

His aura was so faint it was nearly non-existent, like a candle in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment by the ruthless gale. Forcing the Dragon-Phoenix Tyrant Body Art to its limit, invoking the Bloodline Holy Imprint, clashing head-on with a Dou Zong projection, and finally using his own body as a furnace to detonate his Dragon-Phoenix Dou Qi and the source of the Green Lotus Core Flame... this series of actions had long since exceeded the limits of a two-star Dou Zong! He was burning not just his Dou Qi, but his precious life essence and the very foundation of his soul, as if wagering everything he had against fate itself. Had the resilience of his Dragon-Phoenix bloodline not acted like a sturdy rope, pulling him back from the brink of death, and had the residual medicinal power of the Nirvana Holy Blood Pill not acted as a warm current protecting the last spark of life in his heart, he would have already turned to dust, dissipating between heaven and earth.

[Warning! Host's vital signs are nearing their limit! Soul essence is severely overdrawn! Dragon-Phoenix Tyrant Body Art is collapsing from overload! Green Lotus Core Flame source is on the verge of dissipation!]

[Warning! Erosion by "Deathly Silence Rule" on the left shoulder is intensifying! Erosion level: 15%! Continuing to deteriorate!]

[Warning! "Nirvana Extinction Residual Poison" at the center of the brow is fluctuating due to energy impact! Purification has stalled! Erosion level has risen back to 1%!]

[Warning!...]

The cold system prompts, like the tolling of a funeral bell, flashed and overlapped frantically within Xiao Zhan's fading sea of consciousness. Each glaring warning was like a cold blade, piercing his soul. His consciousness drifted and sank within an abyss of boundless darkness and excruciating pain, as if cast into an endless void surrounded by despair. Every struggle felt futile, as if he were about to sink completely and vanish into the cold darkness at any moment.

However—

At the ten-thousandth of a second before his flickering consciousness was to be completely swallowed by the darkness and extinguished like a candle in the wind!

Hum—!!!

Deep within his silent Dantian, the source of the Green Lotus Core Flame—which had been dim, withered, and near collapse due to its master's impending death—suddenly received a final injection of fuel, like a traveler in a desperate wasteland catching a glimpse of hope. In an instant, it erupted with an unprecedented will to survive; it was a persistent craving for life, an unyielding defiance against fate. The cyan flames were no longer as violently chaotic as before; instead, they became exceptionally pure and condensed, as if tempered by a thousand fires, radiating a vitality that seemed to stem from the very dawn of creation. Wisps of incredibly pure fire source energy, carrying the aura of purification and rebirth, flowed like a gentle, trickling stream, spontaneously and ceaselessly surging toward Xiao Zhan's riddled body, especially toward the wound on his left shoulder that was being frantically eroded by the power of deathly silence, as if to dispel all the gloom and pain.

At the same time! In the deepest reaches of his soul! The Dragon-Phoenix Origin Imprint—which had endured the extreme pressure of the Dou Zong projection, been repeatedly eroded by the Nirvana Extinction Residual Poison, and triggered the Bloodline Holy Imprint in the face of death—was like a brilliant star buried in the darkness. Far from shattering or dimming in the storm, it was like peerless iron forged of all impurities, suddenly erupting with unprecedented, brilliant light from the ashes of death. That light was dazzling and eye-catching, as if it intended to illuminate every dark corner of his soul.

The form of the imprint became more complex, profound, and mysterious, resembling a mystical scroll drawn by the laws of heaven and earth, containing endless secrets and power. A majestic force, stemming from the most ancient source of his bloodline—purer, more domineering, and carrying the supreme Dao rhyme of Nirvana rebirth—awakened with a roar, like a volcano that had been silent for eons. This power, mixed with the vitality of the Green Lotus fire source, was like a bursting flood. With an overwhelming momentum, it instantly breached the dam of his sinking consciousness, allowing Xiao Zhan's nearly dissipated awareness to re-coalesce and bloom with new life.

[Ding! Host has triggered the Bloodline Holy Imprint in a life-or-death crisis, achieving deep resonance with the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Imprint! Epic breakthrough completed: Dragon-Phoenix Tyrant Body Art has broken through to "Pure Perfection" (1%)! Dragon-Phoenix bloodline deep awakening (10%)!]

That crisp system notification sounded like a heavenly melody in Xiao Zhan's consciousness, bringing endless hope and joy.

[Passive trait "Dragon-Phoenix Will" has been upgraded to "Dragon-Phoenix Holy Might" (Beginner)—significantly increases absolute resistance and purification capabilities against mental shocks, soul erosion, and negative rules! Can invoke a trace of bloodline holy might to awe all spirits!] This powerful trait was like donning an indestructible suit of armor, allowing him to be more composed and confident in future battles.

[Green Lotus Core Flame source recognition has reached 100%! Spontaneously protecting the master and repairing the foundation! Flame Emperor Art insight has broken through to the second stage! Fire control ability significantly increased!] The recognition of the Green Lotus Core Flame source was like opening a door to a higher realm for Xiao Zhan, elevating his fire control techniques to a new height.

[Residual medicinal power of the Nirvana Holy Blood Pill has been completely stimulated! Fusing with the Dragon-Phoenix Nirvana power! Beginning to repair life essence and soul wounds!] The residual medicinal power was like warm sunlight, shining upon Xiao Zhan's injured body and soul, allowing him to gradually recover his vitality.

[Core crisis "Deathly Silence Rule erosion" detected! Triggering bloodline passive: Dragon-Phoenix Nirvana! Beginning to analyze and assimilate "Deathly Silence Rule"! Progress: 0.01%...] This small progress was like a glimmer of light in the darkness, signaling that Xiao Zhan would eventually overcome this terrifying erosion and welcome a new dawn.

The massive influx of system prompts was like rain after a long drought, carrying the hope of life and vigorous vitality, joyfully washing over Xiao Zhan's nearly withered consciousness. The crisp notification sounds were like celestial music from the depths of heaven and earth, playing a stirring movement within the world of his soul.

A new, far purer and more vigorous Dragon-Phoenix power, carrying the majesty of the supreme holy path, surged through the depths of his broken shell like warm, scorching magma. Wherever it passed, his shattered meridians were meticulously repaired by a master craftsman, forcibly reconnected, widened, and reinforced, as if clear streams were once again flowing through dried-up riverbeds. His exhausted Dantian was injected with endless vitality, refilled and expanded, as if a barren land had welcomed the nourishment of spring rain, bursting with life. The cracks in his soul essence were smoothed and healed under the soothing touch of this powerful and warm force, becoming even more resilient and vast, like a gem polished by time, radiating an even more brilliant light.

The Nirvana Extinction Residual Poison at the center of his brow, under the suppression of the upgraded Dragon-Phoenix Holy Might, was like a vicious beast tightly gripped by a giant hand, instantly suppressed once more. That speck of arrogance and pitch-black darkness shrank at a speed visible to the naked eye, as if darkness were retreating step by step before the light.

Most crucially, there was the terrifying wound on his left shoulder. The newly born Dragon-Phoenix power, mixed with the vitality of the Green Lotus fire source and the power of Nirvana, acted like the most precise and scorching furnace fire. With fearless courage and firm determination, it lunged at the stubborn, maggot-like blue-black power of deathly silence.

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—!!!

This time, it was no longer a stalemate of equal strength, but a one-sided crushing! The Nirvana Dragon-Phoenix power, containing supreme vitality, acted like the will of an emperor. With irresistible majesty, it launched the most domineering refining and assimilation against the "Deathly Silence Rule" that represented death. Before this magnificent holy power, the blue-black power of deathly silence was like a ghoul encountering its nemesis, emitting silent wails as it retreated and dissolved under the scorching light. It was forcibly decomposed and converted into wisps of pure, gray-black energy carrying the dual Dao rhymes of extinction and rebirth. Like a tamed beast, it obediently merged into the newly born Dragon-Phoenix Dou Qi, adding a unique flavor to Xiao Zhan's power.

[Deathly Silence Rule analysis progress: 0.1%... 0.2%... Assimilating... Left shoulder wound repair accelerating! Erosion level: 14%... 13%...]

Although the speed of this repair and assimilation was as slow as a snail crawling, the irreversible trend was like the wheels of history rolling forward, unstoppable. The fatal crisis was quietly transforming into a heaven-defying fortune of breaking and then standing, a rebirth that allowed Xiao Zhan to welcome the dawn of a new life amidst the jaws of death.