Obtaining the Phoenix Egg

The corridor was pitch-black, and the surrounding stone walls were carved with mysterious runes that were completely impossible to decipher.

Ye Lin walked for an unknown amount of time until a glimmer of light appeared ahead. His heart leaped with joy, and he quickened his pace toward the glow.

Stepping out of the tunnel, the view suddenly opened up to reveal a vast chamber. Looking upward, he saw strange crystals embedded in the ceiling, shimmering with light.

In the distance, at the center of this massive space, a fire-red giant egg, half the height of a man, rested silently upon a stone table.

Beneath it lay a staircase of ninety-nine steps, surrounded by five great stone pillars wreathed in purple-red flames.

Ye Lin began to ascend the stairs, but with every step he took, the pressure upon his body doubled.

Is this some kind of trial?

Ye Lin pondered as he climbed.

Though he could easily neutralize this pressure, by the time he reached the ninetieth step, he was drenched in sweat, and his feet felt heavy as lead.

"No, hold on. A descendant of the Phoenix cannot give up."

Ye Lin gritted his teeth and took another step forward. Suddenly, the dark space brightened, and the purple-red flames atop the five pillars surged toward him.

"Oh no."

Ye Lin's expression shifted drastically. Just as he was about to draw his Sword Talisman for defense, the spiritual fire within his dantian burst forth, absorbing the incoming purple-red flames one after another.

"Is this... an evolution?"

Watching the spiritual fire above his head grow stronger as it devoured the flames, Ye Lin was overjoyed.

The spiritual fire was absorbing the purple-red flames to evolve. Already a high-grade Profound-tier flame, it now teetered on the brink of breaking into the Earth-tier.

Seeing this, Ye Lin did not dare to delay and hurried toward the summit.

Just then, a loud crash echoed behind him as the five stone pillars crumbled. The spiritual fire now hovered silently in the air, radiating a destructive aura that seemed capable of shattering the heavens.

At the heart of the fire, the phantom of a phoenix soared.

Suddenly, the once-spherical flame transformed into a fire-red phoenix phantom and dove straight into Ye Lin's body.

Ye Lin's entire body turned crimson, flooded with an inexhaustible surge of power that allowed him to stride forward and finally reach the round table.

"This is..."

Ye Lin discovered a phoenix phantom within his dantian, circling the condensed mass of spiritual energy at its center.

Every now and then, it would take a playful nip at the energy, acting with extreme mischief.

"An Earth-tier low-grade spiritual fire? Phoenix Fire?"

Ye Lin was stunned. The spiritual fire within him had transformed into the companion flame of the ancient divine beast, the Phoenix Fire.

Although it was a truncated version, its power was immense; even among Earth-tier low-grade flames, it was top-tier.

One had to remember, the Phoenix Fire at its peak was a celestial flame.

"I've struck gold."

Ye Lin's face beamed with delight. The Phoenix Fire alone made this trip a massive profit; with its augmentation, he dared to call himself invincible within the Qi Refining stage.

"Right, the Phoenix Egg."

After a brief moment of excitement, Ye Lin turned his gaze to the giant, fire-red egg.

Mysterious patterns flowed across its surface, making it look incredibly beautiful.

"Why is there no life force inside?"

Ye Lin frowned. There was not the slightest sign of life within the giant egg.

"Could the Phoenix descendant be dead? Impossible. The system panel showed that Lin Zisheng successfully hatched the Phoenix offspring. What is going on?"

Ye Lin stood there, brow furrowed in thought. He could clearly perceive that the egg was devoid of any life, as if it were a dead shell.

He circled the table, prodding and touching it from every angle.

Tap, tap, tap.

Footsteps echoed from the tunnel behind him. Ye Lin's expression shifted; with no time to think, he snatched up the giant egg and hid among the ruins at the base of the stairs.

Because the stone pillars had collapsed, the area was filled with massive boulders, and Ye Lin hid in a crevice where he could not be seen from above.

"Lin Zisheng?"

Peering through the gap, Ye Lin saw that the person who had entered was indeed Lin Zisheng.

"Has someone already been here?"

Lin Zisheng looked at the ruins, frowned, and scanned his surroundings.

He then stepped onto the stairs, reaching the round table with ease. Since the five pillars were destroyed, the trial no longer existed.

Standing before the table, Lin Zisheng placed his hand upon it. Suddenly, as if a mechanism had been triggered, a fire-red screen of light shot into his brow. The next moment, Lin Zisheng closed his eyes and sat cross-legged on the spot.

Lin Zisheng meditated there for three full hours, and Ye Lin waited in the ruins for just as long. He was no match for Lin Zisheng, and with the Phoenix Egg in his possession, staying hidden was the best choice.

"A Heaven-tier high-grade technique, the Phoenix Bathing Heaven Technique?"

Lin Zisheng opened his eyes and let out a loud shout. A fire-red phoenix phantom appeared behind him, looking majestic and awe-inspiring.

Ye Lin: "..."

However, hiding beneath the ruins, Ye Lin was left completely speechless at the sight. Was this truly the Son of Luck? Was he really this terrifyingly formidable?

He had nearly blown the stone table to pieces just moments ago without triggering a single mechanism, yet Lin Zisheng had merely touched it and obtained a heaven-defying Heaven-grade high-tier cultivation technique?

"Hahaha, this trip was not in vain. In the world of the future, there will surely be a place for me, Lin Zisheng."

"Although it is only a fragmented version, it has already reached the Heaven-grade high-tier. It is enough for me to cultivate and ascend to immortality."

At this moment, Lin Zisheng laughed heartily. Having just acquired a divine technique, he was in an exceptionally good mood. He stood up and scanned his surroundings.

Finding nothing else of value, he dusted off his backside and walked out.

Several minutes after Lin Zisheng had departed, Ye Lin finally pushed aside the stone slab above him and emerged, clutching the Phoenix Egg.

This time, he had truly witnessed the terror of a Son of Luck. The Heavens were practically shoving opportunities into his hands—what else could he do?

"A fragmented version? The Phoenix Bathing Heaven Technique is the legacy technique of the Phoenix clan. As long as I hatch the egg in my hands, I will be able to obtain the complete version."

"The Phoenix is a divine beast; its legacy technique must be incredibly terrifying. If a mere fragmented version has already reached the Heaven-grade high-tier, then how monstrous must the complete version be?"

One had to know that even some of the great Immortal sects did not possess a Heaven-grade high-tier technique; they were precious beyond measure.

"However, carrying this thing around is far too conspicuous. Let me see if I can store it in my Spatial Ring."

Ye Lin muttered to himself, then activated his Spatial Ring. The next moment, the giant egg in his hands vanished, lying quietly within the ring.

"Phew, it's good that it can be stored. Once I get out, I'll slowly research how to hatch you."

The Spatial Ring could only store inanimate objects, and since there was not a shred of life force within the giant egg, it could be stored just the same.

"If Lin Zisheng was capable of hatching you, it means you aren't truly dead. Once I get out, I will study you at my leisure."

Looking at the giant egg inside the Spatial Ring, Ye Lin finished his thought and walked out of the cave.