Sky Demon Phoenix!

Yes.

The Myriad Beast Spirit Flame had reappeared.

This was one of the Origin Flame's traits: flames it had devoured could still be split off from it.

Like a king's subjects, after the Origin Flame devoured the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame, it completely refined and fused its origin, yet could still separate it anew while preserving its original form and traits.

Of course, after splitting it off, the Origin Flame's fundamental nature would not decline. It would merely be weakened for a short time, and once it recovered its vitality, it could be used again.

Outside, Su Zhao finally slowly opened his eyes.

A crimson gleam flashed deep within his pupils before vanishing. He let out a long breath of stale air, and a series of crisp crackles rang out from the bones throughout his body, filling him with an unprecedented sense of strength.

He rose to his feet, rolled his shoulders and neck, and the corners of his lips slowly curled upward.

His first Heavenly Flame had been successfully devoured!

"Su Zhao!"

Xiao Yi Xian's voice came first.

She hurried over and inspected him from every angle before finally letting out a sigh of relief.

"You're finally awake! Are you all right?"

Su Zhao chuckled and proudly lifted his chin. "Isn't it obvious enough? Who do you think I am? Could a mere Myriad Beast Spirit Flame possibly harm me? Don't worry. I'm already a six-star Dou Master now."

Xiao Yi Xian curled her lips, though the smile at the corners of her eyes could not be concealed. "What's so great about being a six-star Dou Master? It's only a matter of time before I catch up to you."

Su Zhao burst into laughter and did not argue with her.

Su You and the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King also stepped forward to offer their congratulations. A trace of almost human-like respect even appeared on the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's rugged beastly face.

It had personally witnessed the entire process of Su Zhao devouring the Heavenly Flame. Such methods and courage left it without the slightest doubt about its choice.

Su Zhao waved a hand, reined in his smile, and looked toward the depths of the cave. "All right, it's time to leave. But before we do, have you found anything good in this cave during this time?"

Su You shook his head. "We have been protecting the young master during his cultivation and did not dare be distracted. Aside from those beast bones, we have not explored the rest of the cave."

Su Zhao nodded, his gaze narrowing slightly. "Then let's explore it first. So many magical beast corpses have gathered here; it shouldn't be that simple. Otherwise, why would these magical beasts choose to die here instead of somewhere else?"

Su You pondered for a moment before speaking. "Young Master, there is another possibility. Perhaps a powerful magical beast race once appeared here and ruled this Magic Beast Mountain Range. Under their rule, this place was turned into a burial ground for magical beasts. Powerful magical beasts of every generation were buried here after death. These beast bones accumulated over the years."

"Oh?"

Su Zhao raised a brow, deep in thought.

"That really is possible. There are quite a few magical beast clans like that in the Beast Region of the Central Plains."

He headed deeper into the cave, with the others following close behind.

The cave was far more spacious than they had imagined. The deeper they went, the wider the space became.

The rock walls gradually changed from rough to smooth, faintly revealing traces of artificial excavation. No—more precisely, marks left by some enormous creature repeatedly clawing and polishing the stone.

The group continued onward through the cave. After walking for over a thousand meters, the space ahead suddenly widened once more, and an even more ancient, weighty aura washed over them.

When they focused their eyes, they froze on the spot.

Before them lay a massive corpse!

It was an enormous bird-like magical beast, so huge it was suffocating. Though it had fallen who knew how many years ago, its colossal body still sprawled across the deepest part of the cave like a mountain.

Its entire body had once been covered in dark golden feathers. Most had fallen away or decayed, but the remaining ones still gave off a cold, metallic sheen.

Most eye-catching were its incomparably enormous wings. Even folded, they spanned the entire cave. Their wingspan was likely dozens of zhang wide!

"What magical beast is that?!"

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King instinctively retreated half a step. A rare flicker of alarm passed through its crimson-gold beast pupils.

"This enormous magical beast's corpse... is giving me an incredibly powerful bloodline pressure! What kind of magical beast could make me feel such dread even in death?"

Su Zhao also carefully examined the dried magical beast corpse.

Although it had been dead for many years, perhaps due to the cave's unusual environment, some flesh still remained. It was dried out but had not completely rotted away into bare bones.

Its head was raised high, its beak hooked like a crescent. Su You stepped forward a few paces and studied it carefully for a long while, his expression gradually turning grave.

He turned back and said in a deep voice, "Young Master, this magical beast... is likely a Sky Demon Phoenix."

"What?! A Sky Demon Phoenix?!"

Su Zhao cried out in surprise. The Sky Demon Phoenix was one of the three great clans of the magical beast world!

A supreme magical beast race, renowned alongside the Ancient Void Dragon and the Nine Netherworld Python!

Their bloodline was noble, placing them above countless magical beasts from birth. Upon reaching adulthood, they could attain the fifth or even sixth tier, possessing overwhelming strength and an exalted position in the magical beast world.

There was actually a Sky Demon Phoenix corpse here!

Su Zhao frowned tightly.

The Sky Demon Phoenix Clan's rules were extremely strict. They placed immense importance on the corpses of their clansmen. Whenever one of them was about to die, it would swiftly return to the clan; otherwise, after death, members of its kind would come to retrieve the body. They would never allow a Sky Demon Phoenix corpse to be left outside.

Why was this Sky Demon Phoenix's corpse here? Had the Sky Demon Phoenix Clan forgotten this place? Or had some unforeseen change occurred after this Sky Demon Phoenix fell, preventing its kin from coming to retrieve the body?

Su Zhao did not know.

But there was one thing he could be certain of.

This Sky Demon Phoenix corpse was a treasure!

He absolutely could not let it go!

If he used the Sky Demon Phoenix corpse directly, the Sky Demon Phoenix Clan might target him if they discovered it in the future.

But Su Zhao did not care. As long as his strength increased quickly enough, there would be nothing the Sky Demon Phoenix Clan could do to him.

"Move back a little."

Su Zhao spoke, signaling Xiao Yi Xian and Su You to retreat.

Once everyone had withdrawn several zhang away, Su Zhao raised a hand. The Origin Flame rose from his palm, its crimson flames gathering into a fireball in midair before he hurled it straight at the Sky Demon Phoenix corpse.

Boom!

The flames instantly surged, completely enveloping the colossal corpse.

Su Zhao controlled the flames to refine the corpse. It had remained here for far too long, and much impurity had accumulated within its flesh and blood. To truly bring out its value, he needed to use the flames to remove those impurities and extract its essence.

Sure enough, as the flames continued to burn and refine it, the corpse's flesh gradually melted away. Several items emerged from within the fire, and Su Zhao carefully drew them out with his Dou Qi.

First came a pair of dark golden wings. Though separated from the corpse, they remained intact. Their wing bones were as hard as refined iron, while a faint radiance flowed across their membranes, clearly containing exceptionally pure wind and lightning elemental energy.

Next were three drops of essence blood floating in the air, each the size of a thumb, followed by a fist-sized magical core.