Chapter 449: Zhu Que Spiritual Body

"Boom~"

The instant the Zhu Que essence blood entered her abdomen, a majestic will containing the might of heaven and earth, capable of burning through eternity, exploded within Hua Changxi.

As she leaped into the churning sea of magma and fire, the crimson fire waves suddenly stagnated in that instant, as if heaven and earth held their breath.

The devouring black hole within her body, along with every cell screaming wildly, compelled Hua Changxi not to activate any protective spiritual shield, allowing the scalding magma, capable of melting gold, dissolving bones, and incinerating the soul, to completely engulf her with its power to burn the heavens and boil the seas.

At first, Hua Changxi felt only heart-rending, lung-splitting burning pain—her skin cracked inch by inch, her flesh and blood evaporated into mist, and her soul was on the verge of scattering.

Yet the agony did not last long.

As the Zhu Que essence blood awakened deep within her bloodline, a strange resonance began to spread.

The burning pain gradually turned numb, the numbness shifted to warmth, and then, that warmth transformed into a sensation of nearly supreme bliss and enjoyment.

Heaven and earth became silent; the sound of wind, the howl of fire, the beating of her heart... all perceptions melted away entirely.

In this moment, Hua Changxi seemed unable to perceive her own existence; she had merged with this vast sea of fire, breathing together, burning and living as one.

Unknown amounts of time later, deep within the sea of fire, a point of crimson-gold light quietly ignited.

That light began like a firefly, but in an instant became like the sun.

Immediately following, a second point, a third point... countless points of light floated up from the magma, attracting one another, weaving and connecting, until, viewed from high above, they remarkably formed a Zhu Que totem spanning a thousand zhang!

Its form held its head high with wings spread, its tail feathers like flames, its eyes like suns, so vivid it seemed ready to flap its wings and rush into the sky at any moment to burn the firmament to ashes.

"Exhale~"

"Inhale~"

The crimson-gold light flashed and dimmed; the Zhu Que totem inhaled and exhaled, alternating between bright and dark, like a deity sleeping for eternity slowly awakening, with every breath stirring the tides of fire essence in heaven and earth.

Throughout the entire Lingguang Hall, centered on the Transmission Hall, the temperature soared abruptly, to the point that ripples appeared in the void itself.

At the same time, regardless of where they were, all one hundred thousand Zhu Que soldiers felt a sudden scorching heat in their chests at the exact same moment.

That was no ordinary heat, but a resonance originating from deep within the bloodline, a palpitation of the soul being awakened.

The weapon smiths forging spear blanks at the Lihuo Cliff trembled in their arms, pale golden flames suddenly igniting in their pupils; the Zhu Que soldiers cultivating in the Wutong Grove suddenly opened their eyes, their robes catching fire without wind yet suffering not a shred of damage; the Zhu Que soldiers tempering their bodies beneath the Nine Heavens Fire Spring saw their hair move without wind, each strand wrapped in fire threads as fine as gossamer...

The Zhu Que soldiers within Lingguang Hall and Zhurong Tomb were the same; in this moment, all Zhu Que soldiers who had undergone the baptism of the Zhu Que will discovered their dantians boiling, with a Zhu Que totem condensing above their seas of qi.

Furthermore, in the Ghost Fire Well, unknown to anyone and shrouded in pitch darkness, hundreds of Zhu Que soldiers who were already at death's door were injected with a sliver of vitality at this moment, and flames were reignited within their previously dim and lightless eyes.

Bottlenecks were loosening, shackles were breaking...

Within Lingguang Hall, auras erupted one after another; dozens of Zhu Que soldiers actually broke through from the Infant Transformation Realm to the Spiritual Platform Realm simultaneously.

The Xuanyang Prefecture, located relatively close to Nanxiang County, was the first to sense the change in aura at Lingguang Hall; the Five Generals of Xuanyang ascended into the sky simultaneously, gazing toward the direction of Lingguang Hall.

Qin Feng looked utterly puzzled: "What happened over at Lingguang Hall again?" To think dozens of people broke through realms simultaneously!

Lu Zhenting also could not figure out why; surely the Zhu Que army hadn't all attained enlightenment at once.

"...Communication between the various factions is still far too limited."

After the resurgence of spiritual energy, although many ruins appeared and various factions obtained numerous inheritances and ancient texts from them,

yet, from ancient times until now is ultimately a very long time ago; many matters are not recorded clearly in the inheritances and ancient texts, or are not even mentioned at all.

Consequently, many strange phenomena or cultivation obstacles remain poorly understood by everyone.

"The matter of opening the Dao Transmission Hall must be expedited; gathering geniuses from all factions together to exchange and learn can fill many gaps in the inheritances and ancient texts."

As long as communication channels are established, the reason for the Zhu Que soldiers breaking through realms simultaneously will soon be known, and they won't have to guess wildly like they are doing now.

Qin Feng shook his head: "If you ask me, that Hall Master of Lingguang Hall is simply not upright enough; if she revealed her identity, what could anyone do to her?"

The other four generals agreed deeply with these words in their hearts, but none spoke aloud.

Qin Feng hesitated for a moment: "How about I find an opportunity to personally ask Hua Changxi?"

Hearing this, the other four generals all looked over simultaneously.

Qin Feng said: "Xuanyang City must maintain close contact and cooperation with the Five Sacred Lands and the Four Symbol Cities; with the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall hiding things and being as elusive as a divine dragon showing only its head and not its tail, how are we supposed to carry out cooperation?"

The four generals all expressed support for this: "You may as well give it a try."

At the same time, the elders of the Artifact Saint Palace were also observing the movements at Lingguang Hall.

"Dozens of people breaking through realms simultaneously; even if it were enlightenment, the scope of influence shouldn't be this wide..."

"What cause led to the simultaneous breakthrough of the Zhu Que soldiers?"

"Only the Azure Dragon Army, the White Tiger Army, and the Black Tortoise Army likely know the reason for this."

"It is truly strange; among the Four Symbol Cities, only Lingguang Hall is the most active, causing a major disturbance every so often, while the other three Symbol Cities seem as if they don't exist."

"Don't exist? How is that possible? Many affairs of the other three Symbol Cities are conducted in secret; unlike Nanxiang City, which is like a torch; although it is the focus, it is also very likely to become a target."

Above the ruins of the East Symbol City, the brothers Dongfang Hao and Dongfang Xu also ascended into the sky at the first moment to gaze toward Lingguang Hall.

Dongfang Hao's eyes flashed: "One hundred thousand Zhu Que soldiers... they have been fully recruited just like that!" Thinking of the Azure Dragon Army, which had recruited less than half so far, he felt a headache coming on.

Dongfang Xu looked at his elder brother: "How about we learn from Lingguang Hall's approach and openly recruit the Azure Dragon Army?"

Dongfang Hao shook his head: "It is not yet the time."

"A contest of fortune between the Human Race and the Demon Race is inevitable; not one of the Five Great Continents can escape it."

"On the Central Continent, the focal point of contention lies between the Five Sacred Lands, Xuanyang City, and the Four Symbol Cities."

"The Five Sacred Lands, with one formation center and four formation eyes, are the key points guarded by the Human Race; the Demon Race will most likely not choose them."

"As for Xuanyang City, it suppresses the fortune of the Human Race; unless the Demon Race stakes all their fortune to attack, they will not choose it either."

"Thus, only the Four Symbol Cities remain."

"The Demon Race will definitely choose one from among the Four Symbol Cities to serve as the first testing ground for the contest of fortune."

Dongfang Xu let out an "Ah": "A contest of fortune between the Human Race and the Demon Race? The full resurgence of spiritual energy hasn't been long; it shouldn't happen too quickly, right?"

Dongfang Hao shook his head: "I cannot say clearly either; I just have a vague premonition." He paused, then added, "Regardless, being too aggressive is inadvisable; it is better to remain low-profile."

Deep within the magma beneath Lingguang Hall, the sea of magma and fire suddenly began to roll backward, forming a giant fire lotus.

The entire fire lotus hovered in the center of the magma, rotating slowly, emitting a pressure that made the soul tremble.

At the heart of the Fire Lotus, a wisp of flame shaped like a fiery bird hovered silently.

Though only an inch long, this flame burned more fiercely than the scorching sun of the nine heavens.

It did not blind the eyes, yet no one dared gaze directly at it; it made no sound, yet compelled all fires to submit.

"Hmm?"

A hazy consciousness awakened from within the flame.

As Hua Changxi regained her senses, she felt weightless and translucent, drifting with the flow of fire. Instinctively, she tried to raise her hand, but saw no arm; she tried to look down, but found no body.

"How have I become fire?"

"Where is my body?"

The moment these thoughts arose, heaven and earth immediately responded.

The purest wisp of flame at the Fire Lotus's center suddenly trembled; a brilliant gilded light surged forth, then flowed, condensed, and took shape like water—bones formed from the flames, meridians extended along fire patterns, flesh and blood were woven from radiant fire, and skin emerged like fresh snow covering jade, lustrous and flawless.

In less than a breath, a woman's body, white as jade and untouched by dust, had taken form, lying within the lotus heart with eyes tightly closed, long hair cascading like a waterfall, each strand tipped with tiny dancing flames.

Hua Changxi's body was identical to her former self, yet utterly different—

Beneath her skin, faint crimson-gold light circulated, as if flowing through her veins was not blood, but Southern Bright Li Fire forged with the essence of Zhu Que; even her breaths expelled not ordinary air, but strands of pure fire essence, swirling around her as a crimson mist.

Hua Changxi's eyelashes fluttered gently as she slowly opened her eyes—within them lay no black or white, only a sea of crimson gold, like two rising suns, shining above to the nine heavens and illuminating below to the nine netherworlds.

She had actually cultivated... the Zhu Que Spirit Body!