Chapter 222 - 187: Scorching

"Divine Dragon!" A voice seemed to be telling him from within his bloodline.

Little Feng realized that the delicate-looking man before him was very likely the legendary Divine Dragon, the suppression coming from his bloodline could not be mistaken.

"You must be the one Lin Fang mentioned with the damaged foundation," White Dragon said, eyeing Little Feng with a look of surprise.

It was hard to imagine how this youth had kept silent until now despite such a severe injury; his resilience was rare indeed. Having such willpower made White Dragon somewhat confident about the method to be used next.

"Come with me," White Dragon said softly.

Little Feng slowly stepped into the loft and discovered that the space inside was arranged with elegant taste. Bookshelves filled the sides, laden with dense arrays of books and Jade Slips.

He had never seen so many books in his life, causing him to feel a sense of shame.

White Dragon, however, smiled and said, "These are books that Lin Fang had collected from various forces. They cover a wide range, and you can read them when you have spare time."

Once the two of them walked further inside, White Dragon continued, "Are you prepared for the condition of your body?"

Hearing this, Little Feng nodded gravely.

Of course, he was well aware of his own body’s state, riddled with holes, its foundation on the verge of collapse. Even now, he could still feel the pain emanating from his body, with weakness making him want to collapse into sleep, now sustained solely by sheer willpower.

"The injury to your foundation was caused by the Styx River draining away your vitality, which is easy to replenish. However, repairing the damage to your foundation caused by that loss is extremely difficult."

"Only by breaking and then rebuilding do you stand a slim chance of survival. I have two options for you: one is that I can use a precious elixir to restore your vitality. From this point onwards, you won’t suffer pain, but you will no longer be able to practice cultivation nor fight."

"The other option is to try awakening your bloodline, and re-forging your foundation. However, this method is filled with extreme dangers, and a single misstep could lead to your death. Take some time to think it over."

As soon as White Dragon finished speaking, Little Feng said, "No need to consider, I choose the second option."

"Are you sure?" White Dragon stared intently into the young man’s face, asking very seriously.

"Sure," the youth nodded firmly, without a hint of hesitation in his eyes.

Scenes of his parents’ deaths kept flashing through his mind; hatred gave him strength and solidified his resolve.

Seeing the firmness in the youth’s eyes, a trace of a smile appeared on White Dragon’s face, "Good, a resolute will is key to awakening the bloodline."

"However, there’s still a hidden threat in your body that hasn’t been removed."

With that, White Dragon casually pointed a finger, and mana converged at his fingertip, forming a translucent mirror.

Little Feng leaned close to the mirror to look, and saw that on the reflection, the youth’s back was burdened with several fierce ghosts bearing gruesome faces.

Seemingly aware of the youth’s gaze, the fierce ghosts revealed a hideous smile, sending chills down the youth’s spine.

"This is the price you paid for facing the Styx River directly, your body has been marked by the fierce ghosts of the river, which are absorbing your life force and destroying your foundation incessantly. Therefore, to awaken your bloodline, these marks must be completely expelled first," White Dragon explained.

He glanced at the youth and added, "This process might be extremely painful."

Little Feng heard the words and said, "Elder, I am not afraid of pain. If I can’t avenge my parents or fulfill my father’s dying wish in this life, then what difference would there be from death?"

The powerful and resounding words deeply moved White Dragon, who suddenly burst into hearty laughter, "Good, with such determination, this endeavor is already sixty to seventy percent successful."

Having said that, he took out a green elixir which had attractive elixir patterns on it and, at the moment it appeared, it emitted an enticing fragrance.

Little Feng felt as if his body was like a person who had been without water in the desert for a long time suddenly seeing clear lake water, as if every cell was cheering in rejoicing.

He greedily inhaled the medicinal fragrance permeating the air, feeling the exhilaration of his body.

"Swallow this elixir, otherwise your body will not be able to endure the process of me removing the mark later."

Little Feng took the elixir and placed it in his mouth. The moment it touched his tongue, it transformed into a warm current that flowed into his belly, and in a moment, it began circulating in his body.

He could feel his battered body recovering at a speed visible to the naked eye. The pain was gradually subsiding, replaced by a tingling sensation all over. If it weren’t for Little Feng’s strong will, he would have been unable to hold back from crying out.

After a short while, Little Feng felt his body had recovered, though it was not as strong as in his prime. However, the use of mana was still excruciatingly painful.

"Although your body has recovered, the damaged foundation cannot be repaired. Using mana will bring unbearable pain; forcing the use of magic would only result in the explosion of your meridians and death," White Dragon reminded softly from the side.

Hearing this, Little Feng showed a bitter smile, not expecting himself to be no different from a crippled person.

"Elder, what should I do next?" Little Feng asked eagerly.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes," Little Feng nodded gravely.

White Dragon gestured lightly, and a tangerine-orange flame appeared out of thin air in the palm of his hand.

The flame was small, but Little Feng could feel the intense heat and terror it contained within.

This was a flame he had never seen before, and for some reason, at the sight of the flame, the chill on his body seemed to dissipate somewhat.

"This is the Red Lotus Karma Fire, which can use the Karmic Force of all living beings as fuel. It is the bane of those fierce ghosts in the Styx River. You have been directly exposed to the secret technique of facing the Styx River, and your body has been thoroughly eroded. Hence, I must use this flame to completely expel the Styx River aura hidden in your body. This process is extremely painful, so be prepared," explained White Dragon.

After speaking, White Dragon tossed the small flame gently. In Little Feng’s eyes, the tiny flame suddenly grew larger, and before he could react, it enveloped his body like a ferocious beast opening its wide jaws.

What followed was a scream, but of course, the voice did not come from Little Feng himself, but emanated from his shoulder.

The voice was ethereal, as if coming from the depths of the Nine Underworlds, and intense pain began to assault him.

Little Feng grunted, unable to stand any longer, and fell to his knees.

The raging flames burned his body, and the terrified howls of fierce ghosts echoed in his ears. The young man clenched his teeth, stubborn to the bone, refusing to cry out in pain.

The tangerine-orange flames burned fiercely on his body, and occasionally, black auras seeped out, further intensifying the already raging flames.

The young man clenched his teeth tightly, while blood slowly dripped from the corner of his mouth, quickly drying up in the flames.