Chapter 101: The Blazing Fire Formation

Zhou Qi’s skin was scorched a deep, fiery red, and the hair on his body had long since been incinerated, leaving him completely bare. He could feel the circulation of his vital energy accelerating; the flames emanating from this rock had little effect on him, as his physical body was already formidable. Still, being able to purge even a few impurities was a welcome result.

After a moment’s thought, Zhou Qi ended his meditation and stepped onto the rock marked with two flames. As soon as he made contact, the intensity of the fire doubled. He felt a faint sensation of his skin being seared and a sharp, burning pain, but it was bearable. He channeled his vital energy, accelerating its flow; the scorched skin began to slough off, and new skin slowly regenerated. This new layer was fair and flushed with a rosy hue, appearing tender and smooth, yet its durability was far superior to before—the defensive strength of his flesh had increased significantly.

Having adapted to the two-flame rock, Zhou Qi turned his gaze toward the rock marked with three flames. Without a moment’s hesitation, he stepped onto it. The moment his soles touched the surface, the smell of charred flesh filled the air. Zhou Qi remained as calm as if he felt nothing, sitting down in silence—a display that left Huang Qianqian, perched on his shoulder, utterly astonished.

Those who could remain composed under the searing heat of a raging fire, ignoring the agony of their own flesh, were possessed of iron-willed determination and grand aspirations. Such individuals were destined for greatness. A thick, meaty aroma wafted through the air as Zhou Qi sat there for a long time, only rising when his body could no longer purge any further impurities.

He surged his vital energy, and his burn wounds healed instantly—even faster than before, a sensation akin to his first time consuming a recovery pill.

Zhou Qi’s resistance to pain had improved greatly. After several rounds of body tempering and brushes with death, this was merely the pain of burning; as long as it didn't kill him instantly, it was of little consequence.

According to the method for breaking the formation provided by the dragon, one was supposed to avoid rocks with more than three flames. Presumably, the dragon race could ignore heat below that threshold, but to match their physical prowess, he naturally needed to aim higher.

On the four-flame rock, most of Zhou Qi’s flesh had been burned away, leaving his white bones exposed, which stood in stark contrast to Huang Qianqian on his shoulder. The flames did not just scorch his flesh; they seared his bones. As they were tempered, the golden luster of his skeleton deepened, a sign that they were becoming increasingly resilient. Those who reached the pinnacle of body tempering could render every part of their body comparable to a spiritual artifact.

This was why Zhou Qi remained undeterred. Seeing him so reckless, Huang Qianqian felt a twinge of embarrassment. "Little Zhou, take it easy. Don't go and get yourself killed."

"It is fine," Zhou Qi replied, shaking his head. He rose to his feet, his vital energy surging, and his flesh regenerated, with his hair and eyebrows growing back in an instant. He was now close to the giant cauldron; one more step onto the next rock, and he should be able to toss Huang Qianqian into it.

"Senior, prepare yourself. Once I step onto that next rock, I intend to throw you into that flaming giant cauldron," Zhou Qi said.

"Very well. Be careful—if anything goes wrong, retreat immediately. Body tempering is not a task for a single day; it requires years of gradual progress. I suspect even those dragon hatchlings might not be able to stand on a five-flame rock. Do not let your competitive spirit lead to your own cremation. Throwing me from here should be fine," Huang Qianqian warned.

"Thank you for the reminder, Senior. I will be cautious; it is better to be safe." Zhou Qi was not being arrogant. It was because the True Monarch Tianxuan had observed him and stated he could handle a five-flame rock that he attempted it. Had it not been for that assurance, given his nature, he would have avoided such danger in favor of safety.

As soon as he stepped onto the five-flame rock, Zhou Qi threw Huang Qianqian toward the cauldron. In the instant she flew out, she caught a glimpse of Zhou Qi reduced to a mere skeleton and was struck with horror, but she was powerless to stop her trajectory and tumbled into the cauldron.

The pain had vanished. The moment he stepped onto the rock and launched Huang Qianqian, the instantly surging flames had incinerated his flesh. Zhou Qi’s spiritual sense could perceive his current state, but he could no longer feel the physical agony.

*It’s over; the True Monarch has set me up,* Zhou Qi thought.

"Focus your mind and calm your spirit. The longer you endure here, the greater the benefits," the voice of True Monarch Tianxuan echoed in his mind.

Zhou Qi had no choice but to sit down and silently circulate the Second Transformation of Tianxuan. He felt the raging fire scorching his bones, softening them. The dark red marrow within, heated by the flames, began to change, flecks of golden light appearing within it as black impurities were continuously expelled from his body.

Zhou Qi maintained this posture for the better part of a day, motionless, allowing his entire skeleton to be tempered by the fierce fire. After a long while, he felt the flames recede. A sweep of his spiritual sense revealed that the fire in the giant cauldron had also extinguished.

His blood and vital energy surged within his marrow, flesh regenerated, and soon his entire skeleton was covered once more. Before long, Zhou Qi had recovered completely; the tempering of the Li-Flame Holy Fire truly made for monstrous recovery speed.

Zhou Qi looked curiously at the giant cauldron in the center of the altar. A sizzling sound occasionally emanated from within. *Could it be that Huang Qianqian absorbed the fire, causing the formation to fail?* he speculated.

He had no intention of walking over to check. He waited patiently; if Huang Qianqian had regained her strength and transformed into human form, she would be unclothed. If he were to catch a glimpse of that, she would surely insist he take responsibility.

Being entangled with such a self-righteous, lovesick person would hardly be a good thing. After waiting for half a day, Huang Qianqian finally emerged. Zhou Qi had overthought it; what came out was neither a human nor the skeletal bird.

Flying out from the cauldron was a five-colored bird, its body covered in brilliant, multi-hued feathers. The markings on its head formed the character for "Virtue," the patterns on its wings spelled "Xi," the design on its back was "Ritual," the chest marking was "Benevolence," and the pattern on its belly was "Trust." Its appearance was identical to the accounts in the *Classic of Mountains and Seas*. It seemed the records in that book were not merely the products of ancient imagination but were, in all likelihood, true. Why, then, were the deities mentioned in those texts nowhere to be seen in later ages?

"Senior, how are you?" Zhou Qi asked. Seeing that Huang Qianqian was no longer a skeletal bird, it was clear she had gained immensely.

"This Li-Flame Holy Fire is barely adequate. Though it restored my flesh, recovering my full power is still difficult. After all, I was once far too powerful," Huang Qianqian said, lifting her head proudly and showing off her beautiful feathers.

"Come, Little Zhou, this sister will take you to conquer the world."

"Might I ask, Senior, what realm your current strength is equivalent to?" Zhou Qi inquired.

"It is roughly equivalent to your human Golden Core stage. What is that look? Dare you look down on me? Do you think any human dares to cross me?" Huang Qianqian grew angry at Zhou Qi’s distracted expression.

"Senior, this is the era of humanity. It is better to keep a low profile with your current strength," Zhou Qi advised.

"You brat, you dare to belittle the Phoenix Clan? Although my strength is lacking right now, there are still those who are powerful. Who dares to touch me?" Huang Qianqian was furious; she could not tolerate being looked down upon by a mere Foundation Establishment brat.

Helpless, Zhou Qi had no choice but to explain the current state of the Tianxuan Continent to her. After listening to his explanation, Huang Qianqian finally fell silent, lost in thought.