After "reading" through that vast torrent of information in an instant, Lin Xia's consciousness fell into brief silence.
The overwhelming regret and worry within him strangely settled in the face of that mountain-heavy, flame-hot obsession with the Dao of artifacts.
He understood now, his teacher was not passively enduring destruction. He was using the most powerful weapon forged over his lifetime the craftsman's will, more resilient than diamond itself to actively confront the divine fire!
And in the very next second after Lin Xia's realization, the scene within the consciousness space changed drastically once again!
The dark-gold torrent of will erupting from the core of Lou Gao's soul, representing his lifelong pursuit of the path of forging was not extinguished by the divine fire. Instead, it was like a piece of divine iron billet cast into a furnace, brimming with vitality!
Not only did it fail to dissipate in the flames of destruction, it began in an inconceivable manner to actively absorb, guide, and fuse with the golden-red strands of divine fire coiling around it!
Sizzle—!
Like red-hot steel plunged into quenching liquid, a violent reaction erupted on the soul level!
The divine fire strands that once symbolized destruction, upon touching that dark-gold will, seemed to find the perfect vessel and final destination.
No longer did they savagely strip away and incinerate Lou Gao's soul origin. Instead, they flowed obediently and endlessly into the core of that dark-gold will.
The faint dark-gold glow, once like a dying ember in the wind, suddenly swelled and brightened after merging with the divine fire strands!
Light burst forth from the gray-white soul core like the rising sun piercing the darkness!
It was no longer merely a defensive fortress it had become a powerful core engine, beginning to devour the surrounding divine fire in reverse!
With that dark-gold will fused with divinity as the nucleus, a brand-new and even more powerful soul force began to grow wildly, reshaping everything!
Fragments of the burned-away soul origin were drawn back and gathered by this force, like rivers returning to the sea.
The divine fire was no longer a destroyer. It had become the purest, most efficient forging hammer and quenching medium!
Lou Gao's soul silhouette, which had been thin and on the verge of dispersing, rapidly filled out and solidified at a visible speed, as though inflated with air!
It was no longer pale gold nor gray-white, but a deep, restrained dark-gold crimson, shimmering with metallic luster and flame patterns! The strength, density, and resilience of his soul were soaring at an exponential rate!
Though its size returned to its original proportions, the energy and intensity of will it contained far surpassed its previous state by several times!
A presence steady as a mountain, blazing as a furnace, and carrying a trace of sacred rebirth through nirvana began to emanate from the reconstructed soul.
Even the consciousness space formed by the Phoenix's divine fire seemed to tremble faintly in response to this transformation.
The cycle of destruction and creation was displayed here in its most direct form.
"A blessing in disguise, a true rebirth!"
Lin Xia's consciousness was utterly conquered by the shocking sight. The last trace of worry in his heart vanished like smoke, leaving only heartfelt ecstasy and admiration.
His teacher had not only endured, he had relied on the craftsman's will refined over a lifetime to successfully harness the divine fire and complete a nirvanic ascension on the level of the soul!
This was no longer merely enduring a trial, it was a magnificent victory!
Just as Lin Xia's heart surged with emotion, the vast Phoenix will that had confined him here seemed to confirm the outcome of the trial and quietly withdrew its restraint.
"Hoo…"
Lin Xia's consciousness was instantly and gently "pushed" out of that bizarre soul furnace by an invisible force.
Like rapidly ascending from the deep sea, after a brief sensation of weightlessness and separation, the scorching air, the sulfurous scent unique to the mineral cavern, and the crisp crunch, crunch of Larvitar gnawing on ore flooded back into his senses.
His awareness returned to reality!
Lin Xia's eyes snapped open, a flash of brilliance streaking through his dark-gold pupils. Heart still racing from the ordeal and gripped by an uncontainable excitement, his gaze immediately locked onto Lou Gao, seated in the center.
The scene before him left him equally breathless.
Lou Gao's tattered clothing had long since turned to ash in the initial burst of divine fire.
Now, his hulking, muscular body was completely exposed to the air, yet there was not the slightest hint of embarrassment.
Even more astonishing than the physical exposure, his body was undergoing changes as incredible as the transformation of his soul!
The thick, almost liquid gold-red divine fire energy had not dissipated. Instead, it formed a living cocoon of light that tightly wrapped around his entire body. Within this luminous cocoon, Lin Xia could clearly "see":
Skin, muscle, tendons, internal organs, all the tissues charred and carbonized by the previous wild divine fire, were now decomposing and reorganizing at a speed visible to the naked eye!
The new tissue was not a simple restoration. It was as if the materials had been reforged by a divine craftsman; every fiber contained immense power and surging fire-attribute energy.
His skin gleamed with a healthy wheat-colored tone, faintly metallic, with subtle patterns of flame woven throughout.
Most astonishing of all were his bones!
The bones, once slightly grayish and shattered in the divine fire, were now regenerating within the light cocoon.
The newly formed skeleton glowed with a warm, jade-like dark gold. Its texture was crystalline and translucent, as if molten gold flowed through it, far surpassing refined gold or adamantine in strength! This was the embryonic form of true "Divine Bones"!
A colossal, sweeping wave of soul power surged through Lou Gao's body, like an awakening ancient volcano, violently flowing, compressing, and refining!
The attributes of this soul power underwent a fundamental transformation. No longer did it carry the original earth-and-metal-leaning aura; it now fused the untamed ferocity of extreme flames with the steadfastness of forging gold!
Its total volume and quality climbed at a terrifying speed, surging toward an entirely new realm!
The golden-red phoenix mark on Lou Gao's left forearm now seemed to come alive, radiating flowing light. The golden flame patterns along its tail feathers pulsed vividly, exuding intense divine authority and guiding power.
It was precisely this mark that directed and coordinated the entire process of physical reconstruction and energy integration.
A full twelve hours, day and night.
Lin Xia never left his side, eyes burning, witnessing this miracle of life.
Once Larvitar confirmed that Lin Xia was unharmed and Lou Gao's aura had shifted from violent to stable and powerful, it returned to its carefree nature. Joyfully, it pounced on the small mountain of ore gifted by the Phoenix God, clutching a piece of dark-red ore rich in fire crystals, gnawing on it with crunch, crunch satisfaction.
The runes on its shell flickered with the absorption of energy, occasionally letting out a fire-laden burp of contentment.
Time slowly passed in the hot, vibrant atmosphere of the cavern.
Finally, at a certain moment the next day, the golden-red light cocoon enveloping Lou Gao suddenly contracted inward, like a long whale sucking in water, vanishing instantly into his body!
"Hoo…"
A long, deep breath, as if holding back countless years, issued from Lou Gao.
It carried the relief of a true rebirth and an indescribable sense of power, echoing clearly in the silent cavern.
"Larvitar?!"
Larvitar halted its chewing, clutching half a piece of ore, crimson eyes curiously watching.
"Teacher!"
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