Daqin Zhentiansi

“Exactly.” Lei Yu nodded, his expression solemn. “Young friend Zhang Yuan, you should know that these ancient divine beasts, which have existed in the world since the beginning of time, have noble bloodlines, formidable power, and an incomparably arrogant spirit.”

"Even I must adhere to ancient etiquette and maintain proper boundaries when interacting with them."

His gaze was fixed on Zhang Yuan, carrying a warning tone: "This meeting concerns the final attitude of the Divine Beast Clan towards the Dao of 'Integrating the Great Qin Heavenly Dao into the Primordial World'."

"They are neither allies of the human race nor lackeys of the Heavenly Palace. They act solely on their own conscience and only recognize strength and value."

"You need to be mentally prepared that this trip may bring opportunities, but it will also be a test. In your speech and behavior, you should be neither humble nor arrogant, but remember—when facing these people, all empty words and delusions will have nowhere to hide. Only with sincerity, strength and true insight can you win respect, and even... support."

Lei Yu's warning struck Zhang Yuan like a thunderclap, sending a chill down his spine.

This was far more significant than the simple invitation from the Vermilion Bird he had anticipated, as it involved the attitude of the entire group of top-tier divine beasts.

He took a deep breath, his eyes regaining their deep calm, and cupped his hands, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, senior. Zhang Yuan will keep it in mind."

At that moment, above Thunderfall Abyss, the void rippled silently as a golden-red cloud, burning with an eternal, inextinguishable flame, spread out.

A magnificent and majestic phantom of the Vermilion Bird appeared from within.

"Zhang Yuan, come before me!"

The Vermilion Bird, one of the mythical beasts of the primordial era.

It's not just about the Vermilion Bird; it represents the trials of other divine beasts in the primordial world.

Zhang Yuan suppressed his inner turmoil, nodded slightly to Venerable Cangming and Lei Yu, and transformed into a streak of light, soaring into the sky amidst the golden and red flames.

The thunder of the Thunderfall Abyss roared behind him, and the phantom of the newly crafted war drum floated in his sea of ​​consciousness.

"boom--"

His figure appeared in a void.

The road ahead is empty space, not a smooth path.

Guided by the clear cry of the Vermilion Bird, Zhang Yuan followed closely behind. Stars swirled beneath his feet, space folded, and in an instant he was transported to an endless domain of flames.

There is no earth, no sky, only an eternally burning, ever-changing sea of ​​flames.

The temperature is not simply high heat, but contains the chaos and chilling pressure of the beginning of the universe.

The Vermilion Bird hovered at the heart of the sea of ​​fire, its wings fluttering slightly, golden-red divine light flowing around it, and its majestic gaze fell upon Zhang Yuan.

“Zhang Yuan, you have led a heretical path, wielded the thunder drum, and stirred up the winds and clouds.”

"However, if you wish to gain the attention of our people, you must prove the true meaning of your actions within the fire!"

The Vermilion Bird's voice resounded directly in Zhang Yuan's soul, carrying the scrutiny of an ancient divine beast.

"This is the 'Heart-Burning Purgatory.' Only those who pass these three trials are qualified to discuss the Dao of the Primordial World!"

Zhang Yuan looked up, his eyes gleaming.

The Vermilion Bird is a divine beast of fire, and its control over the power of fire is unparalleled in the world.

The three checkpoints they set up are not easy to overcome!
"Please open the gate, senior!" Zhang Yuan's voice rang out.

Before the words were even finished, the calm sea of ​​fire suddenly erupted into a raging inferno!

"boom--"

Golden flames transformed into countless arrows, each carrying the heat to pierce the stars, shooting forth from all directions.

The air twisted and exploded under the extreme heat, as if the space itself was about to be ignited and melted through!
This is pure, destructive, extreme heat, enough to instantly vaporize even the peak of an ordinary holy realm!
Zhang Yuan's gaze sharpened, neither flinching nor avoiding the attack.

Deep within his dantian, the dormant power of the fire source suddenly awakened!

The power of the crimson dragon that was condensed back then is now surging in his blood.

The cultivation methods of the Great Qin Dynasty have been revived in this primordial land!
"Crimson Dragon Technique, Flame Armor Protects the Body!"

With a low shout, crimson-gold flames erupted around Zhang Yuan.

This flame was not as glorious and sacred as the Vermilion Bird, but it carried the weight and boundless vitality of the Qin Dynasty's mountains and rivers.

Flames condensed on his body, forming runes of crimson dragons coiling around his armor.

The dragon scales are lifelike, exuding an aura of majesty that suppresses all fire.

"Chichichichi——!"

The Vermilion Bird Divine Arrow struck the Crimson Dragon Flame Armor, producing a piercing burning sound.

Golden red and crimson gold collide violently, annihilate, and regenerate!
Zhang Yuan was like a reef in a sea of ​​fire, enduring countless arrows piercing his heart, his fiery armor flowing endlessly, relentlessly keeping out the intense heat that could burn stars.

His blood and qi surged like magma, and the Mountain and River Movement technique was activated to its limit, refining the invading wisps of fire poison into pure fire essence, which then nourished himself.

At this moment, instead of being burned by the power of the dragon sparrow flames, his aura became increasingly solid during the confrontation.

The Crimson Dragon Flame Armor shone with an increasingly deep and restrained light, with faint dragon roars emanating from it.

The Vermilion Bird stood in the void, a hint of surprise flashing in its eyes.

"Excellent! To actually use the power of flames to turn destruction into nourishment! However, the ultimate form of fire is not merely intense heat!"

Flames are not only intense, but also icy cold!

With a thought from the Vermilion Bird, the devastating heat vanished instantly!

An indescribable chill instantly enveloped the world.

The flames in front of Zhang Yuan did not go out; instead, they transformed into a ghostly blue, almost transparent form.

They silently lick the space, and wherever they pass, they do not freeze into ice, but rather detach and extinguish the very concepts of "heat" and "vitality" that exist in all things!
This is the "Annihilation Ice Flame," which freezes the soul and seals the laws of ice!
The crimson dragon armor on Zhang Yuan's body groaned under the strain.

The crimson-gold light dimmed rapidly, as if it would be frozen and shattered by the eerie cold flames at any moment.

A chill emanating from the depths of his soul almost froze his mind.

Freeze the soul!

This is the true terror of the divine beast's flames!
Looking up ahead, Zhang Yuan's blood and energy remained unchanged.

"The flame of the Qin Dynasty will never be extinguished!"

Suddenly his eyes widened, and what ignited in them was no longer flames, but a torrent of will from countless Qin soldiers who fought bloody battles and the people who lived on and thrived!

His back was straight, and his jade-like bones and golden body radiated a shimmering light, as if bearing the weight and indomitable spirit of the entire Qin Dynasty.

"Om-!"

The Crimson Dragon Flame Armor suddenly changed!
It was no longer just a defensive suit of armor, but had transformed into a towering, crimson furnace phantom!

Inside the furnace, it seemed as if countless heroic souls were shouting, thousands of lights were flickering, and the mountains and rivers were pulsating!
This is the ultimate fusion of the military will of the Great Qin Dynasty and the fire of the mountains and rivers, a furnace of mountains and rivers!
"boom--"

The eerie blue, extinguishing ice flames collided with the illusory furnace, producing a dull, grinding sound.

The power of annihilation frantically eroded, attempting to freeze this flame of will.

However, within the furnace, the will to "life" of the Great Qin Mountains and Rivers was inexhaustible, like an inextinguishable firewood. No matter how fierce the ice and flames raged, the furnace fire only flickered, but never went out!

Crimson dragons coiled around the furnace walls, emitting deafening roars that gradually eroded and refined the invading chill of annihilation!
Zhang Yuan stood at the core of the furnace, like a war god amidst the flames. With unparalleled will, he forcefully carved out and protected a scorching sanctuary of "life" within the realm of extinguishing ice flames!
His aura circulated around him, and he subtly incorporated the fragments of the laws of the extinguishing ice flame into the furnace, attempting to comprehend the ultimate meaning of the flame's "yin".

Transform the icy cold and the blazing heat into the great Dao of Yin and Yang!
Transformation between life and death!

The admiration in Zhuque's eyes deepened.

"With willpower as fuel and mountains and rivers as furnace, resist my annihilating ice and flames!"

"Your path is indeed extraordinary. However, fire can burn the heavens, but it can also refine the heart!"

"The final trial, the karmic fire of the mortal world!"

Her voice carried a mixture of solemnity and anticipation.
Over the countless years, only a handful of living beings have managed to escape her karmic fire.

This is no longer a clash between the physical body and the soul, but a true state of mind and a profound understanding of the Great Dao.

This is a profound and mysterious form of spiritual practice.

This is also the foundation of every venerable one's spiritual practice.

"call--"

The azure icy flames receded like a tide.

The scene before my eyes suddenly distorted and changed.

Zhang Yuan found himself above a peaceful and tranquil little mountain village.

Smoke curls from chimneys, children play, farmers work in the fields—a scene of everyday life unfolds.

However, Suzaku's icy voice rang out: "Look!"

In an instant, terror descended!
Above the heavens, endless crimson flames poured down!

The flames did not directly burn the village, but as they fell, they twisted and solidified, transforming into a ferocious, thousand-foot-tall fire behemoth!

It is shaped like a taotie, with lava flowing all over its body, and its huge mouth is open, spewing out breath that burns everything!

"boom--"

Countless twisted and tormented human faces burned on the fiery behemoth, emitting silent wails!
This is the karmic fire that burns the world, not only destroying matter, but also stirring up the deepest fears, despair, and sins in the hearts of living beings, turning them into fuel and manifesting as a world-destroying demon!
The fiery behemoth roared and greedily pounced on the village below, wanting to devour this human settlement along with the fear of the creatures within!
Zhang Yuan's pupils suddenly contracted!

He could sense the terrifying power contained within this fiery behemoth, far exceeding the previous heat and cold. It stirred up the karma and despair of living beings!
Simply defending or confronting it head-on will only allow your mind to be consumed and you to become part of its karmic fire!

A close call!
Zhang Yuan did not directly attack the fiery behemoth.

He took a deep breath and rapidly formed hand seals in front of his chest, his inner power—the Crimson Dragon Technique, the Mountain and River Movement, the Bright King Seal, and even his understanding of the fragments of the Great Qin Heavenly Dao—frantically merging together.

The power of fire appeared in his palm, slowly rotating, emanating an aura of creation and destruction.

"The way of fire is not only to destroy! It can also bring about life!"

He abruptly pressed the power of the fire source into the void!

At the same time, a vast and powerful Qin military spirit, full of protective and indomitable will, swept across the terrified village below like invisible ripples!
"Wake up! I am Zhang Yuan, the Fire Commander of the Great Qin! You are not lambs to the slaughter!"

A strange sight occurred!

The fear and despair of the villagers, stirred by the fiery faces on the giant fire beast, suddenly changed when they touched Zhang Yuan's indomitable military will and his determination to protect the Qin Dynasty!

The fear did not disappear, but transformed into an instinctive anger and resentment when facing danger!

In despair, a fighting spirit to fight to the death arose!
"Roar--!"

The eyes of the village's young and strong men were bloodshot as they roared and raised their farm tools.

The white-haired old man shielded the child behind him, a resolute glint in his cloudy eyes.

Even the frolicking children clenched their little fists, their tender faces full of stubbornness!

These faint yet incredibly resilient "will to live" and "fire of resistance," transformed from the beliefs of the living beings themselves, rose from the village like scattered stars. They did not retaliate against the giant fire beast, but rather actively merged into the rotating fire source talisman in Zhang Yuan's palm!

"Use your heart as a guide, transforming the karmic obstacles of the mortal world into a beacon of protection for all! May this beacon of protection for all people, and may it give rise to the world's seal!"

Zhang Yuan roared, and the fire source runes in his palm burst forth with an unprecedentedly dazzling light!
The light was no longer simply red gold, but rather a fusion of countless tiny, seven-colored points of light representing the thoughts of different living beings!

An indescribably mysterious flame mark condensed above the talisman, its shape ancient and simple, containing the true meaning of endless life and the passing down of the torch.

The "Transformation Seal" flew out lightly, heading towards the thousand-foot-tall fiery behemoth that was pouncing down.

There were no earth-shattering explosions.

The moment the raging fire behemoth collided with the Transformation Seal, its enormous body, composed of fear and despair, suddenly froze!
The countless wailing human faces on the giant beast's body gradually changed from pain and despair to bewilderment, and then revealed a trace of relief and peace!

The reincarnation power of the Mingwang Zhenshi Golden Wheel is activated!
This Transformation Seal can transform life and death!
The raging karmic fire that constituted the giant beast's body seemed to be soothed and purified by a gentle yet powerful force, like weary birds returning to their nests, gradually merging into the small Transformation Seal.

The light of the Transformation Seal became increasingly gentle and vast.

It did not destroy the karmic fire behemoth, but instead reversed and transformed the destructive energy it contained and the karmic obstacles of all living beings into the "life-giving fire" that nourishes all things in a mysterious way called "transformation"!
The form of the fiery behemoth dissipated in the light, eventually transforming into a warm, golden rain that fell back upon the tranquil village.

As the sunlight and rain touched the ground, the vegetation grew even greener, and the villagers' weariness and fear vanished, replaced by eyes full of hope and strength.

The entire fiery domain fell into an eerie silence.

The Vermilion Bird watched all this quietly, its phoenix eyes, which had seen through eternity, pulsating with golden-red flames, filled with unbelievable shock and...heartfelt admiration.

"Blazing fiercely, it burns the eight directions; extinguishing with icy cold, it freezes the soul; karmic obstacles burn the heart, devouring all living beings... This is the power of fire."

The Vermilion Bird's voice no longer carried any arrogance, but instead conveyed a sense of awe and resonance with the "Tao".

"Yet you, Zhang Yuan! Your fire can bear the weight of mountains and rivers, unite the will of all people, transform destruction into life, and elevate annihilation into creation! Using fire to control fire, using fire to generate life! This is... the Great Way of Fire!"

The Vermilion Bird slowly retracted its enormous wings, lowered its head, and faced Zhang Yuan in an almost equal posture.

"I have seen your path. This path shall be the primordial flame that ignites the primordial world!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the Vermilion Bird suddenly raised its head and let out a long cry!

A pure, indescribable primordial flame, seemingly containing the first rays of light and heat at the dawn of the universe, slowly emerged from its mouth.

This wisp of flame was extremely small, no bigger than a fist, yet it seemed to be the core of the entire flame domain. Its light was restrained, yet it caused all the surrounding flames to bow down and resonate with it.

As it slowly floated toward Zhang Yuan, the Vermilion Bird spoke again: "This is a wisp of my original true flame, containing my original understanding of 'life,' 'death,' 'light,' and 'heat.'"

"You may observe it, comprehend it, and verify your path. I hope you will hold this spark, burn away the shackles of the primordial world, and illuminate... the unknown road ahead!"

Zhang Yuan solemnly extended his hand, and the Transformation Seal rotated in his palm, emitting a gentle suction force.

That wisp of Vermilion Bird's primordial flame, like a bird returning to its nest, lightly landed on the Transformation Seal.

In an instant, Zhang Yuan felt as if his soul had established a deeper connection with the fire laws of the entire primordial world!
Countless profound insights about fire flooded into my mind like a tidal wave.

These insights, along with his understanding of the Great Qin Fire Vein Technique, the Will of Mountains and Rivers, and the Chaotic God-Demon Body, mutually reinforce, merge, and elevate each other.

His understanding of the Flame Path instantly entered a completely new and unimaginable realm!

The Fire Vein Divine Power can be mastered with a mere wave of the hand! (End of Chapter)