Chapter 99: The Fiery Phoenix of the Heart

Accompanied by the clear and resonant cry, Luan Qingliu gradually lowered himself to the ground.

Around him, a suffocating heat began to gather, crackling and scorching the air.

Not far away, Luan Qingshan, witnessing this, widened his eyes. The feathers on his feather fan instantly became crystal clear, emitting a red glow that spread outward.

“Phoenix Flame Scorching the Sky, Brother, what’s happening to you? Do you need my help?”

“Don’t come closer. Stay away from me!”

Zhou Zhong tightly gripped the flute in his hand. Faintly, an impenetrable barrier formed around him as he growled:

“I am unharmed. I am undergoing a transformation. You’ve heard what I said earlier—do exactly as I instructed!”

His voice faded, replaced by the melodious cries of a phoenix.

He then lowered himself to the ground, trembling as his true form emerged, enveloped entirely in scorching flames.

“Brother!”

Luan Qingshan was momentarily at a loss.

Though he knew that Yun Zhongke had somehow caused this transformation, he was uncertain whether it was a blessing or a curse.

His expression shifted repeatedly. The glow from his feather fan dimmed as he prepared to retreat, but he did not leave immediately. Instead, he raised his hand, performing a formation seal to reinforce the protective array around the cave, shielding his elder brother.

After strengthening the defenses, he stepped back further. Reaching out, he summoned several origami birds shaped like phoenixes, spreading his palm and allowing them to scatter and fly away.

...

Indeed, it was as he suspected—this world’s energies could be harnessed or manipulated as tribulation aura.

High above, Hong Yun watched as the heartfire tribulation aura he had bestowed gradually merged into Luan Qingliu’s brow, triggering some kind of transformation. An understanding dawned on him.

However, the process was frustratingly slow...

Hong Yun considered intervening to accelerate the transformation and witness the final outcome.

But as he raised his hand, he restrained himself, his eyes flickering slightly.

Each person’s fate is unique. This blessing was a chance he had granted; what form the transformation would take depended on the other’s own destiny. If he interfered too much, he might obscure the true changes unfolding.

So he ceased his actions and began to refine his own tribulation aura. The two distinct types within him had yet to be absorbed by his essence—they clearly did not meet the criteria.

---

These two types of tribulation aura—water and fire—were incompatible, conflicting with each other.

With the slightest movement, the two auras clashed, causing cracks to spread across his body like the delicate fractures on fine porcelain.

Yet, instead of shattering, the cracks gradually faded as the auras merged, eventually restoring him to his original form.

He opened his hands once more, revealing a delicate lotus flower.

Unlike before, it was not a fiery lotus but one born of the fusion of water and fire.

On each petal, along the central veins, water and fire tribulation aura split evenly. Though beautiful, the petals radiated a calm yet destructive energy.

This degree of fusion was no challenge for him.

He dispersed the tribulation aura and reabsorbed it into his body, gazing thoughtfully at Luan Qingliu below, who was steadily transforming.

The fatal energy of this world could not resist the tribulation aura as he understood it.

Even in the Primordial World, supreme spiritual energy could only mitigate or delay tribulation aura.

To truly erase or absorb the tribulation aura...

As this thought occurred, a faint realization stirred within him. He gazed long at the panel deep within his sea of consciousness, silent.

Only tribulation aura could counter tribulation aura.

This panel, along with the Yellow Court Tribulation Scripture he had obtained in the Primordial World...

They all seemed to represent a form of tribulation.

With a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, he departed, retreating deeper into the clouds.

He had come here for the tribulation aura in this place. Now that he had absorbed it, transforming it to strengthen himself was paramount.

He sensed that if he could harness this tribulation aura, even if he could not reach the ultimate metamorphosis, he could at least rival the heavens of this Precious Vase Realm.

...

When Hong Yun was still here, the tribulation aura he had given Luan Qingliu was still slowly surging.

But after he left, the tribulation aura in Luan Qingliu’s brow suddenly burst forth.

Unable to contain it, Luan Qingliu reverted to his original form, collapsing on the ground as his feathers turned to ash.

He cried mournfully, then the flute in his hand emitted several phoenix cries, seeming to stir the tribulation aura within him.

---

Afterwards, Luan Qingliu continued to change. The feathers that had vanished began to regrow.

At this moment, not only was Luan Qingshan present, but two other elder phoenixes of similar aura had also gathered beside him.

They gazed at Luan Qingliu’s aura with wide eyes, voice trembling:

“Second Brother, I... am I seeing things?”

“You’re not mistaken—I was the one who was wrong.”

Luan Qingshan stared blankly below, his expression indescribable:

“Brother’s original Phoenix Flame Scorching the Sky has successfully transformed into the Heartfire Flame, burning his soul in a single moment.

Moreover, the most obvious signs—the heartfire crown and heartfire feathers—have completed their transformation. Brother now radiates imperial aura, having become a Heartfire Phoenix!”

“What!”

“What!”

The two voices cried out in shock, then grabbed Luan Qingshan’s sleeves, their faces filled with anxious concern:

“Only when one’s imperial aura surpasses a hundred strands can the entire bloodline be awakened, transforming into the Heartfire Phoenix.

Second Brother, what exactly happened during this time?!”

Luan Qingshan did not answer immediately. Under their gazes, he fell silent for a moment:

“If I told you that the butterfly metamorphosis cultivator named Yun Zhongke emerged from within and seemed to give Brother something, which caused this transformation, would you believe me...?”

He looked at the expressions of the two beside him, understanding their doubt, and shook his head silently.

At this moment, Luan Qingliu’s transformation was nearly complete.

He slowly curled his body, becoming an egg.

When the shell cracked open again, the three butterfly metamorphosis demon kings outside widened their eyes in astonishment.