Chapter 1644 Nine Levels of Hell
"Where exactly are we?" Yuan inquired as they stood at the peak of a massive volcano. He thought they were going to feed him treasures to complete his Chaotic Heart.
"We're at the Nine Levels of Hell Peak."
"What a terrifying name. Why did you bring me here? The Primordial Phoenix said you'd help me complete my Chaotic Heart."
"Were you expecting us to feed you treasures or something? You'll be forming your Chaotic Heart here." Feng Yao pointed at the raging flames inside the volcano.
"How does that work?" Yuan asked with raised eyebrows.
"There are nine floors in the Nine Levels of Hell, each floor engulfed in my mother—the Primordial Phoenix's flames," Feng Yao explained. "If you temper your body within these flames, you'll eventually complete your Chaotic Heart. The deeper you go, the more intense the flames become, but the rewards will also be greater."
Of course, they could have simply fed Yuan the necessary treasures to complete his Chaotic Heart. However, since the Primordial Phoenix couldn't kill him, she saw this as an opportunity to inflict some pain on him instead. Thus, this grueling method of tempering his body in the flames was chosen as a way to achieve his goal while ensuring he endured some suffering in the process.
'Not petty enough to hold a grudge, huh?' Yuan recalled the Primordial Phoenix's words and shook his head inwardly.
"Anyway, you're only a human, and your cultivation is also pathetically low, so even the first level might be unbearable for you." Feng Yao continued, "That's why I'll give you this."
She handed him a bottle that contained a single drop of blood inside.
"Phoenix blood?" Yuan raised an eyebrow.
"My blood, to be precise. If you consume it, you'll have enhanced fire resistance for a short time, enough to endure the second level at most."
It was only ordinary phoenix blood, but Feng Yao had a powerful bloodline, so even a single drop would be priceless in the Nine Heavens.
"Your blood is only enough for the second level? Just how powerful are these flames?" Yuan asked.
"What do you know? My Mother is the most powerful phoenix in existence. Her flames can burn even someone with fire immunity."
"Is that so? Have you heard of Phoenix's Wrath?" Yuan suddenly asked.
"Phoenix's Wrath? Of course, I have. Why?"
"How does it compare to the flames here?"
Feng Yao pondered for a moment before responding, "The Phoenix's Wrath would only be as strong as the flames in the fourth level."
'The fourth level only? This place is no joke…' Yuan swallowed nervously.
If the pain he experienced from the Phoenix's Wrath was only as strong as the fourth level, he couldn't imagine how much pain he'd experience in the ninth level.
"Alright, I'm going in," Yuan said a moment later.
"Don't bite more than you can chew." Feng Yao said.
Yuan didn't say anything and jumped inside the entrance, diving straight toward the second floor.
"Wha—?! I just warned him! And he didn't even consume my blood! Are all humans this reckless?!" Feng Yao was shocked when Yuan jumped straight to the second level.
As Yuan passed through the first level, a wave of intense heat washed over him, making him feel as though he had stepped into an oven. The air was thick with scorching energy, but to his surprise, it wasn't painful—just overwhelmingly hot, like standing too close to a blazing fire.
The moment Yuan stepped into the second level, the intensity of the heat skyrocketed. It was fierce enough to scorch his skin in an instant, but despite the flames' strength, they couldn't burn him faster than his body could regenerate. His healing abilities kicked in immediately, restoring his skin as quickly as it was damaged, creating a relentless cycle of burning and regeneration.
'This is a great place to temper my body and increase my fire resistance!' Yuan thought, his excitement growing as the flames continued their relentless assault. 'Perhaps I could even achieve fire immunity in this place!'
The burning sensation was excruciating, but it wasn't unbearable. Filled with determination, he sat down and began cultivating on the second level.
"Wow, he's actually enduring the second level right off the bat. I guess I underestimated him a little." Feng Yao mused, her interest piqued.
Not only did the flames temper Yuan's body, but they also contained rich Chaotic Essence that gradually advanced his Chaotic Heart. However, the process was slower than he anticipated.
'It'll take years to finish my Chaotic Heart at this rate. I'll head to the third level once I improve my fire resistance to the next level.'
With that in mind, Yuan continued to temper in the flames.
Sometime later, a figure appeared at the Nine Levels of Hell Peak and landed right beside Feng Yao.
"Elder Brother Mu." Feng Yao greeted this tall and handsome man with a respectful smile.
"When did you return?"
"A few hours ago," he responded, his gaze staring intently at Yuan's figure.
Feng Mu was the second youngest in the family, but he was still a billion years older than Feng Yao.
"I came back immediately after hearing that the eldest has returned. Is that him? The human who brought back the eldest from the human world?" Feng Mu asked.
"Yes, he's the one."
"He's less impressive than I anticipated—even disappointing," Feng Mu remarked, shaking his head in dissatisfaction. "I heard he was related to the Primal Monarch, too. Must be a lie."
"No, it's true. The Primal Monarch even showed up to protect him when Mother was about to kill him." Feng Yao said.
"Seriously? How is someone so weak related to the Primal Monarch? I can burn him to ashes with a single breath."
Feng Mu quickly lost interest in Yuan and asked about Feng Yuxiang.
"Have you spoken to the eldest yet? What was she like?"
"That's… Haven't you heard? She came back as a 'shell'."
"What?" Feng Mu immediately became dumbfounded.