At the same time, the mark upon Larvitar's armor erupted with equally intense radiance!
The light from the two marks echoed one another, instantly connecting into a single whole! An invisible, sacred, and majestic fluctuation spread outward from Lin Xia and Larvitar at the center, rippling through the air like waves!
Rumble
The entire mine cavern no, the entire subterranean vein network of Norton Volcano itself, seemed to tremble faintly within this resonance!
Deep within the mineral vein, the flowing liquid golden light suddenly became violent and surging!
In the area where the ancient formation had once appeared, space began to twist. Countless abstruse and complex flame-rune phantoms once again emerged, flickering in and out of visibility, radiating an aura far clearer and far more vast than before!
Lin Xia and Lou Gao's hearts leapt straight into their throats.
Had it succeeded?!
Was the gate to the divine trial… about to open?!
However, just as Lin Xia and Lou Gao held their breath, waiting for that "door" to open completely, a sudden mutation occurred!
The Sun Essence mineral vein, flowing with eternal liquid golden radiance like the lifeblood of the earth, under the illumination of the ancient formation and the scouring of the violent energy torrent, actually began to… melt!
It was not being gnawed away, nor was it being blasted apart. Instead, like ice beneath sunlight, like solid ice dropped into boiling water, it began to soften and dissolve from the edges at a speed visible to the naked eye, transforming into an even purer, thicker liquid, like molten crimson-gold!
"Larvitar——!!!"
A sharp, frantic screech that nearly cracked from strain suddenly exploded through the cavern!
It was Larvitar!
The little fellow's crimson-gold flame-filled eyes instantly widened to the limit. Where was the dignity and anticipation it had displayed while activating the mark just moments ago?
All that remained was the sheer terror and heartbreak of a foodie watching a mountain of beloved, top-tier delicacies melt away before its very eyes!
It could not even bother maintaining its majestic lava form anymore. The rune-light on its dark armor turned chaotic as its four stubby legs churned desperately. Like a burning little cannonball, it lunged straight toward the rapidly melting mineral vein!
As it charged, it grabbed Lin Xia's pant leg with one tiny claw and tugged with all its might, dragging him forward while letting out urgent cries—
"Wuu wuu! Larvitar! Larvitar"
The meaning could not have been clearer.
Hurry! Hurry and help grab it! The good stuff is disappearing!
Once it melts, you won't be able to eat it!
Save my rations!
Lin Xia was completely dumbfounded by Larvitar's sudden foodie instincts, so utterly divorced from the lofty atmosphere of a divine trial, that even the pillar of light connecting his arm to the formation wavered slightly.
He subconsciously lowered his head to look at Larvitar. The little fellow was so anxious that molten lava-like drool was practically about to drip out, its tiny eyes filled with apocalypse-level despair and frantic urging.
Behind them, Lou Gao's mouth twitched as well. He nearly lost his composure.
This tense and solemn moment of divine trial initiation had been forcibly turned into a farce resembling a frantic attempt to rescue melting ice cream by this little ancestor.
That said, the speed at which the mineral vein was dissolving was truly astonishing. In the blink of an eye, a vast outer region had already transformed into a sea of molten crimson-gold, emitting energy fluctuations that were purer than before and far more violent.
Just as Lin Xia stood there torn between laughter and exasperation, hesitating over whether to first calm the near-hysterical Larvitar or take advantage of the situation to try and collect some of the molten Sun Essence
"Enough!"
A vast, majestic voice tinged with unmistakable irritation, like thunder from the Ninth Heavens, like the deep roar from the heart of an ancient volcano, exploded directly within the souls of Lin Xia, Lou Gao, and Larvitar!
Boom!
Lin Xia, Lou Gao, and even Larvitar's bodies all shook violently at the same time!
The pillar of light connecting Lin Xia's arm to the formation instantly extinguished!
Larvitar's forward-lunging motion froze in place, as if pinned down by an invisible giant hand, even the tiny claw gripping Lin Xia's pant leg stiffened!
As for Lou Gao, he felt an overwhelming pressure descend straight from the origin of life itself, so terrifying that this Soul Saint nearly buckled at the knees and collapsed to the ground in worship!
That voice—
It was impossible to describe!
It was as if the roaring of billions of thunderclaps and the eruption of countless volcanoes had been fused together, yet it also carried a serenity and eternity that transcended all mortal existence.
It contained the violent will to incinerate all things, yet simultaneously flowed with the benevolent divinity of creation itself.
Every syllable struck the soul like a falling star, bringing with it an irresistible sense of awe and submission.
Simply hearing this voice was enough for any mortal being to understand the true weight carried by the word "god."
Lin Xia, Lou Gao, and Larvitar minds completely blank stood rigid in place, their souls trembling uncontrollably beneath this supreme pressure.
Even Larvitar's heartache over its precious rations was instantly swept away by the absolute terror brought by that voice, leaving nothing but stunned emptiness.
At the core of the mine cavern, the molten Sun Essence liquid that had been dissolving suddenly came to a halt, as though frozen in place by an invisible force.
Immediately afterward, the vast crimson-gold liquid seemed to gain life, spinning, converging, and rising violently!
Before the horrified gazes of Lin Xia and the others, that massive expanse of liquid golden radiance condensed into form in an instant!
A phoenix—with a wingspan that seemed capable of covering the entire cavern ceiling its entire body composed of pure crimson-gold flames and liquid Sun Essence!
Every single feather flowed with eternally burning flames, while its tail plumes trailed long, resplendent streams of light like a brilliant galaxy.
Its enormous phoenix eyes were formed from two eternal, undying Sun Essence cores aloof, majestic, and profound—seeming to pierce through time and space and reflect the heavens themselves!
Terrifying heat intertwined with divine radiance, twisting and blurring the very space around it!
With its wings slightly folded, it hovered in midair. Merely by existing, it caused the material laws of the entire mine cavern to bow in submission!
This was the complete manifestation of the flame giant bird's phantom glimpsed earlier!
The true, corporeal projection of a divine will
The Phoenix God!
Its massive, blazing phoenix eyes carrying a trace of unmistakable displeasure, slowly swept over the tiny beings below like two inspecting suns.
Its gaze passed over Larvitar, who had been hopping in panic moments ago but was now frozen stiff like a stone statue; passed over Lou Gao, drenched in cold sweat, his face pale as ash yet forcing himself to stand upright; and finally settled upon Lin Xia, who was forcibly suppressing the tremors in his soul, an unyielding flame burning deep within his eyes.
An immense pressure, as heavy as a tangible mountain, bore down upon Lin Xia's heart.
He could feel his bones groaning, his newly reborn flesh trembling.
But he knew, this was the moment when he absolutely could not retreat!
Lin Xia took a deep breath. The scorching air, imbued with divine aura, felt as though it might tear his lungs apart.
He forced himself to raise his head and meet those two colossal phoenix eyes, blazing like furnaces.
"Lin Xia… thanks Your Excellency for the grace of saving my life! For the virtue of re-creation, I shall never forget it for eternity!"
Lin Xia's voice carried a trace of hoarseness and an uncontrollable tremor, yet it rang out with exceptional clarity and reverence within this prison of divine might.
He clasped his fists and bowed deeply toward the flame phoenix. His posture was humble, yet his spine did not fully bend.
The colossal flame phoenix seemed not to have expected Lin Xia's first words to be these.
Those eternally burning phoenix eyes flickered slightly, a faint trace of surprise flashing through them, so subtle it was almost imperceptible.
Its massive head tilted ever so slightly, as though reassessing this human youth who could still maintain basic composure and clarity of thought beneath Its overwhelming divine pressure.
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