Ye Wen stroked his chin. The Black Lotus in his hand had dissipated as his true qi was no longer being supplied. A wisp of purple energy scattered from Ye Wen's palm, carrying a faint, strange fragrance before it too vanished into the air without a trace.

"So, the technique Zheng Ting is practicing is this Xuanbing Lihuo Demonic Art?" Master Huixin nodded, "However, based on what Sect Leader Ye just described, Zheng Ting's demonic art should only be at a minor mastery stage. It's primarily based on cold energy, supplemented by poisons to cultivate a hidden Fire Poisonous Vigor within the chilling force! Until the fire aspect is perfected and the various energies merge into one, this skill cannot be considered fully achieved." Ye Wen was startled by this. If the technique was this troublesome before completion, wouldn't it make one invincible if truly mastered?

He learned from Master Huixin that the ancient master who created this technique once roamed the martial world unchallenged with it, yet somehow he was subdued, leading to the complete crippling of his formidable skills.

However, when it came to techniques relying on poisons—he did recall Old Monster Ding's Power-Dissolving Great Method, which also depended on toxic substances and carried a massive backlash. He wondered if this demonic art harbored similar issues.

When he voiced this question to Master Huixin, the Zen master pondered for a moment, "I have never heard of such a thing. The Tianshan School keeps the details of this demonic art extremely guarded, rarely speaking of it. Thus, though our sect's ancestor left some records, they are only general outlines, lacking the finer points!"

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he added, "If Sect Leader Ye wishes for more detailed information, perhaps Senior Yuqingzi can shed some light!" As an elder martial artist whose age spanned over a century, Yuqingzi was practically a living encyclopedia of the current martial world. According to Master Huixin, this incident occurred seventy years ago, and Yuqingzi would have been in his prime then—he surely must know a great deal.

But there was no need to rush now; it was best to extract everything possible from Master Huixin first. Ye Wen paused in thought and continued, "Since Zheng Ting practices this demonic art, what about Li Xuan..." Ye Wen recalled Li Xuan’s incredibly pure cold energy, which didn't seem characteristic of practicing other techniques. However, it was possible Li Xuan had achieved such a pinnacle in qi manipulation that he could perfectly conceal any other inherent energies.

Master Huixin's brow furrowed deeply at this. "I share this concern, but without confirmation, I dare not make hasty assertions!"

Seeing Master Huixin so visibly worried, especially given the inscrutable actions of the Tianshan School that day, Ye Wen understood the gravity. If Li Xuan truly harbored ill intentions and managed to master this infamous demonic art, who in the current martial world could possibly stop him?

Silence descended upon the room in an instant, both Ye Wen and Master Huixin frowning deeply. Noticing this, Ning Ruxue quickly interjected, diverting the conversation, "Oh, Master, when Senior Yuqingzi called out the Phoenix Nirvana Divine Art yesterday, everyone present changed expression. What is the nature of this technique?"

The attempt to shift the topic might have been intended to ease the strange atmosphere, but the moment Ning Ru voiced her question, Master Huixin's brow knotted even tighter.

"This technique is also one that vanished decades ago, thought to be lost to time. I never expected the Azure Dragon Society to still possess its cultivation manual!"

"Is this technique very powerful?" Since it was called a Divine Art and hadn't been branded a demonic art by the orthodox martial world, it shouldn't be too sinister, right? But recalling Dongfang Sheng's appearance and the strange demeanor of Dongfang Yi and Dongfang Wuji toward their own kin, Ye Wen suspected it was far from simple.

Master Huixin sighed, "The technique is indeed powerful, and its methodology isn't inherently sinister. However, for some unknown reason, every practitioner of this art invariably suffers a drastic change in temperament, eventually causing widespread havoc. Although the application of the skill appears straightforward and righteous, this Divine Art is riddled with strangeness—even more fiendish than the Xuanbing Lihuo Demonic Art!" He added, "I have seen Dongfang Sheng before, though only in passing, and he was entirely different from how he appears now! I wonder if Dongfang Sheng’s transformation is somehow linked to the Phoenix Nirvana Divine Art!" Turning back to Ye Wen, he continued, "Coincidentally, I also intended to inquire about this matter with Senior Yuqingzi. Will Sect Leader Ye accompany me?"

"Very well!" Ye Wen nodded. He felt that seeking clarity from Yuqingzi was the best course, and more importantly, if they didn't ask now, they might never get the chance later.

Seeing Ye Wen agree, Master Huixin wasted no time and rose to leave. Ye Wen followed silently. Ning Ruxue glanced at the two men, then looked back at Huayi, before finally following. As she stepped out, she instructed their disciples to rest well and guard the premises, cautioning them not to wander. She had a feeling that recent events were stacking up—each one more unsettling than the last, making it impossible to feel at ease.

The group arrived at the meditation room of the Jade Cave Sect. Ye Wen and Master Huixin were escorted by Jade Cave disciples to Yuqingzi's chambers. They found the old man seated in a chair, head slightly tilted back, staring intently at the roof beams, as if something fascinating lay there.

"You two have arrived!" Yuqingzi seemed to have anticipated their visit, sitting in a posture that suggested he was intentionally waiting for them.

"Greetings, Senior! Did you know we were coming?" Even Master Huixin had to adopt a respectful tone when addressing Yuqingzi, calling him 'Senior.' After the customary greeting, Yuqingzi remained in the same position, casually saying, "No need for formalities, please, sit where you like!" Then he sighed, "Perhaps things are coming to an end; I see many matters clearly now. You two have come to ask about the Phoenix Nirvana Art, haven't you?"

Ye Wen nodded, "Yes, and also about the Tianshan School's Xuanbing Lihuo Demonic Art!"

At these words, even Yuqingzi was slightly startled. "Xuanbing Lihuo Demonic Art? Why bring up this technique... Sect Leader Ye suffered a strike from this demonic art?" Yuqingzi had expected Master Huixin to seek him out for details on the Phoenix Nirvana Art, but he hadn't expected the delay. Seeing Ye Wen accompanying him, he assumed Master Huixin had gone to find Ye Wen first, causing the tardiness. But Ye Wen speaking up now... he remembered Zheng Ting and Ye Wen’s confrontation earlier that day...

Ye Wen nodded. "I was carelessly struck by this demonic art; it is truly bizarre! Fortunately, Zheng Ting hadn't truly mastered the technique, so the injury is not severe!"

Yuqingzi scrutinized Ye Wen, knowing he wasn't one to lie. Recalling that Zheng Ting's skill certainly didn't seem to be at its peak, he nodded. "It’s fortunate Zheng Ting's mastery wasn't complete, otherwise this matter would be much harder to deal with!" He continued, "But for Sect Leader Ye to detect that demonic art's hidden vigor! That technique is most troublesome precisely because its energy is subtle and hard to perceive. By the time the victim realizes something is amiss, it’s too late!"

Ye Wen smiled. "My true qi possesses certain unique characteristics, so the moment that foreign vigor entered my body, I detected the anomaly!" Yuqingzi reflected, remembering how Ye Wen had used his own true qi to help regulate his body. Sect Leader Ye's internal skill was indeed marvelously profound, and given Zheng Ting's incomplete demonic art, early detection of the anomaly wasn't surprising. He nodded, "This is fortunate for Sect Leader Ye!"

After discussing for a while, he remembered why they had come: the Phoenix Nirvana Art. "Since you both have come to inquire about the Phoenix Nirvana Art, it must be due to my exclamation yesterday!"

"In truth, this technique wasn't initially an evil art. Once mastered, its movements are swift as the wind, its energy is fiercely hot like fire, endlessly mutable and graceful—it was originally a top-tier Divine Art in the current martial world."

He paused, letting out a sudden, deep sigh. "However, the cultivation process for this art involves agonizing pain, and few can endure it. Even those who persist see their temperaments drastically altered due to prolonged suffering, ultimately leading to tragic outcomes!"

"Pain?"

Yuqingzi nodded. "Precisely, pain!" He then adopted a reminiscent expression. "This was fifty years ago. By then, my skills were considerable. While I couldn't claim the title of the foremost martial artist, I was confident I could withstand any master’s move in the current pugilistic world!" With that statement, no one dared to suggest he was boasting. Master Huixin knew well that the Jade Cave Sect's martial arts emphasized defense; setting aside the circular barrier technique, the pure protective true qi, while having offensive utility, was primarily for defense. As for the Misty Water Palm, it was a set of palm techniques heavily focused on defense; nine out of ten moves were defensive, and the single offensive move was merely an attack used for defensive purposes. Thus, Yuqingzi claiming he could withstand any master's strike was certainly not an arrogant assertion.

"However, I nearly suffered a serious setback at the hands of someone who practiced the Phoenix Nirvana Art!"

At this revelation, Master Huixin's face changed drastically, and he exclaimed, "Could it be the Fire Phoenix Fairy who rampaged through the martial world forty-five years ago?" He quickly corrected himself, "Wait, the Fire Phoenix Fairy only appeared briefly before being besieged and eliminated by the orthodox martial world. Senior, you mentioned fifty years ago, could it be..."

"Yes, it was the Fire Phoenix Fairy before she had fully mastered the Phoenix Nirvana Art—she shouldn't have been called 'Fairy' back then! Although changes were already manifesting in him, he still possessed a male appearance!"

Yuqingzi continued, "I fought that person, who hadn't yet become the Fire Phoenix Fairy, for over a hundred exchanges. I only stopped when his true qi was depleted! Seeing that he couldn't kill me, and believing his own demise was certain, he confessed every detail of cultivating this technique! Only then did I realize how terrifying its training process was!"

Ye Wen inwardly exclaimed, 'Holy crap, a supercharged Sunflower Manual!' He thought of Auntie Dongfang, "Auntie Dongfang, you were definitely born in the wrong place. If you practiced this technique, wouldn't your wish be fulfilled?"

"A man..." Master Huixin's expression shifted again as he suddenly recalled Dongfang Sheng's transformation. "Can this technique turn a man into a woman?" Yuqingzi didn't answer, continuing his tale. "This technique, taking the essence of 'Phoenix Nirvana,' implies this symbolism! Furthermore, every time a certain level of mastery is reached, the practitioner's life force ceases, as if they die. Only when the true qi within continues to circulate does the body undergo earth-shattering changes; sinews are recast, bones are forged, marrow is cleansed. Upon awakening, the physical constitution and aptitude are vastly improved!"

"Therefore, this technique places almost no restriction on aptitude or comprehension. As long as you are willing to cultivate it, and can survive the immense agony brought by these successive forging processes of sinews and bones, you can master it!" Hearing this, Ye Wen muttered again, 'So powerful! It has the effect of the Tendon-Changing Scripture, and perhaps traits of the Silkworm Transformation too? This is practically a BUG-level divine art!'

Seemingly noticing Ye Wen's expression, Yuqingzi stated directly, "Do not mistake this for a blessing, Sect Leader Ye. Imagine, if you constantly assault your own meridians and bones with true qi, experiencing the feeling of your bones being smashed and then reset again and again—what would that feel like? Moreover, if you cannot withstand the pain, the induced death becomes real, and you will never awaken. Thus, while this technique doesn't restrict aptitude or comprehension, only those with immense willpower can master it."

The description sent a shiver through Ye Wen. He realized inwardly, 'I always thought forging sinews and bones was a good thing, but forcing such a change in one's constitution—isn't that just breaking down and reassembling some of the body's tissues? That certainly doesn't sound pleasant.'

Yuqingzi continued, "That man had only reached the first transformation, yet he endured seven days of torment. During this suspended death, he wasn't free of sensation; instead, it manifested as nightmares that tormented him ceaselessly, making him feel as if he had plunged into hell, yet unable to wake until the seven days elapsed and he could open his eyes!"

Sweat beaded on Ye Wen's forehead. Perhaps these people didn't fully grasp how terrifying this was, but Ye Wen, with his broader, if chaotic, knowledge, felt this was the ultimate form of torture. Especially considering that the time experienced in dreams often cannot be equated with real time; the only certainty was that while only seven days passed externally, the torment in the dream felt immeasurably long.

But Yuqingzi’s next words revealed this was only the beginning. "Upon waking, both aptitude and constitution improve significantly, and cultivation accelerates. However, the true power of this technique is not yet evident. According to that man, to truly unleash its might, one must cultivate it to the fifth transformation or beyond." The technique has seven transformations in total, meaning seven instances of induced death.

"And each subsequent time requires more time, with the suffering endured in each stage being significantly more intense than the last. According to that man, the first transformation required seven days of suspended death, the second fourteen days, the third twenty-one days, the fourth twenty-eight days. But to complete the fifth transformation, forty-nine days were needed!"

Ye Wen felt utterly restless. The thought of enduring forty-nine days of sleep in real-time, all while being plagued by endless, agonizing nightmares, made the hair on his arms stand up. Even Ning Ruxue unconsciously gripped his arm beside him.

But what followed revealed there was no bottom to the horror. "That is nothing. To reach the sixth transformation requires at least one hundred and forty days for sinew and bone forging, and the suffering endured during this period is far greater than the previous five combined! The final transformation demands four hundred and ninety days!"

To spend nearly a year and a half immersed in nightmares—even Master Huixin let out a low breath, murmuring, "Even hell cannot be this bad!"

Hearing this, anyone could understand why practitioners of this art suffered such drastic personality changes. Anyone who endured such torment would become a madman, either turning to destroy others or seeking self-destruction for release.

"Ordinary people reach the brink of madness after the fifth transformation—the Fire Phoenix Fairy was the same. If not for her burning desire for revenge, she wouldn't have persisted to that extent. However, we allowed her to leave back then, pitying her deep-seated vengeance, unaware that it would lead to so much disaster. But in my view, all her subsequent actions were merely a desperate search for release from that endless nightmare and pain!"

Huixin’s face suddenly paled. He hastily asked, "Senior, are you saying the Fire Phoenix Fairy never reached the final transformation of the Phoenix Nirvana Art?"

Yuqingzi nodded. "I was present when the Fire Phoenix Fairy was cornered. After she recognized me, she admitted personally that she had only reached the sixth transformation!"

Master Huixin recalled how the Fire Phoenix Fairy had caused such turmoil in the martial world, yet so many masters were helpless against her, and yet she hadn't fully mastered the technique.

Yuqingzi continued, "The external manifestation of this technique is that the later the stage of practice, the closer the practitioner becomes to resembling a woman. But before reaching the final stage, one is neither truly a woman nor entirely a man anymore! The 'Phoenix' in Phoenix Nirvana also carries this implication!"

The Imperial family used the Dragon to represent the Emperor and the Phoenix to represent the Empress; it also implied the Dragon as the totem of the noble male, while the Phoenix signified the noble female. The name Phoenix Nirvana Art implied that upon complete mastery, the practitioner would undoubtedly transform into a phoenix—that is, a woman.

"Yet this technique can only be cultivated by men, utilizing the innate Yang energy of men to temper the self and produce that formidable Wind-Fire vigor! But the more one practices, the closer they become to a woman. Initially, only the male attributes disappear; then, after each induced death, the physique more closely resembles a woman, until finally, they become entirely a woman!"

He paused, recalling Dongfang Sheng. "For the Dongfang family's second son to display such obvious signs, either he has already cultivated this technique past the fifth transformation, or he was inherently delicate in appearance to begin with!"

Huixin interjected, "I have seen Dongfang Sheng before. While his appearance was striking, he never possessed such an intense feminine aura!"

Hearing this, Yuqingzi concluded definitively, "Then Dongfang Sheng must have cultivated this technique past the fifth transformation! His physical appearance is already extremely close to a woman's now, and his power is not to be underestimated."

Ye Wen noted that Yuqingzi said one isn't considered a woman until reaching full mastery, yet one ceases to be a man after the first transformation. Since Dongfang Sheng was only extremely close to a woman, did that mean he was currently some sort of hermaphroditic monstrosity? It explained why the Dongfang family members looked at him with such distaste—this era perhaps wasn't ready to accept such a flamboyant and trendy being.

Having generally understood this technique capable of turning men into women and driving them insane, the group then discussed the Tianshan School's Xuanbing Lihuo Demonic Art. Ye Wen was disappointed; this demonic art seemed to lack the issue of toxic backlash. The Tianshan ancestor who created it was indeed brilliant, producing a technique of near-perfect design.

After emerging from Yuqingzi's place and bidding farewell to Master Huixin, Ye Wen, just taking a few steps towards his room to rest, encountered a figure—a person they had just been discussing: Dongfang Sheng himself............