The scorching power of the flames, emanating from the Fire Crystal Jade, made Shi Yan feel as though his body, encased in solid ice, was being burned alive in a raging fire.

Even the ice blocks condensed by the Profound Ice Cold Flame could not withstand the heat of the Ten Thousand Year Earth Core Fire. The dense heat immediately permeated the barrier.

Shi Yan cautiously retrieved the Soul Gathering Bead.

Ten meters above the Fire Crystal Jade, he stabilized his mind. Focusing intently, he channeled his power into the Soul Gathering Bead, then suddenly released it. The bead immediately plummeted downward with a sharp "hissing!" sound.

The pearly white membrane covering the surface of the Soul Gathering Bead instantly ignited. In a mere flash, the membrane vanished completely. Simultaneously, an enormous soul-sucking force suddenly surged from the bead.

Shi Yan’s soul trembled, immediately triggering the illusion of his spirit trying to leave his body. He hastily composed himself, holding his breath, daring not to let a single thread of spiritual energy escape.

With the protective membrane gone, countless souls within the Soul Gathering Bead danced inside, densely packed like thousands of black threads tangled together, slowly writhing—a sight that made one’s scalp tingle.

"Clang!"

The Soul Gathering Bead landed upon the Fire Crystal Jade, and instantly,

wisps of visible, dark, sooty smoke began to curl upwards from the bead. They drifted out over the magma pool, gradually dissipating. The powerful soul-sucking force emanating from the bead vanished without a trace. The bead lay fixed upon the Fire Crystal Jade as if gripped by it. The jade sparked with firelight, tendrils of flame coiling around the Soul Gathering Bead, beginning to incinerate it.

The Ten Thousand Year Earth Core Fire raged violently within the Fire Crystal Jade, morphing into various shapes and releasing astonishing levels of heat.

The Earth Core Fire seemed to recognize the object that had fallen upon the Fire Crystal Jade. Being inherently volatile, it immediately mobilized its flame power, attempting to burn the Soul Gathering Bead to ashes.

The darkly luminous Soul Gathering Bead, scorched by the flames of the Ten Thousand Year Earth Core Fire, underwent rapid refinement. The dross of souls within was swiftly burned away, transforming into fine plumes of black smoke that, as soon as they appeared, were swallowed by the magma, quickly integrating into the molten pool. A wave of intense heat washed over Shi Yan, causing him to sweat slightly.

Maintaining his suspension above the Fire Crystal Jade required a drain on his essence. Shi Yan paused for a moment, confirmed the Soul Gathering Bead was completely enveloped by the flames, and consulted the Profound Ice Cold Flame. Only after receiving confirmation that everything was fine did he truly relax.

Shi Yan quietly shifted away from his position above the Fire Crystal Jade, landing on the crimson stone ground about thirty meters away. As the residue within the Soul Gathering Bead was refined by the flames of the Ten Thousand Year Earth Core Fire and disappeared into the magma, Shi Yan breathed a sigh of relief. Watching the dark bead grow progressively clearer and more crystalline, an inexpressible sense of relief washed over him.

"The Soul Gathering Bead is safe now; the flame power of the Ten Thousand Year Earth Core Fire is sufficient to refine it, forming pure, flawless soul energy. You can rest easy regarding the bead for now."

"Now, it’s time for you to be careful."

The Profound Ice Cold Flame communicated telepathically.

Shi Yan paused, slightly bewildered. "Careful about what?"

"What do you think?"

The next moment.

The scorching power of the flames rapidly permeated the barrier. While still inside the solid ice, Shi Yan's entire body suddenly turned a deep crimson!

The flame power pierced straight through the solid ice and seeped directly into him!

Shi Yan, sealed within the ice, immediately felt himself surrounded by fiery power, his body seemingly being melted down in a furnace. Every single cell felt as though it had been ignited!

An indescribable agony surged through him like a tide. Shi Yan roared as if being consumed by fire.

"This is just the beginning!"

The message from the Profound Ice Cold Flame suddenly turned somewhat cold-blooded. "I promised you I would help you use the Ten Thousand Year Earth Core Fire to temper your body. Now, I have begun!"

"That was too sudden!"

Shi Yan shrieked. Inside the ice, he was drenched in sweat. The perspiration pouring from his body rapidly froze under the influence of the Profound Ice Cold Flame, forming a new layer over his skin. However, this layer of ice offered no resistance to the flame power. Shi Yan felt no coolness whatsoever; his body remained unbearably hot.

"It's started!"

The Profound Ice Cold Flame sounded almost gleeful. "Didn't you say you could endure pain that others find unbearable? Heh heh, that’s why I never treated you like an ordinary person. I didn't let you acclimatize at all; I threw you straight into the absolute limit!"

Shi Yan hated this inwardly but was helpless. His mind screamed, "Since that’s the case, can you tell me the method for tempering my physical body now?"

"This method of tempering the body comes from a Martial Artist at the Triple Heaven of the Divine Transcendent Realm, named 'Extreme Refinement.' It will push you past one limit after another! Remember this one crucial point: keep your soul clear and never, ever pass out! Once you lose consciousness, you will never wake up!"

"You need to have some restraint!"

"Relax, I have restraint. However, if you prove weak and pass out from the pain, I can't save you either!"

"Extreme Refinement it is, then. Tell me what to do!"

"Listen carefully. The principle behind the 'Extreme Refinement' body tempering technique is the same as refining a divine weapon. First, use the scorching flames to purge impurities from the body. Next, guide the flame power into the meridians. I will tell you which primary meridians to start with. Through these meridians, you will disseminate the flame power throughout your entire body. Sink your mind deep inside, merge with the flame power, and repeatedly burn your bones, tendons, blood, flesh, organs—even every single cell!"

Shi Yan was aghast. "Your body is extraordinary; it must not have many impurities. I don't know how you managed it. For now, just guide the flame power into those specific meridians and proceed step-by-step according to my method. Remember, no matter what, maintain absolute mental clarity and never pass out!"

"My body is extraordinary?"

"Yes. When you were cultivating on Monroe Island, your body developed a strange absorptive power, sucking in the cold energy I emitted. I immediately realized your body seemed to have already been tempered, containing no impurities. That’s why I seized the opportunity to inject more of my cold energy into you—to make your body adapt to my power, preparing me to possess you."

Shi Yan froze for a moment, then inspiration struck, and he suddenly recalled the reason.

The Blood Pool!

When his soul first arrived in this world, he found himself in a cave containing a Blood Pool brimming with extremely malevolent energy. He plunged in without hesitation, and his body actually absorbed all the blood water in the pool. When he awoke, a blood cocoon had formed around him. Afterward, he felt completely reborn, possessing his first strand of vital essence.

The water from the Blood Pool not only granted him a mysterious Martial Soul but also tempered his body, driving impurities out and making it far more conducive to the flow of vital essence. Everything he possessed today was inseparable from that mysterious Martial Soul, and the Martial Soul’s formation... was thanks to the Blood Pool!

"Still lost in thought? Hmph, it seems the flame power infused in you still has room for increase,"

The Profound Ice Cold Flame transmitted its heartless, icy consciousness again, and then it lessened its obstruction on the flame power, allowing more scorching energy to flood in!

Shi Yan's body instantly turned as red as a branding iron, looking as if it had been thoroughly cooked. This heat came from deep inside his body!

He could no longer hold back a roar, bellowing hoarsely, his expression ferocious. This level of torment was comparable to the agony experienced when cultivating the Second Heaven of Berserk Surge and integrating negative power into the blood! This pain was beyond what ordinary nerves could withstand. Anyone else at this point would likely have fainted. But Shi Yan merely gritted his teeth and fought fiercely, his eyes blazing red, yet his gaze remained resolute.

"You really weren't bluffing. Under this intense heat, most people would suffer a mental breakdown, perhaps even go mad, but more would simply pass out immediately, losing any further chance for advancement forever. But you truly are remarkable; an anomaly. With your current cultivation and realm, you can still endure this power—you are indeed an extremely suitable candidate for 'Extreme Refinement'!"

Shi Yan roared, having no leisure to reply.

"I know more than one technique for tempering the flesh, but 'Extreme Refinement' is the most unorthodox and the most dangerous. Initially, I just wanted to test if you could endure it. If you couldn't, I would have given you an alternative cultivation method. But it seems that won't be necessary. Congratulations, provided you can hold on, 'Extreme Refinement' offers the most significant and fastest results in body tempering. If you can stay conscious, I am confident I can help you rapidly establish a solid foundation!"

Shi Yan felt the communication from the Profound Ice Cold Flame but could not respond. This was because the Flame had again eased some of its blockade against the scorching flame power, allowing even more fire energy to enter. Shi Yan howled like a savage beast, his cry filled with the pain of an undying human. Thin flames flickered erratically from his nostrils, eyes, ears, and mouth, like fire snakes. Shi Yan appeared to be burning from within; his entire body was crimson, and one could faintly trace small streaks of fire moving inside him.

"That's enough. Now listen carefully, I will tell you which meridians..."

The Profound Ice Cold Flame transmitted its instructions, detailing the cultivation method of "Extreme Refinement" to Shi Yan while subtly observing the changes in his spirit. Shi Yan's physical body sparked and contorted with a fierce expression, yet his soul remained intensely active.

The Profound Ice Cold Flame was secretly stunned. Although it had never cultivated "Extreme Refinement" itself, it knew from that person's memories that this technique was terrifying. The "Extreme Refinement" technique was never intended for human martial artists to temper their bodies! The person who invented it was a perverse Artifact Refiner. "Extreme Refinement" was originally his method for purifying divine weapons—a specific artifact-refining technique that used flame to forge weapons!

Since its invention, only that single Artifact Refiner had ever used "Extreme Refinement" to temper his own body. He relied on his internal fire-based Martial Soul for tempering, not Earth Fire! Earth Fire is vastly more ferocious than human fire! Even though the Profound Ice Cold Flame had reduced the Earth Core Fire's intensity, it was still Earth Fire! Its domineering and violent nature was difficult even for the Cold Flame to control. When it revealed the "Extreme Refinement" technique, it hadn't truly expected Shi Yan to be able to persevere; it had already chosen other body tempering methods for him. Yet, Shi Yan held firm! It couldn't help but be astonished.

...

PS: This brutal May is finally ending. I feel utterly drained, my spirit scattered. Thank you all; you propelled me into the top three, and I am satisfied. I don't know what else to say. I promise I will write this book diligently and present you with thrilling plots as repayment. Thank you again!