As the soul power surged in, the small flame instantly grew tens of thousands of times larger, like a ferocious giant beast, engulfing Wang Zhong in its maw.
The raging fire blazed, rising several feet high, scorching the stones beneath him until they cracked and shattered.
Wang Zhong's clothes, hair, and even the wood armor that covered his body like skin, unable to withstand the heat, all turned to ash.
His body wailed, his blood boiled, and even the soul bone fused with his body let out a pained creak under the flames, on the verge of collapsing.
The power of the flames was so immense that it could have instantly killed a powerful Titled Douluo.
The searing pain of the flames burning his flesh and bones distorted Wang Zhong's features. He gritted his teeth so hard they nearly broke. Having endured the extreme heat of the Simulated Environment and the ferocity of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, his body had become incredibly resilient, impervious to both water and fire. Yet, even he trembled uncontrollably under the stimulation of this pain.
Amidst such agony, Wang Zhong could no longer maintain his cross-legged posture. He slammed his hands onto the ground, his five fingers digging forcefully into the hard stone. In his unconscious exertion, the stone was crushed into powder.
His fingertips dug into his flesh, and the trickles of blood, before they could flow, were scorched black by the intense heat.
Wang Zhong gasped for breath, desperately exhaling, trying to draw in the coolness of the sea air to alleviate the burning pain. But for flames that could burn a Titled Douluo to death, the meager coolness of the air was no different from drinking poison to quench thirst.
"Ah!"
Even with Wang Zhong's resilience, he could no longer endure such pain. He stood up and let out a roar to the heavens, the flames around him erupting in response. The entire small island was instantly reduced to scorched earth.
The small hut they had used for living, like the island, burned to nothing.
Wang Zhong clenched his fists tightly at his sides, his body trembling, his face contorted with ferocity. His eyes were bloodshot and crimson from the pain.
Such torment was akin to being naked in a sea of fire or walking through a cauldron of boiling oil. For a mortal body to face such pain with clear consciousness was the most brutal and vicious torture in the world.
The raging flames around him, fueled by the continuous influx of soul power, became increasingly fierce, burning every inch of his flesh and bone, making him wish for death.
"Give up!"
"As long as you give up, this pain will vanish, and you'll feel at ease!"
Suddenly, these thoughts emerged in Wang Zhong's mind.
"With my body's unique nature, if I cultivate step by step, the Eight Gates Dun Jia and the Eight Extremes Heaven will eventually be mastered. Why endure such hellish pain for temporary gain?"
"At just over twelve years old, a Soul Emperor before thirty. Who on the continent can compare to even half of me? Give me another ten years, and even a Level 99 Limit Douluo will be like a mere chicken or dog, not worth mentioning."
"To take a shortcut and save a little time, to put myself through such unbearable agony, am I being foolish?"
His fists, hanging at his sides, suddenly covered his head. Wang Zhong gritted his teeth tightly, his gaze fierce and stubborn.
These were the excuses his inner self conjured to escape!
Think of Ning Wudi's power, think of the little fox who willingly sacrificed herself to the Wolf God, only to fall at the hands of the Holy Spirit Cult's leader. Think of the Mighty Dragon God and the Fallen Angel God. Even though these were still far away, what about the Ghost Demon?
Wang Zhong roared inwardly, "Didn't you promise Hu Liena that once you both became stronger, you would get revenge for each other!"
"Without the support of immense power, how can you kill him! Even if you are lucky enough to kill him, how will you deal with the Holy Spirit Cult? The Left Protector, the Right Protector, the Ten Great Elders, those supreme experts, and the Holy Spirit Cult leader himself – on what grounds can you give up!"
With a leap, Wang Zhong plunged into the sea. He needed to calm himself.
Soul power surged into the raging crimson crystal in his abdomen. The flames around him did not diminish even after he entered the sea; instead, they intensified with Wang Zhong's soul power.
Forcing himself to sit cross-legged in the seawater, Wang Zhong surfaced, biting his lip tightly and closing his eyes. With immense willpower and determination, he endured the inhuman pain, forcing himself to calm down.
In the sea, a body engulfed in raging flames rose and fell with the waves. Under the scorching power of the flames, fist-sized bubbles continuously churned up from beneath the surface and broke on the sea.
The bubbles, carrying astonishing heat, burst on the surface, creating wisps of mist. Centered around Wang Zhong, the sea for nearly a thousand meters around began to slowly heat up.
The ocean seemed to be boiling!
The flames burned Wang Zhong's flesh and blood without mercy or pause, boiling his blood and refining his bones. Under these conditions, thin, smoke-like wisps of blood-red mist emanated from his body, swirling around him.
Time trickled by, sun rose and moon set. A full seven days passed.
For seven days, the flames burned without any sign of stopping or weakening. Even with Wang Zhong's powerful physique and regenerative abilities, he was nearing exhaustion.
Within a hundred meters of the sea surface, a dense blood-red fog obscured vision. A gaunt head, like skin stretched over bones, a skeleton, drifted with the currents. If not for the slight tremor of his eyeballs from time to time, indicating he was alive, anyone seeing him would have believed it to be a desiccated head that had been dead for days.
"It's time!"
His voice, hoarse like grinding gravel, whispered these words. Wang Zhong suddenly opened his eyes, from which streaks of blood-red lightning shot out, causing the sea to churn violently, as if he were doing something anathema to heaven and earth.
Lightning flashed incessantly, turning the area into a thunderous prison!
But no matter how the heavens and earth changed, Wang Zhong's expression remained extremely calm and indifferent.
The blood-red mist around Wang Zhong continuously contracted and condensed. In a short while, a crimson-gold object, like a soul ring, emanating an eerie and unique beauty, appeared behind Wang Zhong.
The golden soul ring hovered behind him, slowly rotating. Its extremely enchanting and sinister aura, coupled with Wang Zhong's emaciated body, lent him an indescribable dread and majesty.
Like a god, like a demon!
"Blood Qi Soul Ring!"
"It's done!"