Chapter 75: The Arrival
The cool sensation was faint at first—like a fleeting breeze in blistering heat, there one moment and swallowed by rolling waves of fire the next. It was a brief respite, a single stolen breath after a grueling trek before the journey resumed without pause.
Had Lordi Payne not been writhing in excruciating pain, he might have missed the faint coolness entirely.
But then, the comfortable chill began to spread.
To onlookers, the azure glow enveloping Lordi Payne's body shuddered before collapsing inward, drawn toward his dantian like water spiraling down a drain.
Oen Shinae's heart, which had just begun to settle, lurched back into her throat.
The most agonizing stage had passed—now came the true trial. The Dao Flame had to fuse with his flesh, the Ice Pith Fire wholly absorbed into his very being.
Success or annihilation hung in the balance.
Many so-called "steadfast", "iron-will" cultivators had crumbled at this precipice, their resolve shattering mere steps from triumph. The Pyro Fusion Art promised unparalleled power, but its price was written in ashes. Until the final moment, nothing was certain.
Yet Lordi Payne remained eerily calm, his composure a fragile anchor in the storm. It eased Oen Shinae's dread, if only slightly.
Beside her, Fang Jit stifled a sigh, shaking off a prickle of envy. He stepped closer, voice hushed. "Senior Sister, rest assured—I'll guard Junior Brother Lordi Payne with my life."
"Silence." Oen Shinae's glare was razor-sharp, she frowned, scolding in a low voice, "Junior Brother Payne has not yet completed the fusing of Dao Flame. Don't disturb him. One misstep could ruin everything."