Chapter 1408: Evereth
Drops of red blood splattered onto the cold ground, bit by bit, and each one struck the floor with a dark red color. Zhao Li Xin felt his entire body tremble, and his vision suddenly became blurred.
For a moment, it felt as though his chest were being crushed under an invisible weight. The pressure grew more intense with every heartbeat, like the world itself was trying to squash him.
Then, all of a sudden, the weight on his chest vanished. In its place came a wave of warmth, like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. It started in his chest and radiated outward, spreading through his limbs, calming the tremble in his fingers, and easing the pain in his muscles. His breath, once shallow and ragged, became slow and steady.
The oppressive silence around him seemed to part, and before his mind’s eye, he saw a vast, open space, it was limitless and bright. The sensation was overwhelming, as if the heavens for a second open up before him.
Zhao Li Xin’s eyes widened, a second later his lips curled into a smile as he realized he had successfully broken through to a Monarch level. It shouldn’t have been possible, not without years of training and, of course, sheer luck.
Well, Lory always said he was lucky guessed she was right, as always. Zhao Li Xin lifted his head as he bathed in the afterglow of a miracle he had just had.
[Fire Spirit...] Zhao Li Xin whispered hoarsely, his voice barely audible.
Not long after, a spark flickered to life in the air before him. It danced for a moment, like a tiny star, then expanded, swirling into a flame that slowly took shape. Within seconds, the fire condensed into the figure of a small boy, his entire body engulfed with flickering red and gold flames.
[Master, you’re forcing yourself again,] the fire spirit complained, his little voice laced with anger and concern.
Zhao Li Xin didn’t reply. Instead, he allowed his back to fall on the ground with his arms spread wide across the dark grey ground. His body trembled slightly, drenched in sweat, every inch of him soaked and chilled despite the warmth that still lingered in his core.
His lips had lost their color, turning pale and dry; it was a clear sign that he had exhausted his body more than he could handle. The cost of his breakthrough was steep, and his life force had been dangerously drained. But despite the pain, despite the weakness, a small, satisfied smile tugged at the corners of his lips.