Chapter 1861: The Power of Belief

The power of choice is now yours. I have transformed these three stone statues with special power. You will have no opportunity to test them; you must help your teammate make this life-or-death decision. How does that feel? Does it cause you great pain? Hahaha, if you choose incorrectly, this will become the deepest wound to your spiritual path, forever imprinted on your soul.

The Boneless True Spirit's words were not an exaggeration. Given the deep camaraderie within Xu Yang's team, if they truly made a wrong choice and inadvertently destroyed Long Kun's soul, someone of Xu Yang's caliber would absolutely not allow such a thing to happen.

Standing beside him, however, was Dawn, who possessed an entirely different mindset, always prepared to offer everything for Xu Yang.

Upon hearing the Boneless True Spirit, Dawn wasted no time. She immediately manifested a purple-glowing dagger in her hand and launched it toward one of the three stone statues. A resounding crash followed as the statue she targeted shattered into pieces.

Even Xu Yang himself had to admit that a fleeting ripple disturbed his usually calm heart at that moment. Yet, the outcome was that the statue's interior remained completely empty.

Dawn exhaled a long breath; she was far more conflicted than Xu Yang. Xu Yang understood clearly that Dawn had so decisively helped eliminate an option because she was prepared to atone for Long Kun with her own life. This was the only way to prevent Xu Yang from personally bearing the consequences of a wrong choice.

The Boneless True Spirit had not expected Dawn to be so loyal to Xu Yang and couldn't help but look at her with increased regard.

"I truly didn't expect it; you, young lady, have surprised me once again. It seems your feelings for this man are far deeper than the master-servant bond I imagined. You've likely fallen deeply in love with him without even realizing it."

"Shut up! Don't spout such nonsense. Lord Xu Yang and I are the closest battle partners, and I will dedicate my life to following him. Without him, I would still be a mere killing machine devoid of all emotion. You, an outsider, have no right to judge the bond between us."

As soon as Dawn finished speaking, Xu Yang, standing beside her, once again revealed a satisfied smile.

"Well said! How could our bond be judged by an outsider like you? There's no need to take a risk with this remaining choice, because I've thought of another way to return the chance to change his own destiny to Long Kun's hands."

Hearing Xu Yang's words, Dawn couldn't help but turn her head, eager to see how his method would unfold.

Next, Xu Yang unhesitatingly unleashed the full inheritance of the Phoenix God within him. A massive phoenix totem spread its wings in the heavens behind him. As it descended from the edge of the void, its fiery power simultaneously enveloped the two remaining stone statues.

Endless flame power, unrestrained by Xu Yang, burned fiercely, subjecting the two statues below to unimaginable scorching temperatures.

Xu Yang's approach quickly made Dawn and the female soul within the Boneless True Spirit understand his intention.

"Regardless of which of these two statues seals Long Kun's soul or its origin, both will simultaneously undergo a baptism of power from the Phoenix God. If Long Kun's strength is not yet sufficient, he will be incinerated into nothingness by these immensely powerful flames. Conversely, if his willpower is strong enough, he will fiercely absorb the flames within the statue and utilize this vigorous external energy to achieve a higher level of transformation and improvement. In simple terms, the moment these two statues shatter simultaneously, Long Kun's fate—life or death—could have two outcomes: either he will be completely refined into ashes by the powerful phoenix flames due to insufficient strength, or he will have triumphed over himself, achieving a higher-level transformation in his strength. Phoenix Nirvana, rebirth from fire—each Nirvana is a brand new beginning and a true transformation that elevates his power to new heights. If Long Kun can survive this trial, his combat ability will surpass even some true Martial God-level experts within the ancient martial divine path."

Hearing "Boss Xu Yang's" explanation, Dawn's worry only intensified, but at the same time, she prayed that Long Kun would overcome himself and achieve a higher-level advancement.

The immensely powerful phoenix flames swiftly infused themselves completely into the interior of both statues.

Not long after, the empty statue, unable to withstand such formidable flame power or the intensity of the continuous burning, cracked and shattered first.

The last remaining statue, therefore, had to contain Long Kun's soul. The prolonged absence of cracks indicated that Long Kun was already engaged in a clash with this power, struggling between absorption and resistance.

"You don't need to be so nervous. Don't worry, Long Kun will not disappoint us. If he can't even successfully handle a trial of this intensity from the Phoenix God, then he doesn't deserve to be my teammate."

Xu Yang's words continued to exude powerful confidence and a commanding aura, as if he controlled everything. This demeanor greatly pleased the female soul at the core of the Boneless True Spirit, bringing comfort to the middle-aged woman.

"Such a person may not appear on this continent for hundreds of thousands of years; he is truly a dragon among men, capable of reaching the ultimate peak of the cultivation world. It seems my long-held wish may indeed be fulfilled. The fate of the entire empire will also change because of this man."

Rumble! In the very instant a violent explosion resounded, the last statue finally shattered. Behind Long Kun, two not-so-delicate wings unexpectedly manifested, their burning flames and crimson light unmistakably evident.

"My goodness! Long Kun truly succeeded! He has transformed and developed the embryonic form of his own phoenix wings. Although these wings are still far from their truly perfect state, such an awakening signifies that the bloodline of the true Phoenix God within him has begun to awaken. Everything is a perfect new beginning!"

Xu Yang exclaimed excitedly, and with a sudden wave of his palm, he immediately injected a more powerful essence of life force into Long Kun's body, helping him quickly recover to his peak state after Nirvana.

As expected, with Boss Xu Yang's personal protection, Long Kun gradually opened his eyes.

"Boss, I succeeded!"