Chapter 531 529: Kicked an Iron Plate

Bu Fantian shot him a provocative look, eager to compete with Lin Xuan and see whose physique was stronger. He just had to know if Lin Xuan could surpass him.

"Heh, interesting. If I weren't worried about being stark naked, what's a little heat? And you guys wearing those special pants... that's practically cheating." He tore off his outer clothes, leaving just his shorts.

He then dispelled his Elemental Power Shield, keeping just enough power active to prevent his shorts from burning off. 'It's not like getting an eyeful from some old man is a pleasant experience.'

Bu Fantian was surprised by this move, but his surprise quickly turned into a sneer. 'So Lin Xuan is finally taking the bait,' he thought. This was exactly what he wanted.

With his Elemental Power Shield gone, Lin Xuan felt the heat wave assault him, boring relentlessly into his body. If a cultivator couldn't suppress such violent Fire Elemental Power, it would surely cause the Elemental Power in their own meridians to fall into chaos, resulting in injury.

However, if one could easily tame it, their cultivation speed would be anything but slow, especially for those with a body aligned with Fire Elemental Power. It looked like Bu Fantian was treating this place as his personal Cultivation Site, constantly absorbing the rampaging Fire Elemental Power.

'Heh heh, competing with me in fire resistance? He's simply courting death...' Bu Fantian sneered inwardly. He was allowed in here not just because of his high status, but more importantly, because of his special physique—the innate Celestial Fire Physique. It was conceptually similar to the Ice Yin Body, essentially an enhanced version of a body attuned to Fire Elemental Power.

His ability to both absorb and resist Fire Elemental Power was incredibly strong. In particular, his affinity for it was off the charts, allowing him to absorb it with extreme speed. This, combined with his Eighth-class Talent, allowed him to reach a high level of Cultivation, making him a true Demon Level prodigy.

In the field of forging, he was also one of the top figures of the younger generation on the Fourth Celestial Peak. As such, he enjoyed significant privileges, like being allowed in here not only to observe but also to cultivate—truly killing two birds with one stone.

Lin Xuan sensed Bu Fantian's mocking gaze and offered a faint smile in return. 'These flames are nothing to me. I have Phoenix Essence Blood, so what's this little inferno? On top of the Phoenix Essence Blood, I also have the Yulan Pearl, which is extremely effective at resisting flames. Of course this isn't a problem.'

Of course, Bu Fantian was unaware of this, which was why he was so conceited, believing he could best Lin Xuan in a contest of fire resistance. Had Bu Fantian witnessed Lin Xuan's abilities during the Empire's great war, he wouldn't be playing such a childish game now.

The contrast between them was stark: one, a man rippling with muscle, and the other, of a much leaner build. At first glance, both seemed to be faring well, but a closer look revealed that something was slightly off with Bu Fantian.

As the temperature of the flames continued to climb, even Bu Fantian's Celestial Fire Physique was beginning to find it difficult to resist. Still, judging by his current state, he could hold on for a while longer.

"Hmm, the Second Elder's flames are powerful," Lin Xuan remarked, turning to Bu Fantian. "If the temperature keeps rising like this, the forging of the Divine Artifact will be finished much faster. I wonder what Grade it will be? I'm quite excited to find out!"

Bu Fantian's face twitched. He knew this was Lin Xuan's way of retaliating against his earlier contempt. Anyone who wasn't a common mortal could sense that aside from the small Elemental Power Shield protecting that tiny piece of cloth, Lin Xuan wasn't using any protection at all. He had even stowed away his Yunlan Sacred Robe—in fact, he had never even put it on.

He had given it to Lin Xue before he came. It was no use to him now, and owning one Cloudy Saint Robe was already good enough. He hadn't put it on now for the sake of this little contest; Lin Xuan was more than willing to play along with Bu Fantian's game.

Bu Chi and the others had long since noticed the silent contest unfolding, but they said nothing. In fact, Bu Chi was inwardly amused. He wasn't laughing at Lin Xuan, but at Bu Fantian. 'Finally,' he thought, 'someone is here to knock him down a peg.' Because Bu Fantian was so exceptional in all respects, he had become far too arrogant on the Fourth Celestial Peak.

It was widely rumored that Bu Fantian would one day inherit Bu Chi's position. After all, his merits were numerous, making it a strong possibility. This fed Bu Fantian's arrogance, and he especially looked down on "country bumpkins" like Lin Xuan who came from an ordinary Empire, considering himself a cut above.

The bloodlines of the great families were not to be underestimated. After all, when both parents are powerful experts, their children are bound to be extraordinary, with talent that is anything but low.

From the very beginning, Bu Chi had predicted that Bu Fantian would lose. Lin Xuan could manifest the Phoenix Wings—the mere thought of it was terrifying, even to him...

As time went by, the temperature climbed higher and higher.

While Bu Fantian was drenched in sweat that was instantly evaporated by the heat waves, Lin Xuan stood there completely unaffected, watching the Forging Furnace with keen interest.

Bu Chi then channeled even more flames, causing the temperature to spike once again. It was now far hotter than before. A normal person would have been cooked through in an instant; only the formidable physiques of Cultivators allowed one to linger here for any length of time.

Bu Fantian was beginning to find the heat unbearable. On any other day, he would have retreated or stepped outside to rest before coming back in. But with Lin Xuan present, his pride wouldn't let him. He stubbornly held on, forcing his body to withstand the temperature without the aid of his Elemental Power.

Lin Xuan, meanwhile, was having no major problems. In fact, he had no problems at all and seemed completely relaxed. He looked like a casual tourist who had just dropped by for a look around!

In reality, Bu Chi had planned this from the start. He wanted to see how long Lin Xuan could last, even if the boy had to rely on his Elemental Power for protection. If Lin Xuan had turned and fled immediately, then he could get the hell out. He could join whichever Celestial Peak he wanted; it would have nothing to do with Bu Chi.

Turning his back and leaving without properly observing the Forging Furnace would mean he had no interest in forging. If that were the case, what was the point of recruiting him? Before they entered, Bu Chi had told him that this process required patience and stamina. For a blacksmith, spending several days on end before a Forging Furnace was a common occurrence. Forging a better-grade Weapon could easily take a month or more—that was completely normal.

So this was, in effect, a test for Lin Xuan. But as it turned out, the test was no challenge for him at all. He looked utterly composed—even more so than Bu Chi himself.

No, wait. The comparison should be with Bu Fantian. Bu Fantian was on the verge of collapse, drenched in sweat and gritting his teeth. He desperately wanted to retreat, but for the sake of his own pride, he could only force himself to endure.

'Is he really completely unaffected? What kind of freak is he?!'

When Bu Fantian saw Lin Xuan's nonchalant expression and his completely sweat-free body, a bitter smile finally crossed his lips. He knew now that he had truly been courting death. He had picked a fight with the wrong person and made a complete fool of himself.

'So this is the might of the champion from the Empire's great war,' he thought. 'Just in terms of Physique, he's in a completely different league!'