"Xiao Zhuzi! Hurry, punch that spot open!"
"What's wrong? Brother Parrot, is there treasure down there?"
"Mm!" Brother Parrot chirped affirmatively.
Jian Dan's heart leapt with delight—looks like her luck hadn't run out yet. Rolling up her sleeves, she gathered spiritual power into her fist and struck at the bottom of the stone basin.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three punches landed. Cracks began to spread across the base of the basin with an audible crack-crack-crack. Finally, with a sharp bang, the entire basin shattered, and a thick, high-temperature crimson liquid oozed out from within.
The red liquid began to flow slowly outward. Sensing something was off, Jian Dan grabbed Brother Parrot and backed away, standing at a safe distance to observe.
After a quarter-hour, the liquid ceased spreading, confined within a half-zhang square area.
Jian Dan studied it closely. It looked like molten lava from a volcanic eruption, yet it radiated pure fire-attributed spiritual energy. The only question was—how to collect it?
Just then, Brother Parrot fluttered in front of her. She raised a hand, letting him perch gently on the back of it.
"Senior, you are my destined benefactor."
Jian Dan raised an eyebrow, her bright star-like eyes locking on him with curiosity. "Go on."
"This crimson molten fluid is the Body-Melting Flame—the only treasure capable of reforging a demonic beast's bone structure."
"So this is why you followed me here."
"Yes."
"What do you need me to do?"
"Guard me!"
"We have no contract between us. Why are you so sure I'll help?"
"Helping me will bring you nothing but benefit. My clan—the White-Crested Crane Tribe—will owe you a great favor. My elder brother, the next clan leader, will grant you one wish unconditionally. And once I've completed my transformation, I, Brother Parrot, will repay your kindness in full."
He looked up at her, solemn and steady. Yet Jian Dan could feel the tension in his tiny talons, the slight tremble running through them.
"You clever little rascal," she said with a radiant smile, gently brushing a finger over his feathery head to ease the tension. "I'll help you."
"Whew…" Brother Parrot exhaled and then looked at her earnestly. "Thank you!"
"No need to thank me yet. Recasting your root bone won't be easy. Are you truly prepared?"
"I've waited a long time for this day."
"Then I'll lend you my strength."
Without hesitation, Jian Dan pulled a formation disk from her storage space—a sixth-rank defensive array, perfect for this situation. It would ensure no interference from outside forces during Brother Parrot's transformation.
This particular sixth-rank array could self-replenish using ambient spiritual energy, and if intruders entered its domain, a lethal sub-array would activate, capable of both offense and defense. Clearly, Jian Dan wasn't cutting corners this time.
"Ready?" she asked, having anchored the formation into the earth.
Brother Parrot didn't reply. Without hesitation, he dove straight into the Verdant Flame.
In less than a breath, the vibrant feathers covering his body had burned away, revealing his small, bare form. Then began the agony—the slow melting of flesh and bone.
At first, Brother Parrot bore it silently. But soon, shrill screams tore from his throat. Eventually, even those screams faded into silence as the pain overwhelmed him.
From the moment he jumped in, Jian Dan's divine sense never left his tiny figure. She knew that from here on, it was all up to him.
He couldn't cultivate, but he lived transparently and cheerfully. He never pitied himself or blamed the heavens. For a creature like Brother Parrot, Jian Dan was willing to lend a helping hand—to forge a karmic bond of goodwill.
"Brother Parrot, hold on. For your own sake, don't give up."
"You're the bravest parrot I know. I'll wait for you to rise from the flames—a phoenix soaring beyond the heavens!"
Her voice, amplified by spiritual energy, reverberated above him.
The Body-Melting Flame now encased his skeletal frame, reshaping it—
A fowl's head elongated into a swallow's beak. His neck stretched slender, body lengthening like a crane's. Wings broadened, and from the crimson inferno emerged iridescent phoenix plumage.
Screee!
Brother Parrot—now reborn—shot into the air, dragging a long, vibrant tail behind him. He soared within the cavern, wings wide, letting out triumphant cries as he circled above. Then, with a joyful dive, he plummeted toward Jian Dan.
She watched with an amused gleam in her eye, appreciating this miniature phoenix's flight. As it drew near, the beautiful form began to shrink. The wings grew stubby, the tail vanished, and he reverted back into his usual parrot form—fluffy, bright-eyed, and proud.
"How do you feel?"
"Heh heh! Amazing! Can't wait to show everyone my handsome new self."
She tickled his belly, grinning. "Don't get cocky. That was just a temporary transformation fueled by the flame."
"Eh?!"
"If you want to stay that way, you'll have to cultivate properly."
"Ugh! Can't you let me enjoy this for a bit?"
"Reality's harsh, little one. True power only comes through hard work. Understood?"
"Mm! Brother Parrot understands. My elder brother always says I can do it."
Bam! Bam! Bam!
The array trembled under assault.
"Argh—!" A scream followed—someone had triggered the killing array.