Chapter 42: Rebirth by fire

"You can stop the destruction on the outside, but what about the darkness hiding in your home?"  Demon Emperor muttered to himself with an expressionless look on his face.

_____________________

Back at the Royal Castle in the Heavenly Realm, Xu Liang pacing back and forth. He didn't know why, but his heart was having a bad feeling. Looks like something horrible is about to happen.

"You look worried? Is something the matter?" 

Yue walked closer to him as she said with concern.

"It's nothing. I don't know why, but I'm getting a little restless. Maybe it's because I'm about to break through to immortality in a few days. There's nothing to be concerned about." Xu Liang replied to Yue as he smiled.

He stopped thinking about his bad feeling as though that it was just anxiety before the big breakthrough.

"Where's Ming?" He asked Yue.

"That Little Guy? He's sleeping." Yue replied to Xu Liang.

" Oh, alright. I wanted to take him to meet Lexi, but it's fine. I'll go alone. I'll be back in an hour" Xu Liang told Yue before he left the room.

Xu Liang walked for a short while before he reached the large Hall that was assigned to Lexi.

Lexi was the name of Xu Liang's Ice Phoenix that he used to go to Wen Yin's palace when Yue had lost consciousness.

"Lexi? " Xu Liang called out as he entered the hall, but he didn't get any response.

"Strange... Lexi should have come running to me by now. What's happening? Is she not here?"  Xu Liang muttered as he entered deeper into the hall but the hall was empty. He walked to the attached hall through the corridor and finally saw Lexi, but his eyes opened wide in shock as he saw Lexi lying on the ground.

"Lexi! Are you alright?" Xu Liang ran to Lexi as he called out to her, but she didn't open her eyes.

Before he could even reach closer to her, something unexpected happened.

The body of Lexi started burning in blue fire. Lexi didn't open her eyes and Xu Liang didn't understand what was happening.

"Lexi! Are you hurt?" Xu Liang called out as he stepped towards the Ice Phoenix but he wasn't able to get closer to her.

There was a flame barrier around her that prevented Xu Liang getting closer to Ice Phoenix.

"Is this the Rebirth by fire? Why now? Lexi was completely healthy the last time I saw her. What happened here?" Xu Liang let out with a concerned look on his face.

" Will she succeed? Please please please succeed." Xu Liang started praying for Lexi's safe Rebirth by fire.

The fire started getting darker and it was difficult to even see by now.

The fire lasted for hours, during which Xu Liang didn't even sit down. He just kept staring at the fire with a concerned look on his face.

After 3 hours, the flame finally disappeared and Xu Liang saw the result.

Tears fell from Xu Liang's eyes, but the tears were of happiness.

A relieved smile appeared on Xu Liang's face as he saw Lexi standing there safely.

"Lexi! You're fine!" Xu Liang ran towards the Ice Phoenix and hugged her. Since the Ice Phoenix was so large, he wasn't able to big her properly, but he tried.

"Let's try it this way." A female voice came out of nowhere.

Xu Liang was stunned as he looked around, but he couldn't see any girl.

"Was I hallucinating?"  Xu Liang thought as he looked back towards Lexi but his eyes opened wide in shock. He couldn't help but take a step back.

"You... you are...?" Xu Liang was stunned as he saw a girl in front of him.

The girl looked to be 16-17 years old. She had dark blue hair and light blue eyes. Her skin was fair like the purest of snow and smooth like the Heavenly quality Jade.

She was dressed in a shiny blue gown that covered her fair legs.

"Hey? Is there really a need to be so shocked? I'm Lexi! Do I really look that much different?" The girl smiled as she answered Xu Liang.

Xu Liang couldn't help but be dazed as he saw the girls smile.

"Y... you're Lexi? How?" Xu Liang let out with a stunned look on his face.

"I broke through to the Beast God Realm. Now I am able to take the human form." Lexi replied to Xu Liang with a smile.

She stepped towards Xu Liang and hugged the man while he was still confused.

"Now we can hug properly," Lexi said with a smile.

"I guess that does make sense. I heard that the legendary beasts can only take human forms after breaking through to the Beast God Realm."Xu Liang let out as he thought about it.

" Yup." Lexi nodded her head while still in his embrace.

"What about your Rebirth by fire? Were you harmed by someone?" Xu Liang inquired with a serious look on his face.

"Nope, It was because of my breakthrough. You don't need to worry about it." Lexi said with a smile.

"Nice! So how strong are you now?" Xu Liang chuckled as he asked.

"I should be as strong as your old man now," Lexi said with a grin on her face.

"As strong as father? Amazing!" Xu Liang was stunned as he heard her answer, but he was happy for Lexi.

"Hey, there's one thing I need to talk to you about," Lexi said abruptly.

" What? You can talk to me about anything." Xu Liang said with a smile.

"I'll be leaving for my home now. It's a rule in our family that the heirs must come back to home after breaking through to the Beast God Realm. I can't break the rules. After I leave, I won't be able to come back for a year, to say the least." Lexi said in a worried tone.

" What's there to worry about? You should go to your home without any worries. Spend some time with your family. I'll be going to the Mortal Realm after breaking through to immortality as well. You can come back after you're done with your family, or I'll come to find you. Either way, we'll definitely meet again." Xu Liang replied to Lexi as he placed his hands on her back.

" Thank you. I'm leaving then." Lexi said as a beautiful smile formed on her face. She separated herself from Xu Liang as she turned back.

There was a sad expression on her face, but she didn't let Xu Liang see it.

She walked towards the window and jumped outside.

"Take care of yourself, Lexi," Xu Liang said right before Lexi jumped out the window.

That day, Everyone in the Heavenly Realm saw a beautiful Ice Phoenix flying in the sky.