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--- Chapter 386 ---
Ah Yin's assessment caused a dark blue silver pillar of light to manifest, shining for several miles in every direction. They were currently above deserted archipelagos, all surrounding islands devoid of life.
As the dark blue silver light touched these areas, life began to sprout, and countless blue silver grasses spread like a small-scale tsunami.
And yet, this mere release of Ah Yin's life force possesses an effect akin to that of a heavenly treasure or even a divine decree from a powerful life god falling from the sky.
Jade Phoenix Lord noticed this and gasped, "Hiss, this girl has authority equal to that of the Ancient Golden Tree."
Then she added, "If she continues to cultivate, she might become the Life Core of the Douluo Plane, but that doesn't seem to be her goal."
"Her life energy is quite condensed, and the revolving Spirit Core within her body circulates in a way that does not align with the techniques of this world."
After all, Ah Yin cultivated a Divine Art tailored specifically for her. Han Yuan had compiled numerous wood and water-based dou techniques to strengthen the foundations of the Divine Art before incorporating various laws he had comprehended, including those from his legacies and the teachings he received from Venerable Yao and the Immortal Cultivator.
No matter how powerful and skilled the Nine Phoenix Lords were, their capabilities were 'naturally' bound at the limit of the Douluo Universe itself.
They couldn't easily surpass their progenitor, the Phoenix God. As long as Han Yuan didn't openly reveal the nature of the Divine Arts, even they wouldn't be able to identify its true power and essence.
Han Yuan's confidence wasn't solely based on the alliance, although that played a part. His core confidence derived from himself!
Despite this, if everything depended on him alone, even Han Yuan would find it troublesome. His vision already reached beyond the confines of the Douluo Universe.
Yes, the waters of the Douluo Universe were deep enough—so deep that Han Yuan did not dare act recklessly.
He had meticulously planned everything, from this small Douluo Plane to the Divine Realm and even nearby planes within the Douluo Universe.
Even then, Han Yuan understood that these were minuscule compared to the monsters within higher-level cultivation realms.
Against the God's Primal Chaos Dimension, Great Ruler's Great Thousand World, King of Gods' Fan Universe, Swallowed Star's Universe, etc.
The scale of these universes was considerably larger, far beyond what the Douluo Universe could ever be in a very short time.
Those weren't just waters anymore. They were an abyss—an abyss filled with opportunities and risks.
Despite this, Han Yuan was unwilling to leave the Douluo Universe for greater realms.
It wasn't only because Han Yuan hadn't avenged himself against Asura, though that was part of it, but it was also because this universe had become his new home.
The fate of the Son of Destiny was binding. If Han Yuan couldn't elevate the Douluo Plane to a higher stage in his time, it meant he wouldn't be going anywhere either.
'Home, huh? What an optimistic view,' Han Yuan thought to himself as he watched Ah Yin bathed in the dark blue silver light. 'But if strength is all that matters, then I will become stronger than anyone…'
Eight consecutive cries of the Divine Phoenix echoed across the Samsara Isle of Paradise, but the last cry was strikingly alive. The expressions of the Nine Phoenix Lords shifted immediately.
"No, this is not the same Eight Phoenix Cries Trials that the mother-daughter rabbits experienced," Chaos Phoenix Lord said in great awe. "There is something unusual about this girl."
"Yes, that last cry is wrong…" Ice Phoenix Lord added.
"It's very spiritual, almost as if it has a life of its own."
Fire Phoenix Lord observed the inheritance site and remarked, "That last cry is reminiscent of God Mother's own cry."
"To think I would have a chance to hear it again..."
"This little grass is fated to be with our Phoenix Clan!"
"Is there a difference between this and other trials?" Han Yuan asked Fire Phoenix Lord.
Fire Phoenix Lord sighed wistfully, "The Phoenix Clan does not consist solely of phoenixes; we also need the support of others."
"If we compare ourselves to the Dragon Clan, they have the Mountain Dragon King and his brethren to serve as their 'home', while our Phoenix Clan has the Divine Parasol Tree as our home."
"Moreover, the Divine Parasol Tree is not just a divine plant. It is a miracle born from the Nirvana Flame of Dying Stars."
"This nature pairs well with this grass girl, as they both plant lives."
"Divine Parasol Tree, huh?" Han Yuan mused, gazing at the massive gold and silver parasol tree bathed in crimson fire before him.
The giant tree at the center of the most significant cloud island radiated a warm red glow and then bestowed upon Ah Yin the Phoenix God's Trials mark.
Unlike Xiao Wu and Xiao Rou, the Phoenix God's Trials Mark on Ah Yin featured an additional head alongside the four pairs of wings, making it appear more majestic and lifelike.
[First Trial of Eight Phoenix Cries: Raise the limit of Blue Silver Grass, Forge the Authority of Plant King, and Initiate the second Spirit Vortex within three months!]
[Reward: 1st Spirit Ring Undergone Phoenix God's Baptism, the 100,000-year-old Seedling of the Divine Parasol Tree (Graftable)]
Ah Yin raised an eyebrow. "Raising the limit of the Blue Silver Clan? Hmm, that seems easy..."
"Even to this day, blue silver grass has been flourishing all over Douluo Star."
"I even detected another Blue Silver Emperor on a distant continent. But forging the Authority of the Plant King? That's a bit vague."
"The reward is somewhat tempting, though..." Ah Yin added with a faint smile.
"Xiao Yuan, I'm done here." As Ah Yin returned, she immediately wrapped her arms around Han Yuan's arm and showcased her Phoenix God's Trial Mark to him.
Han Yuan examined the mark with his Eyes of Truth, reassured that there was nothing to fear. He chuckled, "Good."
'Their relationship seems more intimate than I thought,' the Nine Phoenix Lords realized immediately.
"What's the content of your trials, Ah Yin?" Han Yuan asked.
Ah Yin smiled and briefly shared everything about her trials, causing him to tilt his head slightly in curiosity.
Then he turned to Thirteen. "If I'm not mistaken, for Ah Yin to forge the Authority of Plant King, her status must be nearly equal to that of the Planet's Life Core, correct?"
"Well, yes, but not exactly," Thirteen replied in amusement. "The time limit for Ah Yin's trial is too short. Even with my help, she wouldn't be able to forge the Authority of Plant King in such a limited timeframe."
"But this is the Samsara Isle of Paradise, essentially a second world where the authority of the Plant King has long died."
Han Yuan immediately understood and glanced at Fire Phoenix Lord. "So, this is what you meant by her fated with your Phoenix Clan."
"By letting Ah Yin sacrifice herself and become your clan's substitute Divine Parasol Tree."
"How daring of you, Seniors." His voice became chilling.
"Ehem, the Phoenix Clan has declined over the years, and we lost our Divine Parasol Tree in the Divine Realm..." Fire Phoenix Lord responded awkwardly. "What you saw in the Trial Ground is merely a lingering manifestation of God Mother's divine powers."
"So, the Phoenix Clan is currently in dire need of another Divine Parasol Tree. Otherwise, the Samsara Isle of Paradise is not much different from an ordinary secret realm."
"It can sustain life but cannot fully nurture it."
"Also, we can't decide the trials this little grass gets! It's all the will of our God Mother!"
"Moreover, it wasn't a sacrifice... We are not some shady demonic clan, we are Phoenix Clan!"
"That girl becoming Plant King is doing more good than harm for herself."
Han Yuan sighed. "No wonder the rules of this secret realm are strange, like the systemic infighting among bird-species spirit beast tribes and the lack of vitality."
"The perpetuity is slowly self-destructing."
"No wonder I don't see any True Phoenixes among the nine of you, Seniors."
" How ironic, considering you aren't 'truly' alive either."
The Nine Phoenix Lords felt embarrassed. 'Hey! You don't have to point that out so bluntly!'
"Still, do you want to follow this path, Ah Yin?" Han Yuan finally asked her.
Ah Yin met Han Yuan's calm gaze and smiled gently. "Of course! As long as I can grow stronger for my dear Xiao Yuan, I would walk through fire and ice for it!"