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--- Chapter 390 ---
The Phoenix God calmed the excitement in her heart and replied, "First, I need to fuse with your incomplete fourth martial soul and stabilize my own soul."
"Since the martial soul's form is currently formless, let's leave that aspect aside for now. We can decide on its form later."
"Alright, your situation comes first," Han Yuan said, understanding why the wisp of the Phoenix God's divine soul chose this course of action. "What's next?"
The Phoenix God chuckled. "While contracting me as Spirit Soul is one aspect, your fourth martial soul still needs nourishment."
"Once you contract with me, I will also grant you the highest trials of the Phoenix God, known as the Ten Cries Phoenix God's Trials, or the Phoenix God's Song of Joyful Emergence."
"As you complete these trials, you will be rewarded with drops of Phoenix God's bloodline, which will enhance your affinity with many aspects of the Phoenix Clan, including fire, life, death, and nirvana."
"Also, you will receive other rich rewards and resources to accelerate your cultivation."
"By then, your fourth martial soul will gradually evolve into a Phoenix God or at least a Phoenix God-like martial soul. The exact result is unknown, but I can guarantee that your martial soul will be no weaker than your other ones."
"Finally, the Creation Force I carry within my wisp of divine soul will transform into the Seed of Creation."
"Seed of Creation?" Han Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Is this similar to the Seed of Life?"
"Hmm, Seed of Life? Well, they are somewhat similar..." the Phoenix God replied, clearly surprised by Han Yuan's knowledge.
"However, the Seed of Life is merely the core of a plant, while the Seed of Creation is the manifestation of Creation Laws, which encompass nearly everything in existence."
"As your cultivation improves, the Seed of Creation will grow stronger and stronger, eventually becoming the Imaginary Tree of Creation."
"The Imaginary Tree of Creation represents the second stage of the Seed of Creation and is where the previous Phoenix God became stuck. Even so, wielding this power is akin to holding an Ultra Divine Tool."
"What do you think of these offerings? Are you satisfied?" She asked upon finishing her explanation.
Han Yuan smiled faintly. "I am."But Senior Fenghuang, what makes you so confident in betting on me?"
"Because you're special," the Phoenix God replied bluntly. "Your soul—no, your entire being—is so unique that the very destiny of this universe was 'directly' thrown into chaos because of you."
"Others may not sense it, but I can."
"My 'perfect' self has performed a divination more than three hundred million times, and all paths led to you."
"If Phoenix God had chosen any other paths, I would have perished, and the Phoenix Clan would have followed me into extinction soon after."
Han Yuan nodded in understanding. "Then you must also know that I have connections with the Dragon Clan, right?"
"Technically speaking, I am cooperating with half of the Dragon God you loathe, the Silver Dragon King."
"And she also inherited the Dragon God's Wisdom and Creation Elements, or should I say your Creation Force?" He continued. "What do you think of this? If you don't resolve this matter, I'm afraid it may cause problems in the future."
Phoenix God seemed to ponder for a moment before chuckling. "Half of the Dragon God, you say? Do you really believe what you just said, young man?"
"You should have noticed the oddities of the Silver Dragon King—she isn't half a Dragon God at all. To me, she is simply a girl with little to no threat to me."
"She has inherited nothing but the ambition of the Dragon God and knows nothing of the Dragon God's cruelty."
"Wisdom without emotions? I doubt she could truly understand the hearts of her subordinates."
"While I question whether the Dragon God's fall is entirely true, under this so-called Silver Dragon King as a leader, the Dragon Clan is doomed to stagnate."
"Dragon Clan is done for..." She concluded indifferently.
Han Yuan remained unfazed and sought clarification. "So, you're saying that you won't take action against the remaining members of the Dragon Clan?"
"I won't. No, more precisely, the current Dragon Clan is not worthy of my vengeance," The Phoenix God's wisp of divine soul answered mercilessly.
Han Yuan chuckled. "Alright, I finally understand your perspective, Senior Fenghuang. Let's get started with the Soul Contract."
Lady Fenghuang also chuckled. "Ah, at last, I can take a breather after all this suffocating hell."
---
Outside of the Unknown Space, the Nine Phoenix Lords worked tirelessly to stabilize the Secret Realm.
Some of them exhausted their sealed divine force in the effort. Suddenly, the force that had torn space-time apart came to a halt.
The Inheritance Site shook slightly before releasing ten consecutive divine phoenix cries.
CAAAAAAAAAAAAW!!
"This is..." The eyes of the Nine Phoenix Lords widened in disbelief. They exchanged glances, realizing just how extraordinary what had just happened was.
"T-Ten Cries..." Purple Phoenix Lord stammered.
"Phoenix God's Highest Trial," Holy Phoenix Lord felt a stir in his soul from the ten cries.
"The return..."
"The Phoenix God has returned!"
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The Inheritance Site erupted in a dazzling display of colors as the Divine Parasol Tree ignited from the bottom to the top with an intense crimson-gold flame.
Han Yuan's figure materialized before everyone, shrouded in divine flame. Behind him appeared the image of a noble phoenix, seemingly embracing his body.
The Nine Phoenix Lords gazed at the majestic phoenix image emotionally, tears welling in their eyes as they realized they hadn't seen her figure in so long.
Their pillar of faith, their God Mother—the Phoenix God—had returned!
Han Yuan's Phoenix God's Trials Mark resembled a complete phoenix, complete with a head, a slender body, five pairs of wings, talons, a tail, and a divine aura.
Suddenly, countless runes began to materialize, binding Han Yuan and the Phoenix God for all to see.
"This is the Soul Contract Pact!" Exclaimed Ah Yin in surprise.
"What?!" the Nine Phoenix Lords gasped in shock.
Han Yuan closed his eyes, feeling immense power coursing through his fourth martial soul.
The empty sensation he had while awakening this formless cloud's martial soul vanished, replaced by the brilliance of the Phoenix God—as if the empty vessel had finally filled with something extraordinary.
Deep within Han Yuan's body, a microscopic white-colored seed-like orb materialized, loosening the bonds on his cultivation and forcibly elevating his level 69 cultivation to level 70, making him a half-step Spirit Saint!
Then, a gigantic white-gold spirit ring adorned with a divine phoenix mark began to materialize from the Phoenix God's shadow, illuminating the world with its brilliance.
No one can determine this spirit ring's age by mere years because it was a literal manifestation of the Phoenix God's cultivation, stored within Lady Fenghuang's soul, surpassing mortal standards.
Yet, it was merely something the Phoenix God left behind, not even a tiny fraction of her full cultivation.
It was truly a Divine-level Spirit Ring!
"This sensation..." Han Yuan felt a newfound sensation from the depths of his soul.
"With this, we have become one, Han Yuan~!" Lady Fenghuang said in a playful tone.
Han Yuan's mouth twitched. "Please, fix your phrasing."
Lady Fenghuang giggled. "But we have literally become one after the Soul Contract. If you die, I die. So, we won't get separated until death do us part."
"Quite romantic, I must say."
'This woman...' Han Yuan painfully regretted his impulsiveness in agreeing to the Phoenix God's deal.
"Well, I need to rest now. The transition between Divine Soul and Spirit Soul consumes a lot of my energy..." said Lady Fenghuang. "If those children ask about me, just tell them you're my royal heir and the newly chosen Phoenix God."
"They should be helpful to you."
"Oh, by the way, I've also left behind two external-type divine spirit bones after condensing some leftover origins."
"You should absorb and check them later."
"Yawn, I can finally rest..." She mumbled peacefully before falling silent, leaving Han Yuan in a state of confusion.
"..." Han Yuan.
"Arrrgh! You shouldn't have agreed to this woman's deal, Han Yuan!" Di Yating screamed at the top of her lungs.
"Hmm, new friend..." Neru's voice chimed in afterward.
Han Yuan rubbed his forehead helplessly. Then, a calm voice echoed in his mind.
[The First Trial of Ten Cries Phoenix God's Trials: Absorb a 7th Spirit Ring for your 1st Martial Soul, its quality cannot be lower than 500,000 years old. Construct your first Spirit Core, Absorb Two External Divine Spirit Bones, and Study the Spirit Skills granted by Lady Fenghuang!]
[Reward: All Spirit Rings' Age Increased by 10,000 years, 3 Drops of Phoenix God's True Blood, and Fourth Martial Soul's 2nd Awakening.]
"I guess it wasn't that bad," Han Yuan sighed upon hearing the details of his first trial and the rewards. Honestly, it was better than Thunder God's Trials.
As expected, only a rich woman could provide such comforts!