Upon entering the cave, everything was dark and empty. But suddenly, two giant flames appeared in the sky, which were, in reality, blazing eyes belonging to the Phoenix God.
"Mortal..." a majestic and noble voice rang out, echoing throughout the entire space. "Welcome to the trial grounds!"
"I am a soul fragment left here by the Phoenix God," the voice said, becoming slightly sharper. "But I possess my own will and independent existence. Therefore, all decisions here are mine."
"Knowing this..." the Phoenix God's soul fragment said, pausing slightly to create a dramatic atmosphere. "...are you prepared to begin the first challenge of the trial?"
The temperature of the place suddenly soared as her words ended. The ground trembled gently beneath Xichen's feet, while invisible tongues of flame began to rise from the cave walls, coiling and dancing as if in rhythm with the breath of the divine entity.
But Xichen showed no fear. Instead, he raised his head and looked directly into the blazing eyes of fire in the sky, a calm smile forming on his face.
"Of course, I am ready," he said in a steady voice. "If you truly represent the will of the Phoenix God... then let us begin."
The response was immediate. A fiery explosion boomed in the sky, and the flames transformed into a massive vortex before erupting into a tremendous wave of heat that swept through the area. Yet Xichen remained standing in place, his cloak billowing fiercely in the flames, without moving an inch.
Although he was feigning calmness, Xichen was tense inside. Being in close proximity to the Phoenix's presence was no joke; he felt pressure on his soul and body. Without the Devil Heart, he would have been frozen in place, unable to do anything. It was clear this soul fragment was not fond of him and was deliberately making things difficult for him by exerting her pressure.
"First Trial - Purgatory Flame Demon," the Phoenix's voice rang out. The flames gathered together to form a giant made of fire, resembling a demon with a pair of majestic horns and a bright golden mark in the center of its forehead.
The Purgatory Flame Demon's power was at the peak of the Emperor Profound Realm—an opponent not easy to deal with even for Xichen. Fortunately, he knew the other party's weakness: the golden mark on its forehead.
And he had no intention of wasting time. Like Yun Che, he possessed absolute immunity to elements, so the attacks of the Purgatory Flame Demon, which was made from the law of fire, had no effect on him, especially since he possessed the Phoenix bloodline.
"Before the trial begins... if I can pass all your trials, can I become your True Inheritor?" Xichen asked seriously. From the start, he had intended to obtain the Phoenix's legacy entirely for himself and had no intention of sharing it with anyone.
A brief silence fell in the cave following Xichen's question, as if the flames themselves stopped dancing and the sound of the earth's breathing vanished for a moment.
Then the soul fragment's voice emanated, slower than before... but saturated with an indescribable aura.
"…Your True Inheritor?" Her words echoed through the fiery cavern, a faint note of surprise dwelling between the letters. "Thousands of years have passed, and hundreds have sought this title... but no one has ever dared to ask for it so directly."
The Phoenix God's eyes in the sky glowed even brighter, and the flames around the walls intensified as if boiling with fervor or anger—no one could tell.
"To become the True Inheritor means you will carry my memories, my will, and my forbidden techniques that even the Phoenix descendants in the human world have never seen..." she said, her voice rising. "And if you fail... even your ashes will find no path to be reborn again."
"I have no intention of failing," Xichen interrupted confidently, his gaze piercing through the flames. "I do not want half a legacy, nor a shared fate. I seek what others dared not... that is why I am here."
…Silence.
Then a faint smile appeared within the soul fragment's voice.
"Excellent... then let these be the terms between us," she said in a low but powerful voice. "If you can pass the three trials and reach the heart of the Eternal Flame, you will receive the title of [Phoenix God's True Inheritor]... with all the weight and responsibility it carries."
Suddenly, the tongues of flame roared with a ferocity unseen since the trial began.
"But if you fail... your soul will be erased from the cycle of reincarnation itself, leaving not even an identity in oblivion."
Xichen smiled as he stepped forward, as if the flames of the threat were nothing but a gentle breeze to him.
"A fair deal," he said confidently. "Now, let us begin."
The Purgatory Flame Demon roared again, as if understanding what was said had ignited its fury. Flames erupted from its body, and the golden mark on its forehead turned into an unbearable fiery glare. Then it moved with speed unbefitting its massive size, raising its fist toward Xichen.
Without hesitation, Xichen drew a random sword from his Storage Ring—which, by chance, was the Overlord's Colossal Sword. He didn't mind and swung it with powerful momentum, as the sword's immense weight was a great advantage.
Boom!
The Purgatory Flame Demon's fist collided with the Overlord's Colossal Sword, causing a deafening explosion and releasing a massive wave of pure flame aimed at Xichen.
"…" Xichen stared calmly at the wave of scorching flames rushing toward him, showing no intention to dodge. He allowed it to engulf his entire body.
Xichen's body was bathed in the terrifying flames, causing his clothes to vanish in an instant and his skin to turn red from the unbearable heat. But soon, his body glowed with a golden light, and the flames began to permeate him.
'Is he absorbing the law of fire...?' The thought of the Phoenix soul fragment echoed as she stared at Xichen with her noble, scrutinizing eyes. It should have been impossible for anyone to absorb her flames like this, even with the Phoenix bloodline.
But there was always an exception to the rules. The Heretic God could do something similar, as he possessed absolute control and immunity to laws.
However, the Heretic God was not the only one with this ability. The Six Paths Spiritual Profound Veins possessed a similar, even superior, capability.
"I never expected a human to possess the Six Paths Spiritual Profound Veins..." the Phoenix fragment murmured in astonishment. The Six Paths Spiritual Profound Veins had appeared only three or four times since the beginning of the universe. And now, at this time when it was at its weakest, a new wielder had emerged. This deeply surprised the Phoenix soul fragment. "If he is the master of the Six Paths Spiritual Profound Veins, then he is more than suitable to become my True Inheritor."
While the Phoenix soul fragment was stunned, Xichen moved. He used the Purgatory Flame Demon's arm as a platform and leaped into the air, arriving in front of the demon's face. Without hesitation, he swung the Overlord's Colossal Sword, aiming squarely at the golden mark on its forehead.
Boom!
Crack!
The moment the Overlord's Colossal Sword struck the golden mark with immense force, the Purgatory Flame Demon's entire body cracked and shattered, disappearing quietly into the air.
...
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