In the deepest depths of the Anqa Throne Valley, the darkness was not as thick as one might expect... Instead, the scene was both strange and majestic, as the atmosphere was saturated with red and golden hues that swirled around Xichen like living waves of fire, wrapping around him with the lightness and beauty of an immortal phoenix feather dancing in an eternal wind. The suffocating heat blended with the aura of the place, yet it did nothing to weaken his composure… He moved forward with confident steps, his eyes radiating a calm determination, even as his body began to feel a gradual heaviness, as if the laws of this world were slowly condensing upon him.
The deeper he went into the earth, the more he felt as though he was floating within a sea of gentle flames—a sea that did not burn him but tested the strength of his soul and will. The spiritual pressure around him intensified relentlessly, enveloping him from all sides, yet his aura remained as pure as a blade.
Then suddenly, in the heart of this solemn silence and blazing heat, the flames before him began to condense and take shape… Lines of spiritual fire gathered into a colossal, phantom form—a giant phoenix, made entirely of glowing spiritual flames, immaterial, yet its presence was overwhelming, felt even in his bones and soul.
From within its immortal fire emerged a deep voice, as if coming from prehistoric ages… A voice that carried in its tones the echo of eternity, the weight of sorrow, and a remorse so overflowing it had not been extinguished for centuries:
"Heir of the pure phoenix bloodline... I did not expect anyone other than Xue'er to appear. Especially... that the one who carries this purity is someone from the Divine Phoenix Empire."
The flames flickered for a moment, before the voice continued, this time in a broken tone, sorrowful and filled with nostalgia:
"You have met her, have you not? Did... she say anything to you?"
Xichen replied in a low voice, after a deep silence:
"Yes... She said it was not your fault. That... is the only thing she asked me to convey to you."
Silence suddenly fell. The phoenix flames ceased their swaying motion and froze in place as if time itself had shattered.
"..."
The shard of the Phoenix God's soul, which had dwelt here for centuries, seemed unable to comprehend. It had not expected forgiveness... nor even words of mercy. Its spiritual heart, which had burned with regret for eons, stopped glowing for a moment, stunned by the weight of those simple words.
Once, it had been one of two shards residing in this sacred place... but the humanity of a corrupted visitor had affected it, tainted part of its soul, and driven it to attack its spiritual sister. It had nearly killed her, or so it thought, before the other shard fled, carrying what it could of phoenix blood, along with the fifth and sixth parts of the World Ode of the Phoenix.
And ever since... it had remained here. Dweller in the depths of remorse, silently awaiting its end. It had not wanted forgiveness, but an ending... deliverance from its sin. But now... Xichen's simple words were like a sword—not because they were painful, but because they dismantled every certainty of the curse it had carried.
"Forgiven..." – it whispered amidst the tongues of flame, as if unable to believe it.
And deep within its fire, its features began to change... It was no longer just a fiery being; it seemed as though a new phoenix was being born from the ashes, from the emotional wreckage that had been burning it from within for centuries...
"..." Xichen stared quietly at the Phoenix Soul Shard, a flash of purple, demonic light in his eyes for a moment, but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared.
After a long while, the Phoenix regained its composure, emerged from its sorrow, and gazed at Xichen with gratitude.
"You may not know, but you have helped me greatly by saying those words," the Phoenix Soul Shard said quietly, its eyes full of gratitude. "And if there is anything I can help you with, do not hesitate to mention it."
"In that case, this humble one has some questions," Xichen said calmly, staring directly into the eyes of the Phoenix Soul Shard, causing two pairs of identical eyes to gaze into each other. "Have you finished granting your complete inheritance to Xue'er?"
"Yes, although I did not give her all my power, as I have kept some to accompany her and protect this empire," the Phoenix Soul Shard answered after a moment of thoughtful silence.
"I see. If Xue'er is given the fifth and sixth parts of the World Ode of the Phoenix, will it accelerate the integration of the inheritance into her body?" Xichen asked again.
"Yes, for my complete inheritance is within Xue'er's body, and if she fully merges with it, she will possess power surpassing anyone else on this planet," the Phoenix Soul Shard replied, despite its confusion, continuing to answer.
"Then, is there any benefit to you staying by Xue'er's side?" Xichen asked again, and although his questions grew stranger, his gaze remained steady.
"Not really, but it gives her some company in this desolate place," the Phoenix Soul Shard answered, narrowing its eyes as a strange feeling came over it.
"I see. Then one last question," Xichen said. "Do you have the intention to transfer all your remaining power to me?"
A heavy silence hung over the depths after Xichen's final question, as if the very flames held their breath… The majestic aura that had filled the place moments before suddenly seemed to recede, awaiting the Phoenix Soul Shard's response.
The Soul Shard stared at him, its silence lasting longer than it should. Its gaze was deep, probing, as if trying to penetrate into his very core, to that demonic purple glimmer it had glimpsed moments before... It was not something it could ignore, yet there was no direct hostility in it… only something mysterious. Something ancient.
"I do not mind, but can you grant me some time?" the Phoenix Soul Shard said after a pause. "And I hope that after absorbing all my power, you will take care of Xue'er, for she is a girl who easily feels lonely. I will speak to Hengkong about this matter, so you should not face any problems."
"Very well, for even if you had not asked, I had no intention of leaving her in this place any longer," Xichen said, his eyes—which had begun to turn purple with black sclera—returning to their noble, wild gold. "I will return again."
After speaking, Xichen turned and went back the way he had come, leaving the Phoenix Soul Shard alone with its thoughts.
...
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