Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range.
"So this is the Phoenix Clan's village," Xichen murmured from the sky, gazing down at the village below. He could feel a bloodline resonance with the villagers; it was clear they possessed the Phoenix bloodline just like him.
Three days had passed since he left the imperial palace. He had arrived in New Moon City and hadn't wasted any time coming to the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range. However, he hadn't forgotten to send his followers to gather information about Yun Che to find out what he was doing now.
"It's truly a blessing to be reborn as a prince," Xichen murmured, extremely happy that he was born as a prince of the strongest empire and not just a commoner or an orphan with no one to serve him. He was thoroughly enjoying this lifestyle.
After examining the village for a while, Xichen didn't hesitate to descend from the sky towards it. There were no barriers or anything of the sort. As for the reason the villagers had survived until now, it was the presence of the weakened Phoenix, which scared away the Profound Beasts.
The village was simple, consisting of thatch and wooden houses. The villagers were extremely friendly with each other; it seemed they hadn't been tainted by human sins. However, there was a dark flame mark on their foreheads—proof that they were cursed, their bloodline power sealed.
Seeing the dark flame mark on their foreheads, he couldn't help but feel pity for them. The Phoenix soul fragment in this place had cursed them due to the sins of their ancestors hundreds or even thousands of years ago, something they had no hand in or fault for.
The moment he landed in the center of the village, he attracted the attention of the villagers, who stared at him with curiosity and caution. Eventually, one of them stepped forward—the Clan leader, named Feng Baichuan.
His appearance and the clothes he wore were humble, yet the space between his brows revealed a faint touch of elegance and calm. The flame imprint upon his forehead appeared especially clear.
Despite the simplicity of his attire and demeanor, Xichen could perceive the aura hiding deep wisdom and long experience behind those calm eyes.
Feng Baichuan approached with steady steps, then bowed slightly with respect and said, "Esteemed guest, I can sense that you are also of the Phoenix bloodline... but I do not know the reason for your visit to our humble village."
"I was training nearby and felt the aura of the Phoenix. It reminded me of the stories of my ancestors who obtained the Phoenix bloodline from the Phoenix God in the past, so I came to investigate," Xichen said with a polite smile. "From what I see, it seems your ancestors also received the Phoenix God's legacy, though not completely. Therefore, I hope you will allow me to meet the Phoenix God and face his trials."
Feng Baichuan froze for a moment upon hearing Xichen's words, as if a slight shock passed over his features despite his attempt to remain composed.
Heavy seconds passed before he sighed softly and slowly shook his head.
"It seems we cannot hide anything from you, Esteemed Guest," he said in a quiet voice, gesturing to a path and beginning to walk. "Indeed, you are correct. The Phoenix legacy exists near the village, and I would be grateful if you could obtain it. There are many bandits who try to seize it, and I would be happy to see one who carries the Phoenix bloodline receive the Phoenix God's legacy."
"However, to obtain the Phoenix God's legacy, the Esteemed Guest must complete the trials set by the Phoenix God himself," he added in a measured tone, glancing at Xichen from the corner of his eye to gauge his reaction. But he saw nothing he had hoped for; Xichen's face was completely calm, without a single ripple.
"Thank you for your advice. But I know well what I must face, as I have seen my ancestors' records before, so there is no problem," Xichen said lightly, not worried at all. The system had confirmed that no one could see the memories of his past life or detect the system's existence.
"I see. Then I will not disturb the Esteemed Guest further," Feng Baichuan nodded and continued walking calmly until the two reached a majestic gate in the middle of the mountain. Feng Baichuan placed his hand on a specific spot on the wall, and the door opened with a loud, ancient sound. "The trial grounds are inside. I cannot accompany you any further."
"I see. Thank you," Xichen nodded and stepped forward to enter but paused slightly, staring at the middle-aged man. "I will speak to the Phoenix God about your curse. Since we are kin and you have helped me, I will do my utmost to persuade the Phoenix God to remove your curse, even if I cannot pass the trials."
After speaking, Xichen entered the trial cave without waiting for Feng Baichuan's response. The man stared wide-eyed and shocked as the door closed behind him.
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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.
...
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