"Just understand. From today on, the entire territory will remain tense," Mr. Stone said, his ancient voice rumbling like thunder before his form dissolved into a streak of light and vanished beyond the horizon.
Far below, deep in the inheritance ground, Ethan was completely unaware of the storm brewing above.
The golden light that had pierced the heavens had vanished, and silence had reclaid the subterranean world. Ethan stood in the ruins of the shattered tablet and slowly scanned the surroundings once more, his violet pupils shimring faintly.
He frowned. "That voice... where did it go?"
A faint echo lingered in the humid air, the ancient tone still resonating in his mind. Whoever had spoken held power that transcended ti itself; its ripple was as heavy as fate’s decree. But no matter how far his spiritual sense reached, Ethan found nothing.
"Vanished again after just one sentence," he muttered, disappointnt flickering across his face before the pragmatic calm returned.
He turned back to the battlefield, his gaze landing on the fallen bronze puppet—the colossal construct now lying inert like a mountain of gold. He could still feel the faint traces of residual energy in its core.
"This thing..." Ethan murmured, crouching beside it. "This puppet alone could stand toe-to-toe with soone in the Mahayana Realm. It’d be a waste to leave you behind."
Pressing his palm to the back of the puppet, he released a surge of ntal energy. His consciousness flowed through the intricate patterns of the puppet’s array system like a lightning storm weaving through ancient circuits of tal and essence.
Within monts, his spiritual imprint integrated seamlessly into its core.
The construct’s dim crystal core flickered once as if responding to its new master before it quieted again.
"From now on, you belong to ," Ethan declared softly, satisfaction glinting in his eyes.
With a wave of his hand, the massive bronze puppet dissolved into light and vanished into his System space.
Spreading his phoenix wings, Ethan ascended once more and continued deeper into the heart of the inheritance place.
The further he flew, the thicker the spiritual energy beca—a heavy, almost palpable force that weighed on his body like molten gold pressing against skin.
A quarter of an hour later, he landed softly on the edge of an imnse clearing.
Before him, rising like ancient deities guarding the world’s core, stood two towering crimson trees. Their trunks were wide enough for ten n to encircle, their bark dark as blood. But their branches stretched bare toward the sky, stripped of any leaf.
Between those trees sat an altar—vast, round, and etched with flowing runes long eroded by ti.
"This must be the next trial," Ethan said softly. His spirit sense spread outward again, probing the surroundings.
Apart from a faint hum of dormant power, nothing stirred. "No hidden traps..." he whispered. "Then it’s ti."
He placed his foot on the first step of the altar.
The earth trembled.
A resonant sound echoed across the cavernous space, like the awakening of an ancient god.
Suddenly, a luminous pillar of golden light descended from the ceiling, striking the center of the altar with a thunderous _boom!_
Ethan narrowed his eyes and stepped back, wary. Within the pillar of light, energy began to coalesce—a figure solidifying from wisps of immortal aura.
Wings unfolded first, colossal and red, shimring like molten crystal. Then ca the burning eyes, twin flas igniting the vast temple with wild radiance.
A beast erged—majestic and terrible.
Its scorching aura swept the space, flas licking the edges of reality itself. Its crimson feathers burned with undying light.
Ethan’s breath caught. "Phoenix..."
The word escaped him like a reverent whisper. Even though this was rely a phantom, the monstrous brilliance emanating from it was enough to suffocate lesser cultivators. The creature’s re gaze seed capable of piercing the soul.
The phoenix spread its wings, and the heat surged. Flas erupted around it, the air bending under the sheer spiritual intensity.
Fire spiraled upward into a storm, consuming the sky until it transford into a sea of scarlet, molten fire.
This inferno churned violently, like cascading waterfalls rising from the earth itself, drowning everything.
"So, this is the second level..." Ethan’s expression hardened.
"The condensed shadow of an ancient divine beast."
Despite his calm voice, a trace of excitent burned within him. The flas here—pure and boundless—surpassed any affinity fire he’d encountered.
"Could it be...?" He glanced at the surging blaze, realization striking him. "The spiritual fire of this inheritance—could it be the phoenix’s own natal fla?"
His thoughts snapped as the phoenix let out a piercing roar.
The sound reverberated through the altar, shaking his bones. The air vibrated violently as fire waves rolled toward him.
And then, that sa ancient voice returned, echoing from every direction:
"Defeat it, and the treasure I left behind shall be yours."
Ethan’s lips curved subtly. "So be it."
He flicked his hand, summoning the Moonflood Scythe, which spun gracefully in the air before nestling into his grip.
"The Scythe intent, transform into the realm!"
A brilliant blue light burst forth, his aura expanding infinitely until he stood like a war god against the flas.
He didn’t hold back—his scythe intent tore through the veil of reality, colliding head-on with the divine blaze.
The impact send ripples razoring across space, and an explosion of blue and red consud the altar.
Scythe intent condensed, cold and sharp as steel, slicing through the air like a storm of silver crescents. Waves of blue fire intertwined with droplets of conjured water, forming a swirling tide that surrounded the phoenix.
"Let’s see how you handle this," Ethan said, voice low but steady.
Power surged through his veins—the Heart of Seawood pulsed, amplifying his control over water essence. His elental mastery blood at once, and the air around him crystallized into dual domains.
"Water Scythe Intent Domain!"
Azure storms erupted around him, laced with streaks of molten fla.
The phoenix roared again, defying him, its wings unfurling in fury to repel the endless waves. Every flap scattered molten fireballs that burned through space.
But Ethan gritted his teeth and held firm.
Huffing once, he thrust his hand down, and a tide of force cascaded from his back—the fused Water Scythe Intent and Fire Sword Intent.
The twin domains expanded instantly, locking together.
"Lock!" Ethan’s eyes glead like a pair of burning stars.
The phoenix found itself trapped—flas crackled against the barriers, restrained and devoured by surging scythe energy. The condensed power of countless storms collided with immortal fire, suppressing the beast inch by inch.
Steam hissed, echoing the battle of fire and water. Ethan’s attacks grew sharper, faster, wilder—each swing of his scythe carving incandescent crescents into the divine shadow.
At last, the fiery light of its wings began to flicker. The phantom’s mighty body turned translucent, bleeding motes of scarlet light.
"It’s breaking..." Ethan muttered—and vanished.
In an instant, he appeared right before the creature’s blazing crown. Both scythe and sword in hand, he slashed down.
For a heartbeat, ti froze.
Then light erupted to drown the world.
The phantom phoenix scread—a sound between sorrow and fury—before shattering into a rain of embers that descended gently into the void.
Silence returned, the infernal sea dissipating. The altar dimd.
The earth trembled softly beneath his feet.
A circular stone portal opened under the altar, leading into darkness—the next step.
Ethan peered in. Endless black, as deep as eternity.
Then that commanding voice thundered again—old, vast, and whispering with destiny:
"Co on, child."
Without hesitation, Ethan leapt into the void.
The descent was shorter than imagined. After only monts, he landed, dust swirling beneath his boots.
The walls glowed faintly, revealing a vast underground cavern. Before him lay an enormous pool—but dry, its surface cracked and dull.
Frowning slightly, Ethan jumped in. The ground gave way beneath him like sand, and he sank instantly.
By the ti he regained awareness, he stood in yet another chamber—one carved beneath the very pool.
And there, before his eyes, lood a sight that stopped his breath.
Embedded in crystalline stone rested the colossal skeleton of a phoenix—its wings half-folded, its eternal bones glowing faintly red.
Even after death, its divine presence lingered.
"Hiss..." Ethan inhaled sharply, awe washing through him.
In the inheritance place of Azure Origin Dao Sect—buried in its deepest heart—lay the remains of an ancient divine phoenix.
A/N:
Extra Chapters
100 power stones - 1 Extra Chapters
200 power stones - 2 Extra Chapters
Capsule - 1 Extra Chapters
Massage Chair - 3 Extra Chapters
Luxury Car - 5 Extra Chapters
Magic Castle - 15 Extra Chapters
....
Thanks for the Inspiration Capsule: @Kaishepard28
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