Chapter 111: Phoenix Ode to the World Classic · Fragment (Five)

The Phoenix Trial was indeed terrifying. In the first stage, if Yun Che hadn't been immune to all fire, he would have died countless times under the flames of the Purgatory Fiend Devil. And the second stage, without a doubt, would be far more terrifying than the first.

On the boundless wasteland, not a blade of grass grew. The wind remained scorching, yet it carried a heavy sense of desolation and loneliness. Just then, an exceptionally loud phoenix cry suddenly echoed from above. Following that, the originally dim sky abruptly turned crimson, as if ablaze with celestial fire.

Yun Che looked up and was astonished to see countless red specks appear in the crimson sky. Then, another phoenix cry resonated. A red speck in the sky suddenly plummeted towards his location like a shooting star, growing closer and larger in his pupils. Finally, the image of a phoenix became clearly visible in Yun Che's sight.

It was a small phoenix, about six feet long, entirely wreathed in crimson flames. It descended with incredible speed, like a soaring arrow.

*Thud!* The flaming phoenix violently struck Yun Che, instantly exploding into a huge fireball and a shower of sparks. If it had been anyone else, this second stage of the trial would have already been a failure, as the terrifying Phoenix Flame was powerful enough to severely injure even a Spirit Profound Realm expert. However, these flames inflicted no harm on Yun Che; only the immense impact and explosive force knocked him directly to the ground, causing his qi and blood to surge.

A phoenix cry once again rang out from the sky, and another phoenix phantom shot down like a flaming arrow. This time, Yun Che didn't dare to take the hit head-on and swiftly dodged. The phoenix phantom struck the ground, exploding with fire and cracking the earth into a long gully. Before Yun Che could steady himself, another phoenix cry sounded above him, but this time it was a continuous chorus. Three phoenix phantoms descended consecutively from three directions, aiming directly at Yun Che.

Yun Che twisted his body, evading the first phoenix phantom, then leaped backward with full force to avoid the second.

"Star God Broken Shadow!" In mid-air, Yun Che swiftly shifted diagonally, narrowly dodging the third phoenix phantom as well.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!* The three phoenix phantoms exploded one after another, generating flames tens of meters high. But then, an even louder phoenix cry followed. Yun Che looked up and saw that this time, seven phoenix phantoms were plummeting towards him simultaneously...

*Holy crap! This isn't fair!* Yun Che's brow furrowed as he cursed inwardly.

After Yun Che stepped into the trial ground's entrance, the formation array that had been sealed there reappeared. However, Lan Xueruo didn't leave; she remained standing there. She had heard from Feng Baichuan about the trial's horrors. According to Feng Baichuan, given Yun Che's strength, even with fire-attributed profound arts, it would be almost impossible for him to stay inside for more than ten breaths.

But ten breaths passed, then twenty, then thirty... half an hour passed... Yun Che still hadn't emerged.

Lan Xueruo could no longer remain calm; her expression grew increasingly anxious. After waiting for another fifteen minutes, she finally lost her composure and urgently asked Feng Baichuan, "Clan Leader Feng, why isn't he out yet? Didn't you say he would come out in ten breaths at most?"

Feng Baichuan was already feeling uneasy inside. Hearing Lan Xueruo's words, he could only reassure her, "Perhaps the trials aren't exactly the same for everyone who enters. So, it's hard to say about the timing... Don't worry, Little Brother Yun isn't someone who lacks judgment. If he reaches an unbearable point, he'll come out immediately."

Lan Xueruo said nothing more, suppressing her anxiety as she continued to wait.

Countless phoenix cries mingled and overlapped in a chaotic cacophony, so sharp they seemed to tear the sky. From an initial single phoenix, to waves of three, then seven, then fifteen... now, the sky was filled with phoenix cries and phantoms, blotting out the sun and resembling an utterly terrifying meteor shower.

Yun Che rapidly moved and weaved through this meteor shower using "Star God Broken Shadow." Although his "Star God Broken Shadow" was only at the first stage, this profound movement skill from Jasmine, even at its lowest level, still possessed astonishing power, allowing him to dart through the array of phoenixes like an illusion, leaving behind numerous lingering afterimages.

However, the phoenix phantoms eventually became too dense for him to evade them all. After dozens of waves, he had been struck seven or eight times. The impact force of the phoenix phantoms, compared to the power of the flames they carried, was incomparable in terms of lethality. Yet, for Yun Che, who was only at the Nascent Profound Realm, it remained a significant threat. Each time he was hit by a phoenix phantom, his protective profound energy would weaken slightly. Moreover, the frequent use of "Star God Broken Shadow" also consumed a considerable amount of energy.

*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!* Phoenix phantoms exploded all around him. The once-flat ground was now riddled with craters and scars; there was barely a pristine spot in sight.

As the saying goes, if he hadn't been immune to flames, he would have died hundreds of times already. The Evil God's Seed of Fire was undoubtedly a massive cheat code for him in this Phoenix Trial.

*BOOM!!!!* In the final wave, hundreds of phoenix phantoms descended from the sky. The fiery glow they emitted dyed the entire sky crimson. The moment they struck, flames surged across the vast land, and the ground convulsed and was scorched into black char. Yun Che was simultaneously struck by seven phoenix phantoms, his protective profound energy completely scattered in an instant. Fortunately, the impact force also ceased then, and apart from a churning sensation in his chest, he suffered no actual injury.

"Phew... Is it finally over?" Standing amidst the enduring flames, Yun Che looked up at the sky and let out a long sigh of relief. The phoenix cries had completely stopped, and at last, there were no more phoenix phantoms in the sky. At this moment, he began to admire the ancestor Feng Baichuan had spoken of—to have passed that incredibly terrifying Phoenix Flame Array with a mortal body and Spirit Profound Realm strength; that person must have been an astonishingly gifted super genius.

The surrounding flames slowly extinguished, and the second stage of the trial finally concluded. Rather than truly passing it, Yun Che had simply endured it with his unique physique. At this point, the scenery before his eyes began to distort, then grew increasingly dim. Just as Yun Che was about to observe the scene for the third stage of the trial, he found his vision had become utterly black.

Then, within the pitch-black world, a pair of golden eyes opened. The Phoenix Spirit's voice echoed in his mind.

"To my surprise, you possess a unique physique immune to flames. If I'm not mistaken, within your body lies the aura of the ancient Evil God."

"That's right," Yun Che nodded. He wasn't surprised that the Phoenix Spirit could recognize the Evil God's aura. After all, both phoenixes and the Evil God belonged to the ancient race of gods.

"The Evil God is not the ancestor of elements, but rather the bane of all elements. No one in this world can compare to the Evil God's affinity for elements. If you can obtain the complete legacy of the Evil God's power, then not only fire, but also water, wind, lightning, earth, domain, dimension, spirit... all will be suppressed by you and can never harm you."

Yun Che: "..."

"You passed the first two stages not because you possessed sufficient strength, but because of your physique. While this is a form of cheating, a pass is a pass, and I have no right to invalidate it. However, the third trial, 'Fallen Heart Flame,' is a trial of the mind, unrelated to fire. Your physical advantage will be entirely gone. This third trial is also the most difficult to pass. Over countless years, three hundred and twenty-nine individuals have passed the first two stages, but only seven have passed the third."

"Seven?" Yun Che was stunned.

Although he had passed the first two stages relatively easily due to his "cheating" ability, he had also clearly witnessed how terrifying they were. Those who could pass these two stages with Spirit Profound Realm cultivation were undoubtedly supreme geniuses. As for those at the True Profound Realm, passing was simply impossible.

Yet, among such peerless geniuses, on average, only two out of a hundred could pass the third trial!? How terrifying must this third trial be?

"However, you needn't be overly nervous. The third stage is a trial of the mind; it doesn't involve combat, but rather your inner choices. If your pursuit of power is sufficiently firm, then even if your profound energy is weak, you might pass easily. Conversely, if you lack sufficient obsession, then sinking into the mortal world from this point onward might not be a bad choice. After all, power is not the entirety of life."

"Are you ready?"

A trial of the mind? Having lived two lives and experienced so many near-death situations, what he feared least should be a test of his mental state, right?

The words "trial of the mind" calmed Yun Che's heart. Even facing the extremely low success rate mentioned by the Phoenix Spirit, he felt less nervous than he had during the first and second stages. Without hesitation, Yun Che nodded directly: "Let's begin."

"As you wish... I wish you success." The Phoenix Spirit's eyes vanished, and the dark world distorted once more. Yun Che felt his body being swept up by a storm, drifting within the twisted space. He closed his eyes, muttering to himself: *Let me see what kind of trial of the mind this is. Anything in this world that could truly break my mental state... should no longer exist, right?*

In the darkness, he felt his consciousness begin to gradually blur, which made him alertly open his eyes. However, the heavy sensation in his brain was irresistible; his vision and awareness grew increasingly hazy until they fully ceased.

When his consciousness returned, a faint pain emanated from various parts of his body. His body was also incredibly weak, as if he were recovering from severe injuries. A faint scent of blood filled his nostrils... it was the smell of his own blood.

What was happening? Why was his body so weak? It felt as if he had just sustained severe injuries... And this feeling, this scent... why were they so familiar?

He slowly opened his eyes. As his vision gradually cleared, he saw where he was. It was a very simple small bamboo hut, furnished with a few simple bamboo tables. One table was covered with various medicine jars and gauze, while another, pushed alongside it, held different healing tools and piles of blood-stained white cloth strips.

The entire hut reeked of strong medicinal and bloody odors. Only the thin blanket covering him emitted a faint, warm fragrance. Through the crude bamboo window, he saw a row of men's clothes hanging on a thin line... These clothes were riddled with patches. Although they had been meticulously washed, they had been so heavily stained with blood that faint traces remained even after drying.

The moment his consciousness fully awakened, Yun Che shot up from the bed as if struck by lightning. His gaze was blank as he stared at everything before him, his heart swaying wildly like a small boat in a storm... This was... this was..................