Chapter 2239: Testing the Qualification for Banishing the God King

Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I've always been accustomed to a free and unconstrained life since childhood. I hope the Family Head can forgive me, but I truly cannot take on such a great responsibility."

His sole purpose in coming to Lingyuan Heaven was to enter the Spirit God Palace; becoming a Family Head was certainly not something he desired.

Unexpectedly, he declined. The Family Head was stunned for a moment. Just as he was about to press further, the young man in front of him looked over with a puzzled expression. "Did you just say passing the Conferred God-King test... Does a Conferred God-King require a test?"

He had thought that Conferred God-Kings were incredibly powerful because they were bestowed their titles due to high merit. If there was a test, it clearly didn't align with that understanding.

"The so-called 'conferred' title is personally bestowed by the Emperor," the Family Head explained. "It grants control over the power of a region and allows one to bear its collective will. This will is not merely simple thoughts; it's extraordinarily complex. To fully control it, one's soul must become incredibly resilient and powerful. In other words, at minimum, a powerhouse whose soul has reached the peak of the God-King realm is required, followed by their cultivation level..."

Controlling a region involves many ordinary people, and their individual thoughts differ. Naturally, personal emotions are mixed within their collective will. To utilize it effectively, one must clear all emotional burdens. If one's own soul is not pure and strong, it's easy to fall into chaos. Therefore, to be conferred a title, one's soul power must be strong.

The person before them, despite his cultivation only being at the peak of High-grade Celestial God, already had a soul that had reached the peak of the God-King realm. Based solely on this, when he eventually broke through to the God-King realm and attempted to become a Conferred God-King, he would have at least a fifty percent chance of success!

Their Fire Phoenix Clan had flourished to this day precisely because they had one Conferred Ancestor. If another one appeared, it was undeniable that they would rightfully become the foremost clan in Lingyuan Heaven, and perhaps even the entire God Realm!

"Thank you for your kind offer..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Seeing his resolute attitude, the Family Head knew that persuasion was useless and settled for a compromise. "How about this? Outside the Spirit God Palace, there's a stone phoenix sculpture. Firstly, it controls the grand formation within the palace, and secondly, it specifically tests God-Kings. Why don't you... give it a try?"

The spiritual energy tide was approaching, and no power wanted fewer Conferred God-Kings on their side. This individual's soul was incredibly extraordinary; even though he hadn't yet reached the God-King realm, if he could just hold on for a while, their clan could convince the other two great clans to provide countless resources to help him break through! Once successful, not only would a super powerhouse appear in Lingyuan Heaven, but most importantly, the Fire Phoenix Clan would become even stronger.

Zhang Xuan hesitated.

"You just gambled with Feng Hanqiu and won a spot," the Family Head said. "Since you're going to the Spirit God Palace anyway, why not take the test?"

"Alright..." Zhang Xuan was speechless.

It seemed his struggle with Feng Hanqiu had been observed, and the lack of intervention was also a way to secure a spot for the Fire Phoenix Clan. However, taking the test wouldn't hurt, as he was going to the Spirit God Palace regardless.

The Spirit God Palace floated above Lingyuan City. After flying for a while behind the Family Head, they arrived before it. At this time, two other individuals were already standing outside the palace. They were the Family Heads of the other two clans.

"Feng Yuanchi, you said he... his soul has already reached the peak of the God-King realm?" As soon as they arrived, a Family Head radiating an icy aura approached, his gaze filled with displeasure. This was Feng Hanxue, the Clan Leader of the Ice Phoenix Clan.

Originally, it should have been Feng Hanqiu from their clan who entered the Spirit God Palace for enlightenment. Now, he had been replaced, and the other party suddenly had an additional God-King and a soul at the peak of the God-King realm... Anyone in that situation would be unhappy.

"That's right!" Feng Yuanchi, the Family Head of the Fire Phoenix Clan, nodded.

Feng Hanxue looked up at Zhang Xuan and indeed sensed that his soul was unfathomably deep. Even he couldn't see through it, which filled him with frustration, but he couldn't openly express it. "Let's begin the test. Be warned beforehand, the Conferred God-King test is extremely dangerous. A slight misstep and your soul could be crushed, leading to severe injury."

"Understood!" Feng Yuanchi nodded, looking at Zhang Xuan, and quietly sent a telepathic message. "Your goal this time is merely to test if you possess the potential to become a Conferred God-King, so we can apply for better resources to help you break through. If you can't hold on, retreat immediately. Do not force yourself..."

Zhang Xuan nodded, then asked curiously, "How do I test?"

"That phoenix stone sculpture ahead," Feng Yuanchi pointed forward. "Behind it is a star map that covers Lingyuan Heaven. You use your soul power to ignite the star map through the sculpture. Lighting even one star indicates potential, and lighting a hundred stars means you truly possess the qualifications to become a Conferred God-King..."

Zhang Xuan looked and indeed saw a massive phoenix stone sculpture standing outside the Spirit God Palace, with an even larger star map behind it. From a distance, it looked like a colossal phoenix soaring in the sky, profound and ancient. On the star map, countless stars shimmered, numbering in the tens of thousands.

Lighting a hundred stars grants the qualification to become a Conferred God-King... Is that too simple?

"Don't think it's simple," Feng Yuanchi said, seemingly reading his thoughts with an embarrassed smile. "This stone sculpture contains the Emperor's lingering will. When your soul extends, it will be suppressed. Getting past it is incredibly difficult, not to mention using any remaining power to light the star map, which is even harder to accomplish. Both I and these two Family Heads have tried, and in the end... we couldn't even light a single star!"

"Oh!" Zhang Xuan nodded. Right. If becoming a Conferred God-King was so easy to pass, there wouldn't be only three in the entire Lingyuan Heaven.

After the three Family Heads finished their discussion, with nothing more to hinder him, Zhang Xuan quickly approached the stone sculpture, raised his arm, and extended it. As his palm touched the sculpture, he immediately felt a profound sense of oppression spread over him. His eyebrows rose, and his newly advanced soul power immediately spread out.

Boom! His mind rumbled as if a colossal phoenix had suddenly appeared before him. Zhang Xuan's powerful soul, in its presence, felt as weak as a speck of dust.

"Break through this phoenix?" Zhang Xuan's eyebrows twitched. It was indeed not as simple as he had imagined. The pressure was simply too immense. Even with his soul having just broken through, getting past it wouldn't be easy; in fact, one could say it was an impossible task.

"I'll give it a try!" Since he was already here, even if it was difficult, he had to try. Above a God-King was a Conferred title. To become an Emperor like Master Kong, he had to pass this trial. Given this, there was nothing to escape.

His soul condensed into threads and extended towards the phoenix before him. "Hmm? This isn't right..." After extending it for a while, he immediately noticed something amiss. He had expected such strong pressure to make it increasingly difficult, even impossible, to advance. Yet, the closer he got to the phoenix, the more a sense of familiarity arose, as if its aura was deeply akin to his own.

He quickly passed through the phoenix's pressure and arrived before the star map. With a thought, he touched one of the stars. As if a switch had been flipped, all the stars instantly vied with each other to burst forth with brilliant light.

"They all lit up... Is it that simple?" Zhang Xuan was stunned.