34 Phoenix Trials
This chapter is longer than usual, enjoy~!
Also, give this story more power stones!!
--- Chapter 33 ---
Phoenix Trial Ground, Trial Space.
Yu Long stood on a floating rock surrounded by lava.
The world of 'darkness' had become a new world.
Any person with no knowledge of arrays would think this was godly magic or the power of the Phoenix, but no.
It is just an application of space-changing array formation.
The array wrapped a certain distance of space and simulated the volcanic area. However, don't ever think this simulation is fake. It was as natural as it could get.
The level of realism is 'literally' based on the arrays' level.
The arrays inside the Phoenix Trial Grounds are top-tier grades from the Era of Gods. One can call them Primordial Arrays for a more immersion and mouthful feeling, but Origin Arrays would also work.
Only Divine Level Cultivator could sense this level of arrays, but even they couldn't grasp its profundity.
On the other hand, Yu Long is a walking cheat. He has several sense enhancement abilities under his belt.
Any little detail won't escape his curious golden eyes.
Yu Long activated [Profound Sense], [Thought Acceleration], and [Insect King's Vision] simultaneously. The red-dominant world slowly became colorful as he learned the arrays inside the Phoenix Trial Grounds, recording them in his memory bank.
Growl!
The surrounding lava suddenly trembled as a creature appeared out of the burning ground.
It was a fire giant over fifteen meters tall. It has a rock-like body with flowing lava everywhere. A pair of fiery eyes lit up on its oval-shaped head as the fire giant released a ferocious roar.
ROAR!
"Damn." Yu Long gained inspiration for his third kaiju from this fellow.
Well, it's not like there is no other inspiration.
The fire giant stretched its arm and slammed it toward Yu Long.
Yu Long stepped back and commented, "So, I assumed this is the Purgatory Flame Demon."
"Looks kinda cute, not gonna lie."
"..." The Phoenix, who listened to Yu Long's comment, couldn't help but glare at him immediately.
My Purgatory Flame Demon is a fearsome creature from the Era of GOD!
And you call it cute, for fuck sake!
Yu Long gauged the Purgatory Flame Demon's strength and discovered it was at the same level as his cultivation base, the 10th Level of True Profound Realm.
It means the Trial Ground's arrays also scanned Yu Long's cultivation realm and adjusted the difficulty based on it.
The more Yu Long discovers the secret about this place, the more excited he becomes.
He really takes Phoenix's Trial Ground as his playground.
If the Phoenix knew what Yu Long thought about her trial ground, she might get angry.
No, she will get angry.
Yu Long kept dodging the Purgatory Flame Demon's attack and observed its pattern. When Yu Long was satisfied with the arrays' observation, he extended his hand and let out a small burst of violet light.
The violet light transformed into a blade, slashing the Purgatory Flame Demon into two.
The Purgatory Flame Demon let out a furious roar. The surrounding lava wrapped its sliced body's pieces and attached it back.
Yu Long smirked and waved his hand again. This time, he increased the energy usage for Arts of Violet Mist, causing several blades of scorching violet light to bombard the poor creature.
BOOM!
ROOOOOOOOOOOARR!
The Purgatory Flame Demon unleashed an unwilling roar before getting sliced and burned to nothingness.
If the Phoenix had a mouth, it would fucking drop now.
'WHAT WAS THAT?!'
'Light Profound Art? But I never heard or know about this before?'
'Violet Light... It looks like an Ultra Violet phenomenon.' The Phoenix has several bold guesses, but she doubts them.
She sighed helplessly and said to Yu Long, "Second Trial, Arrows of the Phoenix."
"Starts."
Yu Long chuckled after hearing the helplessness in the Phoenix's voice.
The world of fire transformed again.
This time, Yu Long found himself in a confined room. The room is twenty meters long and wide, with a height of over thirty meters.
Yu Long glanced at the ceiling and saw a spark appear. That spark turned into an arrow, descending quickly to his location.
He dodged casually, staring at the arrow amusingly.
As the arrow missed and hit the ground, two more appeared and descended from the ceiling.
The amount of fire arrows doubled every time. Their speed also increased rapidly.
Yu Long kept a steady pace, treating this as good exercise as he didn't use any profound arts or abilities. His physical fitness alone can outpace over 2,000 fire arrows.
The next wave arrived, and the fire arrows moved like laser beams. Yes, literally.
Yu Long finally used [Arts of Ghost] and made several intangible afterimages. A faint fog released from each afterimage as they waved their hands to the sky.
Claws made of shadow manifested, clashing with the fire arrows, and exploded violently.
The whole room was 'quickly' obscured by the fog, making one unable to see what was happening inside.
Still, as the observer, the Phoenix could see everything.
'D-Dark...'
'Dark Profound Arts!' She trembled after sensing the origin of Yu Long's Profound Arts.
A thousand questions appeared in her mind.
This young mortal used Light Profound Arts a while ago.
And now he also used Dark Profound Arts.
'Am I dreaming? Since when did these two elements coexist with each other?' The Phoenix doubted her life.
Even in the Primordial Era, no one could wield Light and Darkness as if they were opposing each other.
Light is 'dominantly' used by the God Race.
Meanwhile, Darkness is 'inherently' used by the Devil Race.
No, there was an existence that could wield both of them.
That ancient figure is the most powerful existence in the Primal Chaos, who birthed the Eight Primordial Creation Gods.
Ancestral God!
But how?
How did this seemingly weak-looking yet bizarre young mortal do it?
The Phoenix has witnessed many things in her life, but this is something else.
At this point, she begins to accept Yu Long's ridiculousness.
Unfortunately, she doesn't know there are more shocking things on Yu Long's sleeve.
All the things Yu Long has shown so far are very deliberate.
He wanted to see how the Phoenix reacted, despite her being only a piece of True Primordial Phoenix's residual divine soul left behind in the Blue Pole Star.
In the Trial Ground, Yu Long stood motionless and surrounded by the fire arrows that stabbed the ground. Not a single burn or scratch appeared on his clothes.
He won't let these cheap fire arrows destroy his favorite clothes.
"Before we continue..." The Phoenix's voice appeared more serious this time.
Nevertheless, Yu Long could notice more shakiness from it.
"How did you-! Never mind, let's continue with the Third Trial first." She changed her mind mid-sentence.
The residual soul of the Phoenix doesn't want to ask this early.
The Third Trial is to test one's character.
Although Yu Long doesn't appear evil, she couldn't be more cautious, knowing he could wield Light and Darkness Elements.
'At least, the Third Trial will show what kind of person he was.'
'If he was a good person, the Primal Chaos would have been a once-in-a-billion-years genius. But if he was evil...' The Phoenix couldn't imagine the horror of the future.
'Bruh.' Yu Long expected the Phoenix to act ridiculous, but this was tamer than he expected.
The Phoenix faked a cough and said, "Ehem, Third Trial."
"Corruption of the Heart's Flame."
"Starts."
Yu Long blinked and saw a familiar yet unfamiliar environment. He was in his house, precisely the bedroom of his first life.
'T-This is... What's this place?' The Phoenix uttered in confusion.
The Third Trial is 'detailedly' constructed through the practitioner's most pleasant memories from the depths of their soul. It is 'exactly' the same as the genuine person, item, or event, and they'll have to face it as if everything were real.
A wry smile appeared on Yu Long's face. He underestimated the Third Trial.
He stared at the wooden door to the living room and rotated the knob.
"Hayate?"
"Sit down."
"We are having breakfast."
An adult man sat near the dining table, enjoying a coffee while reading a newspaper.
In the kitchen nearby, an adult woman prepared more breakfast.
Yes, they are Yu Long's parents in his first life.
However, their faces appeared blurry for Yu Long and the Phoenix.
"Haha, what a dirty move!" Yu Long laughed loudly.
"What are you talking about in the morning?" His father stepped off the chair and somehow had a knife in his hand.
"Yes, I told you to sit down." His mother also walked out of the kitchen with a knife.
They stared at Yu Long and stabbed him in the chest.
Yu Long didn't dodge and opened his arms, hugging them tightly.
Blood spilled over the floor, but Yu Long didn't care.
"Love you two..." Yu Long whispered emotionally.
"Thank you for everything. Father, Mother."
"Goodbye."
Crack!
The world crumbled and was 'slowly' replaced with an island surrounded by a blue ocean.
'It changed again...' The Phoenix was speechless.
She has suspected a thing and experienced yet another surprise.
Two women appeared before Yu Long.
One is more youthful.
And the other is more mature.
Yet, their facial features are blurry, just like his parents.
"Hayate-kun!"
"Hayate~!"
They called him over.
Yu Long's chest trembled, feeling [Kaiju Maker] activate upon seeing them.
The world suddenly trembled as the ocean around the island rose, revealing several gigantic creatures.
The vast ocean slowly filled with them.
ROOOOOOOOOOOOORRR!
A simultaneous roar deafened Yu Long's ears.
'T-These creatures are...' The Phoenix's eyes trembled in fear. She could feel enormous energy from each of them.
And she couldn't see the end of them in this vast ocean.
ROOOOOOOOOORR!!
Every kaiju roared to the Phoenix.
Phoenix's residual soul was struck by a wisp of [Kaiju Maker]'s original power as her mind received a remembrance of thousands of kaiju.
Fear.
Excitement.
Hope.
And eventually, Sadness.
Phoenix's eyes fluttered at the figure of a man resembling Yu Long.
He ascended to the vast sky and faced the great calamity, sacrificing himself for the greater good.
"Ah... How noble." The Phoenix was 'unfortunately' unable to produce tears, but she felt utterly devastated and touched.
"No wonder his soul is so beautiful." She cried silently.
Meanwhile, Yu Long gazed at two women.
His memory of the past life is incomplete.
Yet he felt an unbearable intimacy with them.
Yu Long felt tears running from his eyes, his heart pounding excitedly.
Something tells him to run and hug them.
And he did.
As Yu Long embraced the two women, they also hugged him.
They kissed Yu Long, giving him a warm he had forgotten.
"We miss you..." The youthful woman whispered.
"I miss you too." Yu Long replied.
"I wish we could fall in love, marry, grow older, and watch our kids." The mature woman regretfully added.
"Yes," Yu Long nodded rapidly.
"When I am strong enough. I'd find you two."
"We will wait." They responded immediately.
Half of the world shattered again and revealed Yu Clan's courtyard.
Yu Long's parents, Yu Xin and Yu Zhan, appeared.
Not long after, Xia Qingyue, Lily, Hong Guan, and many others also appeared.
As [Kaiju Maker], Yu Long won't make a connection easily with others.
However, in just ten years, so many people hold a dear in his heart.
Yes, More than in his previous life.
"Go! Don't forget about us, Hayate!"
Yu Long felt a push from the back.
Yes, this is his new life.
The new beginning.
He should cherish it but not forget his past either.
Yu Long strode forward confidently and entered the new world, "I'm back!"
"Welcome back."
"Yu Long."
"Young Master."
"Lord Shadow."
"Big Brother!"
The Third Trial finally stopped. Everything returned to the confined space of the second trial as the Phoenix also appeared.
She appeared as a small fiery bird now.
Yu Long released a sigh of relief and patted his chest.
He closed his eyes, "Everything felt so much better now."
The Phoenix opened her beak, "Congratulations, you have passed the Phoenix Trial, Kaiju Maker."
"Yeah, thanks." Yu Long wasn't surprised the Phoenix knew about the [Kaiju Maker] now. After all, she also oversaw his memories.
The Phoenix shook her head gently and returned, "I felt satisfied enough that my trials helped you relieve all those stresses."
"No, You're a noble one. I felt honored someone like you undergoes my trials!" Her words are 'thoroughly' filled with flattery.
Yu Long felt it was weird.
As if she were reading Yu Long's expression, the Phoenix laughed and added, "I will give you all the Phoenix's blood left, three Divine Phoenix Pellets."
"Sadly, the Profound Arts: World Ode of the Phoenix I was about to bestow is incomplete..."
"It's alright. Better than nothing." Yu Long shrugged casually.
"NO!" The Phoenix panicked. "I felt ashamed by the lack of rewards of my trials."
"That's why I would give you my Soul Essence and Origin Energy."
"O-Okay." Yu Long was speechless. "Chill, don't act so gloomy."
The Phoenix opened her beak but closed it again after a few seconds.
"Do you want to listen to my story?"
"It's not long, but it would explain the origin of this trial ground."
Yu Long smiled, "I'm all ears."
The Phoenix's eyes lit up in joy as she recalled the history of the Phoenix Trial Grounds in the Blue Polar Star.
The Phoenix was friends with the Evil God.
She left behind two trial grounds on this planet, precisely the Profound Sky Continent.
One is in the now-called Divine Phoenix Empire, and the other is here.
There used to be two residual souls of the Primordial Phoenix, but one was 'suddenly' corrupted by its inheritors' feelings.
That residual soul developed its own independent consciousness that it shouldn't have, starting to cause more destruction on this land.
After so many years, that residual soul finally decided to attack her, the other half.
They fought fiercely and destroyed each other's foundations.
The World Ode of the Phoenix is Profound Art needed to train the Phoenix's Bloodline.
The corrupted residual got the first four parts.
She (who stays in the Phoenix Clan's Trial Ground) decides to fake her death, retaining the 5th and 6th parts of the World Ode of the Phoenix while hiding here.
"That's why I couldn't impart the complete version of the World Ode of the Phoenix..." The Phoenix breathed out in melancholy.
Yu Long frowned and questioned, "There must be a reason why you tell me this story, right?"
"Haha..." A nervous laugh escaped the Phoenix's beak.
"As the Phoenix, I can't stand my other half's action."
"That's why I must fix it."
"Kaiju Maker, Yu Long." The Phoenix wishfully stared at Yu Long's golden eyes. "Can you make me yours?"
"Pardon?" Yu Long tilted his head.
"Make me yours..."
"I know you can, with the [Kaiju Maker]."
"Wait, don't tell me..." Yu Long narrowed his eyes.
"Yes, you know what I'm saying. Make me yours, Turn me..." The Phoenix's eyes gleamed in frenzied longing.
"Turn me into your Kaiju!"
