Chapter 100 - Entrance Test [4]

As they came out of the bell after a few minutes, the wall of fire was still there. The phoenix was still there, staring at them.

Morton said in a grave tone, "It’s preparing for another one. Take out anything you have right now to defend."

The phoenix took a few more seconds, and another ball of light started slowly forming ahead of its beak, growing second by second.

Liushen took out a soul sword. Yes, his own soul sword which could give him damage if it broke. His guard used his own soul sword too—they likely didn’t have any defense-type artifacts.

Song Chenxi used a scroll to enlarge and form a small barrier just right ahead of him, sized just for his body.

Morton used his own mount from before to cover his body, while scales like a dragon’s skin appeared upon it. It wasn’t a simple cat-like mount. It was definitely transmutated.

Cale took out Thorned Lotus, manipulating all its blades into liquid form and using Genesis to help create a diamond-shaped shield. Then he tried something he didn’t want to do this early, but as an expert later on, still there was no time. So he took out Ashes of Undying and covered the entire shield with them. With those ashes’ property, even if the shield broke, it would fix itself in under a few seconds. And it would also help as an additional coating for the shield. Truly a divine level item.

"Phew..."

ROAR!

And the beam this time was so full of murderous intent and spiritual energy that even the platform they were on was pushed back by a few hundred meters.

"Urgh!!" Cale groaned.

’It’s a holy beast. Infant as it may be, I doubt we can easily kill it. Should I try to run using them as bait?’

They persisted and tried to resist as much as possible. The debris in the air swirled around like the rings of Saturn. The pressure put on each of them was so much that if continued for some more time, they might be forced to use their life force.

’I don’t even have more than 60 years.’

As they kept resisting, something bugged Cale’s mind. There’s no way it’s possible that the inheritance owner would put a beast no one could kill in it. Did they want to kill anyone who came inside? No. From what Cale read in the documents in his previous life, a lot of people did come alive out of it, even if they didn’t gain much.

The beam finished, but the fight wasn’t still over.

’Isn’t it only using a few attacks? Or is that all its arsenal has?’

There was only one thing he could try now. Try devouring the phoenix’s soul itself.

Yes, it was a crazy and absurd idea. But Cale was probably the only one who could do it. The phoenix was toying with them, so if Cale could give it just a slight bit of fear of life, it would retreat. Since it’s an infant, around 200-300 years old.

And since Cale had absorbed the True Phoenix’s flames, he was pretty resistant to them. Not completely, but enough to touch its main body for more than two seconds.

After fifteen minutes, they ran ahead as the phoenix was chasing them again. It had gotten to know that these people couldn’t be defeated with its mild attacks and they could save themselves easily, so it would likely try to tire them out now. So much for an intelligent beast.

Now Cale was literally running without any bit of Origin Essence in his entire body. The pills were useless. He didn’t have any souls recently killed stored in his mindspace which he could use to heal himself either.

But then Song Chenxi screamed, "Hey!! Look! There’s an entrance ahead!"

Just hearing those words gave them hope to push themselves more. Although Cale didn’t like these people, they were also the reason he was alive. There was no way a Grandmaster Stage alone could survive this. Although enemies, they did work together more than once.

But right as they neared the gates, Cale sensed something. He could use his wings again!

At this point, it didn’t even matter if all these people found out. So he opened them and soared above.

Only Morton and Liushen had seen his wings now, but they too were more focused on fleeing and saving their own lives. So they ran away through the opening.

Only Cale remained, flying and staring at the phoenix ahead of him. A wry smile crept on his face-

"Come, beast..."

And then Cale went into the mindspace. But this time he didn’t lock it. He let his divine consciousness flow freely. There was only one reason for this. Any spiritual beast has a divine consciousness since birth unlike cultivators who have to develop and open it themselves. If Cale went into hiding and its only trail to catch him was the divine consciousness, the not-so-smart beast would definitely enter that trap.

Although Cale could never do it in front of the others, since they would literally enter and attack his main body too. Even if everyone had a divine consciousness at some point, not everyone had a literal dimension in their head!

And like he expected, the phoenix entered inside. And Cale locked it.

He had never done such a thing before, but had only seen people doing something similar. It was a very known technique of one of the elders of the demonic cult.

But right as the phoenix entered—not just its consciousness, but also its physical body—the entire space shuddered.

’Don’t tell me this place would collapse right now... I’m betting my ass on this, come on.’

Since he was the owner of this place, his authority had a higher stance here, pressurizing the phoenix’s mind and body. He tried to settle it into one place first, with the chains and using Override to stop it from taking control of this place. Even with all his soul bodies and his main body together, it was so straining that he was regretting this decision.

"Argh!!"

Gruesome shrieks erupted. He took one step after another, slowly closing down the distance to the phoenix’s eyes.

Its one single eye was bigger than Cale’s entire body. And they... they were blue!

He activated both domains, used all the laws and intents he could in any way possible.

Finally reaching the beast’s huge beak—looking like molten blade itself, sharp yet blurry.

Even in the inner sanctum, the area around the phoenix was burning and Cale couldn’t stop it.

Raising his hand, he moved forward, about to touch it.

’Will... will I be able to...’