Unsealing Emptiness

Chapter 453: Trial of the Phoenix.

In the City Lord’s Hall, the last arrival was of the woman sent by the Wilderness accompanied by Vesta. Unlike others, the two of them did not make small talk with anyone.

Upon their entry, there were a few hushed voices, but the Ember’s group remained the topic of interest.

After everyone had arrived, Ryujin finally decided to show his face as well.

Immediately, the noises died down as everyone waited for his announcement.

Glancing around the hall, he noticed all the faces he had allowed entry to his city and felt an inexplicable feeling rising in his chest. He was in power. These people were from the most powerful organizations of the entire Realm and yet, he could easily kick out anybody.

But his mood was bound to sour as his eyes landed on Ember’s figure. Hers was the only presence he wished he could eliminate from this place but he couldn’t.

’I hope all three of them fail!’ Ryujin cursed in his heart while glaring at the three people allowed entry to the trial by the Phoenix herself.

Bringing his attention back to the matter at hand, he addressed the people, "I see that all the participants have gathered with their guardians. As always, to ensure fairness, the Celestial Phoenix will allow 1 person to accompany each participant."

"The participants and their guardians follow me outside," he ordered, "The remaining people will stay in the Hall until the trial is over."

And with that, everyone followed him outside.

The woman sent by the Wilderness gave a hesitant look toward Ember. She had not received new instructions on approaching her mission yet, so she could only watch anxiously as Ember exited the Hall.

Outside, Ryujin led everyone toward the strange pillar that Jinx was so attracted to.

Ryujin stood right beside the pillar and addressed everyone again, "Touch this pillar, and you will be agreeing to undergo the Trial of the Phoenix. Approach one by one."

The first group to approach the pillar was from the Immortal Sect. Saiko led Sarah, Aakal, and two other Hatchlings and they all put their hands on the pillar at the same time.

Everyone observed with interest as black flames burst forth from the scarlet etchings of the pillar and surrounded the group. And just as quickly as they had appeared, the flames disappeared, but the group wasn’t there anymore.

"The trial takes place in a separate Realm isolated by time and space," Ember informed the trio as they were the only participants who weren’t told the exact nature and details of the trial.

Zier forcefully calmed his nerves as he tried his best to ignore the teasing expressions of Rai.

One by one, all the groups went ahead and touched the pillars. Just like the group from the Immortal Sect, everyone disappeared into the black flames.

Every group only had a single guarding with them, but Ember brought along both Ozul and Rai with her. Each participant was allowed a single guardian and they had three participants, so Ryujin could only watch with annoyance as they touched the pillar.

Ozul felt the black flames surrounding his body, but they weren’t hot. It almost felt as if the flames were merely shadows flickering and hissing like fire.

’Can the Purity absorb the flames...?’ He wondered but refrained from any experiments with the Phoenix.

And before he could think of anything else, his vision was blackened momentarily before he found himself in a different environment.

Looking down, he found himself standing atop a rocky platform that didn’t seem to have been raised naturally.

The sky wasn’t blue anymore, replaced with an orange hue that spanned into the horizon.

In the distance, he saw erupting volcanoes and mountains with flowing rivers of molten rocks seeping through.

Surrounding him were all the guardians, standing on the same rocky platform.

’It’s different,’ Ozul compared this dimension to the one where he had gotten the Mind’s Eyes.

That Realm was made mostly with illusions. On the other hand, this one not only spanned miles in each direction but was also completely real in nature. The erupting volcanoes were just as real as anything here.

’And unlike that one, this entire Realm isn’t supported by the weight of Spiritual Essence,’ he concluded with only a few observations.

In fact, he couldn’t feel anything in the air at all. The only source of Spiritual Essence was the cultivators around him.

Just then, he felt a nudge on his shoulder.

"Focus," Ember told him as her eyes pointed toward the bigger platform in front of them. She didn’t know why he was more curious about the surroundings while the Celestial Phoenix was literally in front of him.

Ozul finally let his eyes rest on the figure of the Celestial Phoenix standing proudly in the center of the giant circular platform that was separate from theirs.

In front of the Phoenix was the row of the participants, most of them frightened at the visage of the giant beast. Even Vesta, once a beast of great stature herself, found it hard to control her nerves.

Just then, Ryujin appeared in this Realm as well.

He floated above both platforms and addressed the guardians, "Any form of interference from the guardians will not be tolerated."

"Only ten will be allowed to pass, and the rest will be honored to have become a feast for the Celestial Phoenix," he stated once again, unnerving all the participants who could only grit their teeth and pray at this point.

While Raven and Blaze remained relatively calm, Zier couldn’t help but curse his shit luck.

On the other platform, Ozul couldn’t help but turn toward Ember, "She eats those who fail? Why is that?"

It didn’t make sense that the Celestial Phoenix would eat the participants. With her strength, she could devour even the strongest beasts and men if she wanted to, so why only these weaklings? But this was a puzzle in everyone’s heart.

The others too waited for Ember to answer. If anyone knew the answer to that, it would only be the previous Phoenix Lord. Alas, they were bound to be disappointed.

Ember shook her head, "You can ask her if you are so curious."

During her time as the Phoenix Lord and the City Lord, she had never questioned the methods of the Phoenix. So she knew just as much as the others.

Unexpectedly, the Celestial Phoenix suddenly turned her head in their direction and spoke in her ethereal voice,

"Young souls are unblemished by the impurities of this Realm. I can refine them easily."

She was answering Ozul’s question directly, leaving others in awe that the Phoenix deigned him worthy enough to answer his question.

At the same time, everyone, even Ember felt a chill in her heart as she pondered the idea of souls being eaten. No one could even imagine their souls being eaten.

Even the Sage Realm cultivators had yet to understand a concept so delicate and profound as that of souls.

Their worries were mirrored in great intensity in the participants.

There were almost 60 of them, while only 10 would get selected. In front of them was their greatest opportunity or it could most likely be their death. And if they died, their souls would be eaten by the Phoenix.

The thought alone terrified most of them, regretting their decision to have come here.

The Phoenix glanced down at them and spoke to them directly, "The trial will be simple. You will endure my flames as long as you can. Using your cultivation will not help you. Those who drop on the ground will have their souls forfeited. You merely have to stay standing."

The crowd began to panic. How could any of them endure those black flames? Even Transcendents and Sages dared not proclaim such a feat.

But the Phoenix assured them, "These will not be ordinary flames. This fire will sting you proportional to the impurities you have accumulated in your body."

After that, she didn’t give them any more time to mentally prepare themselves as her flames extended from her and, as graceful as wind, they encircled all the participants.

The moment they were surrounded by the flames, everyone began to feel an itch rising from deep within.

"It will slowly get worse. Only the last 10 standing will pass."

And then, everyone waited.

Ozul couldn’t help but whisper again, "Wouldn’t it be unfair to the poor ones?"

However, Ember didn’t agree with him on this, "Look at all of them wrapped in lavish clothes. If they could convince Ryujin to let them participate, they definitely had all the resources they needed. But if someone still got the short end of the stick, they can turn their luck if only they can endure it more than others."

As seconds passed, sweat drops began forming on their foreheads.

The small itch had slowly grown into a sting and it was slowly feeling as if they were being stabbed from inside out.

As the guardians observed from the platform, some of the participants started groaning and occasionally screaming after a minute had passed.

As everyone was enduring the pain of their life, three people stood out amongst everyone else.

These three were precisely the Hatchlings under Ember’s wings: Raven, Blaze, and Zier.

What made them stand out was the fact that they were standing perfectly fine!

In fact, they were curiously looking around them, wondering why the rest of the participants were groaning in pain and sweating so profusely while they felt nothing.

’Is something wrong?’ Zier questioned, looking at the harmless flames around his body.

The guardians on the other platform exchanged astonished glances.

Even Ember and Ryujin who had seen the trial multiple times were beginning to suspect something was wrong.