A small boy of age five years old in a purple robe, with black hair and deep black eyes, was practicing with a wooden sword. After completing the sixth step of the Dark Emperor Sword, he ran excitedly toward a beautiful woman in a flowing white robe. Her eyes were as deep as water, and her beauty was almost divine.
"Mom, did you see that? I can now complete the sixth step! Now you have to fulfill your promise, you must bring me spirit beasts," the boy said in a begging voice.
"Kaal, my Darling, Mom will bring a cute pet, just like you," said Bella while stretching the cheek of kaal.
Suddenly, the boy heard a loud sound. The noise startled him, and when he looked toward his mother, he realized she had vanished. Frightened by the bizarre situation, the boy tried to run away. Just then, he heard a voice from behind.
"Look, we found your dead pet Kaal. Looks like some wild animal killed it," said a nine-year-old boy with sharp yellow hair and black eyes. He held the corpse of a Lightning Mouse in his hand, speaking with a mocking tone and an aura of quiet dominance.
"SAMRAT!" Kaal screamed in anger.
Kaal looked at his dead pet, then turned his gaze toward the older boy. Rage flared in his eyes. Suddenly, he heard a demonic roar echo in his ears. With that roar, his mind cleared, and the scene in front of him shattered like a broken mirror.
He found himself standing on the 135th step of a staircase. At the top stood a statue of a phoenix, radiating a terrifying aura. Its eyes glowed red, giving the entire statue a demonic appearance.
"So, all of that was an illusion created by the statue," Kaal said in a worried tone. "If the Hell Asura Bloodline hadn't warned me, I don't know how much time I would've wasted trying to break free from it."
When he looked to his left, he saw Divya standing there with blank eyes. It was clear that she, too, was trapped in the illusion cast by the statue.
Without the illusion that traps the mind in the past, Kaal continued his ascent up the ancient staircase. Each step felt heavier than the last, the pressure intensifying as if the very heavens sought to crush him. By the time he reached the 190th step, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Yet, he did not falter.
The power of the Myriad Thousand Demon Body surged through his veins, reinforcing his flesh and soul. His feet trembled, but his will remained unshaken.
Behind him, Divya finally cleared her mind from the illusion cast by the statue. Because an ancient phoenix's cry echoed in her soul. Her eyes, once blank, now burned with determination. Without a word, she resumed her climb.
As she ascended, the oppressive energy around the staircase seemed to pulse with life. And when Divya stepped onto the 180th stair, she felt a tremor in her soul like a child asking for a mother's warmth. Her eyes widened in disbelief as a searing warmth erupted from deep within her body. The dormant Black Phoenix Bloodline awakened.
A dark, elegant flame enveloped her body, beautiful and untamed. The very air shimmered around her, and the statue at the top of the stairs began to glow with intense, blazing light.
Then, it happened.
With a deafening screech, the statue of the black phoenix cracked. A moment later, it shattered completely, releasing a wave of terrifying pressure that forced even the most stubborn winds to bow in submission.
From the fragments rose a majestic figure black phoenix cloaked in divine flame, its wings stretching wide, its eyes glowing with ancient wisdom and wrath.
The phoenix let out a second, soul-shaking cry and, with a powerful flap of its wings, flew straight toward Divya.
The flames didn't harm her.
Instead, the magnificent creature phased into her body, merging with her soul.
A surge of power burst from within her as the bloodline fully awakened. Her blue hair shimmered like dark silk in the sunlight, her eyes gleamed with divine light, and a black flame halo danced behind her back like a crown of sovereignty.
Kaal, watching from the 190th step, could only look up in awe.
The Black Phoenix had chosen its heir.
Among the Crowd of Participants:
Samrat, standing tall with his arms crossed, narrowed his eyes. For the first time, the confident smirk on his face faded. "That… that's black phoenix bloodline."
Beside him, Ashen clenched his fists, his usually indifferent expression now filled with a rare seriousness. "Black Phoenix Bloodline… so she awakens bloodline like in the novel."
Murmurs broke out among the participants. Some were in awe, others in disbelief, and a few couldn't help but tremble under the sheer pressure they felt through the crystal alone.
Lauren Kilvish, standing at the 110th step, looks at the black phoenix in terror. "How can Raven's sister awaken it?" The mere thought is terrorizing Lauren if the Clan investigates Raven's death for pleasing Divya, he will be found. A chill ran down his spine, and sweat appeared on his face.
Outside the Spirit of Nirvana Tower, a crowd of spectators and esteemed cultivators watched the events unfold on the projection crystal hovering in the air.
The moment the Black Phoenix burst forth from the shattered statue, a deafening silence fell over the entire area.
The Patriarch of the Kilvish Clan, Charles Kilvish, narrowed his gaze as he looked at Divya. "The awakening of the Black Phoenix Bloodline... finally, the Ancestor bloodline appears, but why appear on her? She was adopted by Elder Alvin, an outsider, so why did Black Phoenix choose her?".
He turned toward an old man in white robes.
Elder Alvin, grandfather of Divya, had tears welling in his eyes. His trembling lips could barely form words. "She… she awakened it. My granddaughter truly awakened the divine bloodline…"
But not everyone was pleased.
Elder George, the long-time rival of Elder Alvin, felt his heart skip a beat as he watched the Black Phoenix emerge and merge with Divya.
Panic crept into his eyes.
He clenched his fists tightly, trying to hide his unease beneath a calm facade, but the trembling of his lips betrayed him.
"Damn it… If that girl truly awakened the Black Phoenix Bloodline… Alvin's position in the clan will rise beyond reach," he muttered under his breath, his voice sharp with envy and fear. "This will tip the entire clan's balance."
He turned slightly, glancing at Charles Kilvish, the Patriarch, whose gaze was now fixed firmly on Elder Alvin with newfound respect.
George's heart sank.
This wasn't just a bloodline awakening; this was a political storm, and he was standing on the losing side.
Heavenly Dragon Adaeze, a revered cultivator from the Storm Clan, observed the scene with deep intrigue. "A divine beast awakening within a human vessel... I wonder how far this girl can go. The storm she brings may shake the entire Azure Sky Continent."
Lastly, Elder Adrian of the Jeral Clan stood still, fists clenched behind his back. "If that girl joins the Kilvish Clan fully… our clan may fall behind. That kind of bloodline hasn't appeared in centuries."
The air was tense.
Hope. Jealousy. Awe. Fear.
As the Black Phoenix merged with Divya, a new legend was being born before the eyes of the Azure Sky Continent.
And everyone present knew—
Nothing would ever be the same again.