The flames of the Black Phoenix still danced faintly behind Divya as she slowly descended from the final step. Her aura was completely transformed, noble, untouchable, and terrifying. The crowd outside remained in stunned silence, but within the tower, a storm was rising.
The Black Phoenix Bloodline was far from silent.
Her meridians glowed like rivers of molten light. The moment the Phoenix had merged with her soul, a torrent of pure, undying flame energy surged through her veins.
She trembled, falling to her knees not out of weakness, but due to the storm brewing inside her.
Boom!
Her cultivation base trembled violently. The barriers that held her back shattered like glass.
From Rank 2 Warrior, she soared past the Rank 3 barrier, past the initial Foundation Realm, Second stage of Foundation Realm,
Third stage of Foundation Realm,
Fourth stage of Foundation Realm,
and stopped only after stepping firmly into the Fourth Stage of the Foundation Realm. She soared through cultivation and surpassed her generation, even surpassing Kaal, who merged with the Origin core. Only Samrat Kilvis' cultivation surpassed hers, and the only reason he surpasses her is that he is older than her by five years.
Her aura exploded outward, sending a gentle gust across the staircase. Flames of black and violet fluttered behind her like wings.
Outside, the cultivators watching were stunned again.
Elder Alvin's eyes widened. He clenched the railing before him, whispering in disbelief:
"She… she leapt two entire stages into Foundation Realm in a single breath...!"
Even those from the Five sects and Four sects could not remain calm. Such a rapid breakthrough, especially during a bloodline awakening, was unprecedented.
Meanwhile, Elder George gritted his teeth. He had underestimated Divya because of her green-tier talent, and now the entire clan would remember Divya's name.
Back inside the tower, Divya slowly stood up.
Her long black hair fluttered behind her. Her green eyes now shimmered with a touch of violet flame. The ethereal mark of the Phoenix glowed faintly on her forehead.
Opposite her, Kaal stood like an ice block, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. His body pulsed with violent energy, and his heartbeat was beating like a war drum, not from the pressure of Divya's bloodline but from something inside Hell asura Bloodline.
Kaal was sure that the Hell asura Bloodline, which he gained from merging with the Origin core, and which provided him with the myriad of Thousand demon Physiques, was reacting to the Black phoenix bloodline. Suddenly, in Kaal's soul, Origin core spinning at a rapid pace, an Ancient Demonic voice was heard in kaal spiritual sea.
"All that crawl in shadow… all that howl in night…Bend thy knee before the Sovereign of the Demon God.For before the Hell Asura, even demons tremble… and submit."
" Devour… submit… dominate… "
" Phoenix must kneel. Bow to god..."
When Kaal opened his eyes, he understood everything about the Hell Asura bloodline, which he gained from the Origin core, granting him domination over demons. That's why he gained a Myriad of Thousand demon Physiques. By devouring demons, he can evolve and gain the demons' abilities, and now Hell Asura Bloodline wants to devour the essence blood of Black Phoenix, because Black Phoenix is also a demon.
Suddenly—
ROOOOAAARRRRR!!!
A terrifying demonic roar erupted from deep within Kaal's body.
A monstrous phantom erupted behind him, horned, winged, eyes red as dying suns. A terrifying demonic shadow cloaked the entire staircase in oppressive darkness.
The pressure of this demon instantly clashed with the aura of the Black Phoenix.Even the heavenly flames flickered.Divya's bloodline instinctively recoiled.
The demon was no longer just a shadow. It was a predator looking at the world with disdain.
Outside the Nirvana Tower, the crowd had fallen into a stunned silence. On the VIP platform, expressions varied like night and day.
On the highest pavilion, Charles Kilvish, Patriarch of the Kilvish Clan, stood without a word.
He watched as the demonic pressure rippled from his son's body so heavy, so ancient, so uncontrollable.
"Bella… our son may one day surpass the Ten Heavenly Dragons… and even tread into the Divine Realm," said Charles with pride.
Samrat, who usually had a proud face, was clutching his fist, a blood began to flow. How hard Samrat was clutching his fist.
"No… this isn't how it's supposed to be," he muttered. "I trained to surpass Raven… how can this be happening…"
His pupils shook. He could feel it if he if he comes near Kaal and Divya now, he'd be crushed by their bloodline awakening aura.
Ashen stood with a pale face, his body stiff.
This… this was the moment Raven was supposed to rise.
In the original story, during this exact trial, Raven awakened this demonic bloodline.. It was here where Divya willingly offered her essence blood, weakening her bloodline just so Raven could ignite the Phoenix Flame , a power meant to cleanse the world of demonic corruption.
It was the beginning of his rise to power… the moment when fate began to shift in his favor.
But now, due to Ashen's mistake, Raven was gone, killed by the very boy standing on the staircase.
And now the demonic bloodline, the core of Raven's future, had awakened inside Kaal, the villain of Volume 1.
Ashen clutched his head.
"The story is changing… no, it's collapsing…"
{ Back inside the tower }
The Black Phoenix screeched and spread its wings, engulfed in divine flame.
The Demonic Shadow roared back, dominating the space like a tyrant of chaos.
Their energies clashed, swirled, mixed, yet never fully collided—testing one another, teasing destruction. Phoenix fire spun around the demon like ribbons. In return, the demon's shadow wrapped around the phoenix like a net. They spun in circles, exchanged blows of aura, never truly striking like two entities testing each other's depth.
A predator circling its prey.A phoenix refusing to be consumed.
Kaal's body stood at the center of this deadly dance.
Then suddenly, the Nirvana Tower trembled, and both the Kaal demon phantom and Divya Phoenix aura were suppressed. Nirvana Tower was a Heaven-rank treasure, and that meant its spirit was at the Sea Realm. A childlike boy appears in front of them, it is the Spirit of the tower.
"Two stars awaken… one of fire, one of darkness… both burning against the sky," said Spirit in a childish voice, looking at Kaal and Divya, then he looked at the crowd and said
"First trial is over." With the wave of his hand, all the participants were thrown outside of the Nirvana Tower, and then he looked toward Charles, signaling him with his eyes to control the situation because of the True Dragon competition, other Clans and Sects were invited, and this time both bloodline awakening is accident, this is the Kilvis clan's core secret which can never be seen by the outsider.
Charles also nodded his head towards the Spirit with respect, indicating that he understood. Spirit takes a last look at Kaal and Divya, then Spirit vanishes.
Ashen in the look towards Kaal, and whispered to himself:
" In the novel, this trial gave birth to a Demon Emperor. But now… the demon wears another face. What have I done?"