Qin Chen stood before the floating Infernal God's Scripture, his golden eyes flickering with an unreadable expression.
The text within the scripture radiated pure flame essence, each character burning with divine energy, warping the very space around it.
The Infernal Abyss Beast remained silent, its golden pupils locked onto Qin Chen.
"This scripture," it rumbled, "is not something that can simply be read. It is a trial in itself. It does not choose those who are unworthy. It consumes them."
Qin Chen's lips curled into a smirk.
"I've already devoured Sovereign Flames once. Let's see what your so-called trial can do to me."
With that, he reached forward—
BOOOOM!
The moment his fingertips brushed the scripture, the world shattered around him.
Qin Chen's vision went white.
Then—
He was somewhere else.
The Trial of the Infernal God
Qin Chen opened his eyes to find himself standing in a vast void of burning crimson light.
There was no sky. No ground.
Only fire.
Yet, these flames were different.
They weren't just heat. They carried a will.
The sheer pressure of the flames bore down on him, pressing against his very existence as if the fire itself was judging whether he was worthy.
Then—
A voice echoed through the flames.
"You stand before the flames of eternity, yet you seek to command them?"
Qin Chen's golden flames flickered violently in response.
He smirked.
"Command them?" His voice was laced with defiance. "I am fire."
BOOOOOOOM!
The world trembled.
As if enraged by his arrogance, the flames descended upon him.
Flames of a Sovereign vs. The Fire Sovereign Dao Body
The fire was alive.
It swirled around Qin Chen in waves, trying to crush him. Not just burn him—consume him.
Qin Chen stood tall.
His golden flames surged around his body, forming the shape of a majestic phoenix.
The fire in this world wanted to test him?
Then he would burn it back.
BOOOOOM!
He released his flames in full force, clashing against the Sovereign Flames of the trial.
The void trembled.
The two flames battled in an apocalyptic struggle, golden fire against ancient Sovereign Flames.
Qin Chen felt the difference.
These flames weren't like the staircase flames.
They weren't just Sovereign Flames.
They were something beyond that.
They bore the will of a true flame sovereign.
For the first time—his golden flames were losing ground.
The fire began to seep through his defense, burning his skin. His Dao Body was resisting, but the flames were starting to overpower him.
Qin Chen gritted his teeth.
No.
He wasn't going to lose.
If golden flames weren't enough… then he would evolve beyond them.
The Next Stage – Purple-Golden Flames
Qin Chen stretched out his hands, feeling the rhythm of the flames.
His Dao Body trembled, as if it was on the verge of something new.
Something greater.
His body ached, but deep inside his dantian, his Sovereign Flames suddenly compressed.
And then—
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The golden flames surrounding Qin Chen darkened.
Their hue deepened.
From a pure golden radiance, they began to shift—
A new color emerged.
Not just gold.
But a deep violet hue intertwined with it.
Purple-Golden Flames.
A higher form of Sovereign Flames.
His Dao Body had evolved.
The flames no longer struggled against the Sovereign Flames of the trial.
They devoured them.
Qin Chen's eyes snapped open.
His flames surged outward, drowning the entire trial realm in a sea of purple-golden infernos.
The will of the Sovereign Flames tried to resist—
But they were being consumed.
Erased.
Dominated.
Then—
Everything collapsed.
A New Power – The Infernal God's Scripture
Qin Chen's vision returned to reality.
He was back in the palace.
The Infernal Abyss Beast stared at him with a rare expression of shock.
Qin Chen raised his hand, watching the newly evolved flames flicker across his fingertips.
Ding!
[Congratulations! Your Fire Sovereign Dao Body has advanced!]
New Form: Purple-Golden Flames – A higher-tier Sovereign Flame.
Effects: Able to suppress and devour other flames below its level. Increased destructive force and compression.
Ding!
[Congratulations! You have comprehended the Infernal God's Scripture!]
You have gained a new ability: [Infernal God's Domain]
Qin Chen's eyes flickered.
A domain?
He accessed the details.
Infernal God's Domain – A domain of absolute fire suppression.
-All flames below the level of the user will instantly submit upon activation.
-Increases fire attribute power by 300% within the domain.
-Enemies inside the domain will have their fire-based attacks weakened.
-Higher mastery can allow for domain expansion and domain fusion.
Qin Chen's smirk deepened.
This… was broken.
Before he could think further, a familiar sound echoed in his mind.
Ding!
[Mission Complete!]
The Infernal Trial – Subdue the Crimson Hellstorm Domain
Reward: 20,000 SP + ??? (Hidden Reward Pending)
Qin Chen barely had time to process the notification before—
Ding!
A second system notification appeared, this one different.
[Hidden Mission Completed – You Have Stepped Onto the True Path of Fire]
Mission Level: SSS-Rank
Qin Chen's eyes flickered.
SSS-Rank?
That was the highest difficulty level he had ever seen in the system.
Ding!
[Due to the host's unprecedented growth, a hidden reward has been granted!]
The system originally expected you to reach this stage much later in your journey, yet you have already taken the first step toward the peak of flame cultivation.
Congratulations, Qin Chen.
Hidden Mission Rewards:
-100,000 SP – A divine-tier reward for stepping onto the true path of fire.
-1x Mythical Lottery Spin – A spin that contains only legendary and divine-tier treasures.
-[Eternal Flame Baptism] – A one-time tempering process to further refine your Fire Sovereign Dao Body.
Qin Chen's expression shifted and his jaw nearly hit the ground.
100,000 SP?
A Mythical Spin?
And… Eternal Flame Baptism?
His heart pounded.
The system had never given him rewards like this before.
Ding!
[Explanation: The Eternal Flame Baptism will allow your Fire Sovereign Dao Body to experience its first true refinement, solidifying its new evolution. This process will make your flames more condensed, increase your Qi purity, and set the foundation for future advancements.]
Qin Chen inhaled sharply.
This wasn't just a reward.
This was the system acknowledging his insane growth rate.
For the first time, it wasn't just handing him tools—it was actively preparing him for something much greater.
He clenched his fists, golden-purple flames flickering around him.
"System," he smirked, "I think I might actually like you."
Ding!
[You should. This is only the beginning.]
Putting away his current excitement, he turned back to the Infernal Abyss Beast.
"So?" Qin Chen's purple-golden flames flickered. "Am I worthy now?"
The Infernal Abyss Beast exhaled deeply, its massive form lowering in acknowledgment.
"For the first time in my existence…"
It paused.
"I think the Fire Sovereign might actually have a successor."
Qin Chen simply smirked.
This was only the beginning.