Trial and Discipleship

Upon hearing Dasheng's words, Huang Wuye took his leave and found an attendant to lead him to visit the Huoyu King.

Huang Wuye followed the guiding attendant as they sped along for some time, finally arriving before a grand palace. A red carpet stretched out from the entrance, winding its way into the distance.

"Respected Highness, this is where the Huoyu King resides. I cannot accompany you any further."

The attendant pointed toward a palace and spoke to Huang Wuye before taking his leave.

After the attendant departed, Huang Wuye descended from the sky, landed on the red carpet, and began walking toward the palace.

In the blink of an eye, he reached the palace gates, where a pair of armored guards stood watch. Above the entrance hung a plaque bearing three large characters: Huoyu Palace.

"Tsk tsk, using World Lords as guards—truly extravagant." Huang Wuye examined the pair, clicking his tongue in surprise.

The guards noticed Huang Wuye approaching. One of them spoke coldly: "Halt. This is Huoyu Palace; no one is permitted to approach without cause. Do you have an appointment?"

"Greetings. I am Huang Wuye, here at the invitation of the Huoyu King. Please announce my arrival!" Huang Wuye stated his purpose calmly and clearly.

"Wait." Upon hearing Huang Wuye's words, the guard's expression shifted. He uttered the cold command, then turned and walked into the palace.

"The Master is waiting for you inside. You may enter on your own."

Before long, the guard returned, offering a faint smile as he gestured for Huang Wuye to enter.

Huang Wuye did not linger, nodded to the guard, and stepped into the grand hall.

As he crossed the threshold, space and time shifted, and he arrived in an unfamiliar dimension.

Looking at the cosmic starry sky before him, Huang Wuye was somewhat surprised; it was quite different from the grand hall he had imagined.

However, he did not remain astonished for long. He locked his gaze on a central star field, surmising that the Huoyu King must be there.

Just as he was about to head in that direction, a subtle change occurred.

Without warning, sheets of flame enveloped him from all sides. Huang Wuye looked at the world now consumed by fire and felt a stir in his heart. This was likely the Huoyu King's test.

Feeling the temperature rising around him, Huang Wuye did not hesitate; he actively stepped into the sea of flames.

The power of these flames is only at the Universe level. If this is the Huoyu King's test, it cannot be as simple as merely resisting the heat. Huang Wuye furrowed his brows, contemplating the Huoyu King's intent.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up, as if he had realized something.

Since it is not about resisting the power, it must be about secret techniques and laws. Laws are the most suitable standard for measuring a genius. Therefore, these flames must contain some profound mystery. The more Huang Wuye thought, the more certain he became of his hypothesis, and he immediately withdrew the genetic energy protecting his body.

A searing sensation radiated from the areas in contact with the flames. Huang Wuye's eyes brightened, and he sat cross-legged on the spot.

Flames have many characteristics, but the most common are temperature and combustion. The most common manifestation of the Origin Law of Fire is also temperature and combustion. Huang Wuye wandered through the flame-filled space, using his body to feel the different sensations the fire provided in various areas.

Little by little, insights flooded in, making his eyes shine ever brighter. He had been wrong—completely wrong. The direction of his previous comprehension of the laws had been mistaken.

In the past, he had relied on his genetic strength, which far exceeded that of ordinary people, and the powerful affinity granted by his soul to force his way through the laws.

This meant he knew the "what" of the Origin Law of Fire, but not the "why." This approach was invincible in the early stages, but as his comprehension deepened, it became increasingly difficult.

This was also the reason why his progress in comprehending the laws had slowed down during his Planetary and Stellar stages.

Although his speed of comprehension remained constant, the laws were not just something to be forced; beyond the most basic principles, they required an understanding of their application.

At this moment, Huang Wuye realized he needed to understand the essential nature of the laws, or his progress would remain sluggish.

Through these flames, Huang Wuye finally understood, and a stream of inspiration continued to flow.

It could be said that this trip was not in vain; this single test had pointed him in the right direction.

"Alright, little one, you really have taken my place as a training ground." Just as Huang Wuye was immersed in his epiphany, a gentle voice rang out, startling him awake.

Huang Wuye opened his eyes to see a man standing before him.

He realized that, at some point, he had been teleported to the man's side. This man must be the Huoyu King.

The Huoyu King had long, fiery red hair and a very ordinary face, but his eyes seemed to contain an entire world of flames.

The Laws of Fire surged around him, as if he existed outside of this space-time. His aura was not overtly displayed, yet countless stars seemed to drift beneath his feet.

He fixed his gaze on Huang Wuye, observing him closely.

Looking at the man's fiery red hair, a thought flashed through Huang Wuye's mind, and a guess emerged.

"Huang Wuye, is it? It seems our clan has produced another talented junior. Would you be willing to become my disciple?" After a careful inspection, the Huoyu King looked at the young man before him, reminded of his own youth, and spoke.

"This disciple is willing! Disciple Huang Wuye pays respects to Master." Huang Wuye was overjoyed, though he quickly steadied his mind and bowed respectfully.

"Good, good, good." The Huoyu King repeated the word three times, clearly very satisfied. He then began to introduce the situation of his other disciples.

"I have over twenty disciples; you are the lowest in rank, my twenty-fourth disciple."

"Excluding those who have fallen, there are seventeen of my disciples remaining, including you. Among them, five are Marquis-level Immortals, and eleven are King-level Immortals."

"However, most of them are not on Desolate God Mountain; they are mostly adventuring in the Outer Battlefield or secret realms."

Huang Wuye was somewhat surprised. Even though he had heard that the Huoyu King was skilled at teaching, he had not expected it to be this outrageous.

Looking at the ratio, it seemed the Huoyu King had taken him in partly because he was a member of the Desolate God Clan. After all, the Huoyu King did not yet know the extent of his talent.

"Alright, that is enough for you to understand the general situation of the sect. I will give you some materials later. Now, let me speak about your situation."

The Huoyu King was very satisfied with Huang Wuye's performance, then shifted the topic to Huang Wuye's cultivation.

"According to the intelligence from the clan, you are not yet twenty years old. Even with the help of the clan's resources, your current achievements are extraordinary."

"Your comprehension of the Law of Fire and the Law of Space is quite high, which shows your talent is exceptional. However, I see that your understanding of the laws is somewhat superficial, which suggests you have mostly been cultivating on your own and rarely sought guidance from the strong within the clan. Thus, you lack a proper foundation in the study of the laws." The Huoyu King was pleased by the information from the clan, praising Huang Wuye first before shifting his tone.