All eyes were focused on the Fire God, trying to capture the supreme majesty of a deity from his resolute and arrogant face and solemn declaration.
However, the clear and crisp "young boy's voice" was too abrupt, making the sense of awe that was building up always fall short of something, and the atmosphere was inexplicably stagnant and subtle.
Kong Xuan was about to respond to this formal declaration of inheritance when, unexpectedly, the Fire God couldn't hold back any longer.
The serious expression he had been trying so hard to maintain deflated like a punctured balloon, instantly turning into a look of helpless embarrassment.
He even raised his hand and scratched his fiery red hair in annoyance, a gesture that made him look more like a temperamental teenager than an ancient deity.
"All right."
He said, as if giving up, his clear voice regaining its natural liveliness, even carrying a hint of relief. "I'm still not used to pretending to be that old-fashioned persona, it's exhausting!"
This sudden "breakdown" relieved everyone who was initially unsure how to react, and some even couldn't help but chuckle.
The Fire God seemed completely unconcerned that his newly established "prestige" had vanished. He casually waved his hand, his gaze sweeping over everyone.
"Since you received Evelyn's guidance and went through so much trouble to find this place, it can be considered fate."
"Then let's give it a try and see if any of you have the luck and ability to become my successor."
He paused, blinked his golden-red eyes, and added, "But let me make this clear beforehand, my power isn't so easy to take."
"If you fail the trial, get burned, or are frightened, don't blame me."
Only now did everyone truly get to know this Fire God. Not only was his voice and appearance a surprising contrast, but his personality was also completely different from his arrogant appearance.
Contrary to expectations of a divine being's imposing aura and aloof personality, it instead exudes an unconventional and even somewhat eccentric temperament.
This fiery Fire God dispelled the last vestiges of tension and restraint in everyone's hearts, instantly easing the atmosphere considerably.
Kong Xuan stepped forward and asked, "Senior Fire God, how should we receive the inheritance?"
Upon hearing this, Fire God turned his gaze to Kong Xuan, a hint of appreciation flashing in his golden-red eyes.
He grinned and pointed to the Heavenly Flames that was always quietly flickering in the center of the circular platform behind him.
"Accept the trial of the Primordial Divine Fire; it will determine whether someone is worthy of my legacy."
The figure of the Fire God suddenly flickered, like two clusters of flames flashing alternately, leaving only a fading golden-red afterimage in place. The next moment, he was leaning against the edge of the round platform.
Kong Xuan and the others exchanged glances, then stepped forward and stood around the circular platform, forming a loose semi-circle. All eyes were focused on the cluster of flames in the center of the platform.
The Fire God tilted his head, his long, fiery red hair cascading over his shoulders as he spoke. In his signature clear voice, he explained, "The rules are simple: just touch this Primordial Divine Fire with your body."
Fire God's gaze slowly swept across everyone's faces as he softly asked, "So... who wants to go first?"
After he finished speaking, a brief silence fell around the round platform.
Only the dim, reddish light cast by the lava canopy above flickered on everyone's faces.
Upon hearing this, the group exchanged glances.
In the brief silence, Xu Tianyi took a deep breath, a resolute glint in his eyes.
"I'll go first!"
He gave a low shout, and before anyone could react, he stepped forward and walked straight to the edge of the round platform.
His almost instinctive desire for power overwhelmed all hesitation. Without further thought, he raised his right arm, opened his palm, and reached out without hesitation toward the cluster of leaping " Primordial Divine Fire "!
The instant your finger touched the tip of the flame...
The expected excruciating pain of having my tendons burned and bones melted did not occur; there was not even the slightest burning sensation.
The flame seemed to have no physical form, or rather, it seemed to have no temperature.
Xu Tianyi felt an indescribable force instantly invade his palm, and then, like a nimble snake, it swiftly and silently burrowed into his body along the meridians of his arm!
This force is not destructive, but it carries a penetrating sense of "examination."
It flows through the limbs and bones, seeps into the internal organs, and even gently brushes the edge of the Sea of Consciousness.
In an instant, it seemed to have thoroughly examined him, from his very soul to his physical aptitude.
Xu Tianyi stood frozen in place, closing his eyes and concentrating, fully experiencing this strange sensation.
All eyes around the circular platform were fixed on him, holding their breath in anticipation.
Suddenly, a black light shone from between Xu Tianyi's brows, quickly outlining a flame-shaped mark!
The mark flickered briefly, then slowly faded away, disappearing beneath the skin.
Xu Tianyi slowly opened his eyes, a hint of disappointment flashing deep within them.
He looked down at his hand, which had touched the flames but showed no abnormality, and slowly withdrew it.
"Not bad!"
The Fire God's clear voice rang out at just the right moment, breaking the silence.
He leaned against the edge of the round platform, stroking his chin, and looked at Xu Tianyi: "The first attempt directly triggered the Six Trials."
"He's fairly decisive, his mental resilience is up to par, he has a thirst for power, and his foundation... well, it's been honed to a solid level."
He nodded, then changed the subject. "However, the six tests only prove that you are qualified to undergo my basic trials and receive some of my blessings."
"As for truly inheriting my divine position..."
He shrugged, his unspoken meaning clear.
Everyone knew that when Meng Hongchen obtained the Ice God's inheritance, it triggered the Six Trials, but that was already the formal assessment for inheriting the divine position.
However, judging from the tone of Fire God's voice at this moment, his sixth trial seemed to merely mean that he had obtained the opportunity to participate in the trials.
The difficulty and threshold of Fire God Inheritance are clearly much higher than they had anticipated.
After Xu Tianyi took the lead, the rest of the group followed suit.
Xu Wei, Shui Ling, Xiao Hongchen, and the others successively reached their hands into the cluster of Primordial Divine Fire, and streaks of flame marks appeared and disappeared between their brows.
In the end, everyone's face showed some degree of disappointment.
Xu Wei, Xu Wei, Shui Ling Xu Tianyi, and others triggered the Six Tests.
Xiao Hongchen's aptitude was clearly superior; the flame mark between his brows flashed seven times, earning him the evaluation of the Seventh Test.
The attempt to Qiangu Fuliu has brought the current results to their peak—eight flashes of light and shadow, eight tests!
However, even after the highest level of the eighth test, the Fire God only raised an eyebrow slightly and gave a crisp evaluation of "very good," still far from meeting the standard he spoke of for inheriting the divine position.
At this moment, only three people remain who have not yet tried: Kong Xuan, Kong Ling, and Gu Yuena, who has been standing quietly by watching.
The God of Fire God's gaze moved back and forth between Kong Xuan and Kong Ling with great interest, and deep within his golden-red pupils, it seemed as if even purer sparks were dancing.
As for Gu Yuena, she didn't even glance at her out of the corner of her eye.
As a remnant of a god, even with only a fraction of his power remaining, he could still see that Gu Yuena was the incarnation of Soul Beast. She was the least likely to accept his inheritance, so naturally she was not within his consideration.
His attention was mostly focused on Kong Xuan.
Without a doubt, Kong Xuan was the best choice in the God of Fire God's heart, both in terms of body and soul.
Therefore, Fire God looked directly at Kong Xuan and asked, "Aren't you going to come up and try?"