Shenhuo Gate, Heavenly Fire Mountain Range.
At this moment Ma Hongjun was inside a special underground lava space. His handsome face carried a solemn expression and his eyes were fixed tightly ahead.
Only he remained in this space. The details of the Fire God Sixth Trial flashed through his mind one by one.
A hundred meters in front of him stood a giant lava demon twenty to thirty meters tall, burning with divine flame and entirely composed of molten lava.
This lava demon was comparable to a one hundred thousand year soul beast. Every movement produced terrifying pressure and scorching heat.
Ma Hongjun's face was cold and stern. Phoenix fire ignited around his body and eight soul rings rose around him three purple three black and two red.
He was now an eight ring Soul Douluo. Due to the Fire God Nine Trials the years of his soul rings had been increased. At eighty fifth level even facing this lava demon he felt immense pressure.
This was not a test of how long he could hold on under the demon's attacks but to defeat it head on.
This was the content of his sixth trial with a time limit of one year. Half a year had already passed and he had fought this lava demon countless times. Each time he was nearly defeated and forced to retreat.
The lava demon's strength was top tier even among one hundred thousand year soul beasts.
With Ma Hongjun's foundation and strength he could already handle most Titled Douluo but defeating this lava demon was still impossible.
Every time Ma Hongjun was about to break through his limits and defeat it the demon would suddenly erupt with even greater power and counterattack.
Ma Hongjun understood this was the Fire God's test a tempering of his abilities again and again. But he refused to yield and never lost heart.
If once is not enough he will challenge ten times. Ten times fail then one hundred times. One day he will defeat the lava demon head on and maybe even use it as his ninth soul ring.
He still had no soul spirit. His seventh soul ring came from the inner core of the Ten Headed烈阳 snake and his eighth was a divine bestowed soul ring. The ninth soul ring might very well be this lava demon.
He not only wanted its soul ring and soul bone but also to make it his soul spirit serving him loyally.
As for the tenth ring needed to become a god his boss had already chosen the best candidate a three hundred thousand year Three Headed Crimson Demon Mastiff.
It was a member of the Star Dou Alliance. Oscar even took Ma Hongjun to communicate with it once.
When the Crimson King heard it could become the soul spirit of the Fire God heir and follow him into the God Realm as a divine officer it became extremely excited.
That was why even though Oscar promised the position of Beast God to Di Tian the Crimson King was unmoved.
Ranking by strength among the Star Alliance the Extreme North Alliance and the Sun Moon Continent's Evil Spirit Alliance it was definitely near the bottom.
Even with all future promises fulfilled Di Tian would still be first and the rest in order of strength. The Crimson King would still have little chance to advance.
Since that was the case it was better to follow the Fire God heir. It might enter the God Realm and serve as a divine officer while Di Tian and the others had not gone up yet.
Why refuse such a chance
So it agreed immediately. As long as Ma Hongjun could defeat it one day it would follow him without hesitation.
The Crimson King was not foolish. If Ma Hongjun could not even defeat it then talking about ascending to heaven was a joke.
The lava demon might not be stronger than the Crimson King but it would not be much weaker either.
It was a spirit born from the earth veins of the Heavenly Fire Mountain Range guarding the Fire God legacy. Its strength could not be compared to ordinary one hundred thousand year soul beasts.
The eight headed fire phoenix phantom spread its wings emitting loud phoenix cries. Eight soul rings pulsed and the blood red seventh ring lit up. Ma Hongjun transformed into an eight headed fire phoenix as large as the lava demon.
Although he was only level eighty five his foundation was deep and his strength powerful. With the martial soul true body his power far surpassed soul masters of the same rank.
Then rings of red light expanded outward. A top tier domain erupted Phoenix Domain.
This was the innate domain awakened after absorbing the Ten Headed烈阳 snake inner core and evolving his martial soul.
Inside the Phoenix Domain all avian soul beasts were suppressed and terrifying flames filled the space. His phoenix flames were close to the level of the ultimate fire.
Unfortunately the lava demon was completely unaffected. Its own Lava Domain canceled out the Phoenix Domain.
With the two domains countering each other neither side gained an advantage.
Soul rings lit consecutively and he launched a ferocious assault.
Phoenix Cloud Piercer Phoenix Meteor Shower Phoenix Heart Devouring Chain unleashed in combination pushing with overwhelming force.
But after many battles the lava demon also understood his abilities.
It slapped the ground and countless molten boulders shot into the sky to intercept the meteor shower.
The control effect of the Devouring Chain burned it painfully as if its spirit was being scorched but it quickly dissolved into lava escaped and reformed.
Then it punched out with a massive lava fist.
The eight headed phoenix extended a huge claw of condensed fire.
Phoenix Ninth Style Phoenix Seal
The two fought fiercely for an unknown length of time. The fire phoenix was nearly broken and the lava demon was also miserable missing an arm and with its body dim.
Ma Hongjun fought more and more fiercely which frustrated the demon. This guy improved too fast.
In only half a year originally it could crush him but now it was being beaten so hard.
The eight headed phoenix let out a tragic laugh ignoring its injuries. The sixth black ring lit up.
Sixth Soul Skill Phoenix Nirvana
At that moment Ma Hongjun instantly recovered to peak condition and all soul rings merged into the sixth.
Become one with flame fire into rings forged a hundred times Phoenix Nirvana Phoenix Ninth Style Phoenix Hellfire
A phoenix cry sounded. The Hellfire had reached the level of ultimate fire. The lava demon resisted with everything it had and both sides collided again.
Boom boom boom
The demon was pushed back step by step. Its body melted and half of it nearly disappeared but a strange power rose from the earth vein and filled its body restoring it again.
It was a spirit of the earth vein and the Heavenly Fire Mountain Range would naturally protect it. But the strength provided was limited and half a year of support had worn thin.
This time the earth vein power only barely prevented its destruction and nothing more.
It still lacked one arm but at least it could continue fighting.
It sensed that next time it might not be able to win. This time it had to crush the opponent.
Otherwise if Ma Hongjun wins next time it will suffer greatly.
But Ma Hongjun smiled. I knew you had reached your limit. My judgment was correct.
Countless flames flowed into his body. All his soul power gathered. The Phoenix Domain trembled and the power of the entire lava world was sucked into him.
Without the earth vein protecting you what will you fight me with
The eighth blood red soul ring lit up. All soul power concentrated into this one hundred thousand year soul skill.
The eight headed phoenix erupted in unprecedented brilliance. He bet everything on this strike.
Eighth Soul Skill Divine Phoenix Heaven Demon Extinction
The phoenix became a divine bird burning golden fire and charged at the demon.
He was determined to win.
The demon's eyes widened. It had seen this soul skill before but never this powerful.
Now without the earth vein and this youth still had soul power for a one hundred thousand year skill.
It gathered its full power into one punch.
Heaven Shattering Earth Splitting Fist
The two terrifying attacks collided creating massive tremors throughout the mountain.
Boom
When the dust cleared the eight headed phoenix was gone the lava demon vanished and only Ma Hongjun remained tattered and bloody.
His breath was weak but he won.
The lava demon retreated into its source form and fled into the earth vein to heal.
A solemn voice echoed in Ma Hongjun's mind:
Ma Hongjun Fire God Sixth Trial complete. Fire God affinity increased ten percent total affinity sixty percent.
Since only half the allotted time was used rewards increased. All soul rings gain fifteen hundred years. Soul power level increased by three.
Ma Hongjun instantly floated in midair. His wounds healed as a special power washed through his body. His soul power rose to level eighty eight.
Though the colors of his rings did not change the third purple ring was nearly ten thousand years.
Each early completion increased rewards and his wounds would be fully restored with affinity upgrades.
This meant he could fight without fear. As long as he succeeded all damage would recover instantly.
But if he failed without certainty of victory he must never risk this method.
This time he succeeded only because he calculated that the earth vein aid to the demon had weakened.
He spent everything including risking his foundation to defeat it.
If he failed there would be no reward and his core would be damaged permanently.
Fortunately he won.
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