Aftermath

Inside the stone chamber similar to the one where the second Trial Ground seal was located...

Meng's unconscious body was seen lying on the bed covered in bandages with only his pants on. Golden eyes were constantly observing his condition with a deep astonishment visible inside them.

'This human's cultivation base started rising after defeating that Physique Devil and just now it broke through the 10th stage of Elementary Profound Strength straight into Nascent Realm...Despite his cultivation increasing during these 3 days that he is unconscious, his cultivation base always first stabilize before increasing, strange...Even the drop of Phoenix blood I granted him...despite not fusing with it, I can feel its presence on his body, mainly on his back. Did his strange Physique devour it to make his body more immune to flames?' Phoenix spirit thought while curiously looking at Meng's body from all angles like a curious child.

"Hm?" Phoenix spirit noticed that Meng's previous expressionless face was suddenly replaced by a comfortable smile that would be able to smite the hearts of numerous women.

'What is he dreaming about?' Phoenix spirit thought.

Meanwhile...

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2 naked figures were standing near each other. One of the figures was Meng who was standing in front while behind hugged from behind by a woman with crimson long hair reaching up to her ample butt. The woman's plentiful breasts were pressing against Meng's back and her entire body was revealing comfortable warmth.

Meng was just enjoying the sensation however, suddenly the girl hugging him put her mouth close to his right ear and started whispering in a bewitching voice: "Big brother Meng, I need to feel your fat juicy-" *CRACK* Meng's smile disappeared and a crack appeared inside the white room where they were standing.

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"FUCK YOU VISTA!" Meng suddenly opened his eyes and swiftly sat up before shouting out.

[It was all part of training]

'Fuck your training, if I won't strangle you today, I will no longer be called Su Meng!'

[But we are one- gah! Don't strangle your own soul, host!!!] Vista for the first time yelled out in pain but Meng's own face was also getting pale.

"A bad dream?" Meng suddenly heard a female voice in his head and he immediately stopped tampering with his soul and froze in place.

[*cough* Thank you for stopping him, dignified Phoenix spirit.]

Meng turned to his left and saw golden eyes looking at him in visible confusion, occasionally looking at his lower half of the body.

This quite startled Meng but he quickly calmed down and looked at his lower half of the body just to see a tall dignified tent set-up between his legs.

"...What? It's a common reaction among humans called morning wood, it shows that I am a very healthy individual." Meng replied with a tranquil expression.

"Morning wood?" Phoenix spirit repeated with a confused tone.

"Let's forget about the morning wood...This room...bandages...Thank you." Meng started looking around for the first time since he woke up and noticed a lot of bandages on his body. He knew that no one else could have entered while he is inside so he didn't even bother asking and he directly thanked Phoenix spirit while lightly bowing his head.

'?! This is...My cultivation base rose from the 8th stage of Elementary Profound Realm directly to the 2nd stage of Nascent Profound Realm?! And 12 more of my profound entrances were forcibly opened, making it 34 opened profound entrances. I can already feel that the flow of my profound energy is much faster and my cultivation speed also sped up by a notch.' Meng thought while observing the changes in his body.

"No need for showing me gratitude, human, you have shown me something very interesting. All I did was to help you recover, you would have recovered all alone anyway."

"...Would you like to explore the outside world instead of being "trapped" here in this Trial Ground?" Meng asked with a curious tone.

"Eh? Although I am an independent existence, this has been Phoenix's will, to oversee this Trial Ground. Actually, there are 2 trial grounds on this continent. The other Phoenix spirit actually formed a consciousness it should have never had and disobeyed the Phoenix's will..." Phoenix spirit was slightly surprised by Meng's question and proceeded to explain what happened with the other Phoenix spirit that got corrupted.

"I see...but you are a soul fragment of the Divine Phoenix, it should be possible to split it in two...One with all the knowledge necessary to manage the trial ground and the other one capable of having its own consciousness." Meng asked with a curious look in his eyes.

"Why would I want to leave the Trial Ground anyway?" Phoenix spirit asked in a confused tone.

"How about reviving the Phoenix's former glory? How about proudly traversing the skies once again? Are those reasons not enough? In my own opinion, I would like to see such a magnificent sight albeit, now I can only imagine it." Meng shrugged his shoulders and asked with a carefree smile.

"Those goals sound very good but I mus- want to obey Phoenix's last will. On the other hand...the theory of splitting the soul into 2 parts and leaving the one with all the necessary knowledge to carry on the Trial Ground here sounds plausible. However regaining a new body of Phoenix will be an impossible task and my soul can't leave this place as it serves as my medium, I am allowed to leave but I will slowly die without a good medium where I can slowly regain some of my powers, obviously also with someone's help." Phoenix spirit was hesitant however it was visible that it was thinking of actually regaining its body and once again proudly flying across the universe. Not because it wanted to desperately live but because this way, the former Phoenix could regain its glory and form even more legacies in the future, after all, these legacies left by the previous Phoenix won't last forever.

[Why would the host want the small part of the soul of Phoenix to follow him? It would take a long time to regain its body, power, and return to its former glory.]

'One must know how to choose allies, having this possible future Phoenix as an ally will be a great asset. If I will help it along the way, it will be completely loyal to me, in long term, it's not a bad idea to try. I will also need to use something as a medium...can you do something about it Vista?'

[I am able to bound its soul to the host's soul but I guess that won't be necessary as the host already possesses the item capable of hosting the fragment of Phoenix's soul. Not everything with divine and immortal beings has to involve heaven-defying treasures]

'I do...? Wait, you don't mean-!'

"Don't mention the word impossible in front of me...Although I can't promise anything in the span of a few years, I am sure I would be able to restore your body in the future. As for medium, we can bound our souls together, which would mean me becoming your new host similar case with this Trial Ground or we could use...this as a medium!" Meng said and brought out the spear from his inventory, spinning it a few times in his right hand.

"...That spear...I wanted to mention it before but it's a completely regular spear even among the other profound practitioners on this continent." Phoenix spirit said in a blank tone but its words caused Meng to narrow his eyes.

"Please don't insult my spear...by insulting it, you are insulting me. This spear is as special as I am. If I am worthless in your eyes then this spear is naturally worthless too...When we are together we are one entity." Meng said with a serious expression, not backing even in front of the terrifying eyes of the Phoenix spirit.

'Spiritual Resonance! He was actually able to form such a strong bond with such a regular weapon! Even that regular spear which shouldn't have any consciousness is responding to his words by releasing a faint sharp aura around itself. If his body were to host my soul, it would interfere with my recovery and his progress but this kind of medium is perfect. I would still be able to maintain a bond to his soul without interfering with it or his body. With me inside that spear, it would also become much stronger...there is no disadvantage in this.' Phoenix Spirit thought with wide-open eyes.

"Human, what's your name?"

"Su Meng...I guess Phoenix spirit doesn't have one, right?" Meng replied.

"I have none nor I remember ever having one...I am willing to try out your proposition, however, I will leave a larger part of the soul here to maintain the legacy, therefore I will most likely be asleep for a long time inside that spear but at least I will enhance it. Are you willing to take such a burden when I won't be of much help even when I wake up from my slumber?" Phoenix spirit asked, attentively looking at Meng.

Meng brought out his spare clothes and replied while dressing up...

"If you mean that you will be feeding yourself on my Yang energy, you won't be a burden at all and as long as a tiny part of the soul remains, I believe that it can be fully recovered, maybe not all memories but I trust you will be able to return to your former glory."

'Will she be able to notice your presence, Vista?'

[As long as she won't be hosted directly inside the host's body...impossible. Additionally, once she wakes up from her slumber, she will be able to leave the spear in her spiritual form but she won't be seen by others as only the host has high resonance with this spear. The stronger her soul will grow, the stronger will the host's spear become.]

"Alright, I will start the process, you can help and fasten the process by helping with your pure Yin energy. You might even learn how to slightly manipulate with the souls this way" Phoenix spirit said and the golden eyes suddenly disappeared, being replaced by the bright golden soul.

'This is just a fragment of the Phoenix's soul?! How strong it must have looked in its complete state?! Still, it looks like this Phoenix spirit trusts me quite a lot since she isn't afraid of showing her soul bound to this place to me. I think we will get along just fine...that is after she wakes up'

"Before I will continue the process of splitting my soul, be aware that your body is emitting a faint Phoenix's presence. Divine Phoenix Empire might not like it, however...you can't really use actual Phoenix's flames, even its presence isn't that strong for regular people with Phoenix's bloodline to notice. Still, your flames are comparable to the flames of the Three Supreme Fire Attribute Beasts, others might misunderstand your flames and think you have Phoenix's bloodline and somehow you are capable of hiding your flame imprint. And...there might be one person capable of recognizing your special condition. Phoenix's blood wasn't fused with your blood but it was devoured and absorbed into your strange Physique, making you more immune to fire. Maybe Divine Phoenix Pellet might be able to increase your cultivation base this way despite not having Phoenix's bloodline."