Soul Emperor Awakening

They had been waiting in front of the Cultivation Chamber ever since the Token reappeared. A full day had passed, yet the great door remained shut! Normally, he should have been able to come out as soon as the Token returned, but now an entire day had gone by, and Lin Xuan still hadn't emerged!

"Haha, I told you he was an idiot! What's the use of lasting so long? In the end, he's just dead in there!" Mo Qianyun roared with laughter, his eyes filled with disdain. Though he appeared calm on the surface, he was secretly breathing a sigh of relief.

'If Lin Xuan had actually passed the King's Purgatory, was I really supposed to hand over my position as Floor Master? Don't be ridiculous. I'd never give up this spot.'

"Looks like he really died in there. Dammit, he lasted a whole month! How could he fail to come out after all that?"

"My ten thousand Energy Points! All gone, just like that!"

"Whew, good thing I only bet five hundred Points. This Reincarnation Level task was already incredibly difficult. You were just asking to lose betting so much!"

…

Many of the Demon Cultivators who lost their bets started cursing Lin Xuan, but they were the minority. Most had bet on him to fail. The bookies from the Zhuang Family, however, were crying their eyes out. They had lost everything—so much that they didn't even have the shirts on their backs.

Not emerging for a few Hours was understandable. They figured he was just taking some time to recover. But now a full day had passed. Even if he were covered in wounds, he should have crawled out by now, right? There were plenty of Recovery Chambers outside, which were far better than meditating to recover inside.

Therefore, everyone concluded that Lin Xuan was dead. The rising star from the Demon Fox Race had perished just like that, causing many to sigh in disappointment. It felt like a waste. Someone had finally challenged the Black Dragon Race, only to fall here. It was a real shame.

Not all members of the Demon Race were fond of the Black Dragon Race. They were far too tyrannical, and if their expansion continued, it was only a matter of time before the other races could no longer survive.

「Meanwhile, inside the King's Purgatory's Cultivation Secret Chamber.」

"HUFF... HUFF... HUFF..."

Lin Xuan was down on one knee, using the Chi Dragon Heavens Rod to prop himself up. His eyes glowed with a red light, giving him a sinister charm in the pitch-black darkness.

"DRIP... DRIP... DRIP..."

Blood dripped from his body onto the ground. In the silent space, the sound was unnervingly clear. Though his surroundings were pitch-black, as if he were in a formless void, the blood dripping from his body sounded as if it were hitting water. The sensation was utterly bizarre.

Had he passed the King's Purgatory? The answer was yes; he had truly passed it, facing a full one hundred opponents. The further he progressed, the more terrifying they became. If it hadn't been for his Illusionary Charm Domain, he would have been defeated long ago. The experts near the end were simply too powerful.

As for how strong they were? They were all from the Phoenix Race or the Dragon Race, with bodies so tough it was absurd. But he had ultimately persevered. The price was a body covered in wounds. He had a feeling that the version of the King's Purgatory the previous Fox King faced was definitely not on this level.

'If it was truly this difficult, the previous Fox King would have been doomed! The trial's opponents must be configured differently based on each person's power level.'

'Have I finally passed...?' Lin Xuan felt his consciousness begin to blur. When he forced himself to stand, his vision was hazy. He wasn't sure if his eyes were playing tricks on him, but he saw a flight of stairs ascending before him!

There were countless steps, and with his blurry vision, he couldn't tell how many there were. The staircase looked incredibly high, and he could just barely see the top when he looked up.

In the blink of an eye, they vanished without a trace. A moment later, a ray of light drifted over and entered his arm, causing the Ice and Snow Badge there to solidify slightly. The character for "King" appeared on its surface, exuding a domineering aura.

'Is this an activation key?' Lin Xuan wondered, looking at the "King" character that had appeared on his arm. A memory had entered his mind along with the light, confirming that what he held was a key.

It was the key to the Path of the King. Among the Reincarnation Level tasks, there was indeed one by that name. Only two tasks awarded three Ice and Snow Badges, and these were them. He never expected that the qualification for passing the King's Purgatory was also the key to unlocking the Path of the King.

Could you accept the Path of the King task without this key? The answer was yes, you absolutely could. As for what the outcome would be, that wasn't for him to worry about.

At the very least, the information that appeared in his mind identified this as the key to the Path of the King. Possessing this key didn't mean he would be able to pass that trial, but it did give him a glimmer of hope.

'Time to get out of here...' Lin Xuan propped himself up and headed for the entrance, his body moving with extreme difficulty. He was practically dragging himself forward.

"RUUUMBLE..."

The Stone Gate slowly rumbled open. Many of the Demon Cultivators outside had just started to walk away when the sound from inside made them turn back. They saw Lin Xuan dragging his battered body out, where he then leaned against the wall. Though covered in wounds, there wasn't a hint of weakness in his eyes. They still shone with a determined light, and he exuded the aura of one looking down upon the world!

"N-No way! He... he really came out! He actually came out!"

One of the Demon Cultivators shouted, his cry of alarm loud enough to startle those further away. One of them, who had lost Ice and Snow Energy on a bet, turned his head in annoyance and grumbled, "What's all the fuss about...? My god, he really did come out! He's really out!"

Soon, more Demon Cultivators were crying out in shock, causing a stir throughout the area. Mo Qianyun, who had only just walked away, heard the shouts from within. His heart sank instantly, and he spun around and strode back inside.

When he saw Lin Xuan resting against the wall, his mind reeled in shock. "He... he really came out?!"

He couldn't believe his eyes, but Lin Xuan was truly there before him, blood still dripping onto the ground in a shocking display. No one would dare laugh at his wretched state. They only felt a surge of awe, a feeling of looking up at something unattainable—not even a Reincarnation Level task could stop his advance!

"Successfully passed the King's Purgatory. Reward: Three Ice and Snow Badges!" As soon as Lin Xuan emerged, an ethereal voice echoed from the air.

Three rays of light then appeared out of thin air and shot into Lin Xuan's arm. One by one, the Ice and Snow Badges materialized on his arm. Seven, eight, nine!

Just like that, nine Ice and Snow Badges were visible on Lin Xuan's arm, shining with a dazzling light. Who said nine Ice and Snow Badges were difficult to obtain? One had just appeared right now!

The nine Ice and Snow Badges once again heralded the arrival of a true King.