Everyone who was sitting on the ground plus the two kids, all of their eyes gazed up over the village to witness a magnificent, divine sight.

Occupying most of the sky were two enormously long, narrow, silted eyes.

These eyes were golden in color, shining brighter than ten thousand suns. Everywhere in this area, one can feel a majestic, fiery divine might that would prostrate your soul.

The temperature around them increased, but it was to a warming degree.

For the two kids, they were trembling nonstop. Their bloodlines was quaking, and their minds nearly lagged.

Immediately they hit the ground, taking a knee saying,

"Ph-Phoenix God!!"

Although the kids did take a knee, the Phoenix spirit eyes paid no attention to them, focusing on one specific person.

While the kids were in awe and honored the Phoenix spirit, Luke's group didn't feel much different.

Of course, they were fascinated by the Phoenix divine appearance.

But they didn't feel any overwhelming awe, nor did they feel inferior to the Phoenix soul.

Mainly because everyone there had a soul far beyond ordinary gods...

"Is that really a Phoenix God?! Even from its eyes, I can feel it's divine presence!" Lingxi exclaimed in excitement. Still, never before in her life had she ever encounter something related to legendary spirits.

"An actual Phoenix spirit...but, why is it in our Empire..." Cang Yue breathed out since there was another Phoenix place that came to her mind.

Andrea and Qingyue were quiet though the two had noted on how grand this spirit was.

It was only a couple of seconds when the Phoenix appeared, and it was still only staring intensely at Luke. Golden eyes met his calm blue, glowing ones, and both sides was unblinking.

Luke, in his mind, was just wondering how did Spooky awaken the Phoenix until suddenly, the Phoenix eyes flashed a dazzling golden color!

'Chi!'

An intense golden flash brighter than the sun blinded everyone's eyes.

And in a flash, Luke, along with Cang Yue, felt hot, incredible energy interject into their heads.

The flash only lasted a second, and when the light died down, the Phoenix eyes were no longer to be seen. Everyone open their eyes again, still feeling a bit of awe about what just transpired.

"Well, that was-"

"AH?!? Ph-Phoenix God marked you two?!?"

Luke tried to talk, but he was abruptly interrupted by the young girl. Looking over to her, she and the boy had bewildered expressions on their faces.

The children felt their bloodlines flare-up in a frantic uproar. Plus, they even felt a slight suppression from Luke and Cang Yue.

"Marked?" Cang Yue question to herself since she did feel that hot energy infused with her head.

“Wh-who?! Ah? Zu'er, Xian'er?!”

Only after a couple seconds when the Phoenix Spirit left, a handsome, dignified man rushed at the entrance of the village.

Though his face, as of now, was anything but dignified.

His eyes were filled with urgency, and he had a worried face that told him he was looking for someone.

Moreover, when he got to Luke's group, his eyes immediately locked with the two young kids.

But then, his bloodline flared in an intense burning passion!

Instantly his eyes snapped to Luke and Cang Yue.

More specifically, the bright red Phoenix mark on their foreheads.

"Yo-you two are the one..." The man breathlessly said, and his eyes couldn't stop staring at their marks.

For the countless years he and his generations stayed here, never before had anything like this happen...

"Who are you, and where is this place?"

Luke asked, but he could already tell where is this place. Although he did note for this guy, he was at the peak level of the True Profound Realm.

Luke and the girls got up to stand while the children's eyes lit up, seeing this man.

"Father!"

Zu'er and Xian'er ran over to the man going by his legs. The man glanced over to the children, feeling relief they were safe.

Yet, his eyes still couldn't stop looking at Luke and Cang Yue, as if they were a magnetic attraction.

"My name is Feng Baichun. And this place is our humble Phoenix clan. It...it really is sudden, but you two were personally marked by the Phoenix God..." Feng Baichun told them in a more calm voice now.

He was the clearest on what those specific markings mean and how his bloodlines reacted to Luke and Cang Yue.

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"What does this marking entail?" Cang Yue asked with great interest. Inside her and Luke, they were feeling a calling somewhere inside the village.

"...Come with me."

Feng Baichun had made up his mind about them. No matter what, the fact their Phoenix God personally went out of its way to go in their mortal world and mark those two was enough.

Furthermore, there was also the fact his bloodline was frantically flaring. He felt a slight suppression from them, and he had to abide by the long-running Phoenix rules.

Luke and the girls looked at each other and nodded their heads.

At this point, to leave the mountain range, they would surely get hunted down by that boss and his goons.

Furthermore going by the level of even small goons, there were undoubtedly stronger minions than them.

This was their best or perhaps their only course of action...

….

“Baichun! Is every-Ah! Zu'er! Xian'er!!”

Immediately when the group enters the village, the enthusiastic shout of a mother came to them.

"Mom!"

The two kids had instantly dashed off to meet their running mother. The mother crouched down and caught her kids in a warm, loving embrace.

"Ah! Thanks, the gods, you two are safe! Wha-eh?" The kind and gentle older woman was about to reassure her children until the flaring in her bloodline suddenly became more intense!

Her attention got forced up when she obverse along with her husband, five extraordinary youths walking with him.

And from two youths, specifically of where the Phoenix mark was, her eyes were glued there.

"Yun'er, take our children back to the village. Our Phoenix God is expecting some important guests." Feng Baichun spoke to her, waking his wife up from her stupor.

"So-so they were the one?! It-it's so sudden...but we can't ignore the wishes of our Phoenix God. Alright, I hope we all can meet again." The mother, Feng Caiyun, stood up, holding both of her children's hands.

She had a warm, amiable smile and gently nodded at the youths.

"Now, come on, Zu'er, Xian'er. I have to make sure you two are alright." Feng Caiyun smiled at her children and pulled them along to their village.

"A-ah!"

Both kids were still staring at Luke and Cang Yue as they were pulled by their mothers. It was as if they had something more to say to them.

Seeing this, Luke smiled and waved at them, causing the two kids to frantically wave back.

"We will be taking a more secluded route. The whole village is still in total shock after our Phoenix God appeared. And my apologies, I didn't ask at first, but what are all of your names?"

Feng Baichun asked as he began leading them to their Phoenix ruins. He didn't mind Qinguye nor Andrea coming with them since it would save him a lot of commotion if these two simply go with them.

"I'm Luke, this is Andrea, Lingxi, Qingyue, and Xureuo. Despite our rather strange first appearances, it's nice to meet you." Luke introduced their group.

Though before their conversation could continue, he suddenly heard,

'Luke, convince Cang Yue to come along with you when meeting the Phoenix. This is a prime opportunity for you and her.'

Spooky informed him after being quiet for a little bit.

'Hm? What do you mean?'

'Her soul while a level below Qingyue's or Lingxi's soul is extremely...adaptable. But it's unawakened. From my senses, this Phoenix has enough power to make for a quick awakening than you slowly growing close to her. Through whatever the Phoenix has stored, you can quickly grow close to her and practice a new technique.'

Now Luke was feeling a lot more anticipation for this event!

And he didn't have to worry about talking on the outside since surprisingly he heard Andrea immediately direct the flow of the conversation.

'Really? What's the new technique then?'

'Soul Mark transfer abilities. While when Lingxi and Qingyue fight, they do have sparks of our soul power; their souls need a bit more time before we could fully integrate with each other. Cang Yue is a different story. Her pure adaptable soul will allow us to easily transfer our soul power to her, boosting her prowess to the Earthen Core level. However, you have to be holding her in some way. Plus, because of your heroism act today, I'll be able to easily slip in her soul to create the mark.'

Luke swiftly process this chunk of information and then asked,

'If it's like that, then it'll be easy to convince her. I assume my rate of progress will multiply from this, right?'

'Yep. You'll be tempering your soul to work in tandem with hers. You can't overload her body or soul, so at most, both of your combat prowess will be at the first levels of Earthen Core. However, this level of intimacy will swiftly bloom your relationship. All that is left is to convince the Phoenix Spirit. Oh, look, you're here.'

Before Luke could question Spooky on how she made the Phoenix react, his eyes gazed upon vast elegant red ruins.

Every structure here was design in the way of a Phoenix, exuding a vibrant divine aura to the place.

"For a ruin, everything really is beautiful here..." Lingxi remarked as the group began to walk to the center of the ruins.

There, lay a majestic closed red cave with artistic Phoenix design on it.

'RUMBLE!!'

However, before they could make it, the whole ruins began to shake!

It was like the place was coming to life, and upon Luke and Cang Yue's forehead, their Phoenix mark shined a brilliant red glow!

The Phoenix cave open and,

'Hua!'

Luke and Cang Yue felt their bodies get instantly sucked into the cave!

The two turned into bright red flashes, and out of everyone's expectations, they blasted right into the pitch-black cave.

Immediately afterward, the surrounding return to normal like nothing ever happen.

"Ah?! Lu-"

Lingxi and Qingyue were shocked at the sudden development. They was preparing to rush that cave until Andrea grabbed their shoulders.

"Relax, that flashy performance was probably just the Phoenix spirit using its power to drag those two in. Am I right, Elder Baichun?"

Feng Baichun however, was just as surprised as the girls.

Although given what transpired before, this explanation made the most sense.

"R-right, this just the will of the Phoenix God..."

Calming themselves down, the girls were just really shocked at the abrupt disappearance of Cang Yue and Luke.

"I hope they'll be alright..." Lingxi said with a concerned tone since even Luke's fantastic prowess, he isn't invincible.

"I'm sure they'll come out safe. I can feel it, in my soul." Qingyue confidently stated though she couldn't hide the slight worry on her face.

Only Andrea had a smirk on her face since she knew things will get a lot more interesting from here on out.

….

"Talk about abruptness. Plus, this place looks very...ominous." Luke said out loud since the whole cave he was in was pitch dark.

Though immediately when he talked out loud, he felt a heavenly soft hand cling on to his hand.

"Is-is this the lair of the Phoenix?" Cang Yue wearily asked and held no quarrels about holding Luke's hand now.

More than ever, from that abrupt taking, she needed something secure to rely on Luke provided her with that safe feeling. When she held his hand, warmth and joy spread throughout her body, causing her to feel a bit calm.

"It should be. Oh?"

Luke and Cang Yue's attention got stole when the same pair of majestic eyes slowly appeared in front of them.

Being up close now, the two clearly felt the inspiring divine might of the Phoenix spirit.

And then in a calm melodic, soothing voice that resembles an angelic woman, the two heard,

"Being so up close now...you and your other half leave me speechless again."