"Victor, what brings you here to this trial?" Max asked after a brief silence, his tone carrying a faint curiosity. "As far as I know, you aren't attuned to the fire concept."
Victor, who stood beside the twins with his hands folded across his chest, gave an easy shrug, the corners of his mouth tilting upward. "I just wanted to try my hands on the fla elent. The Azure Dragon Bloodline is still a dragon bloodline, after all, and dragons can control flas better than almost any other being. I wanted to see if there's any hidden potential in that I've overlooked."
His answer wasn't one Max had expected, but it wasn't unreasonable either. Dragons were beings born of both destruction and balance. Their breath alone could scorch the heavens or freeze entire mountains, depending on their lineage. A faint glint passed through Max's eyes as he regarded Victor for a mont longer.
"Interesting," Max said calmly. "And honestly, you might have so success here." He wasn't offering hollow praise. With his experience and understanding of elental affinities, Max knew that a dragon's fla wasn't simple fire. It carried traces of divine essence, sothing purer and more destructive than what most fla cultivators could ever hope to touch.
Still, a thought stirred in his mind. 'Why now?' Victor had clearly chosen to explore his fla affinity only after reaching this valley. If he had truly possessed potential in this elent, he could have awakened it much earlier. There was a reason behind the timing, and Max didn't miss the faint flicker of determination hidden behind Victor's relaxed tone.
Victor nodded, catching the hint of Max's suspicion but saying nothing more. His golden eyes remained fixed on the burning half of the valley where rivers of molten lava flowed like blood through the stone.
Just then, Chris, who had remained quiet until now, stepped forward slightly. His usual teasing deanor was gone, replaced by a faint seriousness that made both Christine and Seraphina glance his way.
"Max," he began, his voice steady but low, "there have been so scuffles between the geniuses of our world and those from other realms. The tension is growing worse, and the reason they give for it is you."
Max's gaze turned toward him, calm but sharp. Chris continued, "They say they can't touch you, so they've started targeting others from our world instead. Geniuses from the Four God Nations have been challenged repeatedly in every trial region. So have been forced to retreat, and a few were badly injured."
"I see," Max replied quietly, nodding slightly. "I've heard about this too."
He wasn't surprised. The whispers had reached him through the link he shared with the mbers of the Black Lotus Guild. Every one of them was connected through his bloodline, and through that bond, he could hear fragnts of their conversations and warnings whenever they tried to reach him.
He already knew that the geniuses of other worlds were growing restless. His dominance in the trials—his destruction of the Mirror Lake and his two golden crowns—had made him the symbol of their humiliation. Since they couldn't challenge him directly, they were taking it out on others.
"You don't have to worry about it," Max said at last, his tone quiet but unwavering. "After this trial, I'll head straight to the core region. I assu all the top geniuses from our world will be gathering there as well. When that happens, no one will dare to move against us."
Chris's expression softened, and he nodded. "We'll hold out until then. The situation has been escalating fast, but if we stay united, they won't get far."
Seraphina looked between the two of them, her amber eyes glinting faintly. "If the rumors are true about the Divine Palace Platform descending soon, then everything will converge there anyway. It'll be the final gathering point of all surviving geniuses."
Victor's grin returned, faint but confident. "And when that happens, I want to see who still has the courage to stand against us."
Max nodded. "That's the plan."
They talked about few other things and among them was about the situation of their world causing all of them to beco solemn and silent.
Just then, a low rumble spread through the valley, cutting off their conversation. The ground beneath them trembled faintly, and the twin energies of fla and frost surged violently in opposite directions. The faint spiral formation that had been dormant until now blazed to life, glowing in vibrant hues of red and blue.
A pulse of power rippled outward, forcing everyone present to look toward the heart of the valley. The spiral widened, revealing a deep chasm of molten light and shimring ice. A gust of energy burst upward from within, shaking the platforms where the geniuses stood.
"The entrance…" Christine said softly, her eyes narrowing. "It's opening."
A massive circular gate of intertwining fire and frost erged at the center of the valley, its rim carved with runes that pulsed in rhythm with the beating of their hearts. Each pulse sent shockwaves of heat and cold across the air, distorting the space around it.
Max looked at it quietly, his eyes narrowing as a faint spark of anticipation flickered within them. "So it finally begins."
Around them, the gathered geniuses steadied themselves, their expressions hardening with determination. The Trial of the Valley of Frozen Ash had opened at last.
As the fiery gate pulsed brighter, the valley grew silent. The air thickened with energy, the mix of frost and fla pressing against every living being. The heat scorched and the cold bit, yet both sohow coexisted, forming a perfect balance of extres.
A loud boom echoed through the valley as the trial entrance fully opened. The runes etched along the stone glowed in alternating shades of red and blue before stabilizing into a faint violet hue. The light it emitted spread across the valley floor, forming a vast circular seal beneath everyone's feet.
Then, a deep voice reverberated through the sky—ancient and heavy, as though it had waited for countless ages.
"Trial of the Valley of Frozen Ash… initiated."
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