Three months have passed since the blessing started. By now, Yan Xiaolong had undergone the cycle of combustion and regeneration for millions of times. Not that he actually kept count as he dozed off during the entire process. At some point, he had gotten bored and focused so much of his mental energy on sleeping that he became a lucid dreamer. 

 

Now, he was simply waiting for the process to finish while he went on adventures in his own head. Fantastical dreams came and go in his deep slumber. 

 

In one instance, he was musing about existential dread, and his dream was all about a murderer running around killing people in their sleep. He thought about the likelihood of one being in his palace and a killer actually showed up in his room. Fortunately, the dream shattered out of fright. Then, he fell asleep again where he became an all-powerful yogi that call the wind with one pose and summon the rain with another. 

 

In another instance, he was cooking in his house when a ghost suddenly arrived. It was supposed to be scary, but she had massive honkers, the nicest pair of thighs he ever seen, and was cute beyond imagination; the big titty onee-san of his dreams. He fell in love with the ghost and tried to court her with the force of a thousand fried rice bowls. But he creeped the ghost out and followed her across time and space only to discover that she’s the God-Mother of an entire universe and still had a husband. His big brain decided to just conqueror the universe. And he did. Then, it came to his mind that this was actually a no-fap journey and he became the new messiah, supposed to spread the teaching of proper fried rice cooking and also advertise his new chili oil product. 

 

In another dream, he became a duck. That’s it. Just a duck. 

 

(Author: Yes, these are all dreams I had within a month. There are crazier ones, but that’s a whole chapter all on its own.) 

 

There was nothing consistent about his dream, other than being absolutely entertaining. That was until he received a message. 

 

"Get up, Junior General. It's time for heavenly tribulation. We already refined your body, cultivation base, and soul to the best of our abilities. Now, there's one more step. You better beat him this time." 

 

Yan Xiaolong's lucid dream collapsed and was replaced with an empty void. When he arrived, a burning light appeared before him. 

 

"So, you're finally here, Ancient Flame Hell Champion," The burning light said. 

 

Staring at the burning light reminded Yan Xiaolong of his previous attempt to break through to the Golden Core stage. "Ah! I knew something was up! So you're my heart-devil, huh?" 

 

"Your heart-devil? Hmph. As if I would ever be reduced to something as lowly as a heart-devil," The burning light said with distain. "Listen carefully, brat. I am the Ancient Flame, one of the seventy-two Great Demon Pillars of the long-destroyed Demon World. You are someone chosen by fate to drink the Demon Century Potion and arrived in my Ancient Flame Hell Dungeon. Since you completed it within a hundred years, you naturally fulfill two conditions of what it meant to be a Hell Champion." 

 

"Demon Century Potion? You mean the Supreme Dragon God's Blood Potion?" 

 

"As if that's a legitimate name, dumbass. I can't believe someone like you conquered my Hell Dungeon," The burning light groaned. "Your existence is truly disappointing." 

 

"Oi, oi, oi!" Yan Xiaolong raised his chin and glared at the burning light. "What's with that attitude? Quit the crap and get to your point already! I got places to dream and go, ya'know!" 

 

"Tch! That old boy must've taught you his manners. At least your cowardice has wane during your little training. Whatever, let's get on with the trad-" 

 

"Cowardice? What are you talking about?" Yan Xiaolong asked, completely baffled. At first, the burning light said nothing, as if it was processing his words one by one. Then, without any warning whatsoever, an explosive rage came pouring out like molten lava. 

 

“What do I mean!? If there's a limit to stupidity, you certainly surpassed it! Did you know you were used as a tool? Did you know your fate was not under your control? Did you know that you had become weaker!?" 

 

Two gargantuan horns shot out, pointing toward him like a demon’s bident. 

 

 "The moment you born, you were carefully cultivated as a tool to awaken the Princess of the Ninth Legion! You cleared a Hell Dungeon, but did not even realize your domineering will was manipulated and had stagnated over the years! A Hell Champion should be domineering and overbearing, but you are a pushover! I have watched over you for three years now, and personally seen you place yourself in one shitty situation after another!" 

 

Two hairy hind legs appeared, backed with power that could topple Heaven and Earth.

 

 "What happened to the man who vanquished all those female disciples? You let yourself be toyed with by the descendant of the Mystical Ice Witch when you could’ve easily beat her!" 

 

Two bulky front legs appeared, equipped with hooves that could tear apart macrocosms and travel across any distance. 

 

"What happened to the man who defeated all those Son of Heaven Society disciples? You were too trusting and actually carried their society leader like a donkey!” 

 

Next to appear was a tail whose end burned intensely with dark fire, swinging around a like a flaming mace. 

 

“What happened to the man who conquered the Ancient Flame Hell Dungeon? You should be out taking women, riches, and land! Instead, you hole yourself in your fantasies and succumb to the pleasure of the present! Do you... know how pathetic you’ve become!?” 

 

Soon, a massive, muscular, bovine body manifested from the burning light. The black fur of the body glimmered with crimson light, swaying like the flames of hell. It was clear to Yan Xiaolong what the burning light’s appearance actually was, but the head never appeared. 

 

“You follow the Dao of Hedonism, a lazy Dao. Cowardice is the perfect word for your type. People like you go with flow, take no action, and allow higher powers to manipulate you. A true king would...make the flow go with him!” 

 

Yan Xiaolong stood there silently. His expression was thoughtful, but pained. The burning light’s words were convincing and piercing, but what affected him the most was a strange sensation in his heart. For some reason, the words of the burning light were similar to words he heard long ago. 

 

It was as if, deep in his soul, these words were spoken before. No matter he hard he tried to remember, whether it was from the memories of his previous life or his current life, he could not come up with an instance when these words were spoken to him. 

 

Yet, the feeling in his heart was true... 

 

“Then... what should I do to become a true king?” 

 

“Follow the Essence of the Eternal. This is the only way to not be held back by the Dao of Hedonism.” 

 

“How so?” 

 

“The Essence of the Eternal is the only path to cultivate independence in Heaven and Earth. It is the most ancient of daos, of magical laws, and will let you tread the waters of fate and history."

 

“I once asked a friend a question about fate. She said it is impossible to control one’s fate.” 

 

“But you can not stop. You can never stop. Stopping is submitting, and a true king does not submit," the burning light spat. "To live a carefree life requires unparalleled strength to achieve. Only the Essence of the Eternal can give you that." 

 

The burning light began to fade and was replaced by the head of a bull. Now in its complete form, the bull shined with light so great that it replaced the endless dark void with the color red. 

 

"I am Ancient Flame Taurus, the Fallen Bull of Heaven, ruler of the Ancient Flame Hell Dungeon," It said. "Come to me, claim your rightful inheritance to the Ancient Flame Hell Dungeon, and walk down the Essence of the Eternal. In return, you will carry the burden of the Demon World." 

 

"So you want me to inherit your problems too? How does this make you different from other people?" 

 

"Demons like me make trades. I give you power; you avenge me and my people. Living a carefree life is already asking for trouble. Why not take on a few more?" The black bull gave a wide smile. "Deal or no deal!?"

 

"Deal!"

 

......

 

Outside Yan Xiaolong's body, the old monsters were discussing the break through among each other. 

 

"How do you he'll do? He's been like that for a while now." 

 

"Can't be that hard, right? He has affinity with the Ancient Flame Hell Dungeon so he'll probably form a contract." 

 

"That depends. Hell Champions are not like other demon-rank contractors. They are often consumed by the nature of the demons they form a contract with. He probably won't be any different." 

 

"What do you think, Right Commander?" 

 

They all stared at the pot-bellied child. He thought for a moment before sighing. "Rumor has it that to become a Hell Champion, a person must initially have a twisted soul. Then, they must clear the Hell Dungeon and earn the approval of the Great Demon that occupies it. Finally, they'll form a soul contract with the Great Demon. If he doesn't become more corrupted, it's all good. If he does, we just have to put up with it." 

 

"That's right, what the status about? I know he did a lot for the Ninth Legion, but there's no reason to make him a Junior General, right?" 

 

"If not Junior General, he would've became a Vice Commander. That was the Princess' demand, but Honglian convinced her otherwise," the pot-bellied child said with furrowed brows. 

 

Gasp! The old monsters were taken back and looked at each other. 

 

"Vice Commander!? But isn't that..." 

 

"He would've became second-in-command? Was the Princess always this generous?" 

 

"Wait, but I thought that position was reserved for... that person?" 

 

"Don't tell me... he IS that person!?" 

 

Just when the old monsters were reaching a fever-pitch in their talk, Yan Xiaolong's body started to glow before exploding once again. However, it was not by the doings of the old monsters. His Golden Core floated in place while black bones and crimson flesh started to form. Tribulation lightnings danced around as if they were welcoming the new king of Heaven.  

 

"What's happening? Did he pass? Is this the final step?" 

 

"Holy crap! He's using tribulation lightning to reform a new body even after our refinement!" 

 

"That Golden Core looks sick! He's practically unbeatable under the Nascent Soul stage!" 

 

As for the pot-bellied child, he wasted no time when he saw Yan Xiaolong's breakthrough. He opened his mouth and a vial appeared, containing something that Yan Xiaolong had requested the pot-bellied child to give him once he made his breakthrough. 

 

It was the Eight Extremities Daoist's blood essence!