Becoming the Demon Lord: Taming the Demon Queen Begins

"Goddess Sylvia... she actually came!"

Even Solara, usually composed, showed a hint of surprise. A faint red glow flickered between her brows.

"Protect the Matriarch!"

The Phoenix Clan's secret realm hadn't seen outsiders in ages, let alone two Holy Emperor-level powerhouses.

The Pale Phoenixes immediately grew alert, rushing to gather around Solara, forming a protective barrier of white feathers.

"No need to worry," Solara quickly shook her head.

The Pale Phoenixes hesitated, still uneasy. "Matriarch, are you sure they're only here for the Celestial Feathered Gown?"

"I'm certain. But whether they can actually take the Celestial Feathered Gown... well, that depends on them."

Solara's gaze shifted to the two figures emerging from the space before her.

She had encountered human Holy Emperors before, but never had she felt such overwhelming power. It was a first for her.

More importantly, even though the light only revealed their silhouettes, the way the two figures clung to each other was unmistakable. Solara sensed something between them—something she had never felt from any other human couple.

"The Matriarch of the Phoenix Clan," Sylvia's voice echoed as the light around them faded, revealing her and Timothy stepping into the Phoenix Clan's domain. "I've come today with my fiancé, Timothy, to seek the Celestial Feathered Gown. Could you point us in the right direction?"

Her voice carried a divine authority, cold and commanding, yet it lacked any arrogance or condescension. Instead, it was strangely pleasant, even soothing, making the Phoenixes feel an unexpected sense of closeness to this human goddess.

"Providing the Celestial Feathered Gown to a couple truly in love has been our clan's sacred duty for generations. I will guide you to it," Solara replied. "However, no human couple has been worthy of the Celestial Feathered Gown for over ten thousand years. Whether you can claim it... that will depend on your own strength."

A strange red light shimmered in the markings between Solara's brows, and a pair of radiant, multicolored wings unfurled behind her. Following the guidance of her bloodline, she extended her hand and pointed toward the depths of the Phoenix Clan's secret realm. "There. That is where the trial for the Celestial Feathered Gown awaits."

"Thank you," Sylvia said with a calm smile, as if the difficulty Solara had described meant nothing to her. She seemed completely unfazed, even confident, as she took Timothy's hand and looked toward the distant trial grounds. "Let's go."

"Let's go, babe. I'm curious to see if this Celestial Feathered Gown is really as beautiful as they say," Timothy added with a lighthearted smile, his tone casual.

The two of them walked through the air, shoulders gently leaning against each other. They didn't need to say much, but the way they moved together radiated a quiet, undeniable sweetness.

"What strange humans," one of the Phoenixes muttered, unable to hide their surprise.

In their experience, human Holy Emperors were usually proud, aloof, and carried themselves with an air of superiority. But this couple, despite their immense power, seemed nothing like that. They looked more like... a pair of love-struck newlyweds, completely absorbed in each other.

"And they're so confident, too," another Phoenix added. "Do they not know the legends of the Celestial Feathered Gown? It's said to be the most beautiful wedding dress in the world, woven from the feathers of every Phoenix in our clan. But claiming it is no easy feat. A love that isn't genuine will never pass the trial. Even the slightest crack in their relationship would be enough to fail.

It's been tens of thousands of years since anyone has been able to claim the Celestial Feathered Gown. Some of us even doubt whether it still exists. And yet, these two humans..."

The Pale Phoenixes couldn't understand the calm, almost carefree attitude Sylvia and Timothy displayed.

"Matriarch, do you really think they can claim the Celestial Feathered Gown?" one of them asked, turning to Solara.

Solara's gaze lingered on the couple's retreating figures for a long moment.

But after a moment, Solara shook her head resolutely. "Goddess Sylvia and that newly ascended Holy Emperor, Timothy, are indeed special. But even so, I don't think they'll succeed."

After all, love—though it seems simple—holds complexities that even Solara herself couldn't fully grasp.

Love has nothing to do with cultivation or power. In fact, the stronger one's cultivation, the harder it often becomes to let go of pride, which can work against them.

Even ordinary couples who had ventured into the Phoenix Clan's secret realm had failed the trial time and time again. How could two Holy Emperors, with all their strength and ego, possibly pass?

Despite the inexplicable fondness she felt for Sylvia, Solara didn't believe that this couple could break the streak of failures that had lasted for so many years.

"Wait... the ancestral spirit of the Phoenix... it's appearing!"

Suddenly, a brilliant, sacred light burst forth from the distant sky.

A stream of golden blood surged from the depths of the Phoenix Clan, coalescing mid-air into the ethereal form of a phoenix.
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Its wings spread wide, and its body shimmered with golden radiance. The phoenix let out a cry, its voice as delicate as a piccolo, yet carrying the powerful resonance of rebirth through fire.

Its majestic form, covered in golden feathers, was wreathed in flames, and its eyes gleamed with a regal authority that seemed to look down upon all living beings.

This apparition was none other than the remnant soul of the Phoenix Clan's ancestor, the one who had created the secret realm and had been guarding it for tens of thousands of years, testing every couple who dared to seek the Celestial Feathered Gown.

But...

"Couples who come to the Phoenix Clan for the trial usually have to seek out the ancestral spirit themselves. Why is it appearing on its own this time?"

Both Solara and the other Phoenixes around her were visibly shocked.

The ancestral spirit had never appeared of its own accord before. In all these years, this was the first time they had witnessed such an event.

What could possibly have drawn the ancestral spirit out on its own?

Even Solara, who had been so certain of her earlier judgment, now felt her resolve waver. Her expression shifted slightly, as she realized that this time... something was different.