Chapter 82: Hellfire Blade

Happy weekend! This chapter is four thousand words—two for the price of one! Thank you all for your support!

“The Sacred Fire burns, undying and eternal.” Ye Dong gazed up at the altar above, where the flames raged, and that was the only phrase that came to mind.

Upon the stone walls, the fire patterns that had been fading now blazed crimson once more. Not just the stone chamber, but even the fiery patterns along the corridor outside gleamed a deeper red than before—so intense it was as if they had stepped into a fantastical, otherworldly realm.

Suddenly—“Boom!”—a sharp crack erupted from atop the sacred altar. A black-sheathed dagger, its hilt carved in the shape of a dragon’s head, was hurled from within the flames. Spinning hundreds of times, it traced a splendid arc through the air before flying straight toward Ye Dong’s head!

“Is it me?” Ye Dong laughed out loud, stretched out his left hand, and caught the dagger flying from the fire in a firm grip.

“Interesting!” Ye Dong lowered his gaze to examine the miraculous blade. The jet-black sheath was etched with a crimson fire totem, beneath which two fire dragons entwined, arching protectively. The hilt, a dragon's head in high relief, exuded an imposing aura.

Lord Wei, still trembling with fear, scrambled up from the ground and immediately began to curse: “He Wentian, you can court death yourself, but don’t drag us down with you! Do you have any idea…”

But Ye Dong, completely ignoring Lord Wei’s tirade, simply stared at the object in his hand. Lixing, burning with rage, drew back his fist to punch Ye Dong, but Huiyan intercepted him with a single hand. “If you dare touch him, I’ll take you down first!”

Lixing’s eyes blazed as he pointed accusingly at Ye Dong. “He nearly got you killed just now too!”

“Enough!” Lord Wei’s eyes glinted, his face dripping with greed as he stared at the treasure in Ye Dong’s hand. Unable to resist, he reached out to touch it, but Ye Dong gently pushed his hand aside. “Lord Wei, it seems the dagger has chosen me. The rules of the tomb are clear—the treasure goes to the fated one. We can’t break the code, can we?”

His meaning was clear: “If you try to take this from me, I’ll fight you to the end.”

“Damn it, damn it!” Lord Wei’s heart ached as he realized the prize had slipped through his fingers. “How does He Wentian get so lucky every time?!”

“What exactly are you holding?” Lecheng squinted at Ye Dong, his years of tomb-robbing experience telling him that what Ye Dong held was a true treasure.

“Judging by the spectacle, this must be the Fire Blade of the Ming Cult you all spoke of, yes?” Ye Dong swept his gaze around the chamber, at the blazing patterns and the treasure in his hand, then burst into hearty laughter. “My first time tomb-raiding, and I come away with such a weapon—what a thrill!”

Lixing seethed inwardly, gripping his own dagger so tightly his knuckles whitened. He glared at Ye Dong’s prize with unconcealed envy and pain—like a thousand arrows through the heart, and not even allowed a single groan. It was a bitterness beyond words.

“Brother Tian, you truly are heaven’s chosen!” Huiyan beamed with delight, shaking Ye Dong’s arm. “Let me see it, won’t you?”

Huiyan, too, had a fondness for cold weapons, and seeing Ye Dong with such a marvel, she couldn’t help but cheer.

“Fine, I’ll show it off!” Ye Dong replied with proud laughter, drawing the Fire Blade with a sharp metallic ring.

Upon the blade, a fire dragon in vivid relief seemed ready to leap forth. He turned it, revealing a thundering fire qilin and a majestic fire phoenix on the reverse—an awe-inspiring sight. The blade glowed faintly red, radiating heat.

“This is the legendary Fire Blade?” Lord Wei squinted, muttering to himself, “Aside from the patterns and edge, there’s nothing all that special, is there?”

Seeing a hint of disappointment among the others, Ye Dong sneered, squeezed a drop of blood from his wounded finger, and let it fall onto the blade.

“Boom!”

The instant blood touched steel, the dagger in Ye Dong’s hand transformed. What had been a mere patterned weapon now erupted in blazing crimson flames—the divine Fire Blade revealed!

At the sight of such a peerless treasure, the already battered spirits of Lord Wei and the others were plundered anew, leaving little but empty shells behind.

“Damn, damn it! Bastard!” Lixing was at a loss for words to curse Ye Dong, choking on his own frustration.

“Missed it, missed it!” Lord Wei fought to keep himself from exploding, soothing himself: “It wasn’t fated for me. Don’t be angry, don’t be angry! Calm down!”

But the more he consoled himself, the more intense his resentment grew. Gritting his teeth, he shouted, “Time to go!” He snatched up his sack of gold and jewels and stormed off without a backward glance. Lixing and Lecheng followed with heavy sighs and bitter faces.

Huiyan, seeing their sour expressions, was overjoyed. “Brother Tian, congratulations! Did you see their faces? I almost died laughing!”

“Indeed! Even Heaven favors He Wentian!” Ye Dong declared, sheathing the Fire Blade with a flourish. “I gratefully accept the gift of the Flaming Banner! Let’s go!”

Huiyan followed closely behind. Under the beam of the flashlight, Ye Dong’s figure seemed even taller and brighter. After this tomb-raiding internship, she was beginning to see that he was far more than she’d imagined, that perhaps a greater stage and broader life awaited him.

“Is it just my imagination?” Huiyan’s heart fluttered as she glanced at her Qinggang blade. “Is it that Qinggang isn’t worthy of him, so Heaven sent him the Fire Blade instead?”

“What are you standing around for? Go home, take a bath, and get some rest,” Ye Dong smiled, reaching back to take her delicate hand and lead her out.

In the car, Lord Wei, having finally regained his composure, asked Ye Dong, “Brother Tian, how did you discover the altar’s secret?”

“Just a twist of fate, pure coincidence,” Ye Dong replied.

Lord Wei gave a cold laugh. “A twist of fate, eh? Next time you plan on causing trouble, let us know first. If you anger my master, it’ll be no joke.”

“You’re gutsier than I thought!” Huiyan said with a wry smile. “Brother Tian, that was really reckless. Don’t do that again.”

Ye Dong waved it off. “Alright, alright. Great fortune like this doesn’t come every day.”

Yet inwardly, his excitement over the treasure had faded, replaced by concern. “If Lord Wei is this strong, then his master must be a match for my own. That could be trouble!”

“We’re almost home. Care to let go of my hand now?” Huiyan asked softly.

“Oh! Sorry, my mistake.” Ye Dong quickly released her. “Guess I got a bit too into the role just now, couldn’t snap out of character.”

A knock came at the door.

“Dad, they’re back!” Liang Lingzhi, seeing Ye Dong and Huiyan return safe, finally felt the weight lift from his heart and called out in relief.

Xiaobao and Dachun rushed out, bombarding them with questions. “Are you alright? Not hurt, are you?”

“Is the little brother still with us?”

Ye Dong smiled and reassured them, “We’re all fine, just fine. The little one’s safe too.”

Chen Yao and Officer Li exchanged a smile, setting down their teacups. “Glad you’re back. Go take a bath and get some rest.”

As Huiyan turned away, Lingzhi’s discerning gaze swept over her and seemed to detect something. “Oh? Looks like Ye Dong and Huiyan made some progress in there!” He chuckled, ready to share the news with Xiaobao and Dachun, but caught Chen Yao’s gentle gaze and stopped himself, grinning sheepishly.

Afterward, Ye Dong and Huiyan gave a full account of everything they’d witnessed in the tomb to Officer Li and the others.

“This Lord Wei wields the secret arts of the Mongboluo, the ghost-banishing techniques of the Maoshan Sect, and the True Eye of Quanzhen—he’s truly a formidable talent,” Chen Yao mused, tapping his finger. “His master will be a tough opponent.”

Ye Dong muttered, “With all Lord Wei’s skills, how can I hope to beat him?”

Chen Yao clapped him on the shoulder. “No rush. You’ve made great progress lately. With a bit more effort, you’ll be ready for him. And don’t forget, your master is me!”

Ye Dong grumbled, “His spells are so short—just a phrase and he’s done. Ours are a few lines at best, a whole paragraph at worst! Just reciting them puts us at a disadvantage.”

Chen Yao gave a helpless smile. “I can’t help the length of the incantations, that’s just the tradition. All you can do is memorize them well.”

Ye Dong shook his head. “It’s not the memorizing—I just feel outclassed. Master, you know, it’s not only Lord Wei. Even Lecheng and Lixing are really capable. Look at my teammates—what a sorry bunch!”

“Hey, what’s that about sorry teammates?” Huiyan thumped him on the back. “Who was it that praised me for busting open that gun port, huh?”

Ye Dong laughed sheepishly. “Right, right, I’m the sorry teammate. Guilty as charged.”

Huiyan looked Ye Dong up and down, as if searching for something.

“What is it? Staring at me like that,” Ye Dong asked, blocking her gaze.

“Looking for your Fire Blade! Let me see it!” Huiyan grinned. “Have you forgotten how much I love daggers?”

Lingzhi, Xiaobao, and Dachun were also curious about the miraculous Fire Blade and urged him, “Don’t be so stingy, Ye Dong. Share the good stuff!”

Chen Yao’s eyes sparkled as he chuckled. “A disciple with a treasure must show it to his master, right?”

Ye Dong smacked his lips in mock reluctance. “Alright, since Master insists, feast your eyes!”

The moment the treasure was unsheathed, the room fell silent.

Chen Yao, as the elder, took it first. “Who would have thought you’d get your hands on this!” Even his well-traveled eyes shone with admiration. “These patterns, this dragon’s head—absolute perfection!”

Delighted by the praise, Ye Dong asked, “Master, is this really the property of the Flaming Banner?”

Chen Yao drew the blade, revealing the blistering fire edge. “No doubt about it. This is the Flaming Banner’s ‘Infernal Flame’—meant to incinerate all in its path. A treasure among treasures! Dong, if you can channel your Samadhi True Fire into this blade, its power will be beyond imagining!”

He had barely finished speaking before he called, “Samadhi True Fire—ignite!”

With a roar, the flames along the blade surged higher and higher. The more Chen Yao poured his True Fire into it, the fiercer it burned. He nodded in satisfaction and laughed, “Watch closely!”

With a thunderous crack, the True Fire intensified. A blazing fire qilin suddenly leapt from the blade, shooting toward the ceiling, sending the younger ones recoiling in shock.

“Wow!” Everyone cheered, unable to contain their amazement. “It’s incredible!”

“It seems that ancient smiths had truly mysterious forging arts,” Officer Li remarked in awe.

“Master, that qilin is huge—will it burn down the house?” Ye Dong asked with a wry smile.

“Watch,” Chen Yao gestured, and the fire qilin charged straight for the bookshelf.

The beast plunged in, disappearing entirely, but not a single spark caught—the books remained untouched.

“The fire obeys the will. It won’t burn at random,” Chen Yao smiled, passing Infernal Flame back to Ye Dong.

The moment Ye Dong took the blade, the fire qilin vanished without a trace.

Seeing Ye Dong’s obvious attachment to the treasure, the others could only envy him. “Our Brother Tian now has both Qinggang and Infernal Flame—what fortune!”

Ye Dong grinned and asked, “Since the Flaming Banner has its own artifact, do the other four banners each have one too?”

Chen Yao nodded. “Yes. The Sharp Metal Banner has the ‘Five Thunder Blade’—a broadsword. The Great Wood Banner has ‘Fate’s End’—a peachwood sword. The Flood Banner has the ‘Soul-Driving Iron Umbrella.’ The Thick Earth Banner wields the ‘Cold Night Spade.’”

“Even the names sound incredible!” Lingzhi sighed. “If only I could have one too—how cool would that be!”

Ye Dong shook his head. “Cool doesn’t count for much in the tomb. Look at me—good looks didn’t stop a ghost from chasing me all over the place.”

Chen Yao laughed. “With less than half a month before the Eternal Life Tomb opens, and to keep you from getting killed by Lord Wei and his lot, I’ve prepared a special training regimen for you all. Starting today, you’re in for hellish special training.”

“What?!” Ye Dong and the others stared at each other, dreading the tricks Chen Yao had in store for them.