The caravan from Sanmiao City moved through the mist-shrouded canyons of the Secret Domain with the precision of ghosts. Unlike the outer plains, where the cultivators of the Tianxia Continent were tearing each other apart over mundane herbs and glimmering pebbles, this inner path was steeped in an eerie, oppressive silence. The Spiritual Qi here was so dense it felt like liquid lead, and every breath exerted a pressure on the lungs that warned of the lethal dangers lurking in the shadows.
Ye Fang led the vanguard. His cultivation base, newly stabilized at the Peak Stage of Qi Refining, radiated a purity that gave his every step a terrifying calmness, a stoic resolve that defied the volatility of his environment. Behind him, Princess Wang Mei's gaze remained fixed on his back. Ever since they had crossed the threshold of this domain, she had been dissecting his every movement, his decision-making process, and the unnatural calm he projected. A mountain of questions had accumulated in her heart, and she could no longer suppress the tremors of her curiosity.
Suddenly, Wang Mei accelerated. Her silk robes fluttered like the wings of a crane as she pulled abreast of Ye Fang. The caravan ground to a halt. Yang Kai Long, the vibrant Wang Ling, Commander Zheng, and the elite warriors from the Long Tian Sect—Murong Yun and Shi Mao—all froze, their senses spiking to their limits. The air seemed to crystallize, suspended in a moment of absolute tension.
Wang Mei locked her deep, velvet eyes onto Ye Fang's. Her voice was not that of a spoiled princess, but of a peerless cultivator seeking the truth of the Dao.
"Ye Fang," she began, her tone sharp and precise. "I have spent hours analyzing your actions. I can no longer restrain my doubts. How do you possess such uncanny, flawless strategies? At what turning point of your life did you learn to discern when to conserve energy, when to strike, and when to bypass futile conflicts? You appear to be of our generation, your face speaks of youth, yet your foresight puts the ancient Grand Elders of the continent—those who have governed sects for centuries—to shame. Your wisdom is not that of a mortal youth."
She paused, gesturing to the swirling, deceptive mist of the domain. "And the most terrifying enigma of all: how did you know that the legacy of the ancient 'Flame Emperor' was buried in the deepest core of this illusion? While the masters and Elders of the top sects of the Tianxia Continent are blinded by the outer beauty of this realm, your eyes saw past the veil to the ultimate treasure. What is the source of your profound intellect, your diplomacy, and this hidden knowledge? Who, truly, are you?"
The caravan stood stunned by the bluntness of her interrogation. Yang Kai Long tightened his grip on his blade. "Indeed, Brother Ye Fang. That same doubt plagues us all. Your every move seems to transcend the cruel logic of this cultivation world."
Hearing these piercing inquiries, Ye Fang felt his spirit stir. His facial expression shifted, evolving from a mask of calm into one of profound, ancient scholarly depth. He closed his eyes, and for a fleeting moment, his consciousness drifted beyond the borders of the Tianxia Continent, returning to the distant, sacred memories of Earth.
'How do I explain the truth to these cultivators?' Ye Fang mused internally. 'They cannot fathom that in my original world, I devoured thousands of cultivation and fantasy novels. I have read the blueprints of every secret domain, studied the predictable greed of arrogant cultivators, and learned the art of metagaming. I know that when the world chases the scraps in the mud, the true hero strikes at the heart.'
He glanced inward at the enigmatic, divine System dormant within his soul—the source of his guidance. 'And as for the Flame Emperor's legacy? It is the system that grants me the blueprints. It feeds me the Hidden Legacy of Hao Huo, showing me the ley lines of the domain as if they were drawn on my palm. With the wisdom of the Universe as my guide, how could I not see the truth?'
However, when it came to the realm of high diplomacy, strategy, and the supreme principles of life, Ye Fang's heart flooded with immense gratitude towards his mother. He recalled the holy, eternal texts she had taught him in his childhood—the foundations of his soul.
'As for the art of supreme strategy...' Ye Fang thought with a mix of pride and reverence. 'These warriors of the Tianxia Continent have mastered only the accumulation of Qi and the swinging of blades. They are ignorant of the true ocean of diplomacy.'
'I am truly blessed that my mother sat me upon her lap and imparted the holy wisdom of the Ramayana and the Bhagavad Gita. The strategies of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna—his divine diplomacy, his mastery over 'Sama, Dama, Danda, Bhed' (Persuasion, Gift, Punishment, Division) which he imparted to Arjuna—that is the king of all strategies. Sri Krishna dismantled a colossal army of Adharma without lifting a single weapon, relying solely on supreme intellect. And the patience of Maryada Purushottam Prabhu Sri Rama... his adherence to righteousness in the face of impossible adversity, his ability to conquer the might of Lanka while remaining bound by duty—this is the true diplomacy I have imbibed since birth.'
'Compared to this cosmic wisdom,' Ye Fang concluded, his eyes snapping open with a terrifying clarity, 'the thousand-year-old stratagems of this continent's sects are nothing more than dry straw before a raging inferno.'
Following the profound contemplation that had shaken his very soul, Ye Fang slowly opened his eyes. A transcendent luster, deep as an ancient sage's who had witnessed the dawn of the universe, flickered within his pupils. He turned his gaze toward Princess Wang Mei, his voice carrying the resonant, heavy weight of a bell tolling in an ancient temple, mesmerizing every warrior present.
"Princess Wang Mei, your curiosity is as sharp as a sword, and your questions are entirely justified," Ye Fang spoke, his tone vibrating with an aura of authority. "Indeed, in the days of my youth, I had the fortune to study a text of supreme divinity. It was no mere cultivation manual or mortal scroll. It was an ocean—an absolute record of the laws governing the cosmos, the duties of the sovereign, the stratagems of the battlefield, and the diplomacy of life itself. It is through the divine principles inscribed in that great work that I discern when to hoard my energy, when to avoid the path of pointless slaughter, and when to walk silently toward my ultimate destination."
Hearing this, a tremor of spiritual energy ran through Wang Mei's body. The air around them seemed to thicken, charged with an invisible tension. With a mix of unbridled curiosity and deep reverence, she took a step closer, her voice barely a whisper. "A sacred, ancient treatise? Ye Fang, I beg of you, what is its name? Is it the hidden work of some ancient Immortal of the Tianxia Continent?"
Ye Fang stared into the infinite, swirling mist, his mind tethered to the eternal verses of the Bhagavad Gita. To translate the concept into a language these cultivators could grasp, he replied with profound solemnity: "That holy scripture is called... 'The Divine Song of Supreme Consciousness.' But... that scripture exists no longer in this world."
The moment those words left his lips, the very atmosphere within the Secret Domain seemed to solidify. The howling winds ceased; an oppressive, terrifying silence fell like a leaden shroud over the group.
To a cultivator of this cruel, ancient world, when one claims a secret or power "does not exist in this world," it carried a singular, chilling implication: such knowledge belonged to the Immortal Realms, or perhaps it was forbidden wisdom erased by the Heavenly Dao itself—knowledge far too heavy for the mortal coil to bear!
"W-what... what did you say?!" Wang Mei's voice cracked, a surge of raw terror overriding her regal composure. She recoiled, clutching her sword as if bracing for a celestial cataclysm. "That scripture... it does not exist in this world? Ye Fang, what do you mean? Is that sacred text from a higher Cultivation Realm, accessible only to the Gods? Were you brought here by your mysterious, omnipotent Master from some Heaven above? Are you... are you a secret messenger of the Heavenly Dao, bearing wisdom from beyond the mortal veil?"
Even Yang Kai Long's body shuddered. The Thunder Dragon Veins within him roared in primal fear. He stammered, "Knowledge that does not exist in the fabric of this world... how can it reside so naturally within you? Brother Ye Fang, from what unknown, celestial realm do your true origins spring?"
As Ye Fang witnessed the terror, awe, and colossal misunderstanding dawning upon their faces, he realized with a jolt that his tongue had slipped.
'Disaster!' he thought, his heart racing. 'I was referring to Earth! But these cultivation fanatics have interpreted it as some terrifying, higher-realm divine revelation! I must rectify this, or they shall begin to worship me as an Immortal descent, and my life will become a nightmare of unwanted attention!'
He immediately stifled his grim expression, forcing his features back into normalcy. With a feigned cough and a dismissive wave of his hands, he chuckled.
"Wait! Everyone, calm your hearts! You are wildly misinterpreting my words! When I said it does not exist in this world, I did not mean it in a spiritual or heavenly sense! I merely meant... it is not present on this continent! Yes, it is simply not here in the Tianxia Continent! My apologies, I chose my words poorly; my tongue stumbled, and you have all drawn the wrong conclusion!"
Ye Fang sighed in relief, having corrected his slip. However, in the complex dance of cultivation politics and intrigue, when one drops a mystery of such magnitude only to hastily bury it, it does not diminish the awe—it anchors it.
Wang Mei watched Ye Fang, her eyes shimmering with a fierce, unwavering devotion that cemented his status as a divine entity in their hearts forever.
'How profoundly humble and mysterious he is,' she thought to herself. 'He intentionally downplays it, claiming it is merely 'not on this continent,' just to shield our fragile minds from the truth. That text surely hails from some distant, forbidden Divine Realm beyond the oceans, where Immortals roam. Ye Fang's existence is older and more divine than the history of this entire continent.'
Yang Kai Long bowed his head in absolute reverence, his voice trembling with newfound piety. "We understand your restraint and your humility, Brother Ye Fang. Your tongue did not slip; rather, you granted us a glimpse of a truth too vast for ordinary cultivators like us to comprehend. We are fully committed to following your divine guidance."
Ye Fang looked upon their unwavering, absolute faith, and shook his head internally. 'How naive they are,' he thought to himself. 'They swallow every word I say without a hint of doubt.'
Suddenly, the 'Little System' materialized. Manifesting in traditional ancient Indian attire, she appeared before Ye Fang with a theatrical flourish, acting as if she were a sage from a bygone era. "O Vatsa Ye Fang! You have fed them such tales of your imaginary Master that they have no choice but to bow at your feet in reverence."
The Little System, currently draped in traditional garments, was in full dramatic mode. She hovered in the air, spinning like a top directly above Ye Fang's head, weaving around him in playful circles. With her tiny fingers tracing intricate, dramatic mudras in the air, she constantly circled him, teasingly calling him "Vatsa" (Child).
Ye Fang, already inwardly irritated by his previous slip of the tongue before Princess Wang Mei and the others, was reaching the end of his patience with the System's antics. The people of Sanmiao City viewed him as a divine entity, and here was this invisible nuisance hovering over his head, making a mockery of his dignity.
As the Little System spun closer, preparing to deliver another taunt, Ye Fang's patience finally shattered.
Without hesitation, he flicked his hand upward in a casual, swatting motion—as if shooing away a bothersome fly. The invisible force of his strike connected squarely with the System. Her rhythm broken, the System's dramatic posture crumbled instantly. She tumbled through the air, performing several comical somersaults before crashing to the ground.
She puffed up her cheeks in a display of digital fury, but before she could begin her electronic wailing, Ye Fang gritted his teeth and whispered in a voice cold as ice:
"Keep your nonsense to yourself for now! The situation is already complicated enough with these people watching. Stop this drama and let me focus on finding the path forward."
Across the way, the Sanmiao City caravan, standing in respectful silence, was stunned. They witnessed their profoundly mysterious and calm 'Brother Ye Fang' suddenly strike at the empty air for no apparent reason, appearing visibly agitated at something invisible.
Princess Wang Mei narrowed her eyes, scanning the empty space with a thoughtful gaze. 'Amazing!' she mused. 'Brother Ye Fang is undoubtedly communicating with an invisible, high-level Spiritual Guide or the secret consciousness of his Master. Perhaps that unseen power is warning him of some impending danger, and he is commanding it to remain calm. His diplomatic depth and esoteric techniques are truly beyond our comprehension!'
Yang Kai Long bowed his head in absolute reverence, thinking, 'To strike down a secret energy existing in the void with a single flick... this must surely be a technique from the Immortal Realms.'
When Ye Fang turned back and saw the terrifying misunderstanding, the awe, and the deep, misplaced reverence etched onto their faces, he mentally buried his face in his hands. He realized that from now on, whatever insane or eccentric action he took in this Secret Domain, these people would interpret it as a divine miracle.
"We must cease our idle chatter and begin our search. Do you all understand? We must divide into teams of two."
Ye Fang's sudden, crisp command echoed through the heavy, silent atmosphere. His face was no longer masked by amusement; he wore the steely resolve of a seasoned general. He gazed at the vast, rocky corridor ahead, where four distinct, hidden paths branched into the depths.
Princess Wang Mei immediately stepped forward, adjusting her silken robes. "Brother Ye Fang's suggestion is sound. The scale of this secret domain is immense. If all eight of us traverse the same path, we will waste precious time, and the other sects of the Tianxia Continent may close in on us. We must disperse immediately."
Yang Kai Long tightened his grip on the hilt of his heavy blade. "As the Holy Son, I agree with this arrangement. But how shall the teams be formed? The safety of every individual here is paramount."
Ye Fang issued his instructions without delay. "Wang Mei, you will accompany me. We shall investigate the leftmost path. Yang Kai Long, you are responsible for Wang Ling's safety; take the second path. Commander Zheng and Captain Luo, you are the most experienced warriors of Sanmiao City; you shall take command of the third path. And Murong Yun, Shi Mao—as skilled disciples of the Long Tian Sect, you shall proceed toward the fourth and final path. Does anyone object?"
Murong Yun and Shi Mao immediately clasped their hands and bowed. "We accept this arrangement completely."
Little sister Wang Ling's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Finally! At least we are free from this boring queue. Yang Kai Long, let's see what we find on our path!"
Captain Luo exchanged a look with Commander Zheng, igniting his Qi. "Commander, our weapons are ready. For the honor of Sanmiao City, we must reach the end of this path." Commander Zheng nodded curtly, and they strode forward.
Thus, without a single wasted argument, the caravan of eight split into four. Yang Kai Long and Wang Ling entered the second rocky path, Commander Zheng and Captain Luo vanished into the depths of the third corridor, and Murong Yun and Shi Mao proceeded toward the fourth.
Now, only Ye Fang and Wang Mei remained near the main entrance. The walls emanated a faint, golden-red luminescence—a harbinger that they were nearing the true legacy of the Flame Emperor.
Ye Fang glanced at Wang Mei. "Let us go. We have little time."
As they entered the narrow, rising rocky corridor, the temperature surged violently. The walls were inscribed with bizarre, ancient symbols that pulsed like the veins of a dormant volcano. With every step, a low rumble resonated from beneath the earth.
Suddenly, a familiar digital flicker appeared before Ye Fang's eyes. The Little System, still clad in her traditional Indian attire, drifted in front of his face. She held an imaginary flute and, pretending to play, circled Ye Fang.
"O Vatsa Ye Fang!" the System teased in a dramatic, hushed tone.
"You wove a web of diplomacy so fine that you sent the other six warriors away, leaving yourself alone with this beautiful Princess on this most mysterious path. Is this another one of your secret strategies, or merely the influence of those novels from your Earth?"
Ye Fang glanced at Wang Mei, who was studying the wall inscriptions with intense vigilance. He slowed his pace and raised his hand, feigning an attempt to sense the Qi of the walls, but in reality, he gave the floating System a sharp flick on the head.
"Shut up with this nonsense," Ye Fang hissed in a mental voice, his teeth clenched. "I divided the teams for safety and speed. Just tell me—what does the blueprint and map say? Are we on the right path?"
The System drifted back, hiding her imaginary flute and straightening her traditional garments, feigning seriousness. "Yes, Host. The rocky corridor before you leads directly to the 'First Chamber of the Flame Emperor.' The internal structure of this domain is a labyrinth. If you proceed without a defensive barrier, a squad of 'Flame Soldiers' will block your path in five hundred meters."
Ye Fang replied mentally, "Flame Soldiers? What is their cultivation level?"
The System flickered a small red dot in the air. "They are formed from energy at the 7th and 8th stages of Qi Refining. However, they are numerous and manifest directly from the stone."
A smile touched Ye Fang's lips. "Just Qi Refining! Then this will be even easier than I anticipated."
In the physical world, Wang Mei continued to press forward. A chill, frost-like Qi flowed from her blue sword, battling the oppressive heat of the corridor. She stopped abruptly, looking ahead where the path widened and the ground was paved with ancient, obsidian stones.
Wang Mei thrust her sword forward. "Ye Fang, the fire element in the air is becoming violent. My frost energy is weakening. I sense a massive trap or a guardian stationed ahead."
Ye Fang stepped beside her. "Your intuition is correct. Observe this obsidian-paved area. There is no dust on the surface, which means it is frequently disturbed. Keep your blade ready; as soon as we cross this threshold, the guardians will awaken."
Wang Mei took his words with grave seriousness, focusing her Qi into her feet to parry any sudden assault. "I am ready. You may stay behind me; your Qi is newly stabilized at the Peak Stage, and the extreme heat may make it difficult for you to regulate your breathing."
Ye Fang smiled inwardly, touched by the Princess's concern for his safety. Outwardly, he simply nodded. "We shall move together. No one needs to stay behind."
The moment their feet touched the obsidian boundary, a thunderous roar shook the tunnel. The golden and red symbols on the walls flared with blinding intensity. Molten lava poured from the inscriptions, and as it hit the ground, it coalesced into human-shaped stone constructs.
In an instant, twenty 'Flame Soldiers' stood before them. They wielded massive blades and spears forged of molten lava, and where eyes should have been, burning flames raged. Their Qi pressure was undoubtedly at the high stages of Qi Refining.
"Attack!" Wang Mei shrieked, swinging her blue sword. Three massive waves of frost erupted from her blade, colliding with three of the Flame Soldiers. The clash of ice and fire filled the corridor with a dense, white mist.
Ye Fang braced himself. He straightened his spine and, gathering pure Qi in his palms, struck one of the Flame Soldiers directly in the chest. His pure Peak-Stage energy was so potent that the stone soldier shattered instantly, but the molten rock immediately began to pull itself back together from the ashes.
"Physical destruction is not enough!" Ye Fang shouted to warn Wang Mei. "We must destroy the 'Fire Core' at their center, or they will never be quelled!"
Wang Mei adjusted her strategy instantly. Her sword flashed, targeting the glowing red points between the soldiers' throats and chests. With every precise strike, a Flame Soldier collapsed into inert, silent rubble.
The Little System floated in the air, watching the battle with delight. She drifted onto Ye Fang's shoulder, then danced atop the head of a Flame Soldier. "Wow, Host! Your tactical judgment and the Princess's artistic swordsmanship are truly a sight to behold! Do you wish for me to amplify your pure Qi, or shall you continue to impress the Princess with your diplomacy?"
Ye Fang destroyed another core with a thumb-strike. "Shut up! Save your energy; the real danger lies at the end of this path."
After ten minutes of grueling, continuous combat, the corridor fell silent. All twenty Flame Soldiers were reduced to simple piles of black ash and stone. Wang Mei's breathing was heavy, and beads of sweat glistened on her forehead. She leaned on her sword and looked toward Ye Fang.
Ye Fang stood perfectly calm, showing no signs of fatigue from the skirmish. He adjusted his robe and gestured forward. "That was merely the first trial. The end of this path is near. We must move forward without hesitation."
Wang Mei regulated her breath and resumed her stride. As they approached the end of the secret passage, the outline of a massive, golden gate came into view—it appeared to be the entrance to the Flame Emperor's main resting chamber.