The sea of flame surged like a living inferno, stretching over a hundred acres of scorched land. Blazing waves danced wildly, casting crimson light that flickered like the breath of a sleeping beast. Within this burning realm, several figures braved the heat, resisting the overwhelming erosion of the flame tides.
"What a powerful formation," Lin Qingtan murmured, a mix of awe and anxiety coloring her tone. "Even Lin Langtian is trapped."
"Stupid," Ye Feng said coldly, arms crossed and eyes calm.
Lin Qingtan blinked. "Young Master Ye… are you saying Lin Langtian is stupid?"
Ye Feng pointed toward the swirling flame paths. "Did you see those split paths in the sea of fire?"
"I did," she nodded.
"They're all fake. None of them lead anywhere. Lin Langtian foolishly thought one of those paths was real and tried to charge through. As a result, he triggered the formation. He let his eyes deceive him, and now he's stuck, surrounded by danger he doesn't understand. If that's not stupidity, what is?"
Lin Qingtan fell silent, her expression turning grave.
"Young Master Ye, do you know how to cross it?"
"It's simple," Ye Feng replied. "The path that looks the least likely is often the real one. Where there's no visible path—that is where you walk."
He paused, then added, "This formation wasn't created by a master. The owner is just an ordinary cultivator skilled in blending illusion and reality. That's the whole trick—he makes the fake look real, and the real look fake."
Lin Qingtan tilted her head. "Have you seen more powerful formations than this?"
"Of course."
"Tell me."
"I once encountered a formation where the moment you entered, you fell into a lifelike illusion shaped by your inner desires. Everything felt real—touch, sound, pain. And just when you thought you broke free, you'd fall into another illusion, this one populated with real people… and one final enemy."
Ye Feng's gaze darkened. "That enemy doesn't exist in the real world, but its strength is drawn from your heart. If you believe it's invincible, it becomes so. If you believe it's weak, it crumbles. That's the terror of that formation—it turns your fears into reality."
Lin Dong's jaw dropped slightly. "There's actually something like that in this world?"
"Yes. And the cruelest part?" Ye Feng's voice dropped lower. "Before you even enter, you're fed rumors. They tell you the final enemy is unstoppable. That thought plants a seed in your mind—one that can kill you before the fight begins."
He turned away. "That's why, when danger comes, don't panic. Observe. Analyze. Think. Then act. Don't be like Lin Langtian—rushing blindly and letting fear lead."
"Master, look over there," Lin Dong pointed. "The flames in that direction are the most intense. If what you said is right, then that should be the way forward."
"Wrong," Ye Feng said simply. "As your teacher, I always walk straight. Never the long way around."
He stepped forward.
The moment his foot touched the scorched ground, a cracking boom echoed like thunder.
Bang!
As if crushed by Ye Feng's will alone, the flames evaporated instantly, the sea of fire vanishing into sparks.
"The formation… it's gone?" Lin Dong said in disbelief.
He looked at Ye Feng with admiration blazing in his eyes. With just one step, the imposing fire formation had been broken. Clean. Dominant. Effortless.
"Let's go," Ye Feng said, already striding forward.
They arrived at the end of the sea of fire, where an ancient bronze door stood, half-closed, solemn and silent. Passing through, they entered a stone hall. It was spartan—barely decorated, yet filled with quiet pressure. At the center lay an open sarcophagus, lidless and ancient.
Floating above it was a pulsing ball of light—within it, a brilliant green heart throbbed rhythmically.
"It's the Nirvana Heart!"
"The legendary treasure that can break into the Nirvana Realm!"
Gasps rippled through the room as those who had followed Ye Feng stared at the emerald heart, their eyes burning with greed and awe.
Lin Dong, however, remained indifferent. "It's just the Nirvana Heart," he said flatly. With the Bone Chilling Flame in his possession, this treasure held little allure.
Then, a soft voice echoed through the hall, gentle as mist and clear as a bell.
"It's you."
A blue lotus shimmered into view, floating in the air. A figure stood above it—calm, elegant, her eyes deep as ancient wells.
Ling Qingzhu.
Her gaze locked onto Ye Feng, recalling the moment he had shattered the barrier of the Nirvana Cave. She, too, had tried—yet she had failed. Ye Feng had broken it with just a word.
Now, she looked down at the Nirvana Heart.
Her goal.
Fear flashed in her eyes—fear that Ye Feng would seize it.
Then she moved.
Without hesitation, Ling Qingzhu's jade-white hand reached for the glowing heart and shoved it into her mouth.
"No!" Ye Feng shouted.
Too late.
She swallowed it whole—no chewing, no hesitation.
Ye Feng froze. "I was going to subvert this storyline…"
But she had devoured the Nirvana Heart as if starving. Now, she sat cross-legged, already refining the power within her.
"She's doomed," Ye Feng muttered.
"Master, is it another fake?" Lin Dong asked.
"No. The Nirvana Heart is real. But it wasn't left behind by some ordinary Nirvana cultivator."
"Then what is it?" Lin Dong asked, puzzled.
Ye Feng pointed at the sarcophagus.
"Go. Read what's written on the stone."
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