The heavy stone gate of the final chamber groaned open, echoing through the molten caverns of "Ember Valley". The air grew suffocatingly hot, waves of searing pressure rolling outward as Ye Fang stepped inside. Crimson light flickered from walls veined with lava, illuminating the colossal figure slumbering in the heart of the chamber.
The final boss of the Ember Valley—Infernal Flame Behemoth—slowly raised its head. Its entire body was forged from molten rock, cracks glowing like rivers of living fire. Two horns curved backward, pulsing with ember-like energy. Every breath it exhaled shimmered with sparks, each exhale igniting the air. When it opened its eyes, molten gold irises burned like miniature suns.
Its roar shook the entire chamber, and the flames along the walls flared as if responding to its fury.
Ye Fang stood still, his expression calm, eyes glowing faintly red from the reflection of the molten chamber.
A small flare of light appeared beside him as Yanhua emerged from the dragon space. The elegant golden-red dragon coiled midair, her wings shimmering like threads of burning silk. Though only the size of a horse, her presence radiated a sacred, oppressive majesty.
The Infernal Flame Behemoth glared, pounding its fists against the molten ground, sending out shockwaves of fire. The beast towered over everything—ten meters of pure molten rage.
Yet Ye Fang and Yanhua were unfazed. Their combined aura rippled across the chamber like a tide of invisible heat.
"Let's end this quickly," Ye Fang said softly.
At his words, Yanhua's golden eyes blazed. She drew in a deep breath—flames coiling around her like a spiral storm—before unleashing her **Fire Breath**. The torrent of crimson-gold fire struck the behemoth head-on, vaporizing the molten ground beneath it.
The Infernal Flame Behemoth roared in pain, swinging its massive arm in retaliation. The molten limb descended like a falling mountain. Ye Fang dashed forward, his agility blurring his figure into streaks of flame. He leapt high and slammed his fist—imbued with Spirit Qi—into the creature's arm. The impact echoed like thunder, shattering its molten skin and spraying sparks across the chamber.
"Yanhua, now!"
The dragon's wings spread wide. A vast circle of runes ignited beneath her—Fire Domain. The chamber turned into a blazing inferno, the air itself trembling with burning energy. Inside this domain, Yanhua's flames surged to their full potential.
Her claws glowed with blinding light as she dove, slashing across the Behemoth's chest. Each strike carved glowing gashes into the molten flesh.
The monster stumbled backward, roaring one final time as Ye Fang's aura flared. His spirit energy converged in his right hand—glowing crimson from the resonance with Yanhua's flames.
"End."
He leapt forward, his punch striking directly at the Behemoth's core. The explosion that followed drowned the cavern in a pillar of red and gold light. When the dust settled, only silence remained.
The Infernal Flame Behemoth—lord of Ember Valley—lay motionless, its body collapsing into molten fragments.
A faint "ding" resounded.
---
[Notification]
[Boss defeated!]
[Level Up → Lv. 15]
[Yanhua → Lv. 10]
[All Stats Increased!]
---
Ye Fang exhaled slowly, feeling the surge of energy coursing through him.
Yanhua hovered nearby, her scales shimmering even brighter now. Her growth was astonishing—her power had risen again.
Her current stats gleamed across the panel:
---
[Yanhua – Fire Dragon]
[Level: 10]
[All Attributes: 1200]
[Skills: Fire Breath, Fire Domain, Fire Claw, Fire Resistance]
---
Through "Dragon Resonance", Ye Fang received thirty percent of Yanhua's stats.
That alone made his own power skyrocket.
---
[Ye Fang – Status Panel]
[Level: 15]
[All Attributes: 510]
[Bonus Points: 60]
---
He smiled faintly. "Looks like we've cleared it."
Another message appeared.
---
[System Notification]
[Congratulations, Host, for successfully clearing Ember Valley Secret Realm!]
[Completion Time: 6 hours 27 minutes.]
[Rewards Granted]:
[Silver Rank Weapon: Ember Staff (+10% Fire-Type Attack)]
[Silver Rank Shield: Ember Guard (-50% Fire Damage Taken)]
[Skill Book: Warrior's Fire Blessing (+10% Attack Power)]
---
After storing his rewards, Ye Fang began collecting materials from the battlefield.
The bodies of slain monsters glittered faintly—each one a source of wealth.
From the Ember Wolves, he harvested fiery fangs prized for weapon crafting.
The Molten Serpents yielded glowing scales resistant to heat.
From the Lava Horned Boars, he collected hardened tusks infused with flame Qi.
Even the Flame Mantises provided razor-sharp claws that blacksmiths used to forge blades.
He worked silently, collecting each valuable piece, storing them neatly within his inventory. When he was done, he looked back at the still battlefield.
"Not bad for a warm-up," he murmured.
He left the secret realm, the portal flashing briefly before fading.
---
The night air was cool outside the management hall. Most adventurers had already gone home. Ye Fang, however, headed straight to the Monster Byproduct Exchange—a tall building glowing with soft amber light.
As he entered, a young staff attendant greeted him with a polite smile.
"Welcome, sir. Would you like to sell your monster materials or secret realm rewards?"
"Both," Ye Fang replied.
"Please follow me."
She led him to a private evaluation chamber. One by one, Ye Fang placed the monster parts and silver-ranked loot onto the counter. The scanner flickered, calculating the total value.
After a few minutes, the staff member looked at the result, astonished.
"Your total exchange amount is 512,000 Holy Coins, sir!"
Ye Fang nodded slightly and accepted the credit. "Good."
The attendant bowed respectfully as he left, whispering under her breath, "That man cleared Ember Valley… alone?"
---
Ye Fang walked through the quiet streets, stopping by a small bakery. The scent of freshly baked pastries drifted into the night air. He bought an assortment of cakes—soft vanilla, chocolate cream, and a strawberry tart. Then he picked up some fried chicken from the shop next door.
His lips curved faintly. Yue will like this.
When he reached home, the moment he opened the door, he heard quick footsteps.
"Brother!"
Ye Yue rushed out, her silver hair shining under the lamp's glow. She threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly.
"You worried me," she said softly, her voice trembling. "It's late… I thought you wouldn't come back."
Ye Fang smiled gently, patting her head. "I'm sorry. It took longer than I expected inside the secret realm. I'm back now."
He held up the food bag. "I brought you something—your favorite cakes and some chicken."
Her eyes immediately brightened. "Really?!"
They sat together at the small wooden table, laughter softening the night's silence. Yue's bright smile reflected in Ye Fang's calm eyes—a fleeting moment of peace between battles.
After dinner, Yue went to rest. Ye Fang quietly returned to his room, closing the door behind him.
He summoned his system interface. A soft chime echoed.
---
[System Notification]
[Task Completed!]
[Reward Received → Crimson Sun Elixir (S-Rank).]
[Item stored in inventory.]
---
He opened the inventory and retrieved a glass bottle glowing faintly red. Inside, the "Crimson Sun Elixir" shimmered like liquid fire.
"An S-rank consumable…" Ye Fang muttered, his eyes narrowing. "Even at the academy, these are nearly priceless."
He tapped the description window.
---
[Crimson Sun Elixir – S Rank]
[Effect: Permanently increases the attack and defense of fire-type creatures by 100%].
---
A small gasp came from behind him.
"Ga-wu!"
Yanhua had appeared beside him, her golden eyes fixed on the elixir bottle, drooling slightly. She flapped her wings, rubbing her head against Ye Fang's arm, clearly pleading.
Ye Fang chuckled softly. "You want this, don't you?"
She nodded eagerly, tail swaying.
"Alright," he said, uncorking the bottle. "Let's see what happens."
He tilted the bottle toward Yanhua. She drank it in a single gulp.
For a heartbeat, nothing happened.
Then—
BOOM!
A pillar of crimson light erupted from her body, shaking the room.
The entire apartment trembled as flames surged outward, forming the vague silhouette of a great dragon behind her—wings stretching across the ceiling.
Ye Fang shielded his eyes from the blazing light, a smile tugging at his lips.
"So, you're evolving again… Yanhua."