About an hour after the internal turmoil, Lei Ze woke up. He had fainted on the doorstep of his room and, thankfully, one of his housemates had carried him inside.
He clutched his head, still throbbing painfully from the internal clash of energies.
Like a disturbing nightmare, a new vision surfaced: the Demon King's powerful weapon, the Bloodfire Halberd, buried deep inside the volcanic, crusted rock. The image seemed to crack at the edges, then shattered entirely.
"Why am I seeing all these things?" he whispered, shaken.
He jumped off the bed and walked toward the door. It was already time for dinner.
"Hey, Brother! Come here!" his nine housemates called out gratefully, inviting him to join their meal.
Lei Ze walked slowly, keeping his voice low so as not to sound too loud. "Oh, it's alright. You all go ahead and eat until you're satisfied. I only want some fresh air tonight."
He walked calmly out, needing space to process his turmoil.
Lán Tíng immediately pushed her food aside and followed Lei Ze out into the cool air.
"Haa—" Lán Tíng sighed contentedly, gazing up at the scattered stars. "I truly miss my mother."
Hearing her speak of her mother, Lei Ze turned to look at her, concern etched on his face. "What happened to your mother?"
Lán Tíng sighed with deep grief, her eyes still fixed on the distant lights. "Hmm. When I was three years old, my mother and I used to sell goods in the market when we lived in the Southern Lands. We struggled every single day just to eat. The Emperor of those lands was wicked, so much so that he mandated killing any parent with more than two children, and he began demanding huge, impossible taxes on all work. One day, my mother fell ill and couldn't sell, so I had to take her place."
She paused, remembering. "The Emperor himself came to the market, punishing merchants for any small infraction. When he reached our stall, he glanced at me with a frightening look and asked, 'Why are you here selling instead of attending school?' I bravely replied that school wasn't for me; I wanted to become a warrior instead. Everyone laughed at me, even the Emperor."
"Then my mother, weakly, struggled to stand up, trying to speak for me. 'Hey, why are you laughing? Can't she become one? Leave my daughter alone!' The King took offense instantly. He stepped forward and commanded his guards to execute her. 'You disrespectful peasant don't deserve to live. Take her out of my sight and kill her.' My soul shattered. I tried to follow them, but I was knocked hard to the ground. I nearly died myself, but thankfully, Master Wèi Kāng arrived and rescued me. I owe him everything."
Lei Ze's face was grave, his eyes troubled as he looked at Lán Tíng. "I'm so sorry, Lán Tíng. I didn't know you suffered so much. I promise you now, I will avenge your mother's death for you."
Hearing his fierce promise gave Lán Tíng a desperate flicker of hope. She fell into a soft sob, resting her head against Lei Ze's chest.
She could hear Lei Ze's heart pounding furiously, much faster than a person at rest, as if he were deeply afraid or trying to contain something powerful.
"Lei, is something wrong?" Lán Tíng raised her head, her expression searching.
"Why do you ask?" Lei Ze countered, trying to sound normal.
"Your heart is pounding so loudly."
"I... I just remembered someone I deeply care about, someone precious in my life."
"Who?"
Before Lei Ze could answer, a large object, a meteorite burning with strange green flames slammed loudly into the nearby mountainside. The impact shook the entire sect violently.
The ground-shaking crash instantly alerted the sect leaders. Orders were swiftly issued to investigate the impact site, and a select few Elders were chosen to check the area.
Lei Ze, consumed by a fierce curiosity, left Lán Tíng with a hasty command to wait for him and tell no one of his departure. He ran alone toward the distant crash site to discover its nature.
When he reached the location, he saw that the celestial body had gouged a massive crater into the earth. The meteorite was glowing with a fierce, unstable red aura where it had once burned with green fire.
"This is no ordinary rock," Lei Ze whispered, mystified. "What power is this?" He tentatively extended his hand toward the meteorite. The remnants of the green flames immediately reached out, seeking contact with his Spiritual Sea. A shocking surge of electricity shot through Lei Ze's palm, and he instantly recoiled.
"What strange energy is that?"
He stood frozen, staring at the meteorite with a mixture of shock and intense curiosity.
"Where did this even come from?" He looked up, tracing the direction from which the object had descended.
Just then, he heard the sound of someone flying toward his position. He quickly flattened himself behind a large boulder, awaiting the newcomer.
A figure clad in the Green Pine Sect's attire landed softly. The man held one hand casually folded behind his back while the other stroked his long beard, his eyes sweeping the area, searching for any onlookers.
"Lord Gāo Fēng?" Lei Ze muttered under his breath, frustration creeping into his tone.
"Why is he here alone, without the other Elders or any disciples?"
Gāo Fēng bent down toward the meteorite, gazing at it with profound satisfaction. "The Emperor's Scorch," he whispered. "Legend says this flame erupted when the Sun Emperor fell from the heavens thousands of years ago, scattering pieces of his fiery essence across the world. I sensed its power the moment it pierced the atmosphere."
He quickly channeled his own Qi energy, restraining the flickering flames before absorbing them swiftly into his core. After completing the absorption, he needed a secure place to cultivate and properly refine the volatile energy. He immediately flew toward a nearby, secluded cave entrance.
"Did Lord Gāo Fēng just absorb that fire?"
Lei Ze emerged from his hiding spot, staring in disbelief at Gāo Fēng's retreating figure.
"What exactly are you plotting, Lord Gāo?"
He started to follow, but then heard another group approaching. Lei Ze quickly retreated back behind the rock, watching as six figures, also wearing the Green Pine Sect robes, landed.
Lei Ze narrowed his eyes in confusion. "The official Elders are here too? Why is everyone so eager to investigate this? What is truly going on?"
One Elder cautiously approached the crater. The powerful flames were now completely gone, leaving only the charred rock and lingering smoke.
The Elder stood up after studying the unremarkable crater. "It's just an ordinary meteorite that fell," he concluded dismissively. "That must be it."
The Elders quickly lost interest since the formidable flames were no longer present.
"Let's inform Lord Lǐ Yúnzhōu that it was merely a common meteorite," they agreed, flying back in haste.
It was so late now that only two figures remained outside the entire Green Pine Sect: Lei Ze and Fang.
Lei Ze emerged once more, still bewildered.
"The Emperor's Scorch," he whispered, repeating Gāo Fēng's words. "Why are those flames so important to Lord Gāo?"
He quickly leaped from rock to rock until he reached the cave entrance where Gāo Fēng had disappeared.
"Hmm. Seriously, I'm doing this," he muttered, steeling his nerves.
He entered quietly, taking painstaking steps to avoid detection. Inside, Gāo Fēng was deep in meditation, attempting to refine the newly acquired flame. Lei Ze could see that the Emperor's Scorch flames surrounding Gāo Fēng were overwhelmingly intense, causing the Elder's body to glow fiercely.
Suddenly, a portion of the wild flames was released, surging directly toward Lei Ze, drawn by his presence.
"The flames... they're heading right for me!"
Lei Ze frantically darted out, trying to escape the pursuing fire. But the flame was relentless. It coiled around his right ankle, trying to drag him down.
Lei Ze was slammed hard onto the ground as the flame floated toward him like a sentient, living fire.
"The flame seems to be connected to me,"
he realized. He stretched out his hand again, deciding to face the pain and let the energy enter his spiritual body. The searing agony was unbearable. He couldn't take it anymore and desperately leaped away right before Gāo Fēng emerged from his meditation.
Gāo Fēng caught sight of Lei Ze just as the boy vanished from view. Gāo Fēng's face was a mask of cold fury and calculation. He rubbed his beard slowly, staring in the direction Lei Ze fled.
"Lei Ze," he stated calmly. "You have exceeded your limit." He then flew off.
Meanwhile, at the headquarters of the Jīn Yàn Sect, Lord Yáng Zhàn had meticulously finalized his plans for the upcoming Treasure Hunt. His disciples were fully prepared to eliminate any outsiders who dared to obstruct them.
Huò Jié, a dark-cloaked figure, entered the cavernous hall. Měi Lín, who was now sixteen far more stunning and skillful than when she first followed Huò Jié seven years prior, trailed silently behind him. Her long, black hair flowed like a dark river, and her vigilant brown eyes never left Huò Jié's every move.
"Lord Yáng Zhàn," Huò Jié bowed before the Sect Master, who was seated on his imposing throne, hands folded behind his back.
"Huò Jié, present your information and leave. It is very late."
Huò Jié nodded calmly. "The Green Pine Sect is fully prepared for the Treasure Hunt tomorrow. I overheard Jìng Xū and Lǐ Yúnzhōu discussing a powerful treasure, the Jade Sun Pagoda."
Yáng Zhàn froze, utterly shocked. The Pagoda was a legendary structure reputed to be a Daoist and Buddhist holy relic capable of purifying demonic corruption and enhancing the spiritual foundation of any cultivator.
"The Pagoda?" Yáng Zhàn repeated, his voice dangerously excited.
"Yes, my Lord. And it is Lei Ze who is destined to retrieve that Pagoda."
Yáng Zhàn unleashed an angry blast of Qi energy that shook the entire hall, causing Měi Lín to momentarily lose balance near a pillar, though she skillfully recovered.
"My son will be the one to claim the Pagoda, not that Lei Ze!"
"Your son?" Huò Jié asked, completely stunned, having never heard of the Lord having a child.
"Yes, my son, Mò Zhàn, the strongest young cultivator in the Eastern Lands!"
Huò Jié was utterly shocked.
"Brother Mò Zhàn will return to participate in the hunt?" Měi Lín whispered softly, eyes widening.
"The Pagoda shall be claimed by Mò Zhàn, not that pathetic, so-called Lei Ze!" Lord Yáng Zhàn roared thunderously.
Měi Lín's eyes widened, confused and nervous about the conflict brewing between these two unknown cultivators vying for the same treasure.
"Lei Ze," Měi Lín stated the name aloud, a challenge in her voice. "Whoever you are, I am eager to meet you. Lei. Ze."