Chapter 5812
“Hmm.”
Ling Yan continued, his tone filled with boundless longing for past glories.
“Our eldest brother, Li Jin, was born unruly, his nature a mix of righteousness and wickedness. He acted solely on his conscience, disregarding all rules and regulations.”
“He deeply understood the demonic and domineering nature of flames—the power to burn everything, destroy all, and then give birth to new life. He believed that the essence of fire lay in the cycle of destruction and rebirth.”
“He cultivated with near-madness, often testing the fire with his own body, walking the line between life and death, forging an earth-shattering Li Huo Demon Art. Later, he became known as the Li Huo Demon Lord, his power shaking the heavens, causing all demons to bow down, and immortals and gods to fear him.”
“Our second brother, Huo Ling, on the other hand, was gentle and upright, with a broad mind and compassion for all humanity. He understood the light, warmth, purification, and life-giving divinity and benevolence contained within flames, believing that fire was the beginning of civilization and the light of hope.”
“His Fire Spirit Immortal Technique was upright, magnificent, and profound, capable of purifying evil spirits and nourishing all things. Later, he attained the position of Fire Spirit Star Lord, ruling over a star field, receiving offerings from countless beings, and was hailed as the source of starlight and the embodiment of light.”
At this point, the bitterness on Ling Yan’s face deepened.
“As for me… Ling Yan, I am dull-witted and have mediocre comprehension. Although I have been fortunate enough to study under renowned masters and be on the same level as two peerless geniuses, I have never truly grasped the essence of fire.”
“I lack the demonic comprehension of my eldest brother, who breaks through and rebuilds, dominating the world, and I also lack the divine magnanimity of my second brother, who is righteous, peaceful, and benevolent to all living beings.” ”
I can only struggle to find my own path of sword and fire under the dazzling light of my two senior brothers, making slow progress.”
He sighed, his tone filled with deep regret and helplessness.
“What’s even more regrettable is that shortly after our master imparted the basic Dao techniques to us and laid the foundation for us, he mentioned that he had gained some insights and needed to go beyond the barrier of the universe to pursue the ultimate Dao. After that, he drifted away and was never heard from again.”
“Your two senior brothers are exceptionally talented. Even without our master’s subsequent guidance, they have made great strides forward with their own comprehension and opportunities, traveling through various worlds.”
Ling Yan turned to look at Kai, his eyes filled with sincerity, but also with a hint of barely perceptible melancholy.
“And I guard this Blazing Fire Secret Realm, discovered by my master in his early years and later transformed by my eldest brother, Li Jin.”
“This place was originally a strange space formed by a fragment of chaotic primordial fire falling at the beginning of the universe, containing the most primordial fire laws.”
“Before leaving this realm, my eldest brother entrusted it to my care, firstly out of consideration for our shared sect, giving me a safe haven to settle down and comprehend the Dao of Fire;
secondly, he hoped I could protect this place, preventing its essence from being defiled by unworthy individuals and causing a great disaster.”
“Within this secret realm, relying on some cultivation insights left by my eldest brother, occasional fragments of guidance from my second brother, and the boundless fire elemental energy of the realm itself,”
“I spent thousands of years barely fusing the Dao of Sword and the Dao of Fire, creating the Burning Heaven Sword Technique, which is why I now possess this meager reputation as the Heavenly Fire Sword Master.”
“But compared to my two senior brothers who have already roamed the heavens and worlds and wielded the laws… ha, fireflies are to the moon, dust is to mountains, they are truly insignificant, too shameful to mention.”
Chen listened calmly to Ling Yan’s explanation and understood. So this is the complex origin story.
A mysterious and powerful master, two senior brothers who took completely opposite paths yet both reached the pinnacle of their abilities, and a junior brother with limited talent who steadfastly upheld his duties and strived to catch up.
This Blazing Fire Secret Realm is both a treasure trove and, to some extent, a complex place in Ling Yan’s heart where glory and regret intertwine.
“Since the Blazing Fire Demon Lord entrusted you with the protection of this Blazing Fire Secret Realm, why did you set such strict rules, forbidding any outsiders from entering?”
“Even when we came here to escape disaster, we almost ended up fighting each other?” Kai asked another question that had been nagging at him.
Ling Yan’s expression turned serious, suppressing his previous sentiments.
He pointed to the deepest part of the secret realm, to the area where the flames were most chaotic, seemingly capable of swallowing and distorting even light, and said in a deep voice.
“There are two reasons. First, this place was solemnly entrusted to me by my senior brother, Li Jin. Since I, Ling Yan, have accepted this entrustment, I must be loyal to it and will never allow outsiders to arbitrarily defile or destroy the tranquility and integrity of this place, nor will I allow the resources of the secret realm to be exploited and abused. This is my promise to my senior brother, and it is also where my Dao heart lies.”
He paused, his tone becoming more solemn, even carrying a hint of apprehension.
“Second, and most importantly, the core of the secret realm is not an ordinary cultivation paradise or treasure vault, but the true dwelling place of that fragment of the Chaos Origin Fire, and also the place where my senior brother left behind part of its true inheritance and restrictions!”
Ling Yan’s gaze was fixed on that chaotic area, his voice lowered.
“Before leaving, my senior brother sternly warned me that this Chaos Origin Fire is the primordial fire that existed before the creation of heaven and earth and before the separation of primordial chaos. It is the ancestor of all fires and the root of destruction and creation.”
“It is violent and unpredictable, and the fragments of laws it contains far exceed the limits of this world’s tolerance.”
“Those who do not possess the purest source of fire, have a will as firm as the Chaos Divine Iron, and have gained its approval must never approach the core forbidden area!”
“Otherwise, even if I had entered at my peak, I would have been devoured by the Origin Fire. At best, my Dao foundation would be completely destroyed, and I would become a cripple; at worst, my body and soul would be annihilated, and I would never be reborn!”
He withdrew his gaze and looked at Kai, his eyes filled with unprecedented solemnity and warning.
“Fellow Daoist Chen, I do not know your origins or what you rely on.”
“You can dispel the outer fire spirits, perhaps you possess extraordinary treasures or a special physique. But this Chaos Origin Fire is no ordinary matter! It cannot be resisted by brute force or ordinary magic weapons.”
“I have guarded this place for a thousand years, and every day I can feel the terrifying pressure emanating from the core, a pressure that makes even the soul tremble.”
“Even I only dare to absorb the scattered, gentle fire spirits filtered through layers of the secret realm for cultivation on the outer perimeter, never daring to cross the line even half a step!”
“Although your methods are profound, you must not approach that core forbidden area out of curiosity! That is a realm that no Human Immortal, or even an ordinary Heavenly Immortal, can touch!”