Chapter 210: The Blazing Wyrm of the Eightfold Wilds

**In the Ancient Demon-Slaying Cave, at the entrance.**

Before the statue of the graceful Witch Goddess Linglong, the enigmatic Blackwood stood silently, while the fearsome Black Tiger seemed to be in a similar state of quietude, standing behind him. Lu Xueqi and the others had already entered long ago, let alone Ghost Li and his companions earlier. Throughout this extended period, no one knew what was truly transpiring within that ancient cavern.

However, the two brothers appeared to show little concern. In their eyes, it seemed only the revered statue of the Witch Goddess Linglong mattered.

Suddenly, amidst the silence, the ground beneath them began to tremble slightly. A faint rumbling, like distant thunder, emerged from the depths of the Ancient Demon-Slaying Cave. Blackwood’s body jolted, and he turned to meet Black Tiger’s gaze. But before they could comprehend the situation, a greater anomaly unfolded.

The previously dark, ominous sky, shrouded by black clouds above the scorched mountain peaks, suddenly emitted a golden ray, like a sharp sword, piercing through the heavy darkness from the heavens. Soon, the edges of the thick, black clouds began to radiate a faint, golden light, as if a layer of gold had been inlaid around the black clouds.

The thunderous rumble, which had not been heard for millennia, resonated once more above the accursed mountain. The clouds began to surge violently, as if an enigmatic, formidable force was awakening, causing the heavens and earth to tremble.

Blackwood and Black Tiger stared in awe at the celestial transformation. Suddenly, Blackwood turned, hesitated for a moment, and with a voice tinged with tremor, murmured, “The ghostly wind… has ceased.”

Gazing into the deep darkness of the cave, Black Tiger, with his massive form, noted the absence of the chilling, bone-piercing wind. Instead, a wave of intense, rolling heat replaced it.

“What is happening? What’s going on inside?” Blackwood’s voice carried a hint of agitation, but his face, concealed by a black cloth, revealed no expression—only his intense stare fixed on the Ancient Demon-Slaying Cave.

Contrary to Blackwood, Black Tiger’s expression towards these anomalies was complex and strange, seemingly filled with inexplicable joy, yet a touch of sorrow flickered on his face, formed by wisps of white mist.

“It’s the Fire Dragon, the Ba Huo Fire Dragon!” he whispered calmly.

“What?”

Blackwood spun around, incredulous, and stared at Black Tiger, exclaiming, “What did you say, Ba Huo Fire Dragon? How could there be anyone else in this world, besides the Empress, capable of summoning the Ba Huo Fire Dragon?”

Black Tiger’s gaze grew distant, slowly turning to the stone statue. After a long pause, he said, “There shouldn’t be, as the incantation and the essence of all flames, the Xuanyuan Fire Mirror, have long been lost. However,” he smiled, then looked at Blackwood with a peculiar expression, “there is still one person who comprehended all the witchcraft incantations of the Empress, and the only remaining formation that can summon the Ba Huo Fire Dragon, the Eight Evils Xuanyan Fire Formation, happens to be right here.”

Blackwood was stunned, unable to speak. After a while, he sighed, “So, he… still has this card up his sleeve. But the Ba Huo Fire Dragon is a destructive force. Could he have forgotten how the Empress used this fire dragon to incinerate him in the past?”

Black Tiger gave a cold, disdainful laugh. “Who knows? I only remember the words the Empress spoke to me on her deathbed.”

Blackwood was taken aback. “What?”

Black Tiger’s face contorted with intense hatred. He turned abruptly, gazing at the increasingly chaotic Ancient Demon-Slaying Cave, and laughed coldly, “The Empress instructed that, no matter how many years pass, once the Fire Dragon revives and descends here, it will mark the end of this karmic cycle!”

Blackwood muttered, “The end of this karmic cycle…” Suddenly, his expression changed, and he asked, “Did the Empress foresee this?”

Ignoring him, Black Tiger, in the midst of the intensifying heat, the roiling skies, and the flashing golden light, fixated on the stone statue. Slowly, he moved closer, his face devoid of any expression, and whispered, “Empress, Empress… I have finally waited for this day. Please don’t worry. Wait a little longer, and when everything is over, Black Tiger will come to you and serve you forever.”

Blackwood watched his former brother, then looked up to the heavens, only to be greeted by a deafening thunderclap!

“Boom!”

The storm intensified, and the ground shook even more violently.

Inside the corridor of the Ancient Demon-Slaying Cave, Zeng Shushu retreated half a step, avoiding a flashing white light. He hid to the side, but inwardly, he cursed. Ever since Li Xun and his companions inadvertently provoked a white-robed woman within the cave, the situation had deteriorated. This woman, who appeared even more enchanting than Jin Ping’er, possessed an inconceivably high level of cultivation. When the disciples of the Incense Valley surrounded her, she used a bizarre spell to repel them, and now, all were trapped by her magic.

It was the same spell that Xiaobai had used to confine Jin Ping’er. The mysterious white spheres surged towards the group, and though the disciples managed to deflect them with their magical artifacts, the number of spheres increased, eventually filling the cave with their light. The disciples, despite their numbers, were outmatched and soon found themselves overwhelmed by the multiplying white spheres.

Unable to stand idly by, Zeng Shushu joined the fray. However, the white-robed woman’s cultivation was extraordinary, and he could not catch her. Instead, he too was soon surrounded by the white spheres. Realizing the anomaly, he shouted a warning to the disciples, and they finally understood.

Despite this, the white spheres had already spread throughout the cave, trapping the disciples in a web of light. Xiaobai, descending from the air, landed on the ground. She sneered as she watched the flustered disciples, finally releasing a long, relieved breath. Although she had attained enlightenment for a thousand years, she was far from a benevolent, humble sage. Imprisoned for centuries in the Incense Valley, she bore a grudge, and now, with her mood soured after a conversation with Ghost Li, the Incense Valley disciples were in for a rude awakening.

At that moment, Xiaobai felt a sudden, unfamiliar unease. A powerful, ancient, and violent force stirred within the depths of the Ancient Demon-Slaying Cave, as if awakening from a millennium-long slumber. The very fabric of the world seemed to shift.

The thunder rumbled from the depths of the earth, followed by intense tremors. Massive stones began to fall, unable to withstand the immense power. The disciples, in shock, realized the dire situation. Zeng Shushu, using all his strength, called out to Li Xun, “Senior Brother Li, this place is too dangerous. We must leave!”

Li Xun, pale-faced, deflected a white sphere, but his panic caused him to strike harder, only to split the sphere into identical ones. The spheres reformed in the air, ready to strike again. Since the sudden change, Xiaobai seemed distracted, slowing her spell casting, and the spheres’ movements slowed as well.

With a determined expression, Li Xun gritted his teeth and shouted, “Everyone, get out! I’ll hold them off!”

He leaped into the air, and his sword radiated a brilliant light, blocking most of the white spheres. The disciples, respectful of him, realized they could not stay. They hurried towards the exit, but Li Xun remained. Zeng Shushu rushed to his side, blocking the spheres and shouting, “Senior Brother Li, why aren’t you leaving?”

Li Xun’s face showed hesitation. “But… Junior Sister Lu is still inside.”

Zeng Shushu frowned, furious. “Junior Sister Lu’s cultivation is profound. She may be fine. If you stay, you might endanger both of us.”

Li Xun’s expression changed, and as the tremors grew stronger, he sighed and fled.

Zeng Shushu glanced back at the cave, then followed.

Every word of their conversation reached Xiaobai’s ears, but she only offered a cold, indifferent smile. The white spheres, having lost their targets, gradually halted, then merged into a single, glowing orb, hovering near Xiaobai.

Xiaobai slowly turned, gazing into the depths of the cave.

The ancient, powerful force continued to grow, and Xiaobai could feel its immense, destructive power. The rock walls continued to crumble, yet nothing struck her. The white orb danced around her, sensing her thoughts.

On her face, there was only worry and loss.

In the deep darkness, a roar echoed, like a mighty dragon’s bellow.

The ancient, mysterious force had fully awakened!

The vast chamber was now bathed in intense, blinding light, driving away all shadows. This radiance, surpassing even the sun’s, lit up the entire space. The once-terrifying Flame Monster, compared to this, was merely a flicker of candlelight.

At the heart of this terrifying power, the rapidly spinning, eerie Halo of the Eight Evils glowed. There, the fusion of the beast spirit and the flame intensified, and the ancient, mystical incantations grew more urgent.

The core of the flame, like a molten egg, incubated a horrifying entity. As the temperature rose, the ancient, long-lost power began to re-emerge.

Lu Xueqi and Ghost Li were pressed against the wall, their bodies baked by the relentless heat. Their faces, reflected in the fiery glow, were red with exertion.

Lu Xueqi, sensing something, turned to look at Ghost Li. At some point, he had taken her hand. She felt no surprise, even in the face of this desperate, unknown force.

Warmth flowed from his hand to hers, a familiar sensation from ten years ago.

The memory of holding hands in the darkness.

Ghost Li moved, placing himself between Lu Xueqi and the flames. A light, blue-green glow, with a hint of gold, formed a barrier, providing some respite from the heat. Yet, his back trembled slightly, and he took a deep breath.

Suddenly, her hand tightened around his. A soft, blue light appeared behind them, initially conflicting with the green, but soon merging into a stronger barrier, resisting the fierce flames.

Lu Xueqi, clutching his hand, smiled faintly amidst the blazing inferno.

The incantations ceased, and for a moment, everything froze. The flames, Ghost Li and Lu Xueqi, and the spinning Halo of the Eight Evils—all paused.

From the heart of the flames, a crack slowly widened, revealing an impenetrable darkness. Something, deep within, gazed coldly at the outside world.

A sense of despair and madness permeated the chamber.

In an instant, the flames erupted with renewed intensity. The dragon’s roar grew louder, a relentless, frenzied celebration. From the depths, the ancient, divine creature emerged.

The colossal head, shining like the sun, was the embodiment of the great, ancient fire dragon. Its every part was aflame.

The giant head dominated the space, and Ghost Li and Lu Xueqi, dumbfounded, beheld this overwhelming, almost otherworldly being. Forgetting to resist, they instinctively combined their powers to shield themselves, but the suffocating force seemed to seal their fate.

The Ba Huo Fire Dragon!

This ancient, mythical beast, said to destroy all in its path, was finally reborn after millennia.

The enormous head, surrounded by flames, slowly turned. Its horns and fangs glowed with a mysterious, translucent red. With its first, deep breath, the entire chamber trembled, as if the space was too small for such a mighty being.

Behind the head, the Halo of the Eight Evils quivered, partially hidden by the fire dragon’s brilliance.

Was it the overwhelming power of the fire dragon?

Or the lingering memories of times long past?

No one knew.

And no one cared, for the dragon, now fully awake, turned its burning eyes towards the two figures huddled in the corner.

“Roar!”

The roar echoed, shaking the very heavens and earth.