Amidst the mysterious stillness of the cavern, Ye Fang and his group pressed onward. Wang Ling's injuries were now almost completely healed. With the aid of the Spirit-Healing Pill and her own cultivation, her complexion had regained its vibrant luster. She no longer carried herself like a wounded warrior, but rather like an inquisitive explorer, scanning her surroundings with wide, curious eyes.
On the distant horizon, a massive golden structure gradually clarified.
As they drew closer, everyone held their breath.
Standing before them was a gate at least three hundred meters tall. Its pillars seemed to touch the very heavens. The entire gateway pulsed with a golden luster, etched with countless ancient runes that flickered with a faint, rhythmic light.
Wang Ling's eyes went wide. "Sister, what is this?" she asked in awe. "It looks like it's made entirely of gold!"
Wang Mei stared at the massive gate for several moments, speechless. Truth be told, she had never seen anything like it before. Before anyone could answer, Ye Fang stepped forward.
Before his eyes, the System interface flickered, displaying rapid data:
[Scanning...]
[Material Analysis In Progress...]
[Warning: Extremely Rare Ancient Material Detected.]
[Material Name: Heavenly Sun-Moon Divine Alloy.]
[Historical Grade: Ancient Era.]
[Current Availability: Almost Extinct.]
Ye Fang cleared his throat. "No."
All eyes turned toward him.
"It is not gold," he stated.
Wang Ling asked with astonishment, "If it's not gold, then what is it?"
Ye Fang put on a grave expression while internally processing the System's information. "This is the Heavenly Sun-Moon Divine Alloy."
Everyone was stunned. They hadn't even heard the name before. Murong Yun's eyes narrowed. "I have studied many ancient texts in my sect, but I have never heard of this metal."
Ye Fang nodded. "That is natural. This metal is so rare that it is considered virtually extinct in the current era. It is said that this alloy was forged by refining the primal energy of the Sun and Moon together for thousands of years."
Everyone was left speechless. Shi Mao gazed at the gate and remarked, "If that is true, the value of this gate alone exceeds that of the entire Tianxia Continent."
Commander Zheng spoke up in a stern tone, "Do not even think about moving an object like this. This place is no ordinary site."
Ye Fang nodded in agreement. In truth, he was thinking the same thing. Such a precious treasure had been left out in the open. There could only be one explanation—the power behind it was far more terrifying than they could have ever imagined.
At that moment, Yang Kai Long stepped forward. After the battle with the Grand Elder, his body appeared quite normal, but the power hidden within him ran deeper than ever before. He observed the gate for a while and said, "The Flame Emperor's Ancient Divine Flame is likely behind this. Since we have reached this far, there is no sense in turning back now."
Wang Mei agreed. "He's right. We have endured so many dangers; we cannot take a step back at the final threshold."
All eyes eventually settled on Ye Fang. Unknowingly, he had become the decision-maker for the entire group. Ye Fang looked at the gate and asked the System, "System, any threats?"
A few moments later, the response came:
[Threat Level: Unknown.]
[Recommendation: Extreme Caution.]
[Additional Information: Ancient Flame Energy Detected Behind The Gate.]
Ye Fang's brow furrowed slightly. Even the System couldn't provide a definitive answer. This situation in itself was worrying, but turning back was no longer an option. He took a deep breath. "Alright. We will open the gate, but no one is to be careless."
Everyone nodded. Yang Kai Long, Murong Yun, and Shi Mao stepped forward. The three placed their hands upon the massive gate and began to channel their Spiritual Qi slowly.
At first, nothing happened. Then...
BOOM!
The entire area shuddered. The millions of runes etched upon the gate flared to life in unison. The sky was filled with golden radiance, and the earth began to tremble violently.
Wang Ling panicked. "What is happening?"
Ye Fang grew alert. Suddenly, a massive fire-symbol appeared in the center of the gate. The symbol seemed alive. The heat radiating from it distorted the surrounding air. Then, an ancient voice resonated, so primordial that it seemed to come from across time itself:
"If you have reached this place... it signifies that you are a person of a pure heart."
Everyone's expressions shifted.
With that, the gate began to open.
CREAK...
The sound of heavy metal shifting reverberated through the entire region. Countless streams of golden light erupted from within. Everyone shielded their eyes.
When the light dimmed... the scene before them caused their breath to catch in their throats.
Behind the gate, there was no palace. No treasure trove. No library. Before them lay an infinite realm of fire. An ocean of crimson, golden, and azure flames. Rivers of fire rose to the heavens. Mountains made of burning embers. Creatures forged of living flame.
And at the center of it all... far in the distance... a massive throne appeared. No one sat upon it, but a small flame burned above it—a simple, flickering flame. Yet, just by looking at it, Ye Fang's body trembled. His Supreme Root's 'Fire Attribute' was yearning to absorb the Flame Qi of that place. Wang Mei and Wang Ling's breathing became heavy. Within Yang Kai Long's body, a strange stir occurred, something even he could not comprehend.
This was no ordinary fire. This was what they had come searching for—the Flame Emperor's Ancient Divine Flame.
And at that very moment, a divine figure emerged from the Divine Flame. Slowly, it assumed a human form.
"Welcome, all of you, to my true Flame Domain. I am the Flame Emperor, Yang Hao!"
The blazing, divine figure of Flame Emperor Yang Hao gazed deeply at each person standing within the cavern. His eyes held an ancient depth that seemed to pierce straight through the soul. Ye Fang and his companions stood completely stunned, witnessing a mythical legend standing right before their eyes.
Amidst the heavy, oppressive atmosphere, cold sweat drenched Commander Zheng's forehead. A storm of thoughts raged within his mind.
'What terrifying Spiritual Pressure this is! Even the City Lord of our Sanmio City would look like a child before him. Just what unfathomable height has his Cultivation Realm reached?'
Suddenly, Commander Zheng's attention shifted to another shocking realization. 'Yang Hao... his name is... it sounds exactly like that young man from the Yang Clan, Yang Kai Long. Is this a mere coincidence, or is there an ancient blood connection to the Yang Clan...?'
Meanwhile, brushing aside the gravity of the situation, Ye Fang immediately called out within his mind, "Little System! Appear!"
In a flash of blue aura, the Little System appeared before him. However, this time, its demeanor was far from its usual cold, robotic self. It waved its finger in the air with dramatic flair, striking the iconic pose of a certain anime character.
"Host! I know exactly what mischief is brewing in your mind right now. You are about to utter the next line—'System, what is this Flame Emperor's cultivation level?'... did I get it right?"
Ye Fang swiped his hand through the air, flustered, and shouted in his mind, "Hey, dude! Exactly that! You stole my line! Now drop the swag and tell me his level already!"
Ignoring the mounting tension, Wang Ling widened her innocent eyes and asked, "Are... are you really the Flame Emperor?"
Hearing this, Ye Fang facepalmed. 'What kind of question is that? He is standing right in front of you, surrounded by burning flames, declaring his own name; he is the Master of the Flame Domain, and yet she asks if he is the one? This girl is truly hopeless!'
Sensing the gravity of the situation, Wang Mei pulled Wang Ling back, stepped forward, and asked respectfully, "Senior, what do you mean by saying we have entered your 'true Flame Domain'? What is this place, really?"
Ye Fang felt immense peace wash over him upon hearing Wang Mei's question. 'Yes! That's a sharp and sensible question! Finally, someone in this group is actually using their brain.'
All eyes were now fixed on Flame Emperor Yang Hao, who watched their antics with a faint, amused smile.