In a vast desert, a young woman was basked underneath the searing heat of the sun. She wore light-blue clothing slowly advancing through the desert. The deep footprints she left in the yellow sand behind her, slowly being covered by sands drifting along the wind.
Despite the desert environment of the Red Valley Desert being extremely harsh, this young woman strolled comfortable under the exposure of the hot sun. As she continued, the wind blowing toward her face carried fine grains of sand that fluttered away. It was if there was an invisible barrier that allowed her to be untouched.
The fire type energy that the desert contained made Jing Shi feel somewhat pleased. It was perhaps due to the exposure of the sun that resulted in this place having a much richer fire type energy, unlike the Desolate Tundra that was rich with cold ice qi. Moreover, the fire type energy was extremely suitable for Jing Shi to use to train the fire side of her constitution.
An enormous beast-like worm broke out of the sand before her, screeching with ferocity, summoning thirty more worms as they surrounded her. Fiery gales made of black flames encompassed the thirty gigantic worms, incinerating them into fine dust. Their ashes scattered in the light wind, mixing together with the sand within the endless desert.
She had read in the Isle of Wisdom that the Red Valley Desert held a small, secret flame world. This place kept a powerful flame that could increase her strength.
'Compare to the Desolate Tundra continent, the Red Valley continent is just an endless desert. Just like the textbooks I've read; it truly was a magnificent desert with red vegetation blooming with life. Even the oasis water was red! This Red Valley Desert has a strong concentration of yang qi…' thought Jing Shi as she continued walking.
'But now, it's lacking the fire type energy spoken in the texts. Isn't this place supposed to be filled to the brim with fire type energy? Must be because of that demonic being that reigns this area. Luckily, Lord Baruch had given me that necklace. It could clearly conceal my presence and increase my power at stable rate.
Jing Shi was an otherworldly beauty, but she had transformed her physical being into a very common and below-average scar faced girl. Nothing on her screamed beautiful, her bust lacking, her buttocks lost all its alluring curves and her hair had become jet-black with stress induced gray hair. Her face appeared bland, bleak and scarred. This appearance could only make those who barely glimpsed at her feel discomfort.
She seemed like a poor, undeserving woman who stumbled on some very exquisite clothes, strutting around, acting like a cold beauty. Her father, Old Yam, had always told her to be cautious when she traveled. Beauty can cause envy, lust and can get her killed for that very reason.
'Right now, I'm still weak compared to Silver. I need to find that flame in this desert…'
She had been crossing the desert for a couple of months now. During these months, she hasn't gotten any news regarding Silver's awakening. Jing Shi could only work hard and forge her own path of strength.
'I wonder how you're doing . . .'
Sighing once again, Jing Shi stared at the huge sun in the desert sky. She brought out a map, copied from the textbook, checking the contents before returning it back to her storage ring. Even though she was under the extensive exposure to the hot sun, she always felt cool. Due to her unique, dual constitution of ice and fire, Jing Shi was never bothered by the heat nor the sun.
To her, this was just like taking a stroll in spring-like weather.
Jing Shi's gaze swept across the desert, focusing on a vague structure like silhouette a few meters away. She then continued forward, only stop in front of many pieces of broken structures trying to break free from the sand. Based on the map, this was the general place of where the flame world was hidden.
'Where is the entrance…?'
After searching for two hours, Jing Shi opened her mouth and grinned. She finally found the entrance after finding neatly laid out stones between two broken stone columns about 20 meters away and dug up all the sand blocking the way to the entrance. From the looks of it, the sand couldn't enter through the entrance as if a barrier was keeping it out.
'This should be the place…'
Jing Shi found herself at the beginning of a stone tiled hall, unable to see through the darkness ahead. She walked slowly, cautiously observing her surroundings for any traps of the sorts. One had to be careful when entering an unknown territory.
She continued further, slowly coming to a halt in a large room with an ancient looking door ahead. Taking a step closer, the red and blue yin yang pendant Lord Baruch gifted her came off her neck, flying towards the door. Bright lights of blue and red illuminated the room, catching her off guard and blinded by the light. Jing Shi fell unconscious as the door opened, sucking her in like a strong vacuum, instantly closing right after.
Hours later, Jing Shi opened her eyes, finding herself laying on at the center of a small stone platform. She got up onto her feet, quickly brushing the dust off, staring out into a desolate and bleak land. Looking from afar, a flickering black flame hovered above a platform with a staircase going up, seemingly endless with steps.
Broken, jagged rocks littered the ground, a place void of life but that black, flickering flame. It was unknown just what sort of individual had created such a place leaving a lone flame for thousands of years.
It was as if she came to another space, a different dimension with an empty sky. Pitch black with no twinkling stars. The area, itself, was a place of extreme heat. If a mortal were to come here, they'd be instantly burnt into ashes. Because of her constitution, she was able to bear with it. In fact, it felt cool and relaxing in the space, almost as if it was like the warmth of her home.
'It's like what the texts had described…' thought Jing Shi as she stared at the flickering flames. Although she could tell
She read of a small space created by a foreign cultivator who is vanished from the Constellation World long ago. After building this small world, they trained with the very black flame flickering on the platform. Alas, it was written that they had fallen to this very flame they created. The Isle of Wisdom truly had records of many powerhouses and their secrets.
Jing Shi always wondered if Lord Baruch had written them or someone else had. He had always told her; he was just the guardian of the Isle of Wisdom. It was just, he lost a bet to the Floating Cloud Sect founder, so he allowed them to build their sect around the isle.
'This flame is a production of a cultivator!? What intense heat and power. I fear that I would be swallowed alive just like the creator...'
Jing Shi walked down the trail, stopping at the first step of the stairs. To her, it seem like trekking up the endless stairs was a test. She balled both her hands into fists, feeling more determination that ever. Her goal was the black flame flickering under the starless, pitch black sky.
…
'I finally found an inheritor for you, Amaterasu. Born with a unique fire and ice constitution, she's the only one who can withstand and possibly survive your flames,' thought Lord Baruch noticing that his pendant had activated.
He was good friends with Amaterasu and gave Jing Shi the notion to grab the textbook that led to this small dry, desolate world. It was quite saddening that Amaterasu couldn't transform the flames into their body during their ascension. They were almost killed by it, but he saved them on a whim, reconstructing their body and leaving the flames in the Constellation World.
However, time got the best of Amaterasu, who died of old age at the end. They couldn't complete their black flames and created this place. Finally, they left to meet Grandma Meng, hoping someone would inherit and advance the flames they made.
A selfish, last request.
Jing Shi kept walking up, step by step, aware of the possibilities that could happen if she were to refine the flames. In her heart, she wanted to run away from the heat emitting from this flame as she got closer. But she crushed her fear with her determined will.
Jing Shi wanted to become stronger. She needed to get stronger.
Every step she took, got her closer to the black flames. With every step, she begun felt comfortable. This flame was calling to her, resonating in a way she has never felt before in her life.
Finally, she reached the last step, walking onto the platform where the black flame flickered soundlessly. Jing Shi inhaled and then exhaled a deep breath, stepping into the flame. She quickly sat down into a lotus position, beginning her refinement process.
Nevertheless, the will of the flame fought and tried to stall her refinement of it. She was ready to battle the will out to the death. Whoever lasts longer is the king and the loser become the servant.
"Who are you?" asked a voice reverberating in her soul.
"I am Jing Shi, and you?" asked Jing Shi as she continued to refine the flames.
"I am the one of the many flames of Amaterasu, born eons ago into this world. My owner left me here to find someone suitable for me as they continued to journey across the universes. I been left here, alone in tortuous silence. You're the second person who has come within and tried to make me theirs," responded the flame.
"Flame of Amaterasu… I want to obtain greater strength to fight alongside someone I love dearly. Would you join and fight alongside with me?"
"Only if you can handle my flames, only then will I would accept you."
Sounds of crackling flames echoed through the small, desolate world as the flames of Amaterasu began increased its output, attempting to burn Jing Shi into ashes.