From the outside, the Temple of Forgotten Flame looks like a massive, fortress-like structure built primarily from dark stone with sections reinforced by weathered golden plates.
The temple has a dark, heavy presence, with no ornamental carvingsâits design focuses on durability and containment rather than beauty. The whole structure stood on a wide stone platform, isolated from the surrounding terrain, and was accessible only by a single, wide stairway leading up to the main doors.
Its multi-tiered and symmetrical shape resembles a stepped ziggurat with wide, rectangular terraces at each level. The walls were thick and smooth, with only narrow vertical slits that served as windows for ventilation and minimal light.
The main entrance was a tall rectangular gateway framed with dark metal and fitted with heavy golden doors. Several angular buttresses run along the sides for structural support, giving the temple a rigid, utilitarian silhouette. The roof sections of each tier were flat and edged with low parapets, and a dead flame symbol was located in the middle.
Although it looks like a multi-story building, the temple was constructed as a vertical descent rather than an outward complex, with stairs descending around the stone shaft to the bottom. It has five floors in total, starting with the main area of the temple, and the last floor was once the resting place of the Primordial Flame, better known as the Eternal Flame by cultivators in the current era.
"Iâm home." Huo Ling muttered softly as she looked at the temple with a longing gaze.
Huo Lingâs words and Feng Yaoâs question confused her with Luo Fenghan and the others, especially since they still didnât know her true identity.
Huo Ling frowned as hundreds of demons suddenly appeared, surrounding them. She frowned deeper when some of them came out of the temple, carrying some golden metal on their shoulders.
Luo Fenghan and the others were prepared to face them, but Feng Yao stopped them directly. "Stay still! This is Lingâerâs business."
"Butâ"
"Listen to her, father-in-law." Zhang Fei [5] then spoke to Huo Ling. "We will not interfere in this matter."
Huo Ling walked toward the entrance, followed by the emergence of hot, deep red flames that enveloped her body. Her expression was extremely serious, and her eyes were filled with killing intent.
"How dare lowly and imbecile creatures like you set foot in my sacred home! Since you dare to destroy my home, you donât need to leave, and I will bury you all here!" After saying that, hundreds of deep red flames shot out from Huo Lingâs body and attacked those demons, instantly incinerating them to ashes.
*Gulp*
Yu Shan, Luo Fenghan, and all the other witnesses swallowed their saliva. Some of those demons were quite powerful with their cultivation at the 3-Sun Celestial Emperor, yet one attack from Huo Ling reduced them to ashes.
Even Feng Tian and Feng Jiu, who had known and lived with Huo Ling for the past few years, were also shocked by her strength, especially since they had never seen her fight before.
Huo Ling did not move from her spot, and her deep red eyes looked in several directions. She shot other deep red flames in several directions, killing all the demons that were moving towards their location. She created a deep red flame sphere that enveloped the area from the temple to several miles away, preventing anyone from approaching.
"Master, letâs go." Huo Ling immediately ran up the stairway leading up to the main doors.
"Why are you all stunned?" Feng Yao and Zhang Fei [5] hurriedly followed Huo Ling without giving them any explanation.
Qing Qiuâer was the first to react. "Who exactly is that woman? I couldnât sense her cultivation, and her attacks just now were simply powerful! Even if I used all my strength, I wouldnât be able to kill those demons at once."
"Her flames were not ordinary flames, and they horrified me. Even if I used my ice element, her flames would definitely melt my ice," Feng Bingying spoke with a serious tone, followed by nods of agreement from the other female ice phoenixes.
Yu Shan turned to Luo Fenghan. "Have you met that woman before?"
"No." Luo Fenghan replied with a shake of his head. "Iâve met Feng Yao several times, but Iâve never met that woman."
"Huo Ling is a flame spirit." All of them turned to Bing Xingying directly. "This temple was the home of the Eternal Flame in the past, and since she said that this place was her home, I suspected that she was the flame itself."
"What?" All of them exclaimed in shock. "Are you sure Huo Ling is the Eternal Flame, Xingying?"
"Huo Ling is indeed the Eternal Flame." They all turned their gazes to Luo Yunxiao, who had already pulled Sima Huiqing and Yan Jinwu to catch up with their husband. "We should go in now, and you will learn her identity soon."
"Letâs follow them." Beiming Youhuang spoke as she led Hua Xiangâer to follow them, followed by Luo Fenghan and the others.
.
.
.
When they arrived inside, they could see that the floor was more like an entry hall. However, the place had been abandoned for a long time and was unkempt, especially after the appearance of the Eternal Flame, making it look very messy. Many parts of the temple walls were destroyed, and many small beasts made their nests in several areas.
Feng Yao walked behind Huo Ling and hugged her. "How long has it been since we last came to this place?"
"Several million years." Huo Ling leaned against her chest. "I miss this place so much, Master."
"I know." Feng Yai released Huo Ling from her embrace, took her hand, and led her down to the second floor below. "Letâs go there."
"Yeah."
Zhang Fei [5] followed them, but Luo Yunxiao suddenly hugged his arm. "Husband, look at them; they are more like lovers, right?"
"Youâre right." Zhang Fei [5] looked at Feng Yao and Huo Ling with a faint smile on his face. Letâs follow them.
On the second floor, they saw many stone bookshelves lining the room, but they were no longer intact.
On the third floor, they saw a prayer room with many carvings around the walls. One of the carvings showed that all living creatures worship the flame, be they humans, beasts, natural races, or demons.
On the fourth floor, the area was more like a work and living area, with many stone tables and beds inside.
When they arrived at the ground floor, they were faced with a spacious room, with a large altar made of dark stones and golden metals, like the building of the temple.
Feng Yao promptly led Huo Ling to the altar. "The first time we met, you were still small, and your flame wasnât as hot as it is now. Millions of years have passed since then, and you have become truly powerful. I thoughtâ"
"No." Huo Ling rejected Feng Yao before jumping onto the altar, and she sat there with her eyes closed. "Master, I understand your wishes, but you must understand mine. This domain will recover once I reactivate this altar, but I wonât be able to leave again if I do that now. I still want to stay by your side and accompany you, so I wonât do it, and I will do it when the time comes."
"What do you mean by that, Huo Ling? What time are you waiting for?" Zhang Fei [5] asked as he approached them.
"Youâre just an outsider, so itâs none of your business." As usual, Huo Ling responded coldly to Zhang Fei [5]. However, she did something unexpected by flicking a small flame at him, which immediately entered his body and burned his clothes.
===
[Ding]
[The host obtained the Eternal Flame. Fire count: 7.]
[The hostâs fire strength has increased by 700%.]
===
"Oh, my god!" Feng Jiu hurriedly closed her eyes, as did Feng Xueying, Feng Jinqiu, Feng Bingying, and the other women.
Qing Qiuâer, You Feiling, Su Yao, and the female disciples of the Moonlit Passion kept their eyes open, and they stared at Zhang Fei [5]âs dick. They gulped hard upon seeing the large size of his sleeping dick.
Luo Fenghan, Luo Zhenyu, Luo Jiaxuan, Tian Shuixiang, Yu Shan, and the male disciples of the Moonlit Passion Temple felt jealous of Zhang Fei [5] because of it.
âShe always acts as she pleases.â Zhang Fei [5] hurriedly put on a change of clothes. "Why did you suddenly give a fragment of your flame to me?"
"No reason." Huo Ling then pulled Feng Yao onto the altar and boldly kissed her, stunning Feng Tian and the others. "My master is mine, and I will never hand her over to anyone, including you. If you dare to force her to be your wife, I will beat you to death."
"Pfft! Hahaha!" Luo Yunxiao laughed out loud. "Apparently, you have a tough competitor to get Big Sis Yao as your wife, husband."
"Isnât that easy, Sister Yunxiao? Our husband only needs to take them as his wives, andâ" Yan Jinwu stopped speaking and jumped away, especially since Huo Ling shot her flames at her, causing them to hit her previous spot.
"Shut your mouth, little golden crow." Huo Ling fiercely glared at her. "If you dare say something like that again, Iâll burn you alive. I am the Eternal Flame, and my flame surpasses your golden sun flame, so you better not doubt my words if you donât want to die."
- To Be Continued -