All Chapters of SWORD OF FLAME: Chapter 191
- Chapter 200
642 chapters
The Rescue of the Captives
“Do not be afraid, I will save all of you!” Zhao Wen declared with firm conviction. His eyes, however, betrayed a particular focus—they were drawn toward one of the young women, the fairest among them, whose beauty seemed to outshine the dim torchlight of the underground cell. “But… the young man who promised to rescue us earlier was not you,” the girl replied cautiously, her voice delicate but sharp with suspicion. “He is my companion,” Zhao Wen explained calmly. “At this very moment, he is fighting against the leader of this Sect.” The girl frowned slightly, her eyes narrowing. “If he is your companion, why are you not at his side? Should you not be helping him fight?” Zhao Wen smiled with a touch of arrogance. “Rest assured, even without my assistance, he will triumph. His strength surpasses the leader of this place. There is no need to worry.” His gaze lingered on her with a boldness that made her uncomfortable, for it was as though he sought to strip away her defenses with hi
Tempting Zhao Wen
Zhao Wen gave a faint smile, his lips curving weakly though his face was pale.“This is nothing compared to what you’ve done for me. It’s only this once that I’ve risked myself for you, while you… you’ve helped me countless times.” His voice was hoarse, followed by a small cough that shook his body.“Don’t ever do such reckless things again!” Fang Yun scolded him, his brows furrowing. “If something happened to you, how would I answer to Elder Zhao Jian? What excuse could I possibly give if you died under my watch?”Zhao Wen chuckled, a sound that carried more bravado than strength. “Relax. As long as you’re beside me, I won’t die that easily… heh, heh, heh.” He tried to laugh again, though it ended in another shallow cough.Fang Yun turned his head toward Arika, who was still sitting quietly on a wooden chair. “Arika, when do you think Zhao Wen will fully recover?”“If the external wounds close properly, then within two more days he should regain his strength,” she replied gently.“So
The Gate of Hidden Secrets
Two days later, Zhao Wen’s external wounds had fully healed. Together, the three of them decided to descend the mountain to escort Arika back to her home. The other six girls they had rescued had already returned the day before.During that previous day, Fang Yun had scoured every corner of the Blood Soul Sect’s compound, searching for valuables that could serve as provisions for their journey, as well as for distribution to those in need.“Do you know how to ride a horse?” Fang Yun asked Arika.She nodded brightly. “Of course. My father often sends me to collect leaves and herbs in the forest. Riding horses is nothing unusual for me.”Zhao Wen’s face darkened. He had secretly hoped Arika would not know how to ride. He had been fantasizing about riding together with her, imagining her arms wrapped around his waist from behind. That dream now dissolved instantly.“Let’s move,” Fang Yun said, leading the way.The three mounted their horses. After leaving the compound of the Blood Soul S
The Realm of the Gods
Fang Yun turned his body, intending to retrace his steps and return to the mortal realm. Yet the sight that greeted him drained the strength from his limbs. The grand gate through which he had entered only moments ago had vanished entirely—there was no trace of it, as if it had never existed.His knees trembled. A wave of weakness swept over him as he realized the extent of his predicament. All around him stretched nothing but endless drifting clouds, a sea of white mist that seemed to have no beginning and no end. The ground beneath his feet was not solid earth but a strange floating landmass, suspended in the vast expanse of the sky like an island adrift in the heavens.“So this is supposed to be the realm of the gods?” Fang Yun muttered with dismay. “Just a barren floating patch of land… not a single thing beautiful about it.” His voice carried a tone of both complaint and confusion.He raised his gaze and noticed, far off in the distance, another float
Guidance from the Guardian Deity of the Border
The winged man bowed respectfully before a middle-aged figure seated upon a magnificent throne-like chair. Although his appearance suggested that he was merely in the prime of his middle age, the truth was far more staggering—this man had lived not for decades, not for centuries, but for hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions of years. His presence radiated timelessness.“Lord Ju Long,” the winged man reported solemnly, “a human has managed to pass through the sacred gate at the summit of Mount Jiuhua. He is waiting outside the entrance now.”Ju Long raised his brows slightly. His voice, deep and resonant, carried a tone of contemplation.“It has been more than a hundred years since any mortal has succeeded in crossing that threshold. For one to appear now… truly remarkable.”He then waved his hand casually, yet with authority.“Let him enter on his own. You may remain outside and keep watch.”“As you command, my Lord.”The
The Choice Between Duty and Compassion
Even now, Zhao Wen still carried a lingering sense of embarrassment whenever he remembered what had happened about three weeks earlier. At that time, he had only been staying in Arika’s house for a few days when he finally gathered enough courage to ask her father—a respected healer—about something Fang Yun had once told him. Fang Yun had claimed that the medicine Zhao Wen had been given might prevent his “rhino’s horn” from ever standing tall again.What Zhao Wen did not realize at that moment was that Arika herself was already standing behind him, listening in silence.Her father, who had just returned home after a long journey and had not yet learned the details of the herbal concoction his daughter had prepared, naturally asked her directly.“My daughter, what medicine did you give to Zhao Wen?”“Just an ordinary salve for drying external wounds,” Arika answered calmly, “along with some parasitic growth from the pine tree bark to help heal internal injuries.”At once, her father b
The Hidden City of Gold
He suddenly shifted his body aside when one of the tigers lunged forward, its massive paw swiping with sharp claws that gleamed under the dim light.“Hey! At least give me a warning before you try to kill me!” Fang Yun shouted in irritation.No sooner had those words left his lips than the other tiger pounced with lightning speed, tearing through his clothes with its claws. Had Fang Yun been even a fraction of a second slower, his flesh would have been carved with deep, bloody lines across his body.“You beasts just don’t understand reason, do you? Very well then, don’t blame me if I make you feel pain!” he growled, his eyes narrowing in determination.Although Fang Yun had no intention of killing these two tigers, he needed to drive them away from this place. He shifted his stance, feet firm on the ground, ready for the next attack.As one tiger leapt at him again, Fang Yun ducked low, rolling onto his back before unleashing a quick, powerful punch directly into the beast’s ribs. The
Karaenta Forest
Arika’s father slowly shook his head. “No one truly knows where its exact location lies, Fang Yun. That city has long since vanished from the eyes of mortals.” “Vanished… too?” Fang Yun’s shoulders slumped, his heart weighed down by disappointment at the answer. Seeing the youth’s expression fall into discouragement, Arika’s father let out a gentle laugh. “Do not lose heart, Fang Yun. Searching for something that has no visible trace in the mortal realm is indeed difficult. But if it is true that one of the gods themselves commanded you to seek it, then surely there will be a path, a hidden way that reveals itself to you.” “So then… I must find that old man again, Uncle?” Fang Yun asked with renewed urgency. The older man nodded. “Yes. I first met him in the Karaenta Forest, while I was searching for rare leaves for medicinal remedies. But…” He paused, drawing in a long breath, his tone turning heavier. “Is that forest known to be haunted, Uncle?” Fang Yun asked casually, as
The Forest Guardian of Karaenta I
Night had only just fallen when Fang Yun and Zhao Wen, who had not yet drifted into sleep, were startled by the faint, eerie laughter of a woman. The sound did not seem to come from a single direction. Instead, it echoed from everywhere at once, darting swiftly from one side to another, as if the voice itself was a phantom weaving through the darkness. Fang Yun closed his eyes for a moment, trying to sense the flow of energy in their surroundings. Yet, to his surprise, there was nothing—no presence, no ripple of spiritual force, nothing that suggested anyone, or anything, was close by. “Could it be that this voice belongs to the guardian spirit of this forest?” Fang Yun asked quietly, his tone calm but edged with curiosity. He remembered the words of Arika’s father, who once warned that the guardians of Karaenta were fond of toying with strangers who dared to enter their domain. “I don’t know for certain, Fang Yun,” Zhao Wen replied, thou
The Guardian of Karaenta Forest II
“You… you are a fire demon!” the ghostly woman recoiled in fear as she felt the searing heat radiating from the black flames surrounding Fang Yun. Her hideous, grotesque face shifted once again, returning to a form of eerie beauty, and her garments changed back into white flowing robes.Fang Yun, whose rest had already been disturbed, stepped forward with measured calmness, his eyes locked on the ghost.“Stop, young one! Extinguish your black fire!”The voice of an elderly man suddenly rang in Fang Yun’s ears. It was not loud, but it carried an undeniable authority. Almost instantly, the raging black flames that cloaked Fang Yun’s body shrank and were drawn back into him, as though obeying the command of that unseen master.“Sumiati, bring my guests to me.”“Yes, Master,” the pale woman answered obediently, bowing her head.“My deepest apologies, Master,” she added, turning toward Fang Yun and Zhao Wen. “I did not reali