Chapter 49: Chapter 49
"I remember when Old man Athen fought with that demoness. He was trapped by her charm spell for over ten breaths! If I hadn’t intervened, he’d be either dead or crippled today. Now look at him... getting schooled by a physical cultivator junior who broke the illusion in only a few seconds. If he still dares to look down on others, isn’t that just smacking his own face?"
Amidst the stone corridors of the Demon Sealing Cave, voices drifted up and down from shadow-shrouded cells and hidden alcoves.
The elders conversed and jabbed at each other in voices both wry and affectionate, all of them men and women whose status matched—or even exceeded—Elder Azel’s own in the whole Azure Origin Dao sect.
Azel, with Tribulation Transcendence realm cultivation, could vie for a top seat on any major peak, but clearly he was far from the only powerhouse in these forbidden demon sealing cave.
This was the truth of the Azure Origin Dao Sect, hidden behind serene pagodas and quiet lakes: a bottomless depth of terrifying foundations, with many of its most dangerous figures in quiet seclusion beneath the Sect’s surface.
Ethan’s eyes widened imperceptibly.
To stand here was to confront the real Azure Origin Dao Sect foundation, and the realization was as sobering as it was exhilarating.
Without strength, without the heaven-defying talent and performance he’d just shown, could he ever have imagined meeting so many giants of the cultivation world?
Yet the teasing persisted—one elderly voice after another.
"Laughing at him? Fifty steps shouldn’t mock a hundred! You old codgers were no better in the face of a demon’s charm, especially you, Old Leo."
A broad, disembodied voice snapped back, "You bunch of old men are so noisy. Someone’s bound to see us as senile, bickering like this for all to hear."
A new voice thundered over the rest, resonant, ageless—a voice Ethan knew despite its formlessness.
"The Supreme Elder has taught us all a lesson."
It stopped conversation cold. Where the others jibed, this voice stilled them, and all listened as juniors to a respected teacher.
Old man Athen replied smoothly, "Yes, Supreme Elder."
Even he was deferential—a striking change from the bravado moments earlier.
Ethan’s heart jolted with realization.
Supreme Elder! So Mr. Burn was not only powerful but was in fact the fabled previous sect leader—legendary, revered, and, as rumor had it, the one in living memory to surpass the Tribulation Transcendence Realm and step into the elusive Mahayana Realm. He was not merely the strongest in the Dao Sect; he was also the Empress’s own master, the pillar of the Azure Origin Dao Sect.
A chill ran through Ethan.
He thought back to their evening of drinking and laughter. For half the night, he’d chattered away and poured wine for a man who carried three lifetimes of secrets, a presence so great the entire Azure Origin Dao sect bent to his will.
Elder Azel bowed low, voice ringing with respect.
"Supreme Elder, I have brought Ethan to see you."
"Well then, send him to the deepest level of the demon sealing cave."
A flicker of concern colored Azel’s reply.
"Supreme Elder, those levels contain the greatest threats. Even some of us hesitate to go all the way down. Sending Ethan now—he’s still young, his physical cultivation still developing..."
"They’d be right to worry," Old Athen’s voice drifted up.
"The seals below suppress monstrous forces and the demon fire that can even cow Tribulation Transcendence cultivators. Those flames... they’re more than ordinary. That demon fire is no ordinary flame—it’s rumored to be an innate spiritual fire, or even the primordial kind. A rare fortune, but a deadly risk."
Other elders of the Demon sealing cave joined in, echoing concern:
"Supreme Elder, such a talent is too rare—let him grow a little more. We can’t afford to lose him."
"This is the purest physical cultivator we’ve seen from so long. What gain would come of risking so much?"
"A greenhouse flower never becomes a forest king," another rebuked gently. "Let him see what lies below. To conquer others, you must first know them."
Supreme Elder Ash Burn’s deep voice resonated, bearing authority that ended debate.
"Ethan, do you wish to descend deeper? If you fear the unknown, now is the moment to say so. But if you seek to challenge your fate, then head onward. There are lessons here, and opportunities that come but once. There’s wisdom in knowing demons and monsters before they’re your enemies on the killing field."
Ethan realized what that meant. Demon fire. An innate spiritual flame. For the evolution of his blue phoenix flame and the fulfillment of his body refining technique, this was the chance he needed. And the counsel was sound: one could not defeat what one refused to meet.
With decision, Ethan spoke.
"If the Supreme Elder wishes it, this disciple will not shirk. I welcome the challenge and wish to see the secrets and the power waiting at the very foot of the sect’s forbidden place."
Ash Burn’s laughter was full of satisfaction.
"Courage and clarity—those are the marks of one who will reach high places. Come then, and listen well. I have things to teach you."
Azel looked at Ethan, concern furrowing his brow.
"Ethan, are you truly certain? This is no trial for a half-hearted cultivator. The energies below are dangerous beyond measure."
But Ethan’s eyes burned with determination. "The Supreme Elder wishes to show me what few have seen. I will go."
A hush fell—even the prisoners above sensed the import of the moment; that this junior, a physical cultivator from Serene Mirror Lake, would descend to the very bottom of the Demon Sealing Cave where even elders feared to set foot.
Azel nodded, quietly opening the path downward. The air thickened, every breath heavier than the last. With every step into the gloom, Ethan felt himself crossing a threshold—not just further into the mountain, but deeper into demon sealing cave, housing the strongest demons and monsters.
But Azel spoke again.