Chapter 130 - 102: Holy Fire Day and Samadhi True Flame Upgrade

Chapter 130: Chapter 102: Holy Fire Day and Samadhi True Flame Upgrade

"Extract."

When Chen Shang approached, the Iliet turned his head. His vertical pupils fixed on Chen Shang, his gaze carrying neither hostility nor enthusiasm.

"Wizard?" His voice was much deeper than that of an ordinary Iliet.

"I am Chen Shang, a visiting member of Elemental Storm." Chen Shang held up his badge. "These three are also members of Elemental Storm."

He stepped aside to gesture to Evelyn and the others. In truth, this title did not hold much weight. It was perfectly normal for Apprentices to join major associations just to access their databases.

The patriarch’s gaze shifted from the badge to Chen Shang’s face, then to Evelyn and Twilight, before finally landing on Surtr. He lingered on Surtr for a few extra seconds before looking away.

"My apologies. Our forging assembly is held once every era—which is thirty-three years in your time. Therefore, we do not have the energy to host outsiders right now."

Chen Shang nodded. "We will not disturb you. We are simply very interested in the forging assembly. Could we perhaps observe and exchange some knowledge?"

The patriarch fell silent for a few seconds. Suddenly, as if recalling something, he pondered for a moment. When he spoke again, his tone was much milder.

"Are you that... visiting member mentioned in the Truth Daily?"

Chen Shang gave a nod.

The patriarch suddenly grew enthusiastic. He stepped aside and made an inviting gesture toward the Molten Lava Lake.

"The forging assembly will continue for a few more days. You are welcome to observe, but please do not interfere with my people’s work. If you are interested, you may even participate. We Iliets possess forging techniques that are not necessarily inferior to a Wizard’s Alchemy."

Chen Shang paused in surprise. He had not expected the title to actually be this useful. "Then you have my thanks."

The patriarch said no more and turned around to continue directing his people.

Soon, a young Iliet girl—just over a meter tall—came over to receive the group. Perhaps because she was still underage and had no forging duties, she was able to spare the time.

Through her introduction, Chen Shang learned the specifics of the forging assembly.

There were five tribes near the Molten Lava Lake: Sunshine, Corona, Flame Hammer, Ashes, and Molten Core. These were the five highest-ranking tribes among the Iliet race. Every thirty-three years—which they referred to as one era—a forging assembly was held on the shores of the Molten Lava Lake to reallocate the lake’s usage quotas.

The length of this era was not arbitrarily decided. Rather, in this Plane, the Earth Vein Qi would surge up exactly once an era, churning up rare Ores from deep underground. The Iliets believed this to be a gift from the heavens, dictating that only the most outstanding forgers deserved access to the richest mineral veins.

The forging assembly was scheduled to officially begin in four days and would last for seven.

Chen Shang and the others found an empty clearing at the edge of the tribal territory to set up camp. To call it a camp was a stretch, as it merely consisted of a few flat volcanic rocks covered with heat-insulating tarps.

Ella leaned against a rock with her eyes closed, the little bear in her arms also dozing off. Twilight’s Black Fog completely shrouded her area, making it impossible to see inside.

Evelyn sat on a boulder with her legs dangling. Flames danced from her fingertips, intertwining with the rising heat from the ground.

The Golden Crow perched on Surtr’s shoulder and had finally stopped complaining about the heat. It had discovered that the concentration of Fire Elements here was so high it could effortlessly absorb Energy straight from the air.

Surtr lay flat across the volcanic rock, his entire body relaxed. The firelight glowing within his cracks was twice as bright as usual, making him look like a giant battery being charged.

...

Four days later, the forging assembly officially began.

In the clearing by the Molten Lava Lake, five colossal Melting Furnaces stood side by side. Their structures towered high into the air, and the Runes etched into their walls flickered in the firelight.

The flags of the Sunshine, Corona, Flame Hammer, Ashes, and Molten Core tribes fluttered wildly in the hot wind. Each flag was embroidered with its respective emblem: a sun, a solar wheel, an iron hammer, a volcano, and a heart.

Nearly a thousand Iliet craftsmen gathered around the Melting Furnaces. Their scales gleamed with a dark luster under the firelight, and their fiery manes swayed in the rolling waves of heat.

The five tribe leaders stood in front of their respective Melting Furnaces and simultaneously raised their forging hammers. The hammers struck the anvils with a unified, deafening CLANG. The sound echoed across the surface of the Molten Lava Lake, vibrating so intensely that even the air seemed to tremble.

A heavy silence fell over the entire venue.

The Sunshine Race Leader was the first to speak. His voice was deep and resonant. "A new era arrives, and the earth’s veins shall awaken."

The Crown Race Leader followed, his tone much more resonant. "Flames above, bestow upon us your mineral bounties."

The Flame Hammer Race Leader’s voice rumbled like muffled thunder. "With the hammer as our witness, and the fire as our oath."

The Ashes tribe leader spoke at a rapid pace. "A fair distribution, where each takes what they require."

The Molten Core tribe leader was the last to speak, his voice steadfast and resolute. "A forger never deceives the flames."

All five leaders simultaneously plunged their forging hammers into the stone troughs situated in front of their Melting Furnaces.

The pommels of the hammers locked into the Rune Array at the bottom of each trough. Crimson light burst from the cracks within the stone, snaking outward along the intricate patterns on the ground. Together, they wove a glowing, fiery web that connected all five Melting Furnaces.

The Iliets bowed in unison, pressing their right hands to their chests as they lowered their heads and silently chanted something.

Standing far away, Chen Shang could not hear them clearly. However, it definitely was not the common tongue. It was likely the Iliets’ own language—a prayer offered to the flames and metals.

The ceremony lasted for about half an Hourglass. Throughout the Iliets’ silent chanting, Chen Shang’s Eye of True Sight remained continuously active.

His interface constantly flashed as it collected various attributes. Terms like Heart of Molten Fire, Flame Forging, and Hot Wind Sensing flooded his vision; the sheer volume of them was staggering.

As the ceremony neared its end, the Molten Lava Lake suddenly shuddered.

Chen Shang sensed a surge of Power welling up from deep underground, as if some gargantuan entity had just rolled over beneath the surface. Beside him, Ella and the others stood up simultaneously.

Immediately after, the surface of the lake began to churn violently. Bubbles of orange-red magma burst open, spewing thick plumes of sulfurous steam into the air.

Once the steam dissipated, a layer of dark golden light rose to the surface of the Molten Lava Lake. These were the metal Ores surging up from the planet’s depths!

The Iliets stepped forward in an orderly fashion. Using specially crafted, long-handled ladles, they scooped up the glowing crystals and piled them into sorted heaps according to their tribes.

Chen Shang stood by the lake, his Eye of True Sight sweeping over the crystals as they bubbled up from beneath. Suddenly, his interface shook violently.

[Extractable attribute detected: Fire in the Stone (Blue) — Source: Red Flame Realm · Earth Vein Qi. Completion Rate: 8%. Extract?]

He paused in shock before a wave of ecstasy washed over him. There was finally hope for his Samadhi True Flame to upgrade!