Age of Adepts

The Fire Elementium Plane.

It was a boiling sea of fire here.

The boundaries between earth and sky were no longer as distinct here. The entire world had turned into a dreary, blazing furnace.

Since the Fire Elementium Plane was a world of pure fire elementium, it was only natural that other elementium particles could not appear. It caused the basic framework of the world to be formed of only fire elementium that had temporarily taken on different states of existence.

Naturally, one could see material fire elementium all over the Fire Elementium Plane; the existence of fire elementium was ubiquitous. However, if one were to look at the entire planar space as a single entity, they would find the distribution of fire elementium to be imbalanced.

The areas with less fire elementium were naturally the more impoverished and barren regions of the plane. Meanwhile, the areas with denser concentrations of fire elementium would always be taken up by powerful fire elementium creatures. These fire elementium creatures might not have much desire or greed–or even the scheming minds of other intelligent lifeforms–but their instinct to become stronger still drove their simple and violent thought processes.

Everyone in the world agreed that fire elementium creatures were the most ferocious and warlike branch of the four major elementium.

The Sea of Ashes was a relatively famous place in the Fire Elementium Plane. An area with a radius of nearly five thousand kilometers had been burned to nothingness by a terrifying fire. Naturally, the regions bordering the Sea of Ashes became the ideal home to powerful fire creatures.

The one living in the depths of the Sea of Ashes was Fifth Grade Fire King Groms.

At this moment, a magma giant five meters tall arrived in front of an ancient altar at the border of the Sea of Ashes.

Five mysterious guards clad in green-white flames abruptly appeared around the empty altar once the giant stopped walking.

”Stop there! This is the quarters of Fire King Groms. State your intent!”

These mysterious fire guards were no more than three meters in height and had inconspicuous appearances, being far less muscular than the magma giant before them. However, there was a world of difference between their power compared to the giant.

The magma giant was only Second Grade, while these five mysterious guards all possessed the terrifying power of Third Grades. If a fight broke out between them, the fire guards wouldn’t need more than five seconds to take apart this giant who had yet to learn how to conceal his aura.

”Revered Firespirit guards, I am a lord serving beneath the great Fire King Groms. By his instructions, I have come here for an audience today!” The magma giant’s loud voice boomed.

”An audience by his instructions? Wait here. We will verify this with the king himself!”

The fire spirit in the lead turned and knelt before the ancient altar to silently communicate with a certain powerful existence in the distance.

A short moment later, the fire spirit stood up and solemnly said, ”I have communicated with our Lord. You are not lying. You may enter now!”

The five fire spirits stood on five nodes that had extended from the altar and started pouring their energy into the platform.

The ground trembled slightly.

The red sea of fire not far behind the altar suddenly parted under the force of a mysterious energy, revealing a clear path leading toward the depths of the sea of fire.

”Go in! Remember; don’t touch these flames, or else.”

The fire spirit didn’t finish, but the meaning behind his words was clear as day.

The magma giant acknowledged the reminder and walked onto the path toward the depths of the Sea of Ashes.

It was as if translucent glass had been fitted around him. The swirling fires could not affect him while he was on the path, regardless of how fiercely they blazed. Instead, the magma giant could faintly sense the terror and power of the sea of fire through the invisible force separating them.

Though he had the power of a Second Grade, as well as shocking fire resistance, he would be reduced to ashes in less than fifteen minutes in a sea of fire like this. It couldn’t be helped. Most of the laws of the Fire Elementium Plane became extremely vague and chaotic when they reached this place. They could no longer be restored to their former states.

The fire corridor was long. Extremely long.

The magma giant had to walk for three entire days and nights before reaching the other end of the passage. When he emerged, he was stunned by the sight in front of him.

An extraordinarily tall and magnificent palace stood at the center of the Sea of Ashes. This palace levitated just above the blazing sea of fire as if it was a majestic beast of legend guarding the place. Its jaws were wide open and invited its lowly prey to enter of their own accord.

The ones supporting the palace were over a hundred thick stone pillars. Each of them would take five grown adults to encircle completely, and they were shrouded with golden flames. Several strange fire runes would occasionally appear on the pillars.

The wooden palace, the stone pillars; the Fire King’s way of doing things was indeed beyond the limits of the magma giant’s imagination. It was important to note that any foreign substance could not exist for extended periods inside the Fire Elementium Plane.

These stones and wood that appeared so insignificant had to be rare treasures that the Fire King had somehow obtained from a different world. Otherwise, they would have been reduced to ashes in such a terrifying place.

The terror of the Sea of Ashes was something that even fire elementium creatures could not endure!

Beneath the magma giant was a small round stone platform only two hundred meters wide. A strange array much like the one on the altar outside had also been placed at the center of the platform. The stone platform was connected with the palace in the distance by a floating path of stone that was no more than ten meters in width. From a distance, there seemed to be two or three dozen stone platforms similar to the one he was standing on in this massive space.

It could be assumed that these stone platforms connected to different regions on the outside of the Sea of Ashes. Only with Fire King Grom’s approval could the fire lords have the chance to enter the Sea of Ashes to meet this legendary existence personally.

The magma giant collected his feelings and walked toward the palace along the tiny path.

From a distance, this strange palace didn’t appear to be too big. However, when he arrived before the wide, spacious square, the magma giant’s five-meter body instantly seemed as small as a bean beside the building. It was significant.

The magma giant didn’t dare to take another step once he arrived here!

He went down on one knee and shouted with his booming voice, ”Great Lord Groms, your loyal servant Artes has come by your orders!”

A short moment later, a loud and deep voice reverberated throughout the place.

”Rise!”

This voice wasn’t too loud, but when it lingered around the palace, it absorbed the nearby fire energy and became frightfully loud and intimidating.

”Great Lord Groms, what orders do you have for me?”

Fire elementium creatures were simply like that in nature. They cared not for all those troublesome courtesies and formalities, and they couldn’t bother with lies and facades. Even someone as lowly as the magma giant went straight to asking his master’s intentions the moment he arrived.

”Artes, I need you to kill an adept!”

”O’ Great Lord Groms, as long as you give me the name of this adept, I will lead my army of fire to finish him.” Magma giant Artes once again kneeled upon receiving his master’s orders and expressed his loyalty with a passionate tone.

”You don’t need to go through such troubles this time! Simply stay in your territory, and there will be a human adept who will attempt to assassinate you. He is only Second Grade.”

”……”

Artes raised his head and his giant face formed of magma and fire was filled with confusion.

”You don’t need to know why. Just stay in your territory and then kill the human adept who breaks into your land. Once you accomplish your mission, I will allow you to move from Dustfire Valley into the Pillar of Ashes.”

Artes’ face was filled with wild joy upon hearing this.

The Pillar of Ashes was only a hundred and fifty kilometers away from the Sea of Ashes. It was a desirable place of fire elementium concentration. Typically, only Third or Fourth Grade fire lords would be granted the opportunity to rule over territory like this. It made them rulers with genuine authority.

”Understood, my master. Your loyal servant Artes will complete his mission!”

”Leave if you understand already! Remember, I am waiting for good news from you.”

Magma Giant Artes bowed respectfully as the voice vanished. He then turned and walked back along the way he came.

It was only when the magma giant’s silhouette had vanished entirely from this strange world that Groms’ voice once again rang out.

”How is it? I have already assigned the task you asked of me. What about the matter you promised me?”

A moment later, a ghostly female voice rang out in the space.

”When have I, Maysa, ever gone against my word? Big fire person, the contract we signed stipulated that I will only tell you the location of the object once the matter is complete. The contract has not been fulfilled yet, and you have the face to ask me for it?”

”Heheheh…old witch, do you think anything unforeseen could still happen? It is only a puny Second Grade adept. If he dares enter our world, my subordinate will naturally find him and crush him. Do you think that a Second Grade adept could kill a Second Grade fire lord underling of mine? Hahaha, you are way too childish.”

”I don’t care what methods you use or what you resort to. You must complete what I asked of you or don’t you even think of finding out the location of that thing from me. ”

”Fine, fine…dealing with you old hags is always troublesome. I’ll go and take a little nap. It’s only a matter of a dozen years anyway, and it will be over soon. Don’t you forget your promise then, alright?”

Having said that, the Fire King’s voice finally fell silent. The cold female voice also vanished without a trace!

A dull boom rang out as the blazing fires of the Sea of Ashes once again surged and ravaged the area, completely engulfing this unique palace.