"Where is this?"
Lu Ren looked around, his face full of confusion.
The void was silent, as though it were waiting for something.
Darkness shrouded everything. There was no light, no sound—only endless solitude and loneliness.
Though the space was empty, a mysterious power seemed to lie coiled within it, like a giant dragon sleeping in the depths of the sea, poised to wake from its dream.
There was no up or down, no left or right. The world seemed to have lost every point of reference and direction. Only boundless blackness remained, leaving Lu Ren at a loss.
Suddenly, the entire void seemed to catch fire. Crimson flames burned on every side, then converged into a red-haired old man.
The old man wore a golden robe and stood tall and imposing. His expression was gentle, but his deep eyes revealed an astonishing presence.
"Are you... the Fire Spirit Holy Emperor?"
Lu Ren stared at the old man in surprise.
He looked exactly like the Fire Spirit Holy Emperor.
The old man nodded slightly. "Indeed. I am the Fire Spirit Holy Emperor!"
"Greetings, Senior Holy Emperor. Why am I here?"
Lu Ren cupped his hands and asked.
"You refined my Fire Origin Sword Embryo. It contains a trace of the will I left behind before my death. I sensed you were in danger, so I appeared."
The Fire Spirit Holy Emperor spoke calmly.
"I see."
Lu Ren nodded.
"To think that we Ancient Martial Artists would have a descendant like you—one who could even reach the Martial Emperor Realm in this world!"
The Fire Spirit Holy Emperor sounded moved.
"Senior, what exactly was the Calamity Transformation?"
Lu Ren asked another question.
The Fire Spirit Holy Emperor shook his head. "I don't know what the Calamity Transformation was, either. I only