After bidding farewell to the sword spirit, An Tong led Yun Jin to a lava cavern.
Inside, the heat was overwhelming. As they stepped in, they found the entire cave filled with molten magma.
"Lao Huo, come out," An Tong called.
The magma began to churn. From its fiery depths, a massive dragon cloaked in flames emerged, its body twisting and rolling through the lava as it rose to the surface.
The dragon fixed its gaze on An Tong, clearly displeased. "Didn't I tell you not to bother me unless it was important?"
"This isn't important?" Tian Po Sword couldn't help but leap out. "The Young Master has inherited the position of Sect Master. This is a monumental event, and you're still sleeping?"
Young Master?
Sect Master?
The lava dragon let out a long yawn, sending another surge of magma boiling around it.
It narrowed its eyes and finally spotted Yun Jin. "Young Master? Only at the Divine Transformation stage? Weak. Far too weak."
"Watch your tone. I'm telling you—" Tian Po Sword was ready to curse him out.
Yun Jin smiled sweetly and said, "I may be weak now, but that doesn't mean I'll always be weak. Don't you think so?"
"Young Master, there's no need to be so polite with him." Tian Po Sword clearly had longstanding friction with the lava dragon. "He's a powerful spirit beast your predecessor once tamed. You can just call him Lao Huo. He was supposed to serve as the guardian beast of Wushuang Sect. But ever since arriving, all he's done is sleep, day and night. Complete waste. When Wushuang Sect faced disaster, all the other spirit beasts fought to the death, but this bastard just kept on sleeping. If I were the Master, I would've chopped him in half instead of dragging his sorry hide out of danger!"
The lava dragon looked slightly wronged as Tian Po Sword scolded him. "I... I didn't mean to. It's just, sometimes once I fall asleep, I can't wake up no matter what."
"Hmph, what kind of nonsense is that? I say you're just a coward, too afraid to fight," Tian Po Sword said coldly.
The dragon snorted, flames bursting from his mouth. "Afraid? Name them! Where are those outer-realm demons? I'll go find them right now and fight to the death!"
His roar shook the entire cave, and the walls trembled under the force of his rage.
Tian Po Sword sneered, "What good is all this talk now? The Master and the others... they're long gone!"
Gone?
The dragon's expression shifted, dazed and uncomprehending.
He stared at Tian Po Sword, struggling to believe it.
He had known that Wushuang Sect had been under siege, but back then, he'd been in deep sleep. He had heard some faint noises, but no matter what, he couldn't wake.
Later, Wan Dao Saint brought him out. He had assumed, with the strength of Wushuang Sect, no enemy could truly threaten them.
But...
Even Wan Dao Saint was gone?
"Not just the Master. Everyone... they're all gone," Tian Po Sword said softly.
The lava dragon's body trembled. With a furious roar, he shot up from the magma, thrashing his tail in midair.
The lava below churned violently in response. Cracks split across the cavern walls, as if the whole cave might collapse at any moment.
"Why did you provoke him for no reason!" An Tong retreated into the red string tied to Yun Jin's wrist, grumbling.
Tian Po Sword positioned himself in front of Yun Jin to shield her from the magma and falling debris. He snorted. "I just can't stand his attitude!"
An Tong sighed and quickly said, "Young Master, like Shan Dian, he is one of the sect's guardian spirit beasts. You can control him using the Sect Master's ring."
Yun Jin nodded and activated the ring's power.
The dragon sensed something. His rage vanished in an instant, his mood calming visibly.
A heartbeat later, his form shimmered.
The lava dragon transformed into a red-haired man who landed gracefully in front of Yun Jin.
It came back to him then.
They had called her the Young Master. Said she had inherited the sect.
He'd found it strange at the time.
How could a child at the Divine Transformation stage become the Sect Master of Wushuang Sect?
But now—
He understood.
Because everyone else... was gone.
The look he gave Yun Jin shifted entirely.
Yun Jin met his eyes as well.
For a long time, neither spoke.
Then Yun Jin said calmly, "Since you've taken on human form, wouldn't it be better to wear some clothes?"
"Put something on! Don't sully the Young Master's eyes!" Tian Po Sword snapped.
The dragon gave an embarrassed laugh and conjured a set of robes to cover himself.
"You've slept long enough. Since you've finally woken up, it's time you start fulfilling your duty," Tian Po Sword frowned.
So many years asleep...
A flicker of sorrow flashed in the dragon's eyes.
If not for this strange flaw in his nature, he would've likely died alongside the others—fighting as a protector of the sect.
And maybe, that would've been easier on his heart.
"I slept for 1,200 years this time," the dragon said slowly. "From now, I should have ten years of wakefulness. But during these ten years, I must not expend too much power at once. Otherwise, I'll fall back into hibernation sooner."
Tian Po Sword turned to Yun Jin and explained, "Young Master, this dragon is an odd one. The more he uses his spiritual power, the shorter his wakeful period becomes. If he overexerts himself, he could fall back asleep in just a few months. But every time he awakens from a cycle of slumber, his strength does grow a bit."
"Unreliable as he is, we're short-handed. He'll have to do," he added.
Yun Jin found herself intrigued.
"System, scan the lava dragon."
[.Scanning the target will consume one thousand advanced simplification tokens.]
Yun Jin: "????"
It costs that much just to scan?
No thanks. She wasn't that curious.
"Lao Huo," An Tong asked, puzzled. "Don't you usually grow stronger after every slumber? Why does it feel like there's no change this time?"
For some reason, a shy expression crossed the dragon's face.
An Tong: "??????"
What are you blushing for?
The dragon fidgeted, then slowly lifted his hand. A crimson egg rested in his palm.
An Tong and Tian Po Sword immediately crowded in to take a look.
Tian Po Sword's eyes widened. "The aura of this egg... it's of the same lineage as you. This is—"
The dragon looked a little embarrassed, but admitted, "My child."
An Tong and Tian Po Sword instantly jumped far back, expressions full of shock and disbelief.
Yun Jin remained composed. She asked steadily, "Senior, aren't you male? How could you lay an egg?"
The dragon explained, "Our lava dragon clan is unlike others. We are born with two original dragon cores. One core is for cultivation, the other for nurturing life. When the time is right, the nurturing core leaves our body and forms an egg. Once it hatches, a new lava dragon is born. However, most of the time, the second core lies dormant. The majority of lava dragons die without ever seeing their child born.
I was supposed to stay asleep a little longer. But I woke suddenly this time... because my child was finally ready to be born."
He gazed at the egg in his palm, eyes filled with joy.