Volume Two: The Mortal Realm Chapter 118: The Civilization of Fire

“What happened that day?”

“I don’t really know myself,” Ye Mingke said, his voice slightly hoarse.

He stretched out his hand into the flickering firelight and stared at it.

One by one, fiery red stone-like scales emerged on his outstretched hand, glowing as brilliantly as blazing flames.

That day, Ye Mingke awakened the Sword of the Mortal Realm with his own blood, then plunged into a sea of molten lava. His body had been nearly torn apart by the sword, and after falling into the lava sea, beyond the initial intense heat and pain, he soon lost all consciousness.

When he opened his eyes again, he had become one with the magma, transformed into a creature covered in red scales.

It was a strange sensation—being immersed in molten lava felt like a fish swimming in water. He didn’t even need to open his spiritual eyes; he could sense, through the waves of lava, the sword box and the old beggar who had also been caught in the fiery sea.

What followed was the scene of him carrying the old beggar out of the molten sea.

He looked up and saw Xu Zixian and Liu Xi. Though they had already witnessed his emergence from the lava and now saw the scales on his body again, their eyes still couldn’t hide their astonishment.

Are there creatures in this world that can survive in molten lava?

According to legend, only the damned ghosts punished to the Avīci Hell are forced to live in molten lava.

“This is not the Human Emperor’s body. It’s not even possible for it to be human,” Xu Zixian’s gaze toward Ye Mingke was complex, filled with scrutiny and a faint wariness. People instinctively fear what they cannot understand.

“I told Master from the beginning that I was not the Human Emperor’s body he sought, but he did not believe me. At the time, I had no evidence to convince him either,” Ye Mingke said with a bitter smile.

“If you’re not the Human Emperor’s body, then how did you awaken the Sword of the Mortal Realm?” Liu Xi asked, her gentle eyes free of suspicion but heavy with disappointment as she looked at Ye Mingke’s hand.

Did her father’s ten years of searching ultimately amount to nothing but a mirage?

“It was a bargain. The Sword of the Mortal Realm has a spirit. For some reason, it liked my blood, so I made a pact with it using my blood. That includes the time I broke the seal to let you use it. The snowy night incident was just a coincidence—I only realized that recently,” Ye Mingke answered.

Their gazes all turned to the heavy black sword, the Sword of the Mortal Realm, resting beside Liu Xi, its dark silhouette faintly illuminated by the dim firelight in the dilapidated room.

“So, except under very special circumstances, this sword still cannot be truly wielded. Especially the time it can be used by Xi to sense martial arts will be very brief,” Xu Zixian frowned.

“No need. I can cultivate on my own,” Liu Xi suddenly spoke up, her voice resolute.

She looked at Ye Mingke seriously: “Please don’t use that method to awaken the Sword of the Mortal Realm again. It’s too painful…”

Her eyes, hidden behind strands of messy hair, shifted toward Ye Mingke’s chest as she spoke with the awkwardness of a child.

But within her earnest gaze lay fear and sorrow.

---

Ye Mingke looked up and met her gaze. He could feel the concern and kindness in her gentle eyes, and a warmth stirred in his heart.

Yet he did not give a clear answer, only offering her a slight smile before lowering his head and shifting the topic.

“Was the volcanic eruption that day caused by the chaos you orchestrated?”

He looked seriously at Xu Zixian as he asked.

Xu Zixian nodded: “Yes. I had surveyed the volcanic veins beforehand. By detonating explosives at key nodes, I could trigger the volcano to erupt, which was originally dormant.”

“That requires extensive calculations and understanding of volcanic patterns. What about that strange ship? How can it sail on molten lava?” Ye Mingke seemed very interested.

“That is the Fire Crow Ship, forged from tungsten mixed with iron, resistant to extreme heat. It was specially built for me to enter the subterranean magma sea to mine valuable ores. As for volcanic patterns, I have already summarized them and even created a numerical model using various algorithms…”

Rarely meeting someone interested in his research, Xu Zixian eagerly shared details with Ye Mingke.

“How much gunpowder did you use in the process? What is the actual power of the 'gunpowder' magic you mentioned? How many types are there?”

“That’s not magic, just a combination and utilization of certain materials…”

Through the long night, Ye Mingke moved beside Xu Zixian, engaging in detailed conversation. They even broke off a tree branch to sketch on the ground as they talked, their discussion deeply engrossing and harmonious.

Meanwhile, Aru, who had used her strange gift again that day, suffered another injury to her life source. Fortunately, she was quickly knocked unconscious during the battle, limiting the damage.

Though Liu Xi prepared medicine to replenish her life source, Aru remained extremely drowsy and soon fell asleep beside Ye Mingke.

Liu Xi also soon dozed off by the fire, wrapped in her clothes.

Xu Zixian and Ye Mingke, however, felt no fatigue. They lowered their voices and communicated mostly through gestures.

Xu Zixian, who had never had anyone show such keen interest in his research, found himself increasingly excited.

He spoke about the detailed structure of the Fire Crow Ship, mechanical principles, physics, the composition of gunpowder, weapon manufacturing, and a discipline he called "Ge Wu" (investigative study).

Ye Mingke mostly listened, pondering and verifying the Ge Wu theories as Xu Zixian spoke, occasionally asking about parts he found difficult to grasp.

After finishing a complete segment, Ye Mingke fell silent by the fire for a long moment before looking up and asking Xu Zixian:

“You want to use a civilization of fire to counter a civilization of spiritual energy? What exactly are the structural differences between a fire civilization and a spiritual energy civilization?”

Xu Zixian had never considered this question before, and Ye Mingke’s inquiry left him momentarily stunned.

Without waiting for his reply, Ye Mingke turned his gaze to the blazing fire lighting the dark night, his eyes shining brightly.

“I believe your thinking is correct. I am not the Human Emperor, nor the mortal world’s savior, nor even the true Human Emperor. But your Ge Wu theory is. It is the only thing that might truly allow humanity to overcome the celestial affliction.”

“The Human Emperor is just a fantasy of mankind, and martial arts—setting aside its current collapse—is similar to the celestial path. Not everyone can cultivate and progress within it.”

---

“The root of the celestial affliction lies in those cultivators who possess powers and lifespans beyond mortals. Their level of life has undergone a leap. Because of this difference, they no longer regard themselves as ordinary humans.”

“‘Those not of our kind, their hearts must differ.’”

“Similarly, when a martial artist ascends to godhood, their life level transforms; a martial god is just a new kind of deity.”

Ye Mingke looked earnestly into Xu Zixian’s eyes and spoke gently. These thoughts had begun after his conversation with the old beggar days ago—no, even since he first heard Li Han talk about the celestial affliction.

When Da Bai told him countless stories, he taught him to look beyond the tales to the patterns and human nature beneath. Aunt Long’s teachings on numerical methods and blind chess simulations helped him construct virtual models to aid his thinking.

“If humanity wants to survive without relying on gods, they must find a path where everyone can wield power. The fire civilization you mentioned is such a path—not based on individual cultivation but on collective division of labor to create powerful firearms accessible to all. Only with such a power system can a relatively equal social structure be built.”

“Because each individual can contribute strength and wisdom to the group, a fire civilization inevitably develops a society that liberates human thought and initiative, which also requires equality.”

“In contrast, a spiritual energy civilization, due to differences in aptitude and power concentrated in individuals, is doomed to be structured around layers of exploitation and oppression.”

Xu Zixian listened, his eyes behind his glasses filled with both exhilaration and nervous anticipation.

But Ye Mingke placed a hand on his shoulder, looking at him with steady trust.

“The Human Emperor is just a fantasy of humanity, and martial arts is merely another celestial path. Your Ge Wu is the power that can end this celestial affliction and change the entire mortal world.”

Xu Zixian lowered his gaze and said nothing more that night. He spent the night pondering until dawn.

After sharing his thoughts, Ye Mingke did not disturb Xu Zixian’s contemplation but turned to look at Liu Xi and Aru on the other side, his mind drifting away.

He once thought himself a lost soul, stranded in the mortal world, disconnected from his homeland—a mere passerby here.

The old beggar had told him he would eventually find his home, though it would not be the one he once knew.

The old beggar was right. The longer he stayed in the mortal world, the deeper the bonds he formed here.

The old beggar’s hopes, Li Han’s wishes, Liu Xi’s persistence, Aru’s belonging—he could bear to leave the mortal realm, but how could he bear to leave the people he had met here?

He was no longer the lone boy who had awakened alone in the sea of mist.

Ye Mingke smiled faintly at the fire.

On the other side, Liu Xi, who had seemed asleep with her back to the fire, suddenly opened her eyes. Her pupils were bright and clear, as if she had never truly slept.