Embersteel: Legend of the Warrior BlackSmith

Chapter 2: Celestial Shadow Church

The gentle breeze whispered through the air as Kia Young approached Master Jiang with a warm smile. He had been only 100 years old when he first encountered this legendary general, whose very name had the power to shake two empires. However, the ravages of war had taken their toll, and the old general had grown weary of the countless lives lost as mere casualties of the ongoing conflict.

"Why have you come?" Master Jiang asks again with his voice falling serval degrees.

"We mean no disrespect by invading your space, General, but we were sent to look for you by the emperor. He wants you to forge a sword for his son, the Crown Prince. But that's not all - the emperor also wishes to request an audience with you."

One of the men who stood behind Kia Young took a step forward with his hands clasped and started to explain. Even though they hadn't discussed the matter at hand before leaving the empire, Kia Young briefed them before arriving here. Initially, it seemed strange to him, but after meeting the old general, he finally understood the reason why.

It turned out that those who could instill terror in the hearts of the ones who create terror should not be underestimated. It also appeared that Kia Young had some history with this Demon Hammer general.

"Five hundred years have passed, yet the emperor still holds this old man in high regard. Truly an amusing endeavor," Master Jiang said with a deep frown as he sat on a large rock not too far from the trio.

Even though he didn't want to be involved in the old empire's affairs, he knew that the Radiant Blade Monastery wouldn't show up just to forge a blade for the young crown prince. There had to be more to it than that, especially considering that the cold-hearted emperor set aside his grudge to seek an audience with him.

"Sigh, after two millennia, we have uncovered unmistakable evidence of the resurfacing of the Celestial Shadow Church. Three large cities that accommodated 1.2 million people were reduced to a land of death"

Kia Young produced a radiant yellow crystal and handed it to Master Jiang. As Master Jiang held the crystal, it emitted a dazzling light that illuminated scenes of cities drenched in blood. The pervasive aura of death stretched for miles, shrouding the atmosphere in a deadly fog.

As the dramatic scenes unfolded, the vibrant yellow crystal disintegrated into fine particles and dispersed into the air. This particular crystal is called an image crystal, designed to harness the natural essence of the surrounding environment. There exist two variations of image crystals: yellow and black. The black crystal, considered the superior grade, possesses the unique ability to not only capture moving images but also produce accompanying sounds. In contrast, the yellow crystal is limited to capturing still images without the capability for sound.

"The blood sacrifice!!" Master Jiang stood up from the rock he was sitting on, his expression one of dread, hatred, and helplessness.

"The ancient blood sacrifice from two thousand years ago has reappeared, but this time on a larger scale. The Emperor has foreseen a resurgence of the Celestial Shadow Church, and he needs the support of your clan, the Eternal Flame Order, the warrior blacksmiths. Your aid is crucial in preventing the events of two thousand years ago from repeating themselves."

Kia Young produced a golden paper that gleamed with the light of the heavenly Daos. Upon seeing the paper, Master Jiang sighed and accepted it without question. His heart was heavy; his son had only just turned 15 this year and had yet to fully awaken his talent. His son was the last hope of the Eternal Flame Order, and he wanted to verify if his son was blessed with the accumulated fortune of his family or if the line of the Warrior Blacksmith would end with him, Jiang Long, the Demon Hammer!

"Radiant Blade Monastery has confirmed their attendance. What's the status of the Heavenly Serpent Sect?" Master Jiang side-eyed Kia Young as his body began to float without wind. His mood was sour but he accepted the request for an audience because of the bigger picture.

"The leader of the Heavenly Serpent Sect has graciously accepted the emperor's summons. The emperor had some reservations about your attendance, hence he took the liberty of preparing the Heavenly Dao Seal for your Son. It's important to understand the significance and effort involved in creating such a seal, as well as the impact it will have on the Monarch."

Kia Young sighed as he looked at the man floating before him. The Eternal Flame Order was once a top force in the outer world. Their blacksmiths were able to create even divine weapons in the past, not to mention the warrior blacksmiths who were said to possess both shocking talents in forging and cultivation. Their mastery over the flame Dao was second to none. However, after the events of two thousand years, the Eternal Flame Order clan started to decline.

"Hmm, I will accompany you to the outside world. But before doing so, I will need a few days with my son. He is the last hope of our family and is unable to leave this realm. I will leave with you in three days, as you know, after entering and leaving the lower worlds, for persons of our cultivation level, it will be next to impossible to regain entry." Master Jiang waved his hand and flew away without a second thought.

Kia Young shook his head in dismay and turned to leave. The members of the Eternal Flame Order were notorious for their volatile tempers, and over the years, this reputation had proved to be well-founded. Despite the emperor's efforts and the offer of a Heavenly Dao Seal, Kia Young knew that persuading the Warrior Blacksmith, one of the few remaining artisans of his kind, to return would be an incredibly difficult task.

If it wasn't for the re-emergence of the Celestial Shadow Church posing a new threat, he would have never agreed to the audience of the Monarch.