World's First Traitor System (410)

Chapter 410 - Chiwen, the Sentinel

Atop the mountain, a bonfire blazed. Fan Li steadily fed the flames by adding log after log from his storage box until a towering pillar of fire reached for the sky.

Legend held that Chiwen, one of the dragon’s nine sons, had an insatiable appetite for flames. Its image, often carved onto rooftops and eaves, was believed to ward off fire. It was this very legend that fueled Fan Li’s plan. He had amassed a vast stockpile of timber – pine, birch, maple, cedar – all highly flammable with oils ready to ignite.

Yet, despite the inferno that raged for a full day and night, consuming every last splinter of wood, Chiwen remained elusive.

Fan Li sniffed the air, a puzzled frown creased his brow. Perhaps the scent of burning wood wasn’t to Chiwen’s liking?

“Brother, what’s happening?” Fan Chun asked. “Is this dragon son of yours ever going to show?”

“Well…” Fan Li scratched his head in embarrassment. “I’m almost out of bait, and it doesn’t seem interested. Perhaps I miscalculated?”

However, Fan Chun possessed an unwavering faith in his brother’s ingenuity. “Brother, you couldn’t be wrong! If the fish aren’t biting, perhaps the bait is too small? To catch a big fish, you need big bait!”

His simple analogy struck a chord. Fan Li suddenly realized his error. Chiwen was the size of a mountain; his bonfire, though impressive, was like offering a sesame seed to an elephant. No wonder it hadn't been tempted.

But how to create a truly colossal fire? Even ten times the wood wouldn't be enough. Unless… His gaze drifted towards a neighboring mountain, thick with lush, verdant forest. An idea sparked.

…

Chiwen, perched on a high vantage point outside Xiongzhou City, scanned the horizon. Its dragon head and fish-like body, a riot of vibrant colors, swiveled restlessly, driven by an insatiable curiosity. Then, a flicker of light, a fiery glow in the distance, caught its eye. An involuntary gulp, a phantom sensation in its mechanical throat, betrayed its anticipation. The feast lay in that direction. With a powerful beat of its wings, Chiwen soared towards the beckoning flames.

“There!” Fan Li exclaimed, watching the magnificent creature descend upon the burning mountain.

Chiwen hovered above the inferno, opened its jaws and began greedily devouring the rising flames.

“Wu Gang, can you handle it?” Fan Li whispered.

Even with his knowledge of Chiwen’s habits, he remained uncertain of how to subdue it.

Wu Gang was eager to prove herself. Her spirit was buoyed by the recent acquisition of three dragon sons.

“Master, I will persuade it!”

She transformed into a colossal black dragon and ascended as she flew towards the volcanic blaze.

“Greetings, young one, I…” Wu Gang’s greeting was abruptly cut short.

Chiwen, still a hundred paces away, suddenly wheeled around and unleashed a torrent of water, a powerful jet infused with spiritual energy.

Caught off guard, Wu Gang, despite her superior strength, was struck squarely and plummeted to the earth below. The impact shook the ground.

“RAOR!”

Chiwen unleashed a deafening blast that echoed through the mountains. It swallowed the last of the flames and, with another roar, unleashed a second torrent. Chiwen, though known for its fire-consuming nature, was equally adept at summoning waves and rain.

Wu Gang narrowly avoided the second attack, and scrambled back into the air. A trickle of blood staining her lip.

“This isn’t good!” Fan Li frowned. “Wu Gang is injured, she may need support!”

The flames Chiwen had consumed seemed to fuel its power, granting it an endless supply of spiritual energy. Wu Gang, though dodging each attack, was clearly tiring.

Fan Li knew a prolonged defense was unsustainable. He was about to urge her to counterattack when he noticed the look in her eyes as she faced Chiwen – not hostility, but pity and… compassion.

It was happening again! Wu Gang, despite her injuries, was extending her maternal instincts to a mechanical construct. Her genuine affection had won over Qiuniu and Bixi, but Chiwen, energized and hostile, saw her only as an enemy.

“Brother, should we intervene?” Fan Chun asked anxiously. Even he, a Unity Realm cultivator, was no match for a Great Vehicle beast like Chiwen.

However, Su Qingfang and the other two women were adept at using music for both attack and defense. They could bolster Wu Gang’s strength.

“Sisters-in-law, please assist Wu Gang,” Fan Li commanded.

“Yes!”

Without hesitation, the three women retrieved their instruments – a jade flute, a guqin, and a pipa.

The flute’s melody, delicate and flowing, wove through the air like silk. The guqin’s notes, clear and pure, resonated like a mountain spring. The pipa’s strings, plucked with rapid precision, surged like a violent storm.

The combined music, infused with their spiritual energy, washed over Wu Gang, and her movements started becoming smoother and more precise. Yet, she still hesitated to attack Chiwen, which frustrated Fan Li.

“Wu Gang! If it’s too dangerous, we should retreat!” he shouted.

“Master, wait! This child is naturally inclined to ward off evil, it has mistaken me for a demon. If I can clear up the misunderstanding…”

Her explanation ended abruptly. Several powerful auras, vast and terrifying, suddenly focused their attention on their location.

“This isn’t good! All the dragon sons are mobilizing! Chiwen’s role is that of a sentinel!”

Wu Gang  tried to retreat, but it was too late. Five powerful spiritual pressures converged on their position.

“So Fast! Master, retreat! I will hold them off!”

Before her words had fully registered, five colossal figures materialized. They were so immense that they blotted out the sky.

Fan Li wasn’t prone to fear, but the sight of Yazi, Chaofeng, Pulao, Suanni, Bi’an, and Chiwen, each the size of a mountain, was truly terrifying.

An injured and outnumbered Wu Gang was no match for them.

“So, I was not mistaken. Someone dares to covet my dragon sons?” The voice, amplified by Pulao’s massive form, belonged to Emperor Shi Jingtang.

Pulao, born of a dragon and a toad, was known for its powerful voice. Now, it served as Shi Jingtang's mouthpiece.

Its bulging eyes swept over Wu Gang, Fan Li, and the others.

“Another mortal spirit has transformed into a dragon? And you stole Qiuniu and Bixi? A true dragon, however, is a worthy replacement for their souls. Excellent!”

Shi Jingtang hadn’t appeared in person, but as a Great Vehicle cultivator of mechanical arts, he could easily control the dragon sons remotely.

“I am the Emperor of the Great Jin Dynasty. You have all committed a crime punishable by death. Submit, and I will spare your lives. Defy me, and you will be crushed to dust.”