Chapter 77: Swear an Oath, Finally Obtain the Sun True Fire

Chang Xi saw through Su Chen’s hesitation; the boundless hatred in her eyes slowly receded, returning to normal.

She sighed, her voice regaining its icy chill.

“I, the Empress, am well aware of the Kunpeng’s power. I know that asking you to oppose him is tantamount to sending you to your death.”

“I have waited countless eons; I do not mind waiting a little longer.”

She looked at Su Chen and spoke slowly: “I am not asking you to die—I ask for a promise, a vow sworn upon your Dao heart.”

“I demand you swear that, should your cultivation ever reach a realm capable of rivaling the Kunpeng, you must aid me in slaying him.”

“If you never attain that realm in your lifetime, this vow shall bind you not at all.”

“How? Will you accept these terms?”

Chang Xi gazed silently at Su Chen, awaiting his answer.

Su Chen’s mind raged with inner conflict.

This was a bargain trading the future for the present.

A promise to one day face a Semi-Sage in battle, in exchange for the chance to swiftly break through to Earth Immortal—and beyond.

It seemed to offer him no downside.

Should he accept—or not?

Su Chen weighed the pros and cons; he saw no reason to refuse.

“Very well, Star Lord, I accept your terms!”

He raised three fingers, swearing solemnly before his Dao heart.

“I, Su Chen, swear here today: Should I ever attain strength sufficient to rival the Kunpeng, I shall spare no effort to aid the Star Lord in slaying him! Should I break this vow, may I perish, my Dao vanish, and suffer eternal damnation!”

As his vow ended, Su Chen felt something in the void respond to his oath.

Su Chen knew—the Dao itself had witnessed his vow.

The vow was sealed.

Seeing this, Chang Xi’s icy face finally broke into a faint smile.

“Good.”

She nodded.

“Then come with me.”

She turned and walked toward the depths of the hall.

“I shall take you now to retrieve the Sun True Fire.”

He would finally obtain the Sun True Fire.

Su Chen exhaled deeply and followed Chang Xi through the door, down a long corridor.

They arrived before a stone door sealed with countless arcane runes.

The Yin energy here was ten times denser than outside, nearly condensed into fine droplets.

Had Chang Xi not been beside him, shielding him with her authority as Lady of the Yin Star,

Su Chen had no doubt he would have been instantly frozen—his soul locked in ice the moment he stepped inside.

“Beyond this stone door lies the seal of the Sun True Fire.”

As she spoke, Chang Xi extended her slender fingers and traced symbols in the air above the door.

Her movements flowed like water; silver runes streamed from her fingertips, etching into the stone, merging seamlessly with the original seals.

As the final rune settled, the entire stone door groaned with a deep rumble and slowly swung inward.

A torrent of pure, yang energy surged forth from beyond!

This energy stood in absolute opposition to the surrounding Yin essence; the moment they met, a sizzling sound erupted—as if water and fire clashed, annihilating each other.

Merely brushed by this energy, Su Chen felt his skin burn with searing pain—as if it would ignite.

He gasped in alarm and immediately summoned his magic power to resist; only then did the agony ease slightly.

“Such terrifying Sun True Fire!”

Merely sensing the leaked energy caused him such torment—he could not imagine how brutal the true source flame must be.

Chang Xi seemed to sense his distress; she flicked her wrist, and a gentle Yin force enveloped Su Chen, shielding him from the heat.

“Stay close to me.”

She warned him, then stepped through the stone door.

Su Chen hurried after her.

Beyond the door lay a small chamber.

At its center stood a formation.

Countless silver formation lines covered the floor and walls, forming an impossibly complex three-dimensional array.

At the very heart of the formation, a fist-sized flame burned quietly, radiating blinding golden light.

The flame was dazzling beyond measure—as if it were the origin of all light in the world.

It radiated a terrifying power capable of burning the heavens and boiling the seas, melting all things.

Su Chen’s gaze was instantly locked onto the flame.

“Is this a single thread of the Sun True Fire’s origin?”

“Yes.”

Chang Xi nodded, her eyes flickering with complex emotion—nostalgia, sorrow.

“This is the final thread of true flame left behind by Di Jun before his demise.”

“All these years, had I not used the Yin Star’s primordial energy to establish this ‘Yin Locking Sun Array’ and suppress it here, it would have been detected long ago by the outside world.”

Su Chen stared at the flame, torn between longing and fear.

“Star Lord, this Sun True Fire is so fierce—how am I to assimilate it?” Su Chen asked.

“I advise you to assimilate it right here.”

Chang Xi’s expression turned grave.

“This array is linked to the entire Yin Star’s ley lines—it is the only place in the Three Realms capable of suppressing the Sun True Fire’s aura.”

“If you take it outside, once freed from the array’s restraint, its aura will instantly spread across the Three Realms and Six Paths. Then, the great ones of the Heavenly Court—even reclusive ancient monsters—will be drawn here.”

“An innocent man is not guilty, but possessing a treasure invites death. Do I need to teach you that?”

Su Chen’s heart tightened.

He knew Chang Xi spoke truth.

The origin of Sun True Fire—a primordial divine artifact of this caliber—could drive even a Great Luo Xian or Semi-Sage to madness.

He, a mere Earth Immortal, if he carried this outside, his fate was obvious.

“Thank you for the warning, Star Lord. I understand,” Su Chen nodded.

Closing here was indeed the best choice.

But…

He thought of Sun Wukong.

His cultivation here, assimilating the Sun True Fire, would not be a task of days.

It might take months, years—even decades.

If he vanished for so long, with Monkey Brother’s impulsive nature, he would worry—and might cause chaos.

No. Before closing, he must return, warn him, and make arrangements.

Thinking this, Su Chen raised his head and spoke to Chang Xi.

“Star Lord, I have one more request.”

“Speak,” Chang Xi replied tersely.

“I wish to return first,” Su Chen said cautiously. “I do not know how long this cultivation will take. I have an elder brother who ascended with me—he is impulsive. I fear that if I disappear for too long, he will worry and cause trouble. So I wish to return, speak with him, and ease his mind.”