Chapter 51: Makes Sense, Right?

—

As the plane gradually descended, Xu Shen noticed that their landing trajectory was veering away from the airport.

“Where are we going?” Xu Shen asked, watching as the airport below shifted further out of view.

“This plane is on a classified flight path. It’s normal not to land at the airport,” Dong Tianming explained. “We’re heading to the Xinhuo Guard base.”

Hearing this, Xu Shen relaxed and nodded. For a moment, he had been worried that the pilot might turn out to be another Moon Cult operative. Qu Zhixing’s betrayal had left him with lingering paranoia.

—

After another ten minutes, the plane shuddered slightly as it began its final descent. Xu Shen looked out the window and immediately noticed a change in the scenery below.

Where there had been a towering mountain moments ago, there now stood an enormous, gleaming white structure shaped like a colossal tower reaching into the heavens. Surrounding it were nine massive circular white buildings, arranged as if to protect the central tower.

“It’s… huge,” Xu Guang muttered, leaning forward to get a better look. He gasped audibly, his eyes wide with disbelief.

The sheer size of the headquarters was overwhelming. Roughly estimating, it seemed to cover nearly one-sixth of the capital’s total area. What baffled Xu Guang even more was that it had been completely invisible during their descent until now.

—

“The headquarters is surrounded by a cloaking barrier,” Dong Tianming explained, his gaze fixed on the structure below. “Only planes like this one, specifically authorized by Xinhuo Guard, can bypass it.”

“To enter the barrier, you need a special aura granted by Xinhuo Guard,” he added, his tone carrying a hint of nostalgia.

—

“I’m here for Xinhuo’s Trial of Tempering, right?” Xu Shen asked, his eyes drawn to the top of the tower. There, a flame burned brightly—translucent yet tinged with platinum hues. It flickered endlessly, as if it could never be extinguished.

Jiang Ruyue had insisted that Xu Shen undergo the trial at headquarters rather than in Yuan City. Clearly, they wanted him to complete it in this sacred place.

“But first, we’ll handle your identity registration,” Dong Tianming said as the plane landed with a low rumble. “That way, you won’t have to make another trip later.”

—

“Put on your mask,” Dong Tianming instructed as he donned his replica Mask of Shadows. A crystalline mask appeared on his face, resembling frosted ice.

Xu Guang followed suit, slipping on his red mask that resembled the face of a mythical demon.

“So we’re hiding our identities already?” Xu Shen chuckled but wasn’t surprised. He unfolded his own mask and pressed it gently against his face.

The gray mask with gold and red patterns instantly transformed his demeanor. Even Xu Shen’s eyes seemed to grow colder and sharper, exuding an icy aura that made him appear unapproachable.

“Boss, you look terrifying like this—completely unrecognizable,” Xu Guang remarked, his voice distorted into a raspy tone by his mask.

“You’ve got quite the presence,” Dong Tianming agreed with a nod. In this guise, Xu Shen exuded an air of indifference and menace. Simply sitting there was enough to make others feel uneasy.

“Well, if we’re going to do this, we might as well go all out,” Xu Shen said with a cold laugh. His voice, altered by the mask, sounded emotionless and distant.

—

Click.

The plane door opened with a hiss. Dong Tianming rose first, signaling for Xu Shen and Xu Guang to follow him outside.

As they stepped off the plane, numerous gazes turned toward them—some curious, others puzzled or even shocked. However, no one approached them; everyone continued about their business in hurried strides.

After all, anyone who could enter this area of headquarters was presumed to have legitimate clearance.

—

“Let’s go,” Dong Tianming said calmly as they began walking toward the central tower. He and Xu Shen moved with ease, ignoring the stares around them. Xu Guang, however, looked visibly nervous.

Their path was unobstructed as they approached the base of the massive tower. Up close, its sheer size was even more intimidating—it felt like standing beneath a pillar holding up the sky itself. The structure radiated an oppressive aura that made it hard to breathe.

—

Above them were two ancient red characters carved into the tower: 薪火 (Xinhuo).

The strokes of these characters seemed alive with power. Just glancing at them made Xu Shen’s head spin and left him feeling dizzy. He quickly averted his gaze.

“Don’t stare at those characters,” Dong Tianming warned. “They were carved by Xia Nation’s strongest cultivator in history.”

“Even Tongyou Realm experts can’t look at them for more than ten seconds without getting a headache.”

“What happened to him?” Xu Shen asked curiously.

“He’s dead,” Dong Tianming replied curtly.

Xu Shen didn’t press further and followed silently behind him.

—

The interior of the tower was vast and imposing. Even after entering, it took them over ten minutes of walking to reach the reception desk.

“Are you here to take or submit a mission? Or perhaps handle some other matter?” The receptionist—a young woman—looked up and nearly jumped in surprise at the sight of three masked individuals standing before her.

Years of experience allowed her to quickly compose herself and greet them with a professional smile. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder why they were wearing masks inside headquarters. Were they high-ranking officials? Or hiding something?

—

“We need to speak with one of the Flame Pillars,” Dong Tianming said plainly.

The bustling lobby fell silent at his words.

Moments later, muffled laughter broke out among some nearby Xinhuo Guards.

“Hey buddy, which team are you from? Asking to see a Flame Pillar right off the bat?”

“Haha! Must be some rookie who doesn’t know what Flame Pillars represent.”

“Jing’er, check their records—let’s see which team has guts this big.”

Though their laughter carried a teasing tone, there was no malice behind it. They were genuinely curious about these masked newcomers.

—

The receptionist—referred to as Jing’er—stared wide-eyed at Dong Tianming. “You’re requesting an audience with a Flame Pillar?”

Dong Tianming nodded slightly as he released a faint wave of Tongyou Realm energy into the air.

The laughter stopped abruptly. Those who had been joking moments ago quickly scattered like frightened mice.

Tongyou Realm strength wasn’t something they could afford to provoke.

Feeling the weight of Dong Tianming’s aura, Jing’er immediately nodded in acknowledgment. “One of our current Flame Pillars—Commander Xiao—is stationed here on the 57th floor. I’ll notify her right away.”

She picked up what appeared to be a communicator and spoke into it briefly before setting it down with a respectful smile.

“Commander Xiao said she’ll meet you on the top floor,” Jing’er informed them. “You can take the elevator directly there.”

“Thank you,” Dong Tianming replied with a nod before leading Xu Shen and Xu Guang toward the elevators at the back of the hall.

—

As they stepped into an elevator brimming with advanced technology, Dong Tianming pressed a button labeled “0.” Almost immediately, Xu Shen felt a sense of weightlessness as they ascended rapidly.

“The Flame Pillar we’re meeting is named Xiao Ruyi,” Dong Tianming explained casually. “She’s currently the only female Flame Pillar in this generation. Be polite when you meet her.”

Xu Shen nodded indifferently. Having already met Jiang Ruyue—a Yinshen Realm expert—he wasn’t particularly fazed by meeting another high-level cultivator.

Xu Guang, on the other hand, was trembling slightly. This was no ordinary meeting—it was an audience with one of Xinhuo Guard’s highest-ranking figures!

What if she got upset and sent him flying with a single slap?

Stealing a glance at Xu Shen’s calm demeanor only deepened Xu Guang’s admiration for him. As expected of Brother Shen—his composure was unmatched!

—

The elevator came to a smooth stop after just one minute. As the doors slid open, they were greeted by two stern-faced men standing guard outside like statues.

The faint energy radiating from them was on par with Dong Tianming’s own Tongyou Realm aura.

Dong Tianming nodded politely before stepping out of the elevator. When Xu Shen tried to follow, one of the guards extended an arm to block his path.

“What weapon are you carrying?” the guard asked coldly.

Xu Shen reached for his waist and produced his black blade with a casual motion. “I’m a rune engraver—it makes sense for me to carry my tools around, doesn’t it?”

“You engrave runes with that?” The other guard’s eyes were filled with skepticism as he stared at the rusty blade in Xu Shen’s hand.

That thing looked more likely to cause tetanus than engrave anything useful…

—

“Unless you’re an engraver yourself, don’t comment on rune techniques,” Xu Shen replied coolly. “Who says you can’t engrave runes with a blade?”

Though both guards were Tongyou Realm experts, Xu Shen showed no fear whatsoever. After all, he had insulted Jiang Youyi back when he was just in Awakening Realm—this was nothing by comparison.

After scrutinizing the black blade for a while longer and finding nothing suspicious about it, the guards finally allowed Xu Shen and Xu Guang to pass.

—

“Don’t take it personally,” Dong Tianming said as they walked down a corridor toward a large door ahead. “This is Xinhuo Guard’s most secure location—it’s only natural for them to be cautious.”

The door opened with a low rumble as they approached, revealing an enormous white chamber beyond.

At its center floated a massive platinum flame that pulsed gently in midair like a living entity.

Beneath the flame stood an elegant middle-aged woman dressed in form-fitting black attire adorned with golden patterns. Her presence exuded both grace and authority.

Her gaze swept over the group before settling on Xu Shen—the man in the gray mask.

“Xu Shen,” she said warmly. “You’ve finally arrived.”

“I am Xiao Ruyi—one of this generation’s Flame Pillars.”