The Duke's Son :Re-Chapter 256
At 4 a.m., a man and a woman entered the empty suite and shook their heads.
They were Yuan Bo and Song Wei, Chinese National Treasures.
Different from the rest of the Chinese investigation team, their primary mission was to protect Chen Dian. From this alone, anyone could tell Chen Dian’s value to the Communist Party.
And naturally so.
The Communist Party had bestowed him the title of Phoenix—a cross-national symbol representing prosperity and harmony in both the Chinese and Korean languages. As one who’d brought home countless benefits and stood as a role model for Chinese players, Chen Dian was loved and valued by all in China as a symbol of wealth, talent, and success.
“Phoenix still isn’t back.”
“It is obvious where he would’ve gone. What I can’t understand is why he isn't responding to our messages.”
“We need to move. I don’t have a good feeling about this.” 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺
“Indeed.”
Unwilling to waste more time, the two spun on their heels and left the room.
Their destination, Kang Estate.
***
The blood shed by Chen Dian turned into flames, instantly cauterizing his chest wound. Eyes wide with fury, Chen Dian swept his fan through the air, and the field of fire around him flared, burning even more violently. For a moment, it seemed the entire Kang estate was fated to burn to ash—only for the flames to bend toward Chen Dian. The fire line rapidly receded as the flames converged on Chen Dian and encased him in a blazing sphere.
A Chen Dian-original Skill: Flower of Purgatory.
The churning sphere of flames looked like the head of a rose from the outside, but within, the scenery was like hell itself, with blazing, blinding fire filling every corner of one’s vision.
The heat within his Flower Purgatory was unlike any other. Even S-class players would experience the horror of their skin and eyes melting in real time. As for their skeletons, the time they’d last before turning to ash could be counted in breaths.
“Little brat. You dare harm my perfect body? Allow me to teach you how high the sky really is.”
Standing within his domain, Chen Dian regained his majesty.
Flower of Purgatory was a cheat-like domain that amplified his fire affinity while constantly burning any others trapped within. So long as he didn’t leave, Chen Dian was practically invincible in his domain.
Jae-Hyeok cast off his burning Kang family ceremonial robe to reveal sweat-slicked muscles—other than looking like he’d been working in the sun all day, Jae-Hyeok’s skin showed no sign of burning.
Jae-Hyeok’s fire resistance was indeed amazing. Nevertheless, Chen Dian was unfazed.
The temperatures within the flower purgatory continued to rise. After several breaths, the sweat dripping from Jae-Hyeok evaporated as fast as it appeared; after several more, Jae-Hyeok’s skin began to redden, and then peel.
“Brat, I’d heard rumors of your considerable lightning resistance, but I didn’t expect you to have fire resistance as well. Did you receive the blessings of the elementals?”
Chen Dian leisurely asked.
The more Jae-Hyeok spoke, the faster his lungs would char, so it was naturally to Chen Dian’s advantage to talk.
Surprisingly, Jae-Hyeok replied.
“I’m even more surprised, or should I say disappointed? They call you the Phoenix... with such a lofty title, I’d thought you’d be someone worthy of respect regardless of nationality, just as the Bow Saint and Sword Saint are. What a pity.”
“Hmph. Is that right? Did you think we’d share a cup of tea? Even the Bow Saint and Sword Saint wouldn’t show mercy to their enemies. Since you dared to harm Chinese players, I naturally have to flay you slowly.”
“Respect and hostility are separate matters. It’s only natural that we aim to butcher each other. However, I simply can’t find it within me to respect someone who creeps around my mansion like a rat.”
“Insolence. Work is work, and even water flows down the path of least resistance. You really are your father’s son, lacking in both manners and logic, clinging only to your useless morals.”
“It sounds like this conversation is an old wound. How many years has it been since you had this conversation with my father? After all this time, and you still haven’t learn the meaning of dignity.”
“Arrogant brat! You really don’t know how to shut your mouth!”
By now, Jae-Hyeok’s entire body was charred black, while his organs were likely half-cooked.
Chen Dian considered any further dialogue unnecessary and, with a vicious smile, flicked open his fan.
Hellfire Realm.
Bang!
This Skill ignited and detonated the caster’s fire-attribute mana once within a target’s body. It was similar to the legendary spell, Explosion, so the power could be imagined. Moreover, thanks to Flower Purgatory’s boosting his fire affinity, Hell Realm could automatically target anyone within his domain, making it impossible to avoid.
Keuk!
It was as expected.
Jae-Hyeok suffered significant internal damage the moment Chen Dian employed Hell Realm.
The pain was blinding.
Nevertheless, he moved forward.
The most important thing in a battle against a magician was to narrow the distance. And in that sense, Flower of Purgatory was a double-edged sword.
Though it strengthened Chen Dian and constantly weakened his enemies, the span of his domain was relatively small.
What’s more, Jae-Hyeok was a Kang swordsman. He specialized in explosive speed, a quality that had seen further enhancement under the guidance of Reinhardt’s farmers.
Jae-Hyeok focused his mind and, with a hoarse grunt, kicked off the ground.
He streaked through the flames like a ray of light, closing in on Chen Dian and drawing his sword at the perfect moment.
Chen Dian’s eyes were wide, but at the last moment, the fire attribute mana within Jae-Hyeok ignited once more. Jae-Hyeok’s sword wavered and rapidly lost speed, allowing Chen Dian to successfully block it with his fan.
“Cough!”
“You still have a long way to go to reach your father’s level!”
Chen Dian roared, falling back on fury to conceal the fear of nearly having lost his head. Still, he was an elite transcendent. Seeing Jae-Hyeok’s miserable state, he realized the threat was behind him. If he, a magian, could succeed in blocking a swordman’s strike, then what was there to fear?
Thinking as much, Chen Dien was overtaken by vicious excitement.
My turn.
Although Hellfire Realm had a lingering effect, the Skill’s cooldown was significant, and by now, Jae-Hyeok had already endured the worst of it. Since that was so, Chen Dian instead condensed a line of fireballs overhead, which shot out one after another like missiles.
Jae-Hyeok was still reeling from the effects of Hellfire Realm when the first three fireballs arrived. They exploded against him like grenades, yet surprisingly, Jae-Hyeok didn’t come apart.
This brat’s stats are higher than expected. He’s at least a level 150 transcendent.
Chen Dian narrowed his eyes. Jae-Hyeok was not even eighteen this year. To have already undergone his first tribulation...
The boy was undeniably a monster.
Even the Qilin, hailed as the greatest genius in China, hadn’t managed such a thing.
Chen Dian’s lips curled. But wasn’t this a good thing? The more talented Jae-Hyeok was, the happier Chen Dian felt seeing Jae-Hyeok’s charred appearance. When he returned to China, the Communist Party was sure to sing his praises.
It’s my good fortune to have crossed paths with this brat before he developed any further.
Phoenix...
Chen Dian was starting to buy into his own title; he really was China’s auspicious charm.
Perhaps this is only natural. For a perfect being like me, every step I take is blessed by heaven. I’ll definitely achieve Intrinsic Breath soon...
For a time, Chen remained thus, pelting Jae-Hyeok with fireballs while absorbed in his own grandeur. But eventually Chen Dian noticed something amiss.
Why was it that every time he struck Jae-Hyeok, the charred flesh would come loose to reveal fresh, pink skin beneath?
If Jae-Hyeok were really succumbing to his fire, shouldn’t his flesh have crumbled away to reveal muscle and bone?
Just as Chen Dian had this thought, Jae-Hyeok recovered from the last of Hell Realm’s lingering effects. Jae-Hyeok’s muscles bulged, and the shell of charred flesh encasing his body cracked like pottery as he exploded forward, his speed no less than it had been the first time.
A streak of sword light passed Chen Dian.
He thought in shock, His... fire resistance became stronger?
There was no other explanation. But how could one’s fire resistance grow so quick?
Chen Dian opened his mouth.
“H.. how?”
“How? I’m something of a phoenix myself.”
Rather than the flat twenty-percent increase to fire resistance and affinity, the most potent aspect of Devoted to Flames was, without a doubt, the scaling effect.
[You are suffering from continuous burn damage.]
[Your fire resistance has increased.]
[Your fire resistance has increased.]
[Your fire resistance has...]
As calculated by the System, Chen Dian’s Flower of Purgatory dealt continuous burn damage, which had caused his fire resistance to progressively soar.
In a sense, the outcome of the fight had been determined the moment Chen Dian failed to burn Jae-Hyeok to death within the first few minutes of casting Flower Purgatory.
Meanwhile, Chen Dian’s dimming gaze seemed to stare past Jae-Hyeok.
What phoenix? In the end, I was like a roaster: thinking of dawn before I’d even passed the night...
In a life-and-death battle, he’d looked down on Jae-Hyeok and arrogantly allowed his mind to wander. Had he just stayed focused, perhaps he could’ve avoided this humiliation.
This time, I really was... arrogant.
Chen Dian fell backward, head tumbling free of his neck as he did.
The Flower of Purgatory that had bloomed in the Kang family’s garden vanished, leaving behind only soot and scattering motes of mana.
“Gasp, gasp...”
All was quiet except for Jae-Hyeok’s rough breathing.
No... level up? Can’t be, right? His level definitely outstripped mine.
Jae-Hyeok turned his doubtful gaze toward Chen Dian’s corpse.
Surprisingly, the blood flowing from Chen Dian’s neck was still turning into flames. That his innate abilities were still active could only mean Chen Dian still lived.
Although it wasn’t as absurd as that of those Blood Church people, Chen Dian’s vitality was clearly tenacious. Jae-Hyeok’s gut told him that if left alone, rather than fizzle out, Chen Dien would probably end up resurrecting.
Better to hurry things along just to be sure.
Jae-Hyeok pointed his sword at Chen Dian’s heart.
“You!”
However, before Jae-Hyeok could react, a blade swept past his neck. Hot blood gushed out, and Jae-Hyeok clutched his neck, only for a second blade to plunge into his side.
It only nicked an artery.
While both injuries threatened catastrophe, compared to the torso wound, it was the neck wound that jolted Jae-Hyeok. Had it been even slightly deeper, he would’ve died within seconds.
Jae-Hyeok quickly mastered his emotions and dashed back. Only then did he get a good look at his assailants.
“How dare a brat from a little country lay hands on the Phoenix?!”
“You will die like your father!”
The two Chinese National Treasures poured out words filled with hatred and curses. They were none other than Yuan Bo and Song Wei.
In the midst of the two’s tirade, Jae-Hyeok tightened his grip over his throat and barely forced out one word:
“Theo... dore...”
By the time the final syllable left Jae-Hyeok’s mouth, a purple flash had shot through the Kang mansion and already slammed into Yuan Bo and Song Wei.
