Chapter 16: The King of Bronze and Fire

Lu Mingfei felt weird.
Dragons were invading the college, yet here he was, driving a Bugatti Veyron with a hot girl to stargaze on a mountaintop.
And this girl was the Student Union boss’s girlfriend.
Awkward.
What would people think if word got out?

When they wound through the twisting mountain road to the top, they found it covered in dark clouds.
No stars, just gloom.
This led to an even stranger scene—both of them soaking their feet in a spring.

Lu Mingfei felt the water could freeze him solid.
He and Nono grimaced as the icy chill shrank every pore.
They yanked their feet out fast.

Dmn, how could this girl stand it?

The closer Bai Ci got to Cassell College, the more a scorching heat gnawed at her.
It made her uneasy.
The fire elements in the air pricked her nerves, irritating her.
She wanted to shake it off quickly, but the closer she got, the denser the fire elements became.

She glanced at the train attendant handing her water, smiling like nothing was wrong.
“Don’t you feel hot?” Bai Ci asked through gritted teeth.

“Need the AC turned down?” the attendant replied with a professional smile.

“Yeah.”

Bai Ci nodded.

They didn’t seem to feel it at all…

A burning hand reached inside.
Half the carriage wall melted like ice, molten iron dripping, leaving a massive hole.

Lu Mingfei, Nono, and Old Tang could barely breathe.
The girls nearby weren’t scared of Old Tang but of something… behind them.

The overwhelming pressure was crushing.

Old Tang didn’t dare turn around, like a wolf was behind him, ready to snap his throat.
He nudged Lu Mingfei’s side.
“You look.”

“No way! You’re the hero—why don’t you look?” Lu Mingfei shivered.

“No need,” Nono’s voice trembled.
“Check the rearview mirror.”

In the mirror, on the Bugatti’s rear engine cover, stood a burning figure.
Arms spread, it leaned down slowly, as if to kiss either Old Tang or Lu Mingfei.

A face emerged from the void, pupils ablaze with dazzling gold.
Cracks like parched earth ran across its face, molten lava flowing within.

Each breath radiated intense heat.

It was a terrifying face, twisting into a ghastly expression.
It called out, “Brother…”

Bai Ci, just back, didn’t hesitate.
She snatched a gun and fired.
The bullets melted on contact with the burning figure, turning to molten steel, sliding off.

The extreme heat overwhelmed the Bugatti.
It groaned horribly, shaking as if it would fall apart.

Lu Mingfei jumped out, pulling Old Tang and Nono, rushing into the crowd.
Bai Ci aimed at the Bugatti’s fuel tank and pulled the trigger hard.

Boom!

The deafening explosion rocked the air.
The Bugatti shattered, parts flying, crashing into a distant fence before falling.

Lu Mingfei stared at his new Bugatti, wrecked in under an hour.
He opened his mouth to speak but stopped.
The figure was unharmed!?

“What the hll, Old Tang!?
What kind of monster did you summon?” Lu Mingfei cursed.

“This ain’t my doing!” Old Tang swallowed hard.
“You know me—my tactics are cautious.
If I knew it was this dangerous, would I be here?”

Bai Ci clenched her teeth.
The burning sensation in her chest kept rising, as if each breath could sear her nose.
She gripped her submachine gun, eyes locked on the burning figure.

The figure turned to her, stepping forward.
Its pace wasn’t fast, but each step scorched the air, flames spreading from its feet.

“Brother,” it whispered.

“Fire!
Don’t hold back!”

A barrage of bullets came from both sides, whistling through the air.
Cassell’s elites split into two groups, executing perfect crossfire.

Under such intense fire, even Iron Man would’ve been riddled with holes.
But the burning figure was unaffected.
Not a single bullet hit it.

At about two meters from Constantine, steel-core bullets melted, as if stopped by an invisible barrier.

Steel couldn’t harm their king!

Fiercer flames erupted from the figure’s hands.
Molten lava flowed over its body, steel swirling around it like a king of fire, advancing step by step.

The figure didn’t care about the attacks.
Its gaze skipped everyone, landing on Old Tang.

“Brother, I found you!”

Its voice was joyful, like a puppy finding its owner.

Bai Ci saw the flames on its body flicker, like a wagging tail.

“Metal and fire don’t work!
Use Frigga bullets!”

Someone shouted.
Bai Ci didn’t hesitate, switching to Frigga bullets and emptying the clip.
Each shot hit the burning figure.

Shells clattered to the ground.

The Frigga bullets burst, their kinetic force pushing the figure back a few steps.
It seemed to work.
Under the relentless barrage, the molten steel seemed alive, shooting toward the crowd, splitting into countless streams.
Each one hot enough to melt a person instantly.

Lu Mingfei broke into a cold sweat.
This wasn’t human—it was a fire dragon in human skin!

No way a normal person could fight this.

He glanced at Bai Ci, sweating.
Her pale skin flushed like a rose.
Golden light swirled in her eyes.
She muttered something incoherent, speaking fast.
Lu Mingfei couldn’t understand a word.

“Yanling: Pure Land!”

A high-speed airflow dropped the temperature sharply.
The raging lava was repelled, forming a thick barrier that blocked the molten steel and sent Constantine flying.

“Brother—”
The burning figure roared hoarsely.
Its flames vanished suddenly, as if it disappeared.
Then, blazing wings tore through its back, unfurling wildly.

Steel for bones!

Fire for wings!

It transformed, a massive dragon body coiling in the sky.
Its wings stirred a tidal wave of air, diving toward the crowd.

“Lu Mingfei, get everyone out!”

Bai Ci knew its target—either Lu Mingfei or the man he called “Old Tang.”

Lu Mingfei looked at her.
“What are you doing?”

“Protecting you!”

Bai Ci charged forward without hesitation.

To protect someone she cared about, she had to fight, right?

Lu Mingfei saw the blazing golden pupils in her eyes, like they could devour the world…

Like that day, sinking her human consciousness, letting her dragon blood boil!

Fine scales grew on Bai Ci’s arms.

A torrent of heat surged.
Two pairs of burning golden eyes locked.
Bai Ci’s fist slammed into Constantine’s dragon head.

Searing pain shot through her arm to her brain, nearly tearing her nerves apart.
The burning sensation was unbearable.
Any part of her touching Constantine’s body felt like it would die.
The new dragon scales fell like scorched seaweed.

The punch worked.
Constantine plummeted like a kite with a cut string.
The marble ground softened under the heat, smoking, leaving a long, fiery trail.

The burning sensation was maddening!

Shaking her head, Constantine staggered up.
Her punch hadn’t done real damage—just knocked him back.

Molten lava dripped down his face.
The flames roared again, as if they could ignite the night sky.

She glanced back at Lu Mingfei, still frozen.
She wanted to yell at him to run, but the pain in her hand made her teeth chatter, words barely forming.

“Run, dmmit!”

She screamed in her mind, glaring at Lu Mingfei, then turned to face Constantine.
His golden pupils glowed, torch-like flames swirling within.

A world-burning torch!

She was scared, trembling.
Just one counterattack had charred her arm.
All she felt was pain…

The hot air scorched her nose, nearly burning her skin.
The heat distorted the air, bending light.
Constantine looked like a flame-wreathed monster…

She’d guessed his identity.
Steel and fire didn’t faze him—he controlled them like a master.

The Bronze and Fire King!
Ruler of steel and flame!

This was the worst.
She hadn’t even taken a single class, and now she was facing the Bronze and Fire King?

Harder than soloing Tanya with an engineer!

Her sharp teeth ground together, enduring the burning pain.
The gold in her eyes grew brighter.

“Yanling: Pure Land!”

Her voice was hoarse, squeezed from her throat.

Get out!

“Anghot, you old fool, you’ve lost it.”
The vice-principal touched a notch on the bone bottle, a smooth cut from Anghot’s folding knife.
It could slice his finger.
“You released Constantine on purpose, didn’t you?”

“I told you to stop watching conspiracy movies.
I was startled by the notch and overreacted.
Cut an old man some slack.”
Anghot’s expression didn’t change.
“Old age makes you jumpy.
Less rational.
Extreme actions aren’t unthinkable.”

“So you slashed open this jar?”
The vice-principal sighed.
“You’re still the same—obsessed with dragon-slaying and revenge.
Every dragon must die in your eyes.”

“But I’ll remind you, Anghot, Constantine was awakened by the wrong person, in the wrong way.
His power’s unstable, his body immature.
He seems strong because he can’t control it.
His body won’t hold—he could collapse any moment!”

“I know.”
Anghot drew a large folding knife from his sleeve.
“Collapse means [Candle Dragon]… but I won’t give him that chance.”

*

I just want to sleep.

Constantine stood before Bai Ci, flames fiercer than ever.
Black scales like armor, lava flowing thickly, molten steel swirling around him.
Each step left a charred pit, like a demon from hell returned to earth, flames dripping from him.

Worthy of the Bronze and Fire King…
She couldn’t last three minutes…

He tore through [Pure Land] and charged, slashing her with a claw.
The force sent her flying.
Flames burned her clothes to ash.
Beneath, a gory wound tore across her chest, blood seeping, gruesome.

Why was she fighting so hard?

A sudden thought hit her.

She was an idiot, risking her life for others, nearly dying.

Was it worth it?

Maybe not.

But what if he died?

Would he be sad if I died?

“Don’t die!”

Was it a hallucination?
Bai Ci heard Lu Mingfei’s shout.
It filled her mind, surging like a tide, ancient and majestic, drowning out all noise.

A strange itch spread from her chest.
Torn muscles and bones crackled softly.
It felt like a bug crawling inside her, comforting… itchy…

Her numb hand moved again.
Charred flesh peeled away.
Her body healed at an astonishing rate, new muscle growing visibly, revealing pale, pink skin like a newborn’s…

Bai Ci froze, doubting herself.
Why did hearing Lu Mingfei’s voice do this to her?