Ark Undead

Onstan sat on the ground and spoke.

"The Great Yan Dynasty of the past did not have such advanced modern facilities as it does now. The musical instruments used by the opera troupes were also very old, and I heard that they were passed down from generation to generation."

"Old objects are believed to possess spiritual power, that's what we in the Great Yan Dynasty say, so many things passed down through generations are still in use. However, because modern things are indeed more refined, many opera troupes have also modernized themselves. But the ancient techniques have always remained."

As Ling looked outside and cleaned up the ground, she said.

"Many old items have become family heirlooms, not easily taken out, but kept as tokens or inheritances."

"Indeed, that's understandable; the older something is, the more easily it breaks down."

Onstan sighed, his tone sounding somewhat downcast as he spoke, as if he were lost in thought.

The Undead reached out and patted Onstan on the shoulder, indicating that he didn't need to be so downcast.

Onstan looked up and smiled at the Undead, indicating that he was alright.

He was probably thinking of himself, and also of the friends he used to be with.

Ornstein is probably the last remaining Protoss.

Of his contemporaries, the only ones he has encountered now are the immortals.

During his centuries of travels across Terra, he must have felt lonely at times. However, he was a strong warrior, and warriors don't dwell on the past; it is through continuous improvement and progress that one can become stronger.

"Tomorrow is the first day of the Lunar New Year, and the day after tomorrow is the second day."

Onstan counted the time on his fingers.

"The fire-worship ceremony? I've never heard of this before when I last came to Dayan. Is it a custom that has only emerged in recent years?"

"No."

She shook her head, she said.

"If it weren't for Yumen, or the military, there would be no fire-worshiping ceremony."

"For the people of Dayan, the second day of the Lunar New Year is the time for ancestor worship. People will go to see their deceased ancestors and burn some of the good things that people have now for them. They will also bring some things to offer, such as cigarettes and alcohol, delicious fruits and foods, or some modern facilities."

"Of course, we won't burn real things, only models and the like made in factories."

"However, for the soldiers, for those stationed on the frontier, and for those who sacrificed their lives for the country, the ancestral worship on the second day of the Lunar New Year carries an even deeper chill."

He squinted.

"The fire-worship ceremony is not held every year. It is only held when a general changes.

"Generals who command the three armies generally do not change until the next general is competent enough to replace the current one. The position of general, however, is changed every few decades."

Ling turned to look at the immortal.

"Take General Li as an example. Every time a new general is appointed, a fire-worshiping ceremony is held to honor the soldiers who died for the country during this term. This ceremony also represents the change of power."

"No general serving as the border commander of the Great Yan will serve more than fifty years. This is because they also possess the power of the abyss and the flames."

Hearing this, the Undead finally showed some interest.

He raised his eyes and asked curiously.

"Abyss, flames?"

These two things should not be able to coexist.

"Yes, normally this would cause a huge conflict, but it's different with generals."

Ling explained.

"The soldiers who die on the battlefield leave behind a deep obsession, and the generals who command the army will also bear the obsession left behind by these soldiers, thus accepting the aura left behind by them after fighting against demons."

"At the same time, the longer a general's term of office, the stronger his control over the battlefield becomes. Through the power left behind by his soldiers, he can sense the emotions of his soldiers and also perceive the location of demons."

"In other words, this aura mixed with the abyss will linger on the general, giving him power. However, due to the nature of the abyss, it will also corrode the body at any time."

This idea is so familiar to the immortals that it's almost unbelievable.

"soul?"

"What you say should be fine. Generals refer to these things as the protection of heroic spirits behind them. That's why they can win every battle and ensure the peace of the Great Yan Dynasty for generations to come."

Ling nodded, which was considered an acceptance of the immortals' understanding.

"And the other side of the flames is even easier to understand. Everyone who joins the army on the border will receive an item blessed by the true fire, ensuring that they have the courage and strength to face demons. The general is no exception; his armor is made according to the highest standard of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

"Therefore, he was able to become stronger while remaining clear-headed."

In other words, the generals of the Great Yan Dynasty all possessed the ability to absorb souls.

Even if the souls within Terrans are small, the Undead can hardly detect them.

However, in such large-scale battles on the battlefield, over a period of decades, a general can absorb enough soul and power to become stronger and have more acute senses.

"And the transfer of power is contained within the tiger tally."

Ling drew a simple military token on the table with his hand.

"Passing the tiger tally to the next general means that the previous general has lost the power to store the soul. It also means that the general's life has come to an end."

"And they will also choose to return their lives to the True Fire, so that the power of the True Fire and the divine beast can continue forever, with the souls of countless dead soldiers and the abyss aura as fuel."

In short, that's it.

"Passing on the Flame".

The Undead and Onstan spoke at the same time, both realizing the true nature of this action.

"Yes, that's why, even if you disappeared for millions of years, the Great Yan Dynasty would still endure. Because the people of the Great Yan Dynasty are passing down their traditions from generation to generation in a way that they believe in."

Ling nodded.

Onstan couldn't help but speak up.

"But...won't the First Flame become increasingly scarce?! And this act of sacrificing a minority..."

"Different."

The Undead quickly realized the difference between the Great Yan's method of passing on the flame and the one he had experienced before.

“Onstan, they are different from us.”

Onstan paused for a moment, his eyes gradually dimming.

After calming down for a while, Onstan also discovered that the two situations were completely different.

The Great Yan Dynasty rose to power by relying on true fire, using it to ward off natural disasters and slay demons.

This seems no different from Gwyn's Tale of the First Flame in the Age of Fire, but in reality, there is one major difference.

"First Flame, not Terra, the foundation."

The Immortals Theory.

“All the soldiers were willing and happy to do so.”

Yes, that's the biggest difference.

Because the Primordial Flame is the power left behind by the Undead, the decline of the True Flame will not have any impact on the geographical environment of the Great Yan or on the people of the Great Yan.

This world is inherently beautiful. True fire is an element that repels external enemies and will not cause the Great Flame to become distorted.

Under the leadership of each Great Yan emperor, ordinary Great Yan people lived in peace and prosperity, enjoying their own wonderful lives.

The soldiers who were willing to join the army were all willing to fight and die for their country, using their lives to protect the people behind them.

The soldiers knew their fate from the very beginning.

Unlike the Undead, they don't need King Gwyn's call to action, nor do they need many people to betray their ideals and desires, nor do they need to live like a lump of mud.

"I didn't expect this..."

Even those who don't die would be quite surprised to learn of this.

He believed that his original intention was never to turn the Great Yan into a second country that passed on the fire.

However, the Great Yan Dynasty figured out its own method to ensure the continuation of the nation and its enduring prosperity.

Onstan picked up the flask next to him, poured the contents into his mouth, and then swallowed it in one gulp.

Comparing the situation to his own era, Onstan felt a mix of emotions.

"And what about the emperor?"

Onstan discovered that the role of the Great Yan Emperor in this process was actually negligible.

Is the emperor just going to sit firmly on his throne and let the royal bloodline continue indefinitely?

"Your Majesty, you'll know once you leave Yumen and meet him."

He sighed.

"The emperors of the Great Yan Dynasty throughout history were the ones who sacrificed the most..."

...

The first year of junior high went by very quickly.

After talking with Ling on New Year's Eve, neither the Undead nor Ornstein had much interest in going out for a stroll.

The second year of junior high school will arrive soon.

Before dawn, everyone had packed their things.

The Undead drew his Spiral Sword and hung it on his waist. The four of them went downstairs to check out.

Are you all going to watch the fire-worshiping ceremony today?

Before the four left, the innkeeper asked.

"Yes."

The immortal nodded.

"How about we go together later? Our whole family is planning to go see the fire-worshiping ceremony too."

The old man's face was marked with wrinkles, his temples were gray, and his smile was no longer as bright as it had been on New Year's Eve.

"At least we should see our son off on his final journey."

The immortal didn't understand what the innkeeper meant, so he just shook his head.