Ch-191 legacy taken by ye King family

The massive stone door groaned as it slid open, revealing a dark chamber beyond. Cold, damp air spilled out, carrying the scent of aged wine and something older—something unnatural. The faint glow of golden runes lit the edges of the stone walls, pulsing with a rhythmic hum, as if the entire room were alive.

Raghav stepped through the threshold first, his blade at the ready. Olivia followed at his side, her violet eyes burning with divine light. Qian Yan and Lao Shandong flanked them, their expressions sharp.

Inside, the chamber expanded into a circular hall. The walls were lined with massive barrels of ancient wine, but at the center of the room stood a stone altar. Resting atop the altar was a crystal goblet filled with deep red liquid that shimmered faintly in the dim light.

"The God of Wine's Chalice," Olivia whispered.

Qian Yan's gaze sharpened. "That's not ordinary wine."

"No," Raghav said. "That's the Wine God's essence."

Lao Shandong's amber eyes gleamed. "So this is what the Fang family is after."

Raghav approached the altar. The goblet pulsed faintly as he neared, as though recognizing his presence. His hand hovered over the crystal stem.

"Wait," Qian Yan said sharply. "It's too easy."

Raghav's eyes narrowed. "I know."

He pulled his hand back. The moment his hand left the air above the chalice, the golden runes along the walls dimmed—then began to glow red.

A deep rumbling sound filled the chamber.

"Trap," Olivia said darkly.

Suddenly, black tendrils of smoke erupted from the walls. The barrels burst open, spilling dark liquid across the floor that hissed and steamed on contact with the stone. From the shadows, six armored figures emerged—each clad in ancient black armor engraved with serpent patterns. Their hollow helmets concealed their faces, but the crimson glow of their eyes pierced through the darkness.

Wine Guardians.

"The Wine God's protectors," Qian Yan said.

The largest of the figures stepped forward, his greatsword dragging across the ground, leaving a trail of dark mist. A distorted voice echoed from within the helmet.

"Unworthy hands shall not claim the Chalice."

Raghav's eyes flashed gold. "We'll see about that."

The guardian raised his greatsword.

Boom!

The figure charged forward with unnatural speed, his sword descending toward Raghav in a blur of black and red energy.

Raghav's blade flashed upward.

CLANG!

The force of the clash sent shockwaves through the room, cracking the stone beneath their feet. Raghav's golden aura surged as he pushed the guardian back.

The other five figures moved in unison.

"Shandong!" Raghav shouted.

Lao Shandong grinned, blades already in her hands. "On it!"

She blurred forward, her twin blades cutting through the air. One guardian swung his halberd toward her, but Lao twisted midair, flipping over the strike and cutting through his armor with a savage arc. Black mist bled from the wound.

Qian Yan darted forward next, her sword glowing with white-blue light. Her blade met the second guardian's spear, sending sparks through the air. The guardian pushed forward, but Qian Yan's eyes sharpened.

She twisted her wrist—her sword's edge pulsed with divine light—and cleaved through the spear, cutting the guardian down in one precise motion.

Olivia raised both hands, violet energy swirling around her fingers.

"Stand back," she said coldly.

Golden flames erupted from her palms, sweeping through the room in a massive arc. The flames consumed two guardians instantly, their armor melting as they collapsed into black ash.

The largest guardian lunged toward Raghav once more, his greatsword shrouded in black mist.

"Enough," Raghav growled.

He disappeared.

The next second, he reappeared behind the guardian, his blade raised high.

"Break."

A surge of golden energy exploded from Raghav's blade as he brought it down. The greatsword shattered beneath the strike, and the guardian's armor split apart.

The figure fell to his knees, the crimson glow in his eyes fading to darkness.

Raghav lowered his blade as the last of the guardians dissolved into smoke. The chamber was quiet once more.

Olivia stepped toward the altar, her gaze narrowing on the chalice. "The guardians were defending this."

Qian Yan wiped her blade on her sleeve. "Is it safe to take?"

Raghav approached the altar once more. The chalice pulsed faintly as he stood before it.

"No more traps," Raghav said. He reached out and grasped the stem of the chalice.

The instant his hand touched it, golden runes ignited across the altar.

A deep voice resonated through the chamber—calm, yet commanding.

"Who claims my legacy?"

Raghav's eyes glowed gold. "Raghav Ye King."

The voice rumbled.

"Blood recognized."

The chalice pulsed brighter. The deep red liquid within it shimmered as it lifted from the goblet and flowed upward in a twisting spiral of energy. It coiled around Raghav's arm before sinking into his skin.

Power surged through him.

A vision flashed through his mind—a figure standing beneath a vineyard, holding the same chalice. The Wine God's face was obscured by shadows, but his golden eyes burned through the darkness.

"My legacy is now yours."

Raghav's eyes widened as knowledge flooded into him. Secrets of ancient wines, forbidden alchemy, and divine energy woven into liquid form—this was not just wine. It was a weapon.

The energy settled into his veins, and the chalice in his hand turned black before dissolving into mist.

Raghav's aura flared. His eyes gleamed with gold and crimson.

"Interesting," Olivia said, her gaze sharp. "What did you see?"

Raghav's voice was calm. "The Wine God's power wasn't just alchemy. He created something dangerous."

Qian Yan's eyes narrowed. "What kind of power?"

Raghav flexed his hand, golden light flickering across his palm. "The ability to alter reality itself through alchemy."

Lao Shandong grinned. "Now that's a legacy."

Raghav's gaze sharpened. "And that's why Fang Hua wants it."

Olivia's expression darkened. "If the Fang family gets their hands on that power—"

"They won't," Raghav said coldly.

Qian Yan's hand tightened around her sword. "We've made too much noise. The Fang family will know we've found it."

"They'll come," Olivia said softly.

"Let them," Raghav said darkly. His aura pulsed, filling the chamber with pressure. "This legacy is mine now."

Lao Shandong's smile sharpened. "So what's next?"

Raghav's golden eyes flashed. "We go to Fang Hua."

"And?" Olivia asked.

Raghav's expression turned cold.

"We end this."