Chapter 64: Dance of Flames and Steel

The Celestial Dragon's roar echoed throughout the forge, shaking the very ground beneath them. Its body, composed entirely of raging celestial flames, towered over Jin Long and Yue Lan, its burning eyes fixated on them with a predatory intensity.

Jin Long's sword pulsed with power, the Starbound Crystal's energy surging through the blade. Beside him, Yue Lan's celestial whip crackled like a living thunderstorm, arcs of lightning dancing along its length.

"Stay focused," Jin Long said, his eyes locked on the dragon. "Its flames are not ordinary fire. They burn not just flesh but spirit."

Yue Lan nodded, her grip tightening. "Then we strike together."

The dragon lunged forward, its massive jaws snapping down with a force capable of crushing mountains. Jin Long leaped into the air, his sword slicing through the air as he brought it down in a sweeping arc. The blade connected with the dragon's scales, sending a shockwave through the forge.

But instead of cutting through, the dragon's flames absorbed the blow, the fire surging up the length of Jin Long's sword and threatening to consume him.

"Not so easy," Jin Long muttered, gritting his teeth as he channeled the Starbound Crystal's power. The crystal within him pulsed, and a radiant burst of light erupted from his blade, pushing the flames back.

"Jin Long, above you!" Yue Lan shouted.

Jin Long looked up just in time to see the dragon's massive claw descending upon him. He rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding being crushed as the ground cracked beneath the beast's strike.

Yue Lan's whip lashed out, wrapping around the dragon's leg. Lightning surged through the whip, sparking against the dragon's fiery scales. The beast roared, turning its gaze toward her.

"Come on, you overgrown lizard!" Yue Lan taunted, yanking the whip to pull herself upward. She soared through the air, landing on the dragon's back and running along its spine, her whip snapping against its scales.

But the dragon's flames surged upward, forming burning spikes that shot toward her. Yue Lan twisted her body, narrowly evading the fiery projectiles as she continued her assault.

"Yue Lan, get clear!" Jin Long shouted.

She nodded, leaping off the dragon's back just as Jin Long channeled all of his power into his sword. The Starbound Crystal within him flared, and a massive wave of celestial energy burst forth, slamming into the dragon's chest.

The dragon staggered, its form flickering as the celestial flames momentarily dimmed. But instead of weakening, the dragon roared, its body absorbing the energy and growing even larger.

"It's feeding off our power!" Yue Lan shouted, landing beside Jin Long.

Jin Long clenched his fists. "Then we need to change tactics."

Vulcanus's voice echoed throughout the forge. "Remember, the forge burns not just flesh but spirit. The dragon is a manifestation of your own fears and doubts. To defeat it, you must conquer yourselves."

Jin Long's eyes widened. "Our fears..."

Yue Lan's gaze met his. "Then we can't attack it head-on. We need to purge it from within."

Jin Long took a deep breath, centering himself. The Starbound Crystal pulsed, and he felt its light spreading throughout his body, merging with his very soul.

"Yue Lan, let's do this together," he said, extending his hand.

She took it, her eyes filled with determination. The moment their hands touched, their energies intertwined, creating a radiant vortex of celestial power. The flames around them parted, revealing the dragon's core—a burning, pulsating sphere of light at the center of its chest.

"That's it!" Jin Long said. "The heart of the dragon. We need to strike it together."

Yue Lan nodded, and together they charged forward, their combined energies forming a single, blinding beam of light. The dragon roared, its body writhing as the beam pierced through its chest, striking the core directly.

For a brief moment, everything went still. The dragon's flames dimmed, its body quivering as the core began to crack. Then, with a deafening roar, the dragon exploded in a burst of celestial fire, its form dissipating into countless motes of light that rained down upon the forge.

Jin Long and Yue Lan collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. The light around them began to fade, and Vulcanus's massive form stepped forward, his eyes filled with approval.

"You have faced the flames and emerged victorious," Vulcanus said, his deep voice resonating through the chamber. "Your weapons have been tempered in the forge, and now they are reborn."

The anvil before them glowed brightly, and from the molten stone emerged their weapons—Jin Long's sword, now adorned with celestial runes that pulsed with radiant energy, and Yue Lan's whip, crackling with arcs of blue lightning.

Vulcanus raised his hammer, and the forge trembled. "You have proven yourselves worthy. The celestial flames have accepted you. Go forth, Starbound Dual Cultivators, and forge your destiny."

Jin Long took his sword, feeling its newfound power thrumming through his veins. Beside him, Yue Lan twirled her whip, its energy crackling like a living storm.

Together, they stepped forward, ready to face whatever awaited them in the labyrinth's depths.