Wisps of thin smoke rose from the scorched earth, and the scent of metallic blood and sulfur filled the cramped valley air. Yun Che stood with ragged breath, his bronze sword now shattered into fragments in his grip, leaving only a hilt drenched in his own blood. Before him, the bandit leader’s body convulsed for a moment before finally freezing in a gruesome death.

  The remaining bandits, who had been as fierce as wolves, now trembled like sheep before a predator. They stared at Yun Che not as a weak boy, but as a vessel for an incomprehensible wrath.

  "D-Demon... he’s using dark arts!" one of the bandits shrieked, throwing down his weapon and fleeing headlong into the darkness of the forest.

  In an instant, the once-rowdy camp fell silent, leaving only the whimpers of Yun Xi as she struggled to rise amidst the rocks.

  Zhi Xuan, who had been standing like a stone monument atop the hill, slowly descended. Each step was silent, yet the aura he carried caused the remaining campfires to dim as if in fear. He appeared in the center of the camp, right behind Yun Che, who had collapsed to his knees from exhaustion.

  "You triggered that intent with rage, not with tranquility," Zhi Xuan’s voice broke the silence, cold and piercing. "That is the fastest way to destroy your own body."

  Yun Che looked up, his face deathly pale, but his eyes sparkled with a brilliance different from before. "Senior... I... I had no other choice. They wanted to touch Yun Xi."

  Zhi Xuan looked at Yun Che with an indefinable gaze, as if seeing a shadow of himself buried deep in the past. He raised his hand, and with a subtle flick of his fingers, a speck of olive-green essence shot into Yun Che’s chest, stabilizing his meridians which were nearly shattered by the wild surge of Sword Intent.

  "The world does not care about your choices, Yun Che," Zhi Xuan hissed as he walked toward the center of the camp, where the second Flame of Sunrose bloomed inside a jade pot stolen by the bandits. "The world only cares about results. You live, they die. That is the only truth that holds under the heavens."

  Zhi Xuan reached for the jade pot, his long, sturdy fingers touching the cold surface carved with crude stolen runes. With a controlled jolt of inner energy, he shattered the pot, letting the spiritual soil spill out to reveal a perfectly blooming Flame of Sunrose.

  Its burning orange petals seemed to be the only source of light amidst the death-shrouded valley. He turned, his dark purple robes rustling against the blood-stained dust. Zhi Xuan tossed the second flower toward Yun Xi, who was still paralyzed in horror.

  "Stand up, Little Girl," Zhi Xuan said, his voice carrying a resonance that commanded the soul. "This flower has been paid for with your brother’s blood. If you allow yourself to remain weak, then the blood spilled tonight is nothing but wasted filth."

  Yun Xi crawled forward, her trembling fingers clutching the stem of the flower. Tears soaked her dirty cheeks, but she nodded firmly, swallowing her sobs before the figure who now seemed more majestic than any god she had ever imagined.

  "Sit cross-legged, both of you," Zhi Xuan commanded coldly, his right hand rising to form a formation rune in the air. "Yao Gu possesses dense spiritual jade essence and is under the blessing of the heavens. At the very least, you shall have a sufficiently strong foundation in the Soul Fire."

  Yun Che and Yun Xi immediately obeyed without daring to argue. In the middle of the slaughter field that still carried the lingering aura of death, they sat cross-legged on the blackened earth. The Flame of Sunrose in their hands emitted an increasingly bright orange glow.

  Zhi Xuan waved his hand and cast the formation rune around the two youths, forming a dome that enclosed them and drew in the natural black jade essence. "Crush the petals, and feel the spiritual essence enter your being. First Ember is the beginning of your ability to use spiritual essence to defend or attack."

  Zhi Xuan stood calmly, watching with a hollow gaze as the two teenagers began to break the petals of the Flame of Sunrose. Instantly, a blinding orange light exploded, wrapping Yun Che and Yun Xi in cocoons of pure spiritual fire. The air around them boiled, but due to the formation Zhi Xuan had placed, the heat did not char their flesh; instead, it was forced to seep through their skin toward their Divine Wheels.

  "Ugh... it’s hot! Brother, it feels like swallowing burning coals!" Yun Xi whimpered, her face turning crimson.

  "Endure it, Xi'er! Do not lose your focus!" Yun Che shouted through gritted teeth, even as beads of bloody sweat began to drip from his temples.

  Zhi Xuan snorted softly, his voice carrying a vibration that suppressed the turmoil of the flames. "That fire is a test. If your heart wavers, you will burn from within. Imagine the fire as a river washing away the rust in your soul; your Divine Wheel will solidify with the Soul Fire."

  Under the guidance of that ice-cold yet authoritative voice, Yun Che and Yun Xi began to sink their consciousness into the burning vortex of energy. Inside the formation dome created by Zhi Xuan, the black jade essence from the valley floor was sucked upward, mixing with the orange fire of the petals to create a storm of dual energies of extraordinary density.

  Zhi Xuan stood with his hands behind his back, his robes unmoving despite the spiritual whirlwind howling before him. His sapphire eyes stared intently at the two silhouettes within the cocoons of light. He saw the Divine Wheels within the youths' inner selves begin to spin wildly, attempting to assimilate the fierce energy of the Flame of Sunrose.

  "The Divine Wheel is a mirror of the will," Zhi Xuan whispered, his voice traveling through the formation directly into their inner ears. "If your will is but a blade of grass, this fire will be your grave. But if your will is as sharp as a sword's edge, this fire will become a First Ember that no storm can extinguish."

  Suddenly, Yun Xi’s body shook violently. A fine crack appeared on the surface of her immature Divine Wheel. The fire energy was too vast for her small frame. Seeing this, Zhi Xuan did not step forward to help directly; he knew that soft help only produced fragile cultivators. Instead, he released a sliver of pressure from his hand.

  PRESSURE—!

  A primordial aura pressed down on the dome, forcing the energy exploding inside Yun Xi’s body to compact forcibly. The pain the girl experienced doubled, but the crack on her Divine Wheel was sealed by the immense energy pressure.

  "Use that pain as a stake!" Zhi Xuan commanded.

  Yun Che, on the other hand, began to show signs of success. The aura around his body shifted from transparent to a slight golden hue carrying a flicker of fire. His Divine Wheel had stopped spinning wildly and began to emit a steady pulse. The First Ember had ignited in his soul. However, instead of stopping, the youth directed his remaining energy to help stabilize the airflow around his sister—an act that made Zhi Xuan narrow his eyes slightly.

  "Loyalty is a burden in cultivation, yet it is an anchor for humanity," Zhi Xuan murmured softly, almost inaudible to the wind, as he glanced toward where the bandits had fled. "And rats who possess only lust will taste delicious when devoured in the darkness of night."

  Zhi Xuan dissolved into a shadow in an instant, his movement causing no ripple. Far into the darkness of the night, the sound of Divine Wheels shattering without a chance to scream, without a chance to create a seed of reincarnation, faded away.

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  As the first light of dawn began to greet the valley, Zhi Xuan had returned with robes that bore no stain, standing in the same spot as if he had never left. The orange light within the camp began to fade, fully absorbed into their pores. Silence reclaimed the valley, but this time, the silence carried a different weight. Yun Che and Yun Xi slowly opened their eyes.

  Their pupils now carried a blinding reddish fire glint—a sign of a sufficiently strong Crimson Flame. Their skin, once dirty and scarred, was now clean and radiated a subtle spiritual glow. They had crossed over. They were no longer mortals; they were First Ember realm practitioners with a Crimson Flame that was quite rare for low-level cultivators.

  "Crimson Flame, the second level of the Soul Fire," Zhi Xuan muttered, a thin smile playing on his lips. "Your Soul Fire is quite good for a cultivation foundation."

  Yun Che rose first, feeling the new strength flowing through his meridians. He raised his hand and opened his palm; at first, his brow furrowed as he tried to manifest his Soul Fire, but after a few moments of trying, his eyes widened as a reddish flame appeared in his hand.

  "Soul... Fire?" Yun Che whispered in disbelief. He had often seen First Ember cultivators lighting furnaces and making pills with their own Soul Fire. But now, he possessed it himself. "Is this real? Is it truly real?"

  The reddish flame danced atop Yun Che’s palm, reflecting in his eyes now filled with wonder. The fire was not hot to him; rather, it felt like an extension of his own veins. Beside him, Yun Xi did the same; a blaze of Crimson Flame appeared at her fingertips, illuminating her face, which had now lost the lines of mortal despair.

  Zhi Xuan stared at the dancing Crimson Flame in the hands of the two teenagers with a flat gaze, as if the miracle that had just occurred was merely a trivial spill of water. To him, the Crimson Flame was but a small ripple on a lake, but he knew for them, it was the key to tearing through the veil of poverty and oppression.

  "Do not be fascinated by that small light," Zhi Xuan’s voice broke their reverie, heavy and cold like a death knell. "Soul Fire without technique is merely a torch waiting to be blown out by the wind. And a fire that burns because of another's help is the easiest fire to extinguish."

  Yun Che startled, extinguished his flame, and kowtowed again—this time with a much deeper sense of reverence, an honor given to a great ancestor. "Senior has given us a second life. This kindness... I will not be able to repay it even if I must be Senior’s slave for a thousand reincarnations."

  "I have no need for slaves," Zhi Xuan replied as he stepped over the cooling corpse of the bandit leader. "In this world, I have never considered anyone a slave. Only those who walk upon the bones of others."

  Zhi Xuan flicked his sleeve, and in an instant, dozens of storage bags belonging to the fallen bandits, along with the remaining corpses in the camp, flew into the air like submissive insects. With one sweep, he cracked open all the storage bags, leaving two empty ones and a pile of low-grade herbs and crude technique scrolls before the two youths.

  The pile of dull parchment scrolls and cheap porcelain bottles fell scattered on the blackened ground. To Zhi Xuan, these items were worth no more than trash on the side of the road, but for the two new practitioners before him, they were treasures capable of changing their fates.

  "Take what you need," Zhi Xuan said, his voice flat yet vibrating with a chill that cooled the air. "Drip your blood so those storage bags become yours."

  Yun Che and Yun Xi looked at each other with trembling eyes. Under Zhi Xuan's instruction, they bit their fingertips and let drops of fresh blood fall onto the leather of the storage bags.

  Instantly, a dim glow radiated, showing that the seal of ownership had been formed. With hands still shaking from overwhelming joy, they began to gather the spiritual herbs and the crude technique scrolls of the bandits into their respective bags.

  Zhi Xuan merely watched them with his arms crossed. In his sapphire eyes, the teenagers' joy was a reminder of fragile mortality. He knew that behind this pile of small treasures, the true cultivation world of Yao Gu was a swamp that would swallow anyone who let down their guard.

  "Store the rest in your memory, not just your bags," Zhi Xuan hissed, his steps moving away from the center of the now-silent camp. "Treasures can be seized, but understanding is the only thing that remains when your neck is beneath an opponent's blade."

  Yun Che quickly tied the storage bag to his waist, his face now showing a new firmness. He stood tall, staring at Zhi Xuan’s broad and mysterious back. "Senior, the journey to Qinghe City is quite close, about dozens of li from here. After crossing the shepherd's grasslands, we will reach the city."

  Zhi Xuan gave a small nod, a movement nearly invisible in the dimming dawn light. "Dozens of li... a short distance for an eagle, yet a test for feet just learning to tread the path of cultivation. However, you will surely try to learn what it feels like to be an eagle."

  Zhi Xuan waved his hand, and a small boat appeared, enlarging in an instant. The Seven Star Boat roared softly with a silvery ripple trailing behind it. Yun Che and Yun Xi were shocked, their eyes widening at the realization that they would be going to Qinghe City by flight.

  "Get on," Zhi Xuan ordered briefly, giving them no time to refuse.

  "G-get on... we’re going to fly?" Yun Xi’s voice caught in her throat, her fingers tightly clutching the edge of her brother's robe. Her round eyes stared at the Seven Star Boat as if staring at the throne of the Heavenly Gods descending to earth.

  Zhi Xuan was already standing on the deck of the silver-glowing boat, his hands at his sides, watching them with a rippleless gaze. "Your feet are too slow for my pursuit. Get on, or I shall leave you to be a meal for the wolves that will come to sniff the scent of blood in this camp."

  Yun Che swallowed hard. His legs felt weak, not from fatigue, but from an overwhelming sense of awe. He stepped hesitantly, touching the edge of the boat, which felt cold yet vibrated with spiritual energy so pure it made his meridians pulse.

  "S-Senior... is it alright for us who are dirty to step upon your great treasure?" Yun Che asked tremulously, fearing even the dust from his footwear would stain the boat's silvery luster.

  Zhi Xuan merely snorted, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "This treasure has pierced through bloodstorms thicker than the mud on your feet. Do not waste my time with unnecessary humility."

  With what courage remained, Yun Che took Yun Xi’s hand, helping her onto the boat. As their feet touched the deck, a warm sensation enveloped their bodies, calming the remaining turmoil of the Crimson Flame within their souls.

  "B-Brother Yun, it feels like floating on clouds," Yun Xi whispered, her voice wavering between fear and amazement. She crouched down, not daring to stand upright, her hands tightly gripping the side of the boat as if she would fall if she let go for even a second.

  "Don't move around recklessly, Xi'er!" Yun Che warned, his face paling as the boat began to rise slowly from the ground. "Senior... please forgive us if we look pathetic. This... this is the first time we’ve seen the world from a height other than a treetop."

  Zhi Xuan did not turn. He merely moved one finger, triggering the propulsion formation of the Seven Star Boat. WUSH—! In an instant, the boat shot through the dawn mist, leaving the valley of death behind.

  "A-AAAAHH!" Yun Xi shrieked softly, burying her face in her brother's shoulder as she saw the trees below shrink to the size of grass within heartbeats.

  Yun Che closed his eyes tight, his teeth chattering as the fierce wind hit his face, but he soon realized that a thin layer of light protected them from the deadly blast of the wind. He slowly opened one eye, staring at Zhi Xuan’s back, which remained upright and unmoving at the edge of the bow.

  "Senior," Yun Che whispered into the wind, "this speed... even the cultivators we met were not this fast. Who... who exactly are you?"

  Zhi Xuan let his dark purple hair flutter freely, dancing in the cold sky wind. He turned his head slightly, and the slaughter pattern etched on his forehead flickered. "I am merely a wanderer carrying the burden of karma. Gu Fengyan."

  Hearing that name spoken, the air above the Seven Star Boat seemed to freeze instantly. Yun Che and Yun Xi froze, their breath caught in their throats as if the oxygen at this altitude had suddenly turned into sharp ice thorns. That name. The name that for the last five years had been the most terrifying specter in the entire Southern Region. The name mothers used to scare their children into sleeping, the name that made sect elders close their mountain gates in hopeless void.

  "G-Gu... Fengyan?" Yun Che whispered, his voice nearly lost in the roar of the wind. His body shook violently, no longer because of the boat's speed, but because he realized the figure standing inches before him was the Calamity himself. "The Devil... The Butcher of the Southern Region?"

  Zhi Xuan kept his gaze forward, toward the clouds beginning to be swept by the pale dawn light. "The world calls me a Devil. The Heavens call me a stain. But to you, I am merely the one who gave you the chance not to die as a commodity."

  Yun Xi shrank back, her face once glowing now deathly pale. Her memories of the slaughter in the Rising Sun Kingdom and the destruction of the Mo Family spun wildly in her head. However, she saw her brother's hand still clutching the storage bag—the treasure given by this man. She felt the Crimson Flame still warm in her soul—the strength bestowed by this man.

  "Senior..." Yun Che bowed his head until it touched the deck of the boat, his voice raspy with surging emotion. "If you are the Devil they speak of, then let me be the dust beneath the Devil's feet. For no God from any sect intervened while we were dying at the hands of bandits. Only you... only the Devil gave us a path."