Yan Fenghuang approached, each step leaving a faint scorched mark upon the white marble of the square. His torn golden robes only added to his fierce demeanor, as if he had just returned from a battlefield of the gods. He stood between Zhi Xuan’s group and Mu Chen, folding his arms across his chest with a deeply condescending air.

  "The Yao Gu Plains is always noisy with barks about true talent," Yan Fenghuang hissed, his Heavenly Eye flashing as he scanned Mu Chen with a gaze that made the youth feel as if his vitals were being roasted. "And yet, I only see a flock of sheep cowering in fear as this silver-haired wolf shows his fangs."

  Mu Chen furrowed his brow, his face flushing with the insult. "Yan Fenghuang! You are from the Feng Mie Plains; do not try to interfere in our business with Xing Luo. Besides, have you not seen the state of your own comrades? One of your own was swept out miserably as well."

  Yan Fenghuang chuckled, a dry laugh filled with the arrogance of fire. "One person failed? That is because he was weak. In the Feng Mie Plains, we do not nurture parasites. But you, Mu Chen... you stand here with four others, yet your combined aura cannot even match the killing intent radiated by Zhi Xuan alone. Isn't that embarrassing?"

  "You!" one of the Yao Gu geniuses started to lunge forward, but Mu Chen gripped his arm, his face tense.

  Yan Fenghuang then shifted his gaze to Zhi Xuan. He narrowed his eyes, staring at the silver hair and the gray aura enveloping Zhi Xuan’s frame. "And this big dog is looking more interesting by the moment."

  Zhi Xuan smiled thinly, looking coldly at Yan Fenghuang. "You aren't too bad yourself. It’s fortunate the Elders changed the second stage to be non-combative. It’s a shame, really; I wanted to test that Heavenly Eye."

  Yan Fenghuang responded to Zhi Xuan’s challenge with a snort that triggered sparks of fire from his nostrils. "Test my Heavenly Eye? You truly have nerves made of celestial steel, Zhi Xuan. However, do not think the absence of a duel is a form of mercy. The Heavenly Night Rain Bell will dissect every inch of your arrogance far more painfully than my embers ever could."

  Yan Fenghuang glanced behind Zhi Xuan, finding the fiery Ling Huo. "Oh? This lady is quite spirited. I didn't even think she would survive six bell strikes."

  Ling Huo seethed, the red fire around her body sparking violently and creating ripples of heat in the air. She stepped forward, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Zhi Xuan while staring at Yan Fenghuang with pure hatred.

  "Watch your tongue, arrogant Phoenix! Six strikes?" Ling Huo spat to the side, her laugh sounding like the crackle of burning wood. "Don't equate the small sparks of the Feng Mie Plains with the pure fury I bring from Xing Luo. I will strike that bell until your ears go deaf, and I'll ensure your dignity burns to ash!"

  Yan Fenghuang merely raised an eyebrow, not intimidated in the slightest. "Anger is a poor fuel for a calm soul, Fire Girl. That bell will feed on your emotions and return them as shocks that will shatter your own meridians. We shall see who crawls out first."

  Zhi Xuan raised his hand, stopping Ling Huo who looked ready to explode. His sapphire-blue eyes turned to the figure of Ye Ming, who stood silent like an ancient stone statue on the other side. "What about you, Brother Ye? You are as calm as if that bell were a child’s toy."

  Ye Ming opened his heavy eyes, his voice sounding like the grinding of two stone mountains. "Talk will not increase the number of strikes. The Night Rain Bell is a test of how much of the world's burden you can carry before your soul breaks. I do not care for their blustering."

  "Did you hear that, Mu Chen?" Zhi Xuan turned back to the Yao Gu leader, who had been forced to swallow his rage. "My comrades did not come to exchange sweet words. If you want to prove Yao Gu is the master, prove it to the bell, not with your sharp tongue."

  Mu Chen clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, staring sharply at the three—Zhi Xuan, Ling Huo, and Ye Ming. "Fine! Very well! We shall see how stubborn you are when the Night Rain Bell begins to toll. I will be waiting for you in three days!"

  With that, Mu Chen flicked his hand and emitted a sweeping spiritual wave as he retreated. Hua Tianming, who had been listening the whole time, could hardly restrain himself, but Hua Lian Xi held his hand and shook her head, signaling that the Ancient Hua Clan should not interfere.

  "Don't die before those three days arrive, little Zhi," Yan Fenghuang said with a sinister smile, waving his hand as he walked away from the Square of Holy Light.

  Yan Fenghuang’s departure left a heat that still throbbed in the air, a reminder of the boundless arrogance of the Feng Mie fire heir. Zhi Xuan watched the broad-shouldered man in golden robes until he disappeared behind the palace gates, before turning back to his two remaining comrades.

  Ling Huo was still regulating her heavy breathing, the fire at her fingertips slowly dying out, though her eyes remained ablaze. "Six strikes? He truly underestimates us, Zhi Xuan! I swear I’ll detonate that bell right in his arrogant face."

  Zhi Xuan did not answer immediately. He looked down, gently stroking the head of the still-slumbering Mei Hua. "Anger is a double-edged sword, Ling Huo. Yan Fenghuang purposely provoked your emotions so your Dao Heart would waver before you even touch the bell. Don't let him win before the trial even begins."

  Ye Ming stepped closer, his stable aura providing a contrast to Ling Huo’s volatile fire. "Zhi Xuan is right. The Night Rain Bell is not merely a bronze instrument. It reflects your intent. If you strike it with anger, it will return a shock of fury ten times more devastating to your soul."

  "Pah, you two are the same. Too much calculation," Ling Huo grumbled, though she began to pull her fire energy back into her Divine Wheel. "So what are we doing for the next three days? Sitting still and meditating?"

  "Three days is time to realign what we snatched from the Secret Realm," Zhi Xuan replied, walking slowly toward Zhu Yanghai and the others. "If I force myself in this condition, the first toll of that bell might immediately shatter my blood vessels."

  Zhu Yanghai greeted them with a serious face. "Zhi Xuan, Ye Ming, Ling Huo... you three are Xing Luo’s last hope. The Imperial Elder has prepared the Soul Refinement Pavilion for you to use over the next three days. There, the flow of spiritual essence is far purer; prepare yourselves."

  "Thank you, Holy Son Zhu," Zhi Xuan said in a slightly softer tone, an acknowledgement of the sincere concern from the Zhu Clan's Holy Son.

  However, Hua Tianming snorted beside him. "Don't relax too much. Mu Chen and the other Yao Gu geniuses aren't just relying on bluster. To them, that bell is an old friend. To you, it is an executioner."

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  Hua Lian Xi stepped forward, her delicate hand briefly touching Zhi Xuan's sleeve, providing a soothing, cool sensation. "Zhi Xuan, do not listen to my brother's sharp words. The most important thing now is for you to stabilize yourself. The aura you carry... it feels very alien, even to me, who is used to various types of holy energy."

  Zhi Xuan met Hua Lian Xi’s eyes, catching the genuine worry there. "This is the price to be paid for enlightenment, Princess Hua. Don't worry, I know my limits."

  "Your limits?" Hua Tianming interjected with a cold laugh. "Your limit was when you almost exploded in front of Mu Chen. You think we didn't see how wildly your meridians were pulsing? You are playing with fire, using a power you don't even fully understand."

  Zhi Xuan narrowed his eyes, staring at Hua Tianming with a gaze that made the Holy Son fall silent for a moment. "At least I dare to play with that fire to bring dignity to our plains, while you only stand here as a wise observer."

  Hua Tianming's eyes thinned for a second before he broke into a thin smile. "It seems the Man-Sword Unity enlightenment has given you unshakeable courage. Good! This is what will carve your victory here and bring dignity to Xing Luo."

  "Talk is cheap for those who only watch from below the stage," Zhi Xuan remarked as he turned his face away, looking into the distance where the shadow of the Heavenly Night Rain Bell began to loom faintly amidst the mist of Yao Gu’s sacred mountains. "But before that bell, there will be no words, only the echo of our respective Dao Hearts."

  The Xing Luo Imperial Elder stepped forward, his ceremonial robes sweeping the marble floor. He looked at the three remaining geniuses with a deep gaze, as if reading the letter of destiny written on their foreheads. "Enough. Internal strife only widens the gap for our opponents. The next three days are sacred. The Soul Refinement Pavilion is open. Go."

  Zhi Xuan nodded obediently, but before he stepped away, he felt a sharp gaze pierce his back. He turned and found Yan Fenghuang standing in the distance, surrounded by his followers from the Feng Mie Plains.

  The golden-robed youth no longer looked at him with contempt, but with the gaze of a predator who had found a worthy adversary. Yan Fenghuang raised two fingers, pointing them to his own eyes and then toward Zhi Xuan—a silent signal that his Heavenly Eye would never release its gaze from Zhi Xuan’s every move.

  "He's truly obsessed with you, Zhi Xuan," Ling Huo whispered as she followed Zhi Xuan toward the Pavilion. "An arrogant man like that wouldn't pay such attention unless he felt a real threat."

  "Let him be," Zhi Xuan replied flatly. "Obsession is poison to a calm soul. If he keeps staring at me, he might forget to look at the reflection of his own soul when that bell tolls."

  "But you... you've reached half a step from Soul Transformation," Ling Huo continued excitedly. "I'm jealous, but this also gives us a much greater chance to win the competition."

  Ye Ming, walking on the other side, nodded in agreement. "The Night Rain Bell knows no status. Imperial Prince, fire heir, or slaughtering demon... before it, we are all just dust trying to challenge the storm."

  "I just feel it’s unfair," Ling Huo murmured, still remembering the hollow face of Liu Feng and the collapsed Eighth Prince. "They failed, leaving only us. If we win, the second Great Constellation will be our chance toward Soul Transformation, and a chance to heal our comrades."

  "Justice is a luxury not possessed by those who walk the path of cultivation, Ling Huo," Zhi Xuan said, his voice low but sharp. "Liu Feng and the Eighth Prince didn't lose to luck; they lost to their own shadows. Do not burden your shoulders with unnecessary pity. It will only become a gap for the Night Rain Bell to crush you."

  Ye Ming sighed, his voice sounding like a distant low rumble. "Zhi Xuan is right. If you strike that bell with the weight of guilt or responsibility for others' failures, the backlash will crush your soul. That bell demands honesty. You must strike it for yourself, not for them."

  Ling Huo bit her lower lip, the fire in her eyes dimming slightly, replaced by creeping doubt. "But... we are a team. Xing Luo only has us now. If we don't bring home victory and a chance at the Great Constellation, the Sects and the Empire will look down on those who failed forever. I just want... at least a way out for them."

  Zhi Xuan stepped closer to Ling Huo, until the chill from his body met the remains of her heat. "If you want to save them, then be the strongest. Be the winner who carries the authority to decide who is worthy of being healed. In this world, mercy without power is merely a pathetic joke."

  "Talk is easy for you," Ling Huo hissed, though she didn't retreat. "You always look as if you care about nothing but yourself and that little girl in your arms. Do you really feel nothing seeing Liu Feng destroyed?"

  Zhi Xuan was silent for a moment. His memory returned to the Nine-Level Pagoda and the shadow of the Emperor at the edge of the river of time. "I felt it," Zhi Xuan whispered almost inaudibly. "I felt how thin the line is between success and madness. Precisely because of that, I will not let cheap emotions cloud my vision. Sadness will not strike that bell any harder, Ling Huo. Only steadfastness can do that."

  Ye Ming placed his large hand on Ling Huo’s shoulder, providing a solid calm. "That’s enough. Zhi Xuan has his own way of facing the world. We all have different wounds from the Secret Realm. Now, go inside. This pavilion is not for talking, but for washing the blood that boils in our veins."

  The three of them stepped into the pavilion, which was filled with soul-soothing formations. The aroma of burning ancient agarwood immediately filled their senses, creating an atmosphere that seemed to separate them from the noise of the Yao Gu Plains outside.

  As they sought their respective meditative positions, Ling Huo spoke again, this time calmer but inquisitive. "Zhi Xuan, one more thing. When you released your aura in front of Mu Chen earlier... I felt something else. It wasn't just the Half-Step Soul Transformation essence. It felt... very ancient, and very bloodthirsty. What did you really get in there?"

  Zhi Xuan, who had just sat down and adjusted Mei Hua's position for comfort, glanced at Ling Huo from the corner of his eye. "I got what I had to get. Some things are better left buried in silence, Ling Huo. Focus on your own fire. If you can't control your anger within these three days, you won't even reach the fifth strike."

  "Pah, always full of secrets," Ling Huo grumbled as she closed her eyes, beginning her energy circulation meditation.

  Ye Ming sat not far from them, staring at the pavilion ceiling decorated with protective runes. "Zhi Xuan, Yan Fenghuang will not let you win easily. His Heavenly Eye... I feel he can see the unstable energy flow in your body. He will wait for the moment you waver to break your spirit."

  "Let him look as much as he likes," Zhi Xuan replied, closing his eyes. "What he sees is only what I want to show. The Heavenly Eye might see illusions, but it will never be able to read the void."

  The atmosphere inside the pavilion became silent, leaving only the sound of steady breathing and the ripples of spiritual energy beginning to flow calmly. Zhi Xuan held Mei Hua peacefully to his chest; slowly, the round, innocent eyes opened as a small yawn came from Mei Hua.

  Night came to the Yao Gu Plains. After seventy years in mortal time since Zhi Xuan had been here—or rather, since he had never had the chance to truly look at what was here—he began to move his feet. He stepped out of the Pavilion, leaving Ling Huo and Ye Ming still immersed in meditation.

  He briefly met Zhu Yanghai in front of the Pavilion, but Zhi Xuan only gave a faint nod as a signal that he was fine and simply wanted to see the world of Yao Gu. Cradling Mei Hua gently to his chest, he took a step and performed a spatial stride that immediately sent him soaring toward the flickering lights in the distance, looking like a city.

  The night wind of the Yao Gu Plains blew, carrying the scent of sandalwood incense mixed with the moisture of the sacred mountain soil. Zhi Xuan glided through the air, his robes billowing like the wings of a giant bat cleaving the moon. His spatial steps were so smooth; every time his foot touched the air, a small ripple formed, carrying his body hundreds of fathoms in the blink of an eye.

  Mei Hua in his arms began to fully wake up. Her clear, round eyes gazed at the flickering city lights below with a spark of pure wonder. The little girl took a deep breath; the hectic aroma of the mortal world seemed to be an antidote to the tomb-like silence she had felt while inside the Secret Realm.

  "Brother... that place is so beautiful," Mei Hua whispered, her tiny finger pointing toward the sea of lanterns decorating the city streets below.

  Zhi Xuan landed on the roof of a tall building overlooking the Yao Gu city night market. He did not release his hold, but he loosened it slightly so Mei Hua could see more freely. "That is the real world, Mei. No longer an illusion of seasons or the shadow of cold stone pillars."

  "Are we home yet?" Mei Hua asked again, her head leaning on Zhi Xuan's shoulder.

  "Not yet, little sister. There is still one more storm your brother must face," Zhi Xuan answered softly, yet the look in his eyes as he gazed at the crowds below contained a vigilance that never faded.