The moment Lian’s consciousness returned, a wave of pure, unadulterated joy washed over her. Her spirit felt reborn, her Hún Guāng a warm, steady flame within her core. But that joy shattered into sheer panic the instant she opened her eyes and saw her king collapse, hitting the ground with a heavy, lifeless thud.

  [Lian]: "Your Majesty! YOUR MAJESTY! Open your eyes! What's wrong?! SOMEBODY, HELP!!!"

  Her screams for help echoed, but Jian Zhi was already far beyond their reach. His consciousness had been violently pulled into the depths of his own being—The Conquered Heartscape (统御心景 - Tǒngyù Xīnjǐng). Towering over him was his Golden Azure Crimson Dragon (金碧赤龙 - Jīnbì Chìlóng), its immense form radiating displeasure.

  [Jian Zhi]: "Was it you who summoned me here?"

  [Dragon]: "Do you have any comprehension of your actions? Suppressing another's Soul Beast by force? You have drained your Hún Guāng to its dregs!"

  The Dragon's accusation was accompanied by a flash of memory, revealing the truth of Lian's awakening. Within her nightmare, as she fought, Jian Zhi had confronted the source of her resistance.

  [Jian Zhi]: "So, you are the one holding her back."

  [Mountain Goat]: "Who are you? How did you enter this place?!"

  In response, Jian Zhi had unleashed his aura—a terrifying blend of his crimson Hún Guāng and a devilish, overwhelming pressure that saturated the very air, making the Goat’s knees buckle.

  [Mountain Goat]: [Trembling, backing away] "S-Stay back! What do you want from me?!"

  [Jian Zhi]: "You will accept her as your master without reservation. You will not hinder her again. Is that understood?"

  Faced with annihilation, the Goat could only nod its frantic agreement, its spirit thoroughly cowed.

  Back in the present, within his Heartscape, Jian Zhi stood firm against his Dragon's wrath.

  [Jian Zhi]: "It was the most efficient path. She would have wasted precious time struggling. I expedited the process."

  [Dragon]: [A low, grating rumble of disappointment] "You pave her road with gravel, but you deny her the strength gained from climbing the mountain herself. You are stifling her growth."

  [Jian Zhi]: "I let her fight her own battle! Did you not see her break her chains?"

  As they argued, the sky above them tore open with a brilliant, celestial light. A pathway of pure energy formed, and from it descended Lian's Serene Fury Qilin (仁怒麒麟 - Rén Nù Qílín), its jade and silver form a serene yet powerful contrast to the draconic landscape.

  [The Qilin]: "My greetings... Great Dragon of the Heavens. And to you, Sovereign, the forger of this dragon."

  [Jian Zhi]: "Wait. How are you inside my Xīnyù?"

  [The Qilin]: "I am a being of myth, and you are now my master as well. When you unleashed a torrent of your Hún Guāng to save her, you did not merely guide her—you forged a permanent bond between our souls. You provided the Fire of will and the Metal of discipline she lacked, and in doing so, you healed her withered Wood. I am now bound to protect you both."

  [Dragon]: "YOU RECKLESS FOOL! Look at the consequence! You have anchored her celestial guardian to YOUR soul, not just her own!"

  [Jian Zhi]: "Well... uhm... it wasn't intentional. However, Qilin, your duty to protect her remains paramount, you know that, correct?"

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  [Qilin]: "Of course. But without this vessel—your soul—I cannot fully protect you."

  [Jian Zhi]: "See? It can protect her too. So you can stop being such a grumpy old lizard."

  The Dragon let out a plume of smoke, sulking magnificently.

  In the real world, panic was setting in.

  [Lian]: "HELP!! SOMEBODY, PLEASE!!"

  Captain Zhào burst into the room, his blood running cold at the sight of his nephew unconscious on the floor.

  [Captain Zhào]: "Lian! What happened?!"

  [Lian]: "I don't know! I woke up, and he just... collapsed!"

  [Captain Zhào]: "Agh, Jian Zhi, what trouble have you gotten yourself into now?"

  They tried to lift him, but his dead weight was too much. Calling for reinforcements, a team of soldiers finally managed to carry him to a bed.

  [Captain Zhào]: "We need to get this armor off him so he can breathe."

  The armor, each piece impossibly heavy, required three people to remove. As they worked, Captain Zhào couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Sister, what kind of prodigious, troublesome son did you bring into this world?"

  Lǐ Róng and the others arrived, their faces etched with concern. The Duke stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he activated his Soul-Sight. What he witnessed within Jian Zhi's spirit made him physically recoil—a Dragon and a Qilin, two celestial sovereigns, sharing a domain.

  [Lǐ Róng]: 'Just who are you?' he murmured, a tremor of awe in his thoughts.

  [Captain Zhào]: "Your Majesty? Are you alright?"

  [Lǐ Róng]: [Forcing a soft smile] "It is nothing. A momentary dizziness. We should summon a physician."

  As Captain Zhào nodded, his worry unabated, the drama within Jian Zhi's soul continued.

  [Dragon]: "You must learn to control this new power, or the next backlash will shatter your mind and end your life."

  [Jian Zhi]: "I have too much left to achieve to die so easily."

  With those words, the Dragon cast him into a featureless, empty room within the Heartscape.

  [Dragon]: "Your task is simple. Fill this void. Create something from nothing."

  [Jian Zhi]: "What kind of place should I make?"

  Only dead silence answered him.

  [Jian Zhi]: [A defiant grin spreading across his face] "You old, overgrown lizard... I'm going to smash you one day."

  [Dragon]: "I HEARD THAT, YOU BRAT!"

  Left with no choice, Jian Zhi focused. He first tried to sketch an image in the air with his finger, but it felt clumsy and inefficient. Then, he understood. He closed his eyes, visualized the scene with perfect clarity, and instead of drawing, he channeled his Hún Guāng. He poured his will and memory directly into the void, shaping raw spiritual energy into solid form.

  A soft glow emanated from him, and the world began to stitch itself together. The scent of street food and festive gunpowder filled the air. Lanterns glowed with a warm, red light, strung between buildings that hadn't been there a moment before. And then, she appeared. His mother, Lín Wèi, as vibrant and loving as in his fondest childhood memory, turned and smiled, holding out her hand to a phantom version of his younger self. He had perfectly recreated a cherished Lunar New Year's Eve from a life long lost. Jian Zhi stood watching, a genuine, peaceful smile gracing his lips for the first time in years—until an immense force shoved him backward, back into the waking world.

  He jolted upright in the bed, gasping for air. The sudden movement startled everyone in the room.

  [Lian]: "Your Majesty! [Sobbing with relief] You're awake!"

  [Mei Lin]: "Your Majesty! What happened? Why did you faint?"

  [Jian Zhi]: "I simply... overexerted my Hún Guāng. A minor miscalculation."

  [Mei Lin]: "Hún Guāng?! You've already awakened it?! What is your Xīnyù like, Your Majesty? [Bubbling with excitement]"

  Jian Zhi deftly sidestepped the question. "Lian has awakened hers, as has my uncle. Go pester them."

  Mei Lin, ever easily distracted, immediately switched targets and began eagerly nagging Lian, the two of them leaving the room in a whirl of questions and answers.

  Lǐ Róng approached the bedside, his voice low and serious.

  [Lǐ Róng]: "Who are you, truly? I looked into your soul and saw two celestial beasts sharing a domain. Such a thing is unheard of."

  [Jian Zhi]: "I am who I have always been. Nothing more, nothing less." He rose from the bed, his tone shifting to one of cold command. "Now, send the declaration to the Xuè Clan. They can surrender now, or they will face my wrath. The choice is theirs."

  With that, Jian Zhi strode out to reclaim his armor, leaving Lǐ Róng alone in the quiet room, the Duke grappling with a single, troubling question.

  [Lǐ Róng]: 'Why this reckless haste? Is it the confidence of true power... or the arrogance of a king who has yet to learn the price of his own throne?