btth 2: the new flame

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The cold night air bit into Xiao Tian's skin as he ran through the dense forest. His breath came in ragged gasps, his heart pounding like a war drum. Behind him, the quiet village of Cinder Wind had disappeared into the darkness, replaced by towering trees and endless shadows. Yet, no matter how far he ran, he could still feel it—the burning ember within him, pulsing with an unnatural heat.

His body was different now. Stronger, faster, but at the same time, unstable. The flame inside him was alive, flickering wildly as if trying to break free. He didn't know what was happening, only that something inside him had changed forever.

"I have to keep moving."

A deep instinct whispered to him, urging him forward. Something—or someone—was searching for him. The vision of the cloaked figure in the altar flashed through his mind. He had no proof, but he could feel it in his bones. He was being hunted.

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The Arrival of the Hunters

High above the treetops, hidden within the night sky, two figures descended silently. Cloaked in black robes, their eyes gleamed like embers in the dark. They moved without sound, their presence shrouded in a powerful aura that distorted the air around them.

One of them, a tall man with a deep scar running down his jaw, narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the burning altar in the sky.

"There's no doubt about it. A new Heavenly Flame has appeared."

His companion, a shorter man with silver hair, clenched his fists.

"That shouldn't be possible. The last Dou Di accounted for every known Heavenly Flame. How can a new one suddenly awaken?"

The scarred man's gaze turned toward the forest below.

"It doesn't matter. Our orders are clear—find the source and capture it. If it's already chosen a host, then we have no choice…"

A cold killing intent filled the air.

"…We take the host as well."

Without another word, the two figures vanished into the night.

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The Forest of Trials

Xiao Tian slowed his steps as he reached a clearing deep within the forest. His legs ached, his lungs burned, but the overwhelming sensation in his chest was worse than any exhaustion.

The ember in his palm flickered again, pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat. It wasn't just reacting to him—it was reacting to something nearby.

He glanced around, trying to make sense of his surroundings. The trees here were ancient, their thick roots twisting across the ground like the veins of some great beast. The air was thick with energy, an unseen force pressing down on him like an invisible weight.

Suddenly, the ground beneath him trembled.

Xiao Tian's body tensed as the earth cracked open, and from the depths of the forest floor, something began to rise.

A massive stone pillar, covered in glowing red inscriptions, emerged from the ground. At its center, a flame blazed—wild, untamed, and powerful beyond anything Xiao Tian had ever seen.

It called to him.

"This… this is why the flame inside me brought me here."

A deep voice echoed through the clearing.

"You… who have been chosen by the Forgotten Flame… prove your worth."

Before Xiao Tian could react, the pillar erupted in a burst of fire, sending waves of heat crashing toward him. The flames twisted and coiled, forming a massive figure—a humanoid being composed entirely of fire.

Its molten eyes locked onto Xiao Tian.

"Face the First Trial."

The fiery figure lunged.

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A Battle Against Fire

Xiao Tian barely had time to react. He threw himself backward, rolling across the ground as the fire construct's molten fist crashed into the earth where he had stood. The impact sent a shockwave of heat through the clearing, igniting the grass and trees.

The creature roared, sending out a blast of fire that scorched the ground. Xiao Tian clenched his fists, feeling the ember in his palm pulse again. The power inside him surged, begging to be released.

"If I don't fight back… I'll die here."

He gritted his teeth and raised his hand. The ember flickered, and for the first time, fire erupted from his palm—wild and unstable, but undeniably powerful.

He thrust his hand forward, sending a wave of shifting, multi-colored flames toward his opponent. The fire construct recoiled, its molten body twisting as if in pain.

"My flames… they hurt it?"

But before he could press the attack, the construct roared again, recovering instantly. It swung its massive arm, sending a wall of fire toward Xiao Tian.

He barely managed to dodge, feeling the searing heat lick at his skin.

The battle had only just begun.

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The Limits of Power

Minutes passed like hours as Xiao Tian fought desperately. Every attack he launched was met with an even stronger counter. The construct was relentless, its power seemingly endless.

Xiao Tian's body ached, his energy drained, but the ember inside him still burned. It was as if the fire within him refused to let him fall.

"What… what am I missing?"

The construct roared, charging toward him again. Xiao Tian gritted his teeth and raised both hands, summoning every ounce of flame he could muster. The ember pulsed—once, twice—and then…

Something changed.

The fire in his palm twisted, growing wilder, more unstable. His vision blurred, and for a split second, he was somewhere else—standing on a battlefield of flames.

And before him, the lone figure from his vision.

The same words echoed in his mind.

"The Dao of Fire… is never-ending."

Understanding struck him like a bolt of lightning.

He had been resisting the fire. Trying to control it. But fire could not be controlled—it had to be embraced.

"Let it flow."

Xiao Tian took a deep breath and stopped forcing the flame. Instead, he let it take its natural course. The ember pulsed again, and this time, the flames that erupted from his palm were different—more fluid, more natural.

The construct lunged—Xiao Tian met it head-on.

Fire clashed against fire, but this time, his flames overwhelmed the creature. It let out one final, agonized roar before its body disintegrated into embers, scattering into the wind.

The clearing fell silent.

Xiao Tian dropped to one knee, gasping for breath.

He had won.

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A New Power, A Greater Danger

As the flames faded, the stone pillar pulsed again, its inscriptions glowing brighter. A small orb of fire detached from the pillar and floated toward Xiao Tian.

It hovered before him for a moment before merging into his chest.

A wave of energy rushed through his body. He could feel it—his control over the flame had deepened. He was stronger now.

But before he could even process what had happened, the air around him grew heavy.

A voice—low, menacing—echoed through the trees.

"You survived… impressive."

Xiao Tian's blood ran cold.

From the shadows, the two cloaked figures stepped into the clearing.

Their eyes burned like embers.

"Now… come with us."

Xiao Tian's fists clenched.

His trial had only just begun.

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