Dark lord of Duo Qi continent

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting the dense forest in a shadowy gloom. Yan Feng trudged forward, each step feeling heavier than the last. The wounds from his desperate escape burned, but the ache in his chest was worse. He could no longer sense Zhu Yan, the ancient Dou Di soul that had been his lifeline. The fiery power that once surged through him was now but a faint flicker, like a flame struggling to remain alive.

He collapsed onto a moss-covered boulder, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "Zhu Yan…" he murmured. There was no response, no sign of the formidable presence that had once filled his mind.

Yan Feng clenched his fists, frustration welling up inside him. Had he truly died? The thought sent a chill down his spine. Zhu Yan was the foundation of his power, the one who had guided him through every challenge. Without him, how could he face the enemies that hunted him?

Suddenly, a faint warmth stirred within his chest. It was weak, almost imperceptible, but it was there. Yan Feng closed his eyes and focused, reaching out with his mind.

"Zhu Yan," he called again, this time with more conviction.

At first, there was only silence. Then, like a whisper carried on the wind, a familiar voice responded.

"I… am here, boy."

Yan Feng's eyes snapped open, relief washing over him. "You're alive! I thought—" His voice faltered. He didn't want to admit how much he had feared the worst.

"Alive? Barely." Zhu Yan's voice was faint, a far cry from the booming authority it once held. "That battle… it cost me more than I imagined."

Yan Feng's mind flashed back to the ruins of the Crimson Nether Sect. The man in white, with his overwhelming power, had appeared out of nowhere. Even with Zhu Yan's might, they had been utterly outmatched.

"What happened back there?" Yan Feng asked, his voice tinged with desperation. "How did he—how did you—?"

There was a pause, and then Zhu Yan's voice returned, carrying the weight of a thousand years. "That man… Jian Xian. He was not just any foe. He was once like me—a Dou Di, at the peak of cultivation. Long ago, he sought to overthrow me, to claim the flame I wielded for himself."

Yan Feng leaned forward, his heart pounding. "You fought him before?"

"Yes," Zhu Yan replied. "It was a battle that shook the heavens. Jian Xian was a cunning opponent, one who would sacrifice anything for power. In the end, he managed to seal me, but it cost him everything. He gave up his life to create a prison for my soul and left behind a fragment of his spirit to guard it."

The words sent shivers down Yan Feng's spine. To seal a Dou Di like Zhu Yan… the price must have been unimaginable.

"For thousands of years, I was trapped within that seal, my power drained, my consciousness fading. The Crimson Nether Sect found remnants of my essence and used them to create their artificial flame, but they never truly understood the power they wielded." Zhu Yan's tone darkened. "When you broke the seal, you freed me. But you also freed him—the lingering remnant of Jian Xian's soul."

Yan Feng's breath hitched. "You mean… the man in white?"

"Yes," Zhu Yan confirmed. "What you saw was the last fragment of his soul, still clinging to the hatred he held for me in life. He sought to destroy me once and for all, even in death. But he underestimated the toll his lingering existence had taken on him. He may have weakened me, but his own power was nearly depleted."

The memory of the battle replayed in Yan Feng's mind—the blinding light, the suffocating pressure, the overwhelming flames that had threatened to consume him. He had felt powerless, like an ant before a storm.

"What happened to him?" Yan Feng asked. "Did he…?"

"He is gone," Zhu Yan said, though his voice was laced with uncertainty. "For now. The last vestiges of his power were expended in his attempt to kill me. But do not be fooled, boy. Souls like his do not fade easily. If there is even a shred of his essence left, he will find a way to return."

Yan Feng's jaw tightened. Another enemy to add to the ever-growing list. But more than that, he felt a flicker of guilt. Zhu Yan had suffered because of him—because he had been too weak to stand on his own.

"Do not blame yourself," Zhu Yan said, as if sensing his thoughts. "This was a battle that was destined to happen. Jian Xian's hatred for me is older than you can comprehend. You are merely caught in the aftermath."

"But your power…" Yan Feng hesitated. "You're not the same. I can barely feel you now."

Zhu Yan sighed, a sound that seemed to echo from the depths of eternity. "My power is diminished, yes. What remains of me is but a fraction of what I once was. I cannot fight as I did before. But do not mistake that for weakness, boy. I am still a Dou Di, and I will guide you as long as I am able."

Yan Feng nodded, though the weight of the situation pressed heavily on his shoulders. "Then tell me… what do I do now?"

"You must grow stronger," Zhu Yan said simply. "The flame within you is still yours to command. It is not just power—it is a legacy, one that can rival the greatest forces in this world. But to wield it, you must master it. And to master it, you must be willing to sacrifice."

The words hung in the air like a challenge. Yan Feng knew what Zhu Yan meant. Power always came at a cost. But was he willing to pay it?

Before he could respond, the air around him seemed to shift. A faint ripple, almost imperceptible, passed through the forest. Yan Feng's senses flared, and he instinctively reached for the flame within him, though it was but a shadow of its former self.

"Be on guard," Zhu Yan warned. "Though Jian Xian's soul is gone, his power lingers. There may still be echoes of him in this world."

Yan Feng stood, his body tense. The forest seemed to grow darker, the shadows deeper. For a moment, he thought he saw a figure—a flicker of white robes in the distance. But when he blinked, it was gone.

"Was that…?" he started to ask.

"Perhaps. Or perhaps not," Zhu Yan said cryptically. "What matters is that you do not falter. You are the vessel of a Dou Di's flame, and the world will not let you forget it."

Yan Feng's fists clenched, his resolve hardening. He would not falter. Not now, not ever. He had survived this long, and he would continue to survive. He would grow stronger, not just for himself, but for Zhu Yan—for the power that still burned within him.

"Let's go," he said, his voice steady. "We have work to do."

"Indeed," Zhu Yan replied. "The path ahead will not be easy, but it is the only path worth taking. Now, show me that you are worthy of the flame."

With that, Yan Feng turned and began to walk, his eyes fixed on the horizon. The battles ahead would be fierce, but he was ready. He had to be.

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