The Lingyun Grottoes—an ancient wonder of heaven and earth, long whispered of in legends.
Here dwelt the guardian beast of Emperor Xuanyuan, a creature that had existed for more than a thousand years.
The Fire Qilin.
Born of primal flames, its very nature was fire itself. Yet as it stood within the cavern, its presence exuded a strange chill, as though the fire had been corrupted into something darker. Cold seeped into every crevice, trying to freeze even the air.
The Guardian Awakens
"Rooooar!"
The Fire Qilin bellowed, its voice reverberating through the endless tunnels of the cave. Its body blazed, wreathed in an inferno that melted stone walls and caused the very ceiling of the grotto to drip molten rock.
As its chosen foe, Nie Feng found himself engulfed in heat beyond endurance. His garments caught fire. Stray embers seared his flesh. Even his long hair was reduced to drifting ash.
"No… this beast has gone mad," he muttered, his eyes narrowing as the raging flames threatened to consume him whole.
He clenched the Xueyin Mad Blade tightly. The wind was his natural element, but to use it here would be courting disaster—wind only fed fire.
Thus, the blade was his sole chance.
Channeling all his internal strength, he poured his power into the weapon. The blade, once shining bright, turned to a crystalline ice-blue. Frost crackled across its edge.
Then—crack!
The weapon splintered.
The Unexpected Turn
"Master, I'll aid Brother Feng!" Qin Shuang cried, rushing forward.
"Wait!" Xiongba's deep voice halted him. The Conqueror's gaze sharpened. "Something has changed."
"Changed?"
Qin Shuang followed his gaze. His eyes widened.
Suspended in midair above Nie Feng was a flawless, ice-blue stone. Its brilliance radiated endless frost, waves of cold that froze not only Nie Feng but even the raging Fire Qilin.
Xiongba's pupils constricted. Recognition struck like lightning. "The Ice Soul… one of the Four Sacred Stones!"
It was said that when Nuwa mended the heavens, four fragments of divine stone were left behind. Among them was the Ice Soul, embodiment of supreme frost.
And now it had manifested here.
So that was the truth. Generations ago, Nie Feng's ancestors must have obtained the Ice Soul, forging its power into the Xueyin Mad Blade. No wonder the weapon carried such cold.
Fortune upon fortune.
Xiongba's heart burned with greed. The Dragon Vein was already within reach. The Fire Qilin now lay before him. And here, by sheer chance, was the Ice Soul.
The sacrifices were gathered. The offering was perfect.
The Darkness Descends
"Black Sky Demon Art!"
With a roar, Xiongba dissolved into shadow, his body morphing into a mass of black smoke that engulfed the cavern.
In an instant, the glowing grotto dimmed to pitch-black. All light vanished. All sound vanished. The very senses of those within were stolen away.
The guardians of the Dragon Vein stumbled blindly, unable to see or hear, powerless to intervene.
Then—
A beast's scream split the suffocating dark.
The shroud tore apart.
And there, not far ahead, the Fire Qilin lay collapsed. Its flames sputtered as black smoke devoured them, smothering the beast's very essence.
Nie Feng, kneeling on one knee, trembled. His face was etched with disbelief.
He too cultivated Eternal Meditation, yet his own strength was like a candle beside a raging storm.
How could the Master's power be so immeasurably vast?
The Conqueror's Words
Xiongba emerged from the dissipating smoke, his expression calm, his voice cold.
"Beast. To bare your fangs before me, the High Priest of the Eternal Faith… were it not that I require you as sacrifice, I would drink your blood as wine."
The Fire Qilin's blazing eyes locked on him. Fury burned within them, but also sorrow.
For millennia, it had guarded the Central Plains. For millennia, it had been protector, sentinel, divine beast.
Now, to end like this…
Yet it felt no regret. Its master's task was complete. Even in death, it would have no remorse.
Xiongba turned, addressing Bu Jingyun. "Take it away. And those two weaklings as well. Our Faith requires manpower—do not kill them."
"Yes, Master."
Bu Jingyun struck, stunning the two battered guardians, dragging them outside.
Qin Shuang and Nie Feng moved to hoist the fallen Qilin. Though the beast was massive, its subdued body was surprisingly light to their combined strength.
They carried it, step by step, toward the light.
Outside the Cave
Meanwhile, Broken Wave toiled outside with the others, constructing the altar.
He cut stone, stacked blocks, etched sigils. Every movement precise, deliberate.
Even as a newly appointed Divine Envoy, he dared not be careless. This altar was the bridge to the gods. One error could mean annihilation.
Nearby, Mingyue's maid stared in disbelief. "He… even someone that strong still labors like an ordinary worker?"
Mingyue's veiled eyes remained calm. "Watch, don't speak. After I am gone, remember this: find a good family, marry, live quietly. The money I left you will last a lifetime."
"I won't leave you, my lady. I want to die at your side."
"Don't speak such foolishness. These men—though terrifying—have not indiscriminately killed. As long as we don't interfere, they will not harm us."
Crowds gathered at a distance, drawn by the spectacle. The World Society had always acted with ruthless tyranny—yet now, this Eternal Faith had allowed spectators. No massacres, no purges. A strange reversal.
Whispers filled the air.
"The High Priest returns!"
"Pay respects to the Master Priest!"
Voices rang out as Xiongba emerged from Lingyun Cave.
Draped in black robes, he smiled broadly, the aura of darkness still clinging faintly to him. In one hand he clutched a golden spine, in the other a misty ice-blue stone.
"The Ice Soul!" Mingyue gasped softly. To think he had acquired such a divine relic!
"Rise," Xiongba declared to his followers. "All of you have earned merit in this offering. When we return, you shall be recognized as official adherents of the Faith."
"Thank you, Master!"
The Skeptics
Among the onlookers, many scoffed.
"Look at this farce. Has Xiongba gone mad? From martial world tyrant to self-proclaimed priest?"
"Careful with that tongue. Are you so unafraid of death?"
"Haven't you heard? They say this Faith forbids needless killing."
"And you believe them? Fools! You think tyrants change overnight?"
The speaker trailed off, realizing belatedly that he had spoken too loudly. He paled, turned, and bolted.
The rest sneered, shaking their heads, and returned to watching the unfolding drama.
"What is this Eternal Faith anyway? The World Society doesn't slaughter anymore, they aid the people, preach of gods…"
"They say this sect serves true deities. Gods who can shatter heaven and earth with a single strike."
"Shatter heaven and earth? Why not say they can eat the sun whole? Hah! Who believes such tales?"
Cynicism rippled through the crowd.
For if gods truly wielded such might, why need mortals at all?
And yet—
Heat Rising
The air grew hotter.
It was summer, yes, but this was different. The heat climbed unnaturally, thick and suffocating. Martial artists unconsciously circulated their inner qi, resisting the oppressive temperature.
"What is happening? Why so hot?"
"Even with my qi, I can barely stand it."
Then someone pointed toward Lingyun Cave. "Look! The grotto—it's twisting!"
"What nonsense—?!"
The words froze on their lips.
From the cave's depths emerged a monstrous head, fire-red and scaled.
Its body followed—three meters tall, limbs thick as tree trunks, tail lashing the ground like a whip.
The Fire Qilin.
Gasps tore through the crowd.
The legendary beast of flame, long whispered of in myth, was before their eyes. Its presence alone melted the stones, warping the very air.
Xiongba's men dragged it onto the altar, binding its form in chains of black smoke.
Xiongba turned to Broken Wave. "Well done. Mingyue's beauty is indeed a worthy offering. How fares Wushuang City?"
Broken Wave knelt, bowing his head. "Master, I have defeated the Dugu Sword Saint. Wushuang City is subdued, its forces bent to the Faith."
Xiongba's eyes gleamed, laughter booming. "Excellent! I thought to slaughter them outright, but you have done better—submission strengthens us. You have grown, Duan Lang. Join my disciples. Kneel, prepare the sacrifice."
"Yes, Master!"
Their voices carried across the mountains, loud enough for all to hear. The news spread like wildfire: Wushuang City had fallen.
Shock rippled through the crowd.
If even the Fire Qilin could be bound, then truly—what was impossible?
Preparing the Offering
Upon the altar, the sacrifices were arranged one by one.
First, the Dragon Vein. Then, the Ice Soul.
Next, the subdued Fire Qilin, its once-proud eyes dulled by shadow.
Finally, Mingyue herself, veiled and silent, placed at the rear.
Unlike others, Xiongba's vision was clear. He did not prioritize spreading believers by the thousands. Instead, he sought offerings of power. The more divine beasts and sacred relics he could claim, the greater the gift from the gods.
Once empowered, believers would naturally follow.
That was why he had drawn all forces here, why he made his spectacle public.
On a distant peak, Wuming stood with Jian Chen, watching grimly.
"Master, can Duan Lang truly have subdued Wushuang City? It seems… unlikely."
"Do not be so quick to doubt," Wuming replied softly. "Even the Fire Qilin has fallen. Clearly, they hold power beyond our reckoning."
"…Yes."
Elsewhere, another figure frowned as he observed the Dragon Vein and Ice Soul.
Di Shitian.
Xiongba's methods might bring catastrophe. Yet with the shadow of that terrifying man behind him, Di Shitian dared not act. He thought of Feng Yuan, of Qilin's blood, of his own countless failed attempts.
Perhaps, he mused, after the sacrifice was made, he could speak with Xiongba. Align their purposes. Use the Faith for his own ends.
The Sky Trembles
The air grew heavier.
The heavens darkened, clouds tearing apart.
And then—a vision never before seen.
The blue sky split as though rent by unseen claws. Beyond it, not endless light but a starry void bled through.
The heavens themselves seemed to fall.
"The sky…" Bu Jingyun whispered, staring upward, his voice trembling. "…the sky is falling."