The evening sky burned crimson above the ruins of the Li Clan. Once, this place had stood as one of the most powerful strongholds in the eastern region of the Duskwind Empire. Now, only rubble remained—and a lone young man walking slowly through the dust and ash.
Li Yun, eighteen years old, wore a faded grey robe. His long black hair was loosely tied, and his sharp eyes carried a sorrow he could never fully conceal. He was a nobody, the son of a servant who once claimed to descend from the Li Clan's main bloodline—a claim most dismissed as pure delusion.
But Li Yun knew more than they did. He often dreamt of a blue flame scorching the skies, of an old man wielding a thunder-tipped spear, and a cold-faced woman with eyes like fire. He knew that the blood running through his veins was anything but lowborn.
Unfortunately, the world did not care for dreams. This realm honored only power—not fantasy.
"Still dreaming of reviving a dead clan, boy?" came a mocking, gruff voice from behind him.
Li Yun didn't need to turn. That voice belonged to Huo Jin, the leader of the youth from Charcoal Stone Village. Ever since childhood, Huo Jin and his gang had been thorns in his life.
"I don't answer to barking dogs," Li Yun replied softly, emotionless.
Several of Huo Jin's lackeys growled and stepped forward, but Huo Jin raised a hand to stop them.
"You're lucky today. Tomorrow's the entrance test for Duskwind Academy. Best if you don't show up. They don't accept talentless trash."
Li Yun didn't respond. He simply locked eyes with Huo Jin for a moment—then turned and walked away.
Night fell. Li Yun sat before an ancient stone altar once revered by the Li Clan. At the center of the altar was a small hollow where a heritage stone had once rested. It was said that this was where the ancestral flame was first kindled by Li Tianyan, the clan's founder—who could cleave mountains with a single palm.
"Why did their power vanish… why can't a single drop of their blood ignite this flame anymore…" Li Yun murmured.
He pulled out an old necklace from his pocket. He had discovered it a year ago beneath the floor of a forgotten shrine. It was pitch black, with a dull, round stone at its center. No one knew its purpose. Yet every time Li Yun meditated, it would grow warm… as if it were alive.
Taking a deep breath, Li Yun held the pendant tightly and closed his eyes. He began drawing spiritual energy from the surrounding air. The cold night stirred, the atmosphere trembling—but, as always, the energy refused to enter his body.
Then suddenly, heat erupted from the necklace in his hand.
Li Yun gasped. His eyes shot open as the stone began to glow—slowly revealing a crimson hue within. A voice echoed in his mind—deep, ancient, and not of this world.
"At last… after a hundred years, one of Li blood rekindles the Eternal Flame…"
Li Yun fell backward, breath ragged. "W-who are you?!"
"I am Tian Luo… Once they called me the Crimson Sky Warrior. Now… I am but a spirit bound within this artifact. And you, boy… you are my final hope."
Li Yun trembled. "I… I can't cultivate… My body can't absorb spiritual energy…"
"That is because of the seal. You've been sealed since birth. But the seal is weakening. Listen closely… if you wish to revive your clan, if you wish to avenge their destruction… you must become strong. Stronger than anyone."
Li Yun clenched his fists. Inside his chest, a long-dead flame stirred to life. This was no inherited fire—this was the fire of will.
"From this night onward, I shall teach you the Crimson Sky Path. But beware—this path is soaked in blood and betrayal. There is no place for doubt."
Li Yun nodded slowly. "I'm ready."
As dawn broke, Charcoal Stone Village remained asleep. But a young man already stood atop a hill, facing the horizon.
With steady steps, he made his way toward the western gate—toward Duskwind Academy.
The flame had been extinguished for years.
But now, a single spark had come to life once more.