The night wind stirred the dust as Ling Xuan stepped out from the rundown corner of the Dreamveil Sect's outer yard-the very place they had left him to rot.
His body was still sore, tired and weak... but his eyes burned with calm fire.No longer was he the pitiful "flame cripple" abandoned by his clan but a spark reborn from silence.
"I may have died in fire once," he muttered, brushing blood from his knuckles."But it's my time to decide who gets burned now."
The sect's outer disciples rarely came to this overgrown training compound. It had been unused for nearly a decade, its walls half-collapsed, it's area overgrown with weeds. A perfect place to dispose of shame. The Yao cousins picked it deliberately.
"Dead fools," Ling Xuan whispered, glancing at the two corpses he left cooling in the moonlight."You had the chance to walk away."
He adjusted the tattered white robes over his lean frame and walked calmly into the night.According to the memories of this body, he hadn't returned to the sect for three days.
To them, he had disappeared like a coward after being challenged and humiliated.To the Ling Clan, that was more than enough excuse to disown him.And yet…
"You thought you buried me, well sorry to burst your bubble but you know fate…always having different plan for us and sometimes we just get on the lucky side."
The Dreamveil Sect's main courtyard had been in chaos these last few days. Ling Yun, the elder son of the clan patriarch, had riled up most of the juniors. Rumors said Ling Xuan had fled to avoid the Flame Vein Selection-and that the clan's 'prodigy' had been nothing more than a false star.
Now, the whispers would need to change.
A group of outer guards near the training grounds caught sight of a white-robed figure walking toward them under the moonlight. At first, none of them dared to believe it.
"W-wait… isn't that…?"
One guard's voice cracked, his mouth hanging open.
"He's alive?!"
A murmur swept through the squad. A few scrambled forward.
"Young master Xuan! You're alive!"
Ling Xuan narrowed his eyes. These guards were just pawns, dogs of the clan. They hadn't lifted a finger when he was dragged off three days ago. But he had no intention of settling petty scores—not yet.
"You've worked hard," he said simply. "Escort me back."
The guards blinked. No scolding? No wild outburst?
Where was the moody, loudmouthed fool who used to swing at anyone who looked at him wrong?
"Y-young master… please take my mount," one offered, practically shoving a flaming cloud horse forward.
"No need. I prefer walking."He glanced at the clan's outer compound wall. "And if I see any more cowardice in my name, I'll start cutting ears."
The guards stiffened. Something about that calm tone made their backs go cold.
—Within the Ling Clan's Inner Court—
In the main hall, Ling Tianyuan, head of the Ling Clan and patriarch of the Dreamveil bloodline, paced with narrowed eyes.
Beside him stood Ling Yun, the clan's supposed shining heir. His handsome features twisted in mock concern.
"He's been gone three days, Father. I fear he may have shamed us all beyond repair…"
Tianyuan sighed deeply. "He is still my son. Even if his soul flame is crippled, I cannot allow him to vanish like a stray dog."
Just then, a voice came from the doorway:
"Patriarch! Young master Xuan has returned!"
Bang!The wooden teacup in Tianyuan's hand dropped and shattered.
Ling Yun's pupils shrank.
"He… what?"
"He walked through the front gate," said the guard, breathless. "And demanded his quarters be cleaned."
Back in his personal courtyard, Ling Xuan stood in silence, staring at the cracked tiles of his training field. It was just as he remembered-dusty, neglected and not taken care off by the outer disciples.
"How poetic," he said, folding his arms behind his back."They forgot me here, and here I shall begin again."
He waited.
He knew the snake would come.
Sure enough, a rustle sounded near the entrance. A young man entered, wearing a wide smile, his hair bound in a fine jade clasp.
Ling Yun.
"Brother," he said, voice honeyed with fake joy, "you're back! Do you know how worried I was?"
"Touched," Ling Xuan replied flatly. "I almost shed a tear."
Ling Yun's smile twitched.
"Truly, your disappearance gave Father endless grief. And with the Dreamveil-Mu Clan marriage tomorrow—"
"Not interested," Ling Xuan said, cutting him off.
"Ah?" Ling Yun blinked. "The Mu Clan's daughter is a rare beauty. You!"
"I won't marry her. Marry her yourself."
Ling Yun's jaw tightened.
"This marriage was arranged by the clan to unite both bloodlines"
"Then let the golden child carry that burden."Ling Xuan turned away. "I've better things to do than play dress-up for politics."
Ling Yun's fingers curled into a fist. But he exhaled slowly, laughing lightly.
"You're still the same... always acting above others. I hope your words don't shame the clan."
"The only shame in this clan is pretending trash can smell like incense."
Ling Yun's eyes gleamed briefly with killing intent-but he hid it well.
"Rest well, brother," he said with a stiff smile. "Tomorrow, the elders may not be so forgiving."
"Then I'll remind them what forgiveness costs," Ling Xuan replied.
As the night deepened, Ling Xuan sat cross-legged in his chamber. Within his soul, the hidden realm behind his mind stirred-the Dreamflame Veil.
From within it, a voice spoke:
"Tch. You're really stirring the pot already, aren't you?"
A faint glow flickered, and Yu Mei, the slumbering Dream Empress, emerged with narrowed violet eyes.
"I thought you'd play it safe. Instead, you're poking tigers."
"No fun hiding forever," Ling Xuan smirked."And I'm done letting others decide my worth."
Yu Mei chuckled.
"Good. Then let's awaken that sleeping flame of yours. I'm tired of watching you get bullied."
Tomorrow: the engagement feast.
"They expected a cripple to kneel… but instead, they'll witness a king rise."He threw his head back and laughed, a thunderous roar echoing-
"Hahaha!"