Fallen Heaven: Rise of Faizi Tian
Episode 71 – The Mark of the Ancient Seal
Recap
After investigating the abandoned ruins in the northern ravines, Faizi Tian discovered evidence of a secret operation carried out by the demon army. Inside the ruins, he found a broken black container, strange ancient symbols, a stone tablet, and a hidden underground chamber. The chamber contained an empty pedestal and markings connected to the sealed containers.
Although Faizi could not determine what the demons had been transporting, he collected the evidence and returned to Blackstone Pass. He now intended to find someone capable of interpreting the ancient inscriptions. His investigation had taken its first real step, but Varkos's words continued to haunt him.
Why had the Demon Lord called him the chosen human?
End of Recap
Episode 71 – The Mark of the Ancient Seal
The morning sun had climbed above Blackstone Pass when Faizi Tian returned to the alliance camp.
Dust covered the hem of his black robes, and the journey had left him with a faint ache in his legs. He ignored the discomfort and headed directly toward the command quarters. The evidence recovered from the ruins was more important than his desire to rest.
The alliance officer waiting outside the command tent immediately straightened when he saw Faizi approaching.
"My lord, the commanders have been asking about your journey. Did you discover anything?"
"I found enough to prove that the demons were using the ruins for a purpose," Faizi replied. "But I have not discovered what that purpose was."
He removed the cloth pouch containing the stone tablet and broken metal fragment.
"Arrange a private meeting with anyone in the alliance who has knowledge of ancient inscriptions, sealed formations, or old cultivation relics. I want their opinions separately before they discuss their conclusions with one another."
The officer understood the reason for the request.
"You suspect that someone might influence the investigation?"
"I suspect nothing without evidence. But if several people reach the same conclusion independently, we will have a stronger basis for trusting it."
The officer bowed and hurried away.
Faizi entered the command quarters and placed the recovered objects on a table. He examined them again while waiting, careful not to disturb the remaining residue.
The broken metal fragment was small enough to fit between two fingers. Its surface was dark and rough, but the circular symbol engraved upon it remained visible. A claw-like design surrounded the centre, forming a pattern that looked deliberately constructed rather than naturally occurring.
Faizi had seen countless symbols associated with demonic energy during his battles.
This one was unfamiliar.
That alone did not make it special. The demon territories contained countless factions, old ruins, and forgotten traditions. It would be foolish to assume that every unfamiliar mark concealed a secret related to him.
Still, the fragment had been found beneath a structure recently used by the demon army.
That connection deserved investigation.
Several hours later, the alliance officer returned with two elderly scholars and a middle-aged formation expert.
The first scholar, Elder Shen, had spent decades studying ancient records recovered from ruined cities. His long grey beard reached his chest, and his eyes carried the sharpness of someone accustomed to examining details others overlooked.
The second, Master Qiao, specialised in inscriptions and relics from the earliest cultivation dynasties.
The formation expert introduced himself as Lin Zhen. Unlike the two scholars, he carried a small case filled with measuring tools, thin metal needles, and pieces of polished crystal.
Faizi greeted them and gestured toward the table.
"These objects were recovered from an abandoned structure in the northern ravines. I want you to examine them and tell me what can be established from the evidence."
Elder Shen leaned forward.
"May I ask whether the structure was occupied by demons?"
"The tracks outside indicated recent activity. We also found a broken container and an underground chamber. However, I cannot prove who originally built the structure or who created the symbols."
The elder nodded approvingly.
"You have separated what you witnessed from what you suspect. That is a good beginning."
Master Qiao picked up the stone tablet and studied its surface without touching the markings directly.
For a long time, he remained silent.
Then his expression changed.
"Where exactly did you find this?"
"In a chamber beneath the main structure."
"Was it near a formation?"
"There were six pillars surrounding a raised platform. The tablet was found near a fallen pillar in the upper chamber."
Master Qiao looked at Elder Shen.
"I recognise some of these characters. They are extremely old, though several have been damaged."
Faizi moved closer.
"Can you read them?"
"Not completely. The inscription is incomplete, and some of the characters belong to an older system of writing. But I can identify a few repeated terms."
"What terms?"
Master Qiao carefully traced a line in the air above the tablet.
"Containment. Transfer. And a word that may refer to a sealed passage."
The room became quiet.
Faizi did not immediately react.
"Does the inscription identify what was contained?"
"No. The relevant section is missing. We can establish that the tablet describes some kind of process, but we cannot yet determine what was being transferred or where it was sent."
Faizi nodded slowly.
"Then we have a possible function, not a complete explanation."
"Exactly," Master Qiao replied.
Elder Shen turned his attention toward the broken metal fragment.
When he saw the engraved mark, his brows drew together.
He did not touch it.
Instead, he asked Lin Zhen to examine the fragment using his tools.
The formation expert opened his case and placed three small crystals around the metal. He adjusted their positions, then released a controlled thread of energy through the nearest crystal.
For a few seconds, nothing happened.
Then the central symbol produced a faint vibration.
Lin Zhen immediately withdrew his energy.
"Interesting."
Faizi watched him carefully.
"What did you detect?"
"A residual pattern. It is weak, but the fragment appears to have been part of a larger sealing mechanism."
"Can you determine what the mechanism sealed?"
"No. The residue is too faint, and the fragment is broken. It might have belonged to a storage seal, a passage seal, or another kind of formation. I cannot responsibly identify its original purpose from this piece alone."
Faizi appreciated the answer more than an impressive guess.
"Can you tell whether the seal was broken recently?"
Lin Zhen examined the surface again.
"Some of the damage is old. Other marks appear newer, but I cannot establish an exact time. The fragment may have been reused or damaged more than once."
Faizi folded his arms.
"So the demons may have found an old mechanism and used it for their own purposes."
"That is possible," Lin Zhen said. "But it is only one explanation."
Master Qiao placed the tablet down.
"There is another detail worth considering. The symbol on this fragment resembles the markings on the containers you described. If the two objects came from the same location, they may have been connected to a shared system."
"They were found in the same underground complex," Faizi confirmed.
"Then that connection is worth investigating."
Elder Shen studied the drawing on the tablet.
"The six pillars and the central pedestal may have formed part of an ancient installation. If so, the empty pedestal could once have held an object required to operate the mechanism."
"Could the demons have removed that object?" Faizi asked.
"They could have. But the pedestal might also have been empty for centuries before they arrived."
Faizi looked at the three men.
"Then we have three facts. The demons recently used the ruins. A broken sealing fragment and a container were found inside. And an ancient tablet describes some form of containment or transfer."
The scholars nodded.
"Beyond that," Faizi continued, "we have possibilities, not conclusions."
Elder Shen smiled faintly.
"You are more patient than many powerful cultivators I have met. Most would have already decided what they wanted the evidence to mean."
"An incorrect conclusion can be more dangerous than having no answer," Faizi replied.
He looked down at the broken fragment.
"Now tell me about the mark itself. Have any of you seen it in an ancient record?"
Elder Shen closed his eyes briefly, searching his memory.
"I have seen similar circular designs in records concerning forgotten sealing traditions. But I cannot confirm that this exact mark belongs to any particular sect or faction."
Master Qiao added, "The claw-like pattern might be decorative, symbolic, or part of the seal's structure. Without a complete example, identifying its meaning would be speculation."
Faizi accepted the answer.
He had hoped the scholars might recognise the symbol immediately, but he had not expected the investigation to be solved in a single afternoon.
"Keep the objects secure," he instructed the officer. "Make accurate copies of the markings and send inquiries to the alliance's record keepers. Do not circulate rumours about their origin."
The officer bowed.
"What should we tell the commanders if they ask why these objects are being examined?"
"Tell them the truth. We found evidence of a secret operation, and we are trying to understand it."
After the scholars departed, Faizi remained alone in the command quarters.
The investigation had produced no dramatic revelation, but it had narrowed the possibilities. The ruins were not merely a place where the demons had camped. At least one object found there appeared to have belonged to a sealing mechanism, and the tablet contained terms associated with containment and transfer.
The next question was obvious.
What had been sealed, and where had it gone?
Faizi turned toward the window.
Beyond the camp, the northern ravines disappeared behind a line of mountains. Somewhere beyond those rocks, the demon army was reorganising after its retreat.
Varkos had known something about Faizi.
That much was clear from the Demon Lord's words and behaviour. But Faizi still had no proof that the ancient ruins, the broken seal, and Varkos's strange declaration were parts of the same mystery.
He refused to force them together merely because he wanted an answer.
Instead, he decided to examine the memory of his battle with Varkos once more.
He sat down, closed his eyes, and recalled the moment their powers had collided.
The demonic claw had descended toward Blackstone Pass. Faizi had circulated the power available to him through the Heaven-Breaking Sword and unleashed the Demonic Slash of Ruler. The impact had shattered the attack and wounded Varkos.
Then the Demon Lord had looked directly at him.
The expression on Varkos's face had changed.
It had not been the expression of someone merely surprised by an unexpected counterattack. There had been recognition in it, followed by a decision to end the battle.
Faizi opened his eyes.
"What did you recognise?"
He could not answer the question.
He remembered the Demon Seal's response during the clash, but that response did not prove that the seal was responsible for Varkos's reaction. The two events had occurred together, yet their relationship remained uncertain.
Faizi would need more evidence before drawing any conclusion.
A knock interrupted his thoughts.
The alliance officer entered carrying a report.
"My lord, our scouts have observed movement along the northern routes. The demon army has not returned to Blackstone Pass, but several groups appear to be travelling between the ravines."
Faizi accepted the report.
"Have they approached our positions?"
"No. They seem to be avoiding the main roads."
Faizi read the observations twice.
"Continue watching them. Do not pursue any group without confirmation from the command."
The officer hesitated.
"Do you believe they are returning to the ruins?"
"I don't know. Their movements may be connected to the operation we discovered, or they may be preparing for something else. We will not confuse timing with proof."
He handed back the report.
"Send me every confirmed change in their movements."
The officer departed.
Faizi stood and walked toward the doorway. The sun was beginning to sink behind the western mountains, casting long shadows over the camp.
The war was not over.
Even if the demon army remained beyond the pass, its retreat did not mean that the Southern Alliance was safe. Varkos still commanded a force powerful enough to threaten the entire region, and Faizi had no intention of allowing curiosity to distract him from the defence of the people.
He would investigate the ancient symbols, but he would also prepare for the next attack.
That was the difference between seeking knowledge and becoming consumed by a mystery.
Faizi looked toward the distant northern horizon.
"Whatever you are planning, Varkos, I will be ready."
Far away, on the Celestial Continent, Afiya Xue stood inside the sacred archive of the Celestial Xue Clan.
Rows of ancient scrolls rested behind transparent walls of ice. She had come to study records concerning unusual bloodline reactions, hoping to understand the strange response that had occurred when the image of Faizi Tian appeared before her.
She had found several incomplete accounts of rare spiritual resonances, but none offered a clear explanation.
Afiya gently closed the final scroll.
"So even the ancient records cannot explain everything."
The elderly woman who had accompanied her watched in silence.
"Some mysteries reveal themselves only when the time is right, Saintess."
Afiya glanced toward the tall windows, where the first stars were appearing.
"Perhaps. But waiting for an answer is not the same as understanding it."
She left the archive without another word.
Neither she nor Faizi knew how their distant paths might eventually intersect. For now, each continued along a separate road, guided by questions neither could answer.
At Blackstone Pass, Faizi returned to his quarters and placed the map of the northern ravines beside the scholars' notes.
He had learned that the ruins contained traces of an ancient sealing mechanism. He had learned that the demons had recently used the site. He had also learned that the broken fragment and the markings on the containers might be connected.
But the purpose of the operation remained hidden.
And the most important question remained unanswered.
Why had Varkos called him the chosen human?
Faizi extinguished the lamp and stood in the darkness for a moment.
He would not let the mystery control his decisions.
He would follow the evidence, protect the alliance, and become strong enough to face Varkos again.
When that day came, he intended to meet the Demon Lord on his own terms.
To Be Continued...
Next Episode: Episode 72 – The Enemy Moves in Silence