Title: Fallen Heaven: Rise of Faizi Tian
## Previous Episode Recap:
In Episode 24, Faizi Tian defeated the Guardian of the Eternal Flame within the Flame Inheritance Grounds, earning the right to wield its sacred power. With the golden flame now burning inside him like a second heart, he felt stronger than ever. But before he could enjoy his triumph, a deep rumble echoed from the distant mountains — from the direction of his own sect. The ominous word left his lips: "The seal..."
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Fallen Heaven: Rise of Faizi Tian
Episode 25: Cracks in the Abyss
The moment Faizi Tian emerged from the Flame Inheritance Grounds, the skies above were no longer calm.
Thunder rumbled without rain, and a strange crimson glow bled through the horizon where his sect lay.
He didn't hesitate.
Each step became a flash of golden flame as he unleashed *Flame Shadow Step*, covering miles in mere breaths. The closer he drew, the heavier the air became — thick with a suffocating demonic aura that churned against his newly gained Eternal Flame.
By the time he reached the outskirts of his sect, the Phoenix-emblazoned gates of the **Hall of Fallen Flames** were surrounded by disciples, elders, and defensive formations already lit. Panic and urgency filled their eyes.
"Sect Master!" Elder Yao rushed forward, robes fluttering in the scorching wind. His face was pale, his voice strained. "The Demon Seal… it's cracking."
Faizi Tian's gaze snapped toward the inner sanctum. Deep within the sect's core lay a stone altar carved with ancient runes — the place where he had imprisoned a fragment of the Abyss years ago. A seal forged with his own blood and reinforced by the combined strength of all elders.
"How?" His voice was low, but it carried the weight of command.
Elder Yao's jaw tightened. "Something… or someone… is feeding the seal from the other side. We've held it for hours, but the cracks are spreading faster than we can repair them."
Faizi Tian strode toward the sanctum, every step igniting the ground beneath him. The moment he entered, the temperature dropped unnaturally.
The runed altar pulsed with sickly black light, its chains of flame trembling under invisible pressure.
The sound came next — a slow, mocking chuckle, echoing from *inside* the seal.
> "So… the little flame has grown. But even your precious Eternal Flame won't stop what's coming…"
The voice scraped against the soul, ancient and hungry. A faint silhouette shifted behind the barrier — a horned figure with eyes like burning coals.
Faizi Tian clenched his fist. "Stay where you belong, demon. I buried you once. I'll do it again."
The figure laughed harder, the seal's runes shattering one after another. Cracks spread like spiderwebs, each one oozing threads of black flame that hissed when they touched the air.
Suddenly, the demonic aura surged, lashing at the soul like hooks. Several disciples outside screamed, blood pouring from their noses as they collapsed. Elder Yao slammed his staff down, forming a protective barrier.
"Faizi Tian! If the seal breaks completely now, the Abyss will pour into the mortal realm!" Yao's voice was strained, sweat beading his brow.
Faizi's eyes narrowed. Golden fire erupted around him, forming the silhouette of a colossal phoenix that wrapped its wings protectively around the altar.
"Not today."
Channeling the Eternal Flame, he forced his will into the seal, pouring divine heat into every crack. The runes glowed brighter, but the horned shadow inside only smiled wider.
> "Burn as much as you want, boy. You're only feeding me."
A sudden shockwave blasted outward, hurling Elder Yao back and dimming half the sanctum's protective arrays. Faizi dug his heels in, his arms trembling under the pressure of the power pushing against him.
Then — silence.
The black light retreated slightly, the cracks slowing… but not closing.
The demon's voice whispered, almost playfully:
> "We'll meet soon, little flame."
The aura faded, but the seal still throbbed with instability. Faizi stepped back, chest heaving, sweat mingling with soot on his face.
"This wasn't just a test," he muttered. "Someone's weakening the seal from the outside… and they want me distracted."
Elder Yao limped to his side. "What will you do?"
Faizi's gaze burned brighter than his flames.
"We find them… before they finish what they've started."
Outside, the crimson glow in the sky slowly faded, but the entire sect felt it — the war with the Abyss had just taken a step closer.
And with that, Episode 25 ends, leaving the seal unstable, the enemy hidden, and the countdown to disaster already ticking.