Battle Through the Heavens: Ascension of the Flame God
Episode 10: Blazing Vows Amidst the Storm
The ancient hall echoed with silence as Xiao Yan stepped down from the Flame Trial Altar, his robes still glowing faintly with the residual heat of the divine flame. The three-colored fire that had merged into his soul now pulsed gently within his dantian, calming after the wild baptism it had unleashed. But this calm was only on the surface.
Inside, a storm brewed.
As Xiao Yan reached the bottom of the stairs, Elder Huo Zhen—keeper of the Flame Temple—stepped forward. His eyes scanned Xiao Yan's body with astonishment and reverence. "The fusion of the Three Flame Spirits… you did what no one else in the past five hundred years could," he muttered. "You are indeed chosen by the True Flame."
Xiao Yan raised his head slowly. "What is this Flame exactly?" he asked.
Elder Huo Zhen's expression turned serious. "It is the Primordial Flame of the Heavens, a fire that was sealed by the first Flame God of the ancient realm. It grants not only power but judgment — and you've been chosen as its successor."
"Successor…?" Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed.
"You are now the Flame God's Heir, but beware," Huo Zhen warned. "This path is not without enemies. The Infernal Cult of the Black Ember will come for you. They've been waiting centuries for the Flame God's return—either to destroy it or to corrupt it."
Before Xiao Yan could respond, a sharp tremor shook the entire Flame Temple. Cracks spread across the ground as several statues in the corners collapsed.
"What's happening?" Xiao Yan asked, spinning around.
Elder Huo Zhen paled. "It's them! The Cult of Black Ember has sensed the Flame's awakening… they're attacking!"
A deafening explosion followed, and the temple gates shattered as dark flames poured in, corrupt and vile, carrying an aura of death.
Dozens of black-robed cultivators stormed in. At the lead stood a man with long grey hair, a mask covering half his face, and his body radiating a twisted black fire. "So, the Flame God's Heir has awakened," he said coldly. "Perfect. We'll burn you before you even begin."
Xiao Yan's heart raced, but his eyes burned with defiance. "You picked the wrong day."
Without waiting for instruction, his body surged with three-colored flames. They responded to his intent almost instinctively now. The fire coiled around his arms like dragons ready to pounce.
"Let them taste what Heaven's Flame truly means!" Elder Huo Zhen shouted, leaping into the fray.
The clash was brutal.
Fire and shadow collided in mid-air as Elder Huo Zhen's golden flame barrier clashed with the black fire of the cult. Xiao Yan fought beside him, his strikes precise and full of rage. His training at the Flame Altar had sharpened him, and the new divine flame granted him terrifying control.
But there were too many enemies.
Just as one of the masked cultists charged toward Xiao Yan's blind side, a silver streak flashed — a graceful figure landed beside him, parrying the attack with a wave of her crystalline sword.
"Xiao Yan!" It was Xue Qing! Her robes fluttered with cold grace, her presence like a snowstorm in the middle of fire. "I said I'd return, didn't I?"
He smiled briefly. "You always show up at the right time."
Back-to-back, they fought together like a flame and snowstorm in perfect harmony. One melted, the other froze. The battlefield turned chaotic — but in that chaos, Xiao Yan felt something new blooming.
His flame pulsed not just with rage — but with purpose. Protection. Resolve. Love?
He couldn't let the Flame God's legacy fall. Not now.
As the battle reached its climax, Xiao Yan summoned every ounce of flame within him, fusing it into a single attack. He roared, "Heavenly Flame: Soul-Burning Lotus!"
A massive lotus of fire burst out, consuming the black flames, purifying the darkness with divine heat. The cultists screamed as they vanished into ashes.
When the firestorm cleared, silence reigned.
Elder Huo Zhen lay on one knee, injured but alive. Xue Qing, breathing heavily, looked at Xiao Yan. "You're not just the heir now... you've become the Flame God."
But Xiao Yan shook his head. "Not yet. But I will."
He turned toward the broken temple gates.
"This was just the beginning."
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End of Episode 10
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