As the sun dipped below the mountain peaks, dyeing the sky in hues of blood-red and gold, Little Fire and Spirit Fairy emerged from the dark mouth of the cave. Their footsteps were slow, still heavy with the weight of the intense trials and emotions experienced inside the Door of Mystery.
But their moment of peace was short-lived.
Just a hundred meters away from the cave's entrance, a gathering of figures dressed in flaming red robes stood like statues. The air around them shimmered from the intense heat of their combined presence. Nine elders stood in a semi-circle, their powerful auras pressing gently against the earth, and in the center, a man stood tall and proud, his eyes sharp as blades.
That man was Fire Hornet, the Sect Leader of the Fire Clan and Spirit Fairy's father. His presence alone commanded reverence.
As murmurs started among the gathered cultivators, Fire Hornet raised his hand and shouted in a voice that echoed like thunder, "Silence!"
The crowd fell quiet instantly.
His eyes fell on the pair walking toward them. The moment he saw his daughter with a strange young man, his brow furrowed.
"Who is he?" Fire Hornet asked, his voice calm but layered with a dangerous undertone.
Spirit Fairy stepped forward, then suddenly turned and walked toward her father. She leaned closer and whispered into his ear, "Father, he is the one I like."
Fire Hornet's eyes widened. "What? Him?" he asked aloud, forgetting to lower his voice.
A mix of emotions crossed his face—shock, pride, and annoyance. But after a long breath, he chose joy. He looked at Little Fire again and called out, "What is your name, boy?"
"I am Little Fire," the young cultivator replied honestly.
Fire Hornet placed his heavy palm on Little Fire's shoulder. "I like it."
Suddenly, pressure burst from Fire Hornet's palm. Little Fire trembled and was forced to one knee. The ground cracked beneath him, and blood dripped from his lips. Still, he didn't fall fully.
"I only kneel to my parents," Little Fire declared through clenched teeth.
Fire Hornet's laughter boomed. "Good! I like you more now. I accept you—for now."
"Accept me?" Little Fire blinked, confused.
Spirit Fairy quickly stepped in. "Father! I haven't told him I like him yet! He's so dim he didn't understand what I meant."
Her father coughed and corrected himself with a sly grin. "I meant—I accept you into our Fire Clan as my personal disciple."
Little Fire's eyes widened. He quickly bowed with respect. "Thank you, Sect Leader."
Not far behind, one of the elders, an old man with a thick white beard, scowled. He was the grandfather of the young cultivator Little Fire had beaten inside the cave.
The young man ran to his side. "Grandfather, he humiliated me! You must avenge me!"
The elder stepped forward. "Sect Leader, I object. We cannot accept someone without knowing who he is. He could be a spy from another sect! We must search his consciousness."
Before Fire Hornet could reply, Spirit Fairy's voice turned cold as ice.
"Elder, my father can search his consciousness—but he'll search yours first. Do you agree?"
The elder paled and quickly turned the topic. "At least tell us your background, boy."
Little Fire answered simply, "I have no background. I lived alone all my life."
Even Spirit Fairy turned to look at him in surprise. For someone with no backing, no resources, and no protection, his strength and survival until now were nearly miraculous.
Fire Hornet looked at Little Fire for a moment, then nodded. "As long as you're not a spy, and you treat my daughter well, I don't care where you come from."
Just then, the elder's grandson couldn't control his emotions. He shouted, "You orphan! You low-blooded wretch! You dare dream of touching someone like her?! Becoming the Sect Leader's disciple?!"
The insults stung. Little Fire's hands clenched, his body shaking with suppressed emotion. Spirit Fairy rushed to his side and grabbed his hand.
"I don't care about any of that," she whispered.
But before anyone could respond further, a sudden shimmer flickered from the side. A thin arrow of cold light—barely visible—struck Little Fire.
A sneak attack.
It wasn't strong enough to hurt his body, but it wormed into his mind like a parasite.
His thoughts slowed.
Pain burst behind his eyes.
Little Fire dropped to one knee again, gripping his head. It felt like his mind was being split apart.
Fire Hornet turned in fury, flames surging from his body. His eyes locked on the elder who had spoken earlier.
"You dare attack my disciple?!" He roared.
The elder stammered, but it was too late.
Fire Hornet waved his hand, and a flaming hornet formed from his Qi shot forward and sealed the elder's cultivation.
"You are sealed by my rank 8 Fire Burning Hornet!"
Spirit Fairy dropped beside Little Fire, her heart twisting at the sight of him writhing in pain.
"Wake up, Little Fire. Don't fall into madness! I'm here. If they don't accept you, I still do. So please, don't go. Don't leave me!"
Fire Hornet watched, stunned. His daughter had never cried over anything since her mother's death. She was trembling.
She's fallen for him, he thought.
"He's weak!" the elder in the background shouted, trying to justify himself. "Even if he dies, he deserves it!"
Fire Hornet's eyes burned. He slapped the elder with a palm of Fire Qi, sending him flying.
"If he dies, you'll lose your elder status, and your entire family will be exiled!"
Inside his mind, Little Fire battled darkness.
Voices screamed, images twisted.
He saw Spirit Fairy fading from his memory.
He saw flames consuming everything.
His breathing weakened.
Spirit Fairy placed her hands on his chest and began transferring her Qi. Her body glowed faintly. Her energy—though not vast—was filled with emotion, care, and warmth.
But time passed, and her energy began to run dry.
Her face turned pale, yet she refused to stop.
"Come back to me," she whispered, a tear falling onto his cheek. "You promised to never leave."
Her vision blurred, and her hands trembled.
Then...
The sky trembled.
A brilliant light shot across the heavens like a meteor, golden and radiant. It pierced through the clouds like a beacon.
Everyone turned their heads.
Even Fire Hornet's expression changed.
From the sky, a light flew—which looked like a meteor—and it was sparkling and shining.
---[To Be Continued]---