Chapter 8 – Twin Souls, One Heart
The scream echoed through the cave, piercing and raw, as Tang Xinyi's body arched violently in Zhao Feng's arms. Her eyes glowed white-hot, like twin suns ready to collapse into supernovas. Energy surged from her chest in waves, scorching the air around them, flickering with a brilliance that bordered on divine.
[SYSTEM WARNING: Host undergoing Phoenix Soul Imprint Fusion]Estimated Time Remaining: 3 minutesSoul Overload Threshold: 81%Protective action highly recommended.
"I am the protective action," Zhao muttered, pulling her closer. He pressed his forehead to hers, ignoring the pain that lanced through him as her flames tried to reject him.
But they didn't.
Not completely.
Instead, her energy trembled, hesitating—recognizing something. Him. His soul. A presence it remembered.
Tang Xinyi's voice returned, but layered—two tones in one. Her usual voice, and another underneath it—older, more regal, filled with sorrow and rage.
"You… again," she whispered.
Zhao's breath caught. "The Empress?"
A flicker of something like a smile crossed her face. "You were the reason I fell… the reason I rose. Twin flames—torn once, bound again."
"I don't understand."
"You will. In time."
Her eyes rolled back again, and her body collapsed, limp but alive.
The flames vanished. The seal markings across her skin faded, leaving only a faint shimmer. The Phoenix Soul had quieted… for now.
Hours Later – Dawnlight in the Cave
Tang Xinyi awoke slowly, blinking against the dim firelight still flickering near the cave walls. Her head pounded, and her body felt strangely lighter—like part of her had left and returned changed.
Zhao Feng sat nearby, watching her.
"You're awake," he said quietly.
She stared at him. "You stayed."
"I wasn't about to let a soul imprint or flaming ancient goddess take you without a fight."
Her lips curved. "You're such an idiot."
"I get that a lot."
She sat up with a groan. Her hair was matted, her lips dry, but her aura… it shimmered. Stronger. More refined. The Phoenix energy inside her had settled, woven itself into her qi core like silk threads in armor.
"I remember more," she said, her voice low.
Zhao leaned in. "What do you remember?"
"There was a war," she said slowly. "I was someone powerful. Revered. Feared. And you were... my downfall."
He flinched. "Was I the enemy?"
"No," she said softly. "You were everything."
Zhao stared.
"You were the man I loved."
Flashback Fragment – A Thousand Years Ago
The battlefield burned.
Corpses littered the stone plains beneath the crimson sky. Amid the chaos stood a woman wreathed in flames, blood on her robes, eyes filled with fury and heartbreak.
Before her knelt a man in black, sword dripping with blood—but not hers.
"I told you," he said, voice hoarse, "I would burn the world before I let them take you."
She dropped her weapon. "You betrayed your sect."
"I betrayed everyone but you."
And she kissed him—fierce and fiery.
Seconds later, a golden arrow pierced her heart.
Her last words: "Find me again."
Back in the Present
Tang Xinyi blinked away the tears that had sprung to her eyes without warning. She hadn't known why she was crying—only that something deep, old, and broken had stirred inside her.
Zhao touched her hand gently. "We were lovers… in another life?"
She didn't look at him. "We were soulbound. More than lovers. We died for each other."
The silence that followed was heavy. Dense. Charged.
Then Zhao asked, "So what now?"
Tang looked up. "Now? We survive. Together."
A Shadow Overhead
The two barely had a moment before a flicker of movement stirred at the cave's entrance.
Zhao stood immediately, his hand flashing to his blade. But it wasn't a beast or assassin.
It was a woman.
Tall. Regal. Dressed in silver-black robes adorned with intricate moonstone feathers. Her silver hair shimmered in the faint light, and a long soul-forged spear rested against her back.
Her presence chilled the flames.
Tang Xinyi's breath hitched. "Who are you?"
The woman's eyes, pale violet and ancient, settled on Zhao Feng. "So it's true. The Soulmark responded."
Zhao narrowed his gaze. "You know what happened to her?"
The woman gave a faint smile. "I knew it would begin again. The bond cannot be broken, even across lifetimes."
Tang tried to rise, but her knees buckled. Zhao caught her.
"Who are you?" he asked again.
The woman bowed slightly. "I am Bai Qian. Keeper of the Forgotten Paths. And you, both of you, are about to enter a war none of you remember... yet."
[SYSTEM UPDATE UNLOCKED: Hidden Storyline Branch Activated – "Reignition of the Twin Soul Pact"]New Objective: Seek the Soul Flame TempleReward: UnknownWarning: Enemy factions are already moving.
TO BE CONTINUED...