The chamber hummed with strained quiet as demons and beasts worked side by side—an alliance forged only by the coffin's looming threat. The succubus leader, Lady Vira, directed her cultivators to layer corrosive seals along the obsidian cracks. The bear-kin chieftain, Grom, led his warriors in pounding primal runes into the stone with claw and hammer, beast qi anchoring the bindings deeper.
Wei Chen, Lin Xue, and Su Mei stood at the center, their triangle the heart of the effort. Their shared flame pulsed outward, guiding the others' power into harmony. Golden light threaded through demonic crimson and beastly earth tones, weaving new chains across the surface.
"It holds," Lady Vira said, wiping sweat from her brow. Her eyes lingered on Wei Chen. "Your bond… it's the anchor. Unusual for a human."
Grom grunted approval. "Strong fire. Strong mates."
Lin Xue's cheeks warmed faintly, but she kept her focus on the frost layers. Su Mei smirked. "Jealous, furball?"
The chieftain rumbled a laugh, tension easing for a moment.
Then the whispers began again—soft, insidious, threading into every mind but aimed sharpest at the allies.
To Lady Vira: His Nine-Suns Overload… it devours Yin without end… he takes and takes… your essence would fuel him perfectly…
The succubus leader paused, eyes narrowing on Wei Chen's chest where the brand glowed faintly under his robes.
To Grom: The dragon's fire burns hot because he claims mates… forces balance through touch… is it strength, or hunger that never stops?
The bear-kin's claws flexed, gaze shifting to Lin Xue and Su Mei with new suspicion.
Whispers spread further, rippling through the groups. Demons muttered about "Yang thieves" who drained partners for power. Beasts growled about human trickery masking primal dominance.
Lady Vira stepped closer, voice silky but edged. "Your physique… the overload. It requires constant… balancing, yes? Through intimate dual cultivation?"
Wei Chen met her gaze steadily. "It does. But never forced. Never taken."
Su Mei's chains rattled warningly. "Careful, succubus. Our bond is chosen. Proven."
Lin Xue's frost qi flared cool around them. "The whispers lie. They twist truth to break us."
But doubt lingered in the allies' eyes. A few demons backed away from the coffin, seals weakening. One beast warrior snarled, "If his fire needs feeding, why trust him near the door?"
The coffin pulsed in response—cracks widening slightly as contributed power faltered. Mist seeped higher.
Wei Chen felt the strain on their shared flame. He reached for both women's hands. "Show them. Not with words."
They tightened the triangle, foreheads touching briefly. Essence cycled faster—Yang fire rising, met perfectly by Lin Xue's cool Yin and Su Mei's wild demonic flow. The flame blazed brighter, pushing mist back and relighting the allies' seals with renewed strength.
Lady Vira watched, fascination replacing suspicion. "It's… mutual. The power flows both ways."
Grom nodded slowly, claws relaxing. "True bond. Not claiming. Sharing."
The groups steadied, adding power again. Whispers faltered, the coffin quieting under the combined effort.
Wei Chen exhaled. "The evil feeds on doubt. Don't give it ground."
Lady Vira smiled faintly. "Perhaps we underestimated you, dragon."
Grom thumped his chest. "Alliance holds. For now."
The new chains thickened—frost, fire, corrosion, primal earth—all woven tight. The cracks narrowed to hairlines. Mist retreated fully.
Peace settled, uneasy but solid.
Then distant qi flared—multiple sources converging from upper tunnels. Righteous purity clashing with imperial command auras. More factions drawn by the awakening's echo.
Lady Vira's eyes sharpened. "Company."
Grom growled. "Many. Strong."
Wei Chen closed his fan, shared flame still warm between them. "Then we prepare. Together."
But deep in the coffin, a single whisper lingered—just for Wei Chen.
They'll turn… when they learn how much you truly need…
The brand pulsed once. Waiting.
To be Continued
© Kishtika., 2026
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