The temple trembled.
Golden flames surged around Li Xue as she floated above the lotus throne, her body suspended in midair. Her long black hair danced wildly as divine energy pulsed from her core, sending shockwaves through the chamber.
Jiang Feng's heart pounded. He had seen powerful cultivators before, but this—this was beyond human comprehension.
Her once-clear eyes had turned into molten gold, flickering between humanity and divinity. And as she opened her lips, her voice was no longer just hers.
It was layered, carrying the weight of countless voices, an echo of something ancient.
"I remember…"
Jiang Feng took a step forward. "Li Xue, wake up!"
But the moment he moved, the golden flames surged toward him.
He barely dodged, rolling to the side as the floor where he stood melted into liquid jade. The throne chamber groaned as divine energy spiraled out of control, shaking the entire temple. The elder monks, who had been standing in silent vigil, finally fell to their knees in reverence—or was it fear?
The elder monk who had guided them earlier bowed his head. "She has begun to awaken."
Jiang Feng gritted his teeth. "And that's supposed to be a good thing? She's losing control!"
The elder remained still. "This is fate. The celestial maiden must reclaim her past."
Jiang Feng didn't care about fate. He only cared about her.
Without hesitation, he leaped into the storm of divine flames.
—
Inside the Abyss of Divinity
Li Xue was falling.
Or was she rising?
The world around her was endless, a vast sea of gold and black, swirling together in a cosmic dance. Memories that weren't hers flickered in and out of existence—visions of past lives, battles fought under shattered heavens, whispers of gods long forgotten.
And then—
She saw them.
Countless celestial maidens, their faces both familiar and foreign, standing in a vast expanse of stars. They wore the same flowing robes she did, bore the same lotus mark on their foreheads. And yet… each of them was dead.
Their bodies faded into golden mist, their voices whispering:
"We were you. And you will become us."
Li Xue's breath hitched.
She wasn't afraid of death.
But this—this endless cycle of power and destruction—this was not a life.
She clenched her fists, trying to steady herself, trying to grasp onto something real.
Jiang Feng…
His name echoed in her mind.
And suddenly, a hand reached through the golden abyss, grabbing her wrist.
—
Jiang Feng pulled with all his strength.
The divine flames fought against him, searing his skin, but he refused to let go. His fingers tightened around Li Xue's wrist, anchoring her back to reality.
"Come back," he growled, his voice raw. "I'm not letting you go!"
Li Xue's golden eyes flickered.
For a moment, the celestial energy raged against his grip. But then—her body tensed, and she gasped.
The golden flames collapsed inward, spiraling back into her core. The shaking temple stilled, the sky above them stopped cracking, and the suffocating pressure of divine power vanished.
Li Xue fell forward.
Jiang Feng caught her.
Her body was burning hot, but her breathing was ragged, human. She was back.
Jiang Feng exhaled, pressing his forehead against hers. "You scared the hell out of me."
Her lips curved into a weak smirk. "What, afraid of your own wife?"
Jiang Feng groaned. "You weren't exactly acting like my wife just now. More like a rampaging goddess."
She chuckled softly but then winced. Her body was weakened, the aftermath of containing so much divine energy.
The elder monk stepped forward, his eyes filled with awe. "You have successfully reclaimed the power of the celestial maiden. You are now… truly divine."
Jiang Feng glared at him. "You call that a success? She almost lost herself!"
The elder remained unmoved. "This was always meant to happen."
Jiang Feng hated that answer.
But before he could argue further, Li Xue grabbed his hand, squeezing it.
"It's fine," she murmured. "I'm still me."
Jiang Feng's chest tightened. He wanted to believe her.
But deep inside, he wasn't sure.
—
Later that night, the temple was silent.
Li Xue rested inside a private chamber, recovering from the ordeal. Jiang Feng sat beside her, watching over her sleeping form.
And then—
He felt it.
A presence.
A shadow flickered across the wall—too fast, too unnatural. Jiang Feng's instincts screamed danger. He reached for his sword and lunged just as something moved in the darkness.
His blade clashed against an unseen force, sending a shockwave through the chamber.
A voice chuckled from the shadows.
"So, the celestial maiden has truly awakened… How interesting."
Jiang Feng's grip tightened. "Who are you?"
The shadows twisted, forming into the shape of a man—a figure clad in black robes, his face hidden beneath a dark hood. But what unnerved Jiang Feng the most was his aura.
It wasn't demonic. It wasn't celestial.
It was something else entirely.
"I suppose it doesn't matter," the figure mused. "Because soon, she will belong to us."
Jiang Feng's eyes burned with fury.
"Over my dead body."
The figure smiled.
"That can be arranged."
And then—
Darkness consumed the room.