The great gates of the Burning Sun Sect creaked open with solemn weight. Dawn light spilled across the courtyards, gilding the armor of the Zhenlong household guards and the banners that rippled in the wind. The moment of parting had come.
Haotian and Lianhua stood before the assembled elders and disciples, their hands clasped together as the Zhenlong entourage prepared to depart. The carriages gleamed, the horses stamped, and the air carried the hush of reluctant farewell.
Wuhen approached first, his expression proud yet softened by fatherly warmth. Qirou and Ruolan stood beside him, their gazes lingering on Haotian and Lianhua as though reluctant to let go.
"Haotian," Wuhen said, his voice steady, "you have grown far beyond the boy I once guided by the hand. You stand as an elder now—not just of this sect, but of our bloodline. Carry that name with dignity." He glanced at Lianhua, his eyes softening. "And you—thank you for standing by him. The path of cultivation is harsh, but no one need walk it alone."
Qirou smiled gently. "Cherish each other. Strength will come, but love will temper it."Ruolan added with her usual firmness, "And don't forget your family. The Zhenlong household will always be your foundation."
Haotian bowed deeply. "Father, Mother, I will not forget."
His siblings came next—older brothers Wei'an and Liangyu, and his sister Meiran. Each clasped his shoulder or embraced him in turn, words brimming with approval and a thread of rivalry."Don't let us fall too far behind," Wei'an laughed.Liangyu smirked, "If you embarrass the Zhenlong name, I'll come drag you back myself."Meiran simply hugged Lianhua and whispered, "Take care of him for us."
At last, the ancestors approached.
Yangshen's presence pressed down like a mountain, though his tone was softer than before. "Boy, your pace is too fast. Do not mistake speed for mastery. Temper your Dao like steel—slowly, under the hammer of patience."
Yuying touched Lianhua's hand, her eyes gleaming with warmth. "Child, you've anchored him well. But remember—when storms rage, an anchor must not break. Support each other, even when doubt gnaws."
Jinhai's grin was wry. "You've found power, Haotian. Good. But remember—power draws envy as much as respect. Choose your battles wisely."
Meiyun, ever the more lighthearted, leaned closer with a mischievous smile. "And don't waste your youth worrying too much. Enjoy the life you're building. Cultivation isn't all about grim faces and clenched fists."
Haotian and Lianhua bowed together. "We will remember."
The ancestors nodded, then turned. With a surge of qi, their figures blurred into the sky, soaring as streaks of light. The Zhenlong banners followed, an army in perfect order, until the horizon swallowed them.
Silence settled over the sect gates. Only then did Haotian exhale, fingers tightening around Lianhua's. She looked up at him, her smile both wistful and determined.
"They've left us a heavy mantle," she whispered.Haotian's gaze turned firm, his heart steady. "Then we'll bear it—together."
When the banners of the Zhenlong household had vanished beyond the horizon and the Ancestors' auras faded like receding thunder, life within the Burning Sun Sect began to settle once more. Yet for Haotian and Lianhua, a new rhythm awaited them—one not of public spectacle, but of quiet cultivation and shared growth.
That night, behind the layers of formations in their secluded quarters, the two returned to the Union of Dual Souls Sutra—but now, guided by Haotian's corrected version.
This time, their cycles were deliberate.The moans and breaths that once threatened to spiral out of control now followed a cadence, steady yet no less intimate. Their yin and yang qi threaded together like rivers guided into their proper channels. Heat coursed through their meridians, but did not overflow; strength tempered their bones and muscles, but did not shatter balance. They counted each cycle, pausing where once they would have been consumed. By the tenth, they halted, resting within the embrace of harmony rather than collapse.
When dawn came, they were not left gasping at the edge of carnage, but calm—glowing, their qi refined, their bodies strengthened at a steady pace. Lianhua smiled as she rested her head against Haotian's chest, her voice a quiet murmur."We've mastered it. The sutra is ours now—not a chain, but a tool."Haotian stroked her hair and replied with certainty, "And with it, we'll shape our path without fear."
In the days that followed, their cultivation diverged into personal focuses, yet always converged in their shared nights.
Haotian began his practice of the Scripture of the Primordial Sun. Each session was a furnace. He sat cross-legged, sweat beading across his skin as waves of fiery qi scorched and tempered his body. It was no gentle warmth—this was the primordial blaze, a flame meant to destroy weakness and leave only unyielding iron. His meridians hardened, his muscles tightened, his very bones glowed faintly under his skin with threads of fire. With every breath, he felt closer to molding the Ultimate Yang Fire—the truest flame that would eclipse his old Solaris Verdant Codex like dawn over embers.
Lianhua, meanwhile, danced with lightness. She poured herself into the Cloud-Sundering Steps until her body seemed like mist skimming a mountaintop. Watching her practice was like watching silk drift in the wind—each motion unpredictable, her steps weightless, her body vanishing and reappearing with startling grace. Then came the Voidpierce Sword Sutra. Her blade shimmered with intent, every thrust precise enough to rattle the air itself. In training grounds she left behind afterimages of slashing light, cutting dummies into ribbons before her sword returned to stillness as though untouched.
Together, they represented balance.The furnace and the mist. The blazing spear and the vanishing sword.
Their progress no longer shocked the sect as violently as before—yet the whispers of disciples grew ever louder. Some called them the Heavenly Pair, others the Rising Sun and Moon of the Sect. The rival factions, though envious, could no longer deny their supremacy.
And within their private quarters, as the moonlight spilled across their bed and the formations hummed softly around them, Haotian and Lianhua would clasp hands once more—resuming their sutra, controlling the cycles, pushing their growth step by step. Not recklessly, but steadily.
This was the beginning of their true foundation.
The days following the departure of the Zhenlong household and the ancestors slipped into a rhythm of quiet stability. Without the pressure of visitors and political ceremony, Haotian and Lianhua returned to their secluded quarters and focused wholly on cultivation.
Haotian sat cross-legged beneath the formations he himself had set, the golden runes humming softly around him. His Nine Elements swirled like rivers in his dantian—fiery red currents of flame, the cool flow of water, the sharp glint of metal, the steady earth, the whispering wind, and the subtler, newer forces of space, time, and yin-yang pulsing like hidden stars. Each day he worked on tempering their resonance, threading them closer toward harmony, his spear arts gradually adjusting to weave these deeper truths.
Lianhua, meanwhile, had taken to the training grounds with her sword and footwork. The Cloud-Sundering Steps gave her a fluid grace that made her movements seem like mist unraveling before a storm. Her blade danced with the Voidpierce Sword Sutra, each strike carrying a strange sharpness that seemed to pierce beyond the surface of matter itself. Though her progress was only at the beginning stages, she was already leaving deep impressions in the training dummies and causing the watching disciples to whisper in awe.
At night, when the faction quieted, the two often met once again under the perfected Union of Dual Souls Sutra. Their cultivation cycles were no longer frantic or uncontrolled. Instead, they set careful targets—ten cycles, then twelve—steady progress that tempered their bodies and deepened their soul transformation foundations without attracting unwanted suspicion.
The Raising Dragon and Phoenix Faction thrived under their captains' guidance, but it was these private nights that forged the future of the two leaders. Haotian's ultimate yang fire grew steadily more refined, his body beginning to resist even the hottest flames of his own creation, while Lianhua's movements grew sharper and more elusive, each step closer to piercing the veil of the void itself.
In this peace, the two felt their power growing—and for once, the sect had no storm pressing down upon them.
Peace never lasted long.
One crisp morning, the Burning Sun Sect disciples gathered in the central plaza after the bells rang thrice, a sign that an important announcement was coming. Murmurs ran through the ranks until the Sect Master himself appeared, his voice resonant, carrying to every corner of the sect.
"A message has come. The Azure Dragon Sky Sect, a high-tier sect and pillar of the Western Yulong Sect Alliance, will be visiting us within three days' time."
The air trembled with shock. The Burning Sun Sect was strong, yes, but everyone knew their status — a subsidiary sect, one of many nurtured and kept under the shadow of the alliance. The Azure Dragon Sky Sect, however, was on an entirely different plane. Their elders walked the Dao Domain Realm, and their sect master was whispered to have already stepped into the Saint Realm — a figure who could shake entire provinces with a mere thought.
The Sect Master's gaze swept over the crowd, resting on Haotian and Lianhua standing together.
"They have heard of our rising dragon and phoenix, our newly promoted young elders — and they wish to see you both with their own eyes."
A heavy silence followed before whispers exploded like thunder.
"They're coming just for Elder Haotian and Elder Lianhua?""A Saint Realm master's sect wants to meet them? How high will our sect's prestige rise?""Or… how much pressure will descend upon us?"
Even the Six Guards shifted uneasily at the news, their usual banter quiet. Only Lianhua's hand tightened around Haotian's, her lips pressing together in a nervous line.
Haotian, however, merely lowered his head, thoughtful. The Azure Dragon Sky Sect was not coming out of courtesy alone. Curiosity, opportunity, suspicion — any one of these could be hidden beneath their visit. And though his heart was calm, he could already feel the waves of change approaching.
After the announcement, the plaza slowly dispersed, though it took longer than usual; disciples lingered in knots of conversation, voices thick with awe and unease. The news was too heavy to simply walk away from.
But soon, a bell tolled again — one that summoned only elders.
Haotian and Lianhua were escorted to the Council Hall, where the Sect Master, the Grand Elders, and trusted captains of the sect were already assembled. The air here was much heavier than outside, tinged with both reverence and a faint undercurrent of fear.
The Sect Master stood at the head, his expression unreadable. He gestured for Haotian and Lianhua to sit near him — a position that spoke volumes.
"You've heard the news," he began, his voice calm, but carrying the weight of steel. "The Azure Dragon Sky Sect is not just any high-tier sect. They are the keystone of the Western Yulong Sect Alliance. Their presence here could elevate us… or crush us."
An elder with silver hair frowned deeply.
"Sect Master, forgive me, but why would such a power stir itself to visit our humble Burning Sun Sect? It cannot be mere celebration of the young elders' promotion. They must have other aims."
Another elder slammed his palm against the arm of his chair.
"What if they demand Haotian and Lianhua leave with them? What if they try to claim them under their banner?"
The room stirred at this, mutters filling the air. Several elders glanced at Haotian — some with worry, others with envy, as if the thought of one of their own being taken by the Azure Dragon Sky Sect was both a blessing and a threat.
Lianhua's brows furrowed, her hand instinctively resting on Haotian's sleeve beneath the table.
"We won't go," she whispered, low enough only for him to hear.
The Sect Master raised his hand, silencing the hall.
"Do not forget — we are their subsidiary. If they command, we cannot openly refuse. But," his gaze sharpened, "that does not mean we go in blind."
He turned to Haotian, his eyes narrowing slightly, not with mistrust but with a kind of weighted reliance.
"Haotian, Lianhua — you will meet them with dignity. But you must be careful. The Azure Dragon Sky Sect will not show their true purpose easily. They may test you, probe you, perhaps even tempt you."
One of the Grand Elders, voice dry as parchment, added:
"Their sect master is said to have once subdued a peak Saint Beast with nothing but his spiritual will. Even his envoys are figures of terrifying weight. Do not think lightly of them."
Haotian inclined his head respectfully, his tone steady.
"I understand. We will not shame the Burning Sun Sect."
Lianhua followed with a solemn nod.
"We will stand together."
The Sect Master studied the two for a long moment, then a rare, quiet smile curved his lips.
"Good. Then remember — while they may come as guests, it is we who must guard our hearts. If they see a united front, they cannot divide us."
The council ended in silence, each elder leaving with heavy steps, minds racing with possibilities.
As Haotian and Lianhua walked out together, the evening sky already painted crimson, Lianhua exhaled softly.
"They will test us. I can feel it."
Haotian glanced at her, his expression calm but resolute.
"Then let them test. We've passed every trial laid before us. This will be no different."
Yet, in the depths of his eyes, the Eyes of the Universe flickered faintly. Unlike the others, he already suspected: this visit was not coincidence. It was fate moving another piece on the board.
That night, after the council had dispersed, Haotian could still feel the weight in Lianhua's silence. Her hand trembled slightly as they walked back through the lantern-lit corridors. He stopped, gently turned her palm upward, and pressed his lips against it.
She looked at him, startled, the worry still etched across her delicate features. Before she could speak, he drew her close, wrapping an arm around her shoulders in a half-embrace.
"Everything will be fine," he murmured against her hair. "The Azure Dragon Sky Sect stands high, yes, but they have their name and their reputation to protect. Their master sits at the Saint Realm — a realm so lofty he cannot act rashly, not here. They will come with grandeur, not chaos."
Lianhua's lashes trembled. She wanted to believe him. And though her worry did not vanish completely, the warmth of his embrace eased the storm in her chest. She rested her head against him, allowing his certainty to steady her own.
The days that followed moved like water under ice — calm on the surface, tension flowing beneath. And then, at last, the sky itself split with grandeur.
From the horizon, a wave of spiritual pressure swept across the Burning Sun Sect, so vast that disciples gasped and clutched their robes. Clouds twisted into the form of a dragon, and within that illusion, radiant figures approached astride streaks of light.
The Azure Dragon Sky Sect had arrived.
The Sect Master of the Burning Sun Sect and every elder went forth in full regalia, their sleeves wide, their spiritual auras restrained but ready. The drums of welcome thundered across the sect grounds, disciples lined in rows with heads bowed low.
Haotian and Lianhua stood among the foremost ranks — beside their Sect Master, shoulders squared, expressions composed. Yet within Lianhua's sleeve, Haotian felt her fingers curl ever so slightly. He shifted his hand, interlacing his fingers with hers where no one could see. A silent promise passed between them.
High above, the figures descended — cloaked in azure light, their robes embroidered with the dragon that symbolized their might. At their head stood an elder whose mere gaze weighed heavier than mountains. Behind him, envoys of the Azure Dragon Sky Sect followed in stately silence.
The crowd hushed as they touched ground.
The Sect Master of Burning Sun Sect stepped forward, bowing low with all the elders beside him. His voice rang like bronze.
"Welcome, honored guests of the Azure Dragon Sky Sect, pillar of the Western Yulong Alliance. The Burning Sun Sect greets you in full respect."
The Azure Dragon elder's lips curved faintly, an expression neither warm nor cold. His eyes scanned the assembled — pausing, inevitably, on Haotian and Lianhua. The weight of that gaze lingered, testing, measuring.
For a heartbeat, it felt as though the entire sect held its breath.
Haotian lifted his chin and met the elder's eyes without flinching. His grip on Lianhua's hand tightened — not in fear, but in steady reassurance.
The procession did not end at the gates. The Azure Dragon delegation was ushered through crimson-pillared corridors and lotus-tiled courtyards until they reached the great council hall of the Burning Sun Sect. The hall itself had been cleansed and draped in banners of red and gold, the dragon sigil of Burning Sun gleaming at the center — but beside it now hung the azure banners of their honored guests.
The disciples lining the walkways whispered in awe, but their voices carried no venom. The delegation bore smiles, not hostility. Their presence was vast yet strangely unthreatening, as though a mountain had descended to walk among them but did not crush the grass it stepped upon.
Inside the council hall, Haotian and Lianhua stood beside their Sect Master and the line of elders. When the Azure Dragon envoys entered, their spiritual pressure flowed like a tide yet never drowned the room.
At their head was the High Elder, his beard white as frost, his eyes gleaming like polished steel. He smiled warmly when his gaze landed upon Haotian and Lianhua.
"So, these are the two… the young heirs spoken of."
The room stiffened. The elder's smile broadened as he continued.
"Let me speak plainly, so there is no confusion. The sect master of my Azure Dragon Sky Sect is not merely aware of your Four Saint Dragons… he is their friend. Their sworn comrade."
A murmur rolled through the hall like distant thunder. Elders who had sat taut with unease now exhaled; disciples who had peered in through the edges of the chamber nearly toppled each other in relief. And in the midst of it all, Lianhua let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, her hand brushing against Haotian's sleeve beneath the folds of her robe.
The elder's words struck with gentleness yet finality:
"We did not come with ill will. We came because of them. The Saint Dragon Yangshen himself asked that we take you both — Haotian, Lianhua — as disciples under our banner."
The words fell like a gong strike.
The council hall erupted in astonished whispers. Disciples pressed against each other, elders blinked in disbelief. The two youngest elders of the Burning Sun Sect… as disciples?
The High Elder lifted his hand, silencing the room as easily as a mountain casts a shadow. His tone softened, yet carried no less weight.
"I know what you are thinking. You wear the mantle of elders here, yet your cultivation rests in the Soul Transformation Realm. In truth, that is not enough to qualify for such rank in our halls. There, even elders are of the Heavenly Tribulation and beyond."
A sharp intake of breath. The statement was not insult — it was fact. But facts cut deep.
"If you were to come, you would not retain your titles as elders. You would stand as inner disciples. That is the measure of our sect."
A stunned silence stretched across the hall.
But the High Elder was not finished. His eyes, warm yet piercing, shifted back to Haotian and Lianhua.
"Yet exceptions can be made. Should you accept, the sect master will see to it that you receive double the stipend you do here. You will be granted private residences befitting your dignity. And you will walk the halls of our libraries — the same access granted to core disciples."
Even the stoic elders of the Burning Sun Sect could not help but gasp. Disciples at the edges exchanged frantic glances. This was not a stripping-down of status — it was a reshaping.
The elder spread his hands, inviting, almost gentle.
"This is what awaits you, should you choose to come under the Azure Dragon Sky Sect. But I will not force the matter. Tell me, what are your thoughts?"
The hall fell utterly silent. All eyes turned toward Haotian and Lianhua.
Haotian felt the weight of a hundred gazes, the pressure of futures unfolding. He glanced once at Lianhua, her lips pressed thin, eyes betraying worry yet trust. He took a step forward.
Cupping his hands, he bowed low.
"Honored elder, your words weigh heavier than mountains. But such a decision cannot be made in haste. I ask for time to consider. This path is not one to tread without care."
His voice carried steady and strong. The murmurs rose again, but this time tinged with admiration.
The High Elder of the Azure Dragon Sky Sect smiled faintly, as though this was the answer he had expected.
"Wise. Very wise. Time, then, you shall have."
The matter settled — for now.