Returning to The Unburnt, Mo Chen felt the weight of her crown heavier than ever. The world was not just a chessboard of rival powers. It was a web of ancient hatreds and personal vendettas, stretching back decades. Her mother's war had become her own in ways she never imagined.
She stood in her private quarters, looking at a satellite image of the Yun family estate. Her family was safe, happy, oblivious. Protected by the monster she had become.
Is that all she was? A monster who burned things to keep the darkness at bay?
The system chimed, a gentle pulse in her mind. It was not a demand, but an update.
[Sustained period of stable dominion detected. Host's comprehension of power evolving. System Syncing…]
[New Function Unlocked: Phoenix Forge.]
[Phoenix Forge: Host may now channel 'Burn' energy directly into acts of creation. Fusing raw materials into new, complex structures. Success and quality depend on host's focus, available materials, and scale of the burn.]
It was an offshoot of her [Spiritual Crafting] ability, but on a grand, architectural scale. She could build, not just destroy.
She looked at the image of the estate, then at the schematics of The Forge. An idea, both terrifying and magnificent, began to take shape.
She wouldn't just be a destroyer in the shadows. She would be a creator. She would build a kingdom so formidable, so impregnable, that it would be a shield for generations. A legacy of fire and steel.
The Phoenix would not just rise from the ashes. It would build a new world from them.