In the southern district of Jian'an, the flames had finally died, leaving only scorched earth and rubble. Amid broken walls and shattered beams, cries and wails echoed endlessly. Soldiers and townsfolk labored side by side—lifting corpses, tending the wounded. The air reeked of blood and burnt timber, pressing heavy on the chest.
Li Tianyuan stood quietly among the ruins, his spear still stained with blood. He gazed at the ruined homes before him, a crushing weight in his heart. Though the Inverse Spirit Sect had been repelled, he had failed to protect the people of an entire city.
"Tianyuan." Mu Xueyin's voice was soft, filled with tenderness but shadowed by sorrow.
Li Tianyuan lifted his head, his voice hoarse. "I defeated the enemy… yet I lost the people."
Fu Yuan stepped forward, his tone firm. "This is not your fault. Without you, the southern district would already be nothing but ash."
At dawn the next day, within the imperial court of Jian'an.
The ministers had long since gathered, the hall filled with a heavy silence. News had already spread across the city: the Inverse Spirit Sect had launched a sudden attack on the southern district. Hundreds of innocents were dead or wounded. The National Defense Army had fought bitterly to suppress the assault, and the city had nearly fallen.
"The remnants of the Inverse Spirit Sect dare to strike at Jian'an itself! If such evil is not eradicated, how can the nation remain at peace?" The Minister of War slammed the table, his face dark with fury.
"Yet why was the southern district's defense so fragile? Where were the patrols of the army?" The Minister of Works spoke with a sharp edge, his words veiled but his accusation clear.
As the voices clashed, the emperor's deep tone cut through the hall. "Though the battle was perilous, it was only through Li Tianyuan's strength that the city was saved. Have any of you objections to this?"
The court erupted in murmurs.
"Li Tianyuan? A mere scholar, driving back such foes?""Your Majesty, this matter is strange indeed. How could he awaken such power overnight? If it turns against him, will we not face yet another disaster?"
Some praised, some doubted; the voices grew louder, sharper.
Fu Yuan stepped forward, his hands clasped, his tone solemn. "Your Majesty, the power young Li displayed resonates with the aura of the Nation's Cauldron. This old Daoist dares suggest: he may be heaven's chosen… or heaven's trial. He cannot be abandoned, nor punished rashly."
"Heaven's chosen…" The emperor's gaze lingered, thoughtful. After a long silence, he slowly nodded. "Issue my decree—Li Tianyuan is to be named Inspector of National Fate. Though not a lofty post, it grants him authority to move with the National Defense Army and issue commands as needed."
The court fell into uproar.
Meanwhile, in the streets and alleys of Jian'an, the tale of the battle spread like wildfire.
"Have you heard? Last night, in the southern district, that scholar shattered the demon's shadow with a single spear thrust, golden light blazing from his body!""They say he's the Child of National Fate, sent by the heavens to suppress demons!""Bah, I heard such power is dangerous—what if it turns back on him one day?"
The city buzzed with divided voices. Some hailed him a savior, others whispered in dread.
Within the army camp, morale soared. Soldiers spoke with awe of the moment Li Tianyuan forced the black-robed leader back with a single strike. Young warriors whispered among themselves, some even daring to call him Heaven's Mandated Inspector.
Mu Changfeng, watching from the side, spoke coldly. "Hearts are fickle. If you cannot master this power, even the army's faith in you will turn against you."
Li Tianyuan said nothing. He only gripped his spear tighter, training with relentless focus. He knew Mu Changfeng's words were not harshness, but warning.
Fu Yuan approached, handing him a worn, ancient text. "This is the Secret Record of the Cauldron Patterns. Within it are methods of breathing and balance. Remember this well: to master the Cauldron's power is not to battle the heavens—it is to battle yourself."
Li Tianyuan accepted it with both hands, his heart echoing the words: To battle oneself…
That night, atop the imperial palace.
The emperor stood alone in the royal study, gazing toward the dark outline of Jian'an city. The candlelight flickered, throwing long shadows upon the desk, whispering unspoken unease.
"A child of destiny… blessing, or calamity?"
Far beyond Jian'an, deep within a shadowed forest, the leader of the Inverse Spirit Sect sat cross-legged within a blackened array. Dark mist coiled about him as he muttered under his breath:
"The Cauldron's aura has emerged… The key has been revealed… The true sacrifice is about to begin."
The black fog spread outward, like a blood-red curtain being drawn across the entire world.