.....
The sect still trembled from the Bloodseal Bloom massacre, yet Sima Jiao showed no sign of guilt or restraint. His power only grew more terrifying, and whispers spread like wildfire: The Demon Lord's spirit fire is unstoppable.
A New Punishment
One elder dared to voice his disapproval, condemning the needless deaths. His words had barely left his lips before Sima Jiao raised a hand.
A blaze of spirit fire roared forth. Unlike ordinary flame, this fire clung to the elder's very soul, burning from within. His screams shook the hall until only ash and silence remained.
The disciples shrank back, horror etched into their faces.
Liao Tingyan clenched her fists, her chest tight. Each display of his power made her feel smaller, trapped in a world where survival depended on the whim of one man.
The Warning
Later, when Tingyan found herself alone with him, she couldn't contain her voice.
"Why must you kill like this? They were your own sect brothers."
Sima Jiao tilted his head, his eyes dark and amused. "Sect brothers? They wanted the flower. They wanted power. I merely gave them what they desired."
"You gave them death!"
His smile widened. "Then remember this: in this world, those who can't protect themselves will always die. Including you."
Her breath caught, a chill sliding down her spine.
The Spirit Fire Revealed
That night, Tingyan witnessed something she hadn't expected.
Training in the secluded valley, Sima Jiao summoned his Spirit Fire fully—a flame so pure and bright it seemed to devour the heavens. It burned without fuel, without end, feeding on his very life force.
Yet his expression was calm, almost serene, as if the flame were both his greatest weapon and his eternal burden.
For the first time, Tingyan saw not just cruelty but loneliness etched into the Demon Lord's figure.
✨ End of Episode 7 — Flames of the Spirit Fire