The sky was dim and yellow, but suddenly a nine-colored glow shot up, illuminating the entire Star Dou Forest.
A crisp, resounding birdcall echoed through every corner of the horizon.
On the eastern mountains appeared a Fenghuang—the legendary phoenix—its body seemingly draped in nine-colored light. Every feather shimmered with a spectrum of colors, proud and majestic.
This phoenix, a mythical divine bird, had a long, elegant body and broad, splendid wings. Each feather reflected a different hue, dazzling like a rainbow. Its head was adorned with a magnificent headdress, and its long tail fluttered with the wind, exuding nobility and grace.
At this moment, its eyes shone bright and deep, radiating wisdom and unyielding spirit.
It spread its wings, gathering the nine elements of heaven and earth, and with each resounding cry, they surged violently.
The phoenix disregarded the bounds of the world, daringly attacking the gods above the Nine Heavens.
The nine-colored glow clashed with the deep blue powers above, sending rays scattering in all directions.
The high god above looked upon the phoenix with disdain as they battled, while a girl stood behind him, gazing at the phoenix with eyes full of concern.
The collision between them cast shadows over the world; it seemed space itself was torn into slashes. Elemental forces went into chaos as divine power collided with soul energy.
But human—or mortal—strength has its limits. This world bound those who had not ascended to godhood too tightly. Even a divine phoenix with the highest-level bloodline could not withstand the god.
The girl behind the god tried to rush forward, but she was restrained time and again, forced to watch helplessly as the phoenix fell.
Meanwhile, a massive silver dragon was also trapped by overwhelming divine force, unable to exert even a fraction of its power.
The phoenix gradually plummeted from the sky, its rainbow-colored glow fading, until it finally fell behind the mountains at sunset, leaving the world without light.
The phoenix soared, its wings flapping—once a symbol of heaven!
Yet the sun would rise again; light always returns. The world never lacks hope.
When the phoenix returns through rebirth, it rises from the flames, crafting poetry from tragedy and divine might.
Lin Xiuran awoke with a start, breathing in fresh air in deep gulps, still feeling remnants of the pain on his body.
"A dream?"
He calmed himself and realized it had all been a fleeting dream. But it had felt so real that he almost didn't believe it, as if every event had truly happened.
Settling his thoughts, he prepared to get up—but then heard a knock on the door.
After putting on his clothes and opening the door, he found it was Gu Yue. The East Sea Academy was already on holiday, and the students had mostly left.
He had promised Gu Yue yesterday that he would join the Spirit Pagoda today, so there was no reason to refuse.
Gu Yue's calm eyes swept over Lin Xiuran. "Let's go."
Lin Xiuran no longer felt the slight fear he had the first time he saw Gu Yue, regarding her true identity. After all, in his Spirit Sea resided a fully realized Gu Yue Na.
Feeling her cold and distant aura now seemed normal. They had only attended one final exam together, yet it was clear she still cared deeply about Tang Wulin. That much had not changed.
Joining the Spirit Pagoda was simple. Although Gu Yue was guiding him into it, it was essentially the same as any ordinary soul master joining—benefits and treatment were standard. He wasn't Gu Yue; his talent meant he couldn't yet attract special attention.
But the Spirit Pagoda was indeed the wealthiest organization on the continent, offering excellent benefits. For Lin Xiuran at his current stage, it was more than enough.
Gu Yue guided him through a series of basic procedures and knowledge, the standard stuff for Spirit Tower recruits.
Watching him busy himself with basic training, Gu Yue's gaze lingered a moment. She sensed something special about him—an inexplicable closeness that she couldn't define.
She chose not to dwell on it. Her current focus was more on the wager concerning Tang Wulin. He must be won, and Na'er must eventually be integrated—these were necessities.
Busy life was fulfilling. Lin Xiuran split his time between the dormitory and the Spirit Pagoda.
One night, returning from the Spirit Tower to his dorm, he walked, as there were no soul-guided buses operating at night. The distance was long, but he didn't mind; it was good exercise, and with his twenty-plus level cultivation, it wasn't tiring.
This time, however, he saw Ouyang Zixin at the academy gate.
Lin Xiuran's expression was calm. "What are you doing?"
"Xiuran… I…" Ouyang Zixin heard the detached tone in his voice and felt a pang in her chest. The words she had prepared could not be spoken.
Lin Xiuran sighed lightly and said seriously, "Ouyang Zixin, sometimes endings are good. I'm grateful for your help in the past, but now I will not consider anything else. Bridges are bridges, roads are roads. I made it clear last time."
Suppressing her turbulent emotions, Ouyang Zixin spoke with a trembling voice, "Don't misunderstand. I only came to deliver something from Xiaoyan to you."
She then produced a gift box and handed it to Lin Xiuran.
"This is a birthday gift from Xiaoyan."
Without another word, she ran off toward the street.
Lin Xiuran blinked, then shook his head and looked at the gift box in his hands.
It was exquisite. Inside was a finely crafted soul-guided watch—the same one Xue Xiaoyan had given him last year, his only birthday gift in years from the Xu family.
Earlier, before reaching level twenty, he had planned to pawn the watch for money because he needed funds. The watch was valuable enough to get tens of thousands of federation coins. He had considered discussing it with Xiaoyan first, but she had been angry, tossing the watch into the trash, seeing the pawning of her gift as a waste of her heartfelt intention.
[Author's Note: The story continues slowly—later chapters will gradually reveal the foreshadowing planted here.]
(Chapter End)