Note: Thanks for reading! Don't forget to drop Power Stones and leave a comment to help the story reach more readers.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Within the Sun Crow Barrier, a tempest of celestial fire raged, the Sun Crow Void Flame and Purple Heart Burning Void Flame entwining in a frenzied dance neither Lan An nor Yan Yue Qi could have foreseen. The golden dome trembled, its heat soaring as the mountain of Supreme-Grade Spirit Stones around them incinerated, flooding the barrier with spiritual energy tenfold denser than before. Suspended in the inferno, their bodies one tempered by trials, the other forged anew—faced a crucible of agony and transformation, their dual cultivation through the Dragon Immortal Sacred Canon binding them as yin and yang, a beacon against the beast horde's distant roars. The Conquer the Mother-in-Law quest pulsed with promise, their bond a spark poised to ignite the heavens.
"Ancient records claim a cultivator can wield but one Different Flame, lest their body rupture in ruin. Is this not so?" Yan Yue Qi's voice, laced with urgency, reached Lan An through their spiritual link, her eyes reflecting the blazing vortex above.
"Fear not, Yue Qi," Lan An replied, his voice a steady anchor as he drew her closer, their forms entwined amidst the flames. "My Immortal Genesis Scripture defies such limits. The fusion will be painful, but we shall emerge stronger."
The Immortal Genesis Scripture, a forbidden art, rendered this fusion merely a surprise to Lan An, his confidence unshaken. The ground beneath them charred into a fathomless chasm, the Purple Heart Burning Void Flame and Sun Crow Void Flame cradling their bodies aloft, a celestial stage for their trial.
A scream tore from Yan Yue Qi as their flesh seared, the flames relentless. Lan An's Immortal Genesis Scripture roared, reforging his body with each cycle of destruction and rebirth. Yet Yan Yue Qi, untrained in physical cultivation, could only endure, her resolve wavering under the torment.
Seeing her anguish, Lan An recalled his dual cultivation with Hong Lian, his voice urgent through their link. "Relax your body, Yue Qi. Through our union, I'll forge you as a Body Cultivator. Trust me!"
Yan Yue Qi bit her lip, nodding faintly, her form yielding to his guidance. Their bodies, though two, moved as one, the Immortal Genesis Scripture weaving its power through them, tempering their flesh in the crucible of fire. The Different Flames' ferocity burned their skin to ash, only for new cells to bloom, a cycle of annihilation and creation repeating endlessly.
A single Different Flame was a terror; their fusion birthed a force that warped space itself, the air shimmering with unbearable heat. Overwhelmed by agony, their consciousness faded, their bodies collapsing into oblivion.
Around them, a phantom Sun Crow Divine Beast materialized, its majestic wings enveloping them, the Purple Heart nesting at its core, pulsing with life. A resonant cry shattered the silence, the Sun Crow's once-cold eyes glinting with nascent sentience, its violet heart beating fiercely.
Recognizing the entwined pair as its future masters, the Sun Crow extended wings spanning yards, shielding them in a tender embrace. Its regal gaze softened, allowing the violet flames to seep into its form, the fusion unfolding with deliberate grace.
A new hue emerged, noble and resplendent Violet-Gold a flame born of their union, its radiance a testament to their shared destiny. The Dragon Immortal Sacred Canon continued its silent work, Lan An's yang energy transforming into Dragon Qi, Yan Yue Qi's yin into Immortal Qi, their spiritual and physical prowess rising in harmony.
An ocean of spiritual energy surged into a peerless beauty, her form seated in meditation, her once-pale visage now blooming with vitality. Ke Ya's lips parted, her eyes opening to reveal a flicker of worry as she murmured, "Days have passed, yet he hasn't entered. What's happening outside?"
The Unicorn Eagle King, even diminished, was a foe beyond Lan An's current strength, and Ke Ya feared for his safety. The arrival of the Monkey Clan prodigies only deepened her concern, her heart heavy with guilt for sparking this conflict.
Unbeknownst to her, the battle's ferocity had surpassed imagination, claiming countless lives and forcing Lan An into retreat. "Be at ease, Sister," a cool, soothing voice replied. Ke Bing, poised opposite, met her gaze with calm, her serene presence a balm. "Our Life-Death Pact binds us. If he were in peril, we'd feel it."
Ke Bing concealed her amnesia, relying on Lan An's memories to feign familiarity, her heart aching for the sacrifices Ke Ya had made for her sister. The twins sat close, their appearances mirror images, save for Ke Bing's newfound warmth, a shift from her former icy demeanor.
Having emerged from seclusion two days prior, Ke Bing's strength had soared to Early Spirit Form thanks to the Ice Blossom Exquisite Scripture gifted by Lan An, cultivated in the pearl's abundant resources. Within her chest, a translucent Ice Blossom Exquisite Heart pulsed, radiating frost and water, amplifying her mastery of ice and water techniques. Yet her memories remained veiled, a persistent shadow.
Ke Ya's gaze lingered on her sister, noting the transformation Ke Bing's innocence replaced by a mature allure, her coldness softened into gentle elegance. The mention of Lan An sparked a subtle joy in her eyes, a curve to her lips that puzzled Ke Ya. "Does becoming a true woman alter one's nature?" she mused, her worry for Lan An undiminished. "He has means, but this is the Dark Origin Continent, beast territory. Without tearing space, he's in grave danger."
Ke Bing's heart stirred with faint anxiety, knowing Lan An's fate was hers as well. Though their strength had partially recovered, the Spirit Realm Pearl was Lan An's domain, barring their exit without his consent.
"Sister, will you follow our husband with me?" Ke Bing asked, seizing the moment to advocate for Lan An, her hand clasping Ke Ya's.
Ke Ya sighed, a wry smile masking her warmth. "We owe him too much. This life, we can only repay by his side." Her eyes betrayed her heart, recalling Lan An's reckless rescue, a sweetness lingering within.
"But he has many women!" Ke Bing pressed, testing her sister's resolve.
Ke Ya laughed lightly, unperturbed. "In this world, strength claims all. If he seizes every beauty, what of it?" Her Void Refining heart, honed by trials, dismissed petty jealousy. Female titans with harems of men were no rarity; such was the way of power.
"And if he betrays us?" Ke Bing countered, her voice soft.
"I trust your heart as I trust my own," Ke Ya replied, her gaze steady. "If he falters, I'd depart silently, wishing him well," Ke Bing murmured, her eyes shimmering with resolve.
Nearby, a Western beauty soaked in the Elysium Spring, her youthful form radiant, curves glistening under the water's caress. Little Lion, privy to Lan An's peril, chose silence to spare the sisters' worry, focusing on healing to ease his burdens upon return.
Three women, bound by one man, wove their thoughts in quiet devotion, free of rivalry, each heart a unique tapestry of loyalty.
A city of boundless grandeur rose, its walls forged from Supreme-Grade Spirit Stones, stretching beyond sight, piercing clouds, and sprawling infinitely. Defensive arrays, impervious to Void Refining assaults, guarded its opulence, each brick a treasure untouchable by thieves. This was the Sacred City, the pinnacle of the Ice Heaven Continent, ruled by the Sacred Lotus Academy.
As the Academy's enrollment neared, the Sacred City buzzed with fervor, teeming with prodigies under a century old, a kaleidoscope of talent. Two Void Refining gatekeepers scrutinized entrants, ensuring no elder breached the age limit, preserving the trials' sanctity.
Unlike other cities rife with factional strife, the Sacred City was a haven for Independent Cultivators, where status dissolved, and all stood equal under the Academy's edict. Yet beyond its walls, lineage and power reigned, a truth none could escape. Many prodigies curried favor with scions of great clans, seeking patronage beyond the city's bounds, for only the Academy's elite could offer lasting ascent.
On a bustling boulevard, eyes converged on a youth of sixteen or seventeen, his Golden Core Perfection aura unremarkable yet commanding. Envy, admiration, and defiance swirled in the crowd's gazes. Flanked by three dashing men, their deference marked him as their leader, despite their superior realms.
This was Luo Yu, young master of the Luo Clan, a seventeen-year-old prodigy at Golden Core Perfection. While his realm paled before centennial titans, his age and dual Ice-Thunder Spiritual Roots, honed by a Heaven-Grade Technique, made him a force. The Luo Clan, an Eighth-Grade Power, secured four Academy slots, sparing Luo Yu the trials' perils.
Whispers rippled through the throng:
"The Luo Clan's young master? So young!"
"Indeed, his realm's modest, but the Luo Clan's might grants him entry without contest."
"Those behind him are formidable Luo Chang, son of the Grand Elder, Mid Spirit Form at eighty-nine, a renowned genius!"
"Luo Chang reached Golden Core Perfection at nineteen; Luo Yu did so at seventeen!"
"The Academy prizes talent over realm. Challenges balance cultivation, favoring the gifted."
"Exactly! The Academy seeks heirs, not mere power. Talent reigns supreme."
"Big Brother!" Two joyous cries pierced the air, silencing the crowd as twin maidens, clad in simple white, descended from the skies.
Their ethereal grace and peerless beauty stunned onlookers, but their flight—reserved for Nascent Soul—at fifteen years old sparked awe. "Heavens! Fifteen and Nascent Soul, twin sisters no less?" youths roared, their fervor shaking the street.
The twins alighted before Luo Yu, their smiles radiant. "Big Brother!" they chimed, their voices a harmonious melody.
Luo Yu's eyes flickered with shock and a trace of envy. These were his half-sisters, born two years after him to his father, Luo Po Lei, and another woman. Shortly after their birth, a Sacred Lotus Academy elder, visiting the Luo Clan, claimed them as disciples, raising them in the Academy's hallowed halls.
Their achievements outshone his younger, yet Nascent Soul, their prowess dwarfing his own. The elder, a Integration Stage titan, could raze the Luo Clan alone. Over a decade, their visits home were rare, their sibling bond strained by distance and disparity.
Luo Yu's heart harbored resentment why them, not him? Yet his face bloomed with warmth. "Luo Xuan, Luo Li! Your brother has missed you dearly!"