The air in Yunxie village crackled with tension, thick with the acrid scent of battle and the metallic tang of spilled blood. At the heart of this maelstrom, an unexpected revelation was about to change the course of the conflict.
Madam Tang, her weathered face etched with lines of worry and determination, stepped forward. Her eyes, usually twinkling with grandmotherly warmth, now blazed with an otherworldly light. "Wang Ying," she called, her voice carrying an authority that belied her fragile appearance, "it's time."
Wang Ying's eyes widened in sudden understanding, a mixture of awe and fear crossing his features. "Sister, you can't mean..."
She nodded grimly. "I am the Keeper of the Seal, brother. The protector of the Celestial Forge. And now, I must fulfill my duty."
