The city of Xingling was still in shock over the fall of the Crimson Lotus Sect. Rumors of the massacre spread like wildfire, with whispers of a figure that had emerged from the dark streets and alleys: the one who had razed the most powerful sect in the land. The fear was palpable, and with it, a subtle but undeniable shift in the balance of power.
Xian Hei felt no sense of satisfaction in the chaos he had created. His heart, once clouded by the guilt of his former life, was now blackened, hollow, and burning with one singular, relentless desire. He had killed the Crimson Lotus Sect, but that was only a stepping stone. He had not yet tasted the power he craved, the true power which would elevate him above all others-the power of the ancients.
For this, he needed to reach further into the forbidden realms-to those who had the knowledge and strength to stand in his way. First among them were the so-called Flames of Heaven-a secret order, hiding for centuries, thought by many to be merely a myth. They were said to have an ancient and terrifying power: a flame that could burn even the darkest of shadows. The Crimson Lotus was but a foothold, and now the Flames of Heaven was the mountain that would need to be scaled. Xian Hei would leave no stone unturned until he conquered it. ---
Xian Hei had spent the last few days studying the ancient texts he had seized from the Crimson Lotus Sect's library, pouring over every scrap of information he could find.
The more he read, the more he realized how little he knew.
The world he was born into was full of terrors, and the path he had chosen-one paved with blood and shadow-was not to be an easy one. The Flames of Heaven would not be an exception. These things, he knew, lay deeply concealed within the Tianlong Mountains-a domain infamously filled with savage beasts and craggy pathways. No mortal man dared to enter there. Also, the land guarded secretively the sect and was as unyielding in its secrecy as the life it harbored. However, Xian Hei had stopped being a commoner the moment he crossed over the threshold into the dark world, which now dominated each of his steps. In less than a week, he reached the foot of the Tianlong Mountains. The air was thin here, the temperature freezing, and the landscape desolate. But Xian Hei paid no mind to the harsh conditions. His cold-masking power made the cold seem puny, and his will to steal the power of the Flames of Heaven burned brighter than any flame could. As he delved deeper into the mountains, the path grew evermore perilous. Wild beasts and deadly traps were set out everywhere, but not a single one of these posed any relevance to him. His manipulation of the shadows allowed him to glide around even the most hazardous predators without leaving a hint. The farther he ventured, the heavier the air felt, as if the very land itself was trying to hinder his progress.
Until finally, on one day, after several days of crossing mountain paths, Xian Hei arrived at the hidden temple. It was a structure that was imposing, having been carved into the mountain's side, its surfaces carrying ancient symbols and inscriptions-the air thick with spiritual energy, the very atmosphere heavy with the power which was to be found within.
He stood at the entrance of the gates and knew his entry was far from being smooth. The Flames of Heaven did not take in many outsiders, and the tests conducted through them were as unforgiving as the flames they could use. Yet, Xian Hei showed no signs of fear. If he had to turn the entire mountain to ashes for what he sought, then so be it.
The gates opened slowly, creaking as if inviting him inside.
---
Inside, it was even more astonishing, with countless torches upon the walls of the temple, their fire burning in bright blue as it sent an unearthly glow across the room. Right in the middle of the temple was an altar with a single flame on it; its power was unlike anything Xian Hei had ever felt. It was true, the Flame of Heaven was, and more hazardous than he had ever envisioned.
And then, there was a voice from behind me in the dark.
"You seek the power of the Flame of Heaven," he said-the tone calm, menacing.
Xian Hei's eyes narrowed as he turned toward the voice. Out from the shadows stepped a figure draped in robes of white and gold, their face hidden by a hood. The figure held a staff, its end crowned with a glowing orb that flickered with the same blue flame that burned in the center of the temple.
"I do," Xian Hei replied, cold and unyielding, "I seek the power of the flame, and I shall take it no matter what the cost may be."
The figure giggled softly. "You may believe you are ready, but you are nowhere near being so. The Flame of Heaven is not something you can easily claim. If you wish to control it, then you must first prove your worth.
Xian Hei's eyes flared with dark energy, the shadows around him swirling as he took a step forward. "I have proven my worth. I have killed the Crimson Lotus Sect, I have mastered the Nine Veils of Shadow, and I have endured trials that no mortal should ever face. I will not be stopped.
The hooded head nodded a bit. "Well. Would you like to give it a shot? Well, you'll see a test called the Trial by Fire; whoever can successfully pass it, along with his companions with fire, are awarded the powers of ".
In an instant, the figure whipped its staff and, in an instant, it was as if the entire temple shifted. The hot air was becoming unbearable, as if the blue flames danced higher and higher in an intensity that would consume everything that could be seen. The earth beneath the feet of Xian Hei suddenly cracked, and molten lava spilled out from within those cracks, spreading in his direction at a terror-inducing pace.
A test-a challenge that would take him to the very limit of his capabilities. The flames were not only physical, but spiritual, which came to burn his very soul to ashes, to consume him from within. This was a trial meant to break him, to test whether he could withstand the rage of the Flame of Heaven.
But Xian Hei was no ordinary man.
As the lava surged towards him, Xian Hei raised his hand, and the shadows danced at his beck and call, unfolding around him like an impermeable cloak. The heat of the flames could do nothing to him since the darkness was his ally. His body, moving unnaturally fast, wove in and out of the shadows, dodging the gushes of flame which tried to burn him alive.
With each passing second, the flames grew stronger, more intense. But Xian Hei's resolve only hardened. He had come too far to fail now. His soul, his very being, burned with the same desire as the flames themselves—the desire to conquer, to destroy, to claim everything that was rightfully his.
Finally, in one explosion of shadow and fire, Xian Hei revealed himself before the Flame of Heaven itself, his eyes alight with dark power. He reached out and grasped the flame in his bare hand. The flames would burn him, but he willed them into submission, wrapping them in his shadow, bending to his will.
The trial was over.
---
The figure in the robes stepped forward, expression unreadable beneath his hood as he watched Xian Hei absorb the power of the Flame of Heaven, crackling with energy from both the shadows and the fire.
"You have passed the trial," he said, a tinge of respect lacing his tone. "The Flame of Heaven is yours for the asking now. But let this be told to you, Xian Hei-its power does not come without its price. It will test and challenge you in ways you cannot yet comprehend. It will burn away all that you are, leaving only that which is necessary to wield it."
Xian Hei's eyes did not budge. "I will be what I must be. The cost is nothing. I will not stop. The world will bow before me.".
And with the power of the Flame of Heaven now flowing in his veins, Xian Hei turned towards the exit of the temple, setting his eyes forward to the future. All the Flames of Heaven have been conquered. Yet there's still so many more left to destroy. The world would burn, and it would be him lighting the fire.