The Ruins of Flame Sect
The once-proud Flame Sect now lay in desolation. Broken walls and charred remains scattered across the blood-soaked ground told the story of a massacre. The air was thick with the metallic scent of death, and the eerie silence only added to the sorrow.
Su Mei stood frozen, tears streaming down her cheeks as she stared at the ruins of her home. Her trembling hands covered her mouth, her body wracked with sobs. "This… this is what they did," she whispered, her voice cracking. "They destroyed everything."
Xiao Feng, standing beside her, watched the scene with a cold detachment. His sharp eyes scanned the surroundings, observing every detail without a trace of emotion. It wasn't that he didn't care—he simply couldn't relate to such attachments.
As he stood silently, a system notification abruptly broke the quiet:
"A Divine Spirit detected within the vicinity."
Xiao Feng's eyebrows arched in surprise. A Divine Spirit? Here? He hadn't expected this, not even in his wildest imaginings of the game's real-world counterpart. His lips curved into a small, intrigued smile.
"Interesting," he muttered, earning a confused glance from Su Mei, who was too lost in her grief to ask.
The system displayed an arrow-like direction toward a large, weathered stone near the center of the ruins. It looked unassuming, covered in moss and scratches from years of wear.
"Su Mei," he called, striding toward it. "What's this stone?"
She wiped her tears hastily and followed him, her voice shaking as she replied, "I… I don't know much about it. My father always said it was the sect's treasure, but no one knew what it did. It's just… a stone."
Xiao Feng approached it cautiously, curiosity burning in his eyes. Without hesitation, he reached out to touch its surface.
The moment his palm made contact, a powerful force threw him backward. He barely managed to stabilize himself before hitting the ground.
"What was that?!" Su Mei exclaimed, rushing to his side.
Xiao Feng ignored her concern as the system notification appeared again:
"Host is unable to touch this Sacred Stone due to the host's inherent evil nature."
Xiao Feng clicked his tongue in annoyance. "So, because I'm 'evil,' I can't interact with it? What a useless discovery."
He stood, dusting himself off, disappointment flickering across his face. But just as he was about to walk away, another notification chimed:
"While the host cannot bond with the Divine Spirit, the host's partner is deemed compatible."
Xiao Feng froze mid-step, his lips curling into a sly grin. Now this is interesting.
Turning to Su Mei, he pointed to the stone. "Su Mei, come here."
"What?" she asked, still shaken by the scene.
"Touch it," he said simply, his smirk widening.
She hesitated, looking between him and the stone. "Why?"
"Just do it," he urged. "You'll understand soon enough."
Still unsure but trusting him, she stepped forward and placed her trembling hand on the stone. The moment her fingers brushed its surface, a warm golden light enveloped her, and the stone began to hum with life.
Su Mei gasped as a soft, melodic voice echoed in her mind. "Child of Flame, your bloodline awakens."
Xiao Feng watched with satisfaction as the light grew brighter, the Divine Spirit bonding with Su Mei in a spectacular display. "Good," he muttered, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "This will make things much more interesting."
Su Mei turned to him, her face radiant with a mixture of shock and awe. "Xiao Feng, what's happening?"
He crossed his arms, his grin as smug as ever. "Congratulations. You just became the chosen one of your sect's Divine Spirit. Now, let's see what kind of power it gives you."