The woman staggered back into her chambers, her mind swirling with confusion and emotions she couldn't explain. Ever since that soul mark had appeared, she felt different—off-balance. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her thoughts were erratic, like ripples in a disturbed pond.
She sat cross-legged on her meditation platform, closing her eyes to focus. Her breathing slowed, and she began circulating her Qi, hoping to restore her usual calm. But the moment she closed her eyes, his face appeared—the boy, Lin Tian. The memory of his fiery red eyes, his unwavering grip, the way he radiated that terrifying dark flame, all of it haunted her.
"Why is this happening?" she whispered to herself, clutching her chest. She felt a strange ache there, as if something deep inside her was being pulled toward him. It made no sense. He was just a lowly beggar, an orphan with no future in cultivation. And yet… something about him had left an imprint on her very soul.
She shook her head fiercely, trying to banish the intrusive thoughts. "Focus," she muttered. "This is nothing. It's just… the shock of what happened." But even as she said it, she couldn't entirely convince herself.
Meanwhile, in the dimly lit room where Lin Tian lay, the air felt heavy with an ominous presence. The talismans that bound him shimmered faintly, their spiritual energy keeping him restrained, but his body twitched as if resisting their power.
Lin Tian groaned, his eyelids fluttering as he began to regain consciousness. Pain shot through his body like lightning, sharp and unrelenting. His skin burned from the earlier fire talisman, and his muscles screamed in agony from the bindings. Every breath he took felt like dragging shards of glass through his chest.
"Ugh… where am I?" he muttered, his voice hoarse and barely audible.
As his vision cleared, he realized he was bound in place by glowing spiritual chains. The talismans crackled with energy, keeping him immobilized. His mind was hazy, but the memories of the earlier confrontation flashed through his thoughts—the humiliation, the rage, the flames. And then… the black fire that had erupted from within him.
"What's happening to me?" he whispered, his voice trembling.
The pain in his body grew worse, and his head throbbed as if it would split open. His emotions were unstable—waves of anger, fear, and confusion crashing over him. He clenched his teeth, trying to endure, but his willpower was slipping. The agony was too much.
Suddenly, a soft ding echoed in his mind. His eyes widened as a translucent window appeared in front of him, floating in the air like some kind of magical projection. The words on it glowed faintly, clear and sharp.
Ding!
Do you want to become the Harem Lord?
Press YES to accept. Reward: Full Body Heal
Press NO to decline. Penalty: Soul Destruction
Lin Tian stared at the screen, his mind spinning. What was this? Was he hallucinating? Was this some kind of cruel joke? But the words in front of him felt all too real, and the weight of their meaning pressed down on him like a mountain.
"Harem Lord?" he muttered, confusion etched on his face. "What… what does that even mean?"
His body trembled as another wave of pain wracked him, and the glow of the window seemed to intensify. The choice felt urgent, as if the system wouldn't wait forever for his answer.
"Reward: Full Body Heal," he read aloud, his voice barely a whisper. The thought of being freed from the unbearable pain was tempting, almost too tempting to resist. But then his eyes fell on the penalty: Soul Destruction.
His heart raced. He didn't fully understand what was happening, but one thing was clear—if he didn't make a choice, his very existence might be wiped out.
The agony in his body grew worse, and his vision began to blur. He could feel his consciousness slipping away, the darkness threatening to consume him once more.
"I… I don't understand…" he muttered, his voice shaking. "Why… why is this happening to me?"
The window pulsed, the words glowing brighter as if urging him to decide. Lin Tian felt his strength fading fast. He didn't have time to think. He didn't have the luxury of questioning what this strange system was or what it wanted from him.
Desperation clawed at him, and with his last ounce of strength, he croaked out a single word.
"Yes."
The moment the word left his lips, the world around him seemed to explode with light. The pain in his body vanished instantly, replaced by a soothing warmth that spread through every fiber of his being. The chains that bound him dissolved into nothingness, and the talismans burned away like ash in the wind.
Lin Tian's body floated slightly off the ground as the dark flame within him surged once more, but this time, it didn't feel chaotic or uncontrollable. It felt… powerful. Controlled. His wounds healed before his very eyes, his skin regaining its color and strength. The sensation was intoxicating, as if he were being reborn.
But just as quickly as it began, the process ended. Lin Tian collapsed back onto the cot, gasping for breath, his body trembling from the overwhelming experience. He felt stronger, more alive than he ever had before. But at the same time, a strange unease settled over him.
The window appeared once more, and new words flashed before him.
Congratulations, Lin Tian. You have accepted the path of the Harem Lord.
You are now bound to the Eternal Flame System. Your destiny has changed.
Lin Tian's hands clenched into fists as he read the words. His destiny? What did that mean? And what was the Eternal Flame System?
He didn't have long to dwell on it. The sound of footsteps outside the room caught his attention, and his head snapped toward the door. Someone was coming.