The wind howled as Kai descended the mountain.
The Obsidian Path vanished behind him, concealed once more within the mountain's ancient folds—as if it had never existed. Yet the changes within him were undeniable. His steps were heavier with purpose, his aura sharpened like a blade honed over flame. The mark of the Ascendant Flame burned softly on his palm, pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat.
As he approached the Crimson Phoenix Sect's outer gates, the first thing he noticed was the silence.
Not the tranquil kind.
The ominous kind.
No disciples were practicing in the courtyards. No elders were exchanging pleasantries on the pavilion steps. The flags bearing the sect's emblem barely fluttered. A cold tension hung in the air—stiff and unnatural.
He passed through the gates.
The few disciples he encountered stopped in their tracks, their eyes wide with disbelief.
"It's him… he returned!"
"Kai—Senior Brother Kai!"
One bowed hastily; another simply stared, unable to process it.
He offered a silent nod and moved on, his eyes scanning for something—someone. His instincts screamed that things had changed. That in his absence, the peace he had known had fractured.
At the central courtyard, he finally saw a familiar face.
Liang Chen.
One of his oldest allies, now a core disciple with a bandage wrapped around his shoulder. His expression brightened with shock and relief when he saw Kai.
"You're alive," Liang muttered. "We thought…"
"I know," Kai said. "Tell me what happened."
Liang hesitated, then gestured for him to follow.
They entered a side hall, where incense burned low and maps littered the tables. On the walls, pinned scrolls displayed troop movements, unfamiliar clan sigils, and blood-red ink markings.
"The Crimson Accord broke."
Kai's brow furrowed. "What?"
"Three sects turned rogue—one of them allied with the Serpent Moon Pavilion. They struck the borders last week. We held them back… barely. Elder Xuan was injured. Master Tian hasn't returned from the summit meeting."
Kai's eyes darkened.
He had left for the Obsidian Path expecting internal strife. He returned to find war brewing.
"What about the Grand Elder?"
Liang's mouth tightened. "He's… withdrawn. Some say he's preparing a forbidden technique. Others say he's already made a deal with the enemy. No one knows."
Kai clenched his fists.
So the rot he once sensed had grown deeper.
"What of Linya?" he asked.
"She's alive," Liang said softly. "But she's changed. Rumors say she's taken over the Shadow Hall after Master Tian left. She—"
A sudden tremor shook the floor beneath them. Cries echoed from the courtyard.
They rushed out.
Smoke rose from the southern gate.
Kai saw flashes of movement—figures cloaked in black, their aura foreign and aggressive. One raised a palm and unleashed a torrent of corrupted spirit flame toward the sect walls.
An enemy strike.
Here.
Now.
Disciples scrambled to defend. Elders shouted commands. The sect was being tested at its weakest—and Kai, fresh from the crucible, was no longer just a disciple.
He was their shield.
He stepped forward, raising his hand.
The mark on his palm ignited—gold and crimson.
Flames burst forth, forming a phoenix-shaped inferno that slammed into the incoming attack and scattered it in a blinding clash.
Gasps rang out.
The enemy hesitated.
"Kai has returned!" someone shouted.
With a single breath, he summoned the Ascendant Flame again—and this time, it wasn't just fire.
It was command.
He turned to the stunned disciples behind him.
"Form ranks. Guard the elders. No one crosses this courtyard without tasting fire."
And as the invaders lunged once more, Kai led the countercharge.
The storm had come early.
And he was ready.