Chapter 5: A Night of Echoes
After leaving the library, Fen Hao went straight to meet his father. In the quiet of his father's study, a heavy atmosphere lingered. The warm light of a single lantern glowed softly, painting Fen Huang's features in gold and shadow.
Fen Huang sat behind his desk, his expression calm but his gaze sharp as ever. When Fen Hao entered, he lifted his eyes and asked, his voice gentle but with a cold edge that cut to the bone:
"What are you going to do next, Fen Hao?"
For a moment, Fen Hao stood silently, gathering his thoughts. Then he spoke with quiet determination:
"I would like to travel into the Mortal Realm, Father. I want to find my own path… and I promise I will return. So please… help me go to the Mortal Realm."
Fen Huang's brows furrowed deeply, and his calm expression darkened slightly.
"Nonsense," he said coldly. "How can you hope to find what you're looking for in the Mortal Realm if you can't even find it here?" He shook his head, his voice brooking no argument. "Go back to your room and rest. Tomorrow morning, we're going to the Chu Residence to discuss your marriage. That's what matters right now."
Hearing those words, Fen Hao's thoughts of the Mortal Realm vanished instantly, replaced by a sudden flush of happiness that spread through his chest.
Marriage… with Chu Linyun?
A shy smile flickered on his face. He bowed to his father and left the room without another word, his heart pounding with excitement. In his own room, Fen Hao lay down, his mind filled with dreams of the future, and soon drifted into a deep sleep.
But while Fen Hao slept, his father Fen Huang was restless. Memories long buried rose in his heart that night—memories of another world, of blood and shadows.
He thought of his wife, lost so long ago in the Devil Realm.
Is she still alive? Or is she gone forever…?
Compelled by a sudden instinct, Fen Huang rose from his seat and quietly made his way to his son's room.
The moonlight spilled across the floor as Fen Huang opened the door, revealing a sight that made his breath catch in his throat.
There, standing at Fen Hao's bedside, was a woman in a white dress. Her long, snow-white hair shimmered like moonlight, and her gentle expression was both ethereal and warm. She bent over Fen Hao, her slender fingers brushing back a lock of his hair with a tenderness that made Fen Huang's heart ache.
A flood of memory rushed into him—of that year long ago, during his ill-fated expedition. He remembered her clearly: the woman who had torn open a crack in the space between realms and pushed him through into the Devil Realm. It was she who had set everything in motion.
Steeling his heart, Fen Huang stepped forward, his voice respectful but edged with both awe and fear.
"Who are you… Your Excellency?"
He knew instinctively that this woman's cultivation was beyond anything he had ever witnessed—even surpassing the might of an Immortal King, or the fearsome devils of that other realm. She was an existence beyond understanding.
For a moment, she did not answer, her eyes resting softly on the sleeping boy. Then, without speaking, a single thought echoed directly in Fen Huang's mind—a voice so gentle and ancient that it seemed to come from the heavens themselves:
"Protect him… tomorrow."
The words sank into Fen Huang's soul like a command. Then, as silently as she had come, the woman's form flickered and vanished—leaving only the moonlight and the sleeping Fen Hao behind.
The night was calm again. But Fen Huang stood there for a long time, his heart heavy and resolute.
"I will protect him," he whispered into the darkness. "No matter the cost."
The next morning, Fen Hao woke early. He washed his face in the cold water, feeling the last remnants of sleep fade away. As he stood up, he caught his reflection in the polished bronze mirror—and froze.
The face staring back at him was not the one he had known his whole life. His black hair had turned a striking white, shimmering faintly in the morning light. His once-blue eyes had become a deep, unsettling red, like fresh blood.
And on the left side of his face, a golden tattoo glowed faintly—its intricate lines curling and shifting like living flames.
Fen Hao blinked in shock and rubbed his eyes, a cold shiver running down his spine. When he looked again, the image was gone. His reflection had returned to normal: black hair, blue eyes—just as it had always been.
"It must have been an illusion," he told himself, shaking his head to clear it. "Or… just a trick of the light…"
He took a deep breath, pushing away the unease that coiled in his chest. There was no time to dwell on strange visions or impossible changes. Today, he would go with his father to the Chu Family residence—and whatever came after that, he would face it with everything he had.
With quiet resolve, Fen Hao dressed carefully and prepared to depart, determined to face whatever the future would bring.
End of Chapter 5.