> [System Update: Flame Trial Countdown – 2 Days Remaining]
New Status Flags: Tian Xue – Ranked Duel Candidate
Unlocked: Sovereign Flame Vault (Location: Hidden beneath Ember Ridge – requires dual flame imprint)
Notice: Overseer Attention Raised – Jiang Han and Tian Xue classified as "Bonded Flame Variables."
---
Morning – The Vault's Whisper
Jiang Han crouched in the ember ring beyond Ashroot Pavilion, palm pressed against a rune Bo Ren uncovered beneath cracked obsidian.
The ground trembled faintly as his flame signature pulsed into the stone.
> [Soul Imprint Recognized: Jiang Han – Successor Thread Valid]
Secondary Imprint Required to Unlock – Matching Companion or Sovereign Lineage Flame Needed
Tian Xue approached, her own flame swirling behind her in soft silver and violet.
> "Is this the vault you saw in the vision?"
> "The same symbol Long Chen wore during the Final Gate War," Jiang replied.
She knelt beside him, laying her hand on the second rune.
Their flames touched.
The rock hissed and bloomed open in a spiral of fire-runes.
> [Vault Access Granted – Sovereign Echo Archive #9]
A stairwell of burning light appeared—spiraling downward.
> "We'll explore it tonight," Jiang said. "We're too visible right now."
But the moment it opened, the system pulsed.
> [Alert: Trial Overseer Notified – Unauthorized Vault Opened]
Target Watchlist Expanded: Flamebond Confirmed – Jiang Han / Tian Xue (High Risk)
---
Midday – The Duel Invitation
Tian Xue received a black scroll, sealed with fire-silk and trial runes.
She unrolled it slowly.
> [Ranked Trial Duel: Tian Xue vs. Liu Yan – Scheduled: Tomorrow Morning, Crimson Arena]
Context: Challenger Requested by Overseer | Reason: "Unassessed Wildflame Bond"]
Jiang read the scroll over her shoulder.
> "They want to see how far you've climbed."
> "Or how far they can knock me down."
> "Then don't give them the chance."
> "Wasn't planning to."
He smirked. "You've gotten a little scary."
> "You started it."
---
Afternoon – Reading the Vault
Bo Ren returned with fresh supplies and soul-rune chalks. Jiang, Tian Xue, and Yanxi descended the vault stair.
Inside, it wasn't a treasury. It was a library of flames.
Each flame floated in suspended glyph-rings—memory echoes, sealed skills, and personal notes written in heat and soul threads.
Tian Xue approached one labeled:
[Flame Record: Long Chen – Entry #117 – 'She Will Rise After Me']
She activated it.
A voice played—faint, but real.
> "She'll outshine me. She just doesn't know it yet."
"If this vault opens and she hears this… protect her until she doesn't need it."
Jiang looked away.
Tian Xue wiped her eyes, then stood straighter.
---
Nightfall – Target Marked
In the Overseer tent above the Crossroads, a tribunal reviewed surveillance from the trial.
> "The vault opened without official keying. That flame should've died with Long Chen."
> "It didn't. Because the boy carries the blade. And now the girl matches his rhythm."
> "They're unstable."
> "They're dangerous."
> "They're not ours."
The decision was made.
> "Tian Xue—approved for Ranked Duel under priority surveillance."
> "Jiang Han—flagged for containment pending outcome."
One Overseer glanced toward a side scroll.
A private request.
From a silent benefactor marked only:
[CLASSIFIED – Faction: Sovereign Rebirth Initiative]
> "Allow them one more step."
> "Let's see what they become."