The temple was dying.
Stone split apart above my head as cracks of molten crimson light raced through the ceiling like lightning trapped in rock.
Dust rained down.
Pillars groaned.
The entire Flame Temple trembled as if something beneath it was trying to claw its way to the surface.
The Crimson Core.
I could hear it now.
A deep, pulsing sound.
Like a heartbeat.
No—
like a scream.
I sprinted across the shattered floor, every step fuelled by the burning heat in my chest.
Behind me, Lian Xueyi stood at the centre of the chamber, both hands raised as silver-red flames spiralled upward, forming a massive barrier against the collapsing ceiling.
Her hair danced wildly in the storm of fire.
Sweat beaded along her brow.
Even with her power, holding the temple together was costing her.
Zhu Kain stood at the far end of the hall before the sealed door, one hand pressed against the glowing symbols while dark crimson flames poured from the ritual circle at his feet.
His lips curled into a cruel smile.
"You're too late."
The sealed door behind him groaned open another inch.
A wave of suffocating heat burst outward.
ARINA's voice cut through the chaos.
"Warning. Crimson Core integrity is dropping rapidly."
A blue panel flashed before my eyes.
Crimson Core Stability: 47% Collapse Threshold: 30% Estimated Realm Failure: 08:43
Less than nine minutes.
No pressure.
I pushed harder.
Flame Step ignited beneath my feet, leaving streaks of red light across the fractured obsidian.
Two surviving disciples lunged from the side.
I dropped low, sliding beneath the first slash, and drove my shoulder into the second one's chest.
He crashed into the wall.
The first turned.
Too slow.
I grabbed his wrist, twisted, and slammed him face-first into the ritual circle.
Dark flames swallowed him whole.
His scream lasted only a moment.
Zhu Kain's expression darkened.
"You continue to irritate me."
He tore his hand from the seal and turned toward me.
The crimson blade in his grip blazed black at the edges.
The pressure pouring from it made the air feel heavier.
His cultivation had changed.
ARINA confirmed it instantly.
Enemy State Updated Zhu Kain Realm: Fourth Flame Realm (Forced Ascension) Threat Level: Critical
Forced ascension?
He had used the ritual to increase his own power.
Of course, he had.
Madmen like him always burn everything around them to climb one step higher.
He vanished.
Instinct screamed.
I turned just in time to block with my forearm.
Pain exploded through my bones.
The impact sent me skidding across the floor.
Before I could recover, he was already above me, blade descending like a falling star.
I rolled.
The floor where I had been standing split open.
A river of crimson fire burst from the crack.
The core was breaching.
Lian's voice thundered behind me.
"Ishaan! Break the ritual pillars!"
I looked.
Three black obelisks had risen around the core chamber entrance.
Each pulsed with dark energy.
Anchors.
The ritual was feeding the core corruption through them.
Perfect.
A target.
Zhu Kain attacked again.
This time, I met him head-on.
Phoenix heat surged through my chest.
The mark beneath my shirt burned like molten iron.
I caught the edge of his wrist with one hand and drove my knee into his stomach.
He grunted but didn't bend.
His strength had increased too much.
He threw me backwards with raw force.
I crashed into a broken pillar and tasted blood.
The system panel flashed gold.
"Judgement strike available."
One use.
I looked at the obelisks.
Then at Zhu Kain.
No.
Not for him.
For the ritual.
I forced myself upright and ran toward the nearest pillar.
Three disciples intercepted me.
One staff.
Two blades.
I twisted between the first two strikes and grabbed the fallen spear from a dead sect member.
The weight settled naturally into my hands.
One thrust.
The staff wielder dropped.
A spin.
The butt end cracked against one disciple's temple.
The third lunged wildly.
I sidestepped and kicked him straight into the obelisk.
The pillar trembled.
Good.
I drove the spear into the black stone.
Nothing.
No crack.
Too durable.
ARINA's voice sharpened.
"Use a synchronised strike."
Of course.
I focused on the burning mark in my chest.
Heat surged into my right arm.
Golden flames erupted around my fist.
Phoenix Resonance Judgment Strike Activated
I punched the obelisk.
BOOM.
Golden fire exploded outward.
The pillar shattered.
A shockwave ripped through the chamber.
The dark flames feeding the core faltered.
The stability panel changed.
Crimson Core Stability: 53%
It worked.
Zhu Kain roared.
"Stop him!"
Lian's barrier trembled.
A massive section of the ceiling collapsed toward her.
She raised both hands and caught it with fire.
The effort made her stagger.
Her voice came through clenched teeth.
"I can hold this for three minutes."
Three minutes.
Two pillars.
I ran.
Zhu Kain moved to intercept.
This time I didn't stop.
I baited his slash, ducked beneath it, and used Flame Step to slip past his flank.
He turned too late.
I reached the second obelisk and slammed my burning fist into it.
CRACK.
The black stone splintered.
A pulse of corrupted fire shot outward and struck Zhu Kain directly in the chest.
He stumbled back, blood spilling from his lips.
The ritual was destabilising.
Perfect.
The core beneath the temple screamed louder.
Then the floor collapsed.
A massive hole split open between us, revealing the Crimson Core itself.
A floating sphere of molten fire and black cracks, suspended above a chasm of flame.
Beautiful.
And terrifying.
ARINA's panel flashed urgently.
Final Ritual Anchor Located Position: Core Platform Centre
The third pillar wasn't a pillar.
It was inside the core chamber.
Of course it was.
Zhu Kain laughed despite the blood on his lips.
"You cannot reach it."
He leapt onto the floating platform near the core.
His blade pierced the final anchor, feeding his own blood into it.
The corruption deepened.
The sphere darkened.
The stability dropped again.
Crimson Core Stability: 38%
Too fast.
I looked at Lian.
She looked back.
For the first time since we met, there was complete trust in her crimson eyes.
"I'll open the path."
Her flames burst outward.
A bridge of silver-red fire stretched across the chasm.
Straight to the core platform.
I clenched my fists.
This was it.
Either I broke the final anchor—
Or this entire realm died.
I stepped onto the burning bridge and ran toward Zhu Kain.