The bridge burnt beneath my feet.
Not with pain.
With purpose.
Silver-red flames wove themselves into a narrow path across the chasm, every step pulsing with Lian Xueyi's will. Below me, the Crimson Core roared like a living sun—molten fire spinning around veins of spreading black corruption.
The heat should have been unbearable.
Instead, the Phoenix Mark in my chest answered it.
Each heartbeat sent golden warmth through my veins, as if the fire beneath the temple recognised something ancient inside me.
Ahead, Zhu Kain stood on the floating core platform.
Blood ran down the side of his face.
His crimson blade was embedded in the final ritual anchor.
Dark fire spiralled from the blade into the core.
He looked up and smiled.
A broken, fanatic smile.
"You still came."
I didn't slow down.
"I'm ending this."
The bridge shuddered.
Behind me, I heard stone collapse and flames thunder against rock.
Lian was still holding the temple together.
Every second I spent here was a second stolen from her strength.
ARINA's voice rang in my mind.
"Final anchor within reach."
A blue panel flashed.
Final Anchor Integrity: 74% Core Stability: 36% Estimated Realm Failure: 02:58
Less than three minutes.
No room for mistakes.
I leapt from the bridge and landed hard on the floating platform.
The surface trembled beneath my boots.
Cracks of black light raced outward from the anchor.
Zhu Kain pulled his blade free and rushed forward.
The strike came from above.
Fast.
Heavy.
I crossed my arms and caught the descending wrist.
The impact numbed both hands.
He was stronger than before.
Forced ascension had pushed him beyond his natural limit.
He twisted and drove his knee toward my ribs.
I turned just enough to reduce the blow, but pain still exploded through my side.
I staggered.
He didn't give me time to recover.
Second slash.
Third.
A spinning cut aimed at my throat.
I ducked low and slid beneath the blade.
The tip carved a streak of fire across my shoulder.
Warm blood soaked my sleeve.
Zhu Kain laughed.
"Do you finally understand?"
He stepped closer.
"This world survives because the strong take what they deserve."
I spat blood to the side.
"No."
I straightened.
"It collapses because people like you think power is ownership."
His eyes narrowed.
For a moment, the battle paused.
Then his expression twisted into rage.
He lunged again.
This time, I moved before he finished the step.
Flame Step.
The world blurred.
I appeared at his left flank and drove my fist into his ribs.
He grunted.
I followed with an elbow to the jaw.
His head snapped sideways.
Good.
He could still be hurt.
But the final anchor behind him pulsed darker.
The core beneath the platform screamed.
ARINA's warning came sharper than before.
"Critical collapse threshold approaching."
Core Stability: 33%
Damn.
No more wasting time.
I had to break the anchor now.
I dashed toward it.
Zhu Kain caught my arm.
His fingers dug into my skin like iron.
"You think you can steal my ascension?"
His blade came up.
I trapped his wrist with both hands and forced it away from my throat.
The edge trembled inches from my face.
His strength was monstrous.
Then—
A voice thundered through the chamber.
"Ishaan!"
Lian.
I looked up.
Across the collapsing temple, she stood amid a storm of silver-red flames, one hand raised toward me.
Her eyes met mine.
Trust.
Absolute trust.
The panel flashed.
Favorability Updated: 18 → 35
A surge of heat flooded my body.
Phoenix resonance intensified.
Golden flames erupted around my forearms.
Zhu Kain's grip faltered.
I ripped free.
Turned.
And slammed my burning fist into the final anchor.
BOOM.
The entire platform exploded with light.
Golden and crimson flames collided.
The anchor cracked.
But didn't break.
Not enough.
Zhu Kain roared and tackled me.
We both crashed into the edge of the platform.
Below us, the Crimson Core pulsed like a dying heart.
He drove his fist into my face.
Stars burst across my vision.
Another punch.
Then another.
"You ruined everything!"
His voice cracked.
Not anger.
Desperation.
His ascension, his sect, his greed—
all collapsing around him.
I grabbed his collar and drove my forehead into his mask.
The remaining pieces shattered.
His face was finally exposed.
Young.
Far younger than I had expected.
A man consumed too early by ambition.
I kicked him off and rolled to my feet.
The platform lurched violently.
The core beneath us cracked.
ARINA's voice cut through the chaos.
"Hidden synchronisation available."
A golden panel unfolded.
Phoenix Mark + Flame Sovereign Resonance Skill Unlocked: Heart of Judgment Use Limit: One
Heart of Judgement.
The name itself felt heavy.
I looked toward Lian.
She extended her hand toward me across the chasm.
Silver-red fire wrapped around my right arm.
At the same time, golden fire from the Phoenix Mark surged through my veins.
Two flames.
One purpose.
The world around me slowed.
Zhu Kain charged one final time.
Blade raised.
A scream tore from his throat.
I stepped forward.
No fear.
No hesitation.
My fist met the final anchor.
HEART OF JUDGEMENT.
The world turned white.
A massive pillar of golden-crimson fire erupted upward from the core platform, blasting through the temple ceiling and into the blood-red sky.
The anchor shattered.
The corruption screamed.
Black cracks splintered across the core, then reversed.
The darkness began burning away.
Zhu Kain was caught in the blast.
His body lifted into the air.
For a moment, terror replaced rage in his eyes.
Then the flames consumed him.
Silence.
The Crimson Core pulsed once.
Twice.
Then stabilised.
A warm crimson glow spread through the chamber.
The collapsing temple stopped trembling.
ARINA's panel appeared.
Mission Completed: Save the Flame Goddess Realm Core Stabilised. Rewards Pending
My knees nearly gave out.
The platform was still shaking, but the corruption was gone.
Across the chasm, Lian Xueyi lowered her hand slowly.
Her expression had changed.
The cold hostility from before was gone.
In its place—
respect.
And something softer.
Something dangerous.
She stepped onto the bridge of flame and walked toward me.
Then stopped only a few feet away.
Her crimson eyes held mine.
"You judged a sovereign's enemy."
A pause.
Then the faintest curve touched her lips.
"Well done, Ishaan."
The favourability panel blinked again.
Favourability Updated 35 → 50
Halfway.
And this was only the first world.