Inside the Dou Emperor Ancestral Hall in the Xiao Clan's ancestral grounds, Xiao Feng lay quietly in a green jade coffin. The patterns on his Emperor Scale were dull and lifeless; only the Flame Emperor Fire Mark on his chest resonated faintly with Xiao Yan's Fire Lotus. Sitting beside the coffin, Xiao Yan clutched the fragmentary Dou Emperor Inheritance scroll he had brought back from the Soul Burial Abyss, his brow furrowed. "Yao Lao, why has my third brother's soul power still not recovered?"
Yao Lao's phantom appeared within the ring and studied the ancient writing on the scroll. "The scroll says Emperor Flame and Flame Emperor Fire are Heavenly Flames of the same origin. Only Dual Emperor Resonance can awaken the complete inheritance. Perhaps... you need to use Flame Emperor Fire as a catalyst to help your brother rebuild his soul."
Xiao Yan nodded and was just about to raise his hand when a commotion sounded outside the hall. The swish of Queen Medusa's tail came first. "Xiao Yan, I want to talk to you about the contract!" Xun'er hurriedly tried to stop her. "Your Majesty, please calm down. Xiao Yan is in seclusion..."
"Perfect timing." Xiao Yan gave a wry smile. "Let's settle these romantic entanglements first, then save my third brother."
The moment Queen Medusa saw Xiao Yan outside the hall, confusion flickered in her eyes. Although the system bug had been fixed, remnants of her "contract memories" with Xiao Feng remained. Seeing this, Xun'er quickly explained, "Your Majesty, that misunderstanding was caused by Hun Dan altering your memories. Xiao Yan is the one who—"
"I don't care about any system!" Queen Medusa tossed her purple hair. "That day in the Soul Burial Abyss, Xiao Feng took the attack from King Nine-Nether meant for me. I must repay that debt!" She turned to Xiao Yan. "But when it comes to the contract, I only acknowledge the Flame Emperor's heir."
Xiao Yan pressed a hand to his forehead, feeling as if his head were about to explode. Ever since the system had been repaired, Queen Medusa had accepted that he was the Destined Protagonist, but she still felt indebted to Xiao Feng. She came to the Xiao Clan to "visit" every few days, making the whole clan think she had "fallen for someone else."
"Your Majesty, how about helping me awaken my third brother first?" Xiao Yan asked helplessly. "Once he wakes up, you can talk it out face-to-face."
Queen Medusa was about to reply when Yun Yun's voice suddenly sounded in the distance through a transmission. "Young Master Xiao Yan, the White Cloud Sect has been attacked by the Soul Clan. We beg you to help!" At the same time, a message came through Gu Ling's jade slip. "Little Brother Xiao Yan, the Gu Clan's Burning Heaven Chapter fragment is showing signs of activity!"
Xiao Yan threw his head back and sighed. "Yao Lao, I believe you now when you say the Protagonist Halo is a burden too."
Yao Lao chuckled. "Boy, handle the sect's crisis first. You might find a way to awaken Xiao Feng along the way."
Just as Xiao Yan was preparing to leave, Hun Dan suddenly appeared in the sky above the ancestral grounds, holding a crystal ball. Inside it was a sealed mirror image of Xiao Feng—but its gaze was sinister, and its Emperor Scale shimmered with ominous purple light.
"Xiao Clan brat, have a taste of your 'perfect brother'!" Hun Dan cackled and waved his hand. The mirror image burst free, looking exactly like Xiao Feng, except for the cold curve at the corner of his mouth. "This is the System Mirror. It has your brother's strength, but none of his feelings. It'll help me destroy the Xiao Clan!"
The mirror-image Xiao Feng strode through the air, Emperor Flame dancing in his palm, but black mist from Soul-Devouring Insects tainted it. "Xiao Yan, surrender."
Xiao Yan's pupils contracted. "You're not my brother! He'd never attack me!"
"Oh?" The mirror image raised an eyebrow. "Then take a look at this." He swept his hand, and the green jade coffin flew out of the hall, Xiao Feng's body floating in the air. "If you don't want his soul scattered, hand over the Dou Emperor Inheritance scroll."
Medusa and Xun'er attacked at the same time, but the mirror image's System Barrier knocked them back. Xiao Yan gripped the Dark Heavy Ruler. Flame Emperor Fire collided with the mirror image's Emperor Flame, triggering a violent repulsion. That Emperor Flame was mixed with Soul Clan secret arts!
"Xiao Yanzi, don't be rash!" The real Xiao Feng's voice suddenly rang out in Xiao Yan's sea of consciousness. "Hun Dan made this mirror image using my genetic code. Only Dual Emperor Resonance can break it!"
"But you're still asleep!" Xiao Yan sent back. "How can we resonate?"
"Use the scroll!" Xiao Feng's voice strained. "The Flame Emperor Fire inside you is connected to my soul. Try..."
Xiao Yan suddenly understood. He unfurled the scroll, and Flame Emperor Fire turned into golden runes that flowed into Xiao Feng's body. Miraculously, the Emperor Scale on Xiao Feng began to regain its luster, while cracks appeared in the mirror image.
"Impossible!" Hun Dan cried. "He's still supposed to be asleep!"
Xiao Yan seized the opportunity and unleashed Dual Emperor Sky-Breaking. This time, he didn't even need Xiao Feng's help. The Fire Lotus resonated with the phantom of Emperor Flame in the air and blasted the mirror image to pieces. Seeing the tide turn, Hun Dan fled once more, leaving behind a threat: "Xiao Clan, you won't escape next time!"
With the crisis over, Medusa gazed at Xiao Feng's body and suddenly spoke. "Perhaps... I can help him wake up." She took out the Snake Clan Sacred Artifact, the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python's Core. "If I use my origin power as a catalyst, I might be able to awaken his soul."
Xun'er also offered the Gu Clan's Soul-Returning Spirit Liquid. "This liquid can mend soul injuries."
Yun Yun brought the White Cloud Sect's Soul-Guiding Bell. "Its chime can guide his soul back into place."
Xiao Yan looked at the three women and smiled wryly. "What is this... a contest to shower him with treasures?"
Medusa snorted. "Don't get the wrong idea. I just don't want to owe anyone."
Xun'er smiled. "Once Big Brother Xiao wakes up, we'll still need him to help the Gu Clan decipher the Ancient Emperor Jade fragments."
Yun Yun shook her head. "The White Cloud Sect owes the Xiao Clan a debt."
Xiao Yan shook his head helplessly, yet inwardly marveled—though the system had been repaired, his brother's charm remained undiminished. He combined the core, the liquid, and the bell's chime, turning them into a beam of light that poured into Xiao Feng's body.
Ding! The host has triggered the "Beauty's Assistance" storyline. Xiao Feng's soul power has recovered by 30%!
Reward: "Guardian of the Brother" title (female characters' favorability +10, Xiao Feng's awakening progress +5%).
Xiao Feng's eyelashes twitched. Xiao Yan quickly leaned forward. "Third Brother?"
"Xiao Yanzi..." Xiao Feng weakly opened his eyes. Seeing Medusa, Xun'er, and Yun Yun gathered around him, he raised an eyebrow at his younger brother. "Looks like the system's been fixed, and your Protagonist Halo is back?"
Xiao Yan shrugged. "It's back, but some people still have romantic debts to settle." He deliberately raised his voice. "Queen Medusa, for instance, is still waiting to break her contract with you!"
Medusa's face flushed slightly, but she braced herself and said, "Xiao Feng, that contract was a misunderstanding. I..."
"It's fine." Xiao Feng smiled. "Once I've fully recovered, I'll go to the Snake-People Kingdom and end it with you face-to-face." He turned to Xiao Yan. "But before then, we have something more important to do. Hun Dan won't give up. We must gather the Ancient Emperor Jade fragments as soon as possible and summon the true Emperor Flame."
Xun'er nodded. "The Gu Clan has confirmed that the Burning Heaven Chapter fragment is in the hands of the Soul Clan. Father is gathering the Gu Clan's strongest fighters."
Yun Yun added, "The White Cloud Sect will send disciples to help too."
Medusa swished her tail. "The Snake-People Kingdom is willing to send fifty thousand warriors."
Xiao Yan looked at his brother and suddenly grinned. "Third Brother, looks like your 'Best Supporting Actor' title is about to be upgraded to 'Heartthrob of the Whole Continent.'"
Xiao Feng shook his head helplessly. "Give me a break. Your 'Destined Protagonist' title is much easier to deal with—at least you don't have to handle this many misunderstandings."
The system prompt rang out at just the right moment:
Ding! Xiao Feng's awakening progress has increased to 40%. The hidden "Brotherly Combo" storyline has been unlocked.
Outside the ancestral grounds, Hun Dan hid in the black mist, grinning at the System Remnant in his hand. "Xiao Clan twins, next time I'll use the most perfect mirror image. That one won't have any emotional weaknesses!" He looked toward the Soul Burial Abyss. "The remnant soul of King Nine-Nether should be waking up too..."
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