Heavenly Fire · Reunion

Cultivation Room.

Early morning.

Quan Cangtian sat cross-legged.

Soul Power circulated.

The Level 15 barrier was right ahead.

It was very thick.

He did not stop.

Destruction Power surged from the depths of his Consciousness Sea. It was black-red, like magma.

Abundance Power rose from his heart area. It was emerald green, like vines.

The two forces converged within his body.

They clashed.

They vibrated.

His health bar fluctuated erratically.

It looked like an electrocardiogram.

Quan Cangtian ignored it.

He increased his force.

The barrier began to crack.

Crack.

Crack.

Crack.

The cracks multiplied.

Then—

It shattered.

Level 16.

Soul Power surged violently.

But the moment he broke through—

Something inside his body moved.

It was not Destruction.

It was not Abundance.

It was something else.

It surged from the depths of his genes.

Quan Cangtian performed inner introspection.

He "saw" it.

A ball of golden fire burned within his body.

It was not the brilliant gold of Destruction.

It was not the emerald green of Abundance.

It was pure, searing gold.

The temperature was very high.

It was higher than Destruction.

It was higher than the Fire Phoenix.

Quan Cangtian stared at that ball of fire.

He looked at it for three seconds.

Then—

"What the fuck."

He opened his eyes.

His gaze was solemn.

"What is this thing?"

Cultivation Room.

Still early morning.

Quan Cangtian did not move.

He was thinking.

That ball of golden fire...

Did not belong to Douluo.

He had seen it.

The transmigrator's memories told him—

Honkai Impact 3rd.

Kevin.

Judgment of Shamash.

"Kevin's Heavenly Fire?"

He said in a low voice.

"How could it be in..."

He paused.

Void Devouring Beast Gene.

The gene came from the Honkai Impact 3rd world, sent by the Envoy of Elation.

Hidden within the gene was the embryonic form of Heavenly Fire.

Now, the gene was activated.

Heavenly Fire had awakened.

"What the fuck, what even is this?"

Quan Cangtian stood up.

He sensed carefully.

The Heavenly Fire inside his body was not out of control.

It had just awakened.

It lay dormant.

Like a beast that had not yet opened its eyes.

But Quan Cangtian knew—

The activation of Heavenly Fire meant something was approaching.

He perceived the outside.

The direction of Tianhun City.

There was a hidden fluctuation of Soul Power.

It was very weak.

But it could not hide from him.

Evil Soul Masters.

An extremely covert and cunning Evil Soul Master Team.

Quan Cangtian's gaze turned cold.

"Interesting."

He walked out of the Cultivation Room.

Dormitory.

Morning.

Huo Yuhao was already waiting.

He stood by the door and watched Quan Cangtian return.

"You broke through?"

"Mm."

"Level 16?"

"Mm."

"Congratulations."

Quan Cangtian nodded.

He was about to speak—

Footsteps came from outside the door.

They were very light.

But Quan Cangtian recognized them.

He raised his head.

The door was pushed open.

Zixiao stood in the doorway.

Her dark purple long hair was tied into a high ponytail.

Her deep purple pupils had lightning patterns faintly flickering at the corners of her eyes.

She was 10 years old.

Level 34.

She was 4-5 years older than Quan Cangtian.

She looked at Quan Cangtian.

Her gaze was complicated.

There was worry.

There was relief.

And... something else.

Quan Cangtian was slightly stunned.

"Zixiao?"

Zixiao did not answer.

She walked in.

She closed the door.

Huo Yuhao tactfully retreated to the side.

Zixiao walked up to Quan Cangtian.

She looked at him.

She looked at him for three seconds.

Then—

She reached out.

And hugged him.

Quan Cangtian was stunned.

Zixiao's embrace was very warm.

It carried the scent of lightning.

She buried her face in his shoulder.

She said softly:

"I'm here."

Quan Cangtian's heart softened.

He remembered Zixiao.

The childhood sweetheart from the transmigrator's memories.

They had grown up together since they were little.

She was older than him, but she never treated him like a child.

When his cultivation ran into trouble, she guarded him the entire night.

When he was injured, she used lightning to help clear his meridians.

She did not talk much.

But she would always be there.

Quan Cangtian reached out.

And hugged her back.

"...Mm."

A single word.

Zixiao smiled.

It was very light.

Huo Yuhao stood to the side.

His eyes widened to the max.

His mouth opened and closed.

Wanting to say something.

Seeing Zixiao's gaze, he swallowed his words back down.

He thought to himself:

I ship it.

I totally ship it.

The young patriarch and Sister Zixiao...

He lowered his head.

He pretended to study the floorboards.

Yet the corners of his mouth refused to stay down.

Quan Cangtian noticed him.

He glared at him.

Huo Yuhao immediately buried his head deeper.

"I didn't see anything."

He whispered.

Zixiao smiled.

Very lightly.

She let go of Quan Cangtian.

Yet her hand didn't leave his.

She held his hand.

"Let's go, time to eat."

The Cafeteria.

Noontime.

The four of them walked into the cafeteria.

Quan Cangtian, Zixiao, Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong.

Zixiao held Quan Cangtian's hand without letting go.

Wang Dong glanced over.

He said nothing.

Huo Yuhao stood beside them, the corners of his mouth still upturned.

They sat down.

Xiao Xiao walked in from the entrance.

She saw Quan Cangtian, and her eyes brightened for a moment.

Then—

She saw Zixiao.

She saw Zixiao holding Quan Cangtian's hand.

Xiao Xiao's gaze dimmed slightly.

She walked over.

"Young Patriarch."

She greeted him.

"Sister Zixiao."

Zixiao nodded.

She didn't let go of his hand.

Quan Cangtian looked toward Xiao Xiao.

"Xiao Xiao, long time no see."

Xiao Xiao smiled.

"Yeah, long time no see."

She sat down.

Yet deep inside, she felt a bit sour.

Sister Zixiao...

Has she already confessed?

What about me?

I haven't said it yet...

Xiao Xiao lowered her head.

She took a bite of her meal.

It tasted like nothing.

The Snack Street.

The afternoon.

A day off.

The five of them formed a group.

Quan Cangtian, Zixiao, Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao.

Quan Cangtian and Zixiao walked in front.

Hand in hand.

Zixiao occasionally leaned against his shoulder and murmured something.

Her voice was very soft.

Only Quan Cangtian could hear it.

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong walked behind them.

There was a strange awkwardness between the two of them.

Hard to put into words.

Impossible to fully explain.

They weren't a couple.

Yet they were something more than mere brothers.

Wang Dong occasionally glanced at Huo Yuhao.

Then quickly looked away.

Huo Yuhao didn't notice.

Yet Xiao Xiao noticed.

Xiao Xiao walked alone to the side.

She watched the two pairs ahead of her.

One pair was Quan Cangtian and Zixiao, sickeningly sweet.

One pair was Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, inexpressibly ambiguous.

Her heart felt sour.

Quan Cangtian bought some roasted skewers.

He gave one to Zixiao first.

Zixiao took it and took a bite.

She smiled.

Then Quan Cangtian bought two more sticks.

He gave them to Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong.

"You two eat as well."

Huo Yuhao took his.

"Thanks."

Wang Dong took his.

He felt a bit awkward.

"...Thank you."

Their fingers brushed against each other.

Both instantly pulled their hands back.

Xiao Xiao watched from the side.

Her heart grew even sourer.

Quan Cangtian noticed Xiao Xiao.

He handed a skewer to her.

"Here."

Xiao Xiao took it.

She took a bite.

Sweet.

Sour.

Sweet.

Sour.

She looked at the two pairs in front of her.

One pair holding hands.

One pair acting awkward.

She lowered her head.

And took another bite.

Quan Cangtian looked in the direction of Tianhun City.

Something was approaching.

An Evil Soul Master Team.

Extremely secretive and cunning.

His gaze turned cold.

Then, he looked at Zixiao.

Zixiao looked at him as well.

The two locked eyes.

They said nothing.

Yet both understood.

Xiao Xiao watched them from the side.

Her heart felt even sourer.

Yet she smiled.

"These skewers are good."

She said.

Quan Cangtian nodded.

"Mm."

Zixiao smiled.

Very lightly.

Huo Yuhao looked at Wang Dong from the side.

Wang Dong wasn't looking at him.

Yet his ears were red.

Xiao Xiao noticed.

She thought to herself:

I ship it.

I totally ship it again.

She lowered her head.

She ate her skewer.

Sweet.

Sour.

Whatever.

Just eat.

In the direction of Tianhun City.

Secretive soul power fluctuations were approaching.

An Evil Soul Master Team.

Extremely secretive and cunning.

They had no idea—

Quan Cangtian had already sensed them.

Zixiao's lightning danced across her fingertips for a moment.

Quan Cangtian gripped her hand tighter.

She looked at him.

He nodded.

"I know."

He said.

Zixiao didn't speak.

She only gripped tighter.

Xiao Xiao took a bite of the skewered meat.

Sweet.

Sour.

She looked at the two couples ahead.

One pair holding hands.

One pair acting awkward.

She lowered her head.

And smiled.

"There's still a chance."

She said softly.

Only she could hear it.