Ten Thousand Flames, One Heart

The heavens split, and the sea of clouds churned.

Nine heaven-reaching pillars of fire thundered up from the continent's four poles and eight reaches, like ancient wards awakening anew, tearing apart the Firmament. They heralded the Nine Clans' campaign—the Gu Clan, the Soul Clan, Thunder Punishment Valley, Burning Flame Ridge, Dark Nether Manor, the Heavenly Sword Sect, Blood River Hall, Yin Fiend Cliff, and Nirvana Cavern. All nine ancient powers had deployed their finest warriors, their banners blotting out the heavens, their dou qi abyss-deep as they bore down on Ash Kiln Village.

The Mortal Flame Gate stood at the village entrance, its crimson-gold pillar of light undying. Like the earth's eye, it received the people's Will Flame, yet beneath the pressure of the Nine Clans, it trembled faintly.

"Boom!"

With a tremendous crash, a thousand-zhang rift tore open in the heavens, and a figure strode through on fire. He wore battle armor inscribed with imperial patterns, a golden ancient seal shining between his brows. With a single step, heaven and earth knelt, and mountains and rivers lost their splendor.

“The Ancient Emperor's descendant—Di Linyuan himself.”

He stood in the air, his gaze like lightning as it swept over the Mortal Flame Gate. “A mere mortal dares open the Emperor Road?” he said coldly. “Disrupting the order with mortal flame, beguiling the masses—this is a crime against heaven.”

He raised his hand, and a strand of imperial might descended like heavenly punishment, bearing straight down on the Trial Stele.

"Today, I mete out punishment on heaven's behalf—this gate shall be destroyed! This stele shall be shattered! This path shall be severed!"

"Boom!"

Imperial might pressed toward the Mortal Flame Gate like a mountain.

In an instant, the pillar of light swayed violently. Cracks appeared across the Trial Stele, and the crimson-gold flames flickered, seemingly on the verge of going out.

Just then—

A blade's resonant hum rang out—

From the top of the stele.

Lin Yan stood atop the Mortal Flame Gate, the Flame Blade held across his chest. Will Flame True Blaze flowed along its edge, like a dragon's cry, like rolling thunder.

He neither retreated nor knelt, but gave a quiet shout:

"If mortal flame is undying, how can its path be severed?"

His blade flashed!

One slash struck at the imperial might!

"Boom!"

Crimson-gold blade energy collided with golden imperial might, erupting into waves of fire ten thousand zhang high. Space shattered, forming a domain of blazing storms. Lin Yan was driven back three steps, the paving stones beneath his feet crushed to pieces. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, yet he stood tall, his blade never lowering.

"You cannot protect this gate." Di Linyuan watched him coldly. "Mortal flame is still mortal flame. Even with the obsessions of the masses behind it, it cannot withstand the true power of the imperial path."

“You're wrong.” Lin Yan raised a hand and wiped away the blood, his gaze burning like flame. “What you call 'mortal flame' is no rootless fire, no lonely flame on a dying candle.”

He turned and looked behind him—

Beyond Ash Kiln Village, countless figures had gathered among the hills and wilderness.

There were veterans missing an arm, faint flames burning in their palms; girls expelled from their sects, using blood as a kindling to ignite the Heart Flame within; beggars, farmers, servants, borderfolk... Every one of them was a “mortal” trampled underfoot by the old order. Yet now their eyes blazed like torches, and the fires in their palms gathered like points of starlight.

“Have you ever seen—” Lin Yan's voice was low, yet it carried throughout heaven and earth. “Ten thousand people of one heart, ten thousand flames united in that heart?”

He raised the Flame Blade high and let out a long cry:

"All who guard my path—may wield fire!"

"Burn!"

"Boom—boom—boom!"

In an instant, thousands upon thousands of mortals ignited the fires within their hearts at once.

The Trial Stele resonated, and all nine tiers of fire lit up. Crimson-gold radiance spread like a tide, turning the entire land into a sea of flames. Each mortal flame was weak, yet when ten thousand flames burned together, they formed a vast fiery cloud in the air, like a river of stars hanging upside down, like the great sun rising!

Ten thousand flames, one heart—a sea of fire!

The sea of fire surged, transforming into an enormous crimson-gold dragon that coiled behind Lin Yan. Its roar shook the heavens, and it stood against the imperial might as an equal!

“This... is impossible!” Di Linyuan's pupils constricted sharply. “How can mortal fire gather such will? This is no longer dou qi, but... conviction in the Dao!”

"This is not dou qi." Lin Yan stood atop the sea of fire, his blade pointing straight at the heavens. "This is the will to guard the path."

"You sit high in the nine heavens, declaring that mortals are unworthy to seek the Dao, that bloodline decides everything. But you have forgotten—Dou qi first arose from mortal hearts; the Emperor's Path began with an unyielding spirit."

He took a step forward, and the sea of fire followed:

"Today, I use mortal flame as kindling and gather the people's will to form this sea of fire—not to become an emperor, not to reign supreme."

"Only to tell the world—mortal flame, too, can burn the heavens!"

As his words fell, the sea of fire surged!

The enormous crimson-gold dragon roared forth, crashing into the golden light of Di Linyuan's imperial might. Wherever the waves of fire passed, space melted and laws snapped apart. Even the heavens were burned through, leaving a vast hole!

Di Linyuan roared in fury, stirring his ancient emperor bloodline and forming the Ninefold Emperor Seal to suppress it. Yet the sea of fire was boundless, wave after wave rushing onward. Mortal flame was weak, but it flowed as ceaselessly as the tide, until at last it melted through the Ninefold Emperor Seal!

"No!" he roared. "How can mortal flame burn an emperor?!"

"Mortal flame cannot burn an emperor—" Lin Yan's blade pierced through the sea of fire, thrusting straight at his heart. "But the fire of a people united can burn heaven's mandate!"

"Boom!"

Crimson-gold blade energy slashed down. Di Linyuan's Emperor Seal shattered, his battle armor disintegrated, and his figure was swallowed by the sea of fire. Only a defiant howl remained, fading into the wind.

The Ancient Emperor's descendant was defeated!

The Nine Clans' allied army recoiled in terror, retreating a hundred li. No one dared take another step toward the Mortal Flame Gate.

Outside Ash Kiln Village, the sea of fire gradually subsided, turning into tiny firefly lights that settled in the palms of thousands upon thousands of mortals. They looked at one another and smiled. No trace of lowliness remained in their eyes—only light.

Lin Yan stood atop the stele, gazing over the land, and said softly:

"The fire has been lit. The gate has opened."

"From this day forth, there will be no division between 'noble' and 'lowly.'"

"All who possess resolve may seek the Dao."

"All who possess fire may become emperors."

On the Trial Stele, the final character quietly lit up upon the ninth tier of fire—

"Heart."

The nine tiers were complete; ten thousand flames had united in one heart.

From that moment on, the path of mortal flame stood established in the world.

On a distant mountaintop, a white-haired figure stood silently, looking toward Ash Kiln Village, and sighed:

"He truly... brought that seed to life."

The figure turned and left, sleeves brushing lightly, leaving behind a whisper that drifted away on the wind:

"...The Dou Qi Continent is about to see its heavens change."

Next chapter preview: "The Emperor Gate Is About to Open"

The Mortal Flame Gate shook the nine regions. Strange disturbances repeatedly arose in the Gu Clan's secret grounds, and the Dou Di Gate, dormant for ten thousand years, unexpectedly appeared in the Northern Desert Wasteland. Legend held that only someone who gathered all nine Origin Emperor Flames could open it. Holding his blade, Lin Yan gazed into the distance. "Since the gate has appeared, then let's—see if we can force our way through."