"Even a Phoenix must guard its flame from those drawn to the heat."
Three Days Later – Guild of Nirvana Phoenix
The inner courtyard of the guild was no longer silent.
Spiritual flames danced along the sigil-bound lanterns. The training field echoed with the sound of clashing steel and rising spirit energy. At its center, two figures moved with controlled aggression.
Wen Qingxue, in her frost-edged Phoenix robe, conjured delicate shards of ice that spiraled like blooming lotus petals. Each movement was precise — deadly beauty frozen mid-air.
Opposite her, Lian Rou twisted her body in mid-flip, dodging with the agility of a seasoned warrior. Her blade, engulfed in crimson flame, curved into a wide arc and melted the petals before they could strike.
They weren't fighting to win.
They were syncing.
Bonding through battle — refining one another's spiritual signatures through real combat.
Lin Yue watched from a balcony above, arms crossed, his gaze thoughtful.
[Bonding Rate Between Flamebond Members: 62% → 71%]
[Flamefield Expansion Imminent: 8 Days Until Second Domain Unlock]
[Guild Energy Core: 32% Full]
He smiled faintly.
The Guild of Nirvana Phoenix wasn't just a name now.
It was a growing power.
Wen Qingxue landed on the ground, breathing evenly. Her pale skin flushed with warmth — something she was still getting used to.
"You're getting better," Lian Rou said, wiping sweat from her cheek.
"I'm not competing," Qingxue replied, turning away.
"You keep saying that," Rou smirked, "but you're the one who sliced through my flame barrier today."
Their banter was cut short by the arrival of a glowing bird-shaped flame projection soaring through the air.
"Guild Leader Lin Yue, urgent news from the outer perimeter. Unregistered cultivator detected. High charm aura. Unknown intent."
The bird disintegrated in midair.
Wen Qingxue's eyes narrowed. "Another trespasser?"
"No," Lin Yue murmured from above. "A guest."
He leapt down in a flash of fire and landed between them.
"Let's meet her together."
Outer Gate – Near Sunset
As the three approached the edge of the spiritual boundary, the air shimmered with unfamiliar energy. Floral-sweet and intoxicating — the kind that didn't just turn heads, but fogged minds.
And standing amidst the golden grass was a vision that felt torn from the pages of myth.
She wore traveler's robes half-undone at the top, revealing snow-white skin and curves molded by divinity. Her raven-black hair flowed to her waist, eyes shimmering like violet gems. At her hip hung a flute; her fingers toyed with it idly.
When she saw Lin Yue, her lips parted in a smile that promised disaster.
"Well, well… I finally found you."
[New Candidate Detected: Luo Yanyue]
Spiritual Trait: Charm-Based Sound Cultivation
Threat Level: Low
Hidden Physique: Demonic Foxblood (3-Tailed Dormant)
Compatibility: 88%
Bonding Potential: High – Warning: Seduction Risk
Lin Yue stepped forward without hesitation.
"You came to this cursed zone alone. Either brave, foolish… or looking for something."
She pouted. "Looking for someone. Word's been floating in the dark channels. A Phoenix Guild… a leader who passes his flame to beautiful women… I had to see it with my own eyes."
Lian Rou stepped beside him, scowling. "We're not some harem club. This is a guild forged in fire and trial."
Wen Qingxue's gaze sharpened. "And trespassers don't get second chances."
But the newcomer was completely unfazed. She walked forward — hips swaying — and gave a slight bow toward Lin Yue.
"I am Luo Yanyue, former student of Silver Lotus Conservatory. Expelled. Wrongfully, I assure you." She winked. "I'm looking for a place where beauty isn't feared… and power isn't shackled by 'rules.'"
Then she tapped her flute against her ring finger.
"And I heard you're recruiting."
Moments Later – Inner Sanctuary
Luo Yanyue sat cross-legged on a silk mat, sipping tea while shamelessly staring at Lin Yue from over the cup.
"You're younger than I expected," she said.
"You're more provocative than I expected," he replied.
She laughed. "Flattery will get you everywhere."
Wen Qingxue stood at the side, arms folded, her breath causing the air to frost subtly.
Lian Rou paced behind Lin Yue like a protective flame-hound.
"I don't trust her," Rou said bluntly.
"I never asked to be trusted," Yanyue replied sweetly. "I only asked to be tested."
Lin Yue tapped his fingers against his knee. "You want to join my guild. Why?"
Yanyue's flirtation vanished for a moment — replaced by a sharp gleam in her eyes.
"Because I was born with a gift everyone fears. Men want to control it. Women want me gone. My charm spirit affects even spiritual beasts — I can calm chaos with a whisper, drive men to madness with a note."
"I want to use it for myself… and I want a place that lets me become strong without pretending to be something else."
She leaned closer.
"And… I think I want your flame. Even if it burns."
Lin Yue closed his eyes briefly.
The System pulsed.
[Bloodline Trial: Incompatible Element – Sound/Charm]
Method Required: Emotional Bond Trigger via Trust Trial
Risk: Mental Invasion / Illusion Distortion
Chance of Success: 65%
"Very well," he said, opening his eyes.
"You will undergo the Trial of Honest Flame. No illusions. No seduction. You show your true self — and if your fire matches mine, I will share my flame."
Yanyue's smile faltered. "No illusions…?"
"Yes. You will perform with your heart bared. No spiritual flute, no aura."
Silence.
Then a nod.
"…Deal."
That Night – Trial of Honest Flame
Within a spiritual chamber sealed by Phoenix runes, Luo Yanyue stood barefoot on a glowing sigil, her flute placed outside the circle.
Her charm aura was forcibly suppressed.
Around her, three flame mirrors hovered — one each forged by Lin Yue, Lian Rou, and Wen Qingxue.
"Speak, sing, or reveal," Lin Yue said. "No power. Just truth."
Yanyue hesitated.
Then she inhaled.
And began to sing.
Not with technique — but with pain.
Her voice was raw, unrefined… yet beautiful.
She sang of loneliness.
Of being called a monster for simply making people love her.
Of mentors who used her, friends who envied her, men who stalked her, and women who cursed her.
She sang of isolation.
Of wandering city to city with nowhere to belong.
Of nights spent alone, terrified to sleep, because even her dreams seduced spirits.
She sang… of wanting to be free.
To be heard. To be more than a vessel of desire.
By the end, her voice cracked. Tears streamed down her face. Her hair clung to her cheeks, and her body trembled — naked in truth, not in skin.
The flames did not flicker.
They embraced her.
The mirrors pulsed once… twice… then ignited.
[Trial Passed: Flame of Sincerity Accepted]
Bloodline Transfer Initiated
New Flamebond Member: Luo Yanyue
Uniform: Phoenix Blossom Robe – Variant Charm Weave
Identity Ring Forged
Element: Spirit Flame – Illusion Harmony
Her robes reformed — red silk with flowing violet lotus threads. Her flute pulsed with firelight. A Phoenix crest shaped like a petal appeared at her chest.
She gasped and fell to her knees.
Lin Yue caught her.
"…I didn't think I'd feel warm again," she whispered.
"You're not alone now," he said. "You're one of us."
Later That Night
Wen Qingxue and Lian Rou stood watching from a distance.
"She's dangerous," Rou muttered.
"She's honest," Qingxue replied. "And broken."
"…Like us."
Lin Yue stood nearby, watching the three Flamebond sigils pulse together above the guild shrine.
Three flames. Three women.
A new path unfolding.
But it wasn't peace he felt.
It was warning.
Because the stronger they became… the brighter they burned… the more the world would see them as a threat.
And threats don't survive long unless they're ready to fight.
[Warning: External Spirit Authority Detected Approaching City Limits]
Estimated Arrival: 36 Hours
Name: Yu Zhenlong – Spirit Suppression Committee Enforcer
Intent: Suppress Illegal Bloodline Evolution Guilds
Danger Level: High
To Be Continued...