Location: Soul Sea – Qing'er
The world around Lin Xian shifted.
One moment he was in the shattered remains of the Ember Vein—
The next, he stood on a bridge made of light and ash, suspended above a black ocean.
Qing'er's Soul Sea.
Except…
There were two moons in the sky.
And two versions of Qing'er standing across from each other.
One—dressed in flowing white silk, eyes gentle but determined.
The other—wrapped in black chains and Bloodsteel armor, eyes crimson and mouth curled in a cruel grin.
> "She's not me," said White Qing'er. "She's what's left of my worst life."
"No," said Bloodsteel Qing'er, stepping forward. "I'm who she becomes when she stops pretending to be weak."
Lin Xian gritted his teeth. "This isn't possible."
> "You bonded with the Unity Flame," White Qing'er said. "You saw the timelines."
"Now they're seeing you."
---
Split Mind Duel
Bloodsteel Qing'er raised her hand.
The Soul Sea trembled.
Shadow blades rose from the water, spinning like sentient spears. Each one carried a memory—a world where Qing'er was forced to kill, to lead, to become a weapon.
She snapped her fingers.
The blades shot toward Lin Xian.
White Qing'er moved instantly—summoning shields of flame and light to block them.
The impact rocked the bridge.
> "She's trying to overwrite me," White Qing'er shouted.
"You have to choose. Anchor one of us—or we'll both be lost."
---
Zhao Feng's Message
Just as Lin Xian prepared to unleash his flame, a ripple tore through the Soul Sea.
A tiny, flickering portal opened beside him.
Inside it—Zhao Feng's face.
> "Bro! It's me! Don't ask how—I stole someone's mental signal and surfed through the glitch in your system. I've got about ten seconds!"
"That other Qing'er—she's tied to a relic called the Soul Chain Mirror. It's feeding her strength from a dead timeline!"
Lin Xian blinked. "How do you even know that?"
> "I met a librarian inside this timeline fragment. She has horns. And drinks lava. Don't judge me."
The connection fizzled out.
---
Decision of Fire
Lin Xian looked at both Qing'ers.
Two halves of the same soul.
One pure—but untested.
One brutal—but honest.
He closed his eyes.
And called upon the flame born in the last battle—
The True Bond Flame.
> "You're both real," he said. "But only one of you wants to grow with me—not above me, not without me. With me."
He extended his hand…
Toward White Qing'er.
> "Come back to me," he whispered.
---
Flame Fusion – Unity Evolution Triggered
The Soul Sea collapsed in light.
White Qing'er took his hand—and her body blazed into white-gold fire. The Bloodsteel version screamed as black chains shattered and flew into the void.
> [System Notice]
Unity Flame Evolution Triggered
Result: Dual Soul Merge
Host Stability: 61%
Unknown Trait: Compassion-Driven Ignition Detected
Secondary Soul Purged: Memory Fragments Retained
Qing'er collapsed into Lin Xian's arms.
Breathing.
Alive.
Softly, she said, "Thank you… for choosing the part of me I was afraid to be."
---
Reality Returns… Broken
They snapped back to the Ember Vein.
Rin stood in the middle of a runic storm, silver flames spiraling around her.
She turned—eyes now fully silver, emotionless.
> "I am Rin," she said slowly. "And I am also… Unity Flame Host Zero."
Lin Xian froze. "What…?"
Zhao Feng's voice rang out—only it wasn't his body.
It came from the black flame hovering over the compass.
> "Yo. Bad news. I think I died."
"Also, I might be a flame now?"
---
Cliffhanger Ending
Suddenly—
A second cocoon of light cracked open behind them.
Out stepped a girl with Qing'er's face… but her hair was midnight blue. Her eyes were violet. And she was smiling with too much familiarity.
> "I remember you, Lin Xian," she said.
"I'm the Qing'er from the timeline where you died first."
"And I've been waiting for you to live long enough to suffer."
To be continued in Chapter 39 – "Three Flames, One Heart"
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