Chapter 42: Whispers of the Western Flame
The wind in the Western Peaks carried the scent of burning herbs and cold stone. Mei Xiao wrapped her cloak tighter, shivering as the narrow path twisted ever upward.
"This place is giving me 'witch in the woods' vibes," she muttered, stepping around a suspicious-looking bone. "I swear, if a broomstick flies at my face, I'm suing someone."
Murong Jing He, walking ahead in silence, didn't react.
Not even a twitch.
Which only made her grumble louder. "Seriously, how do you do that? It's like talking to a majestic ice cube."
"I've been called worse," he said without turning.
From behind them, Xie Lan let out a dramatic sigh. "This is romantic, right? You two, bickering in the cold, surrounded by ancient magic and the looming threat of death… I'm crying. Someone paint this."
Mei spun. "Why did you come again?"
Xie Lan posed dramatically with a fan. "Because I'm charming, fashionable, and someone has to protect you from your own recklessness."
Murong finally stopped at a crumbling archway carved with phoenix feathers. "We're here."
Beyond it stood a stone courtyard, barren except for a single tree with glowing red leaves—and beneath it, a woman cloaked in flames.
Her hair flickered like a candle. Her eyes, gold and unreadable, fixed on Mei immediately.
"You've brought her," the woman said. Her voice was soft, but every syllable rang with ancient weight.
Murong bowed slightly. "Priestess Yan. We need answers."
The woman stepped forward, her gaze never leaving Mei Xiao. "You carry the third fragment. But the seal inside you is... unstable."
"Gee, thanks," Mei muttered. "That makes me feel so much better."
Priestess Yan ignored her sarcasm. "Do you know who you are?"
Mei hesitated. "A coffee-addicted marketing intern who accidentally got soul-swapped into a historical drama?"
Even Xie Lan winced.
Priestess Yan raised an eyebrow. "You are a vessel of the Phoenix Queen. Her memories... her fire... all hidden within you. But sealed. And cracks are forming."
Mei's mouth went dry. "So what happens when it breaks?"
"The fire returns. And with it, so does everything she once was."
Murong finally spoke. "And the Obsidian Sect?"
Priestess Yan's expression darkened. "They seek all the fragments. If they reunite them first… the seal won't just break. It will shatter. And the Queen… may not return as the woman she once was."
Mei looked at her hands, a strange warmth pulsing under her skin.
What was she becoming?
Murong stepped closer to her. "We'll find the other fragments. But we'll do it together."
Mei blinked at him, startled by the sudden softness in his voice.
Then Xie Lan appeared beside them, holding up a steaming gourd. "A toast! To saving the world and not turning into a flaming demon queen!"
Mei took the gourd with a grin. "I'll drink to that."
But deep inside, a whisper stirred—soft, ancient, burning:
"You are not ready."