The first righteous cultivator burst into the chamber, golden sword qi slashing ahead like a blazing arc. Behind him, more poured in—white robes flashing under torchlight, formation flags snapping as they locked the exits. Ten, then twenty. Elders barked orders, eyes narrowing on the trio in the center.
"Demoness confirmed! And the traitor Wei Chen—with the ice witch Lin Xue!" one shouted. "Capture alive for judgment!"
Wei Chen rose slowly, folding fan snapping open with a flick. Nine-Suns fire danced along its edges, golden and fierce. "Judgment? You chased us into this tomb for that?"
Lin Xue stepped to his left, frost qi swirling in elegant spirals. Su Mei flanked his right, demonic essence curling like crimson smoke. The new seal between them hummed—shared flame ready to ignite.
The lead elder sneered. "Your black sun brand has awakened the forbidden ruin. Surrender, or die defiling this place."
Wei Chen's grin sharpened. "We just sealed it better than your sect ever could. Watch."
He moved first—fan slicing air, sending waves of golden flame roaring forward. The hunters raised shields, righteous qi forming a white barrier. But Lin Xue's frost threaded through his fire, turning it into razor-sharp ice-flame that cracked the shield like glass. Su Mei's corrosion followed, eating through the cracks in hungry bursts.
Three hunters fell back, robes freezing and crumbling. The rest charged.
The battle exploded into chaos. Swords clashed against fan and frost blades. Wei Chen danced through them, movements faster now, overload perfectly balanced. Lin Xue's ice walls rose and shattered into deadly shards. Su Mei's demonic chains lashed out, binding limbs and draining qi.
But the hunters were prepared. Formation flags planted in seconds formed a golden net overhead, pressing down with sealing pressure. Righteous chants filled the air, trying to suppress demonic and overload signatures alike.
Wei Chen felt the strain. The net burned cold against his brand. Lin Xue's curse stirred faintly under the holy pressure. Su Mei hissed as her corruption recoiled.
Then the whispers began.
Soft. Insidious. Threading through the chants like smoke.
She never truly forgave you for needing her… the voice murmured in Wei Chen's ear, sounding exactly like Lin Xue's cool tone. She endures your touch only to survive…
Wei Chen faltered mid-strike. A sword grazed his shoulder, drawing blood.
Lin Xue glanced at him sharply. "Wei Chen?"
Another whisper, this time in Su Mei's mind—Lin Xue's voice again. He'll discard you once the ice queen is fully healed. You're just a tool to him…
Su Mei's chain wavered, letting a hunter slip free.
And to Lin Xue: Su Mei's sultry laugh. He enjoys your pride breaking… but he craves my fire more. You'll always be second…
Lin Xue's frost wall cracked under a hammer strike.
The Frost-Eater. Weakened, but not silent. It fed on doubt, twisting their bond against them.
Wei Chen saw it in their eyes—the flicker of hurt, the pause. He spun, pulling both women back-to-back with him in the center. Hunters circled, sensing weakness.
"No," he said firmly. "Listen to me. Not that thing."
He grabbed Lin Xue's hand, then Su Mei's, linking them again. "Feel the rope. Feel what's real."
Shared essence surged between them—warm, steady, undeniable. The whispers faltered.
Lin Xue squeezed his hand. "It's lying. I chose this. I choose you."
Su Mei's grip tightened. "And I'm not going anywhere. Let's burn it silent."
The triangle flared bright. Wei Chen channeled everything—their combined flame—into a single burst. He slammed his fan downward. Golden fire erupted upward, laced with frost and corrosion, shattering the golden net like brittle ice.
Hunters staggered, blinded. The trio struck as one.
Wei Chen's fan whirlwind scattered the front line. Lin Xue's ice spears pinned elders to walls. Su Mei's chains dragged the rest into corrosion pits that ate through defenses.
In minutes, the chamber fell quiet. Groans echoed from fallen hunters. Formation flags smoked, ruined.
Wei Chen breathed hard, wiping blood from his shoulder. "That's the first wave handled."
Lin Xue leaned against him, steadying her breath. "But more will come. The disturbance was too big."
Su Mei scanned the entrances. "And the crack…"
They turned. The thin fracture in the coffin wall pulsed faintly. The whispers had quieted, but a new hairline split had appeared—small, but growing.
The Frost-Eater had fed on the battle's chaos after all.
Distant shouts echoed again—reinforcements, closer now. Heavier steps. A deeper chant.
Wei Chen closed his fan. "We can't hold this chamber forever."
Lin Xue met his eyes. "Then we take the fight outside. And finish sealing that thing on our terms."
Su Mei grinned, fierce and loyal. "Together."
But as they moved toward the main tunnel, a final whisper brushed them all—cold, patient, using Wei Chen's own voice this time.
Run if you like… I already have your name…
The black sun brand burned hot in warning.
To be Continued
© Kishtika., 2026
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