The silence in that cold corridor of the manor was so profound that even the rustle of the wind felt like a piercing scream. Ye Fang's hand remained steady in the air, extended toward Yan Kai Long in a gesture of unbreakable alliance. His golden eyes cut through the gloom, shimmering with the radiance of an ancient Sovereign. The calm yet torrential aura emanating from those eyes shook the very core of a warrior as seasoned as Yan Kai Long.
"Will you journey by my side, Brother Kai Long?"
There was a weight in Ye Fang's voice that did not belong to the mortal realm. Yan Kai Long's fingers trembled. He had barely managed to summon the mental fortitude to grasp that hand when suddenly, the heavy thud of approaching footsteps and the flicker of torchlight struck the manor walls from the far end of the corridor.
"Ye Fang! What are you doing here at this hour?"
City Lord Wang Long's thunderous voice echoed through the hallway. Right behind him, Elder Wang Shen and his two daughters—Wang Mei and Wang Ling—had also arrived. The sudden commotion and the faint, lingering trace of divine energy had alerted the entire family.
As their gazes fell upon Ye Fang, an awe-inspiring phenomenon occurred. The golden aura surrounding his body vanished in an instant, receding into his very pores. His golden pupils, which had been whispering of celestial secrets, snapped back to their original obsidian black in the blink of an eye. Ye Fang's frame shuddered violently. The hand he had extended toward Yan Kai Long flew up to clutch his own forehead.
"Ah... my head... why does it suddenly feel so heavy?" Ye Fang groaned in feigned or perhaps real agony. His state was now entirely that of an ordinary man. Looking at him now, no one could have imagined that mere seconds ago, he was releasing a pressure that could suppress the heavens.
Elder Wang Shen's sharp eyes scanned Ye Fang for a moment, measuring him. Then, he slowly turned his gaze toward Yan Kai Long, who stood as motionless as a stone statue. "What are the two of you doing here at this watch? And Yan Kai Long... why do you look as if you've seen a ghost?"
Yan Kai Long stammered, pointing a trembling finger toward Ye Fang. "He... City Lord... just now... he asked me to journey with him and his eyes... they were entirely different... they weren't human!"
"What? What are you saying, Brother Kai Long?" Ye Fang asked with profound innocence, rubbing his eyes. "I only stepped out because I was feeling restless in my room and needed some fresh air. Why are you looking at me like that? And what 'offer' did I give you? I don't even recall speaking to you."
Wang Mei narrowed her eyes, her gaze dripping with suspicion. "Do not lie. Yan Kai Long would not be this shaken without reason. You were just saying that you were going somewhere."
Ye Fang looked genuinely bewildered. There was a vast, hollow void in his memory; he truly had no recollection of what had transpired in the last few minutes. "My hand? Oh, no... I just felt a sudden, violent dizziness. I must have reached out instinctively for support as I was about to fall. And as for leaving? Where would I go in the dead of night?"
The City Lord and the Elder exchanged puzzled glances. They began to suspect that perhaps Yan Kai Long was suffering from some form of mental hallucination. "Everyone, return to your chambers at once! Tomorrow morning, we must discuss the situation regarding the Hao Huo Mountain," the City Lord commanded.
When Ye Fang reached his room and bolted the door, his heart was hammering against his ribs. "System... what just happened out there? Why was everyone looking at me so strangely? And why was Yan Kai Long paralyzed with fear?"
A calm, azure light shimmered in the air. The Little System manifested, appearing more stable and ethereal than before. Her voice held a deep, resonant gravity, like that of an ancient guide.
"Host, this is the natural consequence of the God-Demon Physique residing within your frame," the Little System explained, her voice echoing with a crystalline clarity. "You had ascended into your secondary consciousness—the 'God Mode.' Your eyes had transformed into molten gold, and in that state of absolute sovereignty, you revealed your entire plan to Yan Kai Long. You even extended an invitation for him to journey alongside you."
Ye Fang slumped onto his bed, his face drenched in a cold sweat. "What? I told him everything? But why is there a void in my memory? Why can't I recall a single word?"
The System's tone became slow and deliberate, as if lecturing a young disciple. "Because your mortal brain is not yet capable of fully assimilating the crushing weight of that primordial divine power. When that essence awakens, your mundane consciousness is forced into a state of dormancy to protect itself from shattering. You informed him of your pilgrimage to the Secret Realm of Hao Huo Mountain. I had to forcibly retract your energy at the final second to normalize you; otherwise, your true origin would have been laid bare before the entire Wang family."
Ye Fang took a long, shaky breath. "So... Yan Kai Long knows. The secret is out."
The System gazed at him with a steady, unblinking look. "Host, your paramount task now is to cultivate both aspects of your existence—the God and the Demon—simultaneously. Until you establish a perfect equilibrium between these two forces, this 'memory void' and the erratic surges of energy will persist. The journey to the Burning Peak of Hao Huo will be the first great crucible for this balance."
Ye Fang stared out the window. In the distant North, the crimson glow of the Hao Huo Mountain no longer filled him with dread. Instead, it felt like a beckoning call—a destiny he could no longer outrun. He finally understood: to rule this world, he first had to rule himself. He had to unify the fractured halves of his own soul.
"System, tell me—does City Lord Wang Long truly know about the Secret Realm? If he was aware, why was he so vague and evasive when discussing the energy of Hao Huo Mountain before everyone?" Ye Fang asked directly as he sat on his bed. His voice was laced with a deep, cutting suspicion.
A faint blue ripple shimmered in the air, and the Little System manifested before him, appearing as a serene, divine guide. Her voice held a stillness that tempered Ye Fang's restlessness.
"Host, City Lord Wang Long is a cunning politician and a seasoned cultivator. He does not possess the full truth of the Secret Realm," the System explained with cold logic. "He spoke of 'energy shifts' because he can sense the Fiery Aura leaking from the mountain—a force now breaching its ancient boundaries. He knows something monumental is occurring, but the specific knowledge that a 'Secret Realm' is awakening resides only within your Universal System."
"Then why the deception?" Ye Fang asked, narrowing his eyes.
"It is not a lie, Host—it is statecraft," the System clarified. "If he were to openly declare a 'Secret Realm,' chaos would engulf Sanmiao City, and the gaze of the continent's supreme sects would instantly fixate on this small territory. He wants time to prepare. He fears that if the news spreads, the colossal sects descending upon them would turn Sanmiao City to ash in their wake. Thus, he suppressed the truth by labeling it a mere 'energy shift,' hoping to investigate it in silence."
Ye Fang took a long breath. "So, he is making his move in the shadows. But what of Yan Kai Long? What will he do?"
"What Yan Kai Long witnessed in your golden eyes is something he can never purge from his memory. He is now certain that you possess a power beyond the City Lord's wildest imagination. That is why he did not oppose your offer," the System replied calmly. "You have only one path now—to forge yourself into a being so powerful that when you set foot upon that mountain, none shall dare obstruct your path."
The silence of the night had deepened. Every corner of the manor was submerged in sleep, but within Ye Fang's chamber, a cyclone of energy was brewing. He sat cross-legged on the floor and shuttered his eyes.
"System, no more time for talk. Activate the Supreme God–Demon Soul Manual."
'DING!'
[ SUPREME GOD–DEMON SOUL MANUAL: FIRST PHASE INITIATING... ]
Suddenly, an ancient, resonating voice thundered within Ye Fang's mind. Thousands of primordial mantras collided simultaneously against the cells of his brain. It felt as though his skull would fracture under the weight of the forbidden script, but he gritted his teeth, refusing to yield. This manual was no ordinary cultivation technique—it was the singular bridge destined to weave together the two warring halves of his soul: the God and the Demon.
As the cultivation commenced, a chilling, translucent white light began to emanate from the left side of his body—the serene essence of his 'God' half. Simultaneously, a terrifying, abyssal crimson and black smoke rose from his right side—the tempestuous power of his 'Demon' half.
The temperature within the chamber fluctuated violently. Frost began to encrust the left wall, while the wooden furniture on the right began to hiss and smolder, as if on the verge of spontaneous combustion. Ye Fang's physical frame was being crushed between these two opposing forces. It felt as if ten thousand needles were being driven into the very fabric of his soul at once.
"Maintain your focus, Host!" the System's voice resonated within his inner mind. "Do not let these powers collide. Accept them as complements to one another. Merge the tranquility of the God with the primal passion of the Demon."
Ye Fang seized control of his breathing, diving deep into the abyss of his soul. There, he witnessed two colossal shadows—a golden sun of divinity and a blood-drenched darkness. With sheer force of will, he forced them toward each other. This was no longer a battle of physical strength; it was a war of spiritual dominance.
Throughout the night, he remained trapped in this crucible of agony and power. His skin flickered between a celestial golden radiance and a charred, obsidian black. Impurities were purged from his pores in the form of black sweat. His 'Supreme Spiritual Root,' which had been dormant at a mere 1%, began to vibrate with a newfound resonance.
Only when the first light of dawn struck the window did the cyclone of energy finally dissipate. Ye Fang snapped his eyes open. The confusion was gone. His aura was now more stable, profound, and shrouded in mystery than ever before. He clenched his fist, feeling the equilibrium within his soul—a balance of God and Demon that propelled him leagues beyond any ordinary warrior.
"The first phase is complete," he whispered, his voice low and steady.
The Hao Huo Mountain was no longer just a destination; it was his destiny.