The tunnel narrowed as they moved deeper—walls blackened, etched with symbols that pulsed like slow heartbeats. The light from Jiang Han's flame thread flickered, reluctant to burn.
Even Ember Fang vibrated against his back, sensing the unnatural weight of the place.
Bo Ren whispered, "We are beyond recorded time now. Beneath memory. This was never meant for mortal feet."
But Jiang Han pressed forward.
Each step into the Flame Depths felt like walking backward into his own past—except it wasn't his. It was someone else's, buried deep in his bones.
The corridor ended in a vast circular chamber.
At its center floated a massive stone slab, rotating slowly, covered in flame-script that rewrote itself every few seconds. Around it hung mirrors—fragments of polished obsidian floating in midair, each glowing faintly.
> Soul Trial Initiated: Echo Alignment Protocol
> Objective: Withstand reflection. Accept or deny.
A voice echoed—not from the walls, but from within his soul.
> "Do you deserve the power you carry?"
A mirror flared.
From it stepped another Jiang Han—colder, clad in flawless armor, his eyes burning like stars. His aura was suffocating, as if he commanded the heavens themselves.
He looked Jiang over with disdain.
> "You are too soft," the Echo said. "Too merciful. Power is not grown through kindness. It is taken."
Jiang Han drew Ember Fang slowly.
"I've heard this speech before."
"Then listen again."
The first trial began.
---
Trial One – The Ruthless Flame
The Echo struck like lightning, his blade—a perfect mirror of Ember Fang—crashing against Jiang's with enough force to send fire skittering across the floor.
Jiang blocked, but only just. The Echo didn't hold back.
Every slash was optimized. Precise. Mechanical. Efficient.
"You forge allies," the Echo said, voice sharp. "I forged legions. You rescued a child. I sacrificed millions to hold the front."
"Then maybe they died for nothing," Jiang snapped, pressing forward.
They clashed again. Sparks, flame, reflection.
At last, Jiang twisted around the mirror-blade and slammed the hilt of Ember Fang into the Echo's ribs.
The illusion broke—shattering like glass.
And the chamber spoke:
> First Reflection – Confronted.
Acceptance Level: 61%
Bo Ren nodded once. "You did not destroy him. You met him."
Jiang stood, breathing hard. "Because he's still a part of me."
---
A second mirror ignited.
And from it emerged… a younger Jiang Han.
Thirteen. Wide-eyed. Scared.
Wearing rags. Holding nothing.
"I don't want this," the boy said, trembling. "I didn't ask for this world. For pain. For flame. For war."
Jiang's throat tightened.
"You're right," he said quietly. "We didn't."
The boy's eyes brimmed with tears.
"Then why do we keep fighting?"
Jiang knelt. Met his gaze.
"Because no one else can carry it now."
He reached out.
Touched the boy's shoulder.
And the child vanished in a soft pulse of fire.
> Second Reflection – Accepted.
Acceptance Level: 89%
Bo Ren said nothing.
But his eyes glistened.
---
The final mirror trembled.
And split.
What stepped out wasn't Jiang.
Not exactly.
It was a shifting silhouette—not flame, not shadow, not form. A being without name. Something born of before.
> "We are the Fragment that Remains," it said. "Left behind when the first Jiang Han tore through the Veil."
> "We watched him burn stars. Break realms. Become something not meant to be."
> "And now you would walk that path."
Jiang Han stood still.
"Who are you really?"
The shape rippled. "We are the part of you that knows what must be done."
It extended a hand.
And in its palm… floated a single golden ember.
> "Take it. And we will make you whole."
Bo Ren whispered: "That ember is from the original Flameheart. The source of your ascension."
> Soulforge Alert:
Legacy Flame Detected.
Risk: Integration may cause full memory flash.
Reward: Awakening of Flame Sovereign Inheritance.
Jiang Han stepped forward—
And took the ember.
---
It burned.
Not his body—his history.
Flashes of stars torn open, flames that danced in vacuum, legions kneeling, kings dying, entire realms rebuilt in fire.
He saw himself standing against the gates of the Immortal Realm—alone—holding back the fall of ten thousand worlds.
And then… silence.
Then light.
Then him again.
Younger. Smaller.
Born once more on Blue Star.
---
Jiang Han gasped as the vision ended.
He fell to one knee—but did not fall further.
> Third Reflection – Integrated.
Flame Sovereign Legacy Awakened: 12%
New Talent Synergy:
Soul Furnace (SSS) – Converts emotion and memory into energy, empowering flame and thread attacks during battle.
Passive Unlocked: Echo Stability – Reduces soul backlash from ancient memories.
Bo Ren helped him up.
His eyes shone with awe. "You… just accepted your future and your past."
Jiang Han stood slowly, Ember Fang pulsing in resonance.
"No," he said.
"I just forged my present."