She slowly closed her eyes, letting the tears fall.
Time passed, and when she opened her eyes again, there were no tears, only a profound golden glow, embodying a maturity and resolve beyond her years.
She felt the surging Power of Fire within her, a force now several times stronger than before. The seeds of the Nucleus of Annihilation, though integrated in a moment of crisis, contained the ancient Cosmic Origin of Fire, providing her Ancient God's Fire with unprecedented nourishment.
She could distinctly sense the closer connection between her flame and the Cosmic Origin, as if she could hear the rhythm of cosmic life and feel the breath of distant stars.
Xu Qinghan took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. She knew this was not the time for sorrow. She must return quickly to the Fire Sanctuary to inform the elders about the Nucleus of Annihilation and prepare for the trials ahead.
