The Pavilion gates were silent.
Too silent.
Wind swept through the courtyard, carrying leaves that spiraled in uneasy patterns. Disciples stood rigid, faces pale. Even the elders kept distance, unsure whether to kneel, flee, or prepare for war.
Qi Shan Wei approached slowly, Ling Xueyao at his side, fingers wrapped around her frost sword. Drakonix perched on Shan Wei's shoulder, wings puffed, trembling with something between fear and fury.
Jin Wei followed from behind, newly repaired arm shimmering faintly. Though still heavily damaged, he moved with purpose — each step deliberate, protective.
As Shan Wei drew closer, the crowd parted.
Then he saw her.
A young woman stood before the gates.
She wore robes of pure white threaded with gold. Her hair was a cascading waterfall of fiery crimson, each strand glowing faintly like embers. A phoenix feather staff rested against her shoulder, humming with faint divine warmth.
And her eyes —her eyes were molten gold, swirling like liquid sunlight.
She felt like an ember of heaven that had descended in human form.
Shan Wei's breath caught.
Ling Xueyao stepped slightly in front of him, frost aura rising like a glacier being born.
The woman smiled gently.
"So you are Qi Shan Wei."
Her voice was soft but carried effortlessly through the courtyard. Everyone stiffened — as if her words alone held spiritual power.
Shan Wei stepped forward.
"I am. Who are you?"
The woman inclined her head gracefully.
"My name is Feng Qingyue."
Shan Wei froze.
Feng.
The phoenix surname.
Ling Xueyao's eyes narrowed.
"Feng Clan…?"
Qingyue nodded.
"Yes. I carry the blood of the Moonfire Phoenix."
A ripple of shock ran through the elders.
One almost fainted.
Elder Lu muttered, "The Feng Clan sent her? This is… beyond dangerous…"
But Qingyue continued calmly.
"I felt the Heaven Eye. I felt the Summoning Mark.And I sensed… you."
Her golden eyes fixed on Shan Wei.
"Qi Shan Wei, the heavens have acknowledged you.But sometimes, acknowledgment… comes with a price."
Drakonix hissed sharply.
"Fweee!"His tiny wings flared, sparks spitting from his feathers.
Qingyue's gaze shifted.
She stared at Drakonix — truly stared — and her golden eyes widened in shock.
"Impossible…"
Shan Wei moved instinctively, shielding Drakonix with his hand.
"What's wrong?"
Qingyue took a slow step forward.
"That aura… that flame…He carries Phoenix Nirvana Qi."
"Phoenix what?" Shan Wei frowned.
Ling Xueyao tensed, stepping between them.
"Do not touch him."
Qingyue shook her head.
"No. You don't understand."Her gaze trembled."Only a divine phoenix egg of the highest caliber would radiate Nirvana Qi… Something that shouldn't exist in this realm."
She pressed a trembling hand to her heart.
"A hybrid dragon-phoenix beast… no wonder the heavens summoned me."
Shan Wei narrowed his eyes.
"Summoned you… to do what?"
Qingyue looked at him with a mixture of sadness and resolve.
"To warn you."She stepped closer, staff glowing."And to judge whether you must be… eliminated."
Ling Xueyao snapped.
"You will not touch him."
The temperature dropped instantly. Frost swirled, forming a thin layer of ice beneath their feet.
Qingyue did not flinch.
"Ling Xueyao," she said softly. "Your frost soul is powerful. But if I wished to kill him, you would not stop me."
Xueyao's grip tightened around her sword.
Qi Shan Wei stepped between them.
"That's enough."
He faced Qingyue.
"If the heavens sent you," he said quietly, "then say what you came to say."
Qingyue's golden eyes softened.
She extended her staff.
The phoenix feather at its tip shimmered.
"Qi Shan Wei," she said slowly, "your existence… is a threat to the balance of the heavens."
A chill ran down Shan Wei's spine.
Ling Xueyao looked horrified.
"What nonsense—"
Qingyue continued:
"The Heaven Eye marks only three types of beings:— Divine Omens— Heavenly Calamities— Heaven-Breakers"
Her gaze locked onto Shan Wei's prismatic flame mark.
"You are the third."
Everything went silent.
Even the wind froze.
Shan Wei's throat tightened.
"…What does that mean?"
Qingyue lowered her eyes.
"It means your fate is not written. Your path is not bound. You can surpass destiny itself.And the heavens… fear that."
She looked up again.
"There is a prophecy. One only phoenix-blooded prophets know."
She closed her eyes briefly and recited:
"When prismatic flame rises from mortal dust,Heaven shall tremble and stars shall weep.A child shall break the sky's decree,And wield power not meant for kings nor gods.From this child's hand shall come either salvation…or destruction."
Ling Xueyao sucked in a sharp breath.
Drakonix curled closer to Shan Wei's neck.
Jin Wei took one heavy step forward, shielding Shan Wei with his massive body.
Qingyue held up a hand.
"Stand down. I mean no harm."
Jin Wei did not move.
Qingyue sighed softly.
"Qi Shan Wei… I did not come to kill you."Her eyes shone with empathy."I came because the heavens fear you. I came because they want to push you onto a certain path. And I came because… someone must show you what the heavens will do to stop you."
She lifted her staff.
Flames danced along the phoenix feather.
And suddenly—
The sky tore open.
A small crack appeared above them — so thin it looked like a hairline tear in reality.
Lightning leaked out of it.
Spirit pressure burst forth like a dying star.
Disciples screamed and dropped to their knees.
Elder Lu was thrown back.
Ling Xueyao staggered.
Shan Wei's knees buckled — but he refused to fall.
Qingyue's voice echoed through the chaos.
"This is what Heaven does to Heaven-Breakers."
The crack widened.
A colossal, skeletal hand of golden lightning reached out—
aiming directly at Shan Wei's chest.
The Pavilion Master shouted in horror:
"HEAVENLY ERASURE!"
Ling Xueyao cried out, "SHAN WEI!"
Drakonix screeched, feathers blazing with prismatic flame.
Jin Wei roared, his ancient voice shaking the courtyard:
"MASTER — DANGER — ELIMINATE THREAT!"
He raised his shield-arm.
But the lightning hand was already upon them.
Shan Wei's vision shattered into white.
And in that blinding instant—
Qingyue moved.
She struck her phoenix staff into the ground.
"Moonfire Barrier!"
A dome of brilliant blue-gold flame erupted around Shan Wei, blocking the lightning strike.
The courtyard exploded with shockwaves.
Stone shattered.Roofs collapsed.Elders were thrown back like leaves in a storm.
And when the dust settled—
Qingyue stood in front of Shan Wei, panting, barrier cracked, shoulders trembling.
Shan Wei blinked in shock.
"You… protected me."
Qingyue turned to him, golden eyes burning fiercely.
"I told you," she whispered."My purpose is not to kill you."
She pressed her phoenix staff into his chest gently.
"My purpose… is to see which path you walk."
Her voice trembled.
"Whether you become the one who breaks the heavens…or the one who saves them."
Shan Wei felt a tremor in his heart.
Ling Xueyao stared, stunned and breathless.
Drakonix flapped angrily, sparks flying — still suspicious.
Jin Wei stepped forward, towering above them, shield-arm raised.
The crack in the sky sealed slowly, reluctantly.
Qingyue exhaled, tears forming at the corner of her eyes.
"I came to warn you."She swallowed."And now that warning has become truth."
She touched his shoulder with trembling fingers.
"Qi Shan Wei…the heavens want you dead."
She leaned closer, voice barely a whisper.
"And if the heavens want you dead…the world will follow."
A thunderous heartbeat echoed across the sky.
Shan Wei felt his prismatic flame burn hotter.
He straightened.
"No," he whispered."I won't die."He looked her in the eyes."I won't let them decide my fate."
Qingyue stared — truly stared — at him.
Then she smiled softly.
"Good."She stepped back.
Because only those who refuse destiny…can become Heaven-Breakers.
To be continued..
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