Thunder rolled across the heavens.
Rain poured relentlessly over the sect, striking the stone courtyards and temple roofs like a storm of needles. The wind howled through the bamboo forest, bending the tall stalks until they creaked under the pressure.
Inside the Healing Pavilion, however, the atmosphere was even heavier than the storm outside.
At the center of the room lay Lin Xianwu.
He remained completely unconscious.
His body was motionless, his breathing shallow and uneven. Faint spiritual lines glowed beneath his skin, revealing the damage hidden inside his body.
Around the bed stood several elders, their faces grim.
But none of them spoke.
Because standing beside the bed was the one person whose presence alone silenced an entire sect.
The Supreme Master.
His long silver hair hung calmly over his shoulders as his eyes remained fixed on Lin's body. His expression was unreadable.
Slowly, he extended two fingers and placed them on Lin Xianwu's wrist.
The room fell silent.
A thin thread of pure spiritual energy flowed from the Supreme Master's fingers into Lin's body.
Instantly, his consciousness entered Lin's meridians.
What he saw inside made his brows tighten.
Cracked meridians.
Shattered energy channels.
The spiritual pathways that once carried Lin's power now looked like broken rivers across a dying land.
Even the dantian—the very foundation of cultivation—was unstable.
Any normal cultivator would have already died from such injuries.
Yet Lin Xianwu remained alive.
The Supreme Master moved his spiritual sense deeper.
He reached the core of Lin's dantian.
And then—
He saw it.
A faint flicker of crimson light.
Like a dying flame struggling to survive in the wind.
The Inner Flame Core.
But it was broken.
The once powerful core was fractured, its energy leaking slowly. If it continued like this, the flame would extinguish completely.
The Supreme Master slowly withdrew his hand.
Elder Wen immediately stepped forward.
"How bad is it, Supreme Master?"
The room held its breath.
The Supreme Master spoke calmly.
"His Inner Flame Core is collapsing."
Several elders gasped.
"If that happens—"
"Yes," the Supreme Master interrupted quietly.
"He will lose his cultivation forever."
Silence swallowed the room.
For a disciple like Lin Xianwu, losing cultivation was worse than death.
Elder Wen clenched his fists.
"Is there… no way to save him?"
The Supreme Master remained silent for several moments.
Then he spoke.
"There is one method."
Every elder immediately looked up.
"What method?"
The Supreme Master's eyes darkened slightly.
"A forbidden technique."
The air grew colder.
"It is called the Crimson Flame Transference Rite."
The name alone made the elders stiffen.
Elder Wen's eyes widened.
"That ritual… it transfers the flame core energy from one cultivator to another."
The Supreme Master nodded.
"Yes."
"But it is extremely dangerous."
He turned his gaze back to Lin.
"For the ritual to succeed, the donor must willingly transfer their own flame essence into his body."
One elder asked carefully,
"What happens to the donor?"
The Supreme Master's answer was simple.
"The donor will lose most of their flame core."
The room fell silent again.
But the Supreme Master continued.
"And even then, the transfer will only succeed if the donor has a deep blood connection… or an emotional bond strong enough for their flame to resonate with his."
In other words—
Not just anyone could do it.
The flame energy would reject outsiders.
Elder Wen slowly shook his head.
"This ritual… is almost impossible."
Then—
A voice suddenly spoke from the doorway.
"I can do it."
Everyone turned.
Standing there was a tall young man with sharp eyes and a calm but determined expression.
Lucifer.
He stepped forward without hesitation.
Lin Xianwu's brother.
"I am his blood brother," Lucifer said firmly.
"If blood relation is required… then I can transfer my flame core to him."
The elders were stunned.
Elder Wen spoke immediately.
"You understand what you're saying?"
Lucifer nodded.
"Yes."
"You could lose most of your cultivation."
"I know."
"You may even die during the ritual."
Lucifer didn't hesitate.
"He is my brother."
His voice was steady.
"So I will do it."
For a moment, no one spoke.
The storm outside roared louder, as if echoing the gravity of the decision.
But suddenly—
"No."
Another voice spoke.
Everyone turned again.
Standing near the far wall was Luna.
Her silver hair fell over her shoulders, and her eyes were filled with fierce determination.
Lucifer frowned.
"Luna, this isn't something you—"
But she interrupted him.
"You can't do it."
Lucifer's eyes hardened.
"Why not?"
Luna stepped closer to the bed where Lin Xianwu lay unconscious.
Her gaze softened as she looked at him.
Then she spoke quietly.
"Because your flame energy is too violent."
She turned to the Supreme Master.
"If Lucifer transfers his flame, Lin's damaged meridians won't be able to handle it."
The Supreme Master did not deny it.
Lucifer's flame core was powerful… and unstable.
For Lin's current condition, it might destroy him instead of saving him.
Luna took a slow breath.
Then she said something that shocked everyone.
"I will perform the ritual."
Lucifer stared at her.
"Have you lost your mind?"
Luna ignored him.
She looked directly at the Supreme Master.
"My flame core is incomplete… but it is gentler."
Elder Wen immediately objected.
"You only possess half a flame core!"
"Yes."
"And that makes it even more dangerous."
"If you attempt the Crimson Flame Transference Rite in your condition, you could lose the remaining half of your core."
Luna's answer came without hesitation.
"That's fine."
The room fell silent.
Lucifer grabbed her arm.
"You're being reckless."
Luna slowly pulled her arm free.
"I believe in him."
She looked down at Lin again.
Her voice softened.
"He won't let my sacrifice go to waste."
Her belief was absolute.
Blind.
Unshakable.
The elders exchanged uneasy glances.
Even the Supreme Master remained silent, studying her carefully.
The storm outside intensified.
Rain slammed against the windows.
Then—
A distant sound echoed through the hallway.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Measured.
The faint splash of water against stone.
Every head turned toward the entrance.
The doors creaked open.
Cold wind rushed inside, carrying sheets of rain.
And in the doorway… stood a woman.
Her long robes were completely drenched from the storm, dark strands of hair clinging to her shoulders. Rainwater dripped steadily from the edges of her sleeves onto the floor.
But despite the storm clinging to her form…
Her presence filled the entire hall like a silent command.
The elders' eyes widened instantly.
Shock spread across their faces.
"No… way…"
Elder Wen whispered under his breath.
Because the person standing there was someone who almost never left her domain.
The ruler of the distant Darel territory.
The one whose authority stretched across countless lands.
The Supreme lordesses of Darel.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Even the raging storm outside seemed quieter.
Her gaze slowly moved across the room.
Cold.
Sharp.
Unreadable.
Then it stopped.
On Lin Xianwu.
The moment her eyes landed on him, something inside them shifted.
Just slightly.
Almost too subtle for anyone to notice.
She stepped forward.
Each step echoed softly in the silent hall.
Water trailed behind her footsteps as she walked closer to the bed.
The elders instinctively bowed.
"Supreme Lordesses… we did not expect your arrival."
She didn't respond.
She stopped beside the bed and looked down.
Lin Xianwu's face was pale.
Too pale.
His breathing weak.
His once powerful aura almost completely gone.
For several seconds, she simply stood there.
Looking at him.
No one dared interrupt.
Finally, the Supreme Master spoke calmly.
"You came all the way from Darel… in the middle of a storm."
Only then did she lift her gaze slightly.
"Yes."
Her voice was calm.
Cold.
But beneath it… something else lingered.
Lucifer frowned slightly.
"You knew about his condition?"
She didn't answer immediately.
Instead, her eyes returned to Lin again.
Her fingers slowly lifted… hovering just above his chest.
She could feel it.
The faint, struggling flame deep within his broken core.
Barely alive.
For a brief moment—
Her composed expression cracked.
Just a little.
"You really went this far…"
Her voice was almost a whisper.
But then she straightened.
Her expression returned to its usual cold elegance.
"I heard one of your subordinate managed to destroy his own flame core."
The Supreme Master watched her carefully.
"And you came to see if the rumor was true?"
She gave a faint, indifferent smile.
"You could say that."
But her eyes never left Lin.
The truth was far simpler.
The moment the news reached Darel…
She had left immediately.
Without hesitation.
Without even waiting for the storm to pass.
Because there was one possibility she refused to accept.
Lin Xianwu… dying.
Luna stepped forward nervously.
"Supreme Lordesses… we were discussing a treatment method."
"Oh?"
"The Crimson Flame Transference Rite."
At that, the Supreme Lordesses' gaze sharpened slightly.
"A reckless method."
Lucifer crossed his arms.
"It's the only one we have."
Silence filled the hall again.
Then the Supreme Lordesses spoke quietly.
"No."
Everyone looked at her.
"It isn't."
She finally placed her hand gently over Lin Xianwu's chest.
A faint pulse of warm spiritual energy spread from her palm.
The dying flame inside his body trembled slightly in response.
Her eyes darkened.
"So that's the state you're in…"
Then she lifted her gaze toward the others.
"I will treat him."
The elders froze.
"You… will?"
She nodded once.
"I came from Darel for that purpose."
Lucifer frowned.
"Why would the ruler of Darel come personally for one subordinate?"
For the first time—
Her eyes met his directly.
Cold.
Unshakable.
"Because none of you are capable of saving him."
The room fell silent.
Her gaze returned to Lin.
For a brief second… her fingers tightened slightly against his chest.
A gesture so small no one noticed.
Except the Supreme Master.
And he said nothing.
The Supreme Lady turned slightly toward the elders.
"Prepare a quiet chamber."
Her voice carried absolute authority.
"No one is allowed to disturb us."
Luna hesitated.
"Us…?"
The Supreme Lordesses answer was simple.
"I will personally perform the treatment."
The storm outside roared louder.
Lightning flashed across the sky.
Inside the hall, everyone stood frozen.
Because the ruler of Darel…
Had crossed mountains through a raging storm…
Just to save one unconscious man.
And as she looked down at Lin Xianwu again…
Her usually emotionless eyes softened for the briefest moment.
"Don't you dare die before I decide your fate."
The words were cold.
But the way her hand remained gently over his heart…
Told a completely different story.
And far beneath her palm—
Lin Xianwu's dying flame flickered once more