The calm was never meant to last.
As the Flame Court strengthened and the divine powers began to stir against Chen Ming, an echo stirred within the core of his being. Not of divine origin. Not born of trials or passion. But of his past—of the boy he used to be.
It began with a letter.
Tucked into a crimson box delivered by Wen, it bore no divine signature. Only a worn name written in mortal ink:
"To Chen Ming, from Mei."
Lanmei found him staring at it, unmoving, long after the others had gone to train. She approached without speaking and sat beside him.
"…You never talk about the world before this," she said.
Chen nodded slowly. "Because I left it behind."
"But it didn't leave you."
He opened the letter.
"Chen Ming—I don't know if you'll ever read this. But I had to try. After you vanished that night, I searched for months. I thought I was going crazy—until one night, I saw you in a dream. You were glowing. Powerful. But… sad.I just want you to remember who you were. Who we were. If that's still in there… then maybe not everything is lost.—Mei."
The name hit him like a strike to the chest.
Mei. His childhood friend. His first kiss. The one he had sworn to protect before the world shattered and the [System] found him.
Lanmei didn't speak. She simply placed her hand over his and waited.
A Bond Rekindled
Later that night, Chen stood on the balcony of the sanctuary's tallest tower. Ye Yue found him there, moonlight painting his face in grief and gold.
"She mattered to you," she said softly.
"She was my whole world… before I had this one."
Ye Yue's lips brushed his cheek, her fingers trailing over his chest, not to seduce—but to remind him that he wasn't alone.
"You don't have to choose," she whispered. "You can carry both."
For the first time, Chen wept openly—not for what he'd lost, but for what he still had.
[System Alert – Soul Echo Detected]
Echo Memory Unlocked: Mortal Bond – MeiEffect: Increases resistance to divine manipulation. Unlocks new emotional resonance abilities.
The sanctuary was quieter than usual—an unnatural stillness that clung to the air like fog.
Chen Ming couldn't sleep. The letter from Mei still rested against his chest, his fingers tracing the ink like it might dissolve if he let go. Her words echoed in his mind, not just as memory—but as something deeper. Something alive.
He didn't notice the flicker of light behind him at first. Not until it pulsed.
Once.
Twice.
Then flared.
The portal formed without a ritual. No sigil, no divine key. It simply opened, drawn by a connection stronger than prophecy—affection, tethered to fate.
A silhouette stepped through.
Chen froze.
She was older now—softer around the edges, her once-short hair now long and braided over one shoulder. Her clothes were simple: a jade tunic, worn boots. But her eyes… those hadn't changed at all.
"Mei?" he whispered.
Her lips trembled. "Chen… you're real."
He crossed the space between them before logic caught up. His arms wrapped around her instinctively, pulling her tight as if she might disappear.
"How did you get here?" he murmured.
"I—I don't know. I followed a dream. I was… I think I felt you. Your soul. It was like it called to mine."
Behind him, the [System] pulsed.
[System Event: Soul-Bond Cross-Plane Connection Detected]Status: Mei – Mortal Echo ManifestedAffinity: 94%Potential Role: Soul Flame (Unique Class)
Tensions Stir
Ye Yue and Lanmei were the first to arrive.
Lanmei tensed the moment she saw Mei in Chen's arms. Ye Yue's face, however, remained unreadable—though the flash of pain behind her eyes didn't go unnoticed.
"Who is she?" Lanmei asked, too sharply.
"This is Mei," Chen said softly. "From… before everything."
Mei stepped back, instinctively bowing. "I didn't mean to intrude—"
"No," Ye Yue said gently, interrupting. "You didn't intrude. But the realms don't open easily. Something… chose you."
[System Insight: A lost emotional bond has reformed across realms. Mei is now a unique spiritual tether. She is not divine—but she is yours.]
New Power, Old Flame
That evening, Chen and Mei sat beneath the sanctuary's flowering spirit tree—the same one that bloomed only under starlight. He told her everything. About the system. The courts. The trials. Ye Yue. Lanmei. Even the betrayals.
Mei didn't flinch.
"I always knew you'd become something more," she said quietly. "But I didn't expect it to hurt so much."
He turned to her. "Why?"
"Because I see how much you've given up. And because… I'm not sure I belong here."
He touched her cheek. "You're here. That's enough."
She leaned in slowly, uncertain—but he didn't pull away. Their lips met like a memory reignited. No desperation. No divine power. Just realness.
When they parted, Mei exhaled shakily. "I missed you."
[System Update: Soul Flame Bond Established – Mei]Perk Gained: Resilience of the Heart – Restores morale when Chen is emotionally unstable.Skill Gained: Mortal Recall – Allows Chen to access a suppressed memory or emotion once per day to gain strategic insight.
The Others React
Ye Yue confronted Chen later that night.
"She's not just a memory," she said.
"No. She's a part of me."
Ye Yue stepped close, her voice softer. "So are we."
He nodded. "Then we fight together. All of us."
Lanmei, watching from the shadows, didn't argue. But the fire in her eyes promised that the next trial—would be more than a battle of blades. It would test hearts.
Final Scene: Eyes in the Dark
Far away, in the shattered heavens, a new player watched through a divine mirror.
"She crossed realms through him," the figure murmured. "And now, he's awakened a core that not even the Council predicted…"
A hand swept through smoke, revealing Chen's sleeping form—Mei at his side.
"…Then we must act soon."
The eyes glowed violet, and a smile curled behind a mask of stars.
Let the next trial begin. The Trial of Severance.