Within the bounds of the Human Realm, a swirling vortex, unique to Wang Lin, tore asunder in the heavens above, rent by an unseen force as if some ethereal titan had clawed the very sky. The fragments scattered, fading into nothingness until, in a blink, the firmament was smooth and undisturbed once more.

This fleeting spectacle went unobserved by all save Wang Lin, the world around seemingly oblivious to its occurrence, as if it had been but a phantom of the mind.

Upon a mountain’s crest stood Wang Lin, withdrawing his gaze from the heavens, settling into a meditative posture.

He sought to ignite the Karmic Flames of Rebirth, to weave a sliver of his will into a fire born of purpose. This was not a blaze to consume the world, nor to shatter the fabric of this realm, but to devour his own soul. In this dance with death, where annihilation was but a breath away, he sought a sliver of life, a spark to birth the Seed of Karmic Fire. In doing so, he hoped to spur the Vermillion Bird to its Fourth Awakening, transcending the realm of mere physical fire and attaining the ethereal heights of Virtual Fire – a state scarcely touched by even the ancient lineage of his avian kin.

Virtual Fire was the wellspring of all flames, the essence from which all others sprang. Hatred’s fire, fury’s conflagration, the madness of burning obsession – all emotions, all that could stir one’s own ephemeral fire, became the weapons of one who had mastered the Virtual Flame.

Such a master, though perhaps not yet ascended to the Third Step of immortality, commanded a power that demanded the respect of those who had. To face them in battle, one could not afford anger, joy, or mania – any flicker of emotion, no matter how minuscule, could be seized upon and twisted into the killing stroke.

It was a terrifying art. For what creature, no matter how mighty, could claim to be free of feeling? Even the most stoic, the most secretive, bore emotions within.

Even the Blue Dream Daoist’s longing for his lost wife, his tender affection for his daughter, could be fuel for Virtual Fire. Only those who could perfectly lock away all emotion, or those utterly devoid of it, could stand impervious to such a foe.

Yet, the true terror of the Virtual Flame did not lie in single combat, but in the fires of war.

A single master of Virtual Fire could turn the tide against a thousand soldiers…

The Third Step Immortals of the Heavens knew that Thunder’s path to enlightenment, to shatter the Gates of Emptiness, was fraught with peril. For Thunder was once a tool of the Heavenly Dao itself, and to break free using its own shackles was a trial of immense difficulty.

So, too, it was with Fire. For it was one of the Five Elements of existence, and only upon reaching the Virtual Flame could one escape their grasp, stepping beyond their boundaries. Should one advance further, forming the Flame of the Dao and achieving the Great Origin of Fire, one might then burn open the Gates of Emptiness and ascend to the Third Step.

Wang Lin’s gaze was still and untroubled. The difficulty of Virtual Fire lay in the seed, in the Vermillion Bird’s Fourth Awakening. Yet, he refused to consume this realm in an unholy fire. He would tread the path less traveled, the more perilous path.

At this moment, Wang Lin could still turn back. He could abandon this trial, could retreat without shame.

“The Old Vermillion Bird has bestowed upon me so much,” Wang Lin murmured, his eyes hardening with resolve. “How can I so easily forsake this?”

As he would not burn this world, so too could Wang Lin not bear to disappoint the one who had given him so much. Honor demanded no less.

Wang Lin drew a deep breath, and his eyes slowly closed. The instant they sealed shut, a wave of azure flame erupted around him, contained within his body.

These flames were invisible to the outside world, but the agonizing torment of his soul being devoured was very real, even to Wang Lin. His body shook violently, and he gritted his teeth, enduring the slow destruction of his very being, the annihilation of all that he was, fueled by the unwavering flame of his purpose.

“I who walk with a wisp of purpose, whom even Heavenly Tribulation cannot destroy, who can stand against me?!” Wang Lin roared, his eyes snapping open, blazing with fury. The flames surged, encompassing him completely, a conflagration unseen by any save himself.

Days turned into weeks within the Human Realm, and Li Muwan climbed the mountain with increasing frequency. Each time Wang Lin beheld her, the torment of his burning soul intensified tenfold, yet his expression remained placid, a deep well of tenderness.

Li Muwan had grown accustomed to Wang Lin’s demeanor, and she would often engage him in casual conversation.

Yet, the keen-eyed woman began to notice a subtle change. Each time she ascended the mountain, the enigmatic elder seemed weaker, his visage slowly aging.

Unbeknownst to her, Wang Lin was enduring unimaginable pain. He was igniting the Karmic Flame, fueled by the depth of his heart. The deeper the love, the more intense the flame burned.

Each time he saw Li Muwan, his love deepened, the flames raged hotter, the pain grew more excruciating.

Years blurred into an indistinct haze, and the flames within Wang Lin’s soul had reached an unimaginable intensity. His eyes were vacant, his body frail, his youthful appearance now replaced with the weary features of middle age.

Two thousand years seemed to have been compressed into this burning crucible, each moment a torment etched upon his face.

“Give up… You cannot withstand the torment of soulfire. Though I have not walked this path, I witnessed the look in my ancestor’s eyes when he spoke of it, a terror I felt in my core…”

The torn sky above was mending, the vortex reforming. The Old Vermillion Bird had returned, his voice laced with anxiety and a reluctant pity.

Wang Lin clenched his teeth, his mind reeling, the excruciating pain drowning his senses. It was far greater than any he had ever endured in his life.

Only the trials of the Ancient God, the countless reconstructions and collapses of his physical form, could be compared to this torment. Yet, even they were different in nature.

“You are but burning your soul now. Your purpose has not yet become a Karmic Fire, and the pain is only the beginning. Once the Karmic Fire awakens, you will face the Nine Trials of Karma, and even I require protection to survive them. Turn back now, for once your purpose becomes fire, your soul will be consumed instantly, without a chance to create the seed of Karma! My ancestor survived only because he had the protection of an Immortal Emperor!” The Old Vermillion Bird pleaded, his voice filled with urgency.
“That mortal girl… she is the very anchor of your spirit, is she not? Within this crafted realm, all is illusion, mere phantoms of thought. Why then, Wang Lin, would you tether yourself to such ephemeral memories, courting oblivion for a shade?” The ancient Vermillion Bird’s voice resonated with a desperate urgency, laced with ancient authority.

Wang Lin remained silent, his senses reeling within the crucible of searing agony. The torment of the flame birthed forth a torrent of memories, flooding the chambers of his soul.

His first fateful encounter with Li Muwan… the demonic seas… the Cloud Sky Sect… the cruel decay of beauty, culminating in the vision of her lifeless form entombed within the Heaven-Defying Coffin.

Each memory blazed within the furnace of his soul, a pyre of longing and regret.

“Long has this trial endured. Continue on this path, and death itself awaits! Alas, if your heart remains so stubbornly chained to the mortal coil, preventing the burning away of this false reality, then I, despite your future scorn, shall aid you in its destruction!” With these words, the Vermillion Bird unleashed its fury. The vortex above convulsed, and from its heart erupted a cataclysmic sea of fire. Its incandescent fury painted the heavens in shades of apocalyptic orange, sweeping outwards to engulf the entire false world. The inferno descended, poised to consume all beneath.

At that very moment, Li Muwan materialized at the peak of the mountain, her breath coming in ragged gasps from the arduous climb. She remained oblivious to the approaching doom, but in Wang Lin’s fractured vision, the firestorm was all too clear – a gaping maw of incandescent death, closing in on Li Muwan.

In that instant, the haze of torment lifted from Wang Lin’s eyes. They burned with a ferocity born of desperate protection. He surged to his feet, hurtling forward just as the first tendrils of flame touched the unsuspecting Li Muwan. In a protective embrace, Wang Lin shielded her with his own back, a desperate bulwark against the inferno.

Li Muwan froze, utterly bewildered. Wang Lin, holding her tight, turned to face the fiery onslaught, and with a primal roar, defied the heavens themselves!

“I… can endure!!”

“You fool!” The Vermillion Bird bellowed in outrage. The descending flames faltered, arrested by its will.

“Ancient One,” Wang Lin cried, tears streaming down his face, the heat scorching his skin. They mingled with the sweat on Li Muwan’s face. “My entire path has been for her alone! Even if she is but an illusion, I would not see her harmed, nor allow this world to be destroyed if it meant her demise!” The tears, searing with a desperate heat, fell upon Li Muwan’s face, burning into her very soul, kindling a spark of understanding within her bewildered gaze.

The words were barely uttered when a fresh wave of torment erupted within Wang Lin’s soul, surpassing the previous agony a hundredfold.

And within this new inferno, a dark flame ignited, its emergence a cataclysm in itself. The very fabric of reality seemed to warp and buckle before its unholy presence. It surged through Wang Lin’s soul, extinguishing the azure flames in its path.

“Hellfire!” The Vermillion Bird gasped, a sound of utter despair escaping its ancient throat.

“Your obsession has birthed Hellfire… None but the Ancient Ancestor himself could quell its consuming touch. Alas… you have chosen your path, and so be it…” The Vermillion Bird’s voice faded, its power withdrawn, leaving only silence. The fiery maelstrom above dissipated, the vortex collapsing into nothingness.

The black flames, relentless and insatiable, engulfed Wang Lin’s entire being, consuming the azure fires. Within moments, more than four-fifths of his soul was claimed by the abyssal dark.

Agony beyond comprehension ripped through his being, causing his body to convulse. This pain surpassed all that had come before, a torment multiplied a thousand times. His soul began to unravel before his very eyes, dissolving into nothingness.

His physical form, too, began to fade, crumbling into dust. Yet, even in the face of oblivion, his arms remained wrapped tightly around Li Muwan. With the last vestiges of his strength, he fought to conceal his pain, forcing a gentle gaze, and meeting her bewildered eyes.

“To have spent these days with you… it is enough… Even if you are but a figment, I will never allow anyone to harm you…” Wang Lin whispered, his voice barely audible, yet filled with a resonance that shook Li Muwan to her very core.

“Who… are you?” Li Muwan stammered, her voice filled with confusion, desperately searching his eyes for an answer.