The Flame of Illusion, a phantom fire, devoured all emotions, transforming them into incandescent wrath. Yet, the Flame Terrestrial, potent as it was, could only wound foes of foreign blood, offering no boon to the Suzaku clan.

The Flame of Illusion was the Suzaku’s doom-fire! It could kill, but never be drawn forth to enhance the cultivator. Its intangible nature ensured its eternal existence, an endless scourge.

The Flame of Substance, once transformed, offered its power, a fixed quantity that remained constant until the cultivator breathed his last.

But now, at the very instant of its birth, Wang Lin’s Flame of Illusion was swept by the Mist Magnetic, undergoing a bizarre metamorphosis that even the oldest Patriarchs could not fathom. In that fleeting instant, the Flame had absorbed a sliver of the Magnetic Force held within the Mist! Were it merely that, it would be nothing, for external force is fleeting.

Yet, the Magnetic Force within Wang Lin’s Flame was gifted by the very Heavens! Its magnetic power, eternal and unyielding! Thus, while the Flame’s raw power remained unchanged, its very existence transformed Wang Lin into the first being in all of history capable of absorbing the Flame of Illusion. Though meager at birth, with each absorption, the Flame’s power would swell into a horror that defied description.

The Mist Magnetic, erupted from Wang Lin, overflowing his frame, and within breaths had inundated the Realm Terrestrial. It shattered the boundary and billowed from the Planetary Emperor’s Terrestrial Incense in roaring torrents.

The endless Magnetic Mist surged forth, enveloping the Emperor’s Planet’s skies, and, with a final burst, returned beyond its atmosphere to become the Magnetic Rifts that circled the world.

At first glance, little appeared changed, but closer inspection revealed a distinct difference.

Before entering the Heaven-Defying Bead, the Magnetic Rifts were akin to a lifeless thing, seething with savage energy. But now, they flowed together as one, imbued with a nascent spark of life.

Tens of thousands of cultivators on the Emperor’s Planet stared, dumbstruck. Their eyes widened as the Terrestrial Incense, having expelled its last tendril of magnetic mist, echoed with a sound of shattering.

A piercing crack echoed, clear in every ear. Fine lines snaked across the Incense, multiplying until they spanned its entirety.

With a resounding boom, the Terrestrial Incense snapped in twain! The burning half tumbled, piercing the great turtle below and landing with a crash upon the arena.

Silence descended.

Upon the great turtle’s back, the Terrestrial Incense was extinguished. The Terrestrial Incense was sundered… only the last spire, the Celestial Incense, remained tall. Yun Luo Da Si’s face paled, the broken Incense mirroring the shattering of her own spirit, filling her eyes with a fear that intensified with each breath.

“It should not be him, it cannot be… It can never be!”

Si Mozi’s mouth ran dry. The trial of Wang Lin had unfurled a saga that shattered his imagination. Even now, he staggered, his mind filled with a growing dread for the slumbering Wang Lin, whose soul remained hidden.

Such a thing should be impossible! For a being of the Third Step to harbor dread for a mere cultivator of the Second… Yet, it had come to pass, within Si Mozi’s heart.

Mystic Sound Daoist watched the broken Terrestrial Incense, his eyes narrowed. With a flick of his wrist, he produced a peach and bit into it with savage hunger, a flash of greed burning in his eyes.

“Heaven-Defying… Heaven-Defying… I, Mystic Sound Daoist, shall claim it!”

Blue Dream Daoist’s expression was a tapestry of complex emotions. He turned his gaze away, falling into a silent contemplation. Li Qianmei, who stood by his side, lowered her head, hiding her face.

The Old Suzaku scratched his head, a wry smile spreading across his face.

“What has this little scoundrel done… The changes upon the Emperor’s Planet were clearly tied to him… How many secrets does this boy hide? This is quite the pickle… the first Incense extinguished, the second broken… how are we to judge the trial, or calculate his score now?”

The tens of thousands of surrounding cultivators erupted into shocked clamor, breaking the momentary silence.

“The second Incense is broken! This…” “What manner of power does this Third Young Emperor wield? How could he accomplish such a feat? The extinguishing of the first Incense was shocking enough, but it pales in comparison to this!” “Surely this is not the doing of the Third Young Emperor. The Incense broke because of the magnetic mist that engulfed the Emperor’s Planet! But why did the mist flow back into the Incense…”

A kaleidoscope of thoughts swirled amongst the crowd, yet all gazes, without exception, fell upon the first Incense and the still-slumbering Wang Lin, awaiting his awakening. “Will he awaken, or will he ignite the next Incense as if by chance…”

Within the Realm Terrestrial, the Mist Magnetic had fully retreated into Wang Lin’s body, and the Heaven-Defying Bead, slowly dimmed, fading from sight.

Silence descended over the Realm Terrestrial, broken only by the crackling Flame of Illusion that burned upon the phantom form of the Suzaku before Wang Lin.

After what felt like an eternity, Wang Lin turned toward the Suzaku, and with a single breath drew it into himself. The phantom bird shrieked and plunged into his left eye! At that instant, Wang Lin’s body erupted with a dense Flame of Illusion. Invisible and colorless, it emanated from Wang Lin’s very being, exuding a power of annihilation.

With a deep exhale, Wang Lin raised his head and gazed into the distance. After a moment of contemplation, he did not choose to leave. Instead, he took a step forward, moving as swiftly as a shooting star. He crossed thousands of miles, appearing at the very edge of the Realm Terrestrial, at the barren mountain that had remained untouched by the sea of fire.

Upon the barren peak, the Fourth Generation Suzaku sat in silence. He had felt the events surrounding Wang Lin with acute clarity, his very soul shaken.

But he was no ordinary being and quickly quelled his awe, gazing silently into the distance.

Before him, space rippled and Wang Lin emerged, standing a few feet away from the Fourth Generation Suzaku. He stood there, equally silent.

“After the Fourth Awakening of the Suzaku, the Flame of Illusion will need time to be nourished. Never forget this.” The Fourth Generation Suzaku turned to face Wang Lin, speaking softly.
Wang Lin’s gaze, a tapestry of complex emotions, settled upon the middle-aged man before him. With a respectful clasp of his fist, he inquired, “Might the esteemed senior be the Fourth Suzaku Emperor?”

“I am,” the man confirmed with a nod.

Silence descended, thick and heavy. After a long pause, Wang Lin spoke, his voice a low murmur, “The Fifth Suzaku Emperor bestowed upon this junior a debt that can never be repaid. His dying thoughts were consumed by his days as a humble apothecary at the side of the Fourth Suzaku Emperor…”

Sorrow clouded the man’s eyes as he nodded slowly, his voice tinged with melancholy as he whispered, “I am aware…”

Wang Lin raised his right hand, gesturing towards the void. A shimmering rift in space materialized, from which slowly emerged a stone statue. The likeness was unmistakable – the petrified remains of the fallen Suzaku Sacred Emperor. “Throughout his life, the Old Sacred Emperor poured his heart and soul into the Suzaku Holy Sect. In my eyes, none are more deserving of the title ‘Suzaku’!” Wang Lin’s eyes lingered on the statue, scenes from the past flickering through his mind.

“When the Old Sacred Emperor struggled to hold the Suzaku Holy Sect together, you were absent. The Second Suzaku Emperor was absent as well… Of the Four Holy Sects, the White Tiger Sacred Emperor fell in battle, the Xuanwu Sacred Emperor turned traitor, and the Azure Dragon Sacred Emperor was besieged. For those tens of thousands of years, only the Old Suzaku Sacred Emperor persevered, until his very demise. Even then, he did not forget the matters of the Sect… nor did he forget his mentor…” Wang Lin paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. “Today, having finally met the esteemed senior, I have brought his remains here. I believe, if the Old Sacred Emperor possesses a lingering spirit, he would choose to remain in this place, beside the master who abandoned him and never returned. Perhaps… this is his true home.”

Wang Lin retreated several paces, kneeling before the statue of the Old Sacred Emperor and bowing his head three times, whispering, “Old Sacred Emperor, this disciple brought you back from the Suzaku Holy Sect. Today, I return you to the side of the Fourth Suzaku Emperor, I bring you home… The debt of your past kindness cannot be repaid. My promise… will continue.”

Rising to his feet, Wang Lin cast a complicated look at the Fourth Suzaku Emperor. Clasping his fist again, he said, “Thank you, Senior, for your assistance. This junior takes his leave.” With a sigh he could not suppress, Wang Lin turned and ascended into the sky.

He could accept the Second Suzaku Emperor, but the Fourth… that was beyond him. If the Fourth Suzaku Emperor had not departed so many years ago, the Old Sacred Emperor would surely have been present during the four awakenings. And without that abandonment, the Old Sacred Emperor would never have perished.

The Fourth Suzaku Emperor gazed upon the petrified form of his former student. A tremor ran through his body, and his eyes filled with profound sorrow. Slowly, he rose and approached the statue. His trembling right hand reached out, caressing the statue’s face.

“Lu Yun… I… I have failed you…” Tears streamed down the Fourth Suzaku Emperor’s face.

“I know everything that has happened to the Four Holy Sects… but I cannot return… After I came to this Ancient Starry Sky, a tragedy occurred. A mysterious figure placed a seal upon me…” The Fourth Suzaku Emperor rambled, his visage suddenly appearing ancient. His gaze upon the statue was filled with regretful memories.

“For years, I have tried countless times to break this seal, but I have failed… even the First Ancestor could not undo it… I am trapped within this Place of Exile, unable to leave even a single step… if I were to leave, the seal would erupt, robbing me of my senses and driving me mad… Lu Yun, it is not that I do not wish to return… I simply *cannot*…” The Fourth Suzaku Emperor’s tears fell upon the statue, carrying with them the weight of his endless sorrow, the bitterness of his memories, and the sharp sting of guilt.

“This seal is not only upon me, but upon the Second Suzaku Emperor as well. He can resist its pull and remain outside this Place of Exile, but he cannot leave the Forsaken Lands… the Forsaken Lands… a land of pain and despair. This place… is the downfall of the Suzaku lineage… Either we succumb to madness and death, or we break free and rise above!” The Fourth Suzaku Emperor muttered bitterly, as if explaining everything to his departed student…

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Wang Lin’s silhouette ascended towards the heavens, growing smaller and smaller until he vanished completely.

At the very moment he disappeared, upon the Emperor Star, the eyes of his physical body, previously closed as the first incense stick of fate burned down, snapped open.

**(To be continued)**