The journey to the Burning Sky Pavilion was unlike any Lin Sheng and his companions had undertaken. While the sea held whispers and sorrow, the southern skies beyond Phoenix Ridge roared with malevolent fire. Legends spoke of an ancient war that had seared the heavens themselves—a battle where fire devoured fate, and even the Immortal Tribes dared not fly too close.
The Burning Sky Pavilion was once a sacred temple in the clouds, home to the legendary Flameborne Clan. But it had fallen centuries ago, corrupted by remnants of the Sovereign's will. Now, it hovered as a drifting citadel of ash, tethered to the storm-wreathed peaks of the Emberchain Mountains.
As Lin Sheng's group approached, dark plumes rose to greet them. Lightning danced among crimson clouds. The wind carried a burning stench—a mixture of sulfur, blood, and something deeper, more ancient.
[System Alert: Domain of Elemental Cataclysm Detected. Initiating Heat-Resistant Aura Overlay… Complete. Warning: Dimensional Fluctuation Imminent.]
"This place is alive," Yue Lan murmured. "And it's watching us."
A low rumble answered her words. Great floating runes spun in the sky, ancient and cracked. They formed a barrier—one that pulsed with primordial flame.
Lin Sheng raised his palm. "Let me try."
He channeled the Sovereign Flame Essence he had obtained from the Phoenix Trial back in Chapter Seven. The barrier responded with a sudden calm, then parted like a curtain of fire.
Inside, the ruins of the pavilion floated like broken islands. Towers, altars, and forge-halls drifted in the sky, suspended by chains of molten ore. Lava waterfalls cascaded into the void below.
At the heart of the ruin stood a massive brazier, burning with black flame. Around it gathered fire wraiths—specters of former disciples who had perished in the fall of the pavilion.
They began to chant:
"He returns… He who bears the Sovereign Flame…"
Yue Lan drew her bow. "They're preparing a summoning."
Mira's eyes glinted. "No. They're remembering. Lin Sheng's flame resonates with their legacy."
Indeed, the flame in the brazier shifted, flickering toward gold.
[System Task: Reignite the Ancient Flame. Optional Task: Cleanse the Pavilion's Curse. Reward Multiplier: 2x for S-Rank Purification.]
Lin Sheng stepped forward, surrounded by his allies. As he channeled qi into the brazier, memories erupted from the flame—visions of the Flameborne patriarch, of betrayal, of the Sovereign's curse.
Then the ground shook.
A massive dragon, formed entirely of fire and ash, burst from beneath the central altar. It roared—a sound that split the heavens.
[Boss Encounter: Ashen Sky Tyrant – Peak Sovereign Fragment Class.]
"Ready yourselves!" Lin Sheng shouted, activating the Solar Emperor's Armor.
Jin Rui launched into battle with lightning-coated fists. Fei'er and Mira took to the air, weaving illusions and astral blades. Yue Lan shot arrows that exploded with anti-qi pulses.
Lin Sheng leapt skyward, clashing directly with the Tyrant. Each strike lit up the sky, every movement a dance between death and destiny.
The beast breathed ash-fire, turning cloud into molten rain. But Lin Sheng activated his new ability:
[Solar Devourer Matrix: Convert incoming fire essence to energy. Efficiency 87%. Overload Mode: Ready.]
He absorbed the firestorm and returned it tenfold.
With a mighty roar, Lin Sheng unleashed the Tenth Heavenfall Technique: "Blazing Sundering Spear."
The spear struck true, piercing the dragon's core.
The Tyrant let out one final roar before collapsing into embers.
Silence fell.
The pavilion ceased its trembling.
Then, the fire wraiths bowed to Lin Sheng.
"You have restored the Flameborne honor," one intoned. "The chains have broken. The heavens may now breathe."
Lin Sheng approached the black brazier. At its center, now calm and golden, was a lotus of flame. It hovered toward him.
[System Notification: Sovereign Flame Lotus Acquired. Sub-Path Unlocked: Flameborne Sovereign Lineage. Title Earned: Heir of Ashen Fire.]