After a long pause, she made her decision. There was only one path that came to her mind: she would awaken Yan Tian’s spiritual consciousness, the very core of his being.

  Normally, spiritual consciousness was awakened only when cultivators reached a certain stage in their journey. But if she could do it now, perhaps she could pull him back from death’s edge.

  If she succeeded, Yan Tian would become the first person to awaken spiritual consciousness at his current level of cultivation.

  Spiritual consciousness was an inner realm representing the mind, soul, and spirit.

  As a cultivator advances, this consciousness broadens, reflecting their growth in wisdom and power. It becomes a sacred space that stores hidden memories and soul-based abilities, remaining untouched until the time comes to awaken it.

  Awakening it also signifies entry into Soul Cultivation, a journey as profound and structured as Qi cultivation itself.

  But now, with no other choice, the celestial lady had to act. Steeling herself, she pressed her hand firmly to Yan Tian’s forehead. An invisible energy surged from her, enveloping his body.

  After several tense moments, the energy shifted, glowing blue, before sinking into the point between his brows.

  The celestial lady nodded, closing her eyes one final time. In an instant, the world around her changed.

  When she opened them, the cavern was gone. Her soul body now hovered above an endless sea—Yan Tian’s spiritual consciousness. The sea’s waters were deep and tranquil, reflecting the endless blue sky overhead. This was Yan Tian’s spiritual consciousness, his innermost self.

  Her figure shimmered with light as she hovered above the boundless expanse. The sea’s surface was eerily still, not a ripple in sight, yet beneath that calm she sensed turmoil—a hidden current of unease waiting to break through.

  A thick mist-like energy cloaked the sea, leaving only a five-meter radius clear at the center.

  Hovering in silence, she realized this was more than simple confusion; beneath the surface calm, she sensed the weight of fear, the unrest of a soul too young to handle such power.

  "Do all human beings have a spiritual consciousness like this? Or this child was different?" She was awed by the sheer magnitude of Yan Tian’s spiritual sea.

  For someone so young, a cultivator still at the first stage, this realm was impossibly vast and untamed, something that should not have existed at all.

  Gazing out across the endless water, determination surged within her. She would awaken him. She would try to pull him back from the brink of death.

  What awaited beyond this, she could not predict. If Yan Tian survived, he would no longer be the same person he was before. This premature awakening of his spiritual consciousness would mark the beginning of something far greater than even she could comprehend.

  With her resolve firm, she was ready to draw Yan Tian’s soul to the surface.

  The celestial lady extended her hand, summoning a green, light-like energy that swirled around her palm. With a graceful motion, she cast it toward the surface of Yan Tian’s spiritual consciousness sea.

  The energy touched the tranquil waters, sending ripples cascading outward, spreading until they reached the distant edges of the boundless expanse, even the area under the mist-like energy.

  Suddenly, Yan Tian’s soul materialized above the blue sea. His figure was faint, flickering like a candle in the wind, a fragile shadow of his physical self.

  His violet eyes widened in confusion as he looked around—the small circle of water beneath his feet stretched a five-meter circle of shimmering water, bordered by a thick, misty wall that enclosed him in silence.

  "Where… where am I?" he whispered, his voice trembling as it echoed through the vast emptiness.

  He spun around, panic welling in his chest. "Didn’t we travel to the training grounds? Where is everyone? What is this place?" His tone cracked with desperation, but no answer came. "Zhong Li? Where are you?" he cried, his calls swallowed by the endless sea and misty walls.

  The weight of the stillness crushed him, tightening his chest until he could hardly breathe. His vibrant purple hair dimmed, his soul flickering weakly as if on the verge of vanishing. Loneliness gnawed at him, fear dragging him toward nothingness.

  From the mist, the celestial lady watched, her heart heavy with guilt. His fear, his despair—it was too much for someone so young.

  If she had not acted so rashly, perhaps this child’s soul would never have been forced into such torment. But regret was a luxury she could not afford now. She had to act.

  Drawing a steady breath, she wove a green barrier of energy that spread out to a fifty-meter radius, enveloping the fragile circle where Yan Tian’s soul stood. It shimmered like a protective dome, halting his collapse, holding his essence together—at least for now.

  Then she stepped forward. Her ethereal form glowed brighter as she entered his spiritual sea, her presence radiating warmth. Ripples spread beneath her feet as her light stirred the still waters.

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  Yan Tian froze, his fading soul flickering as he caught sight of the approaching light. He turned, wide violet eyes locking on the glowing figure emerging from the mist.

  Confusion swept over his face. For a moment, he could only stare in disbelief.

  "W-Who are you?" he stammered, his voice trembling. "What is this place? Where am I?"

  The celestial lady moved closer, each step steady, her radiance washing away the storm of panic within him. Slowly, the fear in his eyes began to fade, replaced by a fragile calm.

  "Calm yourself, child," she said, raising one hand in a gentle, reassuring gesture. Her voice was soft yet firm, melodic and commanding all at once, the kind that soothed while carrying the weight of countless ages. "This place is your spiritual consciousness—the very core of your being."

  Yan Tian blinked, still struggling to grasp her words. "My… spiritual consciousness?" he repeated, as though tasting the foreign phrase for the first time.

  The celestial lady nodded, her eyes patient and kind. "Yes. And I am a Heavenly Flame, known to the world as the Inferno of Purity. But my true name… is the Radiant Resurrection Flame."

  Yan Tian's eyes widened in awe. "Heavenly Flame? Inferno of Purity?" His voice shook with wonder as he recalled legends.

  "I’ve heard so many stories—how you never burn unless you will it, and how you purify everything. But… how are you in human form? Aren’t you supposed to exist only as flame?"

  A faint smile curved her lips, softening her radiance. "Yes, I am a Heavenly Flame," she said lightly. "But my long existence has granted me the ability to take this form whenever I wish."

  Yan Tian’s awe deepened, though a thread of fear still gnawed at his chest. From childhood, he had been taught about the Heavenly Flames by his family’s elders.

  On this planet, only a few such flames were known, each revered as a divine treasure born of heaven and earth.

  Their powers were extraordinary—one could refine pills of unmatched purity, another could forge weapons of peerless quality, while others were said to enhance one’s battle strength greatly.

  Yet these flames were not easily claimed. Throughout history, only a handful of cultivators had subdued them, and failure meant certain death.

  Even so, countless ambitious warriors sought them, chasing fame and fortune. But those who truly mastered the full potential of a Heavenly Flame remained exceedingly rare.

  His violet eyes flickered with unspoken questions—where he was, what had happened, why his body felt so unbearably weak. Before he could voice them, the warmth of her light eased the edges of his panic, giving him just enough strength to breathe.

  The celestial lady could sense the fragility of his soul. Her work was far from over. If she hoped to save him from the brink of destruction, much still needed to be done. But for now, she had calmed the storm within him, granting them both a sliver of hope.

  After a long silence, Yan Tian finally spoke. His voice trembled, weighed down by confusion and dread. "But if this really is my spiritual consciousness, like you say—though I never even knew such a thing existed—then why are you here?"

  "And how did I end up here? The last thing I remember, I was with the other eleven of my age and five elite team members, heading toward the training grounds."

  The celestial lady met his gaze, her glow unwavering as she replied, her voice calm yet firm. "You’ve been unconscious," she said, "but something unexpected has brought you here."

  "I am the one who awakened your spiritual consciousness—something no one at your stage should yet possess. Perhaps not even the strongest cultivator on this planet has awakened it."

  She paused, her voice softening. "I awakened it because… there is something important I must tell you."

  Yan Tian looked around at the boundless sea of his inner world, his confusion only deepening. "Inform me of something? But—what about the others? Zhong Li? Did they reach the training grounds? Or are they also here?"

  For the first time, the celestial lady’s serene expression wavered. A flicker of sorrow crossed her luminous face.

  She exhaled softly, as if preparing herself. "There is no training ground, Yan Tian," she said gently. Her words cut through the silence like a blade. "It was never meant to be. That was a lie—an illusion crafted by the empire."

  Yan Tian froze, his breath caught in his throat.

  She continued, her voice heavy with regret. "But you did not die as they intended. You met me instead. Your companions—those like you, born with the element of darkness—I have purified them, and not slain, as the empire wished."

  "They remain unconscious outside, but I will send them to a safe place. Their memories will be altered so that they may live ordinary lives in peace, untouched by this cruelty."

  Her words fell as hammer blows. Yan Tian’s chest tightened, disbelief clawing at him. "No…" he whispered, shaking his head violently, his voice breaking.

  "No! That’s impossible! You’re lying!" he roared, his trembling voice echoing across the mist. Yet even as he shouted, the strength drained from him, leaving only the hollow weight of despair.

  "We were supposed to train under the empire's supervision, to grow stronger!" His grief spilled out like shattered glass.

  The celestial lady lowered her gaze, her radiant glow dimming as though sharing in his sorrow. Her voice was quiet, yet filled with compassion. "I understand your pain," she murmured.

  "But this has always been the fate of darkness element holders. Since ancient times, the world has feared the power of darkness. It sees it as corruption, a threat—and so those who carry it are hunted down."

  Yan Tian’s breathing turned ragged. His mind whirled, struggling to grasp the enormity of it all.

  He swallowed, his voice barely more than a whisper. "Then… please. Tell me everything. From the beginning." His words trembled with desperation—not just curiosity, but the need to cling to some thread of meaning, some way to fight against this fate.

  The celestial lady gave a slow nod. Taking a steadying breath, she began to recount.

  Her voice flowed like a river of sorrow as she told him the truth: how the empire’s elite team had cast him and the others into the Inferno of Purity, believing it would consume both them and their darkness; how she had taken pity on his companions, purifying their souls and sparing their lives.

  And then, with a solemn heaviness, she revealed the cruelest truth of all—how the flames had ravaged his body, stripping him of his arms and legs, leaving only a fragile soul flickering on the brink of collapse.

  Yan Tian’s face drained of all color as the celestial lady’s words settled into him. His soul’s legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed to his knees upon the trembling surface of his inner sea.

  His fists clenched until his knuckles turned white, his entire being shaking under the weight of it all—his past, his present, and the hollow, uncertain shadow of his future.

  "Then… everything was a lie?" His voice cracked with grief, his throat constricting as sorrow consumed him. "I’ve lost everything… again…"

  His body trembled with quiet sobs, though he fought to hold back the tears burning at the corners of his violet eyes. Memories of his parents’ loss resurfaced, merging with the fresh devastation that had just been thrust upon him.