"You both are blessed if together but cursed if away," Little Water started, his tone calm yet carrying an invisible weight.
Then slowly, with a graceful motion of his hand, the strange flame that was born from the fusion of the two unique heart-flames shimmered in the air. As his sleeve swayed gently, the half-chill, half-burn white flame with black star-like sparkles vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed. Only the memory of it, etched in the eyes of those who saw, remained.
Little Water turned slightly to face the two.
Spirit Fairy asked Little Water with a worried expression, "Senior, what does it mean? Is it harmful to us?"
Little Water didn't answer immediately. Instead, he whispered softly, so only the three closest could hear, "Miss, I can't say it to everyone." And then he fell silent again.
Spirit Fairy became more worried. Her brows furrowed, lips trembling, and her hands clenched at her robe as she panicked. "Senior, please tell us what to do! Can only one of us survive?"
Little Fire, seeing her anxious state, stepped forward. He gently reached for her hand and held it with warm resolve. "Stop panicking, Spirit Fairy. I'm here."
Little Water, witnessing her emotions spiral, secretly found her worry amusing. A tiny smile played on his lips, but he said nothing for a while. Then, seeing that the tension had reached its peak, he turned solemn. He looked at the Sect Leader and then at the two young cultivators before him.
"Come closer," he said. "All of you."
Without questioning, the three of them stepped forward. Little Water raised his hand and conjured a translucent blue barrier that shimmered like rippling water, sealing off both sound and sight from the outside world. Within this space, the air felt quiet and heavy.
He spoke slowly and with gravity. "The flame inside both of you is not ordinary. It is… like a dual cultivation art."
As soon as the words left his lips, the Sect Leader's eyes widened. "Dual…" he repeated out loud, startled. Realizing he'd spoken, he cleared his throat. "Senior, is it only a dual cultivation art? Is it harmless?"
Before Little Water could answer, Spirit Fairy turned to her father with narrowed eyes. "Father, shut up and let Senior finish his words!"
Little Water gave a short nod of appreciation and continued, "The Burning Heart Desire Flame inside Little Fire will slowly burn his heart if he doesn't receive warmth from another body. That's what the flame craves – emotional and physical warmth to soothe the desire."
He looked at Spirit Fairy. "And your Freezing Breeze Flame will slowly freeze your heart. As each day passes, it will grow colder and more painful. The only thing that can melt it… is the desire – the warmth of another's body."
Spirit Fairy's eyes widened in horror, and Little Fire's lips thinned into a grim line.
Little Water concluded, "Judging by their intensity, you both have only a week to live. In a week, your hearts will either burn or freeze – unless you meet each other. In other words…"
He took a slight pause, letting the weight of the moment settle.
"You both have to dual cultivate in these seven days."
A stunned silence followed. The soundproof barrier protected the words, but the air inside grew thick.
The Sect Leader's expression darkened with conflict. His daughter, someone he had protected since birth, was now bound by something he could neither undo nor defy. He looked at Little Water, emotions storming in his eyes.
But then he remembered – he had sworn to the heavens, an unbreakable vow.
He turned away slowly, clenching his fists, his voice bitter yet resigned.
"He cannot interfere."
---[To Be Continued]---