Night. Immortal Wine House. Corner table.

  Xu Mo sat. Wine cup untouched. But in hand, black stone. Still warm.

  Character on stone: 融. Unite.

  He could control fire now. But limited. Small. Unstable.

  Needed practice. Needed time. But time did not exist.

  Outside, noise. Running. Shouting.

  Xu Mo turned. Window.

  Fire.

  End of street, house burning. Not one three houses. Fire growing fast. Unnatural.

  He rose. Left.

  ---

  Street full of people. Running. Screaming. Water buckets useless. Fire kept growing. Strange color red-purple.

  Not ordinary fire.

  Xu Mo approached. Heat. Intense heat. But he did not retreat.

  Within fire, shadow. Someone. Standing.

  Man. Black robe. Long hair. Face burned? No. Face intact. But eyes red. Glowing.

  Man turned. Stared at Xu Mo.

  Smiled.

  "Finally. Found you."

  Voice in head. Not in ears.

  Xu Mo stepped back.

  Man stepped out of fire. Fire did not burn him. Fire surrounded him. Like friend. Like part of body.

  Fire technique. But... this level. Only legend.

  ---

  "You are Xu Mo?"

  Voice loud. Now in ears.

  Xu Mo silent.

  Man laughed. "I know you. From Yan-Shui clan. Last heir. Only survivor besides "

  He stopped. Eyes narrowed.

  "Besides... that woman."

  Xu Mo opened mouth. "Who are you?"

  "Me?" Man spread arms. Fire around him grew. "I am also from Yan clan. But I am not heir. I am... trash. Discarded. Forgotten."

  He stepped forward. Xu Mo did not retreat.

  "They said dual fire-water technique could save world. They said heir would come when sky fracture widened. They said "

  He stopped again. Bitter laugh.

  "Nonsense. All nonsense."

  ---

  Xu Mo stared. "I do not understand."

  "No need to understand." Man raised hand. Fire gathered. Formed sphere. Large. Hot. Ready to throw.

  "I only need to kill you. Before you become threat."

  Fireball shot forward.

  Xu Mo moved. Reflex. Hand forward water. But not enough. Only little. Fireball too large.

  This is end.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  But

  Fire stopped. Right before his face. One inch.

  Man shocked. Face tensed.

  "You "

  He could not move. Body frozen. Not by water. By something stronger.

  Behind Xu Mo, voice. Soft. Calm.

  "Enough."

  ---

  Xu Mo turned.

  Woman in white robe. Standing in middle of street. Thin veil. Eyes watching fire man.

  "You forgot your place, Yan Kun."

  Fire man Yan Kun trembled. Not from cold. From fear.

  "Pr Princess "

  "Silence."

  Yan Kun froze completely. Even fire around him extinguished.

  Woman walked. Slow. Approaching Xu Mo. Stopped beside him.

  "Forgive my guard. He is too enthusiastic."

  Xu Mo stared. "You... Princess?"

  Woman smiled. Faint. "Call me... Ling."

  She looked at Yan Kun. "Go. Report to palace. Say... I will speak with Emperor tomorrow."

  Yan Kun nodded. Quick. Ran. Left scorched footprints.

  ---

  Silence. Empty street. Burning house still ablaze. But no one dared approach.

  Xu Mo and woman Ling stood facing each other.

  "You have many questions," Ling said.

  Xu Mo nodded.

  "Ask. But I cannot answer all."

  Xu Mo drew breath. "Who are you?"

  "Crown Princess. Only child of Emperor Shenwu."

  Xu Mo startled. "Princess... Crown? But "

  "But Emperor has concubines? Other children?" Ling smiled bitterly. "They all died. I am only one remaining."

  "Why?"

  "Because my mother was not ordinary human. My mother... from Yan-Shui clan."

  ---

  Xu Mo froze.

  Yan-Shui clan. Her mother.

  "That is why I know you. Why I sought you. Why I protect you."

  Ling stepped forward. Distance now one meter.

  "You and I we are family. I am your cousin. Or at least, according to records."

  Xu Mo could not speak.

  "Listen." Ling's voice changed. Serious. "My time is short. Tomorrow I speak with Emperor. My father sick. Severe. Empress Wei my stepmother wants throne. And Tie Yan in north he moves."

  "But... why seek me?"

  Ling stared into his eyes. Long time.

  "Because dual fire-water technique is not just technique. It is key. Key to close fracture in sky."

  She pointed up. Fracture clearer. Wider.

  "That is not ordinary crack. That is... wound. In our world. And wound invites something. From outside."

  Xu Mo remembered something. But he did not know term yet.

  "From outside?" he asked.

  Ling nodded. "There are other worlds. Above us. There they do not like us living. They send... something. To harvest our qi. To destroy us."

  She moved closer. Whispered.

  "And only one who can stop them is Yan-Shui heir. Who can unite fire and water. Who can seal that wound."

  Xu Mo silent. Processing.

  "But... I do not know how "

  "I know." Ling cut off. "That is why I sent old woman. That is why I gave you stone. To unlock your potential."

  She reached into robe. Pulled something out. Small scroll. Old. Worn.

  "This is complete Yan-Shui technique. From our ancestors. Study. Quickly."

  Xu Mo received scroll. Hand trembled.

  "But... why not study yourself? You are also Yan-Shui blood."

  Ling smiled sadly. "Because I have neither fire. Nor water. I am... defective. Only half. Mother gave me blood. But technique cannot pass to defective child."

  She held Xu Mo's hand. Warm.

  "You are only hope. Understand?"

  Xu Mo did not have time to answer.

  ---

  From end of street footsteps. Many. Fast. City guards. Dozens. With torches. With weapons.

  "There! Arrest them!"

  Ling sighed. "Empress Wei. So quick."

  She looked at Xu Mo. "You must go. Now."

  "But "

  "No but." She pushed Xu Mo. Hard. "Take scroll. Study. And find me at palace. Three days. Night. Back gate."

  Xu Mo staggered. But he turned. Ran.

  Behind him, Ling faced guards.

  "Princess " guard commander knelt. "We were ordered "

  "I know." Ling's voice cold. "My stepmother wants me dead. But you know what happens if you kill crown princess?"

  Commander silent.

  "You hang. Your family hangs. Everyone you know dies."

  She stepped forward. Guards stepped back.

  "Now go. Tell Empress I will come myself. Tomorrow."

  Guards hesitated. But finally they left.

  ---

  Xu Mo stopped in dark corner. He saw everything.

  Ling stood alone in middle of street. Burning house behind her. Night wind lifted her hair.

  She turned. Toward Xu Mo. Brief moment.

  Then turned away. Left. Vanished into darkness.

  Xu Mo held scroll in hand. Yan-Shui technique. Clan inheritance. Key to seal sky wound.

  And above fracture. Widened. Faint. But real.

  From north, black clouds. Drawing closer.

  Xu Mo ran. Not away. But to safe place. To learn. To practice. To prepare.

  Three days. Palace back gate. Ling waiting.

  But in head, new question.

  If Ling half Yan-Shui, and she defective... why still alive? Why did Empress Wei not kill her long ago?

  Or... maybe Empress could not? Maybe Ling stronger than she showed?

  Xu Mo did not know.

  But he would find out.

  ---

  To be continued...