Chapter 3: The Flames of Rebirth

Doran stood at the center of his sanctuary, the floating planet now silent and still. The glimmer in the distance had faded, but its echo lingered in his mind, a faint reminder of the hope he now clung to. He knew what he had to do. The path ahead was clear, though it would cost him everything he was.

With a deep breath, Doran raised his hands, summoning the Nirvana Flames. These sacred flames, born from the heart of the cosmos, were the key to reincarnation. They burned not with heat, but with a cold, purifying light that could cleanse even an immortal soul of its impurities. The flames flickered to life around him, their ethereal glow casting long shadows across the frozen landscape.

"This is it," Doran murmured, his voice steady despite the weight of his decision. "The only way to find her."

But before he could proceed, he needed to ensure one thing: he had to reincarnate at the same time as Xiaoqi. To do that, he would need to open a path to the River of Time, the eternal flow

that connected all moments in existence. It was a dangerous endeavor, even for an immortal, but Doran had no other choice.

With a wave of his hand, he tore a rift in the fabric of reality. The air around him shimmered, and a vast, glowing river materialized before him—its waters shimmering with the reflections of countless lives and moments. This was the River of Time, and Doran knew he had to navigate it carefully.

"Three thousand years," he whispered, focusing his power. "To the moment she entered the cycle."

The river responded to his will, its currents shifting and swirling as Doran pinpointed the exact moment in time. He saw flashes of the past—Xiaoqi's smile, her laughter, the devastating moment of her failure during the Immortal Tribulation. His heart ached, but he pressed on, anchoring himself to that specific point in the timeline.

"Now," he said, his voice firm. "Let the flames take me."

He closed his eyes and began the process. First, his flesh and blood ignited, dissolving into ash and light. The pain was immense, but Doran welcomed it. It was a reminder of his mortality, a fleeting connection to the life he was leaving behind. Next, his immortal essence began to unravel, threads of power and memory spiraling into the flames. The Nirvana Flames consumed it all, purifying his soul with their relentless light.

As the flames worked, Doran focused on the most crucial task: sealing his memories. He reached deep within himself, gathering the fragments of his past—his love for Xiaoqi, his guilt

over her death, his countless millennia of existence—and bound them tightly. He used the same technique Xiaoqi had employed when she entered the reincarnation cycle, a method that would preserve his memories until he reached the required Cultivation Realm to unlock them.

"I won't forget you," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the roar of the flames. "Not this time."

Next, he turned his attention to the Immortal Treasure, the book he had forged. It pulsed faintly in his hands, its pages filled with the chronicles of his journey. With a final surge of power, Doran

sealed the book deep within his soul, ensuring it would reincarnate with him. It would be his anchor, his guide, and his only link to the life he was leaving behind.

The flames grew brighter, their light consuming everything. Doran's consciousness began to fade, the world around him dissolving into a sea of white. But just as he was about to lose

himself completely, he felt something—a presence—enter his soul. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but unmistakable. Something had slipped into the flames with him, something

that didn't belong.

"What...?" Doran's thoughts were sluggish, his awareness slipping away. He tried to focus, to understand what had happened, but it was too late. The flames consumed him entirely, and his consciousness was extinguished.

As the last traces of Doran's existence vanished, the River of Time surged, carrying his soul back to the moment he had chosen—three thousand years ago, to the time when Xiaoqi had entered the reincarnation cycle. The path was set, and the stage was prepared. Now, all that remained was to see if fate would bring them together once more.