CHAPTER 8: THE MARK OF XUAN YUAN

1. AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE IN THE NIGHT

On the narrow streets of Chang Le, beneath the drooping branches of long-stemmed flowers, Xuan Xingli came to a halt. The night had not yet fully faded into dawn, and neon signs reflected in her ruby-red eyes.

Ahead, a woman in a red dress stood in the shadows. Her jet-black hair cascaded down, and her sharp eyes were as piercing as an eagle's.

"You've been waiting for a long time." Xuan Xingli spoke quietly.

The woman smiled, the black ring on her finger glinting with a dark light. "Ruan Hongyuan. I have known where you were for a long time, Xuan Xingli."

2. THE MARK OF THE PAST

The street remained silent, yet from afar, an unusual energy began to spread.

"What do you want?" Xuan Xingli remained cautious, her fingers lightly brushing the rim of the wine cup she held.

Ruan Hongyuan took a casual step forward, her voice low and haunting. "The mark within you—have you started to feel it?"

Xuan Xingli inhaled deeply, the Xuan Yuan within her trembling with an unexplainable resonance.

"A mark... from the past?"

Ruan Hongyuan nodded, her black ring suddenly glowing faintly. "Do you want to rediscover yourself, or will you remain lost in the embers of the past?"

A spark ignited in Xuan Xingli's eyes. Perhaps it was time she truly sought the origins of the mark that had long slumbered within her.

3. PROPHECY IN THE DARK

The alley of Chang Le suddenly felt eerily cold.

Ruan Hongyuan turned away, her posture as composed as ever. "Find me when you're ready. And remember—scarlet flames and darkness are not opposites. They are one and the same."

With those words, she stepped into the night, the lanterns swaying with the wind.

Xuan Xingli stood alone, contemplating a newfound truth: perhaps the Xuan Yuan within her was not merely a fate she had inherited—it was part of something far greater.

4. A SECRET UNVEILED

After Ruan Hongyuan disappeared, a dull ache spread through Xuan Xingli's body. She could feel the Xuan Yuan within her reacting as though something sealed away was beginning to awaken.

Fragments of images flickered through her mind—a burning tower, a distant voice calling her name, a hand reaching out from the shadows. But before she could grasp them, they faded away.

"Is this... a piece of my memory?" Xuan Xingli closed her eyes, trying to search for answers within her chaotic thoughts.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed from behind.

"What are you searching for?"

A deep, unfamiliar voice cut through the air. Turning around, Xuan Xingli found herself facing a tall man cloaked entirely in black. His eyes were dark, as if they concealed an abyss.

"Who are you?" she asked coldly.

The man did not answer, but from his palm, a black mist unfurled, consuming the street in its eerie embrace. Xuan Xingli instinctively stepped back, her senses sharpened. She could tell—this man was no ordinary foe.

"The mark within you..." he murmured. "It does not belong to you alone."

Those words struck deep, cutting through Xuan Xingli's mind like a blade. But there was no time to process them, for in the next moment, he lunged at her.

5. DARKNESS UNLEASHED

The entire street was bathed in a crimson glow as Xuan Xingli activated her Xuan Yuan. The air around her shimmered like fractured glass, bending reality itself as she prepared for battle.

The man thrust his hand forward, shadows slithering toward her like venomous snakes. Xuan Xingli twisted her body, dodging nimbly as the hem of her cloak billowed in the wind. She raised her hand, a gleaming blade of light slicing through the darkness.

The shadows cracked—but did not vanish.

"Hmph… Not bad." The man chuckled, though there was an unmistakable trace of intrigue in his voice. "I will wait for the day you truly awaken."

With that, he vanished into the night, leaving Xuan Xingli with more unanswered questions.

She clenched her fists, determination burning in her gaze. If Ruan Hongyuan knew something, then she would uncover the truth.

Because this was no longer just about her. This was a mystery far greater than she had ever imagined, and there was no turning back now.