Panicked screams thundered across the tightly packed streets of Eternal Flame City's slums. They spread far and wide, the veritable slaughter pounding like a tightened drum.

  Feng Han jumped, a foreboding sense of dread breathing down his neck as he edged toward the door. He peered out carefully into the night, eyes bulging as the orange hue assaulted his vision.

  What the hell?

  "They've gone mad!"

  "Run, everyone, the Frozen Flame Sect is out killing!"

  "Aa--h! Heavens, why? What did we do wrong?"

  "They're gonna burn us alive!"

  Their cries mingled with the crackling of flames that bled into the air. It was as if the netherworld opened its gates, welcoming them into the deepest pits to burn for eternity.

  One woman stumbled between the fleeing masses, her tears streaming down her face as she cried, "Hao'er, where are you?"

  "Has anyone seen my son? Please, anyone. Where's my son?"

  Her son, however, was long dead, as were countless others.

  Beneath the onslaught of the Frozen Flame Sect disciples, the slums were boiling, like rats in a pot. It stirred the city awake. Eternal Flame City's tri-partisan sects rose like behemoths, for Frozen Flame was not alone.

  The Iron Flame and Golden Flame sects had their stake in the city as well, and as the news spread like wildfire, all their eyes turned to the outer district.

  ...

  "Should we send some guards to check what's happening?" Wen Ruhao asked, stroking his beard.

  Beside him, a middle-aged man sat, rapping his fingers against the table. He gazed out of the pavilion with curious eyes. "What do we know so far?"

  "It's the Outer Disciples of the Frozen Flame Sect acting out, under the orders of Han Lie, according to preliminary reports."

  "Han Lie, huh?" Zhao Tianqing sighed, rubbing his temples. "Has that withered old skeleton said anything yet?"

  The skeleton he referred to being the current Sect Leader of the Frozen Flame Sect, Han Kui.

  "Nothing," Wen Ruhao shrugged, a playful grin on his face. "You know the Han Family's people think themselves highly."

  A deep, forlorn sigh rang through the pavilion as Zhao Tiangqing leaned back. "We'll need to rebuild the entire outer district at this rate, then."

  He continued, "I'm not too bothered by the damage. But their act of bypassing me is rather irritating. And who the hell was stupid enough to cross Han Lie of all people?"

  Wen Ruhao nodded, stroking his beard. "There will always be those who are blind to the immensity of Heaven."

  "Peh, what Heaven," Zhao Tianqing scoffed. "They're powerful, but we don't fear them. They better restrain themselves, this is my city, not theirs."

  "That's right, you're the boss here, Xiao Tian," Wen Ruhao chuckled.

  Zhao Tianqing snapped toward him, his eyes cold. "Don't call me that."

  Wen Ruhao laughed, "Forgive me, sir. Habit..."

  ...

  "What the hell is with the noise?"

  "The Frozen Flame brats are scheming something..."

  "Send disciples out! Who do they think they are?"

  ...

  "Did something happen?"

  "It seems someone's picked a fight with the Frozen Flame kids."

  "Interesting. Have some of our boys look into it."

  ...

  Similar conversations unfolded all across Eternal Flame City, but none were important to Feng Han. He didn't care for them. He didn't know about them. He didn't need to know about them to know that he was in trouble. As the tension burned through the slums, sweat drenched his back.

  Holy shit... it was just a coin pouch! Why the hell are they so desperate?

  Feng Han's heart had calmed down, but it immediately woke again, slamming violently against his chest. It was absurd, but he couldn't deny the situation. There was no chance in hell that they were burning the slums for fun—it had to be because of him.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  "Dammit," he gnashed his teeth. "Come with me!"

  He grabbed his sister's hands and pulled them out of their home into the deeper parts of the slums, away from the fires.

  "What's going on, brother?" Both girls' questioning voices entered Feng Han's ears, concern painted on their ghastly pale faces.

  "It's nothing. Don't worry about it," Feng Han said, his words ringing with hollow bravado.

  Feng Yue and Feng Xue fell quiet, allowing Feng Han to pull them forward. They shared a glance with each other, seeing the worry and concern in each other's eyes.

  For the first time since they were little, their brother's back seemed so small and alone.

  Meanwhile, the flames spread uncontrollably throughout the outer districts, claiming buildings and lives in their embrace as the smoke billowed toward the heavens.

  Wei Shen stared coldly at the burning wreckage, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Don't let anyone escape! Until we find that rat bastard, everyone is complicit in his crime. Either we find him, or they all burn together until nothing remains."

  "He has nowhere to run, Senior Brother Wei Shen! The Junior Disciples are patrolling inside and out. Even if he escapes the walls, they'll still find him."

  Wei Shen turned, his palm crossing the disciple's face, slapping him onto the ground. "Don't get conceited, Junior Brother. I don't want to hear that. I want him found. Those are Boss Han Lie's orders. Do it right, and do it carefully."

  "Y-yes, I'm sorry, Senior Brother."

  "It's fine," Wei Shen said, waving the disciple off. "Just don't be overconfident. When hunting, the worst thing one can do is be careless."

  With his head slumped to hide the fury in his eyes, the disciple nodded, "I'll keep that in mind."

  Their plan was reliable, despite the disagreements between disciples. But they had underestimated the quick wits and reflexes of a street rat. Before the patrols could spread outside the walls, Feng Han had already escaped with his sisters. Few people knew about a hidden-away hole in the wall that smugglers use, but he did.

  Feng Han had worked so many odd jobs since his youth that nobody knew the city's dark spots better than him.

  He moved without stopping, heading deeper into Emberwood Forest that stretched beyond the city's walls. The Imperial Roads were too dangerous, but fortunately, the forest had plenty of unmarked paths he could take.

  After a hellish sprint that caused his throat to burn like lava, Feng Han reached a series of secluded caverns. He found one seemingly undisturbed and led his sisters in.

  Feng Yue and Feng Xue dropped to the cavern's floor, breathing heavily as they tried to calm down.

  There has to be something wrong.

  It's impossible for such madness over mortal coins...

  Feng Han stood by the entrance, his eyes shifting between the distant smoke and flame that irradiated the night sky and his sisters. He took the coin pouch out and held it in his palm, the weight of it seemingly akin to a mountain as he looked at it with disbelief.

  Think, Feng Han, think.

  He knelt down and dumped the contents onto the floor. The coins rattled and scattered as Feng Han sifted through the small mound with his fingers. It didn't take long before he felt something distinctly different within the pile. A ring?

  It was just a ring. Nothing more, nothing less. Its appearance was almost abnormally normal. But as Feng Han rubbed the dull silvery exterior, a sliver of his innate qi sparked against it, revealing a vibrant violet that spread across the ring's circumference. It took the form of an engraved flame that thrummed with power.

  Power that served only to agitate the sense of unease in the pit of Feng Han's stomach.

  "No fucking way," Feng Han muttered in disbelief, ignoring the painful prick against his fingers from the ring's outburst of violet qi. How is it fucking possible? He had a spatial ring hidden away among mortal coins? He had a spatial ring hidden that was so easily stolen away? Was he the fool or I?

  Feng Han slumped onto the ground, questioning his life and the universe. It seemed inconceivable, yet there it was, in front of him. He had just wanted to steal some coins to feed himself and his sisters. Now that hunger had signed a death warrant on his life.

  How was it possible that not only did he rob a cultivator who steered away from the garments of Eternal Flame City's sects, but that cultivator was hiding something so valuable, so recklessly?

  Feng Han didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It was so absurd. No wonder they were willing to burn the slums to the ground in the hope of finding him. He didn't know what was inside the ring—but he knew that for many cultivators, their spatial ring was their life. It stored every technique, every shred of wealth, every hope for the future.

  He turned to his sisters, a look of grief and worry spreading on his face that he quickly buried in the depths of his soul. I'm doomed... But I can't let them suffer with me.

  "Yue'er, Xue'er, listen to me carefully."

  Feng Han's voice was stern as he walked to the girls with heavy steps. "I'm sorry, this is all my fault. Your brother made a mistake... he took something he shouldn't have, from someone he never should've touched."

  "What's going on, Brother? You're scaring us," Feng Yue cried.

  Feng Xue nodded as well, her eyes reddening as she looked at her brother's weary face.

  "They're searching for me. Because of this," Feng Han said, holding out the ring. "I have to go, for all our sakes; they can't find us together.

  He clenched the spatial ring in his palm, feeling the violet qi sting against his flesh. "Promise me. Yue'er, Xue'er, promise me! No matter what happens, no matter what you hear, if I don't return by sunrise, run to the Imperial Road and head to Serene Willow City."

  He dropped a few coins into Feng Yue's palm and turned away, his eyes trembling.

  "But, Brother..." Their expressions soured, hearts sinking into the pits of their stomachs.

  "Enough!" Feng Han snapped. "I know you're scared. So am I. But please, listen to your brother. Everything's going to be alright. Just remember what I said. Come sunrise, flee."

  As he uttered those resolute words, he ran out, his robe rustling against his skin as he dove headfirst into the forest. Feng Yue and Feng Xue would be alright, even if the cultivators went mad, they couldn't attack people traversing the Imperial Road. The merchants alone would skin them alive if they tried. Countless convoys passed by daily, and the generous ones would be more than kind to offer passage from one city to the next for a few coins.

  Emberwood Forest was chillingly lonely as Feng Han raced through the towering tree-scape. His emotions were more turbulent than the seas he'd only heard of, but the determination of a brother surged throughout.

  He would not let his sisters fall into harm's way. He would not let his pursuers destroy the fragile stability he'd spent years building for himself and his siblings.

  If anyone wanted to screw with him, he wouldn't go down without a fight.

  Cultivators be damned!

  ? Phoenix Flight [Lite LitRPG - Dungeon Diving - Slow Romance] ?

  by RainyLiquid

  Weak to Strong, gathering of powers, skills, and spells.