🌌 The Guardian Within
Lin Fei's mind felt stretched—no, occupied. A presence stirred inside him, like a giant coiled serpent half-asleep but aware of its cage.
"Still alive?" he murmured to himself.
A voice—not his—responded, faintly amused.
"Barely. This system has… changed."
Lin Fei narrowed his eyes. "You're conscious?"
"Only a sliver. Enough to watch. Enough to judge."
He stood, knees shaking slightly from the strain of fusion. The spiral's mist had receded. The wound in the land no longer bled memory—it pulsed with a calm, almost respectful stillness.
[System Notification: Mission Complete]
[Reward Dispensed: +1 Bound Credit | Echo Gift: Rootwound Mark]
[Rootwound Mark: Enhances Echo Detection Range and Compatibility by 20%]
[Subdomain Stability +6%]
[Reclamation Spiral Construct Progress: 41%]
He exhaled.
Then, laughter.
Not from within. Not from himself.
From above.
🌫️ Spectator in Silk
The mist parted in a neat spiral.
And from it descended a familiar figure: patchwork robes, amber and silver eyes, ledger still floating beside him.
The Bloom Broker.
"Well done, my flowering friend! I was betting you'd run or explode. But fusion? That's the kind of narrative risk I admire!"
Lin Fei glanced at him with no small amount of irritation. "You watched the whole thing."
"Watched? Bet on it. I had you down for partial success with minor mental fragmentation."
Lin Fei rolled his eyes. "Glad to know my trauma is marketable."
The Broker grinned and bowed slightly. "Everything is marketable. Especially pain with legacy. That thing inside you? That's an Epic Thread."
He snapped his fingers, summoning a floating panel.
[System Thread Recognition Detected]
[New Narrative Thread Initiated: "Echoborne Legacy"]
[Effect: Key encounters may now trigger Legacy Trials or Force Resonance Events]
[Warning: Other Wielders may seek to contest this Legacy]
Lin Fei grimaced. "Great. I've painted a target on my back."
"Not just a target. A market niche." The Broker leaned in. "Think of the contracts you'll get now."
"…You're seriously enjoying this, aren't you?"
"With every breath."
🌱 Beyond the Spiral
Lin Fei began walking, the Broker floating along beside him like an enthusiastic tour guide.
"So," Lin Fei said, "how many other Wielders are nearby?"
"Oh, not too many yet. But news travels. And soon, other Domains will start blooming across the Veinfield. Especially now that the 'Rootwound' frequency has reactivated."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning some people might start following the resonance here. Wanting a piece of your fusion. Or…" the Broker's grin turned sly, "wanting to claim the Rootwound Legacy for themselves."
Lin Fei halted.
"…Can it be stolen?"
"Hmm. The legacy can't be stolen, per se. But fragments might splinter during conflict. Duels. Death. High-stakes wagers. Some legacy threads are hungry. They seek stronger vessels."
Lin Fei inhaled sharply.
So it wasn't just about growing anymore.
It was about surviving while carrying someone else's unfinished fate.
"Great," he muttered. "Cultivation meets hostile inheritance."
The Broker chuckled. "Welcome to System-layered progression."
⚔️ The First Challenger
They were only halfway out of the crater when a presence flared on the ridge above them.
A spear slammed into the dirt—followed by a figure wrapped in crimson vines and bone armor.
"Found you," the figure said, voice sharp and crackling. "You're the one who woke the Deep Spiral."
Lin Fei raised an eyebrow. "You're not even pretending to be friendly?"
"I'm not here for chat. I'm here for trial rights."
[System Notification: Trial for Echoborne Legacy Initiated]
[Opponent: Wielder-Class Cultivator – Codename: Crimson Bastion]
[Combat Rights: Confirmed – Duel to Resonance Yield]
[Warning: Trial fights may result in legacy fragmentation]
Lin Fei's hand hovered near his root-bound sword.
Then he smiled.
"Let's see if you're ready to bleed for what you don't understand."
The Broker whistled, hovering higher in the air. "Ah, conflict! My second favorite currency."
And then the duel began.