The locket glowed softly.
Then—
A small figure emerged from within it.
A girl-like spirit, no larger than Li Hao's palm, floated in the air. Her body shimmered with faint light, her eyes gentle yet filled with intelligence.
"Master…" she said softly. "I've been waiting for you."
Li Hao's expression sharpened.
"Who are you?"
The spirit smiled.
"I was left behind by your parents… to guide you."
His heart trembled.
Parents.
A truth he had never fully known.
"Your path is different," she continued. "You are not bound by one martial soul. You can create many—by refining special energies like the flame you just absorbed."
Li Hao fell silent.
Multiple martial souls…
This was beyond anything he had imagined.