Li Hao slowly extended his hand toward the ice flame.
The moment his qi brushed against it, the blue-white fire quivered, then brightened—as if recognizing a kindred presence. There was no violent backlash, no rejection. Instead, a quiet resonance formed between them, subtle yet undeniable.
The flame drifted closer, circling his palm once before slipping into his body.
Inside his Soul Sea, the ice flame descended gently, settling beside his original flame. The two fires did not collide. They did not attempt to devour one another. They simply coexisted—one steady and mature, the other young and quietly pulsing.
A delicate balance.
Li Hao focused inward, carefully stabilizing the two energies. Even the slightest imbalance could lead to backlash, yet under his control, the flames remained calm.
Outside, Xu Mei watched closely. "It worked?"
Li Hao opened his eyes and nodded. "For now. It's stable."
But he knew this was only the beginning.
The real challenge was not acceptance—
It was growth.