As the vault collapsed, Lin Tian's hand closed around the Dragon's Vein core. Instead of corruption, a surge of golden light erupted, and Xia Qingyue lunged—not to stop him, but to *amplify his power with her frost qi.
"The Nation's Luck System awakens—for you alone," her voice echoed, no longer mocking but reverent. "Prove yourself worthy, Lin Tian."
The visions struck:
- Huaxia's dying land, its rivers and mountains crying out for a ruler.
- A phoenix of frost and fire soaring over the Forbidden City—Xia Qingyue's true form, bound by oath to serve the Dragon's Sovereign.
- A system interface only he could see:
Huaxia's Luck Points: 10/100 (Collapsing).
Blessings Unlocked: 0.
Calamities: Dragon's Wrath (Stage 5), Foreign Invasion (Imminent).
Xia Qingyue collapsed, her frost qi spent. "I've waited… lifetimes… for you to break the Patriarch's chains," she whispered, her eyes softening. "The Lin Family once protected the Vein. Now, only you can restore its purpose."
Luo Mei stared in shock. "You… served him all along?"
"No," Xia Qingyue said, her gaze locked on Lin Tian. "I served the promise of him."
---
Epilogue Scene: The Sovereign's Court
Three days later, Lin Tian stood in the reconstructed war room, the Luck System's holograms glowing:
- Quest 1: Purify Beijing's Qi Corruption (0%) – +25 Luck Points.
- Quest 2: Rekindle the Five Sacred Flames (0/5) – +30 Luck Points.
- Quest 3: Unite the Four Guardian Clans (1/4) – +20 Luck Points.
Xia Qingyue, now dressed in scholar's robes, pointed to a map. "The Patriarch's defeat has left power vacuums. Warlords with stolen qi tech are seizing cities. And they," she highlighted a U.S. fleet nearing Taiwan, "smell blood in the water."
Lin Xue hacked into a Pentagon feed. "They're calling you a 'cult leader.' Also, their satellites detected this." She zoomed in on Mount Kunlun, where a colossal dragon skeleton glowed—a dormant Luck Beast only Lin Tian's system could awaken.
Cousin Ling smirked. "Let's go carve up some Americans."
"No," Lin Tian said. "We secure Huaxia first. Xia Qingyue—how do I raise Luck Points?"
She placed a hand over his chest, where the system's core pulsed. "Earn the people's faith. Rebuild what your family broke. And," her voice dropped, "trust the ones bound to you."
A new notification flashed:
["Guardian Unlocked: Xia Qingyue (Phoenix Sovereign).
Effect: +15% Luck Recovery Rate in Allied Territories."]
Luo Mei stiffened. "Why her?"
Xia Qingyue smiled. "Because unlike you, Lieutenant, I don't want him. I need him. Huaxia's survival requires a Dragon Sovereign… and mine requires his success."
Before Lin Tian could ask, she vanished in a swirl of frost and flame, her voice lingering: "Start with Shanghai. The people there still remember hope."