Chapter 35: Arrival at Prisonfire Star

At dawn the next day, Li An ordered breakfast for Frost Snow. Though her body temperature had normalized, she still couldn’t sleep. She’d spent the night practicing fist techniques, her eyes bright and restless.

“Still no sleep?” Li An asked.

“Not tired,” Frost Snow replied tersely.

Li An saw through her lie—she feared sleep might return her to that icy, fragmented version of herself. Yet he didn’t press. To him, personal choices were sacred. If she wanted to spit blood while eating, so be it. If she refused rest, let her. His father’s philosophy echoed in his mind: Live freely, but harm none.

Starship Journey

Boarding the military-certified starship, Li An flashed his veteran’s badge. Instantly, crew members swarmed with deference—a border soldier’s privilege. Frost Snow clung to his sleeve, socially paralyzed by the bustling terminal.

Their destination: Prisonfire Star, one of the Five Divine Trials’ hellscapes. The planet’s surface rippled with intangible flames that seared not flesh but organs—a trial of agony and transcendence.

Prisonfire’s Allure

From orbit, the world burned crimson-black. No vegetation, only spectral magma. Legends claimed the sentient Prisonfire, sovereign of all flames, lurked here. It ignored defenses, melting barriers like paper. Four human emperors had tamed it—most recently the Fire God eight millennia ago. Now, seekers braved its trials for four rewards:

Accelerated Cultivation (Herb absorption +15%)

Tempered Will

Skill Comprehension Boost

A Whisper of Prisonfire’s Power

Li An cared little for the last. His Supreme Fist sufficed.

Landing

The captain, eyeing Frost Snow, warned Li An: “Young man, enjoy the view from the orbital station. No need to die here with such a lovely wife.”

“She’s just a friend,” Li An corrected.

The captain snorted. “Friends don’t follow friends to hell.”

Touching down, heatwaves lashed the docking bay. Frost Snow remained unfazed—a detail Li An noted with interest.

The Gatekeeper

At the trial registration booth, a snoozing middle-aged man jerked awake upon seeing Frost Snow. With a button press, he flipped the “Closed” sign.

“I am Whale Year,” he announced, stroking his beard. When met with blank stares, he sighed—fame fades faster than prisonfire embers.

Leaning close, he hissed: “Why is Her Highness with you?”

“Grand Marshal sent her,” Li An whispered. “Said I’m her antidote.”

Whale Year’s eyebrow spiked. A finger pressed to Li An’s forehead unleashed a diagnostic pulse.

“Dreamweaver… A Li…” Recognition dawned. “Ah! The prodigy who threw tantrums to avoid Starfire Domain!”

Li An reddened. Six years ago, elders had tried dragging him to the celestial training grounds. He’d bit, kicked, and hidden in closets.

“Six years late to Fourth Realm,” Whale Year tsked. “You’re lagging, boy.”

Li An’s jaw tightened. Just watch.