When Evan Chu heard Roxanne Lin's words, it was as if he had been struck by lightning. He stood there, completely petrified, unable to say a word for a long time.
At that moment, a flash of red light burst inside the room, and a powerful voice sounded from behind: "We are here to take her away."
Immediately, two middle-aged men dressed in red appeared in the room. They strode quickly to Roxanne Lin, knelt on one knee before her, and said respectfully, "Greetings, Phoenix Saint!"
Roxanne glanced at the two of them and gave a bitter smile. "Protectors, you may rise. I have something to say to him. Leave for now, please."
"Phoenix Saint, it is the Temple Master who ordered us to bring you back. Please don't make things difficult for us, or we won't be able to answer to him!" one of them pleaded.
Roxanne suddenly stood up and said, "I never said I wouldn't go back. Give me one hour. Don't make me angry— even the Temple Master must show me some respect, let alone you two. Hmph!"
"I was wrong, Phoenix Saint. Please be generous and forgive my disrespect!" the middle-aged man immediately apologized.
"Are you still not leaving? Do you really want me to get angry?" Roxanne's voice grew cold and stern, utterly different from her usual gentle demeanor.
The two men instantly vanished in a flash of light, leaving only their voices behind: "We will return in one hour to escort the Phoenix Saint. We hope you will keep your word!"
Evan Chu stood there in a daze. The aura those two middle-aged men carried was exactly the same as the Ice-Fire Twin Dragons— they were both terrifying Divine Martial Realm powerhouses.
After Roxanne's bloodline awakened, she became the Phoenix Saint of the Vermilion Bird Clan, her status second only to the Temple Master. The change was so rapid that Evan Chu could hardly accept it—it felt like a dream.
Seeing Evan's shocked expression, Roxanne walked over and said, "Evan, now that my bloodline has awakened, I have no choice but to return. This is a fact that cannot be changed."
Evan looked at the beautiful girl before him, both familiar and strange, his heart filled with mixed emotions. "What is going on? Can you tell me? Why are you the Phoenix Saint of the Vermilion Bird Clan? How many secrets are you hiding?"
Seeing Evan's tense, nearly out-of-control expression, Roxanne felt a wave of sadness. Tears welled in her eyes, on the verge of falling.
Suppressing her emotions, Roxanne said, "Evan, some things are better left unknown for your sake. Just remember this: wherever I am, my heart belongs to you. In this life, I am yours."
Evan immediately stepped forward and embraced Roxanne. "Roxanne, don't leave me, okay? I can't live without you. Please, don't go!"
Evan's voice trembled with tears. Hearing it, Roxanne's heart ached, and the tears she had tried to hide finally spilled out.
"Evan, a thousand, ten thousand times I don't want to leave you, but I am powerless. I am the Phoenix Saint of the Vermilion Bird Clan, and I knew it the moment my bloodline awakened."
At that moment, a flood of information appeared in my mind—maybe it's what you call inherited memories. I have a mission I cannot defy. I can't ignore my clan's survival for the sake of personal feelings. Evan, please forgive me."
By this point, Roxanne was sobbing uncontrollably, and Evan felt as if his own heart were being sliced apart.
"Roxanne, what kind of mission do you have that you must do this? Isn't there any other way?" Evan asked, unwilling to give up.
"No, and you have your own mission too. I can sense your extraordinariness—you possess the Golden Dragon body, but your bloodline hasn't awakened yet. My inherited memories say that the Phoenix, Black Tortoise, White Tiger, and Golden Dragon will all reincarnate. You must be the Golden Dragon's reincarnation."
All our missions revolve around you. You should understand this. Maybe when your bloodline awakens, we can truly be together. Now, I must go to the clan's forbidden grounds and break through to the Divine Martial Realm," Roxanne said.
Evan was more shocked than he could have imagined and hurriedly asked, "Break through to the Divine Martial Realm? Have you already reached the Heaven Martial Realm?"
"Yes, after my bloodline awakened, I broke through directly to the seventh layer of the Heaven Martial Realm. I never expected my breakthrough to be so incredible—it's almost hard to believe it's real," Roxanne replied firmly.
Seventh layer of the Heaven Martial Realm? That's insane! I thought you'd at most reach the first layer. Congratulations, Roxanne!" Despite his sorrow, Evan couldn't help but congratulate the woman he loved for her strength.
"Reaching the seventh layer is entirely because of you. Though my bloodline is the purest, without your Pure Yang Qi, I could have only reached the fifth layer. I believe in you, Evan!"
Time passed minute by minute. As they talked, the hour quickly drew to a close, and both felt even more heartbroken.
Evan knew Roxanne's departure was inevitable. As long as he raised his strength quickly, he would one day go to the Vermilion Bird Shrine to find her. He hadn't expected that just after removing her Vermilion Bird Mark, they would have to part so soon.
"Evan, don't be too sad. We'll meet again someday. Even though your bloodline hasn't awakened, I know you understand many things—like the demons, the ancient battlefield. You know what I mean."
We don't live just for ourselves—our responsibilities are heavy. Today's farewell is only for a future reunion. Don't give up because of me; I'll be waiting for the day you appear at the Vermilion Bird Shrine," Roxanne said, having regained her composure.
I understand, Roxanne. You'll always be my woman. For you, I'll raise my strength as fast as I can. Even if I must face mountains of blades and seas of fire, I'll take you away," Evan replied solemnly.
Just then, the red light flashed in the room again, and the two middle-aged men reappeared. One of them said:
Phoenix Saint, it's time for us to leave.
The moment of parting finally arrived. Roxanne's steadied emotions collapsed again as she hugged Evan, crying, "Evan, I can't bear to leave you. I waited six months, worried for six months, and now we're finally together but about to be separated again. It's so unfair!"
Hearing this, Evan felt as if his heart were bleeding. If only he were strong enough, Roxanne wouldn't have to suffer so. Her pain mirrored his own, more agonizing than death.
Phoenix Saint, we must go—don't make things difficult for us," said the other guardian. He waved his hand, and Evan and Roxanne were separated.
With that wave, Evan felt as if his body had been struck by a force of ten thousand pounds, and he immediately coughed up blood.
The middle-aged guardian was momentarily surprised by Evan's blood, then said, "Before your bloodline awakens, you'd best not come to the Vermilion Bird Shrine. Today, I'm giving the Dragon Shrine face and sparing you. Know this: the Phoenix Saint is not someone just anyone can approach, especially so intimately. Remember this well."
Before Roxanne could say anything, a red light enveloped her, and the three of them instantly disappeared. Only her voice lingered in the air: "Cultivate well. Don't come to me unless you've reached Divine Martial Realm seventh layer. Remember, remember..."
[Author's Note: This is a non-narrative section and is intentionally skipped in the translation.]