Karin was exerting effort, unable to understand the scripture of Heavenly Demon. All approaches seemed too difficult, yet she continued believing that there was no other way for her.
Meanwhile, Rune was far away, in search of a way to unlock the mystery of the key. Though it was daytime for Isshin, the vastness of their world created a different reality for Rune. The planet they lived on was giant, more than 700 times the size of Earth, so massive that time zones stretched to extremes. What was day in one region could still be deep night in another, and Rune's journey had taken him far across this.
He walked up to a massive church in the middle of the city. Its design was daunting, the building constructed in a perfect hexagon from all sides, its high spires casting razor sharp shadows on the floor under the pale illumination of the moon. Most of the individuals were asleep, but there were still guards. Rune walked quietly with discretion, walking by them undetected.
Reaching the very top, he stood at the center of the roof and scanned the horizon. Pulling out the key, he studied it again under the faint starlight. At first it looked simple, but the longer he stared, the clearer the pattern became. Two overlapping triangles, one rotated, forming a star.
His eyes flicked to the church around him. Could it be? The hexagonal design of the building mirrored the key's symbol. Maybe it was coincidence, maybe he was overthinking but he had learned to follow even the faintest lead.
He stood at the rooftop center, exactly where the symbol seemed to align, but uncertainty gnawed at him. What now? His mind replayed the words: Southern Justice Fragments. The name could simply mark this location in the south… or it could hold a deeper meaning.
He pondered until the first hints of dawn broke. Without realizing, time had slipped by. The rising sun bathed the horizon in golden light, and then it happened the key caught the sunlight. The polished surface refracted the beam, bending it into a slanting ray. Rune angled the key carefully, testing different positions until the light suddenly split.
Six beams scattered downward, fanning out across the city square below. On the stone ground, they converged into a symbol identical to the one carved into the key a shining star of overlapping triangles.
Rune's breath caught. He didn't hesitate.
Leaping from the spire, he descended toward the glowing mark on the earth, with the realization. Perhaps this was it.
Meanwhile, Isshin was cultivating and moving through the dense forest, observing the area carefully. Great and dangerous beasts roamed nearby, yet he also sensed the approach of human cultivators. Soon, a large group arrived a party of twenty from a distant sect, clearly exhausted from days of searching.
The group consisted of an elder, some male and female disciples, and several others. Among them, five seemed like inner disciples or at least of higher rank, judging from their clothing and the strength readings the system displayed. The elder was at the True Soul Realm, likely Stage 2, though the system could not precisely confirm. The rest were mostly at the Peak of the Golden Core Realm, except for the five disciples who were at Nascent Soul Stage 1.
They had come seeking treasure and personal gain, much like Isshin, but he had no intention of interacting with them. He observed quietly from a distance as they set up camp. While most rested, two of the disciples a male and a female ventured off in the direction where the wyvern had been.
The girl glanced at her companion. "What do you think we'll find here, Wang Soren?"
"I was hoping for some artifact that could enhance physical strength… like a gauntlet. What about you, Selene?"
"I'm not sure yet…"
Isshin watched them from above, using the system to zoom in. Subtle holographic overlays appeared above their heads, live-translating their names and identities in real time. The system, which had previously detected no names, now displayed "Wang Soren" and "Selene" floating faintly above them.
"Wait… what is that… an egg?" Selene exclaimed, pointing ahead.
Soren's eyes lit up with excitement. "Let's go see it!" He dashed forward, unaware of the danger.
Isshin's brow tightened. They clearly intended no good, and the wyvern was not present to protect its offspring. He knew he would have to intervene.