The Falling Mystic Stone · The Awakening of Divine Sense
Early spring morning shrouded Niu Pu Village in a thin veil of mist. The air carried the scent of freshly moistened earth, mingling with the crisp sweetness of new grass and sprouting vegetation. A gentle breeze drifted through, bearing with it the faint chirping of birds in the distant woods and the rustling of leaves—like a quiet song of nature, soft yet brimming with life. Morning sunlight pierced the treetops, casting mottled shadows that flickered across the damp grass like scattered fragments of gold.
Wan Xiaochuan was clad in a plain azure robe, the hem fluttering slightly in the breeze. His feet stepped upon the dew-soaked earth, feeling the cool dampness and firm texture beneath. He took a deep breath—the air, filled with the freshness of grass and the heaviness of soil, brought a faint calm to his heart.
His gaze was steady, hands subtly clenched, fingertips occasionally brushing against the coarse weave of his sleeves. That small, tactile detail anchored his thoughts and stilled the ripples in his mind. With each step forward, his heartbeat quickened slightly—not from fear, but from anticipation. Just ahead lay the spot where the falling star had crashed the night before.
As he approached, his eyes were immediately drawn to a peculiarly luminous stone. It emitted a faint bluish glow, and on its surface, starlike flickers glimmered subtly. Flowing sigils danced like threads of current across the stone's body, exuding a mysterious and pure spiritual aura. Sunlight touched the stone, refracting in layers that made it seem almost crystalline.
He knelt beside it, placing his hands upon the cold surface. At once, a fine stream of energy flowed through his fingertips—subtle yet profound—as if he were brushing the seam between time and space. The spiritual energy trickled gently into his meridians, causing his chest to rise and fall. With every breath, he felt waves of resonance and transformation within his body—a profound communion with the natural world.
Suddenly, a clear and playful voice brushed into his mind like spring wind over water—gentle and unseen, yet unmistakably real.
"Hello, traveler."
The voice came not through ears but directly into his consciousness, resonating through divine sense—beyond language, yet perfectly clear, tinged with a note of mischief.
Wan Xiaochuan's eyes flew open. He glanced around—no one was in sight. His brow furrowed, his thoughts taut with both alertness and curiosity.
"Who are you? Why do I hear you inside my mind?"
"I am Ruini, the sword spirit sealed within this stone," the voice replied, like a stream murmuring under moonlight. "Through divine sense, we are no longer bound by words. Our minds can touch directly."
Wan Xiaochuan tried to trace the ripple of that divine sense, and at once felt a pull—strange yet oddly familiar—tugging gently at his spirit. His heart trembled slightly with the recognition of something beyond himself.
"Divine sense... what is it?" he murmured, his face betraying wonder and a trace of unease.
Ruini's voice danced lightly, rich with explanation.
"Divine sense is a form of mental communion known to higher cultivators. It transcends time and barriers, allowing thought to flow soul to soul. It is the purest form of connection."
Wan Xiaochuan lowered his gaze, his fingers tracing softly along the sigils on the stone. Within those etched marks, he felt the pulse of vast years and rushing spirit force. Something within him stirred, as though the fog of his vague dreams of cultivation was beginning to lift, revealing shape and color.
"Then why are you sealed within this stone? And why... choose me?" His voice trembled slightly, caught between hesitation and longing.
"I am the guardian of this mystic stone... and a guide sent by fate," Ruini replied with a smile he could somehow feel. "It was your untainted soul and unyielding will that awakened me. From this moment, we will face the storms of destiny together."
A breeze swept by, lifting the edge of Wan Xiaochuan's robe. He felt droplets of dew dampen his skin, coolness seeping into his bones. That vivid, tangible sensation grounded him, dispelling doubt about the strangeness of their meeting.
"You know," he murmured softly, a gentle determination flickering in his eyes, "I never imagined that my path to cultivation would begin like this."
Ruini's voice giggled like sunlight skipping across water.
"Then prepare yourself. The road of cultivation is filled with hardship and trials. But I'll be with you, every step of the way."
Wan Xiaochuan drew in a deep breath, his chest rising with resolve. He felt the spiritual energy flow within him like fine threads of lightning, his skin alive with sensation. His very presence seemed to merge with the pulse of the earth itself.
In that moment, his heartbeat and breath became one with the rhythm of the world. And the path ahead...