The pavilion of the Veiled Star Marquis thrummed with a quiet menace, its floating orbs casting shadows that danced like specters across the rune-etched floor. Jian Feng stood before the Marquis, the Nine Serenities Jade silent at his back, its spirit's presence a faint pressure in his mind. The air was thick with the weight of unspoken debts, and the sudden arrival of the Clerk of the Karmic Ledgers—her robes shimmering with silver chains—had turned the encounter into a battlefield of words.
The Clerk's eyes, glowing with starlit intensity, flicked between Jian Feng and the Marquis. "You tread dangerous ground, Marquis," she said, her voice sharp as a blade. "This boy is Heaven's Debtor, not your pawn."
The Veiled Star Marquis leaned back in his seat, his nebula-patched eye swirling with amusement. "Clerk Wei, your Ministry's leash is short, but it doesn't reach the Court of Dust and Ashes. The boy came to me. Let him choose his path."
Jian Feng's Golden Core pulsed, the Debt-Bonds tightening like a noose. He could see them—ethereal chains weaving through his core, the newest a heavy link born from the Star-Thread Divination. The Clerk's presence was no coincidence; the Ministry was watching, and their summons had been a test as much as a command.
"I'm no one's pawn," Jian Feng said, his voice low but resolute. "Marquis, you spoke of the Stolen Const container Pearl. If it's my first Tear of Heaven, I'll retrieve it. But I need more than promises. What is the Pearl, and why does Heaven want it?"
The Clerk's gaze sharpened, but the Marquis raised a hand, silencing her. "Bold," he said, his golden eye glinting. "The Pearl is a fragment of a fallen star, stolen from the Ministry of Stellar Alignment by a rogue immortal. It holds the power to stabilize—or shatter—celestial pathways. Your Ministry," he nodded to the Clerk, "wants it back to maintain their grip on the realms. I want it for… other reasons."
Jian Feng's mind raced. A celestial artifact, fought over by Ministries and renegades, tied to his debt. The stakes were higher than he'd imagined. "And your price?" he asked.
"A favor," the Marquis repeated, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Sworn on the Ledger's Oath, binding your Debt-Bonds to me. I'll call it when the time is right."
The Clerk stepped forward, her robes rustling like chains. "Be warned, Jian Feng. An oath to the Marquis is a chain you may never break. The Ministry offers guidance, not servitude."
Jian Feng's eyes narrowed. Guidance? The Ministry had summoned him without explanation, their crane a command disguised as a request. He was a tool to them, just as he was to the Marquis. But the Court's rules were clear: Trade no favor without a witnessed oath. He needed the Marquis's knowledge, and he needed to survive the Ministry's scrutiny.
"I'll swear the oath," Jian Feng said, his voice steady. "But I need a way to enter the Vermillion Bird Legion's vaults undetected. Their wards will sense my Debt-Bonds."
The Marquis's smirk widened. He produced a black jade scroll, its surface etched with runes that pulsed like a heartbeat. "A Chain-Veil Rite," he said. "Perform it, and your Debt-Bonds will be cloaked from celestial eyes—for a time. The materials are simple: a drop of star essence, a shard of voidstone, and your own resolve. But fail, and the heavens will see you clearly."
Jian Feng took the scroll, its weight heavier than stone. The spirit of the Nine Serenities Jade stirred. "A ritual," she whispered. "It masks you, but it deepens your debt."
The Clerk's expression darkened. "You play a dangerous game, Marquis. The Ministry will not forget this." She turned to Jian Feng, her voice softening but laced with warning. "The Pearl is but the first Tear. Three debts bind you, Debtor. Fail, and the Triune Convergence will claim your soul."
Before Jian Feng could respond, she vanished, her form dissolving into a shimmer of starlight. The pavilion fell silent, the orbs dimming as if in deference to the Marquis.
"You've made an enemy, boy," the Marquis said, his tone almost approving. "But enemies are currency in the Court. Prepare the ritual, and I'll guide you to the Legion's vaults. The Pearl awaits."
Jian Feng clutched the scroll, the chains in his soul pulsing with a mix of dread and defiance. He was no longer just a disciple of the Argent Moon Sect. He was a player in a cosmic game, and every move tightened the ledger's grip.
As he stepped out of the pavilion, the Court's mist swirling around him, a shadow moved in the distance—a figure cloaked in crimson, bearing the emblem of the Vermillion Bird Legion. They were watching.
To be continued…
Can Jian Feng master the Chain-Veil Rite and infiltrate the Vermillion Bird Legion's vaults? Who is the crimson figure, and what do they know of the Pearl? Drop a comment and join Jian Feng in a universe of debts and destinies!
Author's Note: Hey, readers! What do you think of Jian Feng's deal with the Marquis? Will he outwit the Ministry, or is the Clerk hiding something bigger? Share your theories below, and let's unravel the mysteries together! Next chapter drops next Friday—stay tuned!