Ye Tian moved through Black Pine Forest, his stolen short sword a heavy weight at his hip. The trees loomed like ancient sentinels, their gnarled branches choking the sunlight. The air was thick with spiritual Qi, laced with the stench of rot and danger. The Void Scar in his dantian pulsed, a cruel reminder of his cursed state.
The mournful song from last night haunted his thoughts. A Fallen Moon survivor, Old Man Wu had said. Answers waited in this forest—answers about the shattered seal, his Starshatter Sword, and the shadowed figure watching him. But Blackpine was no sanctuary. It was a graveyard for the unprepared.
His arm's wound from Luo Jian's saber throbbed, the Void Scar slowing its healing. Body Refinement Stage 2 was pitiful, but his mind carried a thousand years of sword mastery. He'd carve his path through this forest, beast or man.
A rustle snapped his focus. He froze, hand on his sword. The air shifted, heavy with killing intent. Not human. Beast. His eyes scanned the shadows, catching a glint—red eyes glowing through the mist.
A Shadowclaw Panther, Body Refinement Stage 5. Its black fur blended with the dark, claws like curved daggers gleaming. Ye Tian's lips curled into a faint smile. Perfect. Its blood could fuel another Bone Tempering Ritual, pushing him toward Stage 3.
The panther lunged, a blur of muscle and death. Ye Tian sidestepped, Body Sword Stance flowing like water. His body became a blade, fist striking the beast's flank with precise force. The impact drew a thin line of blood, the panther snarling as it spun, claws slashing.
Ye Tian ducked, the claws shearing a tree's bark, splinters flying. The Void Scar flared, pain spiking through his chest like a hot blade. He gritted his teeth, gripping his sword. The beast charged again, jaws wide, teeth glinting. He rolled, Iron Vein Slash surging through his arm. His sword flashed, slicing the panther's shoulder, blood spraying onto the forest floor.
The beast roared, retreating into the mist. Ye Tian didn't pursue. Blackpine was its domain, every shadow a trap. He needed to end this quickly. He closed his eyes briefly, senses sharpening—its heavy breath, the soft crunch of paws. There.
He spun as the panther pounced, sword meeting flesh. Iron Vein Slash cut deep, tearing through muscle. The beast howled, claws raking his thigh, blood welling. The Void Scar screamed, black Qi clouding his vision. He staggered, but his will held, sword striking again. The blade sank into the panther's throat, blood gushing like a river. It collapsed, eyes dimming.
Ye Tian knelt, panting, thigh bleeding. The Void Scar burned, but he'd won. He carved the beast's hide with his sword, collecting blood in a leather pouch from his belt. The Bone Tempering Ritual would strengthen him further, but he needed starlight. Tonight, he'd try again.
He stood, wiping sweat from his brow. The forest was too quiet—no birds, no wind. His instincts prickled. The shadowed figure Wu mentioned—was it here? He scanned the trees, seeing nothing, but the air felt heavy, like a blade poised at his neck.
He pressed deeper, following faint tracks—human, light, hurried. The Fallen Moon survivor. They led to a clearing, where a broken shrine stood, its stone altar cracked. A moon crest was carved into it, faded but unmistakable. Fallen Moon Pavilion.
Ye Tian knelt, touching the crest. Memories stirred—his allies, their laughter under starlit skies, their oaths of loyalty. Before Lin Feng's betrayal. Before Zhao Wuji's silence. His fist clenched, the Void Scar pulsing as if mocking his pain.
A scrap of blue silk caught his eye, snagged on the altar, embroidered with a crescent moon. Fresh. The survivor was close. He pocketed it, standing. The mournful song drifted again, faint, from deeper in the forest, its notes weaving through the trees like a spell.
He followed the sound, the forest growing denser, roots twisting like traps. The Void Scar throbbed, slowing his steps. He cursed silently. The curse wasn't just pain—it was a chain, binding his rise. He needed the Void Cleansing Root Wu spoke of, but for now, he'd settle for answers.
A scream pierced the silence—human, female, desperate. Ye Tian sprinted, sword drawn, the song cutting off. He burst into another clearing, chaos unfolding.
A young woman fought three cultivators. Her blue robes bore the moon crest, tattered but proud. Body Refinement Stage 6, her short blade dancing with fluid grace, laced with faint Sword Intent. Her foes were Iron Cloud Clan—grey robes, cloud emblems, Stage 5. Their numbers pressed her, blades flashing in the dim light.
Ye Tian watched, assessing. She was skilled, her strikes precise, but blood seeped from a gash on her arm. She was tiring. The Iron Cloud leader, a burly man with a mace, laughed. "Give up, girl! Fallen Moon's dead!"
Ye Tian stepped forward, voice cold. "Wrong."
The cultivators spun, the woman's eyes flicking to him—wary, hopeful. The leader sneered. "Another fool? Kill him!"
Ye Tian moved, Body Sword Stance transforming his body into a weapon. He dodged a mace swing, fist cracking the man's ribs with a dull snap. Another charged with a spear; Ye Tian's sword flashed, Iron Vein Slash shearing the shaft in two. The third hesitated, fear in his eyes.
The Void Scar erupted, black Qi spiking through his chest. Pain blinded him, his steps faltering. The leader grinned, mace swinging for his skull. Ye Tian rolled, the weapon grazing his shoulder, blood spraying. He gritted his teeth, forcing focus.
The woman acted, her blade a crescent blur, stabbing the leader's thigh. He howled, stumbling. Ye Tian seized the moment, Iron Vein Slash slashing his sword across the man's arm. The mace fell, clattering. The leader collapsed, cursing, as his men fled into the forest.
Ye Tian panted, leaning on his sword, blood dripping. The Void Scar quieted, but his body shook. The woman sheathed her blade, studying him. "Who are you?" she asked, voice steady despite her wounds.
"Ye Tian," he said. "You're Fallen Moon."
Her eyes narrowed. "Xiao Lan. How do you know my sect?"
He pulled the moon-crest cloth from his pocket. "Found this. You know the Sword Sovereign?"
Xiao Lan tensed, hand on her hilt. "A dead legend. Why?"
Ye Tian's gaze hardened. "I'm him."
She laughed, sharp and disbelieving. "You? A Stage 2 cripple? The Sovereign was a god. You're mad."
Ye Tian didn't argue. Proof was in the blade, not words. "Why are they hunting you?"
Xiao Lan's face darkened. "I know things. About the Heavenly Sword Tomb. The seal's breaking wasn't chance."
Ye Tian's heart raced. "Tell me."
"Not here," she said, glancing at the trees. "Iron Cloud's not alone. We need to move."
He nodded. She was right. Iron Cloud served Heaven's Edge, and Heaven's Edge served his betrayers. The survivor's knowledge was a spark—enough to light his path to vengeance.
They moved deeper into the forest, Xiao Lan leading. Her steps were light, despite her wounds. Ye Tian followed, the Void Scar a constant ache. He needed her trust, her secrets. The song she'd sung—Fallen Moon's anthem—marked her as more than a stray disciple.
They reached a hidden cave, its entrance veiled by vines. Xiao Lan lit a spirit stone, its glow casting jagged shadows. "Safe, for now," she said, sitting. "Talk."
Ye Tian leaned against the wall, sword across his knees. "The tomb's seal broke. I was inside. Why?"
Xiao Lan's eyes widened, then narrowed. "Impossible. The Sovereign's tomb was sealed by the Celestial Court. No one survives that."
"I did," Ye Tian said, voice cold. "Lin Feng and Zhao Wuji betrayed me. They cursed me with this." He tapped his chest, where the Void Scar pulsed.
She froze. "You know their names?"
"They were mine," he said. "Disciple. Brother. Traitors."
Xiao Lan stared, doubt flickering. "If you're him… show me Sword Intent."
Ye Tian stood, the cave's confines tight but enough. He raised his sword, closing his eyes. His mind sank into memory—mountains split, skies torn. Sword Intent surged, the air humming with invisible force. His blade glowed faintly, the cave trembling.
Xiao Lan gasped, stepping back. "That's… real."
"Believe me now?" Ye Tian asked, sheathing his sword.
She nodded slowly, eyes wide. "Maybe. But you're weak. The Sovereign was—"
"—me," he cut in. "What did you see at the tomb?"
Xiao Lan sat, wrapping her arm's wound. "I was scouting for Fallen Moon. The seal was cracked, runes fading. I saw a shadow—human, but wrong. Cold. Holding a jade slip, glowing black."
Ye Tian's blood chilled. The figure from the cliff. The jade slip. "Celestial Court?"
"Maybe," she said. "It vanished. Then Iron Cloud chased me."
The Void Scar pulsed, as if agreeing. Ye Tian's fists clenched. A trap? A lure? Before he could ask, the cave shook. A low growl echoed outside—not one beast, but many. Shadowclaw Panthers, led by a Stage 7 alpha, their eyes glowing through the vines.
Xiao Lan drew her blade, face pale. "They found us."
Ye Tian gripped his sword, the Void Scar burning. Could he fight a pack with his curse raging? And what was that shadow in the tomb, watching him still?