At sunrise, a soft chime from the system pulled Yuefeng awake.
> [System Message: Celestial Energy Surge Detected Nearby]
Status: External fluctuation
Source: Unknown
Threat Level: High
Optional Quest: Investigate the Beacon of Crimson Dusk
He sat up. Lin Xue lay beside him, her hair spilled across his chest. Yu Rou was curled at his side, smirking even in sleep.
He kissed them both lightly, then dressed.
Outside, Skybound Sect buzzed with excitement. The final rounds of the tournament were approaching—but a strange tension had gripped the air.
At the edge of the mountain, Yuefeng met a cloaked figure waiting beside a stone pillar.
She bowed. "Jiang Yuefeng. I've heard of your deeds."
Her hood fell back—revealing a beauty with silver eyes, short white hair, and skin like snow. She was older, refined, and powerful.
> [New Character Detected – "Qin Yanyue, Envoy of the Azure Abyss Sect"]
Cultivation: Core Formation (Early)
Rank: Sect Heir Candidate
Relationship: Curious | Interested | Testing Boundaries
Hidden Trait: ???
"Came searching for someone worthy of the ancient inheritance."
Yuefeng raised an eyebrow. "You're not here for the tournament?"
She smiled. "Tournaments are child's play. I came to see if the rumors were true… that the Celestial Master walks among us again."
"And if they are?"
Her gaze darkened. "Then you're either an ally… or a threat to be buried before you become a problem."
> [Hidden Quest Triggered – "Eyes of the Abyss"]
Objective: Survive Qin Yanyue's Observation
Outcome 1: Invitation to Azure Abyss Sect
Outcome 2: Assassination Attempt
Note: Flirtation, Bribery, or Domination may affect result
Back at the arena, Mo Tian stood at the arena's highest peak—watching it all unfold, his cursed black qi spreading like smoke across the sky.
> [New System Alert: Cataclysm Countdown: 5 Days]
The heavens had opened. Eyes were watching.
The Celestial Master had stepped onto the world stage.
And war was not far behind.