Zhen Ruhan walked through terrain that bent around him like a dream resisting its own shape. Trees grew sideways, rivers flowed in spirals, and the sky above flickered between twilight and dawn. The Oracle's words echoed in his mind: _"Go to Moonflow Temple. There, your fate will collide with hers."_
He didn't know who _she_ was. But the way the Oracle had said it—soft, certain, and sorrowful—made him feel like he'd already met her in another life.
> _System Notification:_
> — _Region: Moonflow Valley_
> — _Warning:_ Temporal fluctuations increasing
> — _SP Consumption: Aura Masking – Active (5/hour)_
The golden line beneath his feet pulsed steadily, guiding him through the warped forest. Qi here was thick, almost liquid. It clung to his skin, humming with ancient resonance. He passed stone markers etched with moon symbols, each glowing faintly as he approached.
Then, the mist parted.
Moonflow Temple revealed itself—not as a fortress, but as a sanctuary carved into the cliffs. Its towers spiraled like silver horns, and its walls shimmered with flowing water that defied gravity. Lanterns floated midair, casting soft light that reflected moonlight even though the sun hung high.
Ruhan stopped at the edge of the valley, breath caught.
It was beautiful. And wrong.
The temple radiated peace, but beneath it, he felt something stirring—like a memory trying to surface.
A figure stood at the gates.
She wore robes of pale blue and silver, her hair long and silvery, eyes hidden beneath a veil. She held a flute in one hand, and her presence bent the light around her.
> _System Scan: Unknown Cultivator Detected_
> — _Name: Lan Xiyue_
> — _Race: Celestial-Spirit Hybrid_
> — _Realm: Core Formation Stage IV_
> — _Affinity: Moon Qi, Illusion, Spirit Beast Command_
> — _Status: Unreadable_
Ruhan's heart skipped.
The celestial seal on her forehead pulsed faintly as he approached. And then—her eyes met his.
The world paused.
Not literally. But it felt like time hesitated, unsure whether to move forward or backward.
Lan Xiyue lowered her flute.
> "You're not from here," she said, voice calm but edged. "Your aura… it doesn't belong."
Ruhan bowed slightly. "I'm a wandering cultivator. Seeking knowledge."
> "Knowledge?" Her gaze sharpened. "Or refuge?"
He didn't answer.
The seal on her forehead flared—just once. And then dimmed.
> _System Alert:_
> — _Celestial Seal Reaction Detected_
> — _Bloodline Resonance: 2%_
She turned away. "Follow me. The temple will decide."
Ruhan stepped through the gates, the air shifting around him. Moonlight pooled at his feet. The walls whispered in a language he didn't know.
And somewhere deep within the temple, something awakened.
The interior of Moonflow Temple was unlike anything Ruhan had seen.
The walls shimmered with flowing water, yet remained dry to the touch. Moonlight spilled from floating lanterns, casting soft reflections that danced across the polished jade floors. Every step echoed like a whisper, and the air carried a faint scent of lotus and frost.
Lan Xiyue led him through a corridor lined with spirit mirrors — tall, silver-framed panels that didn't reflect the present, but fragments of the past. As Ruhan passed one, he saw a flicker: his younger self chasing butterflies beneath the trees of Mt. Jianlong. Another showed his mother's smile, fading into mist.
He paused.
> "They show what you carry," Lan Xiyue said without turning. "Not what you remember."
Her voice was calm, but distant. Like moonlight on water — beautiful, but unreachable.
> "Why do they react to me?" he asked.
> "Because your aura is fractured. Time doesn't flow through you. It circles."
Ruhan said nothing. The seal on her forehead pulsed again, faintly. He felt it — a tug in his blood, like something ancient trying to wake.
They reached a chamber carved into the mountain's heart. At its center stood a pool of still water, surrounded by twelve stone pedestals. Above, the ceiling opened to the sky, revealing a moon that shouldn't exist — pale, full, and glowing despite the sun's presence.
A group of cultivators stood waiting. Each wore robes of silver and blue, their expressions unreadable.
Lan Xiyue stepped forward.
> "This is the Trial of Moonlight," she announced. "A test of spirit, perception, and truth. The temple accepts only those who walk without shadows."
Ruhan's gaze flicked to the pool. It was perfectly still. But he could feel it — time pulsed beneath the surface, slow and deep.
> _System Notification:_
> — _Trial Detected: Moonlight Reflection_
> — _Objective:_ Survive illusion phase and reveal true self
> — _Reward:_ Sect recognition, SP bonus, potential skill unlock
> — _Warning:_ Mental strain risk: High
Lan Xiyue turned to him.
> "Step into the pool. If you are false, it will drown you. If you are fractured, it will break you."
Ruhan stepped forward.
The water was cold — not physically, but spiritually. It wrapped around him like memory, pulling him inward. His reflection shimmered, then split.
He saw himself — dozens of versions. One smiling. One bleeding. One screaming. One standing alone beneath a shattered sky.
Then the water turned black.
A voice echoed.
> "Who are you?"
Ruhan clenched his fists.
> "I am Zhen Ruhan. Timewalker. Son of Jianlong."
The water rippled.
> "Then show us."
Suddenly, the chamber vanished.
He stood in a battlefield of frozen corpses. The sky cracked above. The Spirit King hovered in the distance, watching silently. His mother knelt beside him, shielding him from a wave of collapsing time.
> "Run," she whispered.
> "No," Ruhan said. "Not again."
He reached out — and the illusion shattered.
He was back in the pool, breath ragged, heart pounding.
The water cleared.
His reflection returned — whole, steady, and silent.
Lan Xiyue stepped forward, eyes narrowed.
> "You passed."
The other cultivators bowed slightly.
> _System Notification:_
> — _Trial Completed: Moonlight Reflection_
> — _SP Awarded:_ +80
> —Skill Unlocked:_ Temporal Anchor (Lv. 1)
> — _Effect:_ Stabilizes time flow in chaotic regions. Passive.
Ruhan stepped out of the pool, soaked in moonlight.
Lan Xiyue studied him.
> "You're not what you seem."
> "Neither are you," he replied.
She smiled faintly — the first crack in her mask.
> "Then perhaps we'll learn together."