The Celestial Weep Lake shimmered under a fractured moon, its starlit waters casting a ghostly glow across the stone altar where the Starshatter Fragment pulsed with a mournful hum. Ye Tian stood at the lake's edge, the Lunar Fang in hand, its blue steel resonating with the fragment's energy.
The Void Scar in his dantian burned, a jagged pulse of black Qi that echoed the Celestial Drake's lingering malice, its defeated roar still ringing in his ears. Behind him, Xiao Lan clutched her crescent blade, her arm bloodied from the wraith's claws, her eyes sharp with defiance.
Elder Lian Yue's silver hair gleamed, her Core Formation aura probing the mist for threats. Su Mei stood close, her jade flute at her waist, its star runes glowing faintly, her presence a quiet shield against the Void Scar's pain.
Chen Wei lingered at the rear, his scarred face tense, the jade tablet he'd revealed—etched with Fallen Moon and Celestial Court runes—clutched tightly, its hint of a spy gnawing at Ye Tian's trust.
The air grew heavy, the lake's ripples stirring with a new threat. The Moonlit Compass vibrated, its needle quivering, warning of danger. Ye Tian's senses sharpened, the Void Scar whispering a memory—a blood moon night, him forging the Starshatter Sword, a cloaked figure watching from the shadows. The third betrayer? The pain blurred the face, but Su Mei's soft voice cut through. "They're here," she said, her jade eyes scanning the mist, her flute rising.
Xiao Lan's voice was sharp. "Heaven's Edge again?" Her gaze flicked to Su Mei, tension crackling, her earlier confrontation unspoken but raw.
Elder Lian Yue's aura flared. "Worse. Core Formation, Stage 3. Three of them."
Chen Wei's hand twitched toward his sword. "They're after the fragment. We can't outrun them."
Ye Tian's grip tightened on the Lunar Fang, a cold smile curling his lips. "Then we fight." He glanced at Su Mei, her steady gaze anchoring him. "Stay close."
The mist parted, revealing three black-robed figures, their blades radiating corrupted Starshatter Qi, each embedded with a jagged shard. Their leader, a gaunt woman with eyes like burning coals, sneered. "The Sovereign's scraps won't save you. The Court claims your legacy."
Ye Tian stepped forward, Sword Intent rippling the air. "My legacy will bury you."
The leader attacked, her blade a storm of dark Qi. Ye Tian flowed into Body Sword Stance, the Lunar Fang clashing with a screech of sparks. The Void Scar erupted, pain lancing through his core, a vision flashing—Zhao Wuji, his sworn brother, bowing to a shadowed figure, his voice broken.
"I had no choice." Ye Tian gritted his teeth, channeling Starlight Resonance. The lake's starlight surged into his blade, amplifying his Qi, his strikes glowing silver as he parried her onslaught.
Su Mei's Starlit Melody sang, a haunting tune weaving celestial Qi into a shimmering barrier that deflected a second figure's strike. Her notes synced with Ye Tian's rhythm, their energies intertwining, easing the Void Scar's burn.
Their eyes met, a silent vow passing—her music, his blade, a shared strength. The third figure lunged at her, but Ye Tian's Iron Vein Slash severed its blade, blood spraying as it staggered back.
Xiao Lan's crescent slashes carved through the second figure's guard, her movements fierce but strained, her wounds slowing her. Elder Lian Yue's Crescent Moon Slash unleashed a blue arc, felling the third, but the leader pressed Ye Tian, her corrupted shard slashing his arm.
Blood welled, the Void Scar screaming, but Su Mei's melody surged, a Starlit Phoenix rising to scatter the dark Qi. The bird's talons grazed the leader, forcing her back.
Chen Wei struck, his blade disarming the second figure, but his eyes darted to the altar, hesitation flickering. "The fragment's drawing them!" he shouted. "We need to move it!"
Ye Tian's gaze snapped to him, the Void Scar pulsing with doubt. "You know too much, Chen Wei." He ducked the leader's strike, pain blinding, but Su Mei's melody wrapped around him, her notes a lifeline. "Stay with me," she whispered, her voice cutting through the chaos, her jade eyes fierce with resolve.
The leader laughed, her blade flashing. "You're bound by the Scar, Sovereign. You'll fall." Her strike aimed for Ye Tian's heart, but he parried, Sword Intent quaking the air. The lake's waters rippled, starlight amplifying his strike. He slashed, the Lunar Fang grazing her chest, blood arcing. She retreated, snarling, her allies limping behind her.
The mist thickened, but the altar's fragment glowed brighter, its energy calling to Ye Tian. He approached, heart pounding, and touched it. A vision flooded him—wielding the Starshatter Sword, splitting a mountain, Su Mei's mother cheering, her laughter warm. "For the sect," she'd said.
The Void Scar pulsed, pain mingling with memory, but Su Mei's hand on his shoulder steadied him. "You're closer to her dream," she said, her voice soft, her touch lingering a heartbeat too long.
Xiao Lan's eyes narrowed, her voice tight. "We're not safe here. They'll return with more."
Lian Yue nodded, her aura probing. "She's right. The lake's power draws them."
Chen Wei stepped forward, his voice low. "The tablet—it mentioned a traitor's mark. A relic in the lake's depths, tied to the Court. I saw it in the vale."
Ye Tian's gaze hardened, the Void Scar whispering. "Show us."
They waded into the lake, its starlit waters cold, the altar's glow guiding them. At its base, a hidden compartment revealed a Starlit Relic—a jade amulet etched with Fallen Moon's moon crest, defaced by jagged Court runes. Ye Tian's breath caught. A memory stirred—a disciple, not Lin Feng or Zhao Wuji, slipping a similar amulet into a cloak. The third betrayer?
Su Mei's fingers brushed the amulet, her face paling. "My mother wore one like this. She… trusted someone." Her eyes met Ye Tian's, pain mirroring his own, their shared loss a quiet bond.
Before he could speak, the lake churned, a massive aura surging. A Celestial Guardian, Stage 10, rose from the depths—a dragon of starlight and shadow, its scales pulsing with corrupted Qi. Its roar shook the vale, its eyes locked on the fragment.
"None shall claim the Starshatter's heart," it thundered, its voice a blend of celestial and void.
Ye Tian raised the Lunar Fang, Su Mei's melody rising beside him, her Starlit Melody weaving a barrier. The Void Scar burned, but her presence steadied him, their energies entwined. Was this guardian the Court's creation, or a relic of Fallen Moon's fall?