The Celestial Weep Lake shimmered under a fractured moon, its starlit waters casting eerie reflections as the Starlit Sentinels—spectral guardians of moonlight and shadow—encircled Ye Tian's group. Their blades of celestial Qi gleamed, their Stage 9 auras pulsing with ancient intent. Ye Tian gripped the Lunar Fang, its blue steel humming in harmony with the Starshatter Fragment clutched in his other hand, its black steel resonating with the scroll's clue:
"The Starshatter Oath lies where the heavens kneel."
The Void Scar in his dantian burned, a jagged pulse of black Qi whispering pain and doubt, tying him to the Celestial Court's curse. Behind him, Xiao Lan's crescent blade flashed, her wounds slowing her but her eyes fierce.
Elder Lian Yue's silver hair glowed, her Core Formation aura a steady shield. Su Mei stood close, her jade flute raised, its star runes pulsing, her Starlit Melody a quiet anchor against the Void Scar's chaos. Chen Wei lingered, his scarred face tense, the stone tablet he'd revealed—etched with a map to Kneeling Heavens Peak—clutched tightly, his secrets deepening Ye Tian's suspicion.
The lead sentinel's voice echoed, cold and resonant. "The Oath's keeper must prove their heart. Fail, and the Starshatter's light dies."
Ye Tian's eyes narrowed, Sword Intent rippling the air. "My heart was forged with that blade. Test me." The Void Scar pulsed, a memory flashing—a duel with a Court elder under a blood moon, their blade clashing, a vow spoken: "The Oath binds us all." Pain blurred the elder's face, but Su Mei's melody steadied him.
Her jade eyes met his, fierce yet warm. "We'll face it together," she said, her flute's notes weaving a shimmering barrier. The melody synced with his Qi, easing the Void Scar's burn, their bond a light in the dark.
Xiao Lan's voice snapped, edged with frustration. "Prove it with steel, not words!" Her gaze flicked to Su Mei, rivalry crackling, but she charged, her crescent slashes slicing the air.
Lian Yue's aura surged. "The sentinels are tied to the Oath. They guard the path to the peak."
Chen Wei's hand twitched, his voice low. "The tablet's runes—they're activating a trap. I saw similar in the vale."
Ye Tian's gaze hardened, the Void Scar whispering doubt. "You see too much, Chen Wei." He stepped forward, the Lunar Fang ready, Su Mei at his side.
The sentinels struck, their celestial blades a blur of moonlight. Ye Tian flowed into Body Sword Stance, parrying with a burst of silver sparks. The impact rattled his bones, the Void Scar screaming, a vision searing—Lin Feng, his disciple, swearing the Starshatter Oath, his eyes cold with ambition. "For the Court," he whispered. Ye Tian roared, channeling Starlight Resonance. The lake's starlight surged into his blade, amplifying his Qi, his strikes glowing as he slashed a sentinel's arm, mist and light spraying.
Su Mei's Starlit Melody swelled, summoning a Starlit Phoenix, its wings scattering the sentinels' dark Qi. The bird dove, talons grazing a sentinel, dispersing it into mist. Another lunged at her, but Ye Tian's Iron Vein Slash severed its blade, saving her. Their eyes met, a silent vow passing—her music, his blade, a shared strength. The sentinels reformed, their auras intensifying, summoning a wave of celestial Qi that shoved the group back.
Xiao Lan's slashes felled a sentinel, but another grazed her shoulder, blood welling. Lian Yue's Crescent Moon Slash carved a blue arc, dispersing two, but more emerged, relentless. Chen Wei struck, his blade precise, but his eyes darted to the tablet, hesitation flickering. "The trap's in the lake's depths!" he shouted.
Ye Tian's gaze snapped to him, doubt coiling. "Show us." He ducked a sentinel's strike, the celestial blade nicking his side, blood dripping. Pain exploded, but Su Mei's melody surged, a Starlit Barrier shielding him. "Stay with me," she whispered, her voice a lifeline, her jade eyes fierce with resolve.
The lead sentinel's blade flashed, aiming for Ye Tian's heart. He parried, Sword Intent quaking the air. Su Mei's melody shifted, vines binding the sentinel's legs, slowing it. Ye Tian lunged, Starlight Resonance peaking, his blade a silver comet. He struck, the Lunar Fang piercing the sentinel's chest, dispersing it into starlit mist. The others faltered, their auras dimming.
The lake stilled, the sentinels dissolving. Ye Tian panted, blood dripping from his side, the Void Scar quieting. Su Mei steadied him, her hand lingering on his arm, her touch a warmth against his pain. "You're their match," she said, a faint smile breaking through. "My mother swore you'd rise again."
Ye Tian's heart stirred, her faith a mirror to his resolve. "Her Oath lives in us both," he said, their gazes holding, a spark of unspoken connection flaring under the moonlight.
Xiao Lan's voice cut through, sharp. "We're not clear yet. The trap's still active!" Her eyes lingered on Su Mei, tension raw.
Lian Yue frowned, her aura probing. "The lake's energy—it's shifting. A celestial alignment's near."
Chen Wei's voice was urgent. "The tablet's map—it points to Kneeling Heavens Peak, but the runes mention a Void Shard trap, like the one in the vale."
Ye Tian's gaze hardened, the Void Scar pulsing. "Show us the trap." He clutched the tablet, a vision flashing—a disciple, face hidden, swearing the Starshatter Oath, their amulet glowing as a Court elder nodded. The third betrayer, ever closer.
They waded into the lake, its starlit waters cold, the altar's glow fading. At its base, a hidden compartment revealed a Void Shard, its black runes pulsing with malice, mirroring the Void Scar. Su Mei's fingers brushed Ye Tian's, her face pale. "My mother warned of these. They bind the soul." Her eyes shimmered, their shared loss binding them tighter.
Before Ye Tian could destroy the shard, the lake trembled, a celestial alignment igniting the sky. Stars blazed, their light flooding the lake, empowering the Void Shard. A massive aura surged, a Court Agent—Core Formation Stage 6—emerging from the mist, its blade radiating corrupted Starshatter Qi, a jade slip pulsing in its hand. "The Oath is ours," it hissed. "Your soul belongs to the Court."
Ye Tian raised the Lunar Fang, Su Mei's melody rising beside him, their energies entwined. The Void Scar burned, but her presence steadied him. Was this agent the traitor, or a pawn guarding the Oath's secret?