The journey back to Fallen Star Peak was quiet, without fanfare or notice. No guards barred their path. No elders cast disapproving glances. To most, they were invisible—trash passing through shadows.
The mountain air grew colder as they approached the peak once renowned for its brilliance. But time had not been kind.
Fallen Star Peak, the lowest of the Five Peaks in the Twilight Sky Sect, stood in mournful silence.
Centuries ago, sages there had tamed stars, inscribing cosmic techniques onto sky-forged tablets that whispered secrets of the universe. Now, vines crawled like silent sentinels over crumbling stone, the great staircase fractured and worn, and many halls had collapsed into piles of rubble.
Yet, amidst ruin, the main courtyard stubbornly survived—scarred, cracked, but intact.
Li Yiran's voice was barely audible, trembling with uncertainty. "This is... where we'll live?"
Jin Mu didn't look back as he stepped forward, voice steady and unwavering. "Yes. And where we'll begin again."
Night fell like a soft shroud, swallowing the peak in shadows and chill. Inside the half-collapsed hall, Jin Mu kindled a small fire within the cracked stone hearth. The flames flickered weakly, casting long shadows that danced like restless ghosts across the walls.
Li Yiran curled into a corner, exhaustion pulling at her limbs. Jin Mu motioned for her to sleep first, though she barely needed the invitation.
He lingered outside under the cold stars, shoulders tense, eyes reflecting distant constellations.
Inside his mind, the system's voice echoed softly:
"Sovereign Guidance System"New Objective: Train Your First Disciple– Teach Li Yiran to meditate and awaken spiritual attunement.– Reward: 100 System Points– Time Limit: None
Roulette Pricing Adjusted:– 1000 pts: Rare Chance– 3000 pts: Epic Chance– 10,000 pts: Legendary Chance– Free Spins: Unavailable
Jin Mu let out a dry chuckle. "So the game just got stingier."
His eyes drifted closed. Too many rewards dulled the challenge—and growth.
Morning arrived, soft and gray, with clouds heavy from distant storms. Dew clung like fragile jewels to cracked stone tiles as Jin Mu stood patiently in the courtyard's center, a small tea flask in one hand.
Li Yiran appeared from the ruined hall, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. The borrowed robes hung awkwardly on her slight frame, sleeves dragging past her wrists.
She looked lost. But also ready.
"You ready?" Jin Mu asked.
She hesitated, voice barely above a whisper. "I… think so."
He nodded and gestured to the moss-covered stone before him. "Sit."
She obeyed, settling down with care.
"Meditation isn't magic," Jin Mu said softly, voice low but steady. "It's listening."
"Listening to what?" she whispered, gaze fixed on the uneven ground.
"To yourself."
He knelt beside her, calm and patient.
"Close your eyes. Breathe slowly. Forget the world. Forget the pain. The body lies. The mind lies. But the soul... the soul whispers."
Li Yiran obeyed, shoulders tense, breath shallow.
Jin Mu watched her closely—the subtle rise and fall of her chest, the flicker of uncertainty in her expression. Too tight, too fragile. But she was trying. That was enough.
[System Update]Mission Progress: 30% – Guidance initiated.Reward: Pending
His gaze swept the empty courtyard, its stones cracked and smothered by creeping weeds.
This was his father's domain once.
He never told her.
Never told anyone.
The elders of Fallen Star Peak had once been the brightest stars of the sect—guiding lights in a growing constellation. But betrayal, greed, and infighting had poisoned that brilliance, letting rot seep into stone and soul.
By the time Jin Mu was born, the family legacy was ashes—just a name whispered in pity, surrounded by ruins.
He didn't seek revenge.
He sought rebirth.
From ash.
From dust.
From her.
Time slipped by.
Li Yiran opened her eyes, confusion clouding her features.
"Did it work?" she asked quietly.
Jin Mu shrugged, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "You didn't explode. That's a start."
She pouted, lips trembling with doubt.
He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a small, round fruit—its skin glistening with morning dew. "Eat. Rest. We'll try again after lunch."
She took it hesitantly, eyes searching his face for mockery.
There was none.
Inside, Jin Mu felt it—a flicker, a spark.
Her soul was stirring.
[System Notice]Mission Progress: 100%Reward Granted: 100 PointsRoulette Spin (Rare Tier) available at 1000 Points.Total Balance: 1100 Points
He didn't spin the roulette.
Not yet.
There were more urgent lessons to teach—how to channel ki, how to survive, how to rise.
But most importantly—
They would rebuild Fallen Star Peak.
Stone by stone.
Disciple by disciple.
Truth by truth.