Dusk had just begun to settle. The last rays of light slanted across the branches of the strange tree with violet-blue leaves. By the lakeside, bloodstains had yet to dry. The two sat in silence, regulating their breath. The lingering power of the spirit fruit and the remnants of serpent blood still swirled within their bodies, not yet fully harmonized. The aftereffects lingered.
As night deepened, the fruit's energy gradually reached equilibrium within them. They remained seated by the lake, spiritual breaths subtly entwined—yet between them hung a silence that neither could quite name.
Xuan Chen slowly opened his eyes. His gaze swept over Xiao Chen, noting that his qi had stabilized and his soul essence was calm. He withdrew his probing thoughts, no longer seeking. Looking toward the stars at the edge of the sky, he asked quietly,
"Have you ever heard of 'soul resonance'?"
In the stillness, Xiao Chen's eyes opened suddenly. He looked at Xuan Chen, his tone calm.
"That fruit… did you truly understand its origin?"
Xuan Chen's eyes remained placid, like water without ripples.
"Understanding is one thing. Belief is another. I only know—it doesn't belong to this realm."
Xiao Chen frowned slightly.
"Then what do you think comes next? The fruit is claimed, the serpent slain. Do we still go deeper into the mountain?"
Xuan Chen turned gently, his gaze falling upon the mist-shrouded depths of the range.
"This mountain… surely hides more than just that fruit. I once saw mention in a fragment of fate-script—there may be remnants of a 'realm-breaking scar' within these peaks. I intend to investigate."
"You trust those ancient texts?" Xiao Chen asked.
"If one fears the unknown," Xuan Chen replied softly, "then the path of cultivation becomes nothing more than a self-made cage."
"That fruit was indeed an anomaly… and it matched this unexpected encounter." His voice was quiet, yet carried a deeper meaning.
Xiao Chen looked at him.
"Why did you come here, truly? You said you were seeking a soul of fate, but it doesn't seem that simple."
Xuan Chen smiled faintly, his gaze returning to Xiao Chen.
"You and I shared the spirit fruit. Yet our energies did not repel—they harmonized. That defies common logic."
Xiao Chen was silent for a moment before speaking slowly.
"I've never been able to cultivate alongside another without disruption. You… are the first."
Xuan Chen nodded, a flicker of light in his eyes.
"The fate marks within you are buried deep… not like those of ordinary bloodlines."
Xiao Chen paused again, avoiding a direct answer.
"I was merely gathering herbs in the mountains. Happened to stumble upon your fight with the serpent. If you hadn't struck first, I might not have intervened."
"You didn't act for my sake, did you?" Xuan Chen's gaze shifted slightly.
Xiao Chen turned his head away.
"You talk too much."
He stared at Xuan Chen for a long moment, then suddenly asked,
"Earlier… why did you probe my soul?"
Xuan Chen didn't answer right away. After a long pause, he spoke slowly.
"For a brief instant, our spiritual energies overlapped—as if our soul threads had once resonated. That wasn't coincidence… Perhaps, somewhere, we crossed paths before."
Xiao Chen glanced at him, his gaze steady and cool.
"Or perhaps… fate has arranged for us to walk the same path."
The air between them remained uncertain, but not yet hostile.
Just then, a faint rustle stirred in the distant woods.
A figure suddenly darted out from the underbrush, clad in grey robes, eyes filled with panic. Xiao Chen instinctively drew his sword, while Xuan Chen's gaze sharpened.
The man, upon seeing them, showed no anger—only alarm. He quickly clasped his hands in greeting, speaking in a low voice.
"I was gathering herbs and passed through by chance. I meant no disturbance… The demonic aura here hasn't faded—did you two just come through a battle?"
Xiao Chen said nothing. Xuan Chen spoke softly.
"What sect are you from?"
The man hesitated. As his sleeve slipped slightly, a faint golden sigil was revealed on his left wrist.
Xiao Chen caught sight of it and his eyes turned cold.
"Starseizing Palace?"
The man quickly covered the mark.
"I… I'm merely an outer hall recorder, sent to investigate anomalies in this region. I didn't expect to encounter two masters here… If I've offended, I beg forgiveness."
Xuan Chen's expression darkened slightly.
"This place… has already been marked by your sect?"
The man trembled, stepping back.
"It's only a preliminary survey… The main hall sensed a disturbance in the stars and dispatched a few of us to investigate. We haven't acted rashly…"
Xiao Chen's voice turned cold.
"If you know this fruit isn't yours to touch, then leave."
The man nodded repeatedly, turned, and departed. His steps were unsteady, clearly still shaken by the pressure lingering in the air.
Once he was gone, Xiao Chen sighed.
"So they've come."
Xuan Chen didn't respond. He simply looked up at the stars and murmured,
"That was just a scout. The ones truly coming… are still behind."
As the words fell, Xuan Chen's eyes narrowed sharply.
"Someone's approaching—fast. More than one. Their spiritual pressure is heavy… and their killing intent is exposed."
Xiao Chen sensed it too. He rose to his feet, hand resting on the hilt at his waist.
The shadows of the forest drew near. A dozen dark figures stepped out from the trees, their footsteps growing louder.
Leading them was a middle-aged man in a black robe embroidered with silver patterns, his hair bound with a jade crown. His aura was sharp and cold, his gaze like a blade. Behind him stood several high-level qi cultivators, all clad in the elite guard attire of the Starseizing Palace.
Xiao Chen frowned slightly and asked in a low voice,
"Who are they?"
The man's eyes swept over the two of them, his voice icy.
"Just as the Hall Master predicted—the spirit fruit stirred too strongly. Someone was bound to come for it."
Xuan Chen's pupils contracted.
"Starbound Hall… even the core figures of Starseizing Palace have arrived."
Xiao Chen's expression shifted.
"This man… his aura is similar to the one who used poison before. But stronger."
Xuan Chen answered in a firm voice.
"Starseizing Palace—Starbound Hall's master—Yue Yunzhao. Youngest of Shen Daoheng's five disciples. Ruthless, yet composed and taciturn. Known as the 'Cold Blade of Starseizing.' His presence here… is no coincidence."
The man before them was indeed Yue Yunzhao. A faint violet glow shimmered between his brows.
Though he hadn't moved, his aura pressed down on the surroundings, making the very wind tremble.
His gaze fell upon the broken branch and lingering traces of the spirit fruit at their feet. He let out a cold laugh.
"The Twin-Life Spirit Fruit… someone really took it."
His eyes swept over the two, voice low and sharp.
"This item belongs to Starbound Hall. If you don't know your place… don't blame me for being merciless."
Xiao Chen stepped forward half a pace, spreading his hands with a crooked smile.
"I've got nothing to give you now. But if you wait till morning, I might have something fresh. Can you wait?"
Yue Yunzhao's gaze was like a nail, slowly falling upon the faint lingering scent of the spirit fruit in their hands. His voice was low and heavy.
"Surrender the residual essence of the fruit… and I'll spare your lives."
Xuan Chen's expression didn't change, but his tone turned cold.
"The fruit's power has already fused with our soul threads. Do you truly believe… it can still be extracted?"
Xiao Chen let out a cold laugh.
"So whatever Starseizing Palace demands, it gets? Are you cultivators or bandits? You think your word is law?"
Yue Yunzhao's face darkened. Murderous intent flickered in his eyes. His jade talisman twitched in his hand, and the guards behind him stepped forward in unison, their spiritual pressure forming a chilling wave.
Xuan Chen's gaze deepened. He spoke quietly.
"Xiao Chen—"
But Xiao Chen had already gripped his sword hilt, smiling.
"I've been waiting for you to say that."
Spiritual energies clashed. The pressure in the air dropped sharply.
"Attack!" Yue Yunzhao barked.
A dozen guards surged forward, spiritual light flashing like a tide crashing toward the two.
Xiao Chen reacted instantly. His figure blurred as he met the first three head-on. A sweeping kick forced them back, and his sword followed like a dragon, its intent slicing through the air, aiming straight for the throat.
Xuan Chen formed a seal with his fingers, not retreating but advancing. His right palm shaped into an imprint. A spiritual array flared beneath his feet, and several azure talismans flew from his sleeve like butterflies, shooting through the air and colliding with enemy weapons—sparks flew, shockwaves rippled. Three star marks flared from his palm. His left hand shattered incoming sword energy, while his right finger struck an enemy's vital point. In a blink, one had fallen.
Their coordination grew increasingly seamless. Xiao Chen's attacks were fierce and relentless, while Xuan Chen's moves were steady as a mountain, each variation laced with subtle star-patterned phenomena. Though the Starseizing guards were bold and battle-hardened, they were caught between Xiao Chen's ferocity and Xuan Chen's precision. Within mere breaths, several had already fallen, wounded and groaning.
Yue Yunzhao's eyes darkened. He muttered under his breath,
"This pressure… is that the Starmark Sect's 'Stellar Suppression Force'? Impossible…"
One of the guards, likely a captain, shouted in alarm,
"Don't get careless! Their coordination is unnatural—split them up!"
But Xiao Chen was already moving. His sword flashed like a shadow.
"Too late."
With those words, his blade swept like a rainbow, breaking through two defenses in succession. Xuan Chen spun forward, star patterns shifting like constellations in motion, forcing the remaining four to retreat.
The last guard tried to counterattack, but Xiao Chen twisted, seized him, and slammed him to the ground.
Xuan Chen spoke quietly.
"Not even worth the effort."
In an instant, only Yue Yunzhao remained standing, still cloaked in the shadows of the forest. He had yet to make a single move.
His gaze swept over the fallen guards strewn across the ground, eyes indifferent.
"So be it…" he said quietly. "Truly… not worth the effort."
He raised his hand and removed a silver talisman. As spiritual energy surged into it, the runes began to shimmer and shift. The air around them tightened, as if the very atmosphere had been drawn taut.
Xuan Chen's expression changed subtly. His voice dropped to a murmur.
"Xiao Chen… be careful. This… is the real opponent."
His eyes turned cold. Killing intent condensed around him. He stepped forward, and his aura surged—like waves crashing through clouds.