The night after his first Star Orbit formed, Ye Fan could not sleep.
Even though his body ached with fatigue, his mind pulsed with restless energy. The feeling of power flowing in his veins was intoxicating. For the first time, he wasn't simply staring inward at Stardust—he could command it.
Lying on the thin mattress in the orphanage dormitory, he stared at the ceiling and whispered,"...It's time to test it."
The First Spell
He slipped out of bed when the others were sound asleep, moving silently as a shadow. Outside, the courtyard was empty, lit only by the pale glow of the moon. Frost already lingered in the air around him, as if the world knew what was about to come.
Ye Fan inhaled slowly, focused, and lifted his hand.
Inside him, the completed Star Orbit spun with brilliance. The Heavenly Ice Seed at its core pulsed, and threads of icy starlight flowed out, weaving into a constellation.
The pattern lit up in his mind—seven stars forming the shape of a frozen lotus.
"Ice Spread."
The moment the words left his lips, cold exploded outward.
A wave of frost swept across the courtyard like a living tide. Grass, soil, even the stone wall shimmered white. Within seconds, the entire yard was covered in a sheet of solid ice, the temperature plunging so sharply that Ye Fan's breath clouded in front of his face.
His eyes widened. He had expected a thin layer of frost, a little patch of frozen ground. Instead, the spell had turned the courtyard into a miniature glacier.
"I… I only used one orbit worth of energy." His heart pounded as he stared at the frozen landscape. "But the output… this is at least ten times stronger than it should be."
The Heavenly Ice Seed pulsed faintly in his chest, proud, as if declaring, This is only natural.
Ye Fan quickly summoned the pendant of Ice Calamity, forcing the rampant cold to subside. Slowly, the frost receded, leaving only a thin chill on the walls. He exhaled, relief washing over him.
"If anyone saw this…" He clenched his fist. "I have to stay hidden until I'm strong enough."
The Star Path Manual
The next day, when chores were done and the children played outside, Ye Fan sneaked back into his room and called up the system shop panel.
A faint glow appeared before his eyes, invisible to anyone else.
[Shop Item: Star Path Manual]Grade: RareEffect: Doubles cultivation efficiency, stabilizes Stardust connection, prevents backlash.Description: A technique refined through countless generations of ancient mages, lost to history.
Ye Fan smirked. "This was one of my three gifts. Now it's time to use it."
He activated the manual, and instantly his consciousness expanded. The scattered Stardust within his soul no longer drifted aimlessly. Instead, each mote of light pulsed in rhythm, like soldiers marching in formation.
It was as though someone had drawn a perfect map of the night sky and handed it to him, showing him exactly where every star belonged.
That night, when he sat cross-legged and meditated, the difference was immediate. What had once taken months of agonizing concentration now flowed like water. The Stardust obeyed without struggle, linking together, forming new arcs that bent toward completion.
Ye Fan whispered in awe, "With this manual… I won't just crawl forward. I'll soar."
A Year of Silent Progress
Time flowed quietly inside the orphanage.
The other children laughed, played, fought, and grew. Ye Fan remained the same pale boy in the corner, quiet and unnoticed, often seen sweeping or reading borrowed books.
No one knew that every night, after the lamps went out, the room filled with an invisible chill as Ye Fan sat upright, linking stars faster than any genius could dream.
One month—Level 2 in Ice.Nine months—Level 3.
By his twelfth birthday, he had already reached Novice Level 3, a height that most mages his age could not even imagine. Even official apprentices trained in academies rarely advanced so quickly.
His Heavenly Ice Seed and the Star Path Manual together created a monster.
Another Spell Test
On a winter night a year later, Ye Fan stood once more in the courtyard.
This time, his white hair glimmered in the moonlight, his blue eyes sharp as blades. He raised his hand confidently.
The stars within his soul aligned instantly, three orbits blazing at once.
"Ice Spread—Level Three."
The frost surged outward again, but this time it didn't simply freeze the ground. Jagged ice crystals erupted from the earth, spearing upward like frozen blades. The air turned into a snowstorm, flakes swirling in a violent spiral.
The entire orphanage courtyard became a frozen battlefield in the blink of an eye.
Ye Fan lowered his hand, the snowstorm ceasing at once, and exhaled. The pendant shimmered faintly, suppressing the last traces of cold.
His lips curled into the faintest smile.
"At twelve years old, and already Novice Level 3… If the world saw this, they'd call me a monster."
He touched the pendant, his expression firming.
No. Not yet. Until I'm strong enough to protect myself… no one can know.
Vow of Silence
That night, lying back in bed, Ye Fan stared at the ceiling.
The other children whispered in their sleep, dreaming simple dreams. But Ye Fan's heart beat to a different rhythm—the rhythm of power, destiny, and hidden frost.
"Level 3 in just one year… At this pace, I'll reach Intermediate before thirteen."
His blue eyes gleamed in the dark.
"But I must remain silent. No matter how strong I become, the world can't know yet. Not until I've built my foundation, not until I can stand on my own feet."
The Heavenly Ice Seed pulsed in agreement, cold yet reassuring.
Ye Fan closed his eyes. His journey had only just begun, but the path was already clear. He would walk it alone, step by step, until the world had no choice but to acknowledge him.
The frost within him whispered, and Ye Fan smiled faintly in his sleep.
The forbidden mage was being born.