Chapter 12 – The Bond of Stars and Qi
The clearing blazed with moonlight, fractured by writhing shadows. The Void Cultists advanced slowly, their steps deliberate, bone masks glinting under the pale glow. Every move they made oozed malice, and the forest itself seemed to recoil from their presence.
Chen Yue stood in the center, Ayara's hand firmly in his grip, his other hand clenched tight. His heart pounded against his ribs like a war drum.
[System Alert]
Emergency Protocol Initiated: Vein Harmony Ritual
Partner Selected:Ayara Stormwind
Status: Consent Granted
Warning: Performing the ritual in combat conditions increases risk of Qi Deviation by 67%.
"Ayara," Chen Yue said, his voice low but urgent. "This isn't just about fighting together. I need your trust—completely. If you doubt me for even a breath, we die."
Ayara met his gaze without flinching. Her amber eyes burned with something fierce and unyielding. "I already trusted you the moment I drew my bow against that noble for you. Just tell me what to do."
For the first time since this nightmare began, Chen Yue felt the faintest flicker of calm. She means it.
"Close your eyes," he commanded softly, stepping closer. "Breathe with me. Match your rhythm to mine."
Ayara obeyed without hesitation. Her fingers intertwined with his, warm against his bloodstained palm. Chen Yue lowered his voice to a whisper only she could hear.
"Feel the pulse of your mana. Let it flow to your core. Now… open the gate."
[System Initiating: Vein Synchronization…]
Phase One: Mana Thread Detection – Success
Phase Two: Qi Channel Alignment – Success
Phase Three: Soul Resonance – Pending…
A soft hum filled the air as strands of shimmering blue light seeped from Ayara's body, wrapping around Chen Yue's golden Qi threads. The two energies pulsed, resisted… then intertwined like dancers moving in perfect harmony.
Ayara gasped as her senses exploded with new sensations. She felt something vast and endless flowing into her—Qi, ancient and primal, brushing against her soul like the caress of starlight.
"This… this is…" she whispered, voice trembling not from fear, but awe.
Chen Yue gritted his teeth as pressure mounted in his meridians. "Don't resist it. Let it merge."
Their joined hands ignited with blinding radiance as the ritual reached its peak. For an instant, the world fell silent. Even the cultists paused, wary of the strange phenomenon.
Then the System spoke.
[Bond Established: Ayara Stormwind – Vein Harmony Achieved]
Bond Level: 52%
Bonded Technique Unlocked:Starpierce Volley
Bonus Effect: +15% Qi Recovery when in proximity to Ayara.
"Time's up," Chen Yue muttered, opening his eyes. They burned with a golden glow that pierced the darkness.
Ayara's bow shimmered in her hands, no longer the simple weapon it once was. Its limbs pulsed with golden Qi, runes etching themselves into the wood as if carved by divine hands. The air around her thrummed with killing intent.
"What did you do to me?" she whispered, though her voice carried a strange exhilaration.
Chen Yue smirked. "Gave you a taste of something this world forgot."
The cult leader snarled, voice dripping with venom. "Blasphemous tricks… Kill them. Feed their souls to the void!"
Dozens of shadows lunged forward, twisting into grotesque beasts with fanged maws and talons like sickles. The ground cracked under their charge, the forest erupting in chaos.
"Ayara—shoot."
She didn't need further orders. Mana and Qi surged together, coalescing into a storm of pure destruction as she drew her bowstring. Golden light condensed into an arrow so brilliant it rivaled the stars.
"Starpierce Volley!" she cried, loosing the arrow.
The world exploded.
The single shaft split into hundreds of blazing fragments mid-flight, each one singing with the resonance of astral Qi. They tore through the night like a meteor shower, ripping apart shadow beasts in a hail of destruction.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The clearing became a battlefield of light and darkness. Every cultist struck by the volley screamed as the Qi-infused arrows burned through their void-forged bodies, unraveling their corruption from within.
Velira stood frozen for a heartbeat, disbelief etched across her face as she watched Ayara—a mere archer—wield power rivaling a grand mage.
"What… what is happening?" she whispered.
But Chen Yue didn't stop there. While Ayara's volley shattered their ranks, he surged forward, channeling every ounce of Qi he could muster. His fists blazed like miniature suns as he invoked a technique only the System could teach.
"Astral Fang Slash!"
He swung his blade in a single arc, and a crescent of golden energy roared forth, cleaving through the cult leader's defenses. The man staggered, his mask cracking, blood spraying into the night.
[System Notice]
Enemy Eliminated: Void Cult Marauder (Elite)
Reward: +1 Fragment Core, +800 EXP, +150 Authority Points.
But the fight was far from over. From the shadows, more figures emerged—six of them, each radiating killing intent so intense the air froze.
The cult leader, despite his wounds, began to laugh. A deep, hollow sound that crawled under the skin.
"You think you've won? Foolish child. This was only a taste."
Dark mist bled from his body, seeping into the ground. The trees withered as the soil cracked, birthing something monstrous—an abomination of bone and void, towering above the canopy.
Velira cursed under her breath, summoning every ounce of frost she could muster. "Chen Yue, what in the nine hells have you dragged us into?!"
Chen Yue tightened his grip on his blade, sweat dripping down his brow. System… options.
[System Alert]
Boss Encounter: Voidspawn Colossus
Threat Level: Extreme (Recommended Power: Nascent Soul)
Current Power: Foundation Establishment Peak (with Boost)
Survival Chance: 12%
New Emergency Option Available: Dual Harmony Amplification (Temporary)
Requirement: Ayara's Full Consent for Deeper Vein Link.
Chen Yue's pulse spiked. Deeper Vein Link… in the middle of battle?!
Ayara met his gaze, reading the urgency in his eyes. "Whatever you need to do, do it. I'm not letting you die here."
Chen Yue inhaled sharply, stepping close enough for his breath to mingle with hers. "Then don't fight me. Just… trust me completely."
Her lips curved in a fearless smile, even as the monster roared behind them. "When did I ever doubt you?"
The System pulsed in his mind like a living heartbeat.
[Initiating Dual Harmony Amplification…]
Warning: This process creates a semi-soul bond. Irreversible.
Confirm?
Chen Yue:Confirm.
Ayara:Consent Granted.
Light erupted once more, brighter than before, wrapping them both in a sphere of starlight. Velira shielded her eyes, her breath catching in her throat as the air vibrated with raw, overwhelming power.
When the light faded, Chen Yue and Ayara stood transformed—his blade glowing like molten silver, her bow radiating with astral wings of pure Qi.
Together, they faced the towering voidspawn.
"Ready?" Chen Yue asked.
Ayara grinned. "Always."
They moved as one.
End of Chapter 12 – The Bond of Stars and Qi