The unveiling of the Celestial Truth, with its radiant light and profound realization that the Dao was in his striving, had left Li Wei with a clarified spirit, his qi pulsing stronger as if his nascent Golden Core and fledgling Nascent Soul had been refined by the trial. The hidden valley, with its shimmering pool, ancient tree, and glowing blossoms, pulsed with an energy that affirmed his path to immortality. Azure Dragon, his scruffy spirit beast, remained a loyal companion, curled by the stone altar as Li Wei pored over the scroll, its worn bamboo slats a sacred guide through his trials. The scroll's latest passage unveiled a transcendent new challenge: "The Starlit Communion, where the cultivator joins the spirits of the heavens in a sacred union, their qi merging with the eternal light of the Dao."
In the cultivation novels Li Wei had read in Beijing, communions with the heavens were divine rituals—moments where cultivators connected with celestial spirits, their qi harmonizing to unlock cosmic power or wisdom. The scroll's description was more poetic but equally compelling: "Under the stars' eternal gaze, let the soul join the spirits of the Dao, their qi singing in unison. Purity binds the communion, but doubt severs the bond." Li Wei, tempered by lightning, betrayal, and moments of clarity, felt a surge of awe. The valley's whispers, which had guided him through trials like the Celestial Chorus and Immortal's Echo, seemed to carry a celestial melody, as if inviting him to join a divine gathering. His body, ravaged by hunger, fever, and the throbbing infections in his hand and arm, ached with every movement, but the valley's mystical aura and the scroll's promise fueled his resolve.
Li Wei prepared with the reverence of a disciple seeking divine fellowship. He reinforced his altar with smooth stones, their surfaces carved with star-like patterns inspired by the Starstone to channel the valley's qi. He placed the scroll, jade slip, Starstone, and stolen booklet at the altar's center, surrounded by the ancient tree's glowing blossoms, their light pulsing like a celestial choir. Azure Dragon watched, head tilted, as Li Wei sipped the valley's crystal-clear water, its coolness a brief relief against his persistent fever. The scroll suggested a meditative trance under the stars to "join the communion," so he chose a clear night, when the valley's sky was a tapestry of infinite stars, to begin.
As midnight cloaked the valley in starlight, Li Wei sat by the shimmering pool, its surface reflecting the cosmos like a mirror. He held the Starstone in one hand, the jade slip pressed to his chest, and chanted the scroll's incantations, their rhythmic tones blending with the valley's whispers, which formed a haunting melody, rising and falling like a divine song. He focused on his dantian, visualizing his Golden Core as a radiant star, his Nascent Soul a glowing figure ready to join the spirits. The scroll urged him to "sing with the Dao," so he let his voice hum, weaving into the valley's melody, imagining his qi merging with celestial energies. The warmth in his dantian pulsed, and he felt a tingling sensation, as if the stars were drawing him into their embrace.
Hours passed, his body trembling from the strain, his fever intensifying, the pain in his infected wounds throbbing with each heartbeat. In his trance, the valley faded, replaced by a starry expanse where glowing figures danced, their forms radiant with qi, their voices a celestial chorus. His Nascent Soul joined them, singing with a melody that felt like the Dao itself, each note amplifying his qi. A voice, resonant and gentle, echoed: "Is your soul pure enough to join us?" Li Wei's heart raced, doubts flickering—the scroll's jest, the betrayals, his frail body—but he chanted louder, his voice hoarse but resolute, his qi surging in harmony. The figures glowed brighter, but his body faltered, the fever spiking as dizziness gripped him. He collapsed by the pool, gasping, Azure Dragon whining and nudging his face.
The Starstone glowed warmer, as if infused with the communion's light, and his dantian pulsed clearer, as if his soul had joined the heavens. Had he truly communed with celestial spirits, or was it another fevered vision? The scroll promised a sacred union but warned of doubt, and Li Wei chose to believe he'd succeeded. He scribbled in his notebook, hands trembling: "Starlit Communion joined. Qi sings, soul unites. Body falters, spirit shines." The valley's whispers blended with the starlight, the ancient tree's blossoms glowing brighter.
During the next video call with the Order of the Jade Dawn, Li Wei shared the experience, describing the glowing figures and their celestial song. Zhang Wei called it a "divine union," urging him to brew an elixir with the valley's water to solidify the communion. Liu Mei praised his connection but urged medical care: "The communion lifts the soul, but the body must endure." Chen Xiu saw it as proof of ascension, while Zhao Feng, skeptical, suggested delirium, sparking a debate that tested Li Wei's leadership. He hid his worsening fever and pain, fearing their concern might fracture the sect's unity.
As dawn broke, Li Wei sat by the pool, the Starstone in his hands, Azure Dragon snoring softly. The scroll promised that the Starlit Communion bound the soul to the Dao, but warned of greater trials. The valley's energy, his sect's support, and the scroll's guidance bolstered him, even as his body weakened. With his Golden Core and Nascent Soul pulsing as beacons, he felt ready to face the next challenge, his soul singing with the heavens, one celestial note at a time toward immortality.