The air inside the ancient inheritance cave grew thin and cold, as if the very atmosphere was mourning. The golden radiance that had defined the presence of King Xiao Leo was no longer a roaring sun; it was now a flickering candle, struggling against an inevitable darkness. His remnant soul, which had survived for millennia through sheer willpower to find a worthy heir, was finally reaching its absolute limit.
Xiao Er, the newly awakened Lunar Warrior, stood frozen. her silver eyes shimmered with unshed tears that glowed like liquid moonlight. For her, King Xiao Leo wasn't just a legendary ruler; he was the father figure who had plucked her from the void of the Great War and frozen her in time to give her a second chance at life. Watching him dissolve into motes of light felt like losing her entire world for the second time.
She reached out, her fingers trembling, but they passed through his spectral chest as if he were made of smoke.
"Do not weep, my child," the King's voice echoed—faint, yet filled with a warmth that could melt glaciers. "The cycle of the heavens is absolute. My era has long since passed into myth. Yours... yours is just beginning. Protect the boy. Protect the future."
Xiao Er bit her lip so hard a bead of silver blood appeared. She forced herself to stand tall, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. I must be strong, she vowed internally. I will become powerful enough to reach the peak of cultivation. One day, I will find a way to reach the realm of the Immortal Emperor and bring Grandfather back to the world of the living.
A Divine Distraction
Alpha and Alya stood a few paces back, witnessing the passing of a legend. Alpha could feel the crushing waves of grief emanating from Xiao Er. He knew that if she stayed in this state of mind, her newly synchronized spirit would become unstable—a dangerous prospect for a warrior whose soul was now linked to his own.
He decided to break the heavy tension with a bit of his signature, irreverent wit.
"Hey, Xiao Er," Alpha called out, scratching the back of his neck with a look of feigned confusion. "I've been thinking about something. King Xiao Leo told me he only ever had one wife. He made it sound like he was this super loyal, one-woman kind of guy. So... if he's so traditional, why on earth did he decide to practically force me to marry you the moment you opened your eyes? It seems a bit hypocritical, don't you think?"
The question was so unexpected, so jarringly out of place in such a somber moment, that Xiao Er actually blinked in shock. Her grief was momentarily hijacked by sheer disbelief.
"You... you are asking about his love life now?" she stammered, her voice echoing in the cave.
Alpha shrugged, a playful, daring glint in his silver-rimmed eyes. "Well, yeah. I mean, if he's technically my father-in-law now, I should know what kind of family I'm joining. Was he really that 'loyal'?"
Xiao Er let out a short, hysterical huff that was somewhere between a laugh and a sob. "Grandfather was indeed loyal to the Queen's memory. However... he was also a man who traveled across dozens of continents and higher realms. Let's just say he had many 'close companions' and 'special jade-beauties' in every corner of the world. He might have had only one wife, but his list of girlfriends was probably longer than the Werewolf Clan's entire history."
Alpha's jaw dropped. "So the old man was a legendary player? Man, I really should have asked him for some 'social' tips before he vanished into the void."
The Mystery of the Half Lunar Heart
Alya, who had been listening with a visible pout, stepped forward. The jealousy in her eyes was a flickering flame she couldn't quite extinguish, especially after witnessing the intimate ritual that had just saved Alpha's life.
"Alpha, stop your nonsense," Alya said, her voice sharp enough to cut glass. "Xiao Er, you said that the... ritual was the only way. How does it actually change him?"
Xiao Er regained her composure, though a faint silver blush crept onto her cheeks. "It is because of the Lunar Heart. My body contains the crystallized essence of the moon itself. When the Soul Link was established through our spiritual and physical proximity, a portion of my origin energy was permanently grafted into Alpha. He no longer has to worry about his lack of 'Spiritual Roots.'"
She looked at Alpha with a gaze that was now deeply protective. "He now possesses Half a Lunar Heart. It acts as a spiritual anchor. Now, your body can hold the energy of an Immortal Emperor without collapsing. We are two halves of a single soul now, Alpha. Where you go, I follow."
Alya's face darkened. "So he's cured, he's a genius, and now he has a permanent shadow. Wonderful. Can we leave now? The air in here is getting far too crowded."
Alpha looked at the two women—one his fierce protector and partner, the other his soul-linked warrior—and felt a cold sweat break out. Two women... and both of them could probably kill me with a thought. I really need to learn how to manage this. He reached out, grabbing both of their hands.
"Then let's go," Alpha said firmly. "The competition won't win itself."
The Sacrifice of Growth
As they neared the exit portal, Xiao Er suddenly stopped, her gaze fixed on Alya.
"Alya, wait," Xiao Er said, her tone shifting to that of a seasoned commander. "You shouldn't accompany us to the surface yet. Look at your aura. During the four months you spent refining that Heavenly Rose, you pushed your boundaries. You are at the Peak of the Nascent Soul Realm. You are only a single breath away from the Spirit Severing Realm."
Alya frowned, her hand tightening on Alpha's. "I know that, but I won't leave him. The Great Elder is a viper. He'll strike the moment Alpha shows his face."
"No, Xiao Er is right," Alpha interrupted, turning to Alya with genuine tenderness. "The Great Elder is dangerous. If you come with me now as a Nascent Soul expert, you're just another target he can calculate. But if you stay here and break through to the Spirit Severing Realm, you'll be the ultimate trump card. You'll be the force that even the Ten Great Clans cannot ignore."
Xiao Er nodded. "This cave is the most secure location in the clan. Even the Great Elder's prying eyes cannot see through the King's seals. Stay, refine your power, and descend upon the arena like a goddess of war when the time is right."
Alya looked at Alpha, her eyes searching his. "But what did you even do to that old man? Why is he so obsessed with destroying a 'mortal' like you?"
Alpha sighed. "His grandson, Xiao Mu, is rotting in a dungeon because of me. He was slaughtering mortals like cattle, breaking the ancient treaties. He tried to kill me, and I made sure he paid the price. The Great Elder doesn't care about justice; he only cares about his bloodline's pride."
Xiao Er's eyes turned murderous. "Slaughtering the weak is the path of a coward. Grandfather would have turned him to ash. If his grandfather wants to continue that path, he will have to answer to my blade."
The Parting Promise
Alya finally nodded, her resolve hardening. She knew that in the world of the strong, being "by his side" meant having the power to protect him, not just being physically present.
"Fine," Alya whispered. "I'll stay. But you..." she looked at Xiao Er, "Watch him. If he so much as looks at another woman, I expect a full report. And Alpha... if you die, I'll find a way to the underworld just to kick your ass."
Alpha laughed, pulling Alya into a tight, fierce hug. He leaned in and pressed a gentle, lingering kiss on her forehead. "Stay safe, Alya. I'll see you at the finals."
With one last look, Alpha and Xiao Er stepped into the swirling blue vortex of the transportation portal. In an instant, the peaceful silence of the cave was shattered by a roar that sounded like a thousand thunders.
The Lunar Heart Arena: The Stage is Set
The portal deposited them on a high-altitude balcony overlooking the Werewolf Clan's capital city. Below them, the Lunar Heart Arena stretched out like a colossal beast made of white marble and ancient enchantments.
The scale was terrifying. Massive reinforced walls reached for the heavens, adorned with the sigils of the Ten Great Clans. In the center lay the combat stage, an expanse of stone etched with thousands of protective runes designed to absorb the shockwaves of Spirit Severing level battles.
The air was thick with the scent of burning incense, the ozone of clashing auras, and the unmistakable tension of impending blood. Thousands of disciples from the Phoenix, Tiger, and Dragon clans were already seated, their spiritual pressures clashing in the sky to create a colorful, chaotic aurora.
"So this is it," Alpha muttered, his silver-rimmed eyes narrowing as he scanned the crowd. "The place where I stop being a 'human' in their eyes and start being their nightmare."
Xiao Er stood beside him, her silver armor gleaming under the sun. "The Great Clans are arrogant, Alpha. They will try to humiliate you before they try to kill you. But remember... you carry the heart of the moon now. You are no longer beneath them."
At the far end of the arena, seated on a throne of obsidian and bone, was the Great Elder. His gaze locked onto the balcony the moment Alpha appeared. The hatred in his eyes was so potent it felt like a physical weight pressing against Alpha's chest.
Beside him, the representatives of the Dragon Clan leaned in, whispering conspiracies, their eyes fixed greedily on the Royal Mark glowing on Alpha's forehead.
The drums began to beat—a deep, rhythmic thrum that vibrated through the very marrow of everyone present. The Lunar Heart Competition had officially begun.