Chapter 2: Beneath the Stars
The sun sank below the horizon, coloring the sky in shades of red and purple, as if the heavens were anticipating the night. Xu Fengyin wandered down the mountain with a restless energy stirring in his chest, the wail of the crystal cocoon still echoing in his mind. Each step felt heavy, filled with a sense of purpose he had long since pushed away.
As night fell over the peaks, Fengyin found a small clearing lit by the soft glow of the crescent moon. He spread out his thin mat, kneeling on the cool ground. With a flick of his wrist, he drew the Crimson Eclipse, its blade catching the starlight and shining back with a magical glimmer. The sword had always felt like a part of him, but now the air around it buzzed with distant energy, almost teasing him to engage.
“Fengyin,” he murmured to himself, running his fingers along the blade's smooth edge, “what are you doing?” A fleeting worry crossed his mind, met only by the silence of the night. The stillness surrounded him, broken only by rustling leaves and the distant calls of night creatures.
Just as he settled down to meditate, a flicker of movement caught his eye. He jerked his head up, feeling a familiar alertness awaken within him—a hunter's instinct. Emerging from the shadows of the forest were two figures, relaxed but ready, gliding toward him with a graceful ease that spoke of years of bond.
“Greetings, wanderer,” said the first figure—a tall, slender woman with shiny black hair cascading over her shoulders. Her wide eyes sparkled with curiosity that was both charming and unsettling. She wore dark robes with intricate silver patterns that shimmered in the moonlight.
“I am Zheng Huai, High Priestess of the Moonlit Sanctuary,” she introduced herself, her swift words hinting at an ancient power behind her gentle demeanor. “And this,” she added, nodding to the second figure, a stout man with wild hair and mismatched eyes full of mischief, “is Luo Tian, a traveler who loves adventure.”
“Xu Fengyin,” he responded curtly, unsheathing the Crimson Eclipse as a precaution. “What do you want?”
“Our paths cross by fate, not chance,” Zheng Huai said, stepping closer. “You have stirred forces within the mountains, and the cosmos has taken notice. We have watched you, Fengyin. Your journey holds more meaning than you realize.”
Fengyin narrowed his eyes, the remnants of his disinterest wrestling with growing intrigue. “Watched me? That’s a dangerous game.”
Luo Tian laughed, his voice lively like a flowing stream. “Relax. We don’t want to harm you… unless you plan to swing that lovely sword at us.” He grinned, flashing a set of bright white teeth.
This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
“You’re too casual,” Fengyin snapped. “I should know better than to trust strangers in these risky lands.”
“The world is full of dangers, true,” Zheng replied, her voice calming like a gentle breeze. “But sometimes, you find allies in unexpected places. You have a choice to make, Xiangzi.”
“‘Xiangzi’?” Fengyin echoed, confused.
“It’s another name for you. A title for those chosen by the stars,” she explained, stepping closer, her aura shifting as if touched by an unseen force. “The cosmos sees your spirit as important and wants your help to restore balance.”
He felt the weight of her words, but everything he learned from his years of wandering urged him to dismiss her. “I’m not a hero. Power and conflict are for those who seek them. I’m just a man.”
“But are you?” Zheng’s penetrating gaze searched Fengyin’s face for hidden answers. “A lone traveler stands at the edge of great upheaval. You are connected to this chaos, whether you admit it or not.”
“I don’t care,” he said flatly, retreating into the familiar comfort of indifference. “Why should I get involved in a conflict that doesn’t affect me?”
“Because,” Luo chimed in, holding up a small vial that sparkled with a liquid like starlight, “the journey can be more important than the destination. And because…” He gave a mischievous smile. “This elixir”—he gestured to the vial—“is said to heighten one’s awareness of the cosmos and unlock hidden potential.”
Fengyin narrowed his eyes. “What’s your goal in offering this to me?”
“To spark your curiosity,” Zheng said, her smile mysterious. “To awaken something within you. Nothing ignites a flame like the hint of the unknown.”
Fengyin frowned, weighing the vial back and forth in his hand, the shining contents swirling inside like a tiny universe. He remembered the crystal cocoon from earlier, and he felt a spark of something—a whisper of realization, maybe, or perhaps desire—a connection tugging at the corners of his indifferent soul.
“The stars themselves shift in an instant. In a world of unpredictable change, what happens when a single needle moves on the cosmic scale?” Zheng leaned closer, her voice dropping to a hush. “What if you have the power to influence the stars themselves?”
Fengyin struggled with his thoughts, his fingers tightening around the vial. Was it really his fate to step into this chaos, to move beyond his indifference? He felt a magnetic pull threading through his resolve, urging him to see through the walls he had built.
As the night reached its darkest hour and the stars shone brighter, Fengyin made a choice, tilting his gaze toward the night sky. Perhaps he had been wrong to turn away from the world. Perhaps indifference had sheltered him for too long. And maybe, just maybe, it was time to take a different path.
“Tell me more,” he said quietly, as the indifference in his heart began to fade, making space for something stronger—curiosity.
As the cosmic winds swirled around the three figures under the sparkling canopy of stars, a decision had been made. Fengyin was no longer just a wanderer seeking peace; he was a player in a grand story—a thread in the vast web of fate connecting countless destinies yet to unfold. In that moment, the cosmos held its breath, and the winds of change whispered through the mountains, signaling the start of a journey that would lead him from indifference into awakening.
