The heavens above the Northern Wastes shimmered with an unnatural glow. Constellations shifted subtly in the sky, their ancient patterns disrupted by a malevolent force stirring deep within the Court of Fallen Stars—a forbidden realm untouched by sunlight for over a millennium. It was there, among frozen ruins and star-forged altars, that Lin Sheng's next challenge awaited.
The Frostheart Sect had given him their blessing, but Yue Lan's warning lingered: The war was far from over. Indeed, intelligence gathered from the surviving Serpent Root disciples revealed a terrifying truth. The cult had reawakened an ancient remnant—one of the Fallen Star Beasts sealed since the Age of Immortal Collapse.
"It is said that even Sovereigns feared to tread the court's grounds," Elder Qiyan had whispered. "If the Serpent Root truly breached that realm… then calamity will follow."
They traveled through the Spine of Dying Moons, a mountain chain etched with deadly formations and sealed tribulations. Lin Sheng's team had grown: Jin Rui, Mira, Fei'er, and the Mirage twins had joined the mission. Each bore the mark of recent battle but carried themselves with pride.
"Why are we heading toward something even ancient cultivators feared?" Jin Rui muttered as they scaled the jagged cliffs.
"Because monsters don't wait for invitations," Yue Lan answered. "We kill it before it breaks free. That's the plan."
**[System Objective: Terminate Threat in Court of Fallen Stars – Priority Level: Catastrophic. Team Morale: 91%. Estimated Survival Rate: 62%.] **
Lin Sheng remained silent. His System's projections were grim, but it also granted him a crucial piece of data—one of the Nine Lost Starlight Manuals was buried within the court. If he could obtain it, his cultivation could soar to new heights.
They descended into a rift known as Starfall Abyss. Night bled into the crevasse, swallowing light. They lit skyfire lanterns imbued with solar essence, but even their glow felt dim.
Eventually, the descent ended, revealing a craterlike valley filled with massive stone tablets, each carved with celestial scriptures. A silver fog clung to the ground, and above them floated massive, fractured shards of stars—remnants of astral weapons shattered during a war older than memory.
In the center of the ruins stood a throne of bone and crystal. Upon it sat a woman clad in robes of the void. Her eyes glowed with the radiance of stars. Around her knelt six figures, each bound by divine chains, their faces hidden beneath starlight masks.
"So... the Earthspawn arrives," she said, her voice echoing through the voidlike realm. "You've come to steal my secrets? Or to become one?"
[System Alert: Entity Identified – Xioren, Fallen Star Queen. Estimated Cultivation: Peak Heavenly Ascendant (Sealed).]
Lin Sheng's eyes narrowed. "I came to stop what's sleeping here from waking."
The queen rose. Her shadow alone stretched across the ruins.
"Then you'll be my first offering."
The battle began with a surge of astral fire. Xioren's six bound acolytes moved as one, their movements like celestial harmonies of death. Jin Rui clashed with one wielding a blade formed of compressed starlight, while Mira summoned a domain of reflection to counter another who manipulated gravity.
Lin Sheng faced Xioren herself. She conjured constellations into existence, hurling them like spears. Each impact cracked the ground and sent gravitational shockwaves through his core. The System adapted, overlaying evasive predictions across his vision, allowing him to slip past death by milliseconds.
He activated Sovereign Flame Core Phase Two: Solar Descent.
Flames like falling suns poured from his blade as he cleaved through summoned stars. Yue Lan aided him, firing arrows that exploded into starlight-absorbing blossoms.
"I see," Xioren murmured. "You bear the mark of a returnee. Your soul doesn't belong to this cycle."
She paused mid-strike, inspecting him with sudden fascination.
"You were born on Earth… and reborn here."
Lin Sheng gritted his teeth. "That's none of your concern."
"Oh, but it is. Because we—Fallen Ones—were exiled by your world's ancient ancestors."
Her expression darkened. "You are their legacy. I am vengeance."
The throne behind her pulsed. The six bound acolytes screamed as chains burrowed deeper into their flesh. Their qi flared unnaturally, and they merged into a monstrous construct—a being of bone, stardust, and void.
[System Warning: Unique Fusion Beast – "The Starbound Grievance." Estimated Combat Rating: S+ Tier.]
The monster roared, sending a blast that cracked the foundation of the court.
Lin Sheng turned to his companions. "Hold the queen. I'll handle that thing."
He leapt into the air, wielding his blade in both hands. The sky above the abyss split as his energy surged. He activated Heavenfall Manual's seventh technique—Meteor Blade Art.
With every slash, meteorite phantoms crashed into the creature. It retaliated with gravity pulses, bending light and warping space, but Lin Sheng's strikes were relentless.
The battle lasted what felt like hours. In reality, only minutes passed. But in that span, Lin Sheng drove the blade through the creature's chest.
The beast howled and exploded into a rain of starlight.
Xioren dropped to one knee, weakened by the backlash.
"You've doomed more than you know," she gasped. "We were the seal. Now that we're gone…"
[System Update: Starlight Containment Broken. New Threat Unlocked – Void Sovereign Dormant Signature Detected.]
Yue Lan's expression paled. "What have we unleashed…?"
Lin Sheng clenched his fist. "Then we fight again. We keep fighting."
From the ruins, he retrieved a floating codex—the Lost Starlight Manual. As he touched it, it merged with his qi sea, flooding him with ancient constellational techniques.
[System Notification: New Inheritance Acquired – Starlight Manual Vol. 3. Heavenly Compatibility Achieved. Cultivation Speed Increased. Astral Affinity Gained.]
They climbed from the abyss in silence.
Next: Chapter Fifteen – Crimson Tides of the Southern Depths