The hidden valley grew colder, not from weather, but from fate.
Inside the core chamber of the Condemned Blade Sect, Priyanshu sat in deep cultivation. Streams of dark energy and righteous golden qi swirled around him in a dance of opposites. He was merging law fragments of Creation and Destruction, slowly forming the outline of a second domain.
But just as the final strand aligned—
[System Alert: New Fated Encounter Approaching – Potential Threat or Ally]
He opened his eyes, their purple glow flickering with curiosity.
Moments later, Alaya rushed in. "My Lord," she said with hesitation, "someone has crossed the outer wardings. She… she claims to have seen this place in a dream."
"A prophet?" Priyanshu asked, standing.
"Possibly. But... she knew your name."
That made him pause.
Outside, near the edge of the Forbidden Flame Forest, stood a girl no older than fifteen. Her clothes were tattered, her feet bare, but her eyes—her eyes glowed with stars.
"Priyanshu Yadav," she whispered, even before he appeared, "you will either destroy all realms or save them all. The line is so thin, I cannot see it clearly."
The girl bowed. "My name is Vanya. I come from the Oracles of the Withered Moon."
He remembered that name.
The Withered Moon was a sect that hadn't existed for over 10,000 years. It had been annihilated during the first Immortal War because of their ability to glimpse into forbidden destinies.
"I saw you," Vanya said, "in my dreams… in my nightmares. Sometimes you wear a crown of stars, other times a cloak of corpses. But you always sit alone."
"Why come to me?" Priyanshu asked.
"Because the world will misunderstand you. I already do. And I want to see for myself which path you'll take."
[System Notification: Vanya possesses Fate-Type Constitution – "Heaven's Mirror Vessel."][Warning: She may reveal your hidden identity in the future.]
[Options:
Eliminate the threat.
Accept her as a Seer of your Sect.
Place a soul seal and bind her to your karma.]
Priyanshu stared at her quietly.
"Do you know what kind of man I am?" he asked.
She nodded. "A villain. But even villains deserve someone to bear witness."
He smiled.
"Then welcome, Vanya. You'll watch me rewrite fate itself."
He chose Option 3.
[Soul Seal Imprinted. Vanya is now bound by karma to the Hidden Villain System.]
As a faint rune appeared between her brows, she smiled without fear.
"I'm honored, Master of Shadows."