The Spirit Tide, with its overwhelming surge of qi and vivid visions of towering waves, had left Li Wei both exhilarated and exhausted, his spirit fortified but his body teetering on the edge of collapse. The hidden valley, with its shimmering pool, ancient tree, and glowing blossoms, pulsed with an energy that seemed to affirm the warmth in his dantian—a warmth he believed was his nascent Golden Core, nurturing a fledgling Nascent Soul. 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 unifying new challenge: "The Moonlit Pact, where the cultivator binds their sect under the lunar gaze, forging a shared spirit to amplify the Dao's light."
In the cultivation novels Li Wei had devoured in Beijing, pacts were sacred rituals—oaths sworn under celestial events to unite sects in purpose, their combined qi strengthening their path to immortality. The scroll's description was less grandiose but equally compelling: "Under the full moon's light, let the sect's hearts align, their qi flowing as one. Unity is the flame that lights the eternal path." Li Wei, tempered by lightning, betrayal, and moments of clarity, saw this as a chance to solidify the Order of the Jade Dawn, his virtual sect, which had been strained by the betrayals of Wang Hao and Lin Tao and the clashing beliefs of its remaining members—Zhang Wei, Liu Mei, Chen Xiu, and Zhao Feng. His body, ravaged by hunger, fever, and the throbbing infections in his hand and arm, ached with every movement, but the scroll's promise of unity fueled his determination to lead.
Li Wei prepared with the reverence of a leader forging a sacred bond. 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 lunar beacon. Azure Dragon watched, head tilted, as Li Wei sipped the valley's crystal-clear water, its coolness a fleeting relief against his persistent fever. The scroll suggested a shared ritual under the full moon, so he proposed a virtual "Moonlit Pact," a ceremony where each member would meditate simultaneously, aligning their qi across the distance. Using his battered phone, charged during a painful trek to Old Chen's teahouse in the village, he scheduled the ritual for the next full moon, urging the Order to prepare.
Li Wei spent the intervening days meditating by the pool, visualizing the sect's energies merging like the Celestial River's currents. He carved a vow on a valley stone: "The Jade Dawn unites under the moon, our qi as one in the Dao's light." His fever spiked, his infected wounds throbbing, but he pushed through, believing the pact would strengthen his spirit. Azure Dragon stayed close, his amber eyes watchful, as if sensing the ritual's weight. On the night of the full moon, the valley glowed with ethereal light, the pool reflecting the moon like a silver mirror. Li Wei sat by the altar, his phone propped against a rock, the Starstone in one hand, the jade slip pressed to his chest. The Order joined the call: Zhang Wei from his cluttered Shanghai dorm, vials glinting; Liu Mei from her Sichuan rooftop, moonlight on her serene face; Chen Xiu from a candlelit room, her eyes fervent; Zhao Feng from a spartan gym, his expression guarded.
Li Wei began, chanting the scroll's incantations, their rhythmic tones blending with the valley's whispers and the moon's soft glow. He urged each member to share their commitment to the Dao, offering his own trials—lightning, the Celestial River, the Eternal Flame—as a testament. Zhang Wei spoke of his alchemical breakthroughs, his voice trembling with passion. Liu Mei shared a vision of lunar qi guiding her soul, her words calm but profound. Chen Xiu recounted her cave meditations, her mysticism fervent, while Zhao Feng described a martial stance that grounded his qi, his tone pragmatic. Li Wei led a collective meditation, visualizing their qi merging into a radiant lunar light, the warmth in his dantian surging as if connecting across the miles. Visions of unity filled his trance—a circle of glowing figures under the moon, their energies intertwined—but his fever spiked, dizziness threatening to break his focus. Azure Dragon whined, nudging his leg, as Li Wei clung to the Starstone, willing the pact to hold.
The ritual ended with a shared vow: "We, the Jade Dawn, unite under the moon's light, our qi as one." Li Wei felt a fleeting harmony, as if their spirits had truly aligned, but his body faltered, collapsing as the call ended. He awoke by the altar, Azure Dragon guarding him, his fever burning but his spirit alight. He scribbled in his notebook, hands trembling: "Moonlit Pact sealed. Sect united, qi shared. Body falters, spirit binds." The valley's whispers seemed to approve, their murmurs blending with the moonlight, the ancient tree's blossoms glowing brighter.
During the next video call, Li Wei shared the pact's success, describing the vision of unity. Zhang Wei, eyes wide, called it a "divine convergence," urging alchemical rituals to strengthen it. Liu Mei praised his leadership but insisted he seek medical care: "Unity strengthens the soul, but the body must endure." Chen Xiu's fervent mysticism clashed with Zhao Feng's pragmatism, their debate testing Li Wei's resolve. He hid his worsening fever and throbbing wounds, fearing their concern might fracture the pact's unity.
As dawn broke, Li Wei sat by the pool, the Starstone warm in his hands, Azure Dragon snoring softly. The scroll promised that the Moonlit Pact would amplify the Dao, but also warned of greater trials. The valley's energy, his sect's faith, and the scroll's guidance bolstered him, even as his body weakened. With his Golden Core and Nascent Soul pulsing as beacons, Li Wei felt ready to lead, his sect united under the moon's light, one sacred pact at a time toward immortality.