The Beginning of Change

The morning after the awakening felt surreal to Wu Jian, like a dream that had spilled over into reality. His mind was still reeling from the shocking discovery of his true bloodline. For years, he had struggled to accept his lack of cultivation talent, but now… now everything had changed. The power that flowed through him felt both foreign and familiar, an ancient force that he barely understood.

As he sat outside the village, watching the sun rise over the misty hills, Wu Jian could still feel the hum of the energy within him, swirling beneath his skin like a hidden fire. The air felt different, charged with an invisible current that he could now sense. Every breath he took filled him with vitality, as though his body had been awakened from a long slumber.

His thoughts drifted back to the voice from the night before. The Starfall Sovereign — the name echoed in his mind, the weight of it settling deep in his chest.

"You are a descendant of the Tianxuan Sect," the voice had said. "The power of the Starfall Sovereign stirs within your veins."

Wu Jian clenched his fists, feeling the strange energy within him pulse in response to his emotions. What did it all mean? And why had it chosen him?

Training Begins

Later that morning, Wu Jian returned to the clearing where he had first encountered the ancient stone. His steps were slower now, more deliberate, as if his very presence was a disruption to the natural world around him. As he arrived at the stone, the memories of the celestial and fiendish powers surged back. The relic in the clearing seemed to hum with latent energy, beckoning him to understand its secrets.

He raised his hand, unsure of what to expect. The stone had granted him access to a power he barely understood, but could he control it? Could he even begin to harness it?

Wu Jian focused on the sensation within him, summoning the energies that had awakened the night before. A trickle of spiritual energy coiled within his chest, then flowed through his veins, spreading outward. His skin tingled, his muscles flexed as if they were being stretched beyond their limits, and his mind began to race with unfamiliar techniques, flashes of knowledge—celestial and demonic—that flooded his senses.

He felt a crackle of energy in the air, a faint pulse that he instinctively reached toward. A swirl of light and shadow appeared before him as he attempted to gather the forces that stirred inside him. The energy from the Starfall Sovereign lineage was there—wild, untamed, and raw. The very thought of it made him dizzy.

"Focus," Wu Jian muttered to himself, trying to control the chaotic sensations within him. He slowly extended his palm, imagining the flow of energy as he had seen in his mind. The stone beneath him glowed faintly, and a thin tendril of light extended from his hand.

For the first time, Wu Jian felt a flicker of control. It was fleeting, but it was enough to fill him with hope. He clenched his fist, forcing the tendril of light to withdraw. His body was exhausted, but the power inside him was undeniable. He had just scratched the surface, but the road ahead was clear: if he was to master this power, he would need to continue practicing, to push himself further than he ever had before.

Liu Xue's Concern

The sound of footsteps approached from behind. Wu Jian turned to see Liu Xue emerging from the forest, her eyes scanning him with a mixture of concern and curiosity.

"You're here again," she said, crossing her arms. "I thought I might find you here."

Wu Jian offered her a tired smile, but there was a tension in his eyes. "I couldn't sleep… the energy inside me won't let me rest. It's… overwhelming."

Liu Xue raised an eyebrow. "I thought you said you couldn't cultivate? What's going on, Wu Jian?"

Wu Jian hesitated for a moment. His mind was still clouded with confusion. He didn't want to burden her with the truth, but he knew she was smart. She would sense that something had changed.

"I don't fully understand it," he said slowly. "But last night… something happened. I found an ancient relic in the forest, and it… awakened something inside of me. A power I never knew I had."

Liu Xue frowned, stepping closer. "Power? What kind of power?"

Wu Jian looked down at his hands, his fingers flexing slightly as he tried to focus on the remnants of energy still swirling within him. "I don't know. It's like I'm connected to something… something ancient. The name Starfall Sovereign keeps echoing in my mind. I don't know what it means, but I can feel it—like a force waiting to be unleashed."

Liu Xue's expression softened, but there was a hint of concern in her eyes. "That sounds dangerous, Wu Jian. You don't know what you're dealing with. What if you lose control of it?"

Wu Jian glanced at her, his expression serious. "I can't ignore it, Xue. This power is part of me now. I need to learn how to control it."

She bit her lip, clearly worried. "I understand, but promise me you'll be careful. You don't know what kind of consequences this might have."

Wu Jian nodded, though the weight of her words hung heavily on him. "I will. But this power… it's the only chance I have to change my fate. To truly become something more."

Liu Xue didn't argue, but her concern was palpable. "Just promise me you won't do anything reckless. You don't need to face this alone."

Wu Jian's heart softened as he looked at his childhood friend, the one person who had always been by his side. "I won't. I promise."

The First Challenge

That night, Wu Jian couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. The sky above the village was clear, the stars twinkling faintly in the distance. Yet, a strange sense of foreboding clung to him, the power within him restless, like a beast waiting to be unleashed.

As he sat in the small clearing, meditating and trying to focus his energies, a shadow appeared at the edge of the woods. Wu Jian immediately tensed, his senses alert. The figure stepped forward, revealing itself in the dim light of the moon.

A tall, muscular man dressed in dark robes approached, his eyes glowing with a faint, unnatural light. The man's presence was overwhelming, his aura suffocating in its intensity. Wu Jian felt a chill run down his spine.

"I've been watching you, child," the man said, his voice smooth yet cold. "You carry the bloodline of the Tianxuan Sect. That makes you very valuable… or very dangerous."

Wu Jian stood, his body tense, every instinct screaming at him to flee. But he couldn't run. Not now. Not with the power that had awakened inside him.

The man took a step closer, his eyes narrowing. "I've been sent by the Black Lotus Sect. We've been searching for the last remnants of the Tianxuan Sect's bloodline. And now that we've found you… well, let's just say your future is already written. You'll either join us, or you'll die."

Wu Jian's heart raced, but his mind remained focused. The Black Lotus Sect, known for their ruthless methods and forbidden cultivation practices. They were one of the most dangerous factions in the empire.

But Wu Jian wasn't about to let them control him. He had just unlocked a power he barely understood, and he wasn't going to let anyone take it from him without a fight.

"I'm not afraid of you," Wu Jian said, his voice steady, even though his heart pounded in his chest. "I'll never join you."

The man smirked, and the ground beneath their feet seemed to tremble. "Then prepare to die, boy."