The Moon’s Tear

The Moon's Tear waterfall thundered down from a jagged cliff, its waters glowing with a silvery light that mirrored the stars above. The air hummed with spiritual energy, thick and alive, tugging at the Void Scar nestled in Ye Tian's dantian.

Each step toward the sacred site of the Fallen Moon Pavilion sent a ripple of pain through him, but he pressed on, the Lunar Fang sheathed at his side singing faintly in harmony with the cascading water.

Behind him, Xiao Lan's breath caught as she stared at the shimmering falls, while Elder Lian Yue moved with quiet precision, her senses sharp. Chen Wei lingered at the rear, his scarred face a mask, his silence heavier than the mist around them.

The forest path had been grueling, the Heaven's Edge forces a constant shadow at their heels. Ye Tian's Body Refinement Stage 3 felt like a thin thread against the threats closing in, but the vault ahead promised answers—secrets tied to his past and the Celestial Court's schemes. The map they'd taken from the bandit camp had led them here, to this hallowed ground, and he wouldn't turn back now.

Xiao Lan's voice broke the stillness, trembling with memory. "My mother spoke of this place. The Moon's Tear, where the first of Fallen Moon swore their oaths under the stars." Her eyes shimmered, a tear slipping free. "She said it was a cradle of hope. But now… it feels like a grave."

Ye Tian met her gaze, his tone softening despite the steel in his heart. "It's not over, Xiao Lan. We'll carve hope from their graves if we must." He knew loss too well—its weight was an old companion. "Your family's blood will be avenged."

She straightened, wiping her face. "For them," she whispered, resolve hardening her voice. "For us all."

The waterfall's roar grew deafening as they approached its base, mist rising in silvery curls. The Void Scar pulsed sharply, a warning prickling Ye Tian's senses. He raised a hand, halting the group. "Hold."

Shadows stirred among the trees—grey-robed figures stepping into the light, their cloud-embroidered cloaks marking them as Heaven's Edge. Six cultivators, Stages 7 to 8, flanked a woman with a whip coiled like a serpent at her waist. Her aura blazed at Stage 9, her lips twisting into a sneer. "The crippled Sovereign and his pack. You've led us right to the prize."

Ye Tian's grip tightened on the Lunar Fang, a cold smile tugging at his lips. "You'll choke on it before you touch it."

Her laugh was sharp, venomous. "We'll see." The whip snapped free, its tip glowing with a sickly green Qi—Venomous Coil Strike, a technique that corroded flesh and spirit alike. It lashed toward Ye Tian, fast as a striking snake.

He flowed into Body Sword Stance, dodging by a hair's breadth. The whip grazed his arm, green Qi searing his skin, and the Void Scar roared in protest, pain lancing through his core. He gritted his teeth, summoning Starlight Resonance. The Lunar Fang flared silver, meeting the next strike with a burst of sparks, the clash ringing over the waterfall's din.

Xiao Lan leaped into the fray, her blade tracing crescent arcs. She cut down a Stage 7 cultivator, blood spraying as he fell. Elder Lian Yue's Crescent Moon Slash followed, a blue arc of Qi slicing through another foe's guard. Chen Wei hesitated, his sword half-drawn, eyes flicking toward the waterfall.

"Chen Wei!" Ye Tian shouted, parrying another whip lash. "Fight, or run—decide!"

Chen Wei's jaw clenched, and he moved, disarming a cultivator lunging at Xiao Lan with a swift strike. She nodded gratitude, but Ye Tian's suspicion deepened. That pause—too long, too deliberate.

The whip woman focused on Ye Tian, her strikes a blur of green. "The Void Scar's crippled you, Sovereign. You're nothing." Her whip coiled around his wrist, burning deeper. He roared, Iron Vein Slash severing the glowing tip. She staggered, blood welling from her hand, shock flashing in her eyes.

The Void Scar throbbed, and a vision flickered—Lin Feng before the Celestial Court, his blade raised. "I'll bind him, as you command." Rage surged, drowning the pain. Ye Tian wasn't their tool.

"Enough!" His voice boomed, Sword Intent rippling outward. The air quaked, his blade a streak of silver light. He lunged, the Lunar Fang slashing her chest. Blood sprayed, and she stumbled back, clutching the wound. With a snarl, she fled into the mist, her surviving men scattering.

Ye Tian's breath came in ragged gasps, the Void Scar quieting. Xiao Lan stepped closer, concern in her eyes. "You're hurt."

"I'll manage," he said, sheathing his blade. "The vault's ahead. Move."

At the waterfall's base, a stone arch emerged from the mist, its surface carved with moonlit runes. The Lunar Fang hummed, its Qi syncing with the arch. Elder Lian Yue pressed a hand to the stone, frowning. "It's sealed by a guardian."

A gust of wind swirled, and a spectral woman appeared, her robes flowing like starlight, her eyes aglow. "Who seeks Fallen Moon's heart?" Her voice was ancient, resonant, her presence overwhelming.

Ye Tian faced her. "Ye Tian, the Sword Sovereign. I claim what's mine."

Her gaze bore into him. "A Sovereign's spirit, scarred by the Void. Prove your worth, or perish."

"A trial?" he asked.

"Face your past's shadows," she replied, gesturing. The waterfall split, revealing a cavern lined with glowing mirrors, each reflecting fragments of Ye Tian's life—glory, battle, betrayal.

Xiao Lan inhaled sharply. "A Mirror of Echoes. It tests the soul."

Ye Tian nodded, stepping inside. The mirrors flared, and shadows rose—Lin Feng, Zhao Wuji, and a third figure cloaked in darkness. Their blades gleamed, their intent lethal.

"Defeat them," the guardian intoned, "or be lost to regret."

Ye Tian raised the Lunar Fang, the Void Scar pulsing like a second heart. The shadows struck, Lin Feng's blade clashing with his own. Zhao Wuji 's shadow attacked from behind, but Ye Tian spun, Iron Vein Slash shattering it. The third shadow danced like smoke, its blade nicking his arm, blood dripping.

Pain exploded, the Void Scar dragging visions forth—Lin Feng's betrayal, Zhao Wuji's indifference, the cloaked figure's mocking laugh. "You're nothing," it whispered.

Ye Tian's roar shook the cavern, Sword Intent blazing. The mirrors cracked, his will slicing through the illusions. He struck, the Lunar Fang banishing each shadow. Silence fell, the mirrors dimming.

The guardian inclined her head, fading. "You've passed. But the vault's truths may undo you."

The arch groaned, opening a passage. Inside, the vault sprawled—a chamber of scrolls and relics. At its center, a pedestal held a single shard of black steel—the Starshatter Fragment, a piece of Ye Tian's lost blade.

His breath caught. "It's here."

Xiao Lan frowned. "But broken."

Elder Lian Yue's voice was grave. "The rest is missing. Taken, perhaps."

Chen Wei spoke, too certain. "Or hidden. There's a compartment there." He pointed, his knowledge jarring.

Ye Tian's eyes narrowed, blade half-drawn. "How do you know that?"

Chen Wei paled. "I… studied sect records."

The Void Scar pulsed—a lie. Ye Tian closed the distance. "Truth, Chen Wei, or I'll cut it from you."

Fear flickered in Chen Wei's eyes, then defiance. "I'm loyal. But there's a spy here—not me."

Xiao Lan's grip tightened. "Who?"

The vault trembled before he could answer. A black glow pulsed at the entrance, a mournful wail rising. A shadowed figure stood there, its jade slip radiating power, its aura Core Formation Stage 1. "You've found it," it rasped, blade gleaming. "But you'll die here."

Who was it—the tomb's phantom, or the Celestial Court's agent? And who among them was the traitor?