The road stretched endlessly before them, winding through rolling hills and shadowed valleys. Xu Tian kept his gaze on the horizon, his steps steady despite the fatigue weighing on his body. Yan Mei and Li Wei trailed close behind, their silence matching the somber mood of the group.

  The encounter with the bounty hunter had left its mark, not just on Xu Tian’s body but on his mind. His side ached where the blade had grazed him, the dull pain a reminder of how easily the fight could have ended differently.

  The star was restless.

  “You spared him,” it hissed. “Weakness is unbecoming of one chosen by the shadows. Do you think mercy will save you?”

  Xu Tian ignored the voice, forcing it into the back of his mind. It was getting harder to silence the whispers, their presence growing stronger with each passing day.

  By late afternoon, the trio reached the outskirts of a small town nestled at the base of a jagged mountain. Smoke curled from chimneys, and the faint sound of chatter drifted through the air. It was a quiet, unassuming place, the kind of town that cultivators passed through without a second thought.

  But Xu Tian had learned to distrust quiet places.

  “We should rest here,” Yan Mei said, breaking the silence. “Li Wei needs proper treatment, and we could all use some food and supplies.”

  Li Wei winced but nodded. “I’ll be fine, but I won’t say no to a warm bed for once.”

  Xu Tian hesitated, his gaze sweeping over the town. Something felt off—an unease he couldn’t quite place. His shadows twitched at his feet, sensing his apprehension.

  “We shouldn’t stay long,” he said finally. “Just get what we need and move on.”

  Yan Mei frowned. “You can’t keep running forever, Xu Tian.”

  “Watch me,” he muttered, striding ahead before she could argue.

  The town was busier than Xu Tian had expected. Merchants hawked their wares in the market square, and villagers bustled about, their faces weary but focused. Xu Tian kept his hood up, his shadows coiled tightly around him like a second skin. He couldn’t afford to draw attention.

  As they moved through the square, Yan Mei tugged on his sleeve. “I’ll take Li Wei to the healer’s shop. Meet us back here in an hour?”

  Xu Tian nodded absently, his attention elsewhere. The unease from earlier had grown stronger, a prickling at the back of his neck that refused to go away. He scanned the crowd, his eyes narrowing as he spotted a group of cultivators gathered near a tea house.

  Their robes were crimson, emblazoned with the sigil of a jagged mountain peak.

  Xu Tian’s blood ran cold. The Scarlet Peak Sect.

  He ducked into the shadows of a nearby alley, his heart pounding. He couldn’t risk being seen—not now, not here.

  But as he pressed himself against the wall, the star’s voice surged in his mind.

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  “They know,” it whispered. “They can feel us. You cannot hide forever.”

  Xu Tian clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. “Shut up,” he muttered under his breath.

  “Run, if you must,” the star continued. “But they will find you. And when they do, they will take everything from you.”

  Xu Tian didn’t notice the figure approaching until it was too late. A hand clamped down on his shoulder, and he spun around, his shadows flaring instinctively.

  “Easy,” a voice said, calm but firm.

  The man standing before him was dressed in simple robes, his long hair tied back in a loose knot. He was unarmed, but his posture radiated confidence, and his piercing gray eyes seemed to see straight through Xu Tian.

  “Who are you?” Xu Tian demanded, his shadows coiling tighter.

  The man raised his hands in a placating gesture. “Just a traveler, like you. I saw you watching the Scarlet Peak disciples. They don’t seem like the friendly type.”

  Xu Tian’s eyes narrowed. “What do you want?”

  The man smiled faintly. “To help. Call it a professional courtesy.”

  Xu Tian didn’t trust him—he couldn’t afford to. But something about the man’s demeanor gave him pause. There was no malice in his eyes, no hint of deception.

  “I don’t need your help,” Xu Tian said, turning to leave.

  “Maybe not,” the man replied. “But if you’re planning to go up against Scarlet Peak, you’ll need allies. And lucky for you, I’ve got a vested interest in taking them down.”

  Xu Tian stopped, his shoulders tense. “Why?”

  The man’s smile faded, replaced by a cold, calculating look. “Let’s just say they’ve made more enemies than friends over the years. My name is Qiao Rui, by the way.”

  Xu Tian studied him for a moment, his shadows flickering uncertainly. He didn’t like trusting strangers, but Qiao Rui seemed different—dangerous, yes, but not an immediate threat.

  “Xu Tian,” he said finally.

  Qiao Rui’s smile returned. “A pleasure. Now, let’s talk about how we’re going to make Scarlet Peak regret ever crossing either of us.”

  From their perch above the square, the Scarlet Peak disciples surveyed the town with a mixture of boredom and disdain. There were three of them—two men and a woman—all dressed in the sect’s crimson robes.

  The leader, a tall, broad-shouldered man with sharp features, leaned against the railing of the tea house balcony. His name was Zhao Feng, and his reputation as a rising star within the sect preceded him.

  “Are you sure he’s here?” one of the other disciples asked, his tone skeptical.

  Zhao Feng smirked, his eyes scanning the crowd below. “I can feel it. His presence is faint, but it’s here. The elders were right—he’s alive.”

  The woman frowned. “If he’s bonded with a buried star, we should inform the elders immediately. This isn’t something we can handle on our own.”

  Zhao Feng waved her off. “Relax, Liu Qing. We’ve got this. The bounty on his head will be more than worth the trouble.”

  “And if we fail?” Liu Qing asked, her tone sharp.

  Zhao Feng’s smirk widened. “Then we’ll make sure we don’t.”

  As night fell, the town grew quieter, the bustling streets giving way to empty alleys and dimly lit windows. Xu Tian sat in a small, rundown inn on the edge of town, Qiao Rui seated across from him.

  “They’re here for you,” Qiao Rui said matter-of-factly, sipping from a chipped teacup.

  “I figured that much,” Xu Tian replied, his tone clipped.

  Qiao Rui set the cup down, his expression serious. “You’re strong, but you’re not invincible. If they catch you off guard, they’ll take you down—and they won’t hesitate to kill your friends, either.”

  Xu Tian’s jaw tightened. “What’s your point?”

  “My point,” Qiao Rui said, leaning forward, “is that you need a plan. You can’t just keep running forever.”

  Xu Tian scowled. He hated to admit it, but Qiao Rui was right. The Scarlet Peak Sect wasn’t going to stop, and the bounty hunter from before had been a warning of things to come.

  “So what do you suggest?” Xu Tian asked.

  Qiao Rui’s smile returned, sharp and dangerous. “We turn the tables.”

  As the two of them began to lay out their plan, the Scarlet Peak disciples moved through the darkened streets, their movements precise and coordinated.

  In the shadows of the town, forces were converging, and the storm brewing around Xu Tian showed no signs of stopping.

  Far above, the stars glittered coldly in the night sky, as though watching, waiting.

  And in the depths of Xu Tian’s mind, the star’s whispers grew louder.

  “This is only the beginning.”