Stellaria's dawn breaks in a cascade of golden light, turning the crystal spires into pillars of fire. Fang Yan sits cross-legged on Yun Xi's chamber floor, cycling the Stellar Harmony technique. The chaos in his veins hums in sync with the stars, a steady, controlled pulse that warms his chest. Beside him, Bai Ling dozes, her white fox ears twitching as she dreams, while Yun Xi pores over scrolls, her amethyst eyes scanning ancient text.
"We have a problem," Yun Xi says suddenly, breaking the silence. She taps a scroll, her finger hovering over a line of characters. "The sect's elder council has called an emergency meeting. They suspect a 'chaotic intruder' is hiding in the sect—Heavenly Enforcers must have reported your attack on Lvyin."
Fang Yan's eyes snap open, his golden gaze sharp. "They know I'm here?"
"Not yet," Yun Xi says, shaking her head. "But they're searching every chamber, every corridor. It's only a matter of time before they find us. The elders have a relic—the Star-Seeking Mirror—that can detect chaotic energy."
Bai Ling jolts awake, her tail puffing up. "What do we do? Fight them?"
"We can't," Yun Xi says. "The elder council has three Immortal Lord Realm cultivators. You're strong, Fang Yan, but you're not ready to take them on—not alone. And if we fight, the Heavenly Dao will send more Enforcers, enough to level Stellaria."
Fang Yan's jaw tightens. He hates running, but he knows Yun Xi is right. Vengeance means picking battles wisely—not throwing his life away on a hopeless fight. "Where do we go?"
"To the Netherveil Rift," Yun Xi says, grabbing a leather satchel and shoving scrolls inside. "It's a hidden Void Rift in the Northern Mountains, guarded by the sect's outcasts—cultivators who refused to swear loyalty to the Heavenly Dao. They'll shelter us, and from there, we can reach Netherveil Universe, where the Dao's influence is weaker."
She pauses, looking at Fang Yan, her eyes soft. "I'm coming with you. The elders will execute me for hiding you anyway. And I want to see the worlds you speak of—to help you stand against the Dao."
Fang Yan nods, a flicker of gratitude warming his cold resolve. "Thank you."
They slip out of the chamber as the sun climbs higher, sticking to the shadows of the crystal corridors. The sect is abuzz with activity—disciples run to and fro, elders bark orders, and the faint glow of the Star-Seeking Mirror pulses from the main hall. They avoid detection by hugging the walls, Yun Xi using her saintess authority to wave off curious disciples.
When they reach the sect's outer gate, a voice booms: "Halt! Yun Xi, what are you doing with these outsiders?"
It's Elder Gao, a tall, gaunt man with a long white beard and eyes like shards of ice. He's flanked by two disciples, their swords drawn, and the Star-Seeking Mirror in his hand—its surface glowing bright,锁定 on Fang Yan's chaotic energy.
"Elder Gao," Yun Xi says, her voice steady. "These are my guests. They mean no harm."
"Guests?" Elder Gao sneers. "This boy is a chaotic abomination, marked by the Heavenly Dao for purging. And that fox spirit—another impure beast. You've betrayed the sect, Yun Xi. You've betrayed the Dao."
He raises the Star-Seeking Mirror, and a beam of white light shoots toward Fang Yan. "Die!"
Fang Yan pushes Yun Xi and Bai Ling aside, swinging his hammer. The chaos energy in his veins flares, merging with the starlight from Stellar Harmony to form a black-and-gold barrier. The beam hits the barrier, sending sparks flying, but it doesn't break.
"Run!" Fang Yan shouts. "I'll hold them off!"
Yun Xi hesitates, then grabs Bai Ling's hand. "We'll meet you at the Netherveil Rift! Don't die!"
She pulls Bai Ling into the forest, while Fang Yan charges at Elder Gao. The elder swings his sleeve, sending a wave of celestial energy toward him. Fang Yan leaps, his hammer glowing, and slams it into the wave—shattering it into a shower of light. He lands behind Elder Gao, his hammer aimed at the elder's head.
But the two disciples attack, their swords stabbing at his back. Fang Yan spins, blocking one sword with his hammer, kicking the other disciple in the chest. The disciple flies back, crashing into a tree, while the other swings again—only to have Fang Yan grab his wrist, snapping it with a crunch.
Elder Gao roars, slamming his palm into Fang Yan's chest. Fang Yan grunts, feeling his ribs crack, and staggers back. The elder's cultivation is powerful—Immortal Lord Realm, just as Yun Xi said—but Fang Yan's chaos bloodline is stronger. He ignores the pain, channeling the Stellar Harmony technique, and sends a blast of focused chaos energy toward Elder Gao.
The blast hits the elder square in the chest, sending him flying into the crystal gate. He slumps to the ground, blood coughing from his lips, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Impossible… a mere boy…."
Fang Yan doesn't wait to finish him. He turns and runs into the forest, following the path Yun Xi took. The pain in his chest throbs, but he pushes through it, his golden eyes scanning the trees for any sign of pursuit.
He catches up to Yun Xi and Bai Ling an hour later, near the base of the Northern Mountains. Bai Ling runs to him, her face worried. "Are you okay? You're bleeding!"
Fang Yan wipes blood from his嘴角, nodding. "I'm fine. Did they follow?"
Yun Xi shakes her head, breathing hard. "No. The disciples are too busy tending to Elder Gao. But we need to hurry—the Netherveil Rift is ahead, and the elder's scream will alert more cultivators."
They climb the Northern Mountains, the terrain growing steeper, the air growing colder. The trees thin, replaced by jagged rocks and patches of snow, until they reach a cave hidden behind a waterfall of starlight. Inside, the cave glows with a faint purple light—the Netherveil Rift, swirling like a vortex of shadow and starfire.
As they step inside, a voice says: "Who dares enter the outcasts' sanctuary?"
Three figures emerge from the shadows—two men and a woman, all clad in tattered robes, their eyes filled with警惕. The leader is a burly man with a scar across his face, wielding a battle axe that glows with dark energy.
"We're refugees," Yun Xi says, stepping forward. "Fleeing the Starfall Sect and the Heavenly Dao. This is Fang Yan—bearer of the Chaos Origin Bloodline. He's here to fight the Dao."
The leader's eyes widen. "Chaos Origin? We've heard the prophecies. You're the one who will traverse the multiverse, gathering allies to burn the Heavenly Realm."
Fang Yan nods. "I am. I need your help—to reach Netherveil Universe, to grow stronger."
The leader grins, a fierce, hopeful thing. "Then you've come to the right place. I'm Lin Tianyi, leader of the Starfall Outcasts. We've been waiting for someone like you."
He steps aside, gesturing to the Netherveil Rift. "The rift leads to Netherveil Universe— a world of shadows and chaos, where the Dao's light can't reach. We'll guide you through, and once you're there, we'll introduce you to our allies. But be warned—Netherveil is dangerous. Demons, rogue cultivators, and Dao loyalists all hunt there. It's a place where only the strong survive."
Fang Yan looks at the rift, its purple light swirling like a promise of battle and growth. He thinks of his parents, of Yun Xi and Bai Ling, of Lin Tianyi and the outcasts—all souls united by their hatred of the Heavenly Dao's tyranny.
He grips his hammer, the chaos in his veins singing. "I'm ready."
Yun Xi stands beside him, her scrolls clutched to her chest. Bai Ling grabs his hand, her palm warm. Lin Tianyi leads the way, his axe at the ready.
Together, they step into the Netherveil Rift.
The darkness swallows them, but Fang Yan doesn't fear it. Chaos is his birthright, and shadow is his ally. The Heavenly Dao's hunt has begun—but so has his.
Netherveil Universe awaits.
And soon, the Dao will learn that hunting chaos is like trying to catch starfire—you only get burned.