The morning fog lay thick across Starfall Immortal Sect.
It muffled footsteps, softened the sun, and carried whispers of things unseen.
Xing Chen sat in Mu Xueqing's lap, tiny fists curling as he reached for the drifting spiritual qi that floated lazily around the courtyard.
He squealed softly, amused by the patterns that danced like silver ribbons, tugging gently at Mu Xueqing's robes when he wanted closer warmth.
The nine mothers gathered around him, instinctively vigilant.
"This fog… something feels off," Xuan Meilin murmured, her black eyes scanning every shadow, every faint ripple of spiritual energy.
"I agree," Long Yuerong said quietly, stepping beside her. "The Upper World's traces are faint, but they are here."
The child wriggled in Mu Xueqing's arms, tiny mouth opening wide. He nuzzled instinctively, seeking the warmth of her chest.
"Hungry again," she whispered, adjusting him gently.
He latched eagerly, small hands gripping her robes. A tiny hiccup escaped him, and a soft gurgle of satisfaction followed.
Hu Lianyi's tails flicked, almost imperceptibly, forming illusions around the courtyard's perimeter. Each illusion overlapped like layers of a net, ready to warn them of intruders.
"They are testing our patience," she said, eyes narrowing. "Not attacking directly yet."
Feng Lingxi's hands glowed faintly as she tuned the spiritual energy to calm Xing Chen's qi fluctuations. "He cannot be startled," she said softly. "Even minor panic could destabilize him."
Bai Yuehan knelt beside a small jade basin, preparing a warm compress and feeding cloth. "Every precaution," she muttered, her tail flicking lightly with tension.
Mu Xueqing lifted Xing Chen slightly. "Stay calm. Watch carefully."
The child blinked up at her, tiny brows furrowing. Then, as if sensing tension, he wriggled and blew a tiny raspberry at her chest, giggling. His laughter was a bright, unshakable light against the creeping unease of the fog.
Jin Tianrui spread a soft golden qi barrier around the courtyard, invisible to the untrained eye. It would detect even the faintest spiritual fluctuation.
"She is growing aware of threats," She Yaoqing said quietly. "Even at this age… he notices patterns."
Tu Shan Ruyu sprinkled a faint mist of medicinal dew around the courtyard, blending protection and nourishment. "The child must remain untouched," she whispered. "No harm can come to him."
Suddenly, a faint ripple moved through the fog.
Xuan Meilin's eyes narrowed. "Someone approaches."
A shadow shifted along the mountain's edge. Subtle. Fast. Calculated.
The mothers stiffened, flowing into protective stances without words.
Mu Xueqing held Xing Chen close. "Stay calm," she whispered.
The child wriggled, tiny arms stretching outward, as if wanting to investigate the shadow himself. He squealed softly, hitting Mu Xueqing's chest lightly with one tiny fist.
"Quiet, little one," Mu Xueqing murmured, smiling faintly. "The adults are handling this."
The shadow slowed, testing. A single figure stepped into the edge of the courtyard's mist.
Elder Gu Yunhe.
His smile was as gentle as ever. But the spiritual aura he carried now held subtle calculation beneath it. He did not intend harm… not yet. But he wanted to measure, to prod, to see how the mothers and child would respond.
He raised a hand lightly, and the courtyard's spiritual density shifted. Not enough to harm the Star Child… yet enough to observe.
Xing Chen blinked, small brows furrowed, and let out a tiny squeal of protest, tugging instinctively at Mu Xueqing's robes.
The nine mothers moved as one.
Mu Xueqing held him steady, her aura radiating calm certainty.
Long Yuerong's presence pressed like an invisible shield against the courtyard's perimeter.
Feng Lingxi's flames flickered in tiny, precise arcs, ready to flare at the slightest threat.
Bai Yuehan adjusted the soft mat beneath Mu Xueqing, anticipating movement.
Xuan Meilin's formation barriers pulsed subtly in response to Elder Gu's probing.
Hu Lianyi's illusions thickened around the courtyard's edges.
Jin Tianrui's golden qi shimmered as a warning system.
She Yaoqing reinforced the earth beneath their feet.
Tu Shan Ruyu's medicinal mists carried an alert to any minor imbalance in spiritual flow.
Elder Gu Yunhe stopped at the edge of the mist, studying them silently. He did not approach further. Not yet.
Xing Chen wriggled, tiny mouth opening wide again. Another small squeal escaped him, but then he pressed closer to Mu Xueqing, his warmth radiating outward.
Mu Xueqing's hand stroked his head softly. "It's alright. We are here. We are all here."
The shadow lingered for a heartbeat longer, then retreated quietly into the fog, leaving only the faint ripple of qi behind.
Hu Lianyi's lips curved. "He tested us. And the child."
Feng Lingxi chuckled softly, holding the now-satisfied Xing Chen as he nuzzled her shoulder. "And he passed," she said.
Xing Chen giggled again, small fists clapping against Mu Xueqing's robes in delight. Then, yawning, he nestled closer, exhausted from both hunger and curiosity.
Mu Xueqing adjusted him, holding him carefully against her chest. "Eat, sleep, grow… we will always be here."
The nine mothers stood around them, divine yet gentle, vigilant yet tender.
In the morning mist, Starfall Immortal Sect remained peaceful to everyone else.
But the mothers and their child knew the first ripple of real difficulty had arrived.
And the Star Child's tiny acts of hunger, curiosity, and joy had reminded them all why every challenge, no matter how subtle, would be met with their combined strength.