The landscape changed drastically as Kairos and Xia Muren sprinted toward the Outer Wastes. Gone were the thick, lush forests and the towering mountains of the Celestial Territories. The ground beneath their feet grew dry and cracked, the air becoming colder and thinner as they ventured deeper into the desolate region. Rocks jutted out of the earth like jagged teeth, and the sky above was a dull gray, with clouds hanging low as if they were watching.
Kairos kept his eyes forward, pushing his body harder despite the fatigue creeping in. He knew the Eclipse System would alert him if they were in immediate danger, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something—or someone—was closing in. The Fallen Star's power had given him a new sense of awareness, a heightened sensitivity to spiritual energy, and it was making his skin crawl.
Beside him, Xia Muren moved with a fluid grace that barely betrayed any sign of exhaustion. She had been silent for most of their journey, but her eyes flicked toward Kairos occasionally, as if assessing him anew. Her cold, detached demeanor was still there, but Kairos sensed a shift in her gaze—perhaps a newfound respect, or maybe curiosity. Either way, she was a powerful ally, and he needed her to stay that way if they were going to survive.
"We're close," Kairos said, his voice low as they neared a ridge overlooking the first stretch of the Outer Wastes. "The hermit should be somewhere near the old shrine, just beyond this canyon."
Xia glanced toward the horizon, her expression unreadable. "I've heard of the Outer Wastes before. Few return from this place. Are you sure this hermit of yours even exists?"
Kairos nodded, though doubt gnawed at the edges of his mind. "He's real. I've only heard rumors, but they say he knows ways to hide from the most powerful cultivators. If anyone can help us, it's him."
Xia Muren said nothing more, but her presence alone was enough to keep Kairos on edge. As much as they were working together now, he couldn't forget that they had been enemies just hours ago. Trust was not something that came easily in the world of cultivators, especially not in the treacherous lands of the Outer Wastes.
They reached the edge of the canyon, the ground dropping off sharply into a vast, jagged expanse below. The canyon stretched for miles, its cliffs crumbling and weathered from centuries of neglect. There, at the far end, stood the ruins of an ancient shrine—barely more than a collection of crumbling stones and a faint shimmer of spiritual energy that hung in the air like a forgotten memory.
"This is it," Kairos muttered, narrowing his eyes as he scanned the area.
But before they could move any closer, the system flared to life with an urgent warning.
[System Alert: Hostile Entities Detected]
Danger Level: Extreme
Recommendation: Evade or Prepare for Battle
Kairos' heart sank. "We've got company."
Xia Muren's eyes sharpened as she turned toward the far side of the canyon. At first, there was nothing but the eerie silence of the wasteland, but then Kairos felt it—a ripple of energy, faint but growing stronger. His blood ran cold.
Figures appeared on the opposite cliffside, moving swiftly and silently toward them. There were five of them, their auras dark and foreboding, their robes fluttering in the wind. Kairos recognized the distinct energy of the Thousand Shadows Sect. They were assassins, sent to claim the power of the Fallen Star for themselves. Leading them was none other than Elder Wen, the cold, calculating man who had pursued them from the valley.
"They've found us," Xia Muren said, her voice calm but her hand already glowing with icy blue energy.
Kairos cursed under his breath. They were outnumbered and outclassed. Elder Wen's cultivation was leagues above theirs, and the assassins were known for their precision and ruthlessness. A head-on battle would be suicide.
"We can't fight them," Kairos said, his mind racing. "Not directly."
Xia Muren's lips curled into a faint smile. "Who said anything about fighting directly?"
Before Kairos could ask what she meant, Xia Muren raised her hand, her spiritual energy surging as a wall of ice erupted from the ground between them and the incoming assassins. The temperature dropped instantly, and the air filled with a sharp, biting cold. The wall of ice shimmered in the dim light, a temporary barrier that bought them precious moments.
"That won't hold them for long," Xia said, her eyes flicking toward Kairos. "We need to reach the shrine."
Kairos nodded, wasting no time. Together, they sprinted along the edge of the canyon, their feet skidding on loose rocks as they made their way toward the ancient shrine. The sound of ice cracking echoed behind them as the assassins broke through the barrier, but they didn't stop.
Kairos felt the pressure of Elder Wen's aura looming closer, the cold grip of death tightening around them. His mind raced as he tried to think of a way out. The system had warned him of the danger, but it hadn't given him a clear solution.
As they neared the shrine, Kairos' vision blurred for a moment, and the air around him seemed to ripple. He blinked, shaking his head. Was it fatigue, or something else?
And then he saw it—a faint glow emanating from the center of the shrine. It wasn't bright, barely noticeable, but there was something familiar about it, something that called to him deep within.
Without thinking, Kairos slowed his pace and stepped into the ruins of the shrine, the crumbling stones crunching beneath his boots. Xia Muren followed, her eyes narrowing as she took in the ancient structure.
"What is this place?" she asked, her voice low and wary.
"I don't know," Kairos admitted, but the glow seemed to be growing stronger, pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat.
He stepped closer to the center of the shrine, and the faint shimmer of spiritual energy intensified. Then, suddenly, the Eclipse System flared to life, filling his vision with a new notification.
[System Notification: Hidden Artifact Detected]
Artifact Type: Spatial Compass
Description: An ancient relic capable of bending space, allowing the user to travel great distances or hide within the folds of reality.
Condition: Damaged but usable.
Recommendation: Activate immediately to evade pursuit.
"A Spatial Compass," Kairos muttered, his heart racing. This was their way out. But the system had said it was damaged—there was no telling where it would take them or what the consequences might be.
Xia Muren stepped closer, her eyes narrowing as she saw the glowing compass in Kairos' hands. "What is that?"
"Our ticket out of here," Kairos said, gripping the compass tightly. He could feel the raw power within it, but it was unstable, fragile. If they didn't use it carefully, it could tear them apart.
There was no time for hesitation. The assassins were closing in, their auras oppressive as they neared the shrine. Elder Wen's killing intent hung heavy in the air, like a blade ready to strike.
Kairos met Xia Muren's gaze. "This is going to be rough, but it's our only shot."
Xia Muren didn't flinch. "Do it."
Kairos nodded, activating the Spatial Compass. The air around them shimmered, and a deep hum filled the air as the fabric of reality began to bend. A swirling vortex of energy formed in front of them, pulling at the very essence of space itself.
Just as Elder Wen and his assassins reached the shrine, the vortex erupted with a blinding flash of light, engulfing Kairos and Xia Muren in an instant.
[System Notification: Spatial Transfer Initiated]
Destination: Unknown
Kairos felt his body being torn through space, the sensation disorienting and painful. Colors and shapes blurred together, and for a moment, he wasn't sure if he was falling or flying. His mind screamed as the world around him twisted into a chaotic storm of energy.
And then, just as quickly as it had begun, it stopped.
Kairos gasped, collapsing to the ground, his limbs weak and trembling. The world around him was still, but it was different—darker, colder.
He struggled to his feet, his head spinning as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. They were no longer in the Outer Wastes. In fact, they were nowhere familiar at all.
Xia Muren stood beside him, her usually calm expression replaced by one of unease. "Where… are we?"
Kairos looked around, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. They were in a forest, but it was unlike any forest he had ever seen. The trees were massive, their trunks twisting and gnarled, with strange, glowing symbols etched into their bark. The air was thick with spiritual energy, but it was… wrong. Distorted.
A soft voice echoed through the trees, sending a chill down Kairos' spine.
"You shouldn't have come here."
Kairos spun around, his heart racing as the voice grew closer. From the shadows emerged a figure—a young woman with long, flowing hair and eyes that gleamed like moonlight. Her presence was ethereal, otherworldly, and there was something unsettling about the way she moved, like she wasn't entirely real.
Xia Muren immediately raised her guard, her hands glowing with icy blue energy. "Who are you?"
The woman smiled, a cold, haunting smile. "I am the guardian of this place… and you are trespassers."