Luna Snow sat up straight, wiping away the last of her tears. In her hand, the jade pendant began to vibrate softly, as if resonating with the shift within her heart. Memories of her mother flooded back—clearer and more vivid than ever.
"Mother…" She closed her eyes, letting the memories flow through her mind.
She saw the Jade Pool Palace as it once was, where Celestial Maiden Tan Tien, dressed in pure white, taught her the first steps of the Celestial Dance. Her mother's gaze had been gentle yet filled with an unwavering strength. And those words, words she only now understood:
"My daughter… never let fear imprison you. True strength lies not in power or magic, but in the steadfastness of your own heart."
Why hadn't she understood it back then? Why did it take so long…
Luna opened her eyes, looking down at the pendant in her hand. Under the moonlight, she noticed tiny cracks on its surface—cracks she had never seen before. Each crack seemed to tell a story, a testament to the battles her mother had endured.
"Mother fought…" she whispered, her fingers tracing the cracks. "Not for power or glory. But for her belief in what was right."
"Yes," Dare Drake Tran nodded, his voice somber. "Your mother was the first to uncover the Jade Emperor's plan—to gather mortal souls for cultivation. She could have stayed silent, continued her life of luxury in the Celestial Court. But…"
"But she chose to stand up," Luna finished, her heart swelling with fierce emotion. "Even knowing it could cost her everything."
Pigsy stepped up beside her, his eyes clouded with memories of the past. "I still remember the day Celestial Maiden Tan Tien appeared before the Ling Shu Hall. Her dance made thousands of blossoms fall, but it wasn't to display beauty—it was to reveal the dark truth of the Celestial Court…"
Fragments of memories flashed vividly through Luna's mind. She recalled early mornings at Jade Pool Palace, with dew still clinging to the ethereal petals, as her mother led her into the celestial garden to practice the dance.
"The Celestial Dance isn't just about graceful movements," her mother's voice echoed in her memory, gentle yet resolute. "Every step, every gesture must carry the heart's intent. When the heart is pure, the dance can transcend even space, reaching the deepest truths."
She remembered her mother's movements, each turn creating trails of silver energy, shimmering like ribbons of light. Sometimes, within those ribbons, she'd glimpse her mother's eyes—eyes that held a profound sadness she hadn't understood then.
"There were times…" Luna's voice broke, "when I saw her alone at night, practicing dances I'd never seen before. Dances not meant for show… but as if they were telling a sorrowful story…"
"And then, on that fateful night…" Luna clenched the pendant tightly, the most painful memory rising to the surface. "I saw her, dressed in pure white, yet without the usual gentleness."
The moon over the Celestial Court had shone coldly that night. Celestial Maiden Tan Tien stood in the center of the Ling Shu Hall, surrounded by the assembled gods. Her dance was no longer soft like lotus petals but fierce like a blade, tearing through the court's solemn atmosphere.
"I can no longer stay silent!" Her mother's voice had echoed through the grand hall. "Do you realize the agony of the mortal souls you've gathered? Do you know that each soul has a family, loved ones left to suffer?"
"Silence!" A thunderous voice boomed from the throne. "Are you trying to destroy the order of the Celestial Court, Celestial Maiden?"
She turned, her gaze ablaze with fierce determination. "If this order is built upon the suffering of countless souls, then it deserves to be broken!"
Luna trembled, tears once again streaming down as she recalled what followed. In her memory, her mother began her final dance—The Celestial Dance of Revelation. Every step was like a silver arrow, piercing the veil of illusions surrounding the grand hall.
"My mother showed me…" her voice broke, "showed everyone the truth. Beneath the Ling Shu Hall, countless souls were imprisoned, their life force drained to sustain the gods' power."
Dare squeezed her hand firmly. "That day, your mother's dance shook the entire Celestial Court—not because of its strength, but because the truth it exposed was unbearable."
"And then…" Luna shut her eyes tightly, trying to hold back the painful memory, but it surged forth. "She was surrounded. But she kept dancing, dancing until the blood that fell mingled with her steps…"
"Luna…" Her mother had turned back to her one last time, her gaze still filled with love. "Remember, my daughter… true strength… lies not in magic or power… but in a pure heart…"
Those were her mother's final words before a blinding celestial light descended from above. Her mother's pure energy had vanished in that merciless radiance, leaving only the jade pendant in Luna's hands—the last relic of her existence.
"But my mother won…" Luna's voice suddenly steadied, a fierce determination rising within her. "Even at the cost of her life, her final dance awakened those who still had a conscience, like you, Master."
Dare nodded, blood once more seeping from his wound, but within the dark blood, the golden sparks grew brighter. "Yes… Her dance revealed the truth to me. And today, as I look at you, I can see that same fire still burning…"
"The Celestial Dance…" Pigsy spoke up, his tone thoughtful. "It wasn't just beautiful; it held the power to reveal truth. Perhaps that's why the Celestial Court sought to silence them."
Luna stood up, clutching the jade pendant in her hand. She was no longer the timid girl she once was. Within her now burned the perfect union of her mother's unbreakable resolve and the strength of a true warrior.
"It's time…" Dare Drake Tran struggled to his feet, leaning against a tree. Black blood still oozed from his wound, but the golden light had now formed a faint, intricate web, appearing to contain the poison within. "I must find a place to hide."
Suddenly, he swayed, nearly falling. Luna Snow quickly caught her master, while Pigsy scanned their surroundings with growing concern.
"This is not good…" Pigsy muttered, frowning. "Dark energy from the Grand Zen Temple is spreading. If we're discovered in this condition…"
"I know a place," Dare interrupted, a sudden brightness in his eyes. "A hidden valley within the northern mountains. There lies an ancient source of spiritual energy… it may help me…"
He was overtaken by a fit of coughing, black blood spilling out again. But this time, within the dark blood, faint golden symbols appeared, hovering in the air for a moment before dissolving.
"Those symbols…" Luna gasped.
"Celestial script…" Pigsy whispered in awe. "Even in this weakened state, a Celestial Lord's body still attempts to renew itself…"
"Luna…" Dare grasped her hand, his voice low and serious. "I need you to do something for me. In the library of the Grand Zen Temple, there is a secret—a truth even I never had the chance to uncover."
He withdrew an old piece of parchment from his robe, revealing a complex symbol drawn upon it—a lotus in bloom within the eye of a dragon. The lines seemed to pulse, occasionally emitting a faint glow.
"This is…" Luna stared at the symbol.
"It holds the truth about the origin of dark magic," Dare murmured with a sigh. "And possibly, the real reason behind your mother's sacrifice. I suspect… everything we know is far from the full story."
Pigsy stepped closer, his gaze hard as he examined the symbol. "I've seen this before, in the Jade Emperor's palace. But why would it appear at the Grand Zen Temple?"
"That is what I need you to find out…" Dare said, his eyes suddenly filled with intensity. "While I retreat to recover, you must uncover the truth on your own."
"But the Grand Zen Temple is dangerous." Dare gripped Luna's hand firmly. "The dark forces grow stronger by the day. Before you go, I will give you something…"
He raised a trembling hand to his chest, over the wound from the Celestial Essence Blood. The golden light gathered, forming a single, pure droplet of blood, suspended in mid-air.
"Master! You can't…" Luna cried out in alarm.
"Do not worry." Dare smiled. "This isn't ordinary Celestial Essence Blood. It has been purified by the battle with the Spirit of Reincarnation. It won't harm you—instead, it will…"
"…unlock your potential," Pigsy interjected, awe-struck. "A single drop of Celestial Lord's blood after reincarnation… it could awaken the Celestial Maiden's bloodline within you!"
The golden drop floated gently toward Luna. As it touched her pendant, its familiar silver glow shifted into a unique hue—a blend of Celestial Maiden's silver and Celestial Lord's gold.
"Master…" Luna whispered, overwhelmed, as the new energy seeped from the pendant into her body. A warmth spread through her, like the embrace of both her mother and her master.
Dare gently stroked her hair. "Do not cry. You are no longer the fragile child you once were. From now on, you must face many challenges alone."
"But… when will you return?" Luna looked up, her tearful eyes filled with determination.
"When I have mastered control over the Celestial Essence Blood," Dare replied, gazing toward the distant northern mountains. "It may take a month, or perhaps three. But I trust you are strong enough to complete this task."
Pigsy stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on Luna's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll be watching over you in secret. After all…" He flashed a grin, "I did make a promise to your master."
Dare managed to stand upright, reaching into his robe and drawing out another pendant—a matching half to Luna's.
"This is…" Luna looked at him, surprised.
"The other half of the Celestial Maiden's pendant." Dare placed it in her hands. "When you discover the truth within the Grand Zen Temple, the two halves will find each other. And then…" He gave her a mysterious smile, "you will understand everything."
Luna clutched both pieces of the pendant, feeling a current of energy gently pulsing between them. A strange sensation washed over her, as if the pendant held not only a link to her master but an even greater secret.
"I won't fail you, Master." She knelt before him, bowing deeply. "I promise I will grow stronger and uncover the truth behind it all."
"Stand up." Dare helped her rise. "Remember, no matter what happens, you will always be my disciple—Dare Drake Tran's, a true Celestial Lord."
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting the ancient forest in hues of twilight. The final rays pierced through the canopy, mingling with the shadows in a golden glow tinged with darkness. The scent of blood and spiritual energy lingered in the air.
Slowly, Dare turned toward the northern mountains. Although his wound still bled, his steps had grown steady. The network of golden light within him was beginning to spread, stabilizing the toxic energy of the Celestial Essence Blood.
"Pigsy," he said without looking back, his voice steady. "Remember your promise."
"Rest assured." Pigsy nodded solemnly. "I will protect her, even at the cost of my life."
As Dare's figure faded into the distance beyond the mountains, Luna held the two pieces of the pendant tightly in her hands. The pendant's silver-and-gold glow pulsed softly, as if guiding her in a specific direction.
"The Grand Zen Temple…" she whispered, her gaze fixed on the ancient structure, barely visible through the mist. A thin plume of black smoke rose from it, carrying the unmistakable aura of dark magic.
"What are you planning?" Pigsy muttered, noticing the fierce resolve in her eyes.
"Tonight…" Luna smiled, a smile identical to her mother's long ago—the smile of Celestial Maiden Tan Tien. "I will begin my mission. The Grand Zen Temple's library… surely someone will be guarding it."
Pigsy started to say something but stopped himself. He had seen it in Luna's eyes—the resolute light of someone ready to step forward—the light of someone prepared to grow strong.
Meanwhile, in a shadowed corner of the forest, a figure in a crimson cloak watched them silently. Beneath his hood, his eyes glinted coldly with intrigue.
"Interesting…" he murmured, his voice laced with the dark inflection of the Demon Realm. "It seems the pieces are coming together. The Celestial Lord, the Celestial Maiden… and the secrets of the Grand Zen Temple."
A faint red mist swirled around him, thick with the scent of blood. When it cleared, the figure was gone, leaving behind a faint mark on the tree—a lotus blooming within a dragon's eye, painted in crimson liquid, exuding an unmistakable aura of dark magic.
Night descended, and new trials awaited just beyond the veil of darkness.