Yunshi stumbled back into the village at dawn, the events of the night still swirling in his mind like a fog. His head was pounding, his limbs were heavy, and his body felt as though it had been stretched beyond its limits. Every breath he took felt sharper, more urgent. His chest swelled with a strange energy he couldn't quite understand. The power coursing through him was both exhilarating and terrifying.
He hadn't asked for any of this. He hadn't wanted the legacy, hadn't wanted the responsibility. Yet the moment his palm had touched the symbol, it had been as if his destiny had been rewritten. The power was in him now, and with it came the unspoken knowledge that nothing would ever be the same again.
He paused in the middle of the village, the early morning mist curling around his feet. The familiar sight of the quiet village—its rustic houses, its cobbled streets—felt strange now, as though he had been transported to a different reality altogether. It wasn't just the power that had changed him; it was the world itself. The air was thick with energy, as if the very fabric of existence had been altered by the tower's influence. His senses were sharper, more attuned to the vibrations of the world. He could hear the faint hum of the earth beneath him, feel the pull of distant forces in the sky above.
The village elders had always spoken of the towers, of their legends and their dangers, but they had never mentioned what it felt like to stand in the presence of such power. No one had ever told him that the legacy would become a part of him so quickly, so completely. He hadn't even known that it was possible for someone like him—someone who had no special lineage or great potential—to gain such power.
"Yunshi!" a voice called out from behind him.
He turned, blinking in confusion. It was his childhood friend, Zhang Wei, his face flushed with concern. Wei was dressed in simple robes, his hair still disheveled from sleep. Despite the early hour, his expression was serious, his brow furrowed with worry.
"Where have you been?" Wei asked, his voice laced with a mix of relief and annoyance. "We've been searching for you! You disappeared last night, and when we went to your cottage, it was locked."
Yunshi opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat. What could he say? How could he explain the inexplicable events of the night—the tower, the power, the legacy? He didn't even understand it himself.
"I—" Yunshi began, but before he could finish, Wei's eyes narrowed.
"Your aura..." Wei murmured, his gaze flicking up and down Yunshi's form. "It's… different. What happened to you?"
Yunshi instinctively pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders, suddenly aware of the change that had overtaken him. He had been so caught up in the overwhelming surge of power that he hadn't stopped to consider how it might manifest on the outside. His qi felt different, too—stronger, wilder, more chaotic.
"I… I don't know," Yunshi said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Something happened in the forest. I… I think I found something, Wei."
Wei stepped closer, his eyes filled with suspicion. "Something? What do you mean? The elders have been talking about strange occurrences in the forest for days. There's been talk of people going missing. Are you saying you entered one of the towers?"
Yunshi's eyes widened. The towers. The very thought of them sent a chill down his spine. He had always heard stories about the towers, how they were places of power, but also of death. No one ever spoke of them openly, for fear of inviting misfortune. The elders had warned that entering them was a dangerous act—one that could alter your fate forever.
"I didn't mean to," Yunshi said, shaking his head. "I was curious, and… something pulled me in. I couldn't resist. But when I touched it… I felt this power, Wei. It was like nothing I've ever experienced before."
Wei's gaze softened slightly, but his worry didn't subside. "This isn't a joke, Yunshi. The towers don't just grant power—they take something, too. If you've awakened one of the legacies, you need to be careful. There's no telling what could happen next."
Yunshi swallowed, his throat dry. The weight of his friend's words hung heavily in the air. "I don't know what to do," he admitted. "I don't even know what kind of power it gave me. I feel… strange."
Wei regarded him for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a sigh, he nodded.
"Come with me," he said. "We'll go to the Elder's hall. You need guidance. Whatever you've awakened, you need to understand what it is before it consumes you."
The walk to the Elder's hall felt like a lifetime. As they passed through the village, Yunshi couldn't shake the feeling that every pair of eyes was on him. Whispers followed him like shadows, and the air itself seemed to thicken with every step. The villagers were wary, fearful, but no one dared approach him directly. They had seen the change in his aura, and it made them uneasy.
When they finally arrived at the Elder's hall, it was as silent as the rest of the village. The ancient building, made of stone and wood, had withstood the test of time and Shattering. It stood like a monument to the old ways, its walls etched with runes of protection and ancient wisdom. The doors creaked open as Yunshi and Wei entered.
The Elders were seated in a circle, their faces lined with age and wisdom. Elder Li, the head of the council, regarded Yunshi with a sharp, calculating gaze. The others remained silent, their expressions unreadable. Elder Li was a tall, austere man, his long white beard flowing down to his chest. His eyes, however, were as sharp as a hawk's, and they didn't miss a single detail.
"Yunshi," Elder Li began, his voice deep and commanding. "You've awakened one of the legacies, haven't you?"
Yunshi nodded, his mouth dry. "I… I think so. I don't understand it, Elder. I don't know what I've gained. It feels like—like the power of the stars themselves is inside me."
The Elders exchanged looks, their faces grave. Elder Li leaned forward, his eyes narrowing.
"Tell me, Yunshi," he asked softly, "what exactly did you experience in the tower? What did you see?"
Yunshi hesitated. How could he explain the swirling galaxies, the ancient guardians, the surge of power that had coursed through him? Words seemed insufficient, but he did his best.
"I saw… I saw something beyond this world. It was like an endless sea of stars, stretching out forever. And there were these… guardians. They were like statues, but they were alive in some way. And then there was an orb—glowing, pulsing with energy. It spoke to me. It said I had gained the First Legacy. The power of the Starborn."
The room fell silent.
Elder Li's expression softened, but his gaze remained intense. "The Starborn," he whispered, as if to himself. "I had hoped we would never see another." He turned to the other Elders, his voice lowering. "It appears fate has chosen Yunshi for something greater than we could have foreseen."
Wei's eyes widened. "What does that mean, Elder Li? What kind of power does the First Legacy grant?"
Elder Li looked at Yunshi once more, his expression a mixture of respect and caution. "The Starborn are one of the rarest and most powerful legacies. It grants control over the celestial forces—the very stars, space, and gravity. However, it is a power that must be mastered, or it will overwhelm the user. Many have tried to wield it and failed."
Yunshi felt a chill run down his spine. He had gained power beyond his comprehension—and it could destroy him if he wasn't careful.
"You must begin your cultivation immediately," Elder Li continued. "If you wish to survive, you must learn to control the Starborn legacy. And be wary—there will be those who seek to take it from you."
As Yunshi left the Elder's hall, the weight of the situation settled heavily on his shoulders. The Starborn legacy was not a gift—it was a trial, one that would shape the course of his life.
And he wasn't the only one who knew about it now.
He had already attracted the attention of others, and it was only a matter of time before they came for him.