The dense forest stretched endlessly before Li Zhen, each step taking him closer to the Valley of Fallen Stars—his new reality. The moon, once high above the Azure Spring Sect, had vanished behind thick clouds, leaving the world around him bathed in shadows.
A chilling wind rustled through the trees, carrying with it the distant howls of spirit beasts.
Li Zhen tightened his grip on his rusted sword.
There was no turning back.
Hours passed.
The trees grew twisted and gnarled, their branches reaching like skeletal fingers toward the sky. The air became heavier, thick with a strange, almost metallic scent. The ground beneath his feet was uneven, cracked, and littered with the bones of those who had come before him.
A grim reminder—this place devoured the weak.
Then, he saw it.
Beyond the last line of trees, a deep ravine split the land apart like a scar. A thick, greenish mist oozed from below, shifting unnaturally, as if alive.
The Valley of Fallen Stars.
Li Zhen exhaled, staring down into the abyss. Legends spoke of this place—not just as a graveyard for the exiled, but as a cursed land where the remnants of fallen cultivators and lost treasures lay hidden.
He had no choice.
He had to descend.
The First Night
The valley was worse than he had imagined.
The air was damp, filled with a faintly toxic miasma that made his breathing labored. Strange, glowing mushrooms dotted the landscape, casting an eerie blue light over the jagged terrain. The howls of distant beasts echoed through the valley, each one sending a shiver down his spine.
Li Zhen needed shelter.
He moved carefully, keeping low to the ground, his senses on high alert. Every shadow could hide a predator, every sound a potential threat.
Then, in the distance—he spotted ruins.
Half-buried in the valley's rocky terrain, the ruins were old, their stone walls cracked and covered in moss. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.
He quickened his pace.
But just as he reached the entrance—
Growl.
A sharp chill ran down his spine.
Turning his head, he saw three pairs of glowing yellow eyes emerge from the darkness.
Shadow Wolves.
Their sleek black fur blended with the night, their fangs gleaming under the soft blue glow of the mushrooms.
Li Zhen's grip tightened around his sword.
They were hunting him.
The first wolf lunged.
Li Zhen barely managed to sidestep, bringing up his rusted sword just in time. Clang! The impact rattled his bones, but he held firm. The beast snarled, circling him.
The second wolf attacked from the left.
Li Zhen twisted his body, the blade of his sword scraping against its claws. Sparks flew. He felt the sting of pain as its claws grazed his shoulder, tearing fabric and flesh.
He staggered.
Blood dripped onto the cold stone floor.
He wasn't fast enough. He wasn't strong enough.
The third wolf crept forward, preparing to strike the final blow.
Li Zhen's vision blurred. His breaths came out in ragged gasps. His body screamed in pain, his strength waning.
No.
He refused to die here.
His foot struck something hard—a loose stone protruding from the ruin's floor.
An idea flashed through his mind.
As the final wolf lunged, he threw himself backward, slamming his hand onto the stone.
Click.
A deep rumbling shook the ruins.
The air crackled with energy.
Then—
Boom!
A brilliant blue barrier erupted, forming a shimmering dome around him.
The Shadow Wolves yelped as the energy surged outward, flinging them away. They hit the ground with force, rolling before quickly scrambling to their feet. They snarled, pacing just outside the glowing barrier.
But they couldn't get in.
Li Zhen collapsed to his knees, his body trembling.
He had no idea what he had just activated—but whatever it was, it had saved him.
The wolves lingered for a moment, snarling in frustration, before finally retreating into the darkness.
The ruins fell silent once more.
Li Zhen's vision blurred as exhaustion dragged him into unconsciousness.
The last thought that crossed his mind was simple.
"I survived."
Then, darkness consumed him.