The stars appeared one by one.
Five points of crimson light pierced the night sky, connected by thin golden lines.
They formed an enormous lotus above the mountains.
Everyone on Qingyun Sect’s highest peak stared upward.
No one spoke.
Even the oldest elders looked terrified.
Lin Xue stood beside Mo Yuan, his hand still resting against the Soul Lotus on his wrist.
“The Heavenly War…”
He looked at Bai Yue.
“What exactly is it?”
Bai Yue slowly lowered her sword.
“The last time it happened, three realms disappeared.”
Lin Xue’s expression tightened.
“Three?”
“The Mortal Realm.”
“The Spirit Realm.”
“And half of Heaven.”
Mo Yuan frowned.
“Who fought?”
Bai Yue looked toward the five stars.
“Everyone.”
“Celestial cultivators against demons.”
“Immortals against mortals.”
“Ancient clans against the Heavenly Court.”
“And eventually…”
Her gaze settled on Lin Xue.
“…the Soul Lotus itself.”
Lin Xue was silent.
“Why?”
Bai Yue hesitated.
“Because Heaven discovered that the Soul Lotus could rewrite destiny.”
“And they wanted it.”
Lin Xue looked at his wrist.
“So the war wasn’t really about territory.”
“No.”
“It was about control.”
A cold wind swept across the mountain.
Bai Yue nodded.
“And now the same power has returned.”
By dawn, Qingyun Sect had become a fortress.
The disciples were divided into defensive formations.
Elders sealed the mountain entrances.
Messengers were sent to every major cultivation sect.
The Imperial Army arrived before noon.
And with them came Ji Chen.
He stepped onto the mountain wearing dark ceremonial robes, his expression unusually serious.
Lin Xue watched him approach.
“You came.”
Ji Chen nodded.
“I received the celestial warning.”
“Are you here to help?”
Ji Chen looked toward the sky.
“I’m here because if Heaven truly intends to start a war…”
He paused.
“…the empire won’t survive.”
Mo Yuan crossed his arms.
“So you finally admit you need us.”
Ji Chen looked at him.
“I’ve never denied it.”
Lin Xue glanced between them.
“Enough.”
Both men fell silent.
Lin Xue sighed.
“If we’re going to survive what’s coming, we can’t keep fighting among ourselves.”
Mo Yuan nodded.
Ji Chen reluctantly agreed.
For the first time, the three stood together.
Not as friends.
Not as allies.
But because something greater threatened them all.
That evening, Lin Xue found himself alone on the mountain terrace.
The moon was bright.
The stars were strangely still.
He placed both hands against the stone railing.
There were too many questions.
His brother.
The Creator.
The Soul Lotus.
The seals.
The war.
And Mo Yuan’s memories.
Footsteps approached behind him.
He didn’t turn.
“I knew you’d come.”
Mo Yuan stopped beside him.
“How?”
“I can recognize your footsteps now.”
A faint smile appeared.
Mo Yuan leaned against the railing.
“You’ve been quiet.”
“I’m thinking.”
“About?”
“Everything.”
Mo Yuan nodded.
Then silence returned.
After a while, Lin Xue spoke.
“Do you remember our first life?”
“Pieces.”
“Tell me.”
Mo Yuan looked at him.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
He took a breath.
“You were a prince.”
Lin Xue blinked.
“A prince?”
“The youngest son of the Northern Kingdom.”
“You hated court politics.”
Lin Xue smiled.
“That sounds familiar.”
“You used to escape the palace and wander into the mountains.”
“That’s where we met.”
Mo Yuan’s voice softened.
“You were sitting beside a frozen lake.”
“You were crying.”
Lin Xue frowned.
“I cried?”
“You’d lost a hairpin.”
Lin Xue stared at him.
“That’s why we met?”
Mo Yuan smiled.
“You accused me of stealing it.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“You probably did.”
“I found it five minutes later.”
Lin Xue laughed.
For a few moments, the war seemed very far away.
Then Mo Yuan looked at him.
“You asked me to promise something.”
“What?”
“That if we were ever separated…”
He paused.
“I would find you.”
Lin Xue looked down.
“You kept your promise.”
“I tried.”
“Nine times.”
Mo Yuan nodded.
Lin Xue’s smile faded.
“And nine times, I died.”
Mo Yuan’s expression tightened.
“This time will be different.”
“How do you know?”
“Because now…”
He reached for Lin Xue’s hand.
“…you remember.”
Their fingers intertwined.
The golden thread appeared between them.
Lin Xue looked at it.
“I don’t want another life.”
Mo Yuan’s eyes softened.
“Neither do I.”
“I want this one.”
“Then we’ll protect it.”
Lin Xue looked at him.
“Together?”
“Together.”
For a moment, neither moved.
Then a loud bell rang from the main courtyard.
Both immediately turned.
A disciple came running up the stairs.
“Elder Bai!”
“What happened?” Lin Xue asked.
The disciple was pale.
“The eastern formation has fallen.”
Mo Yuan’s expression changed.
“How?”
The disciple swallowed.
“An army crossed the boundary.”
“Whose army?”
“The Celestial Court.”
Lin Xue’s heart sank.
“How many?”
The disciple looked toward the eastern horizon.
“Too many to count.”
Another bell rang.
Then another.
Across the mountain, thousands of disciples began rushing toward the eastern gate.
Bai Yue appeared on the terrace.
Her expression was grim.
“They’re here.”
Lin Xue looked toward the sky.
The five crimson stars had moved.
They now formed a perfect circle above Qingyun Mountain.
Mo Yuan drew his sword.
Ji Chen appeared behind them, already dressed in armor.
Lin Xue looked at both men.
Then at the army gathering below.
The war had arrived sooner than expected.
A celestial horn sounded from beyond the mountains.
The sound shook the entire sky.
Then a voice descended from the heavens.
“Surrender the Soul Lotus.”
“And the Mortal Realm will be spared.”
Lin Xue stepped forward.
His golden Soul Lotus appeared.
“No.”
The heavens answered.
“Then let the war begin.”
Clouds split apart.
Millions of golden lights descended toward the mountain.
Mo Yuan raised his sword.
Ji Chen drew his imperial blade.
Bai Yue lifted hers.
And Lin Xue opened all ten petals of the Soul Lotus.
The first battle had begun.